The Final Effort (1)
Han Ye-seul's family wasn't exactly well-off.
So when fifteen-year-old Han Ye-seul declared she wanted to become a film director, her five-years-younger sister responded with outright curtness.
"Hey, Ye-seul. Cut the nonsense and grab the stone presser plate."
A year later, after much agonizing, Han Ye-seul gave up on that dream.
Reality was harsh, and she had no intention of stepping onto the gambler's path that could bankrupt even those born into wealth.
So instead, she decided to become a drama PD.
"Fine, then bring a plate for the stone presser."
"Why!"
"The old man's drunk ass smashed it rampaging the other day. Otherwise, we'd have to use the ramen bowl."
"......."
Looking back, her sister's indifference was a form of consideration. At least it was better than classmates openly mocking her or teachers sighing as they dragged her into career counseling.
Pushed into university, Han Ye-seul dropped out after just half a year and threw herself into a drama production company.
It was nothing like she'd imagined.
After years of rolling in the dirt and failing, she gained a few hard-earned lessons etched into her bones.
'Audiences don't care about mise-en-scène or the implications hidden in scenes.'
Moreover, she realized there were only two ways to rake in ratings in this industry.
One was to go even lower than the public's gaze. People lumped together trashy, pathetic melodramas and everyone involved, mocking and cursing them—and loved every minute.
The other was to stun the public. Naturally, this didn't mean artistic mise-en-scène or aesthetics of the work itself, but simply scenes or actors that looked 'awesome.'
The former cost less but yielded low returns; the latter cost a fortune but paid off big.
From the planning stage, there was no room for Han Ye-seul's personal aesthetics at the fork of clear commercial viability.
'......'
She abandoned her dreams.
And the world grew kinder.
Han Ye-seul climbed the ranks through promotions, eventually reaching the position at thirty-two of interim CP responsible for an in-house 300 billion won project.
And then, belated middle-school syndrome hit the new CP.
'I see... so that's how it is...'
Yeah, I get it now—your level, you masses.
It made her want to die from boredom—
Scoffing, Han Ye-seul poured all her realizations into Black Forest, confident it was perfect, something everyone would praise without reservation.
...And it flopped.
"You guys really suck at the drama business!!"
"Why do only you bastards eat well! And why when I'm around!!"
"Why the fuck can't I be happy...!!"
Kang Min was, frankly, a creature Han Ye-seul couldn't comprehend at all.
No—more precisely, the character Hui-yul itself was.
This character utterly defied every formula she'd learned in the industry.
'The genre's romantic comedy! So Hui-yul has to be the second male lead, obviously! What the hell is this!!'
The second male or female lead in romance forms a love triangle with the protagonists, following an ironclad formula: unrequited love for the heroine, injecting tension into sluggish romance lines, and ultimately defeated and exiting stage left.
Hui-yul flipped that formula the bird from the start.
[Then die.]
[You just died once, Your Highness.]
[From my common experience, the young lord will die early.]
[That guy must've agonized and made his choice. How he'll cover the lost legitimacy here—who knows, but it'll mean yielding a few ministries or magistrates at least, political burden-wise—]
Throughout the story, Hui-yul rampaged freely, telling clichés to fuck off.
This character carved out his own arc across scenes, clashing with the Chief State Councillor, establishing some indefinable position as a former revolutionary and the male lead's mentor.
Of course, Han Ye-seul eventually gave up trying to understand.
'This is just... a mutant.'
It was a massive hit, but it fit no existing formula.
Naturally, impossible to copy or comprehend.
Like a genius's whimsical masterpiece—
That was how Han Ye-seul understood King and Sovereign.
She'd thought she did.
Looking back, King and Sovereign had rigorously excluded Hui-yul's perspective until now.
The viewpoint was usually the crown prince's, occasionally Min-hwa's, even extras or Chief State Councillor Jeong Ji-uk. The camera had never properly captured Hui-yul's inner world.
Episode 10.
In the first flashback showing Hui-yul and Jeong Ji-uk's past, the camera only framed Hui-yul's back.
'People didn't think it was weird.'
Interpreted as the difference between Hui-yul not looking back and the agonized Jeong Ji-uk,
or contrast of advance versus retreat,
or just an angle choice for tension and swordplay—
'It made sense either way.'
