Chapter 83: Dramatic (3)
Chapter 83: Dramatic (3)
[<Wilderness Survival> Ratings Surge ↑ Expectations for <The Chaser> Rise ↑]
[A String of Variety Show Hits! Who is Ju Seo-yeon?]
[éclat Étoile: ‘Slumping Sales are a Thing of the Past,’ A Grand Comeback with <Starlight>]
Starting the day after <Wilderness Survival> aired, articles began pouring out one after another.
It was to an extent that even I hadn't anticipated.
Wait, isn't this basically a scam?
I was genuinely worried.
What if people who actually bought the product didn't get the same results as me and started filing complaints?
The truth was simply that my skin was incredibly resilient.
Regardless of my concerns, éclat Étoile had reportedly contacted my agency in high spirits.
"I heard sales have skyrocketed."
"…Really?"
"They say the éclat Étoile <Starlight> line is sold out at every store. You can't even get your hands on it right now."
I gave an awkward laugh at Manager Park Eun-ha’s words.
I didn't think it would go this far.
To be honest, it didn't feel real. I knew the commercial had turned out well, but I never imagined it would have such a massive impact.
I guess the influence of <Wilderness Survival> was just that huge.
Actually...
Ever since watching yesterday's broadcast of <Wilderness Survival>, I hadn't been able to hold my head up properly at home.
Seeing myself running around and tearing through that deserted island like a wild animal… honestly, it was embarrassing.
It’s all because I have no defense against feeling good.
I was actually fine when I was younger.
Specifically, before I turned ten. Back then, the influence of my past life still remained.
But things changed once I hit puberty.
As I began to truly immerse myself in the waves of emotion, I started to taste what people call "good feelings."
I was used to bad emotions; I had experienced plenty of those in my past life, so I was rather numb to them.
But emotions I had never properly experienced before—joy, excitement, the fluttering of the heart—I was extremely vulnerable to those.
To borrow Lee Ji-yeon’s words:
"You run around like an excited Golden Retriever."
"…."
In fact, this wasn't the first time. Something like this had happened once back in middle school, too.
It seemed I liked being active more than I thought.
Suddenly, I’m starting to feel a bit worried.
<Dream Future>.
A youth romance drama.
The role I was aiming for, Jo Ha-rin, was a bubbly character with a distinct personality.
And she was the tragic second lead.
She was an idol trainee who had liked the male lead, Kim Si-hwan, since they were children and followed him onto an audition program.
Naturally, Kim Si-hwan ends up with the female lead, Song So-ha, and Jo Ha-rin has to step back.
The reason Jo Ha-rin’s screen time drops sharply from Episode 8 is…
Episodes 7 and 8 were Jo Ha-rin’s main arc. It was the episode where she quietly gives up on Kim Si-hwan and starts supporting Song So-ha.
Acting out affection.
Even if the feelings aren't mutual, could I properly portray Jo Ha-rin’s bittersweet first love for Kim Si-hwan and the process of her letting go?
After seeing my behavior on <Wilderness Survival>, I was suddenly anxious about whether I could act out the emotion of "affection" effectively.
Maybe I just shouldn't go.
Just as that thought crossed my mind—
"Seo-yeon, the director from éclat Étoile is on the phone!"
éclat Étoile had contacted Manager Park Eun-ha’s phone directly.
"Oh, Actress Ju Seo-yeon! How have you been? The reason I'm calling is that éclat Étoile wishes to continue moving forward with you in the future…."
Director Baek Min-chan spoke to Seo-yeon in a voice brimming with excitement. It was essentially a request for her continued cooperation.
And then.
"I'm just mentioning this just in case, but your image! We would be very grateful if you could take care to maintain a good image!"
Currently, I had a mysterious image from the commercial and a bright, energetic image from the variety show. In short, he was asking me to protect that positive reputation.
On top of that.
"At this rate, we might even renew the contract midway. I’ll do my best to make sure you get at least double the current fee."
Director Baek Min-chan hung up after making that grand promise.
After mulling over those words for a moment, I had no choice but to make a decision.
Over 400 million won.
