Chapter 45….
Realism in Variety Shows
Yoon Hee-won, the writer for Running Friends, asked the staff member next to her with a flustered face.
“Is this… allowed?”
“I… I don’t know. He said he’d put it back the way it was, so it should be fine, right?”
“Oh, jackpot!”
Everyone stared blankly at Woo Soo-han, who was cheering as if he had just found treasure.
In front of them, a large green clothing donation bin was spilling its contents onto the ground. Soo-han busied himself “shopping” through the pile with practiced hands.
“How did he even open that thing?”
“Doesn’t it look like he actually works for the recycling center?”
“Seriously.”
Soo-han fiddled with the bin, pulled out some clothes with ease, and immediately began changing into them.
Once dressed, he started roughly messing with his hair.
Everyone was startled by his bold hands. Usually celebrities were careful not to mess up their makeup and hair, but he tousled his without a care.
“Can someone get me some wet wipes? No, wait, that… makeup remover thing.”
“Ah, yes.”
After putting on a green vest, Soo-han got cotton pads and cleansing water from the makeup artist and scrubbed off his foundation.
His bare face appeared—yet it didn’t look humiliating at all.
“He looks handsome even without makeup.”
“Right?”
After wiping his face clean, he ran his fingers through his hair, changing his part. Then, glancing around, he walked to a street stall, spoke to the vendor, and received a stack of plastic bags, slinging them casually under his arm.
“Wow…”
He even put on a hat—not deeply pressed, but just like a worker might wear. Then, he rummaged through the makeup products, smearing color roughly across his face.
With a hint of oil mixed in, his skin started to shine, giving the impression of a sun-tanned street vendor. He rubbed some on his arms too—completing the look.
Checking himself in a mirror, he turned around.
“How do I look?”
“Uh… wow!”
Everyone’s eyes went wide.
The actor who had stood there moments ago had vanished—replaced by a market vendor.
“Aish, these people! Just when I thought we’d get through a normal shoot today, the TV crew always has to pull something sneaky!”
Yoo Woo-seok, searching for the suddenly missing Soo-han, burst out in mock frustration. Despite his words, his expression suggested he found it fun.
“Isn’t this too easy, though?”
“Not really. If he’s using silicone masks and disguises, it’s not easy to tell.”
The Running Friends members each voiced their own theories. Then they turned to Oh Ju-hwan, who had filmed with Soo-han before.
“Ju-hwan, you’ve acted with him, so you’ll recognize him right away, right? You’re today’s ace! Should’ve teamed up with you!”
Woo-seok exaggerated his regret, while Kim Jong-wook pulled him back protectively.
“Hey now. Don’t get greedy.”
“Come on, Jong-wook! Don’t be like that—let’s work together, yeah?”
“Forget it. Let’s focus on finding him first!”
Leaving Woo-seok whining, Jong-wook led Ju-hwan forward.
“Ju-hwan, I saw that highlight reel too—it was amazing. Some of the roles, I couldn’t even tell it was him. But you’d recognize him, right?”
“Well…”
Ju-hwan hesitated, uneasy under the expectant stares.
“To be honest, I’m not sure.”
“Huh?”
“Back when I first shot a drama with him, neither I nor the other actors could tell which role he was playing until he told us afterward.”
“That can’t be right. You’re saying you couldn’t recognize his face?”
“Yeah… a lot of times we only realized it was him once someone told us.”
“No way!”
Everyone burst out laughing, thinking Ju-hwan was exaggerating for effect.
But Ju-hwan just gave a bitter smile.
Meanwhile, crowds began gathering. With famous celebrities in a busy market, it was inevitable.
“Excuse us, let us through. Whoa, look at all these people.”
A worker carrying a box paused and stared curiously at them.
“Come on, don’t block the way. We need to catch him before time runs out! Run!”
People started taking pictures with their phones, including the very market worker who had just passed by carrying boxes.
“Sorry, coming through.”
“Aw, I missed the shot.”
“Quickly, please!”
“Ah, thank you.”
Jong-wook even helped one disappointed fan snap a photo before dragging Ju-hwan along.
“His head’s so small… looks even better in person, huh?”
An elderly vendor muttered admiringly, then looked at the worker with the box.
“Never seen you before.”
“First time working this area.”
“What do you do?”
“Odd jobs, carrying stuff.”
“Ahh, that explains it.”
