Top Star's Invitation
“Waaah!!! Baek Hye-rin is so beautiful!!!”
“Baek Hye-rin, look this way! Heart with your hands!”
“Unnik!!! I love you!!!”
The red carpet erupted once more in a wave of heat and excitement.
It was all because of the arrival of top star Baek Hye-rin in her mermaid-cut dress of warm brown, her thick waves cascading around eyes that seemed to catch the light like polished amber.
In her early twenties, she had first exploded into fame on a sports variety show, dominating every male contestant with her overwhelming athleticism. From there she carved out her own lane, starring in back-to-back hits in action and dance films. Even now, one particular clip of her still circulated as a meme: behind-the-scenes footage from an action movie where she tried wires for the first time, executed a perfect backflip, and beamed with pure delight.
A face that looked almost too innocent paired with a body that was anything but. She excelled at anything physical, and her physique was so far beyond typical East Asian standards that rumors of mixed heritage had once swirled around her. The industry eventually gave her the nickname Muhee—the Dancing Muse.
She struck a few quick poses for the cameras, then turned to the crowd, blew a kiss, and winked.
“Waaaaah!!!”
No one wore the label “top star” quite like her.
Once Baek Hye-rin disappeared inside in her golden heels, a staff member opened the door to the banquet hall where the celebrities were waiting. The vast space—well over a hundred pyeong—was already filled with actors and directors chatting in small groups.
…….
The moment she entered, the room fell silent. That was the kind of presence top stars commanded.
“Hye-rin! It’s been a while.”
“Oh my, that dress looks incredible on you.”
“Did you just get in today? Straight from New York?”
Everyone gravitated toward her, the room rearranging itself around Baek Hye-rin.
One person, however, froze completely at the sight of her.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look like that?”
“……She’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“What? You’re actually funny.”
Song Yoo-na stared at Kang Tae-san, whose jaw had gone slack, and burst out laughing in disbelief. She had momentarily forgotten that this was a brand-new actor who had only recently stepped into the industry.
“Well, Baek Hye-rin really is stunning. Still, don’t stare too obviously.”
“Ah, right.”
Kang Tae-san quickly snapped out of it. Seeing her in person was so overwhelming that the thought had bypassed his brain and come straight out of his mouth.
“They’re about to start the event. Go take your photos and I’ll see you later.”
“Yes, noona.”
Kang Tae-san stole one last glance toward Baek Hye-rin as he walked away.
Celebrities really are on another level.
He headed toward Eun Chae-won, who was surrounded by Director Mo Yeon-hee and several other actors and directors. As he quietly approached her side, someone called out.
“Kang Tae-san?”
When he turned, Baek Hye-rin was smiling faintly at him.
“…….”
The unexpected call left him frozen. The situation felt so unreal that his mind went blank.
Does she not recognize me?
Baek Hye-rin had never received such a blank reaction before.
“I’m Baek Hye-rin.”
“Ah. Yes.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you. I wanted to meet you in person, and here we are.”
“……Yes.”
“Let’s see each other often from now on.”
“…….”
Often? Why? The sudden show of goodwill on top of everything else left Kang Tae-san’s already stunned brain completely speechless. Was this what Song Yoo-na had meant earlier? The kind of attention a newcomer received? It felt far too sudden. More than that—was this even real? Because the woman standing in front of him looked far too unreal to exist.
As Kang Tae-san’s expression grew increasingly dazed, Baek Hye-rin began to feel puzzled herself.
Is he uncomfortable? Me? Baek Hye-rin? How dare he?
She was starting to feel oddly offended when Eun Chae-won gently tugged at his collar.
“Tae-san, it looks like it’s our turn. Let’s go.”
“Hye-rin unni, you were here? It’s been a while.”
Eun Chae-won offered a light bow as if she had only just noticed Baek Hye-rin.
“It has. Last time we met here was a year ago, wasn’t it?”
“We can catch up properly at the Setflix Night. We have to head in now.”
“Oh, right. Go ahead.”
Eun Chae-won bowed once more before leading Kang Tae-san away. Baek Hye-rin watched them go in silence.
“……Interesting.”
***
The red carpet at the film festival was divided into two sections. The first was the roughly twenty-meter stretch where celebrities made their entrance before the festival officially began. The second came after the opening ceremony, when the audience seats were packed; it stretched forty meters in an L-shape as celebrities walked to their assigned places.
