Chapter 54: Variety Show Debut

The next day.

Reports regarding the production press conference of The Heirs became a hot topic online.

Seizing the momentum, the production team released individual character posters in advance, which maintained the top spot on Twitter's daily ranking for three consecutive days.

Among them, a behind-the-scenes snapshot of Kang Jae-hoon wearing a school uniform and leaning against a faux-wood-textured window frame sparked discussions around the term "man torn from a manga."

At this time, there was still half a month left before the official broadcast.

The production crew had already completed the filming and production of the first four episodes in advance.

According to the schedule of the SBS promotional planning department, after completing the drama's production ahead of expectations, the entire cast would successively appear on variety shows to generate buzz for the premiere.

Kang Jae-hoon, Krystal Jung, and Kim Woo-bin were scheduled to participate in the variety show Running Man.

In 2013, Running Man could be described as the representative of "phenomenal" Korean variety shows.

Not to mention its international influence.

Just looking at the viewership ratings, which consistently stayed between 16% and 19% per episode, not only secured the show's crown as the ratings champion in its time slot,

but it also made "whichever guest appears becomes a hit" an unspoken golden rule—

Whether a fledgling rookie or a long-absent veteran, as long as they appeared on this national-level variety show, their exposure and trending status would inevitably skyrocket.

This variety show should have originally been attended by Lee Min-ho.

However, he ultimately chose to take rookie actors on a round of radio show promotions.

No one would complain about having too high a level of popularity.

Lee Min-ho didn't skip it because he felt that adding icing to the cake was unnecessary, but rather because Running Man at this period was truly formidable.

Of course, the most crucial reason was still his reluctance to let loose.

He pursued the flower boy image and was afraid that going on the show would ruin it.

Thus, Kang Jae-hoon naturally became the substitute choice.

On the night before preparing to attend the recording of the variety show,

Kang Jae-hoon prepared to call Hwang Jung-min to express his concerns.

In fact, many actors avoided variety shows precisely because they were afraid their cinematic image would be damaged, causing the audience to lose their immersion.

He had similar apprehensions in this regard.

Currently, none of the film and television works Kang Jae-hoon had participated in had been released, leaving his cinematic image a blank slate.

If his image in Running Man was preconceived by the audience,

then every character he portrayed thereafter would be shackled by this variety show filter.

He feared that when the audience watched dramas in the future, they would unconsciously project the variety show persona onto the characters.

Consequently, his yet-to-be-established cinematic positioning would be prematurely boxed in.

Clutching his phone, Kang Jae-hoon paced the balcony for the seventh circle before finally pressing the call button.

"Jae-hoon-ah, if an actor has no charm in real life, can the character they portray have any charm?"

Hwang Jung-min's muffled yet resolute voice came through the phone receiver:

"Variety shows showcase a genuine personality, which is a completely different matter from portraying a character."

Kang Jae-hoon stared at the blinking neon sign of the convenience store downstairs:

"But I'm afraid the audience will form preconceived notions..."

"Back then, I went on Family Outing, caught mudfish, and fell flat on my face. Did that stop me from winning Best Actor later?"

Kang Jae-hoon let out a chuckle, the tension in the back of his neck easing:

"So the teacher means?"

"Treat tomorrow like you're going out to play. Eat what you should, fall when you must."

"Then what do I need to pay attention to?"

"Care less about winning or losing, and think more about how to make the audience laugh."

Kang Jae-hoon heard the crisp sound of a Zippo lighter opening and closing through the receiver:

"You know Lee Kwang-soo, right? Tomorrow, observe more of how he creates variety show effects and apply what you learn on the fly."

"Understood, thank you, teacher."

In the final three seconds before the call ended, the teacher's wife's roar of "Hwang Jung-min, you're smoking again!" erupted from the receiver.

Kang Jae-hoon hung up the phone and turned around, the sliding door track emitting a subtle squeak.

Lee Sung-kyung was standing in front of the refrigerator organizing crisper boxes—from this angle, the balcony area reflected in the entryway mirror was clearly visible.

"Was the wind on the balcony not enough for you?"

"What?"

"You're just recording a variety show." Lee Sung-kyung slammed the refrigerator door shut. "You're as nervous as if you were heading to the execution ground."

"I'm not nervous."

