Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: She's Cheating—Report Her
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Tears of the Queen Consort.
The Queen Dowager, Sovereign of Deception.
Recently, under Lee Dong-cheol PD's direction, two dramas that were hits on ZTVC.
Both shared the common thread of being fusion historicals, earning Lee Dong-cheol PD a reputation as a historical drama specialist among the public... but the reality was a bit different.
Take the new script right here in my hands—a modern drama far removed from any historical vibes.
Even the genre and tone differed greatly from those previous two works.
Unlike the prior fusion historicals rife with scheming and bloodshed, this new one's genre was...
"Youth romance..."
A sweet romance drama set in a university book club.
It depicted the petty misunderstandings between young men and women and the various forms of love that blossomed from them—a lighthearted, slightly comedic slice-of-life story.
It felt utterly ordinary, but that very quality made it an easy, no-pressure watch compared to most dramas these days...
Yet Ha Yu-ra, peering at the script beside me, had a shadow of concern on her face.
"Will you be okay? I'm fine since I debuted in romance, but this one's got a totally different vibe from the last project."
Ha Yu-ra voiced her worry.
She was concerned that, given how starkly different the tone was from the serious fusion historical, it might be a burden for me, still very much a rookie.
In truth, for an 'inexperienced newbie' actor, venturing into a new type of project came with all sorts of pressures.
Especially if it meant taking the lead role.
But...
"What the hell—let's give it a shot."
"Pardon? Ha... but..."
Watching Ha Yu-ra's flustered expression, I put on a serious face and continued.
"Of course, it won't be easy. But any actor worth their salt can't shy away from new challenges. This is a chance to grow even more, right?"
"Ah..."
Ha Yu-ra's face lit up with a hint of admiration at my words.
However, separate from spinning this plausible line,
I was secretly smirking to myself as I scanned the script.
For one, judging by my past life's experience, this project was all but guaranteed success.
Barring the variable of me landing the lead, it'd play out the same as before.
But the reason for my smile went beyond that.
'Looking closer... there's some surprisingly fun stuff here, huh? Our PD.'
The role assigned to me this time: a calm college girl, Choi Soo-jin.
The classic cool-headed type in romances, keeping things balanced with her rationality.
Yet she had this hidden cute side—blushing and tongue-tied around the guy she liked.
At first glance, it seemed worlds apart from Han-seo... er, the Queen Dowager from the last drama...
But breaking down Choi Soo-jin's personality trait by trait, I could tell it wasn't so different after all.
'This is their way of showing consideration... or maybe a test.'
With foreknowledge from my past life, I knew exactly what projects Lee Dong-cheol PD would helm going forward.
From that earlier fusion historical to this youth romance, then mysteries, novel-based political dramas, medical series, and more.
Of course, directors and writers varied by project, but every one bore his finishing touch under his command.
He spanned such a wide spectrum, demanding versatile acting from his actors in turn.
Even Ha Yu-ra here, in her past life as part of his crew, earned the nickname 'Thousand Faces' for her range.
What Lee Dong-cheol PD wanted from me this time was the same—versatile shades of performance.
That said, this 'test' came with its own hints,
and I could read the intent of its creator: solve it by picking up on those clues.
Of course, even without such 'consideration,' it was no big deal for someone like me who'd done it all in my past life...
But playing along with the examiner's intentions wouldn't hurt.
With my mental calculations done, I slowly flipped through the script again, pondering another issue.
'The problem is the network's still short on resources, so casting's dragging... Eh, it'll work out like last time.'
Then.
"Oh, right—mind if I swing by tonight too?"
"No issue... but any special reason?"
"Huh? Forgot already? It's the air date for Soccer Girl—the one we shot."
"! Ah..."
Ha Yu-ra's words jogged my memory of something crucial I'd blanked on amid the arson mess and new project prep.
My first variety show appearance in this life was airing in just hours.
Realizing that, I grabbed the script and stood up.
"Alright! We're about to start! Chae Soo-jeong's variety debut—Soccer Girl! What feats will our Han-seo Big Brother pull off? Can't wait!"
Oh Young-ae, the 500k-sub YouTuber,
streamed live with a thrill she hadn't felt in ages.
The chat scrolled rapidly in real time.
As viewer numbers climbed alongside, a thick smile spread across Oh Young-ae's lips.
'Heh heh... I was starving for content, and they toss me this goldmine. Well, after that massive hit, a variety cameo makes sense.'
After riding high on The Queen Dowager, Sovereign of Deception, her dry spell had returned.
Subs held steady, thankfully, but human greed didn't stop—hit 500k, now aim for 600k, someday a million.
To that end, she'd spent weeks digging ZTVC news and intel on the box-office savior still shrouded in mystery: 'Han-seo Big Brother'... Actress Chae Soo-jeong.
A rookie with just one drama under her belt, sure—but Oh Young-ae's seasoned eye sensed it.
The extraordinary breakout potential this Chae Soo-jeong coin... er, actress possessed.
Scouring ZTVC sites and beyond for her traces, Oh Young-ae beat everyone to the punch.
Chae Soo-jeong was appearing on SBC's Soccer Girl.
A show where even mid-tier celebs popped in once or twice.
Oh Young-ae wasn't into soccer or futsal, but that one fact was reason enough for a live stream.
Gazing proudly at her surging subs, she focused on the now-started Soccer Girl broadcast.
A surprisingly brief guest intro and interview.
Nothing groundbreaking, but one key reveal slipped out.
-"Rumor has it the girl from the drama—the one fans call Ha Yu-ra's daughter, Seon-hwa—is actually Chae Soo-jeong's real daughter. True?"
-"Yes, it's true. Seon-hwa's my biological daughter."
Already half-expected, but Chae Soo-jeong's official confirmation.
The chat exploded at this controversy-ender.
She'd hoped for more juicy bits, but the rest was generic chit-chat, ending the intro abruptly.
Oh Young-ae didn't know, but regular Soccer Girl fans sensed the segment's odd thinness.
Anyway, post-opener, the broadcast dove into the matches.
The first scene: Eagles, the top-ranked team, aggressively pressuring Wyverns.
Leveraging slick passes and tight teamwork to toy with Wyverns' defense, they zeroed in on a weak spot...
The one guarded solely by Chae Soo-jeong.
Joking aside, knowing Wyverns' roster, viewers weren't holding out much hope.
Still, with faint 'what if' vibes, they watched Chae Soo-jeong face the Eagles' onslaught alone.
But...
"Huh?"
A murmur slipped from Oh Young-ae's mouth.
The next scene.
It was...
Chae Soo-jeong snatching the ball in a flash, then shredding the enemy defense on the counter.
As she charged with violet glint in her eyes at terrifying speed, Oh Young-ae and the viewers could only stare, dumbfounded.
And.
"Th-that's... a goal, right?"
The ball violently rattled the net, and with it, the chat went wild.