Was It Love (2020) s01e02 Episode Script
Episode 2
1
ALL LOCATIONS, CHARACTERS,
ORGANIZATIONS, AND EVENTS
DEPICTED IN THIS DRAMA
ARE ENTIRELY FICTITIOUS
WHY IS YOUTH SO BEAUTIFUL?
EPISODE 2
YEAR 2010
NOH AE-JEONG
DREAMS COME TRUE
NOH AE-JEONG HEART OH DAE-O
DROP OUT FORM
Don't tell me you came to see me
the moment you got off your flight.
You're the best.
Are you out of your mind?
After four years
of being the biggest nutjob,
you call me out of the blue
and tell me that you're dropping out?
Sorry about that. It just happened.
Anyway, I've got something for you.
It's a gift.
Don't you want to know why I'm back?
LOVE IS NONEXISTEN
Read it for me
and let me know
if it'll help me win her back.
Seriously, Dae-o?
This story will put me on the map.
Then,
I'll have her come to me
no matter what.
YEAR 2020
WHO IS THE MYSTERIOUS CHEON EOK-MAN?
A writer only has to produce good work,
not all these other things.
Mr. Cheon, calm down
and hear me out for a second.
Now is the best moment
to reveal your identity.
The people in Korea
can't get enough of you right now.
I see.
So you went ahead
and booked a book concert
without consulting me?
Wow, I should give you a raise.
Mr. Cheon, I know your anonymity
means a lot to you,
but consider this as a way to thank
the fans who await your next book.
Next book, my ass.
Stop breathing down my neck about it!
What choice do I have?
That's all people ask about
on our website.
Writing isn't something
that can be produced like clockwork.
It's only because you're super talented.
Film studios are already
fighting for the publication right
of your next book.
NOH AE-JEONG
Even some small company called Thumb Film
gave me a call.
I'M NOH AE-JEONG FROM THUMB FILM
Thumb Film?
Yes, it's a studio
that's close to shutting down.
Some producer there
named Noh Ae-jeong called
to tell me some bullshit lie
about having the publication right
of your debut novel.
-Don't sweat about it--
-I'm hanging up.
Hello? Mr. Cheon?
CHIEF EDITOR HONG GWANG-GYU
Shit.
I'M NOH AE-JEONG FROM THUMB FILM.
PRODUCER NOH AE-JEONG
Is she the Noh Ae-jeong I know?
For real?
THUMB FILM
THUMB FILM WEBSITE
EXTREME
THUMB FILM NOH AE-JEONG
HOW IN LOVE ARE YOU?
1984 NOH AE-JEONG
NOH AE-JEONG, ACTRESS
THUMB FILM MEMBERSHIP TRAINING
THUMB FILM WORKSHOP
Hello, I'm Cheon Eok-man.
It's been a while, Ae-jeong.
So you want
to produce a movie based on my book?
That's right.
Like I said in my email
-Why?
-Sorry?
Why must it be me?
I'm not sure.
I'm baffled by this revelation too--
-Explain to me.
-Sorry?
I'm sure that 30 seconds will be enough
to persuade me.
Go.
-Hold on.
-You have 27 seconds now.
But
You're being recognized internationally--
And a price can't be put on
how much I'm worth?
How boring. Next.
You have 15 seconds left.
Your writing captivates readers
regardless of age and gender--
And many film studios
are dying to work with me?
How obvious. Next.
Five seconds.
Thumb Film recognized your artistry
before anyone else--
Time's up.
-This can't be.
-Well, I got the gist of it.
Ae-jeong.
Your film studio went under.
Almost everyone knows.
We haven't completely gone under
yet.
Not yet? How interesting.
Still, who cares though?
Businesses shut down. It happens.
That's not what's important though.
Why do you think I agreed to meet you
when knowing that?
That's the million-dollar question.
So, why do you think I'm here?
I'm not sure.
Because you see something in us?
Because I want to know
how it feels to see me after 14 years.
So?
Hey! My shoes!
Hey!
YEAR 2005
Don't you dare come near me.
Move another inch
and my shoe will be in your face.
Well,
at least let me wash your shoes.
Don't say another word.
I'm already traumatized
by what came out of your mouth.
We all make stupid mistakes
when we're drunk.
Shut it!
Are you kidding me?
I'm sorry, all right?
I didn't want to play this dirty either.
-What?
-But you were about to kiss Jin,
so I tried to stop it. Sue me.
It's not like I did anything wrong.
Department of Theater and Film Oh Dae-o,
respect me as your senior.
My senior?
We were both born in 1984, you know.
Still, I was already a junior
when you got admitted in.
You retook the CSAT twice!
Are you looking down on me because of it?
That attitude.
Are you kidding me?
Me being nice to you doesn't mean that
you can get short with me.
Get short with you?
As if starting college late
isn't bad enough.
How was I rude to you?
Forget about it.
Now, hand me back my shoe.
How was I rude to you?
Is liking you considered rude?
What?
Then let me show you
just how rude I can get.
I
missed you a lot.
To be frank, I wanted you to see me.
I know you'd be curious.
After all, we were more than
just friends back then.
Well, I fully understand
the shock you're in right now
and the regret you're feeling.
-Hey.
-Yes?
What exactly are you trying to say?
I'm saying I can't work with you.
How can I when you're not on my level?
But
But in the email,
you said you were on board.
I'm not sure. Did I?
Here's a gift for you.
Come by if you can.
Thanks to you, I'm holding a book concert.
Finish your coffee. It's on me.
This is Kim Gyo-yeop of Nine Capital.
I'd like an update on your progress.
Hold on. Wait. Stop!
We haven't even gone into
any of the details yet.
-So, if you could--
-Ae-jeong,
were you always like this?
Sorry?
Were you always one to grovel?
I don't remember you being this way.
Here's my elevator.
Please move.
Go, Thumb Film.
What?
You used to know the writer Cheon Eok-man?
Yes, unfortunately.
How is that unfortunate? We lucked out.
His book is to die for.
To die for? Seriously? What a joke.
I read it all in one day.
I couldn't stop myself from reading.
You read it too, right?
Me? Well, I thought it was trash.
That's a lie.
I know you thoroughly enjoyed it.
I didn't enjoy it.
Of course, you did.
How else can you explain these tabs?
I know you always mark the sections
that you enjoyed
with sticky tabs.
So Mr. Cheon must be on board then.
Shit
RYU JIN DREAMS OF HOLLYWOOD!
2012 JBC DRAMA AWARDS BEST NEW ACTOR
THE 13TH KTBC DRAMA AWARDS BEST ACTOR
No, that sounds creepy.
Nicely done.
Why are you in that suit
and wearing makeup at home?
Don't act surprised.
You're looking at the real me.
Why not hold a press conference?
There are reporters outside.
Should I call them?
Dae-o, I wish to lay low
before leaving the country.
You're sick in some way, you know.
Always being a pompous ass isn't healthy.
Anyway,
I'm sure you'll worry
about what underpants to wear
when you're on a trip to the ER,
Dae-o, we only live once,
so shouldn't that life be glorious?
Like mine.
Sure, let that be your goal.
Meanwhile, I'd rather
live my life the way I want.
You'll end up regretting it.
No way.
Thanks to this motto of mine,
I had a blast today.
The scenario of my long-awaited revenge
has finally been written.
Your long-awaited revenge?
Is that what
you've been working on in secret?
I bet you're dying to know about it.
Do you want me to tell you?
It's hella interesting.
I'm sure your mind will blow
if I tell you whom I met today.
It's someone you know.
-Curious, aren't you?
-Who is it?
Well
You can't be too shocked though.
You can't, all right?
Promise me that you won't be shocked.
Brace yourself.
-Who is it?
-It's
I had no idea I'd see her again like this.
Shit! Just tell me already.
Noh Ae-jeong.
Is your mind blown or what?
After 14 years,
we crossed paths
as those working in the film industry.
The film industry?
I had no idea.
What did I tell you?
I said I'd make her come to me.
See? It all came true.