An image of myself swimming in money briefly flashed through my mind.
…Hmm.
I nodded as I looked at the phone.
I have to do <Dream Future>.
I firmly made up my mind.
*
If there was one more thing that had changed since the variety show <Wilderness Survival>, it was the creation of fan sites for Seo-yeon.
A Ju Seo-yeon Gallery, a Ju Seo-yeon Fan Cafe, and so on—they were popping up one by one.
The numbers weren't huge yet, but the mere fact that they existed was proof that her recognition had surged, even without a drama or movie being released.
However...
==
Post: So, can Ju Seo-yeon beat this guy?
The legend of the 17-to-1 celebrity fight, <Ssam-Min-hyuk>
Replies:
- One poke with a coconut and he’s dead.
- You think Ju Seo-yeon is a joke?
- Metal Gorilla wins.
==
For a celebrity community, there were more "Who would win?" debates than anything else, but it was still an encouraging result.
In fact, many people were keeping a close eye on that community.
Especially one person.
"Ah, I really should have snatched her up back then."
Lee Hwi-rok, the head of the actor management division at RY Entertainment who had missed out on Seo-yeon, clutched his head.
He never imagined things would turn out like this.
"That’s why I thought we should have offered a bit more… but well," Manager Song muttered under his breath.
Lee Hwi-rok narrowed his eyes at him.
"Now, now, Manager Song!"
"Yes, sir."
"What’s with you? You said back then that the offer was more than enough."
"I… I did, didn't I?"
Regardless, the offer hadn't been small. It was a deal that most actors would have jumped at.
"Nova Ent… they really have no eye for talent. To think she went to a place like that."
Lee Hwi-rok clicked his tongue. Since she had already signed with Nova Ent by the time he visited, there wasn't much he could do.
But honestly, he couldn't understand it. Even if she had already signed, if it was RY Entertainment, she should have broken the contract to come over. There was that much of a gap between RY and Nova.
Knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the office door and stepped inside cautiously.
"Oh, look who it is. If it isn't our rising star?"
"Ah, yes. I heard you called for me."
Lee Hwi-rok looked at the man who had just entered. He was in his early twenties, an idol currently enrolled in university.
"Yeon-woo, how are you feeling?"
"Oh, I'm doing great."
Ma Yeon-woo.
He was the popular member of JustX, the boy group RY Entertainment had recently launched.
He had a fresh, handsome face, but unlike his delicate features, his body was well-toned, earning him the nickname "beast-dol." He had the largest fanbase in JustX.
It was no exaggeration to say he was the male idol RY was pushing the hardest right now.
"Yeon-woo, you're still taking your acting lessons, right?"
"Yes, of course."
His face was full of confidence. Because JustX had gained popularity so quickly, every gesture and word he spoke overflowed with self-assurance.
Young punk.
Lee Hwi-rok thought to himself while maintaining a gentle smile.
Of course, Lee Hwi-rok liked Ma Yeon-woo. He was a major source of income for RY Entertainment, after all. But it was hard to like him personally when he acted so arrogant after finding success at such a young age.
Well, that’s typical for kids like him.
But what did it matter? Even if he was a bit cocky, he had the status to back it up.
"As you know, I called you to the actor management side because there’s been a request for you to try your hand at acting in earnest."
"Acting? Oh, is it a drama? Or a movie? I’m not really into things with too much action, though."
He was already listing his dislikes after hearing just one word about acting. Lee Hwi-rok brushed off Ma Yeon-woo’s comment with a smile.
"It’s a youth romance drama. One that KMB is preparing."
"Youth romance?"
"It seems they’re planning to film a drama with idols and actors in their late teens or early twenties. It’s a good opportunity. You can compete with people your own age."
"Ah, with people my age."
Ma Yeon-woo looked incredibly confident. It was as if he was saying he was the best among his peers.
"What’s the title?"
Lee Hwi-rok almost scoffed at Ma Yeon-woo’s attitude but held it back and continued calmly.
"<Dream Future>."
A drama featuring young actors and idols. It was a youth drama depicting the journey of idols toward success.
