“...Yeah. I did.”
Not a single person said she had done better. As always, Jin Eunseol answered in that mild, obedient tone. Inside, though, she was far from calm.
‘If it had been Do Gyeoul... five hundred? Please. It would’ve gone up by at least a thousand.’
If it were Do Gyeoul that Jin Eunseol acknowledged, fine. She was an undisputed top star.
But Han Yeoreum? That her pride could not tolerate.
Jin Eunseol rose from her seat.
“Then I’m heading to the library for a bit.”
Making an excuse, she slipped out from between her classmates and hurried into Actors Film. As expected, several web drama casting notices were already posted.
Jin Eunseol currently had 2,800 followers. Enough to at least submit a résumé.
‘I hate this kind of thing....’
Even so, she wanted to debut — even as a supporting role in a cable drama. She clearly rembered laughing at web dramas like these, saying they were the kind of childish things Han Yeoreum would do.
But she had no choice.
At this rate, the pool of actresses her age would be completely filled.
‘I have to stop this structure where rookies can’t even show their faces.’
It was already bad enough that after Do Gyeoul and Han Yeoreum, even Choo Gaeul had started rising. And who knew how many from the idol side — including Gi Juye — would cross over into acting?
Just as Jin Eunseol was about to prepare to submit applications everywhere—
Bzzzt.
“What now?”
A comnt had been posted.
Hello Eunseol! This is Luda TV :) We saw you on and would love to invite you to join our MCN. Please check your DM when you can!
Jin Eunseol’s lips curled upward.
“Got it....”
Like Han Yeoreum, she could do it too.
Get recognized in a web drama. Land a decent, sowhat prestigious project. And then, once she secured a lead—
“The rising spot is mine.”
Eunseol imdiately clicked Accept DM.
* * *
This was the MBS Variety Departnt.
Beside Gam Dajeong, who was staring at a monitor with bloodshot eyes, sat an equally drained-looking So Yesol.
“Episode one was good... It had more impact than most dramas.”
“Let’s be accurate. None of the recent MBS dramas have beaten our in buzz.”
At Gam Dajeong’s words, So Yesol looked even more lifeless. The co-directed project she took on after [No Interest Whatsoever] had wrapped at 6.3% ratings.
It hadn’t gone head-to-head with , but the flow of attention had been completely stolen.
When a single overwhelming work appears, everyone’s gaze shifts there.
Among last year’s dramas, aside from , almost nothing had remained in the public’s mory.
The only exception was , which gained so reflected buzz due to constant comparisons — and Joo Junseo, whose price skyrocketed thanks to character appeal that hooked drama fans.
‘Either way, it wasn’t MBS....’
That was why the Drama Center Director was trying so hard to hold on to Han Yeoreum.
MBS had once been called the ho of trendy dramas. They couldn’t afford another string of losses.
Just one.
If they t just one proper hit, they could change the image again.
“Episode one was good, but the ending section of episode two is really fun.”
“What is it?”
“Watch the live broadcast.”
So Yesol quietly grabbed Gam Dajeong by the collar. In an instant, Dajeong was half-lifted from her chair.
“...I’ll show you the unaired footage from episode one instead.”
Gam Dajeong tossed over Han Yeoreum’s unused footage. Only then did So Yesol loosen her grip.
Han Yeoreum walking across campus captured twenty-sothing youth at a glance.
An iced Aricano she bought near school before heading to class. Dropping into a sunlit outdoor bench. Killing ti between lectures with a classmate. A twenty-two-year-old who got absurdly excited over a sticker she would barely even use.
“Now I see why the center director wants to keep her. She fits perfectly into the picture JC is trying to draw.”
“You usually hate when everything’s spoon-fed to you....”
“That’s why I flipped it in the edit.”
So Yesol watched Han Yeoreum on screen.
Campus. Han Yeoreum. Library. Han Yeoreum. Lecture hall. Han Yeoreum.
“Ah.”
Suddenly, her desire for a next project surged.
, which had portrayed teen high school life, began fast-forwarding in her mind.
What if, this ti, they placed Han Yeoreum in university?