Not only that, she wants
to produce a movie based on my book.
Right at this moment when the whole world
has its eyes on me, Cheon Eok-man.
What an emotional moment.
So did you agree to do the movie?
Of course not. Are you insane?
I kicked her to the curb as planned.
If I could, I would've
I couldn't be meaner though.
As a token of our old friendship,
I threw her some tickets
to my book concert worth 150 thousand won.
Was that too nice of me?
Did Ae-jeong back off
without saying anything more?
Of course.
What else can she do about it?
If she's desperate,
she'll show up
at the book concert to grovel again.
She sure has changed then.
The old Noh Ae-jeong
wouldn't have done such a thing.
EMERGENCY STAIRS
I'm glad you haven't left yet.
It's just that you didn't stay
to hear for my answer.
You asked earlier
how it felt to meet you after 14 years.
I'm not sure.
I guess I felt that it's been a while?
It's been so long
that I forgot how close we were anyway.
What?
Yes, I understand that feeling.
You're probably upset and disappointed
by my reaction.
I apologize for my poor memory.
That being said,
let me hand this back to you.
How could I attend your book concert
when I barely remember you?
I doubt we'll ever meet again. Bye, then.
Hey.
Are you sure you won't regret it?
Anyway, keep this.
It's rude to give back someone's gift
especially when I remember you
like it were yesterday.
What? You barely remember me?
Barely?
How dare you!
Who the hell is that?
He runs like that every day.
Oh Dae-o from Theater and Film?
Everyone knows about him.
He's been like that
ever since his relationship ended.
He became like that
after his girlfriend dumped him.
How sad.
YEAR 2006
That's enough.
Dae-o!
Hey!
Are you trying to kill yourself?
You've been running on an empty stomach
for almost every day.
You're not in your right mind.
You could actually die.
That
That might not be so bad.
I'd rather
die.
Jin,
is it true?
They're saying
Ae-jeong dumped me
because I don't have money,
connections, or future.
They said she left me because of that.
Is that true?
Yes, you idiot.
So get over it
and stop being such a loser.
If I die
from running like this,
relay a message for me.
Tell Ae-jeong that I died
because she broke my heart.
Please tell her that.
Jin, I really can't bear it.
I can't bear it.
I can't live on like this.
Noh Ae-jeong,
there's no way
you can be that nonchalant with me.
Actually, you shouldn't.
How dare you.
How dare you.
BOOK CONCER
Why do I need that sick bastard's help?
Those we need the most
tend to be the worst kind of people.
What can you do though?
You need to be nice if you need him.
I did my best
to maintain an amicable situation.
He's the one
who started to throw knives at me.
I had no idea he was out for blood,
so I couldn't even shield myself.
Hence your frustration.
You lost the fight while playing defense.
Right, but
But there's no way
to win this battle against him.
I see no way.
Shouldn't you keep trying though?
Like this plant, for example.
What's that? Isn't that a crystal glass?
Yes.
It used to be one of pride
and only allowed itself to hold
the most expensive whiskey in the house.
But the rim got chipped
and ended its career as a whiskey glass.
Then throw it out. It's only trash now.
Why would I
when its second chapter in life has begun?
It went as far as it could reach
and now it's here housing a flower.
Life is always unwritten.
Whether you end up growing a flower
or rolling in the dirt,
you can only know if you keep going.
Take it home with you.
Can a flower grow from a life like mine?
Have you come to?
Where
Where am I?
I asked for a progress report,
but you never gave me one.
Mr. Cheon changed his mind.
You see. I didn't know until later,
but he turned out to be
a bastard I knew from before.
In other words, you failed your mission.
No, this mission
was never going to succeed.
He has made it his goal to ruin my life.
Then how about this?
My offer to invest 10 billion won is gone.
You will pay back
the billion won in debt you owe me.
Sir, I'm sure there's another option.
-Another option?
-Yes.
Another option?
This is South Korea.
Of course, there are options.
Mr. Kim, she's seeking another option.
Boys, hold her.
-Yes, sir.
-Wait.
What the hell?
No, wait. Stop!
The other option would be
to give up your hand.
My hand?
No way, no. Not my hand!
Then how about your foot,
kidney, or cornea?
The choice is yours.
Quickly get this over with
and have some ramyeon before you go.
It'll be delicious.
How do you expect me to eat ramyeon
after you cut off my hand?
-It won't take long.
-No!
My hand. My hand is gone.
She should be here by now.
Ae-jeong!
-Hey, Hye-jin.
-Are you on your way to the office?
Mr. Koo called to ask for a status report.
What should we do?
That wasn't a dream?
What if they cut off your arm?
Okay. I got it. I'll talk to you later.
No. I have to protect my own hand. Yes!
I KNOW I SAID I COULD DO IT
No. I shouldn't write that.
MR. KOO PA-DO,
YOU'RE THE BIGGEST LENDER IN KOREA
No, he'll be able
to read through this text.
DON'T RUSH ME. CAN YOU JUST WAIT?
Oh, darn it. Should I just send
Cheon Eok-man a text message?
No. I should just end my life here.
-What's the problem?
-Hey!
It's me, Yeon-woo.
Thank you.
And I'm sorry, Yeon-woo.
The thing is, I've been
preoccupied with my work lately.
I guess it's important.
Whenever I see you, you seem preoccupied.
Did I seem like that to you?
Right. We have a class meeting today.
Are you coming?
What?
Gosh, she didn't even tell me.
Oh, drat.
It's all right.
You don't have to feel so bad.
-We do it every month. If you can't--
-No.
I should go. Of course, I should be there.
It's for my daughter.
And she did cause a scene
on her first day.
I haven't been able to do a lot for her.
I should be there as a mother when I can.
I think you're doing a good job.
In my opinion,
you're doing a much better job
than you give yourself credit for.
I hope so.
But there's this guy who keeps
getting in the way of my life lately.
Really?
Who is that?
I'll grab his neck
and throw him down on asphalt.
I'll punch his face and beat him to a pulp
until all his teeth fall out.
Is that what you want?
You can't say it like that.
You have to sound way scarier.
It's harder than it looks.
You always said that
whenever you sided with me.
Right.
But how can you remember all that?
How can I forget that?
And you, Ae-jeong.
Why did Mom ask me
to clean the men's bathhouse?
Excuse me. Is anyone inside?
Who is it?
Excuse me.
Who is it? Who is there?
Who are you? Why are you in there?
I lost my key,
so I don't have anything to put on.
My friends pulled a prank on me
and took my key.
My mom is going to bring the master key.
-Just wait here.
-Okay.
The clothes are too small, right?
There's no guy in my family,
so we don't have men's clothes at home.
By the way, a group of students
from the basketball club came earlier.
Were you one of them?
What? Yes.
You guys are in high school.
Pulling this kind of prank is so childish.
It's all right.
They can be a bit mischievous,
but they are all kind at heart.
No one is evil from the start.
If you let them walk all over you,
they'll never stop.
You leave me no choice.
Bring all of your friends here.
I'll grab their necks
and throw them down on asphalt
I'll punch their faces and beat them
to a pulp until all their teeth fall out.
No, that's all right.
Please don't do that. There's no need.
I'm really okay.
Are you feeling better?
People feel better
when someone sides with them.
By the way,
earlier in the tub,
weren't we like the Fairy and Woodcutter?
Yes, you should smile like that.
You look great when you smile, Fairy.
-Hello.
-Come here.
-It's nice to meet you.
-Hello.
-She's the new girl's mom.
-I see.
The girl who beat up
the chairperson's son on her first day?
I heard she doesn't have a dad.
-Hi.
-You!
What class meeting?
-Hey, Mom.
-Why would you go there all alone?
Why are you yelling at me?
It's just a class meeting.
Okay, I got it.
Goodness, Mom.
No one will look down on me.
It's all right.
Everyone seems to be friends with me.
My goodness, you fool.
Haven't you learned anything
from the past?
How are you still so naive?
Hey, Ae-jeong. Are you there?
-Hello?
-Mom.
-I'll call you back.
