Episode 1 Drops and the Buzz Begins
Eighteen's Temperature Episode 1 had been uploaded.
The video opened with shots of the school and Jung Yu-na's monologue. Turning eighteen, the familiar school life—but still that lingering sense of unfamiliarity somewhere deep inside. Someone calls that time of life youth. That was how it began.
Then it cut to Jung Yu-na. Break time at school. Her friends gathered around her desk where she lay with her arms folded under her head.
"Let's hit the snack bar."
The group naturally got up, including Jung Yu-na—three girls in total. On the way to the snack bar, their chatter flowed with everyday topics. What they did yesterday, Reels popping up in their algorithms, celebrity gossip.
Halfway down the hall, a guy joined them. He was one friend's boyfriend. The two were all lovey-dovey, showing off their affection.
One of the friends glanced at them and muttered with a sigh.
"Wow... having to watch this mushy stuff first thing on a Monday."
Jung Yu-na laughed at the exasperated tone. The friend with her boyfriend clinging to her side suddenly asked,
"Yu-na, you ever think about dating?"
Jung Yu-na let out a sigh-like breath.
"I'd need someone to date first."
"But if you set your mind to it, you could, right?"
Another friend jumped in.
"That's not so easy. Finding someone worth setting your mind on? Yu-na's standards aren't low."
"Am... I picky?"
"If a face like yours hasn't dated yet, yeah, you're picky."
Then one friend said something pointed.
"Honestly, I'm most curious how Yu-na would date."
"Agreed."
"No giving it all away, okay? I wouldn't stand for it."
"Yu-na knows that better than anyone."
Suddenly, a voice called from the side.
"Hey, Yu-na!"
She turned to see her homeroom teacher waving her over.
"Perfect timing. Help me out."
"See ya."
Her friends ditched her in a flash.
"...You guys are the worst."
Jung Yu-na laughed in disbelief at her friends, then headed toward the teacher. She helped out in the staff room for a bit and came back down late.
"Sorry. I'll tell... your Korean teacher for you."
"It's fine."
Walking the quiet hallway back to class, she glanced toward the art club room.
And that's where Kim Yul first appeared.
Morning light streamed through the inner window, illuminating half the prep room. The camera peered in from the hallway. Between an easel and a chair, one student lounged half-seated on the chair.
Kim Yul. His head slightly bowed, arm moving. Then he noticed Jung Yu-na and called her over. She spent some time there but bolted out, startled by his bold move.
Halfway through class, she slipped back into the classroom. After explaining to the teacher that she'd helped the homeroom teacher, she took her seat.
Her mind felt scattered. The lesson wasn't sinking in...
Of course. Coming in midway throws anyone off.
Jung Yu-na shook off Kim Yul's face from her thoughts.
Soon it was lunchtime. She hadn't mentioned Kim Yul to her friends, and the moment was buried under normal chatter. Heading to the cafeteria, her group spotted a rowdy bunch of guys in the hallway.
Kim Yul and his friends. Amid the typical loud guy energy, Kim Yul blended right in, leaning against the wall, joking and laughing with them.
Jung Yu-na spotted him first. But she casually looked away. Just pass by naturally—no big deal.
As her group drew level...
Kim Yul noticed Jung Yu-na amid her friends.
"Yu-na."
He called out casually, waving. Standing with his crew, he grinned brightly at her.
Honestly, their encounter was brief. No real talk. Way too short to call them close.
...Why's he like that?
Jung Yu-na gave an awkward wave and kept walking, but it was too late. Her friend gaped at her.
"...No way. When'd you get chummy?"
*
After that, there was more of Kim Yul being a pest, but it looked like they'd cut it in editing.
Probably to leave viewers hanging. Made you want to check Episode 2 for more of him.
Watching the finished product felt a bit surreal.
The smooth scene transitions blended seamlessly with the actors' performances.
...Not bad, right?
It didn't stray far from the images I'd envisioned while shooting.
Especially my intro scene. The camera slowly pushing in from the art room door, capturing Kim Yul by the window...
Anyone could tell they'd put effort into the directing. Obvious, even.
But that's what I intended.
Knowing the intent, it came out great.
I turned off the screen as the video ended. Too soon after upload—no comments yet.
Hmm... Hope it does well.
I brushed it off like that. Truth be told, maybe I lacked the guts to dig deeper. First time leading a whole story.
YouTube reactions hit fast. Could mess with my head once I started scrolling.
But...
A day. Two days... And soon, I couldn't ignore it anymore.
