NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor

“Hello, nice to meet you today.”

As supporting actor Jang Hyun-woo entered the set, he turned his head at the greeting directed at him and gasped in surprise.

“Huh? M-me?”

The man in front of him nodded with a bright smile and extended his hand for a handshake.

“Yes. I look forward to working with you today.”

“Y-yes! I look forward to it too.”

Jang Hyun-woo mentally scolded himself for stuttering as he shook the hand extended by none other than Ryu Yeon-woo. It was no wonder he was nervous; after all, it was Ryu Yeon-woo standing before him.

Yeon-woo had arrived on set early and was greeting every actor and staff member as they arrived. Watching him from behind, Manager Kim Min-soo shrugged as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Honestly, our actor deserves a biography someday. How can someone be so consistent from their debut?”

“A biography?”

Kim Min-soo turned his head to the cheerful voice beside him. A young girl in a neat blouse stood there.

“Ah, you’re Actress Han Byul, right? I’m Kim Min-soo, Ryu Yeon-woo’s manager.”

“Hello! I’m Han Byul.”

Kim Min-soo smiled at Han Byul’s bright expression and polite bow. This young actress had a knack for making people feel good.

“Have you greeted Yeon-woo yet, Han Byul?”

“No! I just came in through the staff entrance with my mom. I’ll go say hi now!”

Han Byul bowed to Kim Min-soo and then ran over to where Ryu Yeon-woo was greeting people at the entrance.

“Hello, senior!”

“Ah, Actress Han Byul.”

Yeon-woo smiled warmly as he spotted Han Byul.

“Today is the first day of shooting, right?”

Since Yeon-woo had started with solo action scenes, the scenes involving other actors had been postponed, making today their first day of shooting together.

“Yes! It feels a bit embarrassing to be called an actress. Please speak comfortably!”

“Shall I?”

Han Byul’s character, Ella, was the first to join the protagonist Jung Do-jin on his journey and was also his closest ally in the series. It was beneficial for them to become close quickly in real life as well.

As Yeon-woo chatted with Han Byul, he suddenly thought she would get along well with his sister.

“You’d get along great with my sister.”

“Get along?”

Ah, maybe the younger generation doesn’t use that expression much.

“I mean, you and my younger sister seem quite similar.”

“Really? I hope I get the chance to meet her! I have a lot of friends.”

Yeon-woo nodded. Given her bright and lively personality, it seemed likely. Just then, another supporting actor entered the set, and Yeon-woo bowed to greet them and extended his hand for a handshake.

“Hello, nice to meet you today.”

“Nice to meet you!”

Han Byul followed Yeon-woo and greeted the newcomer as well.

“Hmm? You can go rest or review your script, Han Byul.”

“No, it’s impressive to see you greet everyone personally, senior.”

Yeon-woo chuckled at Han Byul’s enthusiasm. She was certainly a bright and eager young actress, and her energy was infectious.

Hearing Han Byul’s words, Yeon-woo scratched the back of his head.

‘I’ve reached the point where people call me ‘senior’.’

He realized that Dong-ha from the idol group Exis, who played one of the main supporting roles, was a year younger than him. Jeong Soo-yeon was the same age, and Han Byul was a middle schooler. The average age of the main and supporting cast was under 20.

“This is like a school field trip.”

“Pardon?”

Han Byul asked, tilting her head at Yeon-woo’s muttering. He smiled lightly and shook his head.

“Nothing. Han Byul, there’s another person coming in.”

“Yes! Hello!”

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***

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Soon, all the supporting and minor actors had finished their makeup and gathered on set.

‘Have I ever shot a scene with this many extras?’

Yeon-woo looked around. The set had a semi-circular arrangement of long wooden benches, reminiscent of a church, against a green chroma key background. Unlike a modern courtroom where seats face the bench, this setup directed all attention to the prisoner in the center, giving it the feel of a one-sided tribunal rather than a courtroom.

The people filling the seats wore red robes, symbolizing red blood cells. With so many dressed alike, it looked almost like an occult gathering of a cult. Given the set design and the large number of extras, Yeon-woo was slightly concerned about the young actress standing next to him.

“Are you scared, Han Byul?”

At Yeon-woo’s warm question, Han Byul’s eyes sparkled.

“No? It’s fun!”

“Really?”

Yeon-woo’s concern seemed unfounded as Han Byul genuinely appeared to be enjoying herself. He then looked up at the veteran actor on the high platform in front of him.

“Senior, I look forward to working with you today.”

“Haha, yes. It’s quite something to be doing this kind of shoot in my later years.”

The elderly actor, who would be playing the role of the judge and village chief, was a veteran with decades of experience in theater. Though it was a one-time appearance, the role required significant acting skills, and Director Hwang had done an excellent job casting the perfect veteran for the part.

‘As long as I do my part well.’

Just then, the assistant director’s voice rang out.

“Standby, everyone.”

Yeon-woo looked at Han Byul and raised his fist.

“Fighting!”

“Yes, fighting!”

In the scene, Jung Do-jin, bound in chains, was supposed to be dragged out by the young men of the Red Blood village, so Yeon-woo stepped outside to prepare. As he walked out, he noticed the extras playing the Red Blood villagers were visibly tense.

‘Well, I used to get nervous even for minor roles that might appear in just one scene.’

He recalled how, despite not fearing the battlefield where bombs exploded, he had been nervous during an extra shoot he had secretly participated in during his leave. At that moment, Director Hwang’s voice came from beside him.

“Yeon-woo, you know you can’t look like a criminal while being dragged, right? Please act like a tiger ready to devour them all.”

Yeon-woo responded with a gentle smile.

“Got it. How many should I act like I’m ready to devour?”

“Uh, well… enough to be full?”