-Hey.
Did those bitches already--
Hyang-ja, come and have some eggs.
I'll pass.
Don't come near me.
If you take another step forward,
you'll regret it!
Ms. Noh Ae-jeong?
I didn't peg you to be such a vicious man.
But you are so evil.
If you came here to scare me,
you succeeded, so you should leave now.
Leave now!
Me?
I thought the moment
when I decided to have my daughter
was the scariest moment of my life.
But I was wrong.
I'm scared to death right now.
I'm scared that I'm going to
embarrass my daughter at school
and that you might harm my daughter.
I'm so scared that I'm getting
the chills and my body is going numb.
I'll go to the writer,
kneel, and beg him to help me.
Or you can cut off my hand.
So let's settle that later.
I'm begging you. Please don't come
to my daughter's school like this.
Dad?
Dong-chan.
All right. I'll take any suggestions
about the upcoming lecture
Hello, I'm the grandmother of Noh Ha-nee
who recently transferred to this school.
-My gosh, what is this now?
-Why is she here?
-How can she come here?
-Unbelievable.
Anyway, I hope we can get along well.
All right. Let's go back to our meeting.
I'd like to gather some ideas
about the lecture we hold every semester.
Is there anyone who would like
to recommend a speaker?
-No.
-I can't think of anyone.
Didn't you do that?
Gosh, no.
It won't be easy.
Yes?
How about Cheon Eok-man?
-Cheon Eok-man?
-Cheon Eok-man?
-Cheon Eok-man?
-The writer, Cheon Eok-man?
-Isn't he going to Hollywood?
-Really?
Don't you know the writer?
He's really famous in Hollywood.
-You don't know the writer?
-Gosh.
-Come on.
-He's the one who wrote that famous movie.
-What?
-Goodness.
I'm sorry, Mr. Koo.
I have made a defaming accusation
because of a misunderstanding.
How do you know my son?
Well
I
He's friends with my daughter.
My daughter recently transferred here.
And thankfully,
your son was nice enough to be her friend.
I'll get going.
Your son is very polite to you.
Shall we go inside?
The class meeting is this way.
You should go in without me.
I don't think I can participate
in the meeting today.
Okay.
They look so unaffectionate
toward each other.
-Please help us a lot.
-Please help us.
-I hope you can help us.
-Sure.
Mom?
Right, this is her.
This is my daughter, Ha-nee's mother.
-Hello. Please help us.
-Hello.
-Thank you.
-Let's grab coffee sometime.
-Okay.
-I didn't know who you were.
Bye.
-It was nice to meet you today.
-Bye.
-Hey.
-What?
I scored a big one today.
What? What did you do?
-We should grab a meal together.
-Yes.
Coffee is on me.
Good job.
Let's go. Let's hurry.
Okay. Let's go.
HANBAK MIDDLE SCHOOL
I thought Uncle was coming today.
I don't like it when you come.
Why are you eating by yourself?
I could ask you the same thing.
I'm not eating here alone.
I'm eating it with you.
I see.
I heard there was a class meeting today.
Did your mom come?
No. My mom can't come.
She passed away when I was young.
We're in the same boat.
What?
I decided that my dad doesn't exist.
It's a thing in my family.
You're too young to understand.
What have I done wrong?
-You're driving me crazy.
-Gosh.
Why would Cheon Eok-man hold
a lecture at this school out of the blue?
-What?
-Everyone likes the idea.
Why are you against it?
-How
-You can put aside your ego for once
and ask him for a favor.
How can he come
Gosh, how can I ask him to come here?
-You're driving me crazy.
-Gosh.
It's for your daughter.
Why can't you do that?
That way, people will think
you're some hotshot producer
and be nice to Ha-nee.
Fine! I'm about to be buried
with so much work because of you!
Come on.
What is she yapping about?
Don't you want to see Ha-nee
before you go?
Gosh, her and her nasty temper.
Gosh.
Oh, my. Are you going out for your lunch?
Yes, ma'am.
I didn't get a chance
to properly say hello earlier.
Gosh, you don't need to.
There's no need.
Don't you remember me?
Who
I'm Oh Yeon-woo.
Yeon-woo?
Goodness. Oh, my.
Yes, you are.
Gosh, I can't believe this.
Oh, my.
You're back.
Cheon Eok-man.
That darned man, Cheon Eok-man.
Why does everyone want Cheon Eok-man?
It's impossible not to go crazy over him.
His news has been
all over the Internet today.
What?
"Faceless Writer Cheon Eok-man
Finally Shows Himself".
"It's the perfect chance to see
the best-selling writer in person.
Cheon Eok-man's Book Concert!"
CHEON EOK-MAN
FINALLY SHOWS HIMSELF
It's going viral right now.
Do you like his works that much?
Yes, I love them.
I'll use this chance
to read all of his books.
Oh, right. We're going
to his book concert tomorrow, right?
CHEON EOK-MAN'S BOOK CONCER
FOR GIRLFRIEND
I'm still thinking about it.
By the way, I read this book again.
And the main character of this book
reminds me of you.
What?
When you have something on your mind,
you bite your thumb.
And you fall asleep quickly
when you lean your head.
Since you're always straightforward,
you're not calculative.
What? Even the title
reminds me of your name.
Love Is Nonexistent. Ae-jeong
is nonexistent. Aejeong as in love.
My gosh.
But I'm not saying that
you're evil like the woman in the novel.
For some reason,
she just reminds me of you.
But I'm not trying to disrespect you now.
I get the feeling
the main character is really pretty.
And so are you.
Do you want some coffee?
I should go get some coffee.
And the main character of this book
reminds me of you.
AWARD-WINNING STORIES
OF ANNUAL SPRING LITERARY CONTES
LOVE IS NONEXISTENT BY CHEON EOK-MAN
She vanished.
She left me out of the blue.
Because of the woman
who took everything from me,
I had fallen sick.
Do not hold the sword in your left hand.
Your left hand is close to your heart,
so it will only endanger you
when you wield the sword.
That was why my sword swayed
in front of you.
Even until then, I had no idea
that the woman I loved wanted to kill me.
I was taught to look through
the camera lens with my left eye.
Our left eye is close to our heart.
So it's easier to put our heart
in our photo.
Do not hold the sword in your left hand.
Your left hand is close to your heart,
so it will only endanger you
when you wield the sword.
So that was why.
That was why my sword swayed
in front of you.
Is that why?
When I see you,
my heart flutters.
CHEON EOK-MAN'S BOOK CONCER
FOR GIRLFRIEND
Come on.
Hey, be careful not to damage them.
A lot of fans from abroad
came to Korea to buy them.
What brings you here?
-Where's the chief editor here?
-What is this about?
I'd like to have a meeting with him.
-What's this about?
-I must see the chief editor.
CERTIFICATION OF CONTEN
This should help you figure out who I am.
So you got the mail.
A lot of mails get lost these days,
so I was worried.
This is too bad.
Even if you compensate me
ten times the penalty,
I don't plan to cancel
the copyright contract.
Look, Ms. Noh.
From what I found out,
he signed it for a few hundred
thousand won to pay for drinks.
It's an old, invalid contract.
What are you trying to gain with
a contract that won't hold up in court?
For the sake of Mr. Cheon's honor
and as his agent,
I was going to let this go quietly.
And I was going to be nice about it, too.
But I can't do that anymore.
Are you out of your mind?
Yes. I'm out of my mind right now.
I have nothing to lose right now.
Relay this message to him.
That it's my story, too.
That's why
I have to produce a movie out of it.
That woman named Noh Ae-jeong.
She's a complete wacko.
It's impossible to talk to her.
She has that ridiculous contract
you signed when you were obscure.
I was going to take care of it on my own.
But I had no idea she'd be this stubborn.
Mr. Hong.
You're handling things
without running them by me first.
Well, no. That's not it.
I'm your agent, you know.
I was just trying to handle
this messy problem.
So how are you going to handle
Ms. Noh Ae-jeong?
Don't worry. I'll take care of her.
Book a meeting with her.
