Jeon So-ra's Explosive Comeback

"You son of a bitch! What 10 years? Who's not calling her!"

The president of Jeon So-ra's fan club bellowed in fury.

Her anger didn't subside, so she kept spewing curses without pause, but soon her energy deflated completely.

"Why a supporting role, though..."

Even she had thought it was a mistake when she heard Jeon So-ra was cast in the fourth lead role.

It didn't make sense.

Hundreds of directors wanted to work with Jeon So-ra, and thousands of scripts awaited her choice.

Even for a major broadcaster or Enflicks, it was hard to believe, let alone a Tvic original's fourth lead?

It had to be a reporting error.

The journalist must have gotten it wrong.

Clinging to that belief, she had waited for a correction.

But her faith was betrayed.

Jeon So-ra's older sister, who ran a one-woman agency, had issued an official statement.

After that, it was war with the haters.

To make matters worse, when Tae-woong was cast in Criminal Community, people started comparing and tearing down Jeon So-ra against him.

Both were Tvic originals produced by SSK.

There was plenty of fodder for comparison.

If they were outright malicious comments, she could compile them and send to the agency, but there was no countering the sly digs.

Every time she saw those, it felt like a heart attack was coming, but there was one silver lining.

Jeon So-ra's fans, scattered by her long hiatus and living their own lives, began to rally together.

Comforting each other brought hope that a bright future awaited.

But...

'Ugh, third lead's a nobody, fifth's a rookie idol, director's a music video guy...'

When reason returned, it was only natural to worry.

In the midst of that, news leaked about At Your Fingertips production.

Insiders said filming was smooth, and the cast brimmed with confidence.

And there was good news too.

They thought it was locked for Tvic original, but the platform switched to Enflicks.

'Good, good. It'll be fun. It'll do well. Unnie's gonna hit it big.'

In that atmosphere, the first teaser for At Your Fingertips dropped.

"...Is this it?"

Jeon So-ra barely appeared.

It was all Kim Ra-un.

A surge of frustration rose, but she held it back.

It was annoying, but the lead was Kim Ra-un, after all.

And his acting looked killer.

The next teasers would surely spotlight her unnie.

So the fan club's reaction to the second teaser was predictable.

Neglected in teasers—would she get screen time in the actual show?

What if she ended up as pretty wallpaper?

And weeks after the second teaser, no third one.

Was second the end?

Was that all?

In truth, Do Hyun-woo had released the third early to quell criticism of director Im Woon-jae, but fans had no way of knowing.

That was the moment the president's patience hit rock bottom, and she decided to act.

The fans were relieved and moved by Jeon So-ra's letter.

Others called her aloof and prickly, but not to them.

Plus—whether intentional or not—the third teaser for At Your Fingertips dropped the day after Criminal Community's Episodes 1-2 opened.

Fail to show Jeon So-ra's firepower here, and the hate would pour again.

The fan club's task was simple.

"Everyone... assemble!"

A crowdfunding drive began, fueled by years of pent-up frustration.

Even the president was stunned by the firepower.

The fans hadn't left—they'd just been living life without bait.

Major subway stations' billboards were swept clean.

Celebrating Jeon So-ra's return.

Short-term, but even top-tier idols couldn't match it.

All that remained was prayer.

"Please, teaser, teaser, teaser."

And the teaser dropped.

The moment the third teaser for At Your Fingertips went live, Korea flipped—hyperbole only slightly.

The Jeon So-ra they remembered was a top star.

Her acting was insanely good, no doubt.

But she was remembered more as an actress than for her roles.

This time was different.

People think Jeon So-ra's popularity came from looks or star power, but not me.

At the core of actress Jeon So-ra was always her acting.

So the moment her acting hit the world, forgotten memories would resurface in people's minds.

Someone might recall a first date with a loved one via her movie; another, a joyful success shared with her drama.

Like how a song triggers a moment, an actor's positive memory teleports the public back.

That's why I said Manager Jang's strategy was wrong.

Idolization crumbles irreversibly, but positive emotional memories last forever.

The current cheers proved it.

Truth be told, I felt a bit sorry for Min-sik hyung.

By script role, his screen time should've been higher in the teaser, but his recognition was zilch.

Still, supporting her acting was building him a positive image.

What I wanted to say was this:

Among Enflicks Korea's all-time teasers, it hit #1 in 24-hour views.

Not everyone follows internet buzz, so many discovered Jeon So-ra's return late.

The fan club's subway takeover played a huge role.

The world buzzed with "Jeon So-ra comeback," yet Criminal Community still thrived.

Episodes 3-4 on Wednesday-Thursday after 1-2 were fun too.

Acting, script, direction, CG—all flawless.

Even Chae Seo-hee, who'd been zen like Buddha amid worries, asked if we were okay.

But I wasn't worried.

Barring accidents, I knew Criminal Community would hit that level.

Especially Episodes 1-8—Hong Hee-young had polished ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠them meticulously.

My calm wasn't from predicting rivals, though.

It was faith that no other show mattered.

August 23, Thursday arrived.

At Your Fingertips Episodes 1-2 launched.