The set buzz said it all. Even Ji Eun-seol came by during breaks to fill me in.
"Min-woo."
She shoved her phone at me.
"You seen this?"
Our Episode 1 on screen.
"Comments are insane right now."
"...Really?"
"Yeah. Everyone's talking about you."
Ji Eun-seol tried not to grin.
"Want me to read some?"
"No thanks."
How could she recite exactly what Lee Da-kyung said at home, word for word? Da-kyung's sixteen, Ji Eun-seol's just turned twenty-two.
"You finish the homework I gave you?"
"Wow, now even you're calling it homework."
"You told me to do it, sis."
I played it cool.
Of course, it wasn't real homework. No way I'd have time for that. Barely keeping up with myself.
But Ji Eun-seol got some misconception about me and started sending long messages about wanting to learn acting. I shared my takeaways.
Eventually, I started asking her the same.
My solo monologue takes or script interpretations.
Turned into mutual study sessions.
Anyway, bringing up homework now was to rein her in—she was teasing.
Not just her. At home, the director, the writer—they'd mentioned it too.
"Views are climbing weirdly fast. Algorithm's loving it."
"Gonna peak big."
"Honestly, I won't say voodoo since you told me not to... but doesn't it feel off? Views spiking like that..."
"Record-breaking territory."
Nodo Nodo Film had hits at 2 mil, 3 mil views.
Not all, though. The algorithm darlings hit those numbers.
And the writer meant it might top the channel's all-time high.
All this, just three days after Episode 1 dropped.
Someone joked loudly,
"Dinner on the house! Dinner!"
"Over a mil, then."
"Only 50k left."
"Might hit by end of shoot today."
I watched the chaos from a distance.
...Still didn't feel real.
YouTube channel with 400k subs. Audition for a role that fit my situation perfectly.
The web drama we shot as a result.
Episode 1 blows up right away? Yeah, hard to grasp.
I'd only done bit parts before. First lead—fear hit before excitement.
Smooth sailing from the start? That was fantasy stuff.
I glanced around the set. Staff laughing and chatting. Ji Eun-seol, who'd stepped away to grab drinks, approached with cans in both hands.
Way too upbeat vibe. Thinking back, my world had felt like this for a while.
Maybe since my looks started changing.
Even back then... while I obsessed over the original story, calculating alone, trapped in self-pity. Outside, a totally different world unfolded.
I stared at the scene for a moment...
"Why the grin? You like this drink?"
"Yeah. Love it."
"Rare taste. Surprising."
"...You were getting rid of it."
"No. Misunderstanding."
***
"Pass it! Pass!"
U Hana sat side by side with Lee Seol on the field bleachers.
Ahead, the boys' soccer game raged.
The one canceled last time by sudden rain. Since it'd been promised, U Hana and Lee Seol came to watch.
Not just them. Beyond Seo Jae-hyun and Ji Hyun-su, other guy friends dotted the crowd. Being an inter-school match, rival students showed up too.
Lee Min-woo wasn't there, of course.
He didn't seem into soccer.
Likes theater stuff or something.
Bored, propping her chin as she watched, U Hana turned at a shout from afar.
"Extra! Extra!"
"What's extra?"
"Breaking news, bitches. Everyone, check this."
The panting guy wasn't super close to U Hana but shared a class with Seo Jae-hyun.
School kids naturally clustered, so his yell drew eyes fast.
"What now."
"What's up."
He shoved his phone screen forward.
Class 7's group chat.
Lee Min-woo starring as the lead in a YouTube web drama.
U Hana's eyes widened.
"...What."
Her voice came out louder than expected.
She yanked out her phone, searched Eighteen's Temperature on YouTube.
There it was. Thumbnail split between a stunning actress in uniform and Lee Min-woo.
U Hana tapped play, then looked up.
"Seol, watch with me."
Huddled with Lee Seol, she felt something off.
Everyone gawked at the news, phones out in shock.
Made sense. Lee Min-woo never mentioned acting.
But oddly... Lee Seol wasn't as surprised. Like she already knew.
Maybe nothing, but it itched at U Hana's chest.
Her mouth twitched. Ask? Don't?
She'd regret it. Lee Seol knew U Hana had a thing for Lee Min-woo.
U Hana dropped her gaze back to her phone.
The video just started, showing school scenery.
But she couldn't focus.
Gonna regret this for sure.
Awkward with Seol, kicking blankets alone later—obvious.
Still, she couldn't hold back.
"Seol."
"Yeah?"
Lee Seol turned.
U Hana paused, then asked carefully.
"You... already knew?"