What? Really?
Will you let her produce your film?
Over my dead body.
I have more than enough money
to pay for the penalty.
Other productions are dying to sign me.
She doesn't know her place,
so I'll teach her.
I knew it. You're so cool and manly.
First, book the meeting.
And escort her to the best seat.
-We can do it.
-We can do it.
Let's wrap up.
-Okay.
-Wrap up.
Don't you think
Mr. Cheon changed his mind?
He agreed to meet right away.
Don't lower your guard to the end.
Not until he agrees to work with us.
-Understood?
-Yes.
-Keep that in mind.
-Will do.
GIFTED HANDS CHEON EOK-MAN
WINNER OF 2019 MAN BOOKER PRIZE
CHEON EOK-MAN,
WILL YOU BE MY GIRLFRIEND?
CHEON EOK-MAN
CHEON EOK-MAN'S BOOK CONCER
FOR GIRLFRIEND
He was the winner of Man Booker Prize
and chosen as this year's best-selling
author by The New York Times.
This novel sold almost five million copies
all over the world.
To be precise, it's 5.92 million copies.
I see. 5.92 million copies
of the novel were sold.
He's Cheon Eok-man,
the writer who wrote Girlfriend.
He has finally unmasked himself.
GIRLFRIEND, OUR FAMILY HEIRLOOM
Hello.
Gosh, he's so handsome.
This is the first time
you've revealed your face,
and your fans from all around the world
have gathered because of you.
You're right.
By the way, I was taken aback.
They called you "the faceless writer",
but you have one.
A quite handsome one, at that.
-Thank you.
-You should've revealed
that handsome face of yours sooner.
I should have.
Then perhaps, we could've met sooner.
Right.
Had you done that,
you could've met your fans--
I'm sorry for being late.
I am sorry.
His fans love him so much.
Your fans seem to be quite excited.
Let's keep this vibe up
and begin our talk.
Since the book hasn't been published yet,
not many people know about it.
But among your long-term fans,
it's a very famous work of yours.
It's also your first literary work.
It's Love Is Nonexistent.
Let's talk about it.
I'd love to.
What's fascinating is that
there are rumors that the plot is based
on your personal life.
It's slightly fictional,
but I guess you could say that.
I wrote it after I broke up
with the woman I loved 14 years ago.
Are you talking about the female warrior
with whom the hero fell in love?
-That's correct.
-But that woman
turned out to be a coldhearted killer.
Exactly.
The left-handed assassin, right?
Gosh, no wonder.
The introduction was quite tragic.
It was
I can't quite remember
what the first sentence was.
"She vanished.
She left me out of the blue.
Because of the woman
who took everything from me,
I had fallen sick."
My god. No way.
After that incident,
I refused to eat or drink
and ran every single day.
It was better off for me to just die.
But thanks to that tragedy,
I was able to create
a novel out of it
and start my literary career.
It's quite ironic.
Then I guess you could say
that she's the very person
who brought you this far.
I guess so.
At times,
this question crossed my mind.
"What would she think
if she read my novel?"
Perhaps, she may be reading it
somewhere as we speak.
Then should I ask?
Sorry?
Since I can't ask her directly,
I'd like to ask all of you.
Sure.
Please pick
whom to ask.
-Okay.
-Me.
-Me.
-Let's see.
-One, two, three, four, five
-Pick me.
In the sixth row,
the lady with short hair
and a white jacket.
Me?
How about the person next to her
in a striped top?
Please hand her the microphone.
Take it.
Take it.
Lucky you.
Let me ask you a question.
Imagine if you were the hero.
How would you feel?
Please share your thoughts.
Don't empathize with him too much.
It'll only torment you.
Please share your thoughts with us.
Ms. Noh.
Right. If it's too difficult for you
to answer,
shall we ask someone else?
It'd feel horrendous.
"Horrendous"?
That's original.
No, I get it.
The heroine in your novel
who gave the hero pain
seems like a villainess
whom we've never encountered
in a romance novel.
That's true.
No.
I mean,
the heroine would've felt horrendous.
Previously, you said
that the woman took everything from you.
But I beg to differ.
Perhaps,
it could be you
who stole everything from her.
Shall we lighten up the mood?
Cheon Eok-man and Hollywood
go hand in hand.
-Let's take a picture.
-Jin!
-Jin!
-Jin!
-Let's take a picture together!
-But I--
-Jin!
-Jin!
-Jin!
-I need to go.
-Wait--
-Jin!
-Jin!
-Jin!
CHEON EOK-MAN'S BOOK CONCER
FOR GIRLFRIEND
Good work.
You too.
-Mr. Cheon.
-Yes?
Are you okay?
Of course.
By the way, what was up with that woman?
Wasn't she strange?
Suddenly, she got so into the novel
and said,
"It could be you
who stole everything from her."
Seriously, what's her deal?
Your ex or something?
-Right?
-What?
There are some odd people in this world.
What? What was that awkward reply?
Good work.
Did I sound that awkward? Damn it.
She vanished.
It was you who vanished first.
She left me out of the blue.
You left me.
Because of the woman
who took everything from me,
I had fallen sick.
You look the same as you did 14 years ago.
"14 years ago"?
I waited and waited for her back then.
When you're free,
stop by my place after work.
Let's have dinner together.
Ha-nee.
In the attic, there's a yellow box
full of plates I had bought in the past.
-Could you hurry and get them for me?
-Sure.
Grandma.
Do you and Mr. Oh know each other?
I told you before that we used to live
in the same neighborhood.
I'm running out of time. Go get it.
Okay.
Let's see.
Found it.
DEPARTMENT OF THEATER AND FILM
NOH AE-JEONG
DEPARTMENT OF THEATER AND FILM
NOH AE-JEONG
What is this?
HANKUK UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF THEATER AND FILM
2006 HANKUK UNIVERSITY
GRADUATION FILM
DREAMS COME TRUE
DIRECTOR: OH DAE-O
ACTOR: RYU JIN
PRODUCTION: NOH AE-JEONG
Are you awake?
Why are you here?
I almost hit you with my car,
so let me fully compensate you.
Are you here to keep an eye on me?
Then
can you settle my debt?
Is it not possible for me
to charge you
a billion won for the accident?
What a shame.
I saw your car and thought
I had hit the jackpot.
Then please pay for my hospital fee.
I have somewhere to be right now.
Stay here.
You can't be moving around just yet.
You should rest a bit more.
Don't do this to me.
I need to meet with Cheon Eok-man.
I need to complete the mission
you've given me.
I'm trying to do what you told me to do.
So why are you trying
to relieve me of my worries
by telling me to rest
and that you'd compensate me?
I want to give up everything as is.
If I feel relieved,
I might really collapse.
The fact that I'm still hanging on
surprises me.
-Thank you.
-My pleasure. Thank you.
Thank you.
CHEON EOK-MAN'S BOOK CONCER
FOR GIRLFRIEND
Hey!
Cine 31 would like to do a special on you.
I think it's best
that we cancel our meeting
with Thumb Film.
I mean, they want to do
a special on me. Sure.
Awesome! That's great.
Please cancel the meeting for me.
Okay.
Just leave it up to me.
TO MY FUTURE BABY
DAD: OH
TO MY FUTURE BABY
DAD: OH
MOM: NOH
DAD: OH YEON-WOO
MOM: NOH AE-JEONG
DAD: OH YEON-WOO
MOM: NOH AE-JEONG
SEPTEMBER 2, 2006
SEPTEMBER 2, 2006
DAD: OH YEON-WOO
MOM: NOH AE-JEONG
SEPTEMBER 2, 2006
MY PRECIOUS HA-NEE
Why is Mr. Oh's name here?
Let's do this project together.
Then I'll tell you why we broke up.
What was your relationship with my mom?
I'm about to have a meltdown.
Can I live here with you guys?
Yeon-woo, what are you doing here?
At least I'm closer to her than you.
I'm going to look for my dad.
What should we do now?
You've got an amazing offer
from Hollywood!
Is it a part of your revenge as well?