She stared intently at So Dami, who had been caught in the sa fra as Yeoreum.
A successful classmate. Inferiority. Yet a fondness large enough to cover it. The fear of the future that crept in before dawn.
“It’d be nice if there were just one more....”
If three balanced each other in a trio format, the picture would be perfect.
High school and university were different.
The world was wider. And sotis, people struggled to keep up with how quickly their perspective expanded.
So entered through early admission. So through regular admission. So lived in dorms. So in studio apartnts. So commuted for hours. So drove their own cars. So relied on public transportation.
Countless choices.
And the divisions that ford from them.
For so, youth.
For others, darkness.
So Yesol felt like she could properly push down Dok Gomin this ti.
‘She’s my muse, after all....’
Clack.
The always fluttering, lethargic So Yesol sprang to her feet with force. Even knowing she had left the editing room, Gam Dajeong didn’t turn her head.
She only kept staring at Han Yeoreum on screen.
“We might actually get a drama worth watching for once.”
Watching Han Yeoreum draw attention with just an Intube teaser, Gam Dajeong pressed replay again.
On screen, the theater rehearsal scene set to air as Han Yeoreum Episode 2 began to play.
* * *
had already finished its script reading.
At first, they had simply sat and repeated full readings of the script, so it had been weak material for to promote.
“Hey, it’s been a while.”
“Right? This brings back mories... I used to co watch plays all the ti when I was in college.”
The filming team was setting up to capture Han Yeoreum’s performance today. Perhaps excited by the thought of airing on terrestrial broadcast, theater actors rushed over to greet them.
“Lights on!”
A pinpoint spotlight illuminated the center exactly. Even a modest stage looked convincing once lit.
They weren’t yet in the stage-and-set rehearsal phase. For now, it was about blocking and gestures with the director.
No costus. No makeup.
Only voice, expression, and movent to persuade the audience.
A single glance. A single step. Everything mattered.
“Last week’s lecture was fun, right?”
“Let’s pull one solid scene again this ti! Not asking for much.”
Among last week’s clips, the highest viewership by far had been Han Yeoreum. Screenshots had spread everywhere, heating up communities.
“! Rehearsal begins!”
True to theater actors, the announcent bood. With that resonant call, rehearsal began.
Though the small theater was close to the audience, projection strong enough to reach the back was still essential.
Han Yeoreum was, without question, the actress whose stock was rising the fastest right now. It would’ve been natural for her to shoot comrcials nonstop or run from one next-project eting to another.
‘That’s how you raise your value.’
To imprint her face and na firmly into the public eye, she needed lead roles.
Yet Han Yeoreum had co to this small, worn-down theater as if none of that mattered.
‘When she should be busy riding the wave of success....’
It was a path clearly different from other actors.
Thanks to Han Yeoreum, , which was being staged for the first ti, was receiving attention as well.
—Wait, suddenly theater? Usually it’s theater actors moving into broadcasting, not the other way around.
ㄴㄴ It happens, but usually after they’re established. Not when they’re rising like this.
—All of Han Yeoreum’s filmography has been good, so I’m looking forward to the play too T_T
—Didn’t I see her do theater on Intube before? I thought this wasn’t her first ti?
ㄴThat was just DaeYeJong practice stuff. School life. Not a real production.
With this level of attention from the beginning, it was both gratifying and overwhelming.
There was simple curiosity. And twisted thoughts she’d be ashad to show anyone.
A supporting actor standing at the very back stared at Han Yeoreum on stage.
‘I’m so jealous... seriously.’
What did it feel like to receive praise for every project you chose? Why had she chosen this play? And where had she learned to act like that?
On the first day, any hostility toward Han Yeoreum had long since vanished.
She had surpassed expectations.
After script reading rehearsal ended, no one could even open their mouth.
Her skill made it impossible to mock her as “bad.”
Even during insanely long dialogue sections, she didn’t make a single mistake.
“Check if it carries to the back!”
Called out, the supporting actor shouted,
“Yes!”
The voice rang loudly.
Now, real rehearsal was about to begin.
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