And so, no one considered the obvious guess.
Because everyone thought they knew the character Hui-yul well enough.
Episode 18 shattered that premise from the ground up.
At the very end, the camera that had strictly stuck to back view in episode 10 spun around smoothly.
Seven years ago,
The moment in the story when Hui-yul was youngest.
That Hui-yul—
Was gripping his trembling hands with effort.
- Huh?
- ...?
Viewers were baffled. Everyone rubbed their eyes at the expression least fitting for Hui-yul: What the...?
But Han Ye-seul bit her lip.
For those stunned by the moment's impact and madness, thinking they'd grasped Hui-yul, the camera meticulously wove together everything about the man.
All lines from the main story.
But now, their meanings landed entirely differently.
[No sane person wakes up thinking if today might be a good day to die.]
Hui-yul had thought today might be a good day to die.
[Finding meaning is for those who can afford it.]
Hui-yul thought his life meaningless.
[Duty calls for its own appeasement of the wronged.]
Hui-yul saw his remaining duties as consoling resentful spirits.
[Life teaches you it all boils down to the same.]
Hui-yul believed grand causes and selfish motives were essentially identical.
[This isn't the palace, Your Highness. In these parts, forget doctors for emergencies—even those who can staunch bleeding are rare.]
Yet Hui-yul hadn't died.
And,
[You claim no interest in the world, Your Highness, but the world has its eyes on you.]
[Between bloodsuckers draining the nobles now and lunatics screaming to sacrifice tens of thousands for future glory—who to defend, who to aid? Who says who must do what?]
Hui-yul wanted escape from it all but couldn't,
and ultimately decided nothing for himself—
'.......'
Han Ye-seul blankly watched the final dismantling.
Raven warrior.
Crown prince's mentor.
Jeong Ji-uk's nemesis—
All mere surfaces of Hui-yul.
Viewers had already seen Adolf Hitler—the Ecuador bride.
Seen Georgi A. Krier—the lab doctor.
Seen warrior Hui-yul's past path—the arduous journey seeking answers amid it all.
It had failed.
No—he'd given up from the start.
[Hm, so that Jeong Ji-uk bastard ultimately gave up?]
[...Yes. This assassination plot was big, I think. Dol-soe—till Your Highness crushes them, let's cooperate, he said.]
[Good man. Though he pretends stern, he's childish inside—maybe thinks paying my life's worth.]
[.......]
[Rack that brain, miss. That madman will think debts paid at some point.]
Hui-yul coughed lightly, hack, dismissing it.
He was dying.
Viewers had anticipated a spectacular exit for Hui-yul.
The setup was perfect: just last episode, crown prince and chief state councillor's massive forces clashed amid a third faction's assassination plot.
But the camera deemed nothing important.
No—the script's focus wasn't there.
The heroine bit her lip.
[Why... are you like this?]
[Like what?]
[Why did you keep caring about me till the end?]
[Hm.]
[I don't get it.]
Min-hwa lowered her eyes in confusion.
A normal person might claim to know someone after half a year.
But she still couldn't understand the warrior before her.
His mindset.
Why shove away when approachable, bestow favors when distant.
Above all, what he thought of her—
Even at the very end, total chaos.
[Well.]
[Dodging even now?!]
[Nah, not this time.]
Just hard to explain—Hui-yul smiled faintly.
[What I saw was always numbers.]
[...Pardon?]
[My whole life was counting them.]
Millions living, tens of thousands dying. Which choice better, worse.
Revolution, war, ideals, reality, heroes—complex names, but ultimately price tags on lives.
By that measure,
[Better ways? Plenty, sure.]
For instance, joining Chief State Councillor Jeong Ji-uk's persuasion.
Hui-yul leads, conquers Joseon eight provinces swiftly; rebellion ends dynasty change. Casualties ~80,000. Least bloodshed.
Or assassinate Jeong Ji-uk, step forward himself.
More blood, but dynasty gone. Chaos, but better for future. Casualties ~300,000. Safest for future.
Or lure foreign powers, discard like mud to fox.
High risk, highest gain. Casualties over a million. Gamble succeeds, Central Plains chaos; surge ahead, gain most.
Boatman in skiff tempted by countless lanterns.
