Prologue
Jung Jiin Finishes “Second First Love”: “My Real First Love is Still…”
Actor Jung Jiin’s temperament is closer to water than fire. He is someone who flows quietly rather than burning passionately. However, I had preconceptions about him before actually meeting him.
Perhaps it was because of his flawless features that could make leading actors feel intimidated, or his appearance that seemed crafted with aesthetic harmony considered down to every strand of his eyebrows? To me, he evoked the image of a haughty, aristocratic French antique teacup. In short, he seemed like he would be difficult to work with.
Then, two years ago, I came face to face with him for the first time at Beginning’s photo shoot. My expectations were completely off the mark.
The actor Jung Jiin I actually met was like a person made of Joseon white porcelain.
A wide and deep river doesn’t rush, doesn’t create rough waves, and flows leisurely and slowly. Anyone who gazes at such a river naturally finds their heart at peace. The pleasant, calm atmosphere that always pervades his photo shoots is probably for the same reason.
I met with him at a studio in Yongsan, having recently successfully concluded the drama “Second First Love.” This was our third interview.
Beginning (B): This was your fourth work since your debut piece “Boundary Line,” right?
Jiin: Yes, that’s correct.
B: It seems like you haven’t had any break period since your debut. Jung Jiin-ssi, you’ll naturally move straight into your next project this time too, right?
Jiin: (Laughs) You know me too well. Yes, after resting for a week or two, I think I’ll enter the next project.
B: Actually, I’m personally a fan of Jung Jiin-ssi too. I already knew about the news that you’d be appearing in “Tomorrow’s Diary” with actor Yoon Juho. It’s already becoming a hot topic among drama fans that you’ll be working with Yoon again after “All for You.”
Jiin: I’ll be showing my acting in a relationship as both friend and rival with actor Yoon Juho.
B: In the recently concluded “Second First Love,” you lost your love to the male lead again. Don’t tell me in the new work too…?
Jiin: I’ve only received the script up to episode 2, so I don’t know the ending, but it would be strange for a supporting character and the female lead to end up together, right? I don’t have confidence that I could win in a head-to-head match against actor Yoon Juho, who is the most popular man in South Korea.
B: In “Second First Love,” there were many viewers who supported Choi Seunghyeon, whom Jung Jiin-ssi played, more than the male lead. You know this, right?
Jiin: Choi Seunghyeon was a man who was passive in front of love. Hiding his feelings from the woman he loved while forcing himself to smile as a friend and only gazing at her endlessly from behind… So I thought there would be many reviews calling him a frustrating character, and frankly speaking, I was prepared to be criticized. But unexpectedly, you loved Choi Seunghyeon so much that I, the writer, and the director were all bewildered until the end. Of course, we were also grateful.
B: It’s hard for us in reality to act courageously in front of love. That’s probably why we empathized more with Choi Seunghyeon and felt sorry for him.
Jiin: I don’t know how this will sound, but Choi Seunghyeon had a similar personality to my real self, so it was somewhat easier to immerse myself while acting.
B: Does the seemingly perfect Jung Jiin-ssi also become a coward in front of love?
Jiin: I want to say I’m not a coward, but thinking about it, I think that’s right. I don’t think I’m the proactive type either.
B: I actually had questions about love prepared. Since your recent concluded work was “Second First Love,” we can’t skip talking about first love, right?
Jiin: Um… So, my first love was around when I was eight…
B: Ah, let’s skip childhood friends from kindergarten, desk partners from fourth grade, and move on to a proper real first love.
Jiin: (Laughs) You’re not cutting me any slack. At my age, if I say this, you probably won’t believe me and think I’m being coy… but I don’t think I’ve had a ‘proper real first love’ yet.
B: Well, no matter how much of a Jung Jiin-ssi fan I am, this is really hard to believe. That’s way too coy, as Jung Jiin-ssi put it.
Jiin: But it’s really true…
B: Is it that being too handsome made it harder to find true love? Like poverty in abundance? You’re trying to become even more detestable, aren’t you?
Jiin: The standards or definition of first love probably differ from person to person… But if I had to pick the most similar experience…
B: See, you do have one. Why were you trying to hide it when you have one?
