“What’s this? A present because I won an award?”
“Yeah. Open it when you get ho.”
Dropped off in front of Ryu Risa’s office, Yeoreum ran off without even looking back.
Probably to brag again. Watching her small figure dart away, Jeha slowly opened his mouth.
“Sir. Let’s go.”
“Jeha, it’s not what I’m thinking, right? What did you give her? This isn’t so dating scandal, right? Every ti you do sothing like this, you give heart attacks!!!”
“Well... haha.”
“Please, just once, tell it’s not that. Don’t do this to .”
“It’s a script. A script.”
Inside the bag was the scenario chosen by JC ENM — the beginning of a new category that would soon open for Intube content.
A fusion historical drama based on urban legends. It had repeatedly received large-scale investnts and entered pre-production many tis.
And every ti, for the sa reason, at the sa stage, it collapsed.
‘How much will change this ti?’
The funding ca from Chinese capital. And the Korean pop wave Ban that would strike like a typhoon at the end of next year.
Jeha was already curious about what Yeoreum would change in between. A faint smile curved at the corner of his mouth.
* * *
I untied the ribbon on the shopping bag Myeong Jeha had given . Inside the box was a leather case — and inside that,
“A scenario?”
There was another script. But unlike the ones Jeha had previously sent in boxes, this one felt... different.
“Feels like sothing more important....”
And not because it was wrapped in a leather case with an embossed engraving. Not because of the soft sheen, or the luxurious look, or the famous brand logo imprinted on it, or even the pretty beige-gold color of the ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ case.
“I’ve heard this title sowhere.”
On the first page, written in big letters, was . I mouthed the characters quietly. Sothing about it made feel like I needed to find the answer myself, not ask Jeha. And then—
“This one flopped!!!”
I knew the title looked familiar. I could read these characters because I had glared at them countless tis.
“Strange Tales...!”
I had joined the theater troupe because of this.
After losing the lead role in the final play to Do Gyeoul, the theater staff cast her in the production, and after receiving huge praise, she went straight into a major historical drama.
The thought that I’d lost everything because of that one opportunity kept eating alive. Going to school beca unbearable.
“Why did he give this!!!”
I had actually read it once. If I hadn’t broken my leg. If I had caught the attention of the theater staff. If I had been cast in that historical drama.
I collected the script while making a thousand “what if” assumptions. And I cried while reading it.
Bzz— bzz— bzz—.
The mont those past mories resurfaced, my phone vibrated.
[Team Leader Seong]
JC ENM. Team Leader Seong from the web content division. I answered cautiously.
“Hello.”
—Yeoreum-ssi~! Congratulations! I heard you won an award at the Ruel Style Awards?
“You heard!!! Yes~! I won an award!!!”
I eagerly pushed away all the sour feelings from earlier and bragged to him. My stories are always fun. And honestly, I needed a bragging mont.
—Yeoreum-ssi, what’s your schedule like? I heard you fild a one-episode drama recently.
“Ah, yes. That filming is done, and I only have a few scenes left for a movie.”
—Knew it~. I told you the mont I saw you that you’d do well.
“Right? Of course you did. I an, you picked as Chaewon with those genius eyes.”
Team Leader Seong laughed loudly at my habitual flattery.
—Seriously~. Cute. Anyway, clear so ti. Let’s work on sothing together!
Work?
If it was JC ENM offering, I’d take anything. Please, just hire early.
—We’re preparing sothing new for Intube. ASMR. Actors whispering lines as if directly into soone’s ear, with added sound effects. For you, Yeoreum-ssi, we want you to do it with sli.
I imdiately understood what he ant.
‘This was really popular content.’
Later, whenever a drama airing date or movie opening approached, everyone flocked to JC ENM to film one of these.
Intube
[What do you think of “The Holy Swordmaster Writes You a Legal Case”... ♥︎Sleep-inducing scratch-scratch fountain pen ASMR]
[Patient-nim, we’ll begin the sedation now... Dr. Park Junghyeok sbn’s operating room ASMR]
[Curious what ASMR tingles are? Click and you’ll understand ㅇㅇ Yoo Yein Skincare Clinic ASMR]
The algorithm blessed it — hundreds of thousands, millions of views ca easily. It was so popular that it often resurged on communities and SNS.
‘And viewers could understand it even without knowing the character. Idol fans loved it.’
It wasn’t just ASMR; there was role-playing — actors behaving like their characters. I watched a few myself.
‘But doing it?’
And on top of that — wasn’t this a brand new content series no one had fild yet? Han Yeoreum launching it?
—If you say yes, I’ll quick-deliver the script tomorrow. You’ll do it, right? We really wanted to work with you, so we read through so many scripts. It’s based on a web novel~
“What’s the title?”
I stared blankly at the script in my hand.
I knew it would collapse mid-production. I knew it would vanish. But even so—
‘I want it.’
Not Do Gyeoul — .
I wanted this to remain as sothing that belonged to Han Yeoreum.
—It’s called Strange Tales. It’s a spooky story that suits sumr. Kind of like a ghost-story anthology.
The mont I heard his answer, I responded like soone spellbound.
“I’ll do it. I’ll do it.”
* * *
released subtitles in 16 languages, including English and Japanese, and recorded 9.15 million views on its final episode, breaking tens of thousands of comnts and fully opening the era of the New Wave.
And at JC ENM, the company leading the charge, at this point there wasn’t a single person who didn’t know Han Yeoreum.
“Oh!!! It’s Pi Chaewon!”
“Hello~.”
“Let’s do our best on today’s ASMR!!!”
“Everyone, I know you’re excited, but if you keep greeting her we’ll use up the whole recording ti~! Okay, Yeoreum-ssi. From here, let’s run it again.”
This was JC ENM’s studio. Everyone greeted Yeoreum warmly.
With an arm around her shoulders, Team Leader Seong reviewed today’s shooting concept with her.
“Whisper the script like you’re breathing into soone’s ear. The prompter’s in front so it won’t be hard. Between takes we’ll give you sli — just press your fingers gently and we’ll capture the sound.”
No one objected to starting JC ENM’s new content series with Yeoreum.
In fact, when they heard she’d be showcasing her voice, several people seed excited. A few people had issues with the genre choice — the first-ever episode being a ghost story. It was practically a gamble.
“Shouldn’t we match it more to the ‘Pi Chaewon’ character traits?”
“Web novels are usually rom-coms, right? Why are we going into a minor niche first...?”
“Even if it’s fusion historical, viewers have strict expectations when they hear ‘sageuk.’”
But after Yeoreum finished the script reading, even those objectors changed their tone.
‘Right. Her diction is good.’
Her pronunciation was clear even without forcing emphasis. Han Yeoreum’s voice carried a pleasant resonance.
Hearing Yeoreum quietly murmur the lines while waiting for the set to be arranged, Team Leader Seong was certain again.
‘This is going to get at least as many views as .’
* * *
“We’ll start recording—!”
It wasn’t like a full drama or film set, but inside, the atmosphere was more silent than ever.
Inside the studio — reinforced with strong soundproof walls — various microphones were set up. I breathed much smaller than usual.
‘Even the sound of breath can be distracting in ASMR.’
When the red light on the cara turned on, I slowly recited the first line.
“This is what we call Crown Prince’s Ghost.”
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