Special and Bean Sprouts (2)
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"Yeah, sure. About Unbelievable? Sorry to Kang, but it's looking tough."
"You know, we made a promise. We did, but... Hong Ji-ho himself said it like that. We at MBS don't wanna look like clueless idiots."
"Hey, kid. This is the drama department. You don't know what those news desk guys are up to."
"Ahem, anyway. A bit early, but after King and Sovereign wraps, there's a good project. By writer Lee Hye-young, called Chaebol Hunter. It's about a Joseon-era official reincarnated among modern chaebols, smashing pots left and right—super refreshing and totally MZ vibe..."
#
"Sorry to Kang, but it's looking tough."
That was Drama Department Head Kim Kang-hyun's words.
And that was writer Baek Chae-i's words.
All of this disaster had unfolded in less than a day—not even a week.
On a rare day off, sprawled out in my studio apartment, I stared blankly at the ceiling stains.
My mood wasn't much different from those stains.
How,
'How could this happen...'
Just yesterday, my life had a perfect blueprint. Everything was going according to plan.
And it all shattered into pieces in a single day.
Life was truly impermanent.
'.......'
I turned on my phone in a daze.
Habitually searching for King and Sovereign articles, I left a comment like always.
But instead, it racked up hundreds of dislikes.
And the replies poured in excitedly.
Even the general comments had shifted dramatically more favorably.
Stuff like, if Hong Ji-ho acknowledges him, it's worth the hype; they'll watch King and Sovereign instead of Black Forest for episode 1; they always knew Kang Min was an amazing actor from the start.
And on communities, the reactions were even wilder.
This alone was horrific enough. But soon, something even worse happened.
As I stared vacantly at my phone, it vibrated.
The KakaoTalk message was a photo of Yi Hwan-jae on his knees, begging forgiveness.
What the hell is this guy on about.
My pleas fell on deaf ears.
Yi Hwan-jae unusually went on V-Chat, ranting that I was one of the actors he respected most on set and that he owed me a huge debt. Park Yeon-ju from Citrus Girl jumped in after hearing, joining the wave.
Fans already shrinking from great actor Hong Ji-ho's scolding now shed tears of regret at their fave group member's sincere plea.
Pure fans scrubbed away past stains like mad, running the washing machine, while others flipped to support fire.
The result?
Needless to say, horrific.
Any slightly edgy "best comments" on news or communities got beaten down quick, reverting to nature.
The spots filled with suspicious nonsense: King and Sovereign is hyped; if Hong Ji-ho vouches, they'll watch; Kang Min was famously skilled even as an aspiring actor; he's Hong Ji-ho's prized disciple.
The Unbelievable defenders who'd subtly backed me? Of course, they'd dried up.
In short, I no longer had any leverage to convince Drama Head Kim Kang-hyun or PD Wi Min-jun to let me do Unbelievable.
Not even the Dutch tulip bubble crashed this hard.
I'd become penniless overnight...
'Damn it, you think I'll quit here?!'
I gritted my teeth.
I'd endured 7 years as an aspiring actor, and even a string of nightmares that made those years feel peaceful.
And to me, the current situation had a massive flaw.
MBS had hyped the board they'd built on purpose, and Principal Hong Ji-ho's one word had inflated expectations for actor Kang Min to absurd levels.
'Experienced actors and staff rate my skills decently, but I know my true level! Viewers might find me lacking...!'
People think "Oh, not bad?" if unaware, but with trumpets blaring "Amazing!", it becomes "Eh, not really...". Human psychology.
Any shortfall would bring merciless subtle judgments. Especially since the special features me alongside veteran seniors!
And those subtle judgments would shatter the hype, linking me back to Unbelievable.
'Even if not Unbelievable, a reenactment show on another network from the subtle reviews would do!'
I closed the comment window hit by an instant storm of opposes and steadied my heart.
Yeah, it's not over yet.
Everything starts now.
The calm before the storm.
Whether I was right or they were would be revealed by the special and episode 1 airing tomorrow and the day after.
...Revealed.
#
Two days after Kang Min grinned darkly in his studio,
the principal of Jiho Acting Academy was receiving a famous actor guest for the first time in ages.
But the principal and vice-principal's eyes on their successful student were utterly bored.
"Bom, it's been ages since you quit the academy—why show up so often?"
"...No rule against visiting. It's my alma mater, after all."
"Since when do you care about that?"
A guest who'd get a barefoot dash-out welcome elsewhere slyly averted her eyes.
Seo Bom.
Even among Jiho Acting Academy's many fine alumni, she was the top success story.
With her unique fresh charm and clean acting, she gained fans from supporting roles, then snagged lead supports, and recently nailed the lead in a Mon-Tue drama topping 15% ratings.
Her slightly 4D personality even worked in variety, boosting public favor.
...But the principal and vice knew that "4D" packaging hid something closer to madness.
'Fresh? Screw that.'
'People really have no eyes.'
As always, after babbling about new kids, the electronic blackboard's novelty, Seo Bom soon got to the point.
"And whatever, but what was that interview yesterday?"
"What interview? Stir-fried squid? I do tons of 'em."
"......."
"...Joking. Stop glaring."
Seo Bom and Kang Min's relationship? Hard to sum up simply—complicated.
For starters, Seo Bom was orphanage-raised.
Kang Min lost his parents in middle school, spent time in a facility—they were the same one.
Seems irrelevant, but facility kids: abandoned young vs. loved then parted? Hard to bond. World truth.
That nuanced their aspiring actor days at the same academy from the same orphanage.
Still, he brushed off her prickly responses and nagging, so their bond lasted surprisingly.
Entertainment aspiring friendships usually snap with jealousy on big success—but Kang Min didn't care. Like handling a picky little sister.
But that odd, tight bond broke months ago.
"Self-inflicted, plain as day."
"......."
"Why'd only you not know Min got cast? Knowing's the weird part. You blocked his number. No internet."
"...Didn't block. Just pretended."
"Same diff if no contact."
"......."
Months back, they had a massive fight.
Started with Seo Bom suddenly yelling at him to quit acting, no warning.
Kang Min, who laughed off anything, got seriously mad. She cut contact unilaterally.
Incomprehensible, bizarre mess.
Couldn't tell him herself, but nagged the academy to mediate? Worse.
"...No choice."
"Huh?"
"That wasn't a living face. Every glance—no, it was like dying daily. Had to make him quit."
"What the hell does that mean?"
Seo Bom clamped her mouth shut, as always, when about to vent.
Hong Ji-ho sighed and changed the subject, as always.
"Whatever. Good timing anyway. Watch together."
"Huh?"
"Min's lead special airs today. Kids all watching as usual. That cop-dragged idiot was raging it'd flop, but gotta see to know."
"...It'll flop, obviously."
Seo Bom sighed gloomily.
She wasn't blind—racing for reconciliation chances, but reality-checking.
"Senior's hardworking, but... acting ain't bean sprouts; can't sprout in 3 months."
"Yeah..."
Hong Ji-ho sighed too.
30 minutes before the King and Sovereign special aired.
Special and Bean Sprouts (2)