“What?”
Ryu Risa frowned as she looked down at the list sent over by the sponsorship agency. The outfit that was supposed to be listed at the very top—Han Yeoreum’s—was nowhere to be found.
“Isn’t this list wrong? Didn’t you pick up the clothes properly?”
“Uh, Director... it’s just that.... From the brand....”
“Yeah? From the brand.”
With a bad feeling creeping up on her, Ryu Risa pressed for an answer. The youngest staffer, who had gone to pick up the outfits, hesitated before replying.
“They gave it to... Gi Juye....”
“So Gi Juye took it?”
The junior nodded slightly. Ryu Risa closed her eyes.
That was the outfit ant for the Ruel Style Awards.
The silhouette, the color palette, the texture—every detail had been calculated specifically for Han Yeoreum. In an instant, Ryu Risa’s careful selection had turned to nothing.
“What did they say on their end?”
“They said since it’s a brand with especially strong sales in China, they were asking for our understanding....”
Ryu Risa bit down on her lower lip.
That was just how this industry worked. There was a reason people said you could go to sleep and wake up to a completely different world. In the entertainnt industry, you could beco a star overnight—or fall straight into the abyss just as fast.
And in that industry, fa was power.
“So they said they could offer anything else for Han Yeoreum instead....”
“Once it’s been taken once, who’s to say it won’t be taken twice.”
If you held that one thing, you beca the perfect top dog. That was why stealing outfits like this was treated as normal.
‘Because this kind of thing doesn’t happen just once or twice.’
That was why sponsorships were all about underwater warfare.
You’d rent an outfit saying it was just for one day, then delay returning it. You’d tweak shooting schedules so another celebrity would lose their chance to wear it. Or you’d contact the brand first and quietly swap priority order.
There was no helping it. When it ca to clothes, exposure recognized by the public was life itself.
The fashion industry’s clock ticked rcilessly, even now. A lipstick released for spring could still be worn in sumr—but spring clothes couldn’t be worn once sumr arrived.
“That damn China money....”
Ryu Risa recalled the recent articles about Gi Juye. Co to think of it, there had been a lot of SNS photos lately where Gi Juye was wearing this brand.
‘So that’s why....’
Staring at the sponsorship list glowing on the screen, Ryu Risa started running calculations in her head.
‘The numbers add up imdiately.’
There was a real chance the brand would soon na Gi Juye as their ambassador.
‘Articles with Gi Juye’s na attached are never free.’
Most likely, so were paid for by her agency, others by the brand itself—mixed together.
In the entertainnt world, styling wasn’t just a combination of hair, makeup, and clothes. This was politics. It was a gamble where a single well-taken photo could catapult soone to fa overnight.
‘If this were a real awards ceremony, this would’ve been disastrous.’
Fortunately, the Ruel Style Awards were more casual than traditional official events. Wearing a dress was fine, but showing up in a one-piece wouldn’t be a problem either.
The range of options in Ryu Risa’s mind widened.
‘What should I put her in?’
First, exclude outfits she’d worn in recent 기사 photos. Exclude what she wore on MusicN as well. This was Han Yeoreum’s first official public appearance since ended—she needed to stand out as much as possible.
‘Ah. And exclude hanbok.’
Locking Seoryeong’s image in with hanbok styling would be a problem. That drama was completely over. Han Yeoreum needed to open her next chapter.
‘What’s left....’
Ryu Risa tilted her head as she stared at a white mannequin.
“Han Yeoreum. Han Yeoreum. Han Yeoreum....”
She tried saying the na out loud. As images of Han Yeoreum up to now flashed through her mind—
“Ah. That’s it.”
Ryu Risa caught sothing.
She thought of the best accessory that only Han Yeoreum could use. Just like how she’d used Joo Junseo as an accessory on the last mint carpet. This ti as well.
“But this one’s on a completely different level.”
A devilish smile blood across Ryu Risa’s face.
Ryu Risa
[Artistry: S ]
A status window shimred above her head.
* * *
‘As expected, Ryu Risa....’
Manager Hong barely managed to suppress the laughter threatening to burst out. Reporters were clustered all around him.
This was a café near Cheongdam-dong, where the Ruel Style Awards would begin in a few hours. As Manager Hong handed out coffee to the reporters, he chatted easily.
“Man, it’s hot out there. You’re all working hard.”
With enough years in the entertainnt industry to earn himself the title of PR team senior at JC ENM, Manager Hong was a veteran of political maneuvering. He smiled with half-lidded eyes at the reporters who would soon be writing articles about the Ruel Style Awards.
“Please write sothing nice about our Yeoreum, yeah?”
“Of course we will. It’s Han Yeoreum—do you know how many clicks she gets these days?”
Soone’s quick-witted reply ward the atmosphere. One of the reporters asked,
“But why are you like this today? She’s made Best Dresser every ti before. Why do you sound so unsure all of a sudden?”
Manager Hong pulled the straw out of his coffee cup. He popped the lid open and gulped down his iced Aricano, thinking,
‘Perfect.’
The reporter had taken the bait. Now all he had to do was bite properly. It was like a perfectly staged play—everyone knowing, and yet still deceiving each other.
“The outfit she was supposed to wear suddenly fell through.... We had to bring sothing else in a hurry, so it might look a bit old-fashioned. I told her so many tis to change outfits, but... I think our girl was pretty upset. Sigh....”
A rapidly rising actress, and her outfit suddenly fell through? Dopamine surged through the reporters sipping their coffee.
‘There’s sothing here.’
‘Obviously.’
It had clearly been taken by soone else. Most likely an actress of a similar age and image.