*
The audition hall for <Dream Future> was packed with young actors from various agencies.
"I heard no one was going to apply for <Dream Future>."
"It looks pretty full to me."
Shin Yoon, the casting director for <Dream Future>, said as she looked to her side. She was inwardly impressed.
The only person already set for <Dream Future>.
Park Jung-woo.
Actually, it wasn't even a matter of being "set." The role was simply his.
Today’s audition was to cast everyone except for the role of Kim Si-hwan, which Park Jung-woo was playing. Because of that, Park Jung-woo was participating as a judge for today's audition.
At first, I wondered if it was okay for such a young actor to be a judge.
Casting Director Shin Yoon had felt the same way. As far as she knew, Park Jung-woo was only twenty. It was an age considered "young" even among young actors.
However, his popularity and experience were reminiscent of a veteran actor in his thirties. Perhaps it was because his father was the legendary actor Park Sun-woong.
Because of that, Park Jung-woo drew everyone's attention. Standing there with Shin Yoon was proof enough that he was one of today's judges.
"Idols, actors… most of them are rookies."
Park Jung-woo muttered. Most were people attempting acting for the first time. To someone with a lot of experience, they might have looked a bit amateurish, but he didn't even crack a smile.
Rather...
He seems… distracted.
It was as if he was waiting for someone. But was there an actor Park Jung-woo would be waiting for in this audition?
No way.
<Dream Future> was an ambitious project for KMB, but that meant the drama itself was experimental, not that it had a massive budget.
To begin with, the writer who penned the script for <Dream Future> was a rookie. The actors were mostly rookies too. Honestly, from Shin Yoon’s perspective as the casting director, the lineup was enough to make her sigh.
If this succeeds, I’ll eat my hat.
Even with that thought, looking at Park Jung-woo gave her a vague sense of confidence. He was an actor whose works might have faltered occasionally, but never failed.
"Whoa, what?"
"Is JustX coming this time too?"
Just then, the audition hall began to buzz.
The first thing that caught everyone's eye was blond hair. A man walked in wearing casual clothes. The manager beside him seemed to have his shoulders squared with pride.
JustX, Ma Yeon-woo.
Park Jung-woo narrowed his eyes. Since it was an idol drama, it was a perfect fit for a popular idol’s first acting challenge.
As expected.
Ma Yeon-woo shrugged his shoulders as he walked. He could feel everyone's eyes on him.
There’s no stage more fitting than this.
A drama about an idol audition, and he was a popular idol. Naturally, any role he wanted was practically his.
What were the roles again?
He couldn't even remember clearly. He continued walking… when he suddenly noticed the gazes were strange.
Huh?
It felt like they weren't looking at him, but at someone else. It seemed their attention was focused on someone behind him.
Ma Yeon-woo stopped in his tracks. Then, he slowly turned around.
"…Are you going to move?"
In that instant, Ma Yeon-woo was lost for words.
A female student with black hair. A girl who was frowning slightly, as if annoyed that Ma Yeon-woo was blocking her path.
Ju Seo-yeon.
At her appearance, the actors, including Ma Yeon-woo, were visibly startled.
Princess Yeonhwa.
Immediately, everyone’s gaze shifted toward Park Jung-woo, who had played the role of Yoon Seo-il. Their chemistry in <Looking at the Past and Memories> had caused a massive stir.
Don't tell me, for the role of Song So-ha…
It was already a known fact that Park Jung-woo was set for the male lead, Kim Si-hwan. But if Ju Seo-yeon was aiming for the role of Song So-ha here? If that were the case, the other actresses would lose all hope. Even a casting director would choose Seo-yeon for the role of Song So-ha.
However...
Who was the actress for the role of Jo Ha-rin originally?
Seo-yeon wasn't particularly interested in the role of Song So-ha. Her only interest was the role of Jo Ha-rin.
And...
This man.
A delicate-looking male actor? Or was he an idol? He had a familiar face.
And for good reason.
He’s the actor who played the character that had a 'thing' with Jo Ha-rin in the drama.
Seo-yeon quietly looked up at Ma Yeon-woo, and Park Jung-woo’s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the two of them.