Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Starstagram (2)
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Alien hand syndrome struck, so I downloaded Starstagram, but now I have no idea what to do next.
I should've tried it beforehand to know.
Team Leader Yoo Seung-ah said just posting everyday photos would be fine...
But I doubt it's that simple.
Everyone seems to want a free ride through life.
I decided to look into Starsta later and refocused on the meeting.
Then suddenly, my name came up.
"What are your plans going forward, Winter?"
"Pardon? Me?"
"You're shooting a movie right before cranking in now, but once you start piling on ads, variety shows, dramas, films—whatever—squeezing in time will get tough. By then, you won't need to do fitting model work anyway. Just say the word whenever, and we'll end the contract. Give us a month's notice, though. We need time to find a replacement."
"I'm not sure I'll get that big, but... even if I do get super busy, couldn't I stay on as Atelier's exclusive model?"
It's a place that hired me out of nowhere and handed me 100,000 won an hour—a fortune to me back then.
CEO Kim Seulgi's done so much for me, and even if fame makes scheduling tough, sticking around as their exclusive model would benefit Atelier too.
I want to be someone who repays kindness.
At my response, everyone's faces in the meeting room lit up with relief.
Team Leader Yoo Seung-ah remained stone-faced as ever.
I want to drop a bombshell that'd crack that poker face, but now's not the time for jokes.
"Honestly, I was sweating bullets bringing it up... Thanks."
"No, thank you."
"As you grow, so does Atelier. When your schedule's packed, we'll just call in another model for shoots. Alright, meeting adjourned!"
In the end, the whole meeting boiled down to: sales are overwhelming our current staff, so we're hiring more hands.
This could've been a phone call.
"Let's all grab lunch! You free, Winter? My treat—something delicious."
"I'm unemployed! Totally free!"
Good call coming in.
Of course, it's because I get to see CEO Kim Seulgi and the Atelier staff again—not just for the free lunch.
...Really.
On the way to lunch.
With Manager Lee Arang's help, I set up my Starsta account.
Click—
"...You're not seriously thinking of using that as your profile pic, are you?"
"...Is it weird?"
Manager Lee Arang's giving me a strange look.
Hmm... Is this photo that bad?
"I was just thinking, 'Even a random snap looks pretty because the model's gorgeous'..."
"...That's saying it's weird."
I'd snapped a quick selfie to use as my profile, but Manager Lee Arang stopped me.
We halted mid-stride and started shooting right there on the street.
CEO Kim Seulgi and the staff checked the pics and made 'that' face—like, "This one's a bit..."
These shopping mall folks sure communicate with their expressions.
Put 'em on a set with props, and they might outact me.
In mere moments, Manager Lee Arang's 30 shots were artistic masterpieces.
Not a single one was duds.
Hard to believe they were all from the same spot with the same camera.
The CEO handles the camera like a pro photographer.
The manager turns a phone into an art studio.
Suspicious shopping mall, indeed.
"How about these?"
I registered the golden-touch Manager Lee Arang's picks as my profile pic and wrote up the bio as she directed.
Even the forehead was her call.
"Keep the bio short and sweet. Job title in English looks cooler. You're doing movies and modeling, Winter, so... like this."
Actor. Model. Jeong Gyeowol, born '05.
It felt a bit cringy yet effortlessly cool.
"For the feed, pick a concept and post consistently. Individual pretty pics are great, but when the whole feed vibes together, the account looks stunning."
She launched into a lecture on posting strategy.
Manager Lee Arang might've been a Starsta influencer in a past life.
Her looks get overshadowed by mine, but she's top-tier among civilians.
Her tips were so detailed, I wondered if she was the mega-influencer.
We got to the restaurant, ate lunch, then headed to a café.
In that time, followers had only grown by about twenty.
I knew it. Mega-influencer, my ass. Hitting ten thousand seems impossible.
Past me, who chugged the Kool-Aid from Team Leader Yoo Seung-ah and rushed to download Starsta—do some soul-searching.
Manager Lee Arang, slurping her iced Americano, leaned toward me.
"Why the long face? Someone leave hate?"
"...Followers only went up by twenty."
"Already twenty new ones? Epic..."
"...?"
This conversation's hitting the wrong note.
She's hyping it like twenty right off the bat is explosive growth... but it feels like white-lie comfort.
Lee Arang, you sweet criminal. Show me that sweetness.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After some chit-chat, I headed to action school.
As soon as I was alone, guys started asking for my number. Par for the course.
I should reflect on what about me screams "easy mark" that keeps this happening.
Looking at my outfit, I get it.
'...But I'm heading to action school—can't exactly suit up for that.'
Still, these are new clothes. A 40,000-won splurge from Coup on a training suit set.
Thinking back, even when I dressed decently, guys asked for my number.
Not the clothes, then. If only I had a guy friend nearby to ask.
Only Screenwriter Bae Jongwook comes to mind—better drop that idea.
"You're here? Feeling okay?"
"Totally fine now! Thanks for worrying."
I greeted the desk staff.
"Winter! We were so worried! I should've gone with you!"
"ERs only let one person in anyway..."
"I gave the coach an earful! Train easy, no worries!"
"...Isn't 'easy' the opposite of training?"
After brushing off the swarming action school guys one by one.
I warmed up while waiting for Action Director Bae Gi-young...
And felt the FM coach's intense gaze.
Do I look that unreliable? Like he's eyeing a problem soldier.
Soon, Director Bae arrived.
FM coach staring or students muttering about floor dirt—didn't matter.
I got drilled today too. Near death, as usual.
"Basics are ongoing anyway. Starting tomorrow, we'll practice techniques. Ever done boxing or Muay Thai? Screenwriter Bae said you're like a killing machine? Krhahat!"
"Pardon? Killing machine? What's that..."
Our Screenwriter Bae, rude as breathing. Where's your limit...?
'Oh, right.'
My sharp elbow nearly offed him that one time.
Not surprised he'd say that.
Bae, you played it cool that day, but you were terrified, huh?
"I've learned a few self-defense moves, but no dedicated workouts. Oh, I did three months of boxing!"
Why hide it? I, Jeong Gyeowol, was a boxer in my past life.
Floating like a butterfly, stinging like a bee with fierce outboxing...
"What'd that gym teach you for three months to build that stamina...?"
Should've said never.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Finished action school and headed home.
Starstagram followers? Up a measly sixteen.
Every Atelier employee, from CEO Kim Seulgi on down, followed me—so subtracting them...
Pathetic.
Mega-influencer? Literary club kids claiming they built a rocket.
I nearly hit delete, but a few genuine followers exist.
It'll climb eventually, I thought, and left it.
'After the movie drops, at least a hundred, right?'
The path to Starstagram stardom is long and rough.
Team Leader Yoo Seung-ah, pumping me full of hot air about mega-influencer status and million-won ad rates—you owe me.
I unfollowed only her and spared the rest—self-satisfied justice.
Wonder why just her? Puzzle it out all night; good luck.
While browsing the staff feeds, something unbelievable caught my eye.
Lee Arang... 210k followers.
What is Atelier?
A suspiciously rich CEO and a suspiciously follower-heavy manager in a suspicious shopping mall.
Someday I'll grill her and uncover Atelier's secrets.
For tomorrow's action school—time to show off my three-month boxing vet skills—I stood before the mirror.
"Tch— chitch—"
These aren't mouth sounds!
"Chitch—"
Three months was too short for pro boxer status, apparently.
Better quit and watch YouTube tutorials.
Ah, shouldn't have mentioned the boxing.