Two nas ca to mind imdiately. Do Gyeoul, or Gi Juye. One reporter asked casually,
“How did the outfit fall through? Then who’s wearing it instead—Do Gyeoul?”
“Oh, co on. Don’t say things like that. Do Gyeoul already had her outfit fixed well in advance. Ah, rumors like that would be scary.”
As Manager Hong waved his hands, he naturally handed them the answer sheet.
Everyone, it’s not Do Gyeoul. Put an X next to that na. So who’s left? You know, right? Who would steal our girl’s outfit? Huh?
It was a silent hint. Seeing Manager Hong smile with narrowed eyes, the reporters were convinced.
‘Okay. Not Do Gyeoul.’
‘Then it really is Gi Juye.... Her personality never changes.’
Soon enough, this rumor would spread through the reporters’ initial-only briefings. Manager Hong continued, pretending to be innocent.
“Our girl really respects Professor Geum Bitgang, so she dressed a bit retro as a sign of respect. Please package that nicely for us.”
“Of course. Are JC and we strangers?”
At the reporters’ easygoing response, Manager Hong finally seed to relax and let out what had been on his mind—though everyone there knew every word had been carefully asured.
This was the cold entertainnt industry. Anyone sloppy didn’t survive.
“She’s also really into classics these days. Can’t put scripts down at all. Actors’ projects fall apart all the ti, but... maybe because she’s still a rookie. Cute age, really.”
From his words, the reporters could infer several things. It was a rigged ga of cards.
“Co to think of it, we heard Han Yeoreum was also being considered for a child role in . Is that true?”
“Where did you hear that?”
“I’m close with Director Gong. Heard it vaguely over drinks last ti. He wanted to push her, but money from investors got in the way.”
“Oh? If she was being considered, that ans there were other actors too....”
At that mont, all the pieces fell into place. The article’s fra was complete. Just as they were about to press Manager Hong further, he picked up his ringing phone.
“Oh—yeah. Right, I was hosting so important people, but... yeah, I’ll be right there! It’s urgent, so I can’t help it. Yeah.”
He hurriedly got ready to leave, covering the phone’s receiver with one hand.
“Sorry! Apparently a newbie caused so trouble. I’ll look forward to the article! Yeah!”
“Wait—what about ...!”
“Manager Hong! Where are you going?”
But it was already too late. Manager Hong left the café.
The reporters who had stood up to grab him were left staring blankly. One reporter, still seated, crossed his arms and said,
“Give it up, everyone... didn’t you see his phone screen earlier?”
The others leaned in.
“That call was a show....”
That’s right.
“The vibration was just an alarm....”
Manager Hong was a step ahead.
The keywords the reporters would now chase were #ClosentorDisciple #HanYeoreumAcknowledgedByGeumBitgang #NextProject #TheGreatGarland. With no concrete details, all they could write was a single line.
But that one line would create massive ripples in the entertainnt industry.
* * *
Before stepping out of the van, Gi Juye checked her reflection with a satisfied smile. The outfit she’d taken from Han Yeoreum suited her perfectly.
‘It was mine from the beginning.’
The outfit, the role, the buzz, the popularity. All of it belonged to her, not Han Yeoreum. The thought filled Gi Juye with a sense of superiority.
“Gi Juye is entering—!”
The van rolled to a smooth stop in front of the mint carpet, and the door opened. Flashes exploded toward Gi Juye.
‘That’s right. I’m Gi Juye.’
This hadn’t achieved much, but soon she would return to public favor as Yeon Huijae, the protagonist’s first love in .
“Please look this way!”
“Hand heart! Over here!”
Smiling confidently, Gi Juye threw hand hearts at the reporters. As she entered the venue, she was guided to her seat.
By coincidence, it was near Han Yeoreum.
‘...What?’
For a mont, Gi Juye thought her eyes were deceiving her. Han Yeoreum’s styling stood out so much it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was the most eye-catching in the entire Ruel event. It felt as if Han Yeoreum alone was living in a different era.
‘What is that?’
White lace gloves. An elegantly twisted updo. A yellow two-piece that felt more like a tailored suit than a dress. And the best accessory that only Han Yeoreum could use.
A master representing Korea itself—actress Geum Bitgang.
‘...They coordinated outfits with Geum Bitgang!’
It looked as if a legendary actress from the 1970s had brought her successor along.
Gi Juye answered the greetings around her half-heartedly and hurriedly turned on her phone.
[Han Yeoreum, carrying on the lineage of powerhouse actresses... “Today, it’s not Yeomga and Seoryeong, but disciple and ntor~” Mint carpet shows off teacher–student chemistry]
At today’s Ruel mint carpet in Cheongdam-dong, rookie actress Han Yeoreum’s outfit has beco a hot topic. Having proven her acting skills through TVM’s , Han Yeoreum appeared alongside Geum Bitgang, with whom she had faced off in acting within the drama. The two drew attention with classic styling reminiscent of the 1970s.
(omitted)
anwhile, Han Yeoreum has been shortlisted for the role of Yeon Huijae, the protagonist’s first love, in the KBC 50th anniversary drama .
‘...Fuck.’
Her head worked too well.
Because the styling matched the project’s ti period, it was perfect for leaking next-project spoilers.
‘If this happens, even if I take the Yeon Huijae role later, I’ll be compared to her forever.’
In a battle of acting skills, Gi Juye would lose one hundred percent. That was why she’d tried to push through with investnt money instead.
Gi Juye glared at Han Yeoreum.
Sensing the gaze, Han Yeoreum turned her head.
And then she smiled brightly.
As if to say—let’s do this.
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