"And the Best Actor Award goes to…"
The audience inside an enclosed arena held their breath as the presenter in the middle of the stage momentarily stopped his words to open the sealed envelope in his hand.
The presenter, a known idol in the music industry, had a huge smile on his face as he read the name inside.
"Oh…?"
With the presenter still in silence, the audience at the venue, and the fans watching on their televisions and cellphones couldn't help but be on edge, their hearts beating faster.
However, nothing could beat the emotions that the nominees were feeling at that very moment.
A few were holding their hands together with closed eyes as if praying to the heavens to let them win. The rest were tightly holding onto their seats as anxiousness reflected on their frozen faces.
However, there was this one guy.
A guy in the middle front row had a collected expression on his handsome face. His back was perfectly straight up, and his hands were resting on his thighs. He was sitting pretty calm, looking at the stage plainly without expecting anything.
Despite that, he could feel the stares of the people piercing from behind.
"It's no other than…"
"Park Juwon!"
As soon as the guy heard his name being called through the microphone, a smile slowly rose to his lips. At the same time, claps, followed by loud cheers from the audience filled the venue.
Juwon slowly stood up, looking around his fellow actors and nominees. He exchanged a few pleasantries with them as he received a tremendous amount of greetings.
'I wonder how many awards like this have I won already…' Juwon thought as he made his way to the stage calmly. Every step he made was captured by the hundreds of cameras all around, each wanting to get a perfect shot of his handsome face.
Being in the industry for so long, Juwon was a versatile star who had already received all kinds of awards related to acting. Though he was still happy and very grateful, after quite some time, things like this didn't excite him that much anymore.
Arriving at the stage, Juwon shook hands with a couple of people. They were high-profile judges consisting of numerous directors, producers, and the founder of the awarding ceremony, who evaluated each nominee to see who was qualified to be the right winner.
"Congratulations, Juwon!"
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
"This is your 15th Best Actor Award, wasn't it?"
"I think so?" Juwon answered unsurely before going to the middle of the stage where a spotlight was already waiting for his arrival. The light was almost blinding, highlighting his overall outfit and face. The fans went wild because of it.
"AHHHHHHHH!"
"Juwon! Juwon"
"Please marry meee!"
"Your fans are going crazy," Kim Taeyon, the presenter of the award, happily shook Juwon's hand as he lightly teased him about it. "But, I'm very honored to present the award. Congratulations, Juwon." He offered a sincere congratulations before handing Juwon the golden trophy and stepping to the side.
As Juwon held the trophy in his hand, the familiar cold feeling of it slowly enveloped him. He slightly raised it to show to the camera, letting the journalists and the camera director take a few pictures of him.
"I would be lying if I say that I'm not used to receiving this award…" Juwon uttered under his breath as he stood proudly in the middle of the stage, ready to deliver his winning speech.
"But despite that, I'm really grateful to everyone. From the staff who worked tirelessly to make every production a success, to my co-workers and friends, and, to my beloved fans. I wouldn't be here standing in front of you all, if you didn't shower me with your endless love and support. Please know that each one of you is the reason why I'm here today…"
Juwon momentarily stopped his speech as his fans inside the venue cheered and screamed out loud as if they were hyperventilating.
"Park Juwon!"
"Park Juwon! Park Juwon!"
"Park Juwonn!"
"Ehem…" Juwon cleared his throat, almost chuckling at the enthusiasm. However, a split second later, and the smile on his face faltered slightly.
The applause slowly died down, and the atmosphere in the room began to shift as if everyone sensed that something unexpected was about to happen.
Juwon adjusted the microphone in front of him and glanced at the golden trophy in his hand as if memorizing every detail of it. His fingers wrapped around it with a touch of familiarity, and his eyes which were usually shining with confidence, now seemed to be tinted with sadness.
"I've stood on stages like this many times," he began, his voice steady but softer than before. "And every time, I've been overwhelmed with gratitude. The roles I've played, the stories I've told, and the people I've worked with… all of it has shaped me into who I am today. And I will always carry that with me."
There was a slight pause as he surveyed the audience, his gaze landing on familiar faces — fellow actors, directors, and friends who had been part of his journey. His heart tightened as he saw the expectation in their eyes.
The weight of winning the award seemed heavier tonight.
"But…" His voice wavered, and the word hung in the air like a fragile glass. "As you know… with every journey, there will always be a time when one must stop and reflect on the path ahead."
The silence in the room grew heavier. A moment of confusion passed through the crowd. Even the cameras seemed to zoom in a little closer to his face, capturing the subtle change in his facial expression.
Juwon's grip on the microphone tightened as he felt every eye in the venue directly staring at him.
'This would surely be hard.' he thought as he forced himself to continue.
"This will be my final award ceremony," Yet, despite the hesitation, Juwon uttered the words with determination. His words hung in the air, heavy and final.
The crowd began to murmur, while others remained frozen in their seats, processing what they had just heard.
