Focus on the Main Job (1)
The video was barely a few minutes long.
It captured the short span from Jeong Seo-hoon's entrance, his calm duet with Baek Hyeo-seon, and his exit.
Overnight, the views had surged toward ten million.
A few fans fainting right at the start, then the whole crowd bursting into tears at the end...
The BiLab fandom mobilized en masse, flooding the comments with positivity.
As airtime approached, Lee Jeong-sook hurried to the TV with a fruit platter.
She'd decided to watch the drama alone today, without family.
Her husband was working late, her daughter was on set, and her son had gone out to watch with fellow actors.
'Wonder who'll end up as our Seo-hoon's first girlfriend.'
As she idly pictured the actresses circling her son, the drama began.
The king died young at 37, and the child prince ascended the throne.
He hadn't even ruled three full years before his untimely death.
The Grand Prince began openly revealing his long-hidden ruthless ambition.
He gathered loyal followers, prostrated himself even more obsequiously before his young nephew while feigning loyalty, and railed against the Left Prime Minister and other high officials as corrupt sycophants manipulating the boy king.
"The palace is overrun with rat bastards exploiting His Majesty's youth to control the court. Isn't that right, Left Prime Minister?"
"Your words go too far, Grand Prince!"
"I will personally catch the king of those rats and skin him alive."
In a private meeting, the Grand Prince revealed his true lust for power to the Left Prime Minister.
It was a deliberate vulnerability shown because the factions around the young king were too entrenched.
"Your Highness, beware the Grand Prince. A close royal is the most dangerous rival."
"My uncle is no such man. He's raised me more than my own father ever did."
The Left Prime Minister's frustrated secret warning only bred distrust in the boy king.
Realizing too late it was the Grand Prince's scheme to shake the solid board, the Left Prime Minister seethed.
With deepened suspicion and unease toward the Grand Prince, the Left Prime Minister succeeded in sending him as an envoy to the mainland kingdom. Ignoring his aides' worries and opposition, the Grand Prince departed.
"For now, lacking strength, I'm forced to bend to the traitors' schemes. But when I return from this mission, I'll sweep them all away."
The Grand Prince left as envoy to the mainland kingdom, and rebellion drew ever closer to the inner chambers.
"If I'd known our son was this good at acting, I'd have put him in child roles from the start."
A CF played on TV, and Lee Jeong-sook felt a pang of regret.
"Even child modeling would've been great. So many opportunities back then."
To fill the lingering dissatisfaction, she pulled up YouTube.
Baek Hyeo-seon concert guest stage.
She'd watched it twenty times already today.
Views had now broken 15 million.
Foreign comments were popping up more frequently too.
Who knew "I fainted!" could sound so delightful.
Her son, calmly exchanging gazes and harmonies with Baek Hyeo-seon—it was just too cool.
Lee Jeong-sook closed her eyes softly, savoring the harmony between her son and "Grand Admiral."
After looping it about five times, she texted her son.
Hey, next time you grab drinks with Grand Admiral, mind sneaking her back here for round 2 or 3?
Look at that quick wit and savvy.
Her son, but objectively brilliant—Lee Jeong-sook smiled warmly.
"If we're doing it, we need to start recording now. Our schedule's tight. We've followed the PD's thorough plan perfectly so far."
"Yeah, Seo-hoon said he's in?"
"Kid's all for it—boosts ratings and fan service."
Convinced by Jeong Su-ryeon's persuasion, Jang Seung-won finally committed.
"Alright, let's do it. Can't waste a great idea like this."
The plan: Record a Jeong Seo-hoon version of OST "There" separately for the drama.
A one-off fan commemoration and event—nothing more, out of respect for insert singer Baek Hyeo-seon.
"Can you handle talks with Baek Hyeo-seon's agency, Su-ryeon?"
"Yes, I'll take care of it."
"You siblings are tight—makes me jealous. My kids don't even fight anymore; they just ignore each other."
"Director Assistant Jeong Su-ryeon's ego outmuscles Big Sis Jeong Su-ryeon's. Gotta eat, right?"
Baek Hyeo-seon's side agreed readily, sealing Jeong Seo-hoon's OST recording.
Stealing a break mid-shoot, Jeong Seo-hoon headed to the promised studio.
Baek Hyeo-seon, her team lead manager, and producer waited together.
"Heard the story. Final episode OST as your version?"
"Not the whole finale—just once. Real ending uses the original."
Baek Hyeo-seon shrugged.
"Doesn't matter to me. I love Seo-hoon's 'There' personally. Hope we duet more sometime."
The 40s producer got an autograph first, thrilled.
"Actors turning singers succeed sometimes, but reverse? Rare. Can't wait."
"Both singer versions topping charts 1-2 would look epic."
"Alright, let's record. Sing it casual first."
Baek Hyeo-seon smirked confidently, arms crossed.
Her team lead manager asked curiously.
"Why so smug? You're not even singing."
"Bro, I gave Seo-hoon a few vocal sessions."
"Right. So?"
"Makes me think I've got training talent too."
"Ooh, that good?"
"Hear for yourself."
The producer, done checking gear, thumbs-upped.
"Full take, no stops—first go."
Of course it'd need multiples, but to ease a rookie's nerves, they'd run it straight even with flubs.
"Walking the long road to that end,
Where my wishes sleep...
Clean tone layered over the intro; producer nodded, focused.
'Solid? Early parts good to go.'
Flawless technique—no tweaks needed.
As the song progressed, the producer's face hardened.
At moments, eyes wide on Jeong Seo-hoon, then back to the sound.
When it ended, the producer stared, speechless.
'What... is this...'
A track he'd burned the midnight oil perfecting with Baek Hyeo-seon.
Every breath etched in his ears.
'It worked?'
Beyond expectations—no, insanely good.
Debut as solo artist now? He'd devour most stages.
Already beyond rookie level.
This one song? Polished pro—no notes.
"Seo-hoon, how'd you practice?"
But the real shock wasn't just skill.
"High notes, breaths, vibe pattern—you replicated Hyeo-seon's exactly?"
"Is that a problem?"
"Not a problem, but... human recorder? Minus voice, it's her song verbatim. Possible?"
Even perfect mimicry mixes personal flair, habits, style.
But this? Baek Hyeo-seon's song, different voice only.
"Not a machine—how?!"
"Listened to her a cappella live, memorized it whole."
"..."
"Event OST for drama—thought it'd mean something. Respect to the original singer."
The team lead eyed Baek Hyeo-seon beaming like she'd won.
"Talent in training my ass?"
"That's from my under-an-hour session."
"So you just sang live as usual, and he copied?"
"Guiding to the target—that's key training."
"Bull. 'Sing once, copy me'—anyone can. Training my foot."
"Anyway, I taught him."
Producer threw up hands.
"Nothing to touch. We're done."
"Too bad to wrap in one take. Few more?"
Ha Tae-soo suggested cautiously; Jeong Seo-hoon agreed.
Producer, reluctant, restarted.
Post-take, he called Jeong Seo-hoon out.
Showed Ha Tae-soo and him waveform comparisons.
"First vs. now—identical? Copy-paste?"
"Yeah, really."
"No need to fiddle. Overpolish a perfect statue, and it drops quality. Wrap here."
Not a solo album—just drama event.
This quality? Overflowing.
"Wish we'd hear your personal spin..."
"Haven't practiced that yet."
"Then done."
Producer eyed him complexly, pleaded.
"Come by the studio more. Too wasteful not to."