Jiin: (Laughs) It’s not like we dated or anything, it was just spending a brief few days together. We probably met three times? Four times? I wasn’t sure if it matched the ‘proper real first love’ you mentioned earlier.
B: It ended after just a few days of meeting. Did one of you have to move or go study abroad?
Jiin: It’s similar. That friend came to travel briefly to where I live…
B: A love story between a traveler and a local. That sounds quite romantic, but like Choi Seunghyeon, were you also passive toward that person?
Jiin: That person had to leave after a few days. So I think I tried not to give my heart.
B: You could have thought, since they’re leaving in a few days anyway, let’s enjoy it passionately.
Jiin: (Laughs) I don’t have such a bold personality.
B: In “Second First Love,” the male and female leads who were each other’s first love constantly long for each other. Do you also long for your first love, Jung Jiin-ssi?
Jiin: Rather than longing, I think about them occasionally. I tend to give up quickly on things that have no possibility. Since longing won’t change anything. I think there was also a part where I tried to forget quickly in the beginning.
B: I think I understand that psychology. There’s no point in remembering vividly since it would only be more painful.
Jiin: Right. Like Choi Seunghyeon, I’m a coward. It’s such an old matter that it’s become very blurred even without effort now. But the emotions from that time remain vivid. I think that’s what’s important in the end.
B: What kind of person do you think that other person has become now?
Jiin: Well. They’re probably still quiet, shy… someone who blushes in front of someone they like, remaining pure as they were? They were a friend who couldn’t even make proper eye contact with me.
B: That sounds fresh and ticklish, like a proper real first love? What meaning does first love hold for Jung Jiin-ssi?
Jiin: Not all time that flows by becomes memories. Some things are so regrettable you want to forget them, and other things get buried without even remaining in memory. Only the good things from the past can be distinguished as memories, so I think just becoming a memory itself is special. So that time is probably a memory for me.
B: It’s relatable, but… it’s also lonely to limit it as a memory, something from the past.
Jiin: (Laughs) I want to abandon this attitude too, but it’s not easy.
B: No, actually it’s such a realistic attitude that it’s more relatable. Now then, let’s change the mood a bit… shall we ask some more interesting questions? As soon as we announced that Jung Jiin-ssi’s photo shoot schedule was set, fans posted so many question posts on the Beginning bulletin board… (omitted)…
[From an interview between magazine Beginning and actor Jung Jiin in XX month 20XX]
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Chapter 1
Waiting for the elevator was boring.
With arms crossed, I had been looking up at the top of the elevator doors, then turned my gaze to Bangkok’s night view.
From the 7th floor of the hotel, the Bangkok Royal Sports Club was visible right below. The skyline sparkled beyond the grounds shrouded in darkness. The golden powder flickered in the distance like a mirage promising false hope.
Despite being a hotel located in the central district, the interior was quiet to an unbelievable degree. It was eerily quiet. The hotel seemed to have a considerable number of rooms, most of which appeared to be empty.
Judging by its location and scale, this must have been one of the most luxurious hotels in the city at one time. However, Bangkok was a city where new hotels sprouted up overnight. Unless major renovations were undertaken, it seemed unlikely this vintage hotel would regain its past glory.
Instead, it was perfect as a location for this photo shoot. Both the editor in charge and the photographer seemed satisfied with the results, so it was fortunate for now.
A bell rang behind me. It was a metallic sound like an actual chime bell, not an electronic tone.
The interior of the elevator was decorated in European style. It seemed to be the trend when the hotel was built. Because of that, it felt like a time machine that turned back time. When the doors opened, I felt like some point in the past I wanted to return to would unfold. It was a silly imagination. I chuckled and stepped down to the lobby.
The late-night lobby was so deserted it felt eerie. Even my not-so-loud footsteps seemed to stand out, making me naturally walk more carefully.
After turning the corner at the north end of the lobby, a bar located in the central courtyard appeared.
A staff member who spotted me walked out to the entrance of the bar.
“Good evening. Are you alone?”
