“Huh?”
While reviewing my script to stay sharp for upcoming roles,
I noticed something odd.
“They added another rating?”
Traitor: Seeds of Corruption had received an additional rating.
Two B’s followed by a C.
Wasn’t that obviously intentional?
“One’s domestic, one’s international... where’s the other one for?”
The question lingered for a moment,
but I decided to view it positively.
More markets meant better exposure.
> Donghu, did you seriously throw pens like that?!
A sudden text came in.
News was spreading fast.
Clips from the press conference were already making the rounds online.
<Yeah.
<Cool, right?
> Cool? Are you serious? What if you got hurt?
Typical Yerin.
Maybe it was because she’d been my boxing coach,
but she always worried about this kind of stuff.
‘Anyway, it’s happening.’
A rising star.
The term described a sudden, meteoric rise—
usually for rookies who burst onto the scene.
‘It suits Yerin perfectly.’
Her journey started with a single photo.
A snapshot uploaded to social media caught the eye of a famous designer,
leading to modeling lessons.
Within a month, she was walking the runway—a prodigy.
‘Two things kept Yerin grounded.’
Her professionalism as a model and her past insecurities.
Both had been resolved completely.
Now, with agency support,
‘She’s ready to take off.’
It was only a matter of time.
The wait was nearly over.
‘Sujin too... and Jaerin....’
For now, we could still chat and joke around like this.
But as time passed, we’d all get busier,
and relationships might change.
It was inevitable, though bittersweet.
‘We need to hang out as much as possible while we’re still grounded here.’
At least we all went to the same school.
Even if attendance wasn’t perfect,
having a shared space was comforting.
‘Alright, time to head out.’
I loosened up my body and got ready to leave.
Normally, I’d ride in the van,
‘But not today.’
Today’s mission—Operation Stealth Guest.
*****
Traitor: Seeds of Corruption Preview Screening.
Excited fans trickled into the theater.
“Historical action films always hit the spot.”
“Totally. There’s something special about period dramas.”
It had been a while since a historical action film premiered,
so genre fans were buzzing with anticipation.
And—
“A lineup of good-looking guys?”
With Jin Yuseong and Kim Donghu’s combined visual appeal,
this movie was practically irresistible to its target audience.
Not to mention—
“Did you see Donghu’s pen throw? So cool.”
“He just shut that reporter up right then and there.”
“Honestly, he should’ve aimed the pen at the reporter’s mouth instead of the target. Agreed?”
“Totally.”
Donghu’s flashy demonstration at the press conference
had already cemented expectations for thrilling action sequences.
Meanwhile—
‘Donghu! I won the lottery and got in!’
Ji Eunbi, a die-hard fan and high school senior,
couldn’t contain her excitement.
‘Who cares about exams? Donghu comes first!’
With only a month left until college entrance exams,
she’d prioritized seeing Donghu on the big screen.
The moment she won the ticket—pure joy.
‘How amazing will he be this time?’
Seated with an eager heart,
Eunbi couldn’t wait for the film to start.
Preview screenings skipped commercials.
No waiting—just straight to the movie.
What more could she ask for?
Thud.
Thud.
The lights dimmed as the movie started.
“Excuse me.”
A soft voice broke through the dark theater.
Someone had arrived late—a shocking sight at a preview screening.
‘Why’s he so tall?’
Normally, people ducked as they passed through rows,
but this guy blocked the screen entirely.
Wearing a low-pulled beanie and a mask,
he sat down next to Eunbi.
“Sorry about that.”
He apologized again in a young voice.
‘Did he seriously show up late because he was buying popcorn and soda?’
Curious, Eunbi glanced at him.
The sweet scent of caramel wafted her way.
Late, yet still managed to grab snacks?
But her thoughts shifted as the movie began.
“If the kingdom calls us traitors, then as traitors, we’ll restore justice!”
“We’ll stand not as subjects, but as rebels, and reclaim this land!”
The plot unfolded just as teased in the trailers—
A tale of rebellion against corrupt officials.
It all began in Naju, South Jeolla Province.
And then—
“Filth gathers like maggots, reeking of decay.”
Word reached Lee Taesung,
a ruthless enforcer in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province.
The winter mountain battle scene began—
the same one shown in the highlights.
“How pitifully you live.”
The result? A massacre.
The fight sequences were stunning—
so much so that Eunbi questioned whether stunt doubles had been used.
‘Did he really do all that himself?’
He ran up slopes,
slashed through enemies mid-spin,
and charged forward, undeterred by the snowy terrain.
A one-man army.
A warrior brought to life.
‘This is insane.’
Eunbi knew she shouldn’t sympathize with the villain.
