SNS Surge
Ten days had already passed since Lee Tae-gyu began filming Hoshi-jeol.
“Rewrite the proposal!”
“PD, that's not what I meant—”
“Yes, it's about our actor!”
The noisy Planning Team 2. Behind the partitions of this chaotic office at DK Entertainment, a quiet organization was underway.
Flip, flip.
Jang Team Leader flipped through stacks of paper. Reports compiled, receipts compiled, press materials compiled, casting documents compiled, contracts compiled, schedules compiled, settlements compiled... Compiling, compiling, compiling—the treatment of actors, the agency's true assets, was typically handled through such quiet organization.
Even in this computerized age, they preferred this analog method when categorizing actors by rank.
Thud.
Jang Team Leader stacked the organized papers on one side of the desk. He had just reclassified the agency's actors' ranks. From A-grade to E-grade, major changes like pay adjustments had prompted the reshuffle.
Now, he turned to his monitor.
Click.
Time to fine-tune the details of those ranks.
Opening the email revealed several files. Exposure in internet articles, frequency of name mentions across various online communities, times a heavy hitter dropped the name on a TV variety show, and so on.
Jang Team Leader reviewed them to gauge the buzz and potential of Planning Team 2's actors. He checked the final file.
SNS Exposure Index
This ranked stars' presence in age-group-specific posts across various SNS platforms. Were they photographed together? Name-dropped directly? Private hangouts? Shoulder hugs? Drinks? Trips? All reduced to numerical graphs.
Then—
He froze.
Jang Team Leader's eyes widened. In the past few days, one actor's SNS exposure had spiked dramatically in a specific area.
‘……Lee Tae-gyu.’
His eyes filled with questions. He immediately logged into the SNS and searched for Lee Tae-gyu.
#LeeTaeGyu
The search results flooded in. Amid the posts, he quickly pinpointed the source of the surge.
‘Ah.’
National little brother Cheon Yoo-seong. A guy who never name-dropped anyone less than A-list, even gritted his teeth against it—and here was Lee Tae-gyu's name popping up.
There were plenty of mentions of Lee Tae-gyu. A crucial indicator.
Proof that Lee Tae-gyu, still shrouded in mystery with only filming under his belt, was starting to break through via star actor Cheon Yoo-seong's SNS.
‘……’
It was the same everywhere. True pros always emerged this way for the public. The method, reaction, metrics—all perfect.
The piling interest on SNS, like gunpowder, would trigger massive chain reactions with Monster City and Hoshi-jeol, shocking audiences.
Screech.
Jang Team Leader leaned back in his chair with a smirk. It wouldn't be long now.
‘……They’re all gonna be shocked.’
The time when that weirdo actor's recognition would skyrocket.
Seol A-yoon was quick on the uptake.
Over the past ten days, with overlapping scenes with Jeongjong, she'd keenly noticed Cheon Yoo-seong's subtle attitude shift.
“Sunbae, any acting tips?”
“Ah, seriously, cut the teasing, hyung. I said I was wrong that time— Sunbae, you're here!”
“Yeah.”
“Here. Sunbae, want some candy? I brought snacks earlier.”
“Don't like lemon flavor.”
“This one's good though...”
“Whatever, I'm heading to the van for a bit.”
“Take care, sunbae!”
At a glance, polite. When Seol A-yoon appeared mid-conversation with Lee Tae-gyu, he bowed 90 degrees, offered candy, then bowed again 90 degrees as she left.
But.
‘……Late.’
Seol A-yoon sighed as she turned away. The moment Cheon Yoo-seong spotted her was when “that time” slipped out.
‘……Normally he'd bow right then.’
A full beat-and-a-half delay before bowing. He even finished “I was wrong—” to Lee Tae-gyu before greeting her.
And.
‘……Lemon flavor, huh.’
Instinctively scanning Lee Tae-gyu's hand, she spotted it. The white, minty candy—refreshing and subtly sweet, clearing the palate nicely. But he'd given her the sour lemon one that made her grimace?
‘Is this……some kind of symbolism?’
Like, I'm already a faded superstar, but you're the fresh next-gen with a bright path ahead—that kind of message?