Subtitle translation by Won-hyang Son
ALL LOCATIONS, CHARACTERS,
ORGANIZATIONS, AND EVENTS
DEPICTED IN THIS DRAMA
ARE ENTIRELY FICTITIOUS
WHY IS YOUTH SO BEAUTIFUL?
EPISODE 2
YEAR 2010
NOH AE-JEONG
DREAMS COME TRUE
NOH AE-JEONG HEART OH DAE-O
DROP OUT FORM
Don't tell me you came to see me
the moment you got off your flight.
You're the best.
Are you out of your mind?
After four years
of being the biggest nutjob,
you call me out of the blue
and tell me that you're dropping out?
Sorry about that. It just happened.
Anyway, I've got something for you.
It's a gift.
Don't you want to know why I'm back?
LOVE IS NONEXISTEN
Read it for me
and let me know
if it'll help me win her back.
Seriously, Dae-o?
This story will put me on the map.
Then,
I'll have her come to me
no matter what.
YEAR 2020
WHO IS THE MYSTERIOUS CHEON EOK-MAN?
A writer only has to produce good work,
not all these other things.
Mr. Cheon, calm down
and hear me out for a second.
Now is the best moment
to reveal your identity.
The people in Korea
can't get enough of you right now.
I see.
So you went ahead
and booked a book concert
without consulting me?
Wow, I should give you a raise.
Mr. Cheon, I know your anonymity
means a lot to you,
but consider this as a way to thank
the fans who await your next book.
Next book, my ass.
Stop breathing down my neck about it!
What choice do I have?
That's all people ask about
on our website.
Writing isn't something
that can be produced like clockwork.
It's only because you're super talented.
Film studios are already
fighting for the publication right
of your next book.
NOH AE-JEONG
Even some small company called Thumb Film
gave me a call.
I'M NOH AE-JEONG FROM THUMB FILM
Thumb Film?
Yes, it's a studio
that's close to shutting down.
Some producer there
named Noh Ae-jeong called
to tell me some bullshit lie
about having the publication right
of your debut novel.
-Don't sweat about it--
-I'm hanging up.
Hello? Mr. Cheon?
CHIEF EDITOR HONG GWANG-GYU
Shit.
I'M NOH AE-JEONG FROM THUMB FILM.
PRODUCER NOH AE-JEONG
Is she the Noh Ae-jeong I know?
For real?
THUMB FILM
THUMB FILM WEBSITE
EXTREME
THUMB FILM NOH AE-JEONG
HOW IN LOVE ARE YOU?
1984 NOH AE-JEONG
NOH AE-JEONG, ACTRESS
THUMB FILM MEMBERSHIP TRAINING
THUMB FILM WORKSHOP
Hello, I'm Cheon Eok-man.
It's been a while, Ae-jeong.
So you want
to produce a movie based on my book?
That's right.
Like I said in my email
-Why?
-Sorry?
Why must it be me?
I'm not sure.
I'm baffled by this revelation too--
-Explain to me.
-Sorry?
I'm sure that 30 seconds will be enough
to persuade me.
Go.
-Hold on.
-You have 27 seconds now.
But
You're being recognized internationally--
And a price can't be put on
how much I'm worth?
How boring. Next.
You have 15 seconds left.
Your writing captivates readers
regardless of age and gender--
And many film studios
are dying to work with me?
How obvious. Next.
Five seconds.
Thumb Film recognized your artistry
before anyone else--
Time's up.
-This can't be.
-Well, I got the gist of it.
Ae-jeong.
Your film studio went under.
Almost everyone knows.
We haven't completely gone under
yet.
Not yet? How interesting.
Still, who cares though?
Businesses shut down. It happens.
That's not what's important though.
Why do you think I agreed to meet you
when knowing that?
That's the million-dollar question.
So, why do you think I'm here?
I'm not sure.
Because you see something in us?
Because I want to know
how it feels to see me after 14 years.
So?
Hey! My shoes!
Hey!
YEAR 2005
Don't you dare come near me.
Move another inch
and my shoe will be in your face.
Well,
at least let me wash your shoes.
Don't say another word.
I'm already traumatized
by what came out of your mouth.
We all make stupid mistakes
when we're drunk.
Shut it!
Are you kidding me?
I'm sorry, all right?
I didn't want to play this dirty either.
-What?
-But you were about to kiss Jin,
so I tried to stop it. Sue me.
It's not like I did anything wrong.
Department of Theater and Film Oh Dae-o,
respect me as your senior.
My senior?
We were both born in 1984, you know.
Still, I was already a junior
when you got admitted in.
You retook the CSAT twice!
Are you looking down on me because of it?
That attitude.
Are you kidding me?
Me being nice to you doesn't mean that
you can get short with me.
Get short with you?
As if starting college late
isn't bad enough.
How was I rude to you?
Forget about it.
Now, hand me back my shoe.
How was I rude to you?
Is liking you considered rude?
What?
Then let me show you
just how rude I can get.
I
missed you a lot.
To be frank, I wanted you to see me.
I know you'd be curious.
After all, we were more than
just friends back then.
Well, I fully understand
the shock you're in right now
and the regret you're feeling.
-Hey.
-Yes?
What exactly are you trying to say?
I'm saying I can't work with you.
How can I when you're not on my level?
But
But in the email,
you said you were on board.
I'm not sure. Did I?
Here's a gift for you.
Come by if you can.
Thanks to you, I'm holding a book concert.
Finish your coffee. It's on me.
This is Kim Gyo-yeop of Nine Capital.
I'd like an update on your progress.
Hold on. Wait. Stop!
We haven't even gone into
any of the details yet.
-So, if you could--
-Ae-jeong,
were you always like this?
Sorry?
Were you always one to grovel?
I don't remember you being this way.
Here's my elevator.
Please move.
Go, Thumb Film.
What?
You used to know the writer Cheon Eok-man?
Yes, unfortunately.
How is that unfortunate? We lucked out.
His book is to die for.
To die for? Seriously? What a joke.
I read it all in one day.
I couldn't stop myself from reading.
You read it too, right?
Me? Well, I thought it was trash.
That's a lie.
I know you thoroughly enjoyed it.
I didn't enjoy it.
Of course, you did.
How else can you explain these tabs?
I know you always mark the sections
that you enjoyed
with sticky tabs.
So Mr. Cheon must be on board then.
Shit
RYU JIN DREAMS OF HOLLYWOOD!
2012 JBC DRAMA AWARDS BEST NEW ACTOR
THE 13TH KTBC DRAMA AWARDS BEST ACTOR
No, that sounds creepy.
Nicely done.
Why are you in that suit
and wearing makeup at home?
Don't act surprised.
You're looking at the real me.
Why not hold a press conference?
There are reporters outside.
Should I call them?
Dae-o, I wish to lay low
before leaving the country.
You're sick in some way, you know.
Always being a pompous ass isn't healthy.
Anyway,
I'm sure you'll worry
about what underpants to wear
when you're on a trip to the ER,
Dae-o, we only live once,
so shouldn't that life be glorious?
Like mine.
Sure, let that be your goal.
Meanwhile, I'd rather
live my life the way I want.
You'll end up regretting it.
No way.
Thanks to this motto of mine,
I had a blast today.
The scenario of my long-awaited revenge
has finally been written.
Your long-awaited revenge?
Is that what
you've been working on in secret?
I bet you're dying to know about it.
Do you want me to tell you?
It's hella interesting.
I'm sure your mind will blow
if I tell you whom I met today.
It's someone you know.
-Curious, aren't you?
-Who is it?
Well
You can't be too shocked though.
You can't, all right?
Promise me that you won't be shocked.
Brace yourself.
-Who is it?
-It's
I had no idea I'd see her again like this.
Shit! Just tell me already.
Noh Ae-jeong.
Is your mind blown or what?
After 14 years,
we crossed paths
as those working in the film industry.
The film industry?
I had no idea.
What did I tell you?
I said I'd make her come to me.
See? It all came true.
Not only that, she wants
to produce a movie based on my book.
