NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor

[Your input has been received. Please leave your inquiry.]

“The content is as follows. I purchased an item from Iran, and the brand name is ‘Baeksol’…”

After conveying the last operation’s information for about a minute, Ryu Yeon-woo straightened up again, assuming the appearance of his grandfather, and approached the public phone.

From there, he retraced his steps, recovering the hidden bags in reverse order of their placement in the public phones. He changed his attire and bags multiple times, making his way back home.

“It’s been four months already since this information was obtained. The expiration date might have passed, but now it’s goodbye to the life of Jeon Su-hwan.”

My homeland, I’ve completed the final operation.

Past life, you’ve been through a lot.

The days of the past were a life of constant doubt and deception for agents and spies, repeating the cycle of suspicion and acting.

As the days went by, my mind grew weary, and it was a solitary and rough time filled with a sense of loneliness, but even so, I have no regrets about the days I lived dedicatedly.

Simply put, concluding with a feeling of satisfaction after reaping the results, it was a good way to finish things off.

***

On that night, Ryu Cheol-yung, Yeon-woo’s father, had hidden the shoes he wore for hiking somewhere and then put them all at once into the washing machine. He was scolded by his wife, who accused him of putting them in there without her knowledge, and he spent the night feeling unjust.

“No, really, it wasn’t my idea…”

Yeon-woo felt sorry for his scolded father, but he had no choice but to feign ignorance.

Exams were over, and now Ryu Yeon-woo had become somewhat accustomed to his life. He had rid himself of the lingering regrets of his past life and was determined to adapt to his new life as an actor. He had always been interested in acting, and while he wasn’t sure if his skills would be of any help, he was confident in his ability to act in everyday life, honed through his work abroad.

“Whether those past experiences will translate into on-camera acting or stage performance remains uncertain.”

Having a broad range of experiences and the ability to use facial muscles relatively freely, he believed it would be better than heading into uncharted territory.

“Hmm…”

Yeon-woo, who was drawing a picture for his performance evaluation using poster paints in the art room, let out a sigh.

“Why do you keep sighing? Did something happen?”

Junsoo, who was drawing a picture from the adjacent seat, spoke to Yeon-woo while looking at him.

“No, there’s something I want to try, so I’m considering getting a part-time job.”

Seong-sik, who was sitting in front of them, turned around and asked after becoming interested in Yeon-woo’s answer.

“You want to get a part-time job?”

“Yeah, just thinking about trying an acting academy.”

Both Junsoo and Seong-sik exclaimed with wide eyes in response to this unexpected answer.

“Acting?”

“Acting?”

But soon enough, Junsoo nodded his head in agreement, saying, “Well, your grades are good, and it’s your face after all.”

In today’s world, entering a good university and finding a specialized job might not be as successful as becoming a star.

“If you’re thinking of acting, don’t you have to go to a famous place in Seoul?”

“I just want to learn the basics for now.”

Seong-sik, who had turned around, asked with a puzzled expression, wondering why Yeon-woo was having such thoughts.

“Then, instead of a part-time job, why not talk to your parents? If I were the top student in the school, my mom would allow anything!”

After hearing those words, Junsoo lightly tapped Seong-sik’s shoulder and retorted.

“Are you comparing yourself to Jae? If my son were the top student, I definitely wouldn’t allow it. Plus, it could cost a lot of money.”

Yeon-woo responded with a smile to Junsoo’s comment.

“Well, I don’t plan on going to an expensive academy. Our family is just ordinary, neither living very well nor very poorly.”

Yeon-woo added with a hint of awkwardness, but he couldn’t quite understand why he naturally referred to “our family.”

“Maybe my mom would support me if I said I wanted to. I’m just considering it because I don’t want to rely on her.”

Seong-sik shook his head with a chuckle.

“Well, so you’re even thinking about a part-time job? You’re quite the filial son, just as much as me. Blessings from the Ryu family.”

Seong-sik’s joking remark about being filial was immediately countered by Junsoo.

“That’s right. You’re a filial son too. A filial son of fire, that is.”

“What did you say?”

They bantered back and forth in no time, Seong-sik and Junsoo exchanged words playfully.

“Hey there, you unfilial friends. Are you all done drawing and chatting?”

Suddenly, the art teacher appeared, lightly gripping Seong-sik and Junsoo’s necks, and once again, the classroom fell silent.

*****

After a few days, just when Yeon-woo was considering looking into short-term part-time jobs that students could do seriously, an unexpected solution emerged from an unexpected place.

[Announcement from the Broadcasting Club. Students Ryu Yeon-woo, Kim Min-ji, Choi Woo-jin…]

A broadcast came from the speakers in the classroom, calling out Yeon-woo and several other students.

“What’s this? Did you get into an accident? No, that can’t be it.”

“Seems like all the good students. Maybe they’re getting an award.”

Upon hearing Junsoo and Seong-sik’s words, Yeon-woo stood up from his seat.

“I’ll go for a bit.”

He went to the principal’s office as summoned, took a few simple commemorative photos, and received a one million won academic excellence scholarship from the alumni association.

For Yeon-woo, who didn’t want to waste time working part-time or in futile pursuits, it was a very opportune moment.