I nodded with a smile, and he guided me to the inner hall. Whether it was just my imagination, he seemed to be glancing at me unusually often. Perhaps he had seen me filming inside the hotel.
Since the seats were mostly empty, I had plenty of options. I settled on a table by the small pond.
“Excuse me… aren’t you the Korean actor who filmed at our hotel recently?”
The staff member who had placed the menu on the table asked cautiously, with a slightly excited voice.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I’m a fan of Korean dramas.”
“I’m not that famous though…”
“I think you were the one who appeared as actor Yoon Juho’s friend in ‘Tomorrow’s Diary’…”
“Yes, that’s right. Thank you for remembering.”
I bowed my head slightly and smiled. I was a little surprised that he would remember me like this.
“Tomorrow’s Diary” was Hallyu star Yoon Juho’s almost only box office failure. With viewership ratings around 10%, it was a drama that did reasonably well by securing its own fan base, but it was poor performance for a Yoon Juho production. Especially since it didn’t shine much in the overseas market that had the highest expectations, the media even mentioned expressions like Yoon Juho’s downfall.
Conversely, my recognition increased compared to before.
Thanks to the sophisticated chaebol heir image I played in “Tomorrow’s Diary,” photo shoots and event bookings like this had increased significantly.
The problem was that due to that image being strongly highlighted, I hadn’t met my next project for half a year.
“You’re so handsome in person. I’d like to support you going forward, could you tell me your name?”
He was looking at me with an ecstatic expression as if he had met a star he truly admired.
Someone who appeared in the same drama as Yoon Juho.
Perhaps this person was seeing Yoon Juho through me right now. But this was common on overseas business trips. There was no reason to feel newly frustrated about it.
“It’s a Korean name so it might be a bit difficult… Should I tell you my SNS account?”
He brightened up and readily handed over his phone, and I gave him the official account managed by my company.
“Jung… Ji, Iin…”
My name was also written in English and Chinese in the account profile. When I gave him a thumbs up as he stammered through reading the name, he blushed slightly and smiled.
Following his recommendation, I ordered the hotel’s signature cocktail and opened the book I had brought down tucked under my arm.
After the 2-night, 3-day filming schedule ended, the staff had all gone out to enjoy the last night. I had declined their invitation wanting to spend some leisurely time alone for once, but the words weren’t quite sinking in.
I left the book open on the table at the page I was reading and looked around.
Like the lobby, the bar was also quiet. The trend for hotel bars in Bangkok had long since shifted to rooftop format. A bar situated in an enclosed central courtyard seemed inadequate to attract young travelers. Including myself, there were only three or four tables of guests.
A white man was eating a simple meal alone at the seat facing me, and the large table visible diagonally was the only group of customers.
The group consisting of men and women in suits didn’t match the romantic atmosphere with candles flickering on each table. At the table behind them sat two other men, also in suits. They appeared to be someone’s attendants or bodyguards.
“Those are hotel officials having a business meeting. It should wrap up soon, so please bear with us.”
The staff member who returned with the cocktail noticed my gaze and politely explained. I hadn’t been looking because I thought they were ruining the atmosphere. I nodded and smiled.
Like most actors probably do, I had a habit of observing people. But even if not because of habit, there was a man in that suit group who particularly caught the eye.
First of all, his physique was quite impressive. Even from his seated appearance, he seemed to be tall, which was rare among Asians. He had striking looks that would inevitably draw anyone’s gaze a second time.
Once, a famous mixed martial arts fighter had visited the hotel my mother operated and caused a commotion. That fighter, who had even taken commemorative photos with my siblings after dining at the restaurant, had exactly that kind of body. A body that looked slim at first glance but had a thick and solid torso and shoulders.
The man wearing a suit with a refined silhouette over his athlete-reminiscent physique was absorbed in the meeting. The thin metal-framed glasses on his strong-featured face seemed out of place yet strangely suited him. He would appear as a tremendous handsome man in anyone’s eyes, East or West.
Above all, masculine charm overflowed from him.
If someone viewed men as sexual objects, regardless of their usual ideal type, he had exactly the kind of appearance they would have dreamed of as a sex partner at least once.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