But Donghu, clad in a pristine white hanbok,
looked like the embodiment of a Joseon-era nobleman.
His cold smile,
the way his lips curled with disdain—
there wasn’t a single feature that wasn’t perfect.
‘Right. That question didn’t come out of nowhere.’
An old post from an anti-fan in my online forum suddenly resurfaced in my memory.
“So how long do you think Kim Donghu can get by on his looks? Lol.
Looks can only take you so far, you know that, right? Tell me—how far do you think he’ll go?”
And the very first reply was legendary.
“To the end.”
Nothing more needed to be said.
To the end.
Because that was the truth.
‘Besides, Donghu isn’t just a pretty face!’
His acting skills matched his looks—
so much so that his performances often went underappreciated because his visuals overshadowed them.
He played handsome roles so flawlessly
that people took his talent for granted.
Anyway—
After that flashy action scene, the film eased back into a slice-of-life segment.
Just as the tension relaxed—
Crunch.
Slurp.
‘What the heck?’
I suddenly heard someone munching popcorn and sipping cola beside me.
It didn’t last long—maybe two seconds.
The guy next to me seemed startled by the noise too,
The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.
quickly setting his snacks down.
Honestly, plenty of people ate snacks during calmer scenes,
so it wasn’t a big deal.
‘I’m probably overreacting.’
Eunbi admitted to herself that she was being unreasonable.
There was no reason to be this sensitive.
And yet, for some reason, she couldn’t stop noticing the guy sitting next to her.
She had no idea why.
‘Forget it. Focus on the movie.’
The story picked up speed again, transitioning from the calm segment
into a more intense buildup.
Jin Yuseong, the 20-something heartthrob,
faced off against Kim Donghu in the roles of Jo Sunghak and Lee Taesung.
Once allies,
they were now divided by irreconcilable beliefs,
leaving Lee Taesung bitterly betrayed.
“My lord, this is troubling.”
“This is betrayal.”
Lee Taesung’s expression as he smirked filled the screen.
“Wow... wow...!”
Women in the audience gasped aloud, unable to suppress their awe.
Seeing such a perfectly handsome face blown up in high-definition—
their hearts couldn’t help but race.
And it wasn’t just the women.
‘Damn, this guy knows how to use his face.’
‘I’ll admit it—Kim Donghu’s the real deal.’
‘Seriously, how can someone be that ridiculously good-looking?’
Even the men couldn’t help but acknowledge it.
This wasn’t just ordinary good looks—
it was absurd, almost otherworldly.
Everyone was completely mesmerized.
“So there’s only one phoenix after all. I must’ve been mistaken.”
The fight between Lee Taesung and Jo Sunghak began.
Taesung was exhausted, having cut down hundreds of enemies to escape.
Meanwhile, Sunghak still had plenty of energy left.
But the moment their swords clashed, everything changed.
Talent beyond talent.
Even Jo Sunghak, hailed as a genius,
was forced to admire Lee Taesung’s skill.
Blades danced.
Jo Sunghak kept getting pushed back,
his desperate swings breaking apart like dried leaves in the wind.
His stance crumbled,
his movements growing frantic—
Then—
Whoosh!
Sliding across the snow,
Jo Sunghak launched a simultaneous attack with his sword and kick—
Shing!
A second blade emerged from inside Taesung’s robe.
Dual-blade combat.
An advanced form of swordsmanship,
where two swords moved as one.
Thud!
Taesung’s blade pierced through Sunghak’s body with terrifying ease.
“Wow... wow... that was insane.”
The audience was left breathless, the fight so intense
that they’d forgotten to even breathe.
The scene shifted to wrap up the aftermath.
Though Jo Sunghak—the pillar of corruption—was dead,
Lee Taesung, the root of the rebellion, had escaped.
Still, the rebels had won over the hearts of the people in Naju,
vowing to march on to Hanyang.
With those final words and fading visuals,
the movie ended.
Lights on.
As the lights came up,
the crowd was still lost in the lingering tension of the action scenes.
“Wooooo!!”
A sudden cheer erupted—
the actors had entered for a surprise stage greeting.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Thunderous applause filled the theater
as people scanned the cast.
“Huh?”
Kim Donghu was missing.
“Did he skip this event because of his schedule?”
Eunbi mumbled, slightly disappointed.
Then—
“Who?”
“Kim Donghu. He’s not here.”
“He is, though.”
“What? Where?”
“Right next to you.”
“...What?”
Before Eunbi could even process the words,
the man beside her removed his beanie and mask.
“AAAAAAHHHH!!!”
Without resistance, Eunbi let out a scream.
‘Wait... the guy sitting next to me this whole time was Kim Donghu?!’
“Oh my God! Are you kidding me?!”
She was completely speechless.