Yeon-woo’s casual joke and Director Hwang’s quirky response elicited a few chuckles from the extras. Seeing this, Yeon-woo nodded slightly.

‘It seems like the tension has eased a bit.’

Interpreting Yeon-woo’s nod as a signal that he was ready, Director Hwang brought the microphone to his mouth.

“Alright, everyone, get ready. We’re starting the shoot. High action.”

At Director Hwang’s cue, the extras in red robes began murmuring. The veteran actor on the high platform struck the wooden podium a couple of times with his dry hand.

“Silence! We will now begin the judgment of the outsider. Bring him in!”

At the veteran actor’s shout, the noisy hall fell into a sudden silence.

Clang─.

The sound of chains clinking rhythmically broke the silence as Yeon-woo appeared in the frame. As Jung Do-jin, the character Yeon-woo was portraying, entered, the atmosphere changed dramatically. The attention that had naturally been on the veteran actor instantly shifted to Yeon-woo, as if a stronger magnet had pulled all the iron filings away.

With one corner of his mouth slightly raised, Yeon-woo walked with a straight back and slow, heavy steps, exuding a presence that filled and overflowed the entire set.

‘…He really does look like a tiger.’

Jang Hyun-woo, one of the extras sitting along the path Yeon-woo walked, felt his neck involuntarily tense up.

‘How can the atmosphere change so drastically…’

It was hard to believe that this was the same Ryu Yeon-woo who had greeted him politely at the entrance. With his slightly disheveled hair and intense eyes, Yeon-woo exuded a wildness that made it seem like he could really devour someone.

This was the presence of someone who had rolled through dangerous regions, standing firm even among the fierce mercenaries of a private military company.

Clang─.

The rhythmic sound of the chains stopped. Yeon-woo had walked to the center of the tribunal, or rather, the judgment hall. Director Hwang, who had been nodding continuously while watching the monitor, spoke up.

“Okay, cut! Let’s get a tight shot.”

At the director’s signal, the extras, who had felt like prey, exhaled.

“Man, his presence is something else…”

“Yeah, did you feel that too?”

As the extras murmured, the staff moved busily with their equipment. The one-take action scene that marked the start of the shoot was a special case. Normally, filming involves repeating the same scene from multiple angles and using various techniques.

The setup changed quickly, and Director Hwang took the microphone again.

“Let’s go. Ready, action!”

Despite the repeated takes, Yeon-woo’s intense presence showed no signs of waning.

“Good. Let’s move on to the next scene.”

It was now time for Han Byul, playing the role of Ella, to make her first appearance.

“High cue.”

At Director Hwang’s signal, the veteran actor drew the sword from his waist and held it high.

“The reason for the heavy rain in our village is the arrival of this outsider. Therefore, the outsider shall be sentenced to death!”

At that moment, Han Byul stood up abruptly.

“Wait a moment!”

Her cheerful voice echoed through the set. The veteran actor, who was portraying the judge, looked at Han Byul’s character, Ella, and spoke.

“Ella, what are you doing in this sacred place of judgment? This is no place for children.”

However, the girl in the red robe, Ella, walked down the aisle undeterred and continued speaking.

“We haven’t proven that the outsider’s arrival is related to the flood yet!”

“The day after the outsider appeared, unprecedented heavy rain began. What else could it be but the wrath of the heavens?”

Ella glared at the village chief on the platform with a look of disdain, unable to bear the absolute power he wielded over the village.

“Okay! Cut!”

Director Hwang’s shout caused a murmur among the extras.

“She can’t even be in high school yet, but her acting is spot on.”

“That’s why she was cast. Has she appeared in any child roles before? Her face is unfamiliar.”

“Not sure. I don’t really follow child actors…”

After finishing her lines, Han Byul looked at Yeon-woo, as if seeking approval from a teacher. Yeon-woo nodded quietly.

“Good job. Well done.”

“Hehe.”

Han Byul beamed with excitement at Yeon-woo’s praise and then ran over to her mother in the corner of the set.

“Mom! Senior Ryu Yeon-woo praised my acting!”

“Really? You must be so happy. You even have a big picture of him in your room because you’re such a fan. You said you wanted to get his autograph.”

Han Byul glanced at Yeon-woo, who was standing a bit away, with a shy expression.

“Mom, what if he hears you? It’s embarrassing. I haven’t even gotten his autograph yet.”

Yeon-woo had already heard everything. He had thought Han Byul was confident and unembarrassed, but it seemed she had her shy moments too.

‘Hmm, should I offer to give her an autograph first?’

Since Ella would be filming with Jung Do-jin throughout the series, they would naturally become close like siblings. An autograph seemed like a small matter.

Meanwhile, back in Seoul, the conference room of LN Entertainment, usually used for script readings and auditions, was packed with people in suits from early morning. Team Leader Jung-hyuk was exasperated as he watched the ongoing board meeting.

‘Seriously, questioning the CEO’s management skills? These people who do nothing are making ridiculous objections…’

The main agenda of today’s meeting was the appointment of additional outside directors. The board demanded an increase in external members to weaken CEO Kim Joo-seong’s internal influence, leading to a heated confrontation between the two sides.

The man who had requested to speak was deep in thought, trying to figure out his next move. Kim Joo-seong had managed the company so well that there was little to criticize.

‘Still, we need to get our prepared candidate in as an outside director. Let’s start with what we’ve prepared.’

The man stood up and addressed CEO Kim Joo-seong.

“CEO Kim Joo-seong, you have invested a significant amount in the production of 「White Blood」. I question the appropriateness of making such a substantial investment unilaterally.”

From the head of the table, CEO Kim Joo-seong, who had been observing with his chin resting on his hand, listened to the board member’s remarks with a slight, intrigued smile.

“Hmm, an excessive investment, you say…?”