‘You've grown up, Cheon Yoo-seong……’
She knew it was petty to say outright. But Seol A-yoon furrowed her brow slightly at Cheon Yoo-seong's ghost-like radar for rising stars and his subtly altered demeanor.
Hahaha—
His sycophantic laughter echoed behind her, stirring an inexplicable unease.
Step, step, step.
It wasn't just him giving her that uneasy vibe.
“Director.”
“Oh, where to?”
“Taking a break since time's up.”
“Yeah, you know tomorrow's shoot, right?”
“I shot today too.”
“Not that. Jeongjong—no, Yi Bang-gwa—no, Tae-gyu-ssi. The overlapping scene.”
“……”
“Well, it's Seol A-yoon, so no worries. Even if Jeongjong—no, Yi Bang-gwa—no, Tae-gyu-ssi acts amazingly—”
“Heading out first~”
“Hey, know where Bang-gwa—no, Tae-gyu-ssi is?”
“……Over there.”
“Thanks.”
Gu Jeong-hwan director vanished backward with a suspicious grin.
Hahaha—
Recalling his possessed-looking eyes, a thick unease settled on Seol A-yoon's face.
Her countless experiences climbing to this position whispered to her intuition:
Run—
She knew who sparked that unease.
‘……Lee Tae-gyu.’
Not mere jealousy.
Something.
Hard to pin down, but something was brewing because of him—
At the same time.
SBC Content Headquarters, Executive Office.
Ji Cheol-geun PD reported the latest battle status confidently before Hwang In-guk Executive Director and Nam Yoon-joo Director.
“……So, we should wrap principal photography by early March and squeak through post-production.”
“……Hard to believe. How much did you pull the schedule forward?”
Nam Yoon-joo Director stuck out her tongue.
“It's practically pre-produced.”
“No worries on the ending. Even without viewer feedback, this'll explode.”
“I know, I've seen it.”
Nam Director nodded. Having visited the set and editing bay herself, she was already certain of Monster City's massive success.
The noir drama of an ordinary corporate team leader ensnared in executive power struggles, money bags, crime syndicates like gangsters, corrupt prosecutors, and scheming politicians—a hefty piece not for light viewing. But Nam Director was convinced.
“This'll hit big. I know.”
Veterans like her could judge a drama's box office fate from raw footage quality and edit continuity alone.
The drama itself was solid.
But……
Hwang In-guk Executive Director raised a hand to cut her off, speaking for the first time today.
“Ji PD, Nam Director. I'm not worried about ratings. But.”
He pulled out a small remote. Pressing it played a video on the wall-mounted monitor.
“This teaser you sent.”
“Ah.”
Ji Cheol-geun PD jumped in quickly.
“Too early on the teaser, right? But no issue. No scenes ahead more provocative than this.”
Teasers usually dropped a month pre-air. Making February's in early January? Just the videographer's pent-up energy with no outlet—hardly blameworthy.
“I know timing matters. This is just for review; official drop's February, no leaks. Don't worry.”
Watching Ji PD report briskly with newfound confidence, Nam Director and Hwang Executive exchanged silent glances.
“……”
“……”
That wasn't their concern.
The teaser's quality was top-notch. Short, provocative, aggressive. A perfect teaser, tormenting viewers' curiosity for the full drama a month later.
Yes, excellent.
As a video itself.
The problem was……
“Uh, Ji PD. Actually, we called you for something else.”
“Sunbae, let me ask.”
Nam Director cut the hesitant executive, facing Ji PD squarely.
“Cheol-geun.”
“Yes.”
“You're smart, I know.”
“What's this suddenly?”
“No shade, purely curious.”
“Ask away.”
She hesitated slightly. Natural—questioning the “obvious” seriously insults the other.
Especially for Ji PD, who'd transformed, eyes blazing with fire.
“I came from the field, I get it. Sets get intense, lots to control, people get confused sometimes.”
“Director.”
“I visited your set. Footage is great, edit flow too. No doubts on success, just a tiny curiosity—”
“Just say it.”
“……You know.”
Nam Director opened cautiously.
“You.”
Resolute, she spat it out.
“Our lead in this drama is Han Joo-hyuk, right?”
Stunned Ji PD.
“……Ah.”
Slowly turning, he faced the gambler's madness crammed from start to finish in the 50-second teaser—
“……Right.”
“You bastard!”