“This is perfect timing. Luck is on my side in this lifetime.”

Yeon-woo finished school that day and during dinner, he immediately spoke to his parents.

“Father, Mother, I want to give acting a try.”

“All of a sudden, acting?”

Yeon-woo nodded.

Soon, he took out a white envelope from his pocket.

“I received a scholarship at school today. With this, I have something I want to try, learning acting.”

“Awesome!”

His younger sister So-hyeon, who was quietly eating beside him, poked his side.

“If you become a star, will you give me a lot of allowance?”

“Come on, it’s not about that. I just want to give it a try.”

Yeon-woo chuckled at So-hyeon’s allowance talk.

Still, to have a son who had been feeling down suddenly show such enthusiasm to do something was definitely a point of pride for his supportive parents.

“Sure, we can’t refuse you anything. Even if you didn’t have the scholarship, Mom would welcome it with open arms.”

“Hmm. Dad also heard a lot about pursuing talents when he was young.”

At Ryu Cheol-yung’s words, both Yeon-woo and So-hyeon simultaneously nodded.

“No, it’s because you guys are getting older and gaining weight.”

Cheol-mom patted his belly and looked at Yeon-woo.

In reality, as the weight continued to drop, he could feel that his son’s appearance was becoming more impressive even in his parents’ eyes.

If he continued to lose weight, it was clear that he would have quite a remarkable appearance.

“So, have you decided where you’re going to learn acting?”

Answering his mother’s question immediately, Yeon-woo said, “I don’t think I need to go all the way to Seoul. I’m thinking of trying it out in Daejeon.”

“Is that alright? For fields like performing arts, they say it’s tough if it’s not in Seoul. You know Aunt Young-hee, right? Her daughter has been an idol trainee for years, and she said it’s tough.”

Yeon-woo smiled warmly as he looked at his passionate mother.

“If I have the potential, I’ll make it work wherever I am. Since studies are important too, I’ll give it a shot in Daejeon for now.” Yeon-woo’s father, Godeok, responded.

“Okay, then let’s do this: look it up online and talk about it. Let’s go together.”

In truth, Yeon-woo had initially planned to go alone, but he suddenly became aware of his status as a minor and simply nodded without saying anything, looking at his father.

“Yes, Dad. Thank you.”

Afterwards, he found an acting academy to receive counseling through online searches and made some preparations of his own.

“Should I start by watching some videos?”

After school, in his room, he watched the trending dramas these days, focusing on actors’ expressions and movements.

During his days as an agent, he had repeated the process of analyzing and imitating others’ actions to blend in with a particular organization to the point that it became second nature to him.

“Hmm, is this how it’s done?”

Watching TV and using the mirror alternately, Yeon-woo mimicked various expressions.

Though he was hastily imitating, it still looked somewhat decent.

“I wonder if it’s because my face is decent, or if I can actually act. It’s hard to tell on my own.”

Clearly, he needed the help of a professional.

******

Meanwhile, in a prosecutor’s office in Busan.

A man in his early 30s, with a solid appearance, was typing rapidly on the small keyboard with his large hands.

The man, who was working diligently on the computer until late at night, was a young prosecutor named Han Hae-woon, as indicated by the nameplate on his desk.

Han Hae-woon, the prosecutor, lost in thought as he tapped his desk’s edge.

“Team Leader Jeon Su-hwan… What’s their real identity? Am I going crazy? It’s impossible that the person from the painting actually exists.”

However, he couldn’t help but feel like he had to find them for some unknown reason, so he couldn’t stop himself.

An indescribable sense of mission kept emerging, as if he had to convey something to that person. Han Hae-woon’s investigation continued until late into the night.

On the following Saturday, Yeon-woo visited an acting academy in downtown Daejeon with his father for a consultation.

Jung Cheol-min.

He had spent quite some time in Hye-hwa pursuing a career in theater and had even made appearances as a supporting actor in commercial films a couple of times. Coming down to his hometown, Daejeon, and starting an acting academy marked a decisive moment for him.

Director Jung Cheol-min, who usually oversaw the preparatory class, was teaching as usual when Mr. Yoon, the counselor, entered the room, knocking lightly, and whispered in his ear.

“Director, I think it would be best if you personally go and have a consultation. There’s something unusual about their face.”

After working in this industry for a long time, she was more accurate in evaluating the potential of an actor’s face than a plastic surgery coordinator.

Upon her suggestion, Jung Cheol-min briefly entrusted his class to another instructor and headed to the counseling room.

“So, your son has shown an interest in acting, and you thought of having a casual consultation, is that right?”

“Hehe, yes, that’s correct. Director. This kid actually ranked first in the whole school this time. As a father, I was thinking, even though he’s good at studying and dedicated to academics, what if he pursues a regular job that everyone else wants…”

Although there wasn’t much to boast about with his son, Ryu Cheol-yung had managed to proudly fit in the passive boasting armor, thanks to his son’s outstanding achievement in just a few months.

However, Director Jung Cheol-min, who had already seen the face of the student who had come for counseling, nodded in agreement with Cheol-yung’s words, but he had no intention of letting this opportunity slip through his fingers.

In fact, he had made up his mind from the moment when Yoon, the counselor, had suggested that he personally consult with them based on her insight.