Right at this moment when the whole world
has its eyes on me, Cheon Eok-man.
What an emotional moment.
So did you agree to do the movie?
Of course not. Are you insane?
I kicked her to the curb as planned.
If I could, I would've
I couldn't be meaner though.
As a token of our old friendship,
I threw her some tickets
to my book concert worth 150 thousand won.
Was that too nice of me?
Did Ae-jeong back off
without saying anything more?
Of course.
What else can she do about it?
If she's desperate,
she'll show up
at the book concert to grovel again.
She sure has changed then.
The old Noh Ae-jeong
wouldn't have done such a thing.
EMERGENCY STAIRS
I'm glad you haven't left yet.
It's just that you didn't stay
to hear for my answer.
You asked earlier
how it felt to meet you after 14 years.
I'm not sure.
I guess I felt that it's been a while?
It's been so long
that I forgot how close we were anyway.
What?
Yes, I understand that feeling.
You're probably upset and disappointed
by my reaction.
I apologize for my poor memory.
That being said,
let me hand this back to you.
How could I attend your book concert
when I barely remember you?
I doubt we'll ever meet again. Bye, then.
Hey.
Are you sure you won't regret it?
Anyway, keep this.
It's rude to give back someone's gift
especially when I remember you
like it were yesterday.
What? You barely remember me?
Barely?
How dare you!
Who the hell is that?
He runs like that every day.
Oh Dae-o from Theater and Film?
Everyone knows about him.
He's been like that
ever since his relationship ended.
He became like that
after his girlfriend dumped him.
How sad.
YEAR 2006
That's enough.
Dae-o!
Hey!
Are you trying to kill yourself?
You've been running on an empty stomach
for almost every day.
You're not in your right mind.
You could actually die.
That
That might not be so bad.
I'd rather
die.
Jin,
is it true?
They're saying
Ae-jeong dumped me
because I don't have money,
connections, or future.
They said she left me because of that.
Is that true?
Yes, you idiot.
So get over it
and stop being such a loser.
If I die
from running like this,
relay a message for me.
Tell Ae-jeong that I died
because she broke my heart.
Please tell her that.
Jin, I really can't bear it.
I can't bear it.
I can't live on like this.
Noh Ae-jeong,
there's no way
you can be that nonchalant with me.
Actually, you shouldn't.
How dare you.
How dare you.
BOOK CONCER
Why do I need that sick bastard's help?
Those we need the most
tend to be the worst kind of people.
What can you do though?
You need to be nice if you need him.
I did my best
to maintain an amicable situation.
He's the one
who started to throw knives at me.
I had no idea he was out for blood,
so I couldn't even shield myself.
Hence your frustration.
You lost the fight while playing defense.
Right, but
But there's no way
to win this battle against him.
I see no way.
Shouldn't you keep trying though?
Like this plant, for example.
What's that? Isn't that a crystal glass?
Yes.
It used to be one of pride
and only allowed itself to hold
the most expensive whiskey in the house.
But the rim got chipped
and ended its career as a whiskey glass.
Then throw it out. It's only trash now.
Why would I
when its second chapter in life has begun?
It went as far as it could reach
and now it's here housing a flower.
Life is always unwritten.
Whether you end up growing a flower
or rolling in the dirt,
you can only know if you keep going.
Take it home with you.
Can a flower grow from a life like mine?
Have you come to?
Where
Where am I?
I asked for a progress report,
but you never gave me one.
Mr. Cheon changed his mind.
You see. I didn't know until later,
but he turned out to be
a bastard I knew from before.
In other words, you failed your mission.
No, this mission
was never going to succeed.
He has made it his goal to ruin my life.
Then how about this?
My offer to invest 10 billion won is gone.
You will pay back
the billion won in debt you owe me.
Sir, I'm sure there's another option.
-Another option?
-Yes.
Another option?
This is South Korea.
Of course, there are options.
Mr. Kim, she's seeking another option.
Boys, hold her.
-Yes, sir.
-Wait.
What the hell?
No, wait. Stop!
The other option would be
to give up your hand.
My hand?
No way, no. Not my hand!
Then how about your foot,
kidney, or cornea?
The choice is yours.
Quickly get this over with
and have some ramyeon before you go.
It'll be delicious.
How do you expect me to eat ramyeon
after you cut off my hand?
-It won't take long.
-No!
My hand. My hand is gone.
She should be here by now.
Ae-jeong!
-Hey, Hye-jin.
-Are you on your way to the office?
Mr. Koo called to ask for a status report.
What should we do?
That wasn't a dream?
What if they cut off your arm?
Okay. I got it. I'll talk to you later.
No. I have to protect my own hand. Yes!
I KNOW I SAID I COULD DO IT
No. I shouldn't write that.
MR. KOO PA-DO,
YOU'RE THE BIGGEST LENDER IN KOREA
No, he'll be able
to read through this text.
DON'T RUSH ME. CAN YOU JUST WAIT?
Oh, darn it. Should I just send
Cheon Eok-man a text message?
No. I should just end my life here.
-What's the problem?
-Hey!
It's me, Yeon-woo.
Thank you.
And I'm sorry, Yeon-woo.
The thing is, I've been
preoccupied with my work lately.
I guess it's important.
Whenever I see you, you seem preoccupied.
Did I seem like that to you?
Right. We have a class meeting today.
Are you coming?
What?
Gosh, she didn't even tell me.
Oh, drat.
It's all right.
You don't have to feel so bad.
-We do it every month. If you can't--
-No.
I should go. Of course, I should be there.
It's for my daughter.
And she did cause a scene
on her first day.
I haven't been able to do a lot for her.
I should be there as a mother when I can.
I think you're doing a good job.
In my opinion,
you're doing a much better job
than you give yourself credit for.
I hope so.
But there's this guy who keeps
getting in the way of my life lately.
Really?
Who is that?
I'll grab his neck
and throw him down on asphalt.
I'll punch his face and beat him to a pulp
until all his teeth fall out.
Is that what you want?
You can't say it like that.
You have to sound way scarier.
It's harder than it looks.
You always said that
whenever you sided with me.
Right.
But how can you remember all that?
How can I forget that?
And you, Ae-jeong.
Why did Mom ask me
to clean the men's bathhouse?
Excuse me. Is anyone inside?
Who is it?
Excuse me.
Who is it? Who is there?
Who are you? Why are you in there?
I lost my key,
so I don't have anything to put on.
My friends pulled a prank on me
and took my key.
My mom is going to bring the master key.
-Just wait here.
-Okay.
The clothes are too small, right?
There's no guy in my family,
so we don't have men's clothes at home.
By the way, a group of students
from the basketball club came earlier.
Were you one of them?
What? Yes.
You guys are in high school.
Pulling this kind of prank is so childish.
It's all right.
They can be a bit mischievous,
but they are all kind at heart.
No one is evil from the start.
If you let them walk all over you,
they'll never stop.
You leave me no choice.
Bring all of your friends here.
I'll grab their necks
and throw them down on asphalt
I'll punch their faces and beat them
to a pulp until all their teeth fall out.
No, that's all right.
Please don't do that. There's no need.
I'm really okay.
Are you feeling better?
People feel better
when someone sides with them.
By the way,
earlier in the tub,
weren't we like the Fairy and Woodcutter?
Yes, you should smile like that.
You look great when you smile, Fairy.
-Hello.
-Come here.
-It's nice to meet you.
-Hello.
-She's the new girl's mom.
-I see.
The girl who beat up
the chairperson's son on her first day?
I heard she doesn't have a dad.
-Hi.
-You!
What class meeting?
-Hey, Mom.
-Why would you go there all alone?
Why are you yelling at me?
It's just a class meeting.
Okay, I got it.
Goodness, Mom.
No one will look down on me.
It's all right.
Everyone seems to be friends with me.
My goodness, you fool.
Haven't you learned anything
from the past?
How are you still so naive?
Hey, Ae-jeong. Are you there?
-Hello?
-Mom.
-I'll call you back.
-Hey.