The old woman nodded, unconcerned. The man carefully asked:
“Mind if I take those beer bottles next to you?”
“What for? To sell?”
Five empty bottles sat by her stall.
“I need a drink. I’ll trade them in and buy water.”
“Go ahead.”
“Thank you.”
He put the empties in his box, bowed, and left.
But when the old woman suddenly recognized Yoo Woo-seok nearby, the man turned around. Their eyes met.
“Ah!”
Woo-seok approached quickly.
“What are you doing here?”
The man flinched, then replied calmly.
“Just collecting bottles.”
“Ha! When I was a kid, I used to trade bottles for snacks too. Thought everyone threw them out nowadays. So you work around here?”
“Not selling—just day labor.”
“Woo-seok! Let’s take a picture!”
“Yes, ma’am. By the way, have you seen this man?”
Woo-seok showed her photos of Soo-han’s drama characters.
“Oh! Isn’t that the beggar one? Funny stuff. But you’re saying I need to find all these people?”
“No, grandma. It’s all the same person.”
The bottle-collector interrupted.
“Really? Doesn’t look like it at all. No way these are all one guy.”
“You didn’t know? He’s hiding in this market right now. If you see him, let us know.”
“I’d know right away if I saw a stranger. I’ve worked this market forever.”
The grandma snapped a selfie with Woo-seok and moved on.
Meanwhile, the man with the box approached villain Noh Ji-oh nervously.
“I’m a fan… can I get a photo?”
“Of course, come on.”
After taking a picture, Ji-oh handed the phone back with a request.
“If you spot this man, tell us. He’ll be in disguise.”
“I think I might’ve just seen someone like that. Was it that guy?”
Ji-oh and Woo-seok turned to look.
A man in a cap and mask flinched and turned his back.
“Hey! After him!”
Woo-seok’s team bolted.
Watching them go, the grandma chuckled.
“So many celebrities around these days. Nice, nice.”
“Take care, ma’am.”
“You too. You seem hardworking.”
“Yes.”
The man—Soo-han—traded his bottles for cash at a convenience store and bought a cheap ice pop.
Eating it, he noticed the dumbfounded gazes of writer Hee-won and a cameraman.
“What? You want one too?”
“N-no…”
They had just watched both teams talk to him face-to-face and walk away without recognizing him.
Even the vendors thought he was just some day laborer.
Hee-won shook his head in disbelief. With only a slouched posture, rolled-in shoulders, a loose vest, pursed lips, and half-closed eyes, Soo-han had completely transformed—into someone who looked nearly fifty.
“Wow… it’s real.”
“Incredible…”
“But, uh… when does this end?”
Soo-han asked, sipping water. Hee-won replied, still dazed.
“Technically, it ends when either they find you or you get selfies with all three teams… but…”
The condition was to take selfies when near Running Friends teams.
And he had already taken pictures with two teams. Only one remained.
Just then, Ji-oh’s voice rang out in the distance.
“Oppa! We’ve been tricked! That wasn’t him!”
“Hey! Don’t call people ‘that’—oh, sorry, sir!”
Apparently, one of Soo-han’s planted decoys had been caught.
Park Chan’s voice echoed too:
“What? Wrong guy?”
They had fallen for the same trick.
“Well then, shall we? Let’s finish this quick. Ah, boss.”
“Hm?”
The convenience store owner looked at Soo-han in confusion.
“Mind if I borrow that cart over there?”
“Where do you work?”
“Day off today.”
“Can’t just let you take it.”
“I’ll leave a deposit.”
He handed over a fifty-thousand won note.
“You don’t need to—”
“This way’s easier. I’ll bring it back. It’s just a deposit.”
“Fair enough. Go ahead.”
It was more than enough for the old cart.
Dragging it along, Soo-han casually snapped a selfie near the two bickering teams, completing the mission.
Then, spotting a nearby PD, he approached.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes, just a moment—we’ll clear the way soon.”
“No, that’s not it.”
“Sorry, but please don’t interrupt the filming—”
“Wait, I—”
Before he could finish, staff politely pushed him back.
Ice pop in mouth, Soo-han glanced at Hee-won with a helpless shrug.
“Mind explaining?”
“Ah… yes!”
Hee-won hurried to the PD.
The PD turned, eyes trembling wildly as he stared at Soo-han, jaw dropping.
His expression said it all: What on earth am I looking at right now?