Most corpses; survivors, remnants not yet.
Corpses and remnants waved for rescue on vast sea.
Born of man yet not—Hui-yul's numbers stemmed from inhuman something. Otherwise, couldn't rank by finger count.
In Hui-yul's world, corpses outnumbered the living precious.
That rationale,
coherence,
order—
By it, current choice utter folly.
Least blood now, but Jeong Ji-uk's whim or crown prince's folly shatters balance. Precarious tightrope.
Fool's hand.
The sole difference: just one.
Hui-yul smiled small.
That single smile held all past and future.
[Miss.]
[What!]
[Are you alive right now?]
[Pardon? Well...]
[That's enough.]
[......?]
Episode 18, topping ratings with Hui-yul's death, sparked King and Sovereign's first fierce pro-con divide.
Critics who'd lukewarmly praised its popularity now swarmed, bickering.
Opposition existed too.
While critics clashed, others focused elsewhere.
Romance lines.
...Actually, bigger debate.
Some debated the work's philosophy.
Myriad opinions, as the writer intended—and thus, all unanimously praised actor Kang Min.
Ultra-Kang Min, stronger than 20x gravity training.
Unfortunately, it even triggered Unbelievable reevaluation.
Soon Yu Ho-hyeon PD poured oil in an interview.
Affirming the speculation.
"Yes, that's my understanding."
"Pardon? So Unbelievable's dual roles..."
"The two paths Hui-yul didn't take. Kang Min actor didn't want Unbelievable either, but helped us amid it."
"Whoa...!"
Undeniable now.
Critics showered Kang Min with praise; outrage at MBS's (?) scummy hold on such talent via Unbelievable swelled uncontrollably.
Growing fiercer as pro-con clashed over episode 18—
Finally exploding most horrifically.
"?"
Ramen slurped from Kang Min's mouth as he watched the news.
For reference, MBS announced full acceptance 15 minutes after the first article.
"Kuh, no way! My paradise, gone so easily...!"
Denial.
"Damn it, now even comments get 10k dislikes piling up...!"
Anger.
"Well, one year too long... negotiate 11 months one week?"
Bargaining.
"Bom-ah, I'm living like this... surviving like this...!"
Depression.
Two days passed.
But the King of Death Acting hadn't reached acceptance in death's five stages.
MBS deeply, profoundly regretted but as broadcaster couldn't defy public opinion; they'd strictly calculate remaining contract, pay penalty.
But no gold soothed Kang Min's heart...
'Quitting Unbelievable... the nightmare restarts...!'
Cold sweat beaded.
On set, Kang Min's greatest fear wasn't senior Yi Hoon or PD Yu Ho-hyeon. It was the dual leads casually calling NG: "Oops." "Sorry!" sticking out tongues.
He'd barely, barely endured to end it.
Experience Unbelievable paradise then back to hell?
Such absurdness tolerated...?!
'No—not over yet...!'
Kang Min regained composure, gritted teeth.
Right—not over. Two Unbelievable shoots left; MBS just public-pushed.
In other words, flip opinion to "Kang Min is perfect for Unbelievable!" in those two—done!
For that—
'First, whatever variety contacted last—appear.'
Interview fine, but variety bigger splash; fresh off drama finale, hot topic.
Appear, pour sincerity for Unbelievable—moved, recommendations flood.
Plan A.
'Stake last two Unbelievable eps...!'
Retrospect: lab doctor/Hitler insufficient. Needed more Unbelievable-y, no weird backlash.
And Kang Min had ultimate Plan B.
Pondered, then drew the treasured sword.
It was terrifying.
'Aliens...!'
Conspiracy central Unbelievable.
UFOs/aliens? What's the issue.
'Yeah—not over.'
Kang Min forced calm smile, clenched fist.
No way ending.
No one—
'What monster handles alien conspiracy straight...!'
Same time,
Interim Unbelievable PD Han Ye-seul rewatched King and Sovereign episode 18 today too.
What she knew, newly seen.
Not cliché yet utterly so.
And that final expression—
"...I see."
Two days to sort it all—Han Ye-seul closed, opened eyes calmly.
Face of enlightenment.
"Now I kinda get it!"
Paradise hurtled toward ruin.
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