Kang Tae-san walked the red carpet again with Director Mo Yeon-hee and Eun Chae-won. As he did, one thought kept circling in his mind.
Wow, this is really all pomp and circumstance.
Smiling until his face cramped in front of the sponsor-covered photo wall, escorting the two women to their seats—it was exhausting. Once the opening ceremony started, he couldn’t even check his phone or doze off; he had to stay alert in case the camera caught him at any moment.
Ugh. I’m so tired.
He swallowed a yawn and felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes.
“Tae-san, you must be exhausted. Once the movie starts, we’ll slip out early so we don’t disturb the regular audience. Just hang in there a little longer.”
Eun Chae-won, seated beside him, spoke gently as if she had read his mind. On set she could be strict, but in moments like this her experience made her reassuring. Some people really did improve the longer you knew them.
“So we’re heading straight to the hotel after this?”
Kang Tae-san just wanted to collapse into bed. The unexpected drain on his energy made the fatigue hit even harder.
“No. We have to attend the Setflix Night.”
“The Setflix Night?”
The Setflix Night was a massive party hosted by Setflix, the world’s largest OTT platform. It was held exclusively during the Busan International Film Festival, the biggest film event in Korea. Even actors who skipped the opening ceremony made a point of attending the Setflix Night—it was an unspoken industry rule.
While the red carpet proved how popular you were with the general public, the Setflix Night measured how respected you were within the industry. Production staff, entertainment reporters, agency representatives, and production company executives all gathered there. Newcomers used it to make connections and secure future opportunities, while industry figures tried to rub shoulders with top stars. It was also a rare chance for actors who rarely saw each other outside of projects to build relationships.
Haaaaam.
None of that mattered to Kang Tae-san right now. He was simply too tired. Film festival or party, it all felt like an endless string of work to him.
And it’s unpaid labor on top of that.
Resigned to the fact that more work awaited him after this, he closed his eyes and wished for sleep.
…….
…….
An hour and a half later, however, Kang Tae-san found himself wide awake and heading to yet another job. The venue was the second-floor banquet hall of the five-star Signature Busan hotel in Haeundae. The massive hall—three hundred pyeong in size—was split across two levels and lavishly decorated with flowers by Setflix. Hundreds of people filled the space. Round tables were set with food and wine, and a standing area near the DJ pulsed with partygoers.
Wow, this is draining.
Kang Tae-san, who had only ever seen clubs in dramas, quietly observed the scene from his assigned seat. He wished Eun Chae-won were beside him. The name cards seemed to group people of similar standing together; the seat next to him belonged to Ong Joo-hyuk from the same agency, though the man had yet to appear, too busy enjoying the party elsewhere.
At this point, would anyone even notice if I left?
Kang Tae-san stood up quietly. His hands were already full of business cards from people who had approached him. He slipped them into his pocket and pretended to take a call as he moved to leave.
“Kang Tae-san?”
Someone called out to him again. When he turned, he found a now-familiar face.
“Ah. Baek Hye-rin sunbaenim?”
She had changed into a flowing white chiffon dress that made her toned physique even more striking.
“There’s an empty seat over there. Want to come with me?”
She gestured with her chin toward the second floor. Eun Chae-won stood at the railing holding a champagne glass, looking in their direction.
“I heard not just anyone can go up there.”
Kang Tae-san remembered what a production company president had told him earlier. Even though most of the people here were already A-list actors, the second floor was reserved exclusively for Korea’s true top stars.
“Not just anyone can, but you can if you’re with me. You’ve been people-watching from down here this whole time, right? You’ll see everything much better from up there.”
“……Why?”
“Why? Don’t you want to go up?”
There are currently nine actors in Korea recognized as true top stars.
That was what his acting teacher, Koo Yang-man, had once told him when explaining the industry hierarchy. These weren’t just domestically popular actors with high guarantees—they were young talents who also succeeded in overseas markets. Eight of those nine were gathered here tonight at the Setflix Night. The only empty seat among the nine chairs belonged to Yoon Si-on, who was overseas filming for Mubble.
Did he want to go up there?
Kang Tae-san didn’t need to think twice.
“Thank you, sunbaenim.”
Baek Hye-rin led him across the first-floor hall under the weight of countless stares, then up to the second floor. Electronic music, dazzling lights, and every eye in the room followed them. A rookie who had debuted only a year ago was being personally escorted to the balcony by Muhee Baek Hye-rin—an unprecedented sight.
Kang Tae-san stepped into the very heart of Korea’s entertainment industry.