Did those bitches already--
Hyang-ja, come and have some eggs.
I'll pass.
Don't come near me.
If you take another step forward,
you'll regret it!
Ms. Noh Ae-jeong?
I didn't peg you to be such a vicious man.
But you are so evil.
If you came here to scare me,
you succeeded, so you should leave now.
Leave now!
Me?
I thought the moment
when I decided to have my daughter
was the scariest moment of my life.
But I was wrong.
I'm scared to death right now.
I'm scared that I'm going to
embarrass my daughter at school
and that you might harm my daughter.
I'm so scared that I'm getting
the chills and my body is going numb.
I'll go to the writer,
kneel, and beg him to help me.
Or you can cut off my hand.
So let's settle that later.
I'm begging you. Please don't come
to my daughter's school like this.
Dad?
Dong-chan.
All right. I'll take any suggestions
about the upcoming lecture
Hello, I'm the grandmother of Noh Ha-nee
who recently transferred to this school.
-My gosh, what is this now?
-Why is she here?
-How can she come here?
-Unbelievable.
Anyway, I hope we can get along well.
All right. Let's go back to our meeting.
I'd like to gather some ideas
about the lecture we hold every semester.
Is there anyone who would like
to recommend a speaker?
-No.
-I can't think of anyone.
Didn't you do that?
Gosh, no.
It won't be easy.
Yes?
How about Cheon Eok-man?
-Cheon Eok-man?
-Cheon Eok-man?
-Cheon Eok-man?
-The writer, Cheon Eok-man?
-Isn't he going to Hollywood?
-Really?
Don't you know the writer?
He's really famous in Hollywood.
-You don't know the writer?
-Gosh.
-Come on.
-He's the one who wrote that famous movie.
-What?
-Goodness.
I'm sorry, Mr. Koo.
I have made a defaming accusation
because of a misunderstanding.
How do you know my son?
Well
I
He's friends with my daughter.
My daughter recently transferred here.
And thankfully,
your son was nice enough to be her friend.
I'll get going.
Your son is very polite to you.
Shall we go inside?
The class meeting is this way.
You should go in without me.
I don't think I can participate
in the meeting today.
Okay.
They look so unaffectionate
toward each other.
-Please help us a lot.
-Please help us.
-I hope you can help us.
-Sure.
Mom?
Right, this is her.
This is my daughter, Ha-nee's mother.
-Hello. Please help us.
-Hello.
-Thank you.
-Let's grab coffee sometime.
-Okay.
-I didn't know who you were.
Bye.
-It was nice to meet you today.
-Bye.
-Hey.
-What?
I scored a big one today.
What? What did you do?
-We should grab a meal together.
-Yes.
Coffee is on me.
Good job.
Let's go. Let's hurry.
Okay. Let's go.
HANBAK MIDDLE SCHOOL
I thought Uncle was coming today.
I don't like it when you come.
Why are you eating by yourself?
I could ask you the same thing.
I'm not eating here alone.
I'm eating it with you.
I see.
I heard there was a class meeting today.
Did your mom come?
No. My mom can't come.
She passed away when I was young.
We're in the same boat.
What?
I decided that my dad doesn't exist.
It's a thing in my family.
You're too young to understand.
What have I done wrong?
-You're driving me crazy.
-Gosh.
Why would Cheon Eok-man hold
a lecture at this school out of the blue?
-What?
-Everyone likes the idea.
Why are you against it?
-How
-You can put aside your ego for once
and ask him for a favor.
How can he come
Gosh, how can I ask him to come here?
-You're driving me crazy.
-Gosh.
It's for your daughter.
Why can't you do that?
That way, people will think
you're some hotshot producer
and be nice to Ha-nee.
Fine! I'm about to be buried
with so much work because of you!
Come on.
What is she yapping about?
Don't you want to see Ha-nee
before you go?
Gosh, her and her nasty temper.
Gosh.
Oh, my. Are you going out for your lunch?
Yes, ma'am.
I didn't get a chance
to properly say hello earlier.
Gosh, you don't need to.
There's no need.
Don't you remember me?
Who
I'm Oh Yeon-woo.
Yeon-woo?
Goodness. Oh, my.
Yes, you are.
Gosh, I can't believe this.
Oh, my.
You're back.
Cheon Eok-man.
That darned man, Cheon Eok-man.
Why does everyone want Cheon Eok-man?
It's impossible not to go crazy over him.
His news has been
all over the Internet today.
What?
"Faceless Writer Cheon Eok-man
Finally Shows Himself".
"It's the perfect chance to see
the best-selling writer in person.
Cheon Eok-man's Book Concert!"
CHEON EOK-MAN
FINALLY SHOWS HIMSELF
It's going viral right now.
Do you like his works that much?
Yes, I love them.
I'll use this chance
to read all of his books.
Oh, right. We're going
to his book concert tomorrow, right?
CHEON EOK-MAN'S BOOK CONCER
FOR GIRLFRIEND
I'm still thinking about it.
By the way, I read this book again.
And the main character of this book
reminds me of you.
What?
When you have something on your mind,
you bite your thumb.
And you fall asleep quickly
when you lean your head.
Since you're always straightforward,
you're not calculative.
What? Even the title
reminds me of your name.
Love Is Nonexistent. Ae-jeong
is nonexistent. Aejeong as in love.
My gosh.
But I'm not saying that
you're evil like the woman in the novel.
For some reason,
she just reminds me of you.
But I'm not trying to disrespect you now.
I get the feeling
the main character is really pretty.
And so are you.
Do you want some coffee?
I should go get some coffee.
And the main character of this book
reminds me of you.
AWARD-WINNING STORIES
OF ANNUAL SPRING LITERARY CONTES
LOVE IS NONEXISTENT BY CHEON EOK-MAN
She vanished.
She left me out of the blue.
Because of the woman
who took everything from me,
I had fallen sick.
Do not hold the sword in your left hand.
Your left hand is close to your heart,
so it will only endanger you
when you wield the sword.
That was why my sword swayed
in front of you.
Even until then, I had no idea
that the woman I loved wanted to kill me.
I was taught to look through
the camera lens with my left eye.
Our left eye is close to our heart.
So it's easier to put our heart
in our photo.
Do not hold the sword in your left hand.
Your left hand is close to your heart,
so it will only endanger you
when you wield the sword.
So that was why.
That was why my sword swayed
in front of you.
Is that why?
When I see you,
my heart flutters.
CHEON EOK-MAN'S BOOK CONCER
FOR GIRLFRIEND
Come on.
Hey, be careful not to damage them.
A lot of fans from abroad
came to Korea to buy them.
What brings you here?
-Where's the chief editor here?
-What is this about?
I'd like to have a meeting with him.
-What's this about?
-I must see the chief editor.
CERTIFICATION OF CONTEN
This should help you figure out who I am.
So you got the mail.
A lot of mails get lost these days,
so I was worried.
This is too bad.
Even if you compensate me
ten times the penalty,
I don't plan to cancel
the copyright contract.
Look, Ms. Noh.
From what I found out,
he signed it for a few hundred
thousand won to pay for drinks.
It's an old, invalid contract.
What are you trying to gain with
a contract that won't hold up in court?
For the sake of Mr. Cheon's honor
and as his agent,
I was going to let this go quietly.
And I was going to be nice about it, too.
But I can't do that anymore.
Are you out of your mind?
Yes. I'm out of my mind right now.
I have nothing to lose right now.
Relay this message to him.
That it's my story, too.
That's why
I have to produce a movie out of it.
That woman named Noh Ae-jeong.
She's a complete wacko.
It's impossible to talk to her.
She has that ridiculous contract
you signed when you were obscure.
I was going to take care of it on my own.
But I had no idea she'd be this stubborn.
Mr. Hong.
You're handling things
without running them by me first.
Well, no. That's not it.
I'm your agent, you know.
I was just trying to handle
this messy problem.
So how are you going to handle
Ms. Noh Ae-jeong?
Don't worry. I'll take care of her.
Book a meeting with her.
What? Really?
Will you let her produce your film?