Juwon took another deep breath before continuing. His voice was weaker and much lower than before.
"I've been thinking about this for a long time. It's not a decision I've made lightly. But I feel that it's already the right time to step aside and make room for the new generation of actors, to let them carry on the legacy that I had started."
"..."
"..."
"..."
No one dared to move in the room as the gravity of the situation settled in. Even Kim Taeyon, who was smiling beside Juwon a few seconds ago, seemed to be at a loss for words.
"I'm officially announcing my retirement. Thank you for the last 18 years, everyone."
With the silence from the crowd, Juwon took it as an opportunity to take a step back. He bowed deeply, showing his deep gratitude to everyone in the venue. Afterward, he silently went down from the stage, passing by numerous stunned faces.
The crowd and even his fellow actors remained unmoving as he went back to his seat.
As the ceremony continued, the usual liveliness of the final speeches and music felt muted. The hosts struggled to bring back the enthusiasm of the audience. No one in the room truly managed to recover from the shock of Juwon's unexpected announcement.
Even in their homes, fans who had been watching the livestream remained frozen in place. Their cellphones and television screens reflected their stunned faces. Many were still holding their breath, as though waiting for him to come back and say that it was only a prank.
But after seconds and minutes, there was none.
That was when reality slowly sank in. Park Juwon, the star whom they loved and adored for so long, was really stepping away from the limelight for good.
In a matter of just a few minutes, the topic was already trending online, with fans sharing their deepest sentiment and heartbreak on the internet.
Back at the venue, Juwon moved quietly among his fellow actors. They offered short goodbyes as the event concluded. He even exchanged embraces with directors and old friends, all of them offering congratulations tinged with sadness.
"We're going to miss you," one of his co-stars, Choi Taejoon, murmured as they hugged.
"I'll miss you all too, but it's already time." Juwon gave a small smile, his eyes reflecting a deep weariness.
The evening was exhausting. The weight of his decision pressed heavily on his shoulders, but, at least, there was a sense of relief. He had said what he had been meaning to say for a long time.
Now, in just a few months, he would be able to step into the quietness he had craved for so long.
As he left the venue, Juwon was greeted by his assistant, Im Donghyun, who had been waiting by the entrance. Donghyun had black hair, brown eyes, and an average look. He was a few years younger than Juwon who was now close to 40.
"Yo man! Everything went well?" Donghyun asked enthusiastically, although his tone was kind of hesitant. He knew beforehand of the announcement, but still, he couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness.
Juwon gave a tired nod. "Yeah, I guess it did."
They stood in silence for a moment as Donghyun struggled to keep his enthusiasm.
"Uhm… I called the van," Donghyun said, changing the topic. "It should be here any minute."
"Alright." Juwon nodded as they waited in front of the venue. A lot of his co-stars were also waiting, although they had their own spots as if providing everyone with privacy after a long and tiring night.
With the silence, Juwon's thoughts drifted back to the ceremony and the faces of the people he'd just said goodbye to. There was an odd, surreal feeling in his chest.
'Maybe it's just reality sinking in my brain…' he let out a sigh.
"Oh, the driver said he's near. Let's get to the side already." Donghyun called out Juwon's attention a few seconds after he received another message on his phone.
Just then, a car engine roared in the distance, louder than it should have, catching everyone's attention. Juwon immediately looked at the side, seeing a familiar vehicle.
'Oh, I guess the driver is here,' he muttered silently before taking a step forward. However, the van sped up, with no signs of slowing down or stopping as it continued to move.
"What the—" Juwon's eyes widened as the speeding van came barreling down the road, out of control. He barely had time to react when the van grew closer — too close.
"Shit!"
Everything happened in an instant. The screech of tires, the flash of headlights, and the loud shouts.
"Juwon?"
"Huh?"
Juwon froze when he heard his name. His body started aching all over, and a second later, he realized that he was lying down on the ground with blood dripping down his forehead.
The impact of the crash was too sudden. The world spun in Juwon's eyes, and for a moment, everything slowly became blurry.
"Juwon!" Donghyun's scream echoed into the night. He had a few scratches on his arms and legs but that was not his focus right now.
'What happened?' Juwon asked at the back of his mind in a state of confusion. He felt as if his whole body was out of energy that he couldn't even open his mouth to reply to his name being called.
"Juwon! Hey! Can you hear me?"
Juwon caught a glimpse of Donghyun, who wasanxiously kneeling beside him. However, before he could even see him clearly, his eyes slowly closed, his vision completely turning black.
"Juwon… Juwon? Help! Helppp!"
The people in the venue panicked at the sight of Juwon on the ground, covered with bruises and blood.
"Someone! Please call the ambulance!"
"Oh gosh! What happened?"
"Shit… Is that Juwon?"
That day, not only did Juwon's retirement dominated the headlines, but so did the tragic news of his unfortunate accident.