"Would someone who isn't nervous pace the balcony seven times?"

Kang Jae-hoon rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile:

"Actually... I was just afraid that the variety show effect would affect my cinematic image."

"What image do you even have?"

Lee Sung-kyung suddenly sneered:

"A cross-dressing aristocrat? The textbook example of falling on flat ground? Or your karaoke killer track 'Three Bears'?"

"..."

Kang Jae-hoon opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down twice, before finally squeezing out a dry "Oh."

"Instead of worrying about a nonexistent cinematic image, you'd better go to sleep early so you don't wake up looking like a fermented steamed bun on camera tomorrow."

Kang Jae-hoon dawdled as he shuffled toward the bedroom, then suddenly poked his head out from around the door frame:

"Is Sung-kyung caring about me?"

"..."

Lee Sung-kyung raised her hand and pressed the living room ceiling light switch.

Darkness instantly swallowed Kang Jae-hoon's foolish grin as he clung to the door frame.

Slippers and the wooden floor scraped out a short, squeaky sound, and the crisp click of the bedroom door latch sliding into its slot was more decisive than she herself was.

Morning light pierced through the sheer curtains.

Kang Jae-hoon was dreaming of himself being chased down a hillside by a giant name tag.

Lee Sung-kyung's yoga mat was rolled into a cylinder leaning obliquely against the door frame, and an iced Americano and a sandwich were left on the dining table.

As the van pulled out of Seongsu-dong, Kang Jae-hoon could still catch a glimpse of her morning jog.

"The director wants you to form a loveline with Krystal Jung today."

Kim Dae-won puffed on a toothpick and glanced at the rearview mirror:

"Remember to protect her a bit when ripping name tags."

"Didn't they say variety shows require true authenticity?"

"True authenticity doesn't conflict with scripted personas! Learn how Kang Gary formed the Monday Couple with Song Ji-hyo."

"Oh..."

The van arrived at the SBS Mok-dong building.

Yoo Jae-suk's signature glasses reflection was already flashing in the parking lot.

Kang Jae-hoon immediately bowed ninety degrees:

"Hello, sunbaenim! I'm rookie actor Kang Jae-hoon."

"Aiyoo, Hwang Jung-min's beloved disciple!"

Yoo Jae-suk threw an arm around his shoulder and walked toward the waiting room:

"I heard your cross-dressing is exceptionally professional?"

"not... not that professional."

"Hahaha—"

When Kim Jong-kook pushed the door open, Kang Jae-hoon was adjusting his waistband in front of the mirror, his tanned abdominal muscles flashing briefly between the hem of his clothes.

"Aiyoo, actors these days have pretty good physical management..."

"Sunbaenim's physique is at the textbook level."

Kang Jae-hoon quickly turned around and bowed.

"Do you work out regularly?"

"I can work out three times a week, and the rest of the time I help the crew move props to maintain it."

Kim Jong-kook lifted the hem of his T-shirt:

"It would be even more perfect if your body fat percentage could drop another 3%."

As he spoke, his fingers tapped against the abdominal muscles:

"Free to work out together sometime?"

"I will definitely impose on you, sunbaenim."

Amidst the conversation, the waiting room door was pushed open once again.

The central air conditioning cold draft brought in by Lee Kwang-soo ruffled Kang Jae-hoon's hair, and his bow became almost a conditioned reflex:

"Hello, sunbaenim. Hwang Jung-min-ssaengnim often mentions you."

"Mwo? Hwang sunbaenim? What did he say?"

The giraffe's eyes lit up instantly.

"He said you are the chameleon of the variety show world, and that your facial expression management is worth learning for actors."

"Did he really say that?"

"His exact words were—"

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly dropped his posture and lowered his voice, flawlessly replicating Hwang Jung-min's smoky vocal timbre:

"His acting of playing dumb and acting foolish—ninety percent of actors ought to buy tickets to study it."

The waiting room suddenly plunged into an eerie silence.

"Jae-suk-hyung!"

Lee Kwang-soo suddenly lunged at Yoo Jae-suk:

"I'm going to carve Hwang sunbaenim's words onto my tombstone!"

"Hahaha..."

Yoo Jae-suk's laughter mingled with the waiting room broadcast as it blasted right on time—

"Everyone prepare for the opening, enter the filming set in five minutes!"