Over my dead body.
I have more than enough money
to pay for the penalty.
Other productions are dying to sign me.
She doesn't know her place,
so I'll teach her.
I knew it. You're so cool and manly.
First, book the meeting.
And escort her to the best seat.
-We can do it.
-We can do it.
Let's wrap up.
-Okay.
-Wrap up.
Don't you think
Mr. Cheon changed his mind?
He agreed to meet right away.
Don't lower your guard to the end.
Not until he agrees to work with us.
-Understood?
-Yes.
-Keep that in mind.
-Will do.
GIFTED HANDS CHEON EOK-MAN
WINNER OF 2019 MAN BOOKER PRIZE
CHEON EOK-MAN,
WILL YOU BE MY GIRLFRIEND?
CHEON EOK-MAN
CHEON EOK-MAN'S BOOK CONCER
FOR GIRLFRIEND
He was the winner of Man Booker Prize
and chosen as this year's best-selling
author by The New York Times.
This novel sold almost five million copies
all over the world.
To be precise, it's 5.92 million copies.
I see. 5.92 million copies
of the novel were sold.
He's Cheon Eok-man,
the writer who wrote Girlfriend.
He has finally unmasked himself.
GIRLFRIEND, OUR FAMILY HEIRLOOM
Hello.
Gosh, he's so handsome.
This is the first time
you've revealed your face,
and your fans from all around the world
have gathered because of you.
You're right.
By the way, I was taken aback.
They called you "the faceless writer",
but you have one.
A quite handsome one, at that.
-Thank you.
-You should've revealed
that handsome face of yours sooner.
I should have.
Then perhaps, we could've met sooner.
Right.
Had you done that,
you could've met your fans--
I'm sorry for being late.
I am sorry.
His fans love him so much.
Your fans seem to be quite excited.
Let's keep this vibe up
and begin our talk.
Since the book hasn't been published yet,
not many people know about it.
But among your long-term fans,
it's a very famous work of yours.
It's also your first literary work.
It's Love Is Nonexistent.
Let's talk about it.
I'd love to.
What's fascinating is that
there are rumors that the plot is based
on your personal life.
It's slightly fictional,
but I guess you could say that.
I wrote it after I broke up
with the woman I loved 14 years ago.
Are you talking about the female warrior
with whom the hero fell in love?
-That's correct.
-But that woman
turned out to be a coldhearted killer.
Exactly.
The left-handed assassin, right?
Gosh, no wonder.
The introduction was quite tragic.
It was
I can't quite remember
what the first sentence was.
"She vanished.
She left me out of the blue.
Because of the woman
who took everything from me,
I had fallen sick."
My god. No way.
After that incident,
I refused to eat or drink
and ran every single day.
It was better off for me to just die.
But thanks to that tragedy,
I was able to create
a novel out of it
and start my literary career.
It's quite ironic.
Then I guess you could say
that she's the very person
who brought you this far.
I guess so.
At times,
this question crossed my mind.
"What would she think
if she read my novel?"
Perhaps, she may be reading it
somewhere as we speak.
Then should I ask?
Sorry?
Since I can't ask her directly,
I'd like to ask all of you.
Sure.
Please pick
whom to ask.
-Okay.
-Me.
-Me.
-Let's see.
-One, two, three, four, five
-Pick me.
In the sixth row,
the lady with short hair
and a white jacket.
Me?
How about the person next to her
in a striped top?
Please hand her the microphone.
Take it.
Take it.
Lucky you.
Let me ask you a question.
Imagine if you were the hero.
How would you feel?
Please share your thoughts.
Don't empathize with him too much.
It'll only torment you.
Please share your thoughts with us.
Ms. Noh.
Right. If it's too difficult for you
to answer,
shall we ask someone else?
It'd feel horrendous.
"Horrendous"?
That's original.
No, I get it.
The heroine in your novel
who gave the hero pain
seems like a villainess
whom we've never encountered
in a romance novel.
That's true.
No.
I mean,
the heroine would've felt horrendous.
Previously, you said
that the woman took everything from you.
But I beg to differ.
Perhaps,
it could be you
who stole everything from her.
Shall we lighten up the mood?
Cheon Eok-man and Hollywood
go hand in hand.
-Let's take a picture.
-Jin!
-Jin!
-Jin!
-Let's take a picture together!
-But I--
-Jin!
-Jin!
-Jin!
-I need to go.
-Wait--
-Jin!
-Jin!
-Jin!
CHEON EOK-MAN'S BOOK CONCER
FOR GIRLFRIEND
Good work.
You too.
-Mr. Cheon.
-Yes?
Are you okay?
Of course.
By the way, what was up with that woman?
Wasn't she strange?
Suddenly, she got so into the novel
and said,
"It could be you
who stole everything from her."
Seriously, what's her deal?
Your ex or something?
-Right?
-What?
There are some odd people in this world.
What? What was that awkward reply?
Good work.
Did I sound that awkward? Damn it.
She vanished.
It was you who vanished first.
She left me out of the blue.
You left me.
Because of the woman
who took everything from me,
I had fallen sick.
You look the same as you did 14 years ago.
"14 years ago"?
I waited and waited for her back then.
When you're free,
stop by my place after work.
Let's have dinner together.
Ha-nee.
In the attic, there's a yellow box
full of plates I had bought in the past.
-Could you hurry and get them for me?
-Sure.
Grandma.
Do you and Mr. Oh know each other?
I told you before that we used to live
in the same neighborhood.
I'm running out of time. Go get it.
Okay.
Let's see.
Found it.
DEPARTMENT OF THEATER AND FILM
NOH AE-JEONG
DEPARTMENT OF THEATER AND FILM
NOH AE-JEONG
What is this?
HANKUK UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF THEATER AND FILM
2006 HANKUK UNIVERSITY
GRADUATION FILM
DREAMS COME TRUE
DIRECTOR: OH DAE-O
ACTOR: RYU JIN
PRODUCTION: NOH AE-JEONG
Are you awake?
Why are you here?
I almost hit you with my car,
so let me fully compensate you.
Are you here to keep an eye on me?
Then
can you settle my debt?
Is it not possible for me
to charge you
a billion won for the accident?
What a shame.
I saw your car and thought
I had hit the jackpot.
Then please pay for my hospital fee.
I have somewhere to be right now.
Stay here.
You can't be moving around just yet.
You should rest a bit more.
Don't do this to me.
I need to meet with Cheon Eok-man.
I need to complete the mission
you've given me.
I'm trying to do what you told me to do.
So why are you trying
to relieve me of my worries
by telling me to rest
and that you'd compensate me?
I want to give up everything as is.
If I feel relieved,
I might really collapse.
The fact that I'm still hanging on
surprises me.
-Thank you.
-My pleasure. Thank you.
Thank you.
CHEON EOK-MAN'S BOOK CONCER
FOR GIRLFRIEND
Hey!
Cine 31 would like to do a special on you.
I think it's best
that we cancel our meeting
with Thumb Film.
I mean, they want to do
a special on me. Sure.
Awesome! That's great.
Please cancel the meeting for me.
Okay.
Just leave it up to me.
TO MY FUTURE BABY
DAD: OH
TO MY FUTURE BABY
DAD: OH
MOM: NOH
DAD: OH YEON-WOO
MOM: NOH AE-JEONG
DAD: OH YEON-WOO
MOM: NOH AE-JEONG
SEPTEMBER 2, 2006
SEPTEMBER 2, 2006
DAD: OH YEON-WOO
MOM: NOH AE-JEONG
SEPTEMBER 2, 2006
MY PRECIOUS HA-NEE
Why is Mr. Oh's name here?
Let's do this project together.
Then I'll tell you why we broke up.
What was your relationship with my mom?
I'm about to have a meltdown.
Can I live here with you guys?
Yeon-woo, what are you doing here?
At least I'm closer to her than you.
I'm going to look for my dad.
What should we do now?
You've got an amazing offer
from Hollywood!
Is it a part of your revenge as well?
Subtitle translation by Won-hyang Son