I Need to Work Even Harder.
Around 1 a.m., the first day of filming finally wrapped up.
“Great work, everyone! Get home safe!”
Seo Eun-seong bowed deeply at a perfect 90 degrees to each and every staff member. He should have been exhausted, but the relief and pride of completing his first lead role shoot left his body and mind feeling surprisingly light.
“Alright, I’ll head out too!”
Just as Seo Eun-seong grabbed his bag and turned toward the van,
“Eun-seong, you did amazing today.”
A familiar perfume scent wafted over as Kim Na-yeon approached.
“You worked hard too, sunbae. Thanks to you, we wrapped the first shoot smoothly.”
“Not sunbae—call me Na-yeon noona. You keep making me feel left out?”
Kim Na-yeon pouted her lips with a mix of aegyo and petulance. She glanced around slyly, then stepped even closer.
“Eun-seong. To celebrate your first shoot, how about we grab a cool beer? I know this super private bar nearby. Just the two of us, nice and cozy. What do you say?”
Kim Na-yeon’s eyes were pure, 100% flirtation—straightforward intent.
But Seo Eun-seong was Seo Eun-seong. The oblivious iron-wall guy’s mind latched onto one thing.
Cool beer!
The brutal diet he’d maintained since Nepal made the temptation of greasy snacks and ice-cold draft beer lethal.
“Oh? Beer? What about sides? They got chicken?”
Seo Eun-seong’s eyes sparkled as he was about to bite the bait—
“Great work? Kim Na-yeon actress-nim?”
It was none other than the Ice Witch, Oh Ji-yeon, who grabbed Seo Eun-seong’s shoulder from behind.
She’d appeared out of nowhere, wearing a chilling smile as she perfectly wedged herself between Seo Eun-seong and Kim Na-yeon.
“Sadly, our Eun-seong has script analysis starting tomorrow morning, so he needs to head straight home. He’s got camera massage therapy too, which means strict diet control. You know how actors have to manage themselves meticulously, right?”
Oh Ji-yeon deployed her flawless, logical iron-wall defense.
What’s with this? Why’s the company executive personally managing him like a handler?
Kim Na-yeon’s brow twitched faintly.
“.....”
Korea’s top actress Kim Na-yeon and J&J Entertainment’s power player Oh Ji-yeon. Sparks flew in the air as their gazes clashed.
“Ah... I see. That’s a shame. You’re so thorough, Director.”
“He’s our agency’s first actor. We’re raising him with the utmost care. Rest well, Kim Na-yeon actress-nim.”
Oh Ji-yeon nodded elegantly, then grabbed Seo Eun-seong by the nape and dragged him off.
“Eun-seong. Let’s go.”
“Uh... yeah. See you later!”
Seo Eun-seong waved to Kim Na-yeon as he was pulled toward the van.
Strapping into the passenger seat, he tilted his head curiously.
“Director, don’t I have no schedule tomorrow morning? That beer sounded good...”
Smack.
Before he could finish, Oh Ji-yeon’s palm cracked against his back.
“Ow! Why’d you hit me, Director?”
“You little punk. A fox is shaking her tail, inviting you for beer? You’re under special management from now on. Got it?”
“Fox? Na-yeon noona? Nah, she just offered a beer to say good job.”
“You think that? Maybe that’s for the best. Sigh.”
Oh Ji-yeon let out a deep sigh at his oblivious response and gripped the wheel.
Either way, the first shooting day passed safely thanks to the Ice Witch’s airtight defense.
A few days later, the eagerly awaited Saturday evening arrived. J&J Entertainment Actor Team 1 office.
“Ugh! I’m so nervous! Why am I this tense?”
Seo Ha-rin rolled around on the sofa, yelling.
Today was the premiere of KBC’s weekend drama The Three Sisters of Jang’s Pharmacy—Seo Eun-seong’s debut drama and lead role.
To monitor the live broadcast, Seo Ha-rin, the four gluttons, and even Oh Ji-yeon had gathered cozily in the office. The table was piled high with everyone’s favorites: chicken, pizza, and tteokbokki.
“Eun-seong oppa, articles are everywhere. Your face is plastered huge on the portal main page.”
Lee Ah-hyun held out her phone screen.
The media had been buzzing with opinions even before the broadcast. Seo Eun-seong was the hot rookie riding high from movies and MVs. Yet public opinion was mixed with questions and regrets about why he’d chosen a weekend drama.
. . .
Kim Chae-yeon frowned as she scrolled through the community reactions.
“Look at this. People are saying it’s a waste to put Seo Eun-seong’s face in a weekend drama. Director, was choosing this really okay?”
Ever the blunt one, Kim Chae-yeon fired off her straightforward question.
Oh Ji-yeon sipped her champagne and smiled leisurely.
“Just watch. Kids. I’ll show you how that opinion flips after tonight’s episode.”
“Pretty confident, huh?”
Kim Chae-yeon and the members tilted their heads at Oh Ji-yeon’s cocky vibe.
Then—
“It’s starting! Bear Doll!”
Choi Eun-jin smacked Seo Eun-seong’s arm.
“Yeah, I know. Eun-jin noona.”
Seo Eun-seong’s eyes sharpened too.
At exactly 8 p.m., the drama’s opening logo flowed from the massive smart TV.
“.....”
Everyone held their breath, glued to the screen.
The first half dragged with typical weekend drama tropes: the noisy family conflicts, mom’s back-smacking discipline, the eldest daughter’s struggles as the responsible one. The freeloading second daughter’s woes, the model student third daughter’s rebellion. The material wasn’t bad, but it felt dated, far from trendy.
“Hmm. Classic weekend drama. When’s oppa coming out?”
Seo Ha-rin yawned between bites of chicken leg, muttering.
The live community reactions were lukewarm too.
“Oppa! What if you don’t show up? Did they cut your scenes?”
Seo Ha-rin set down her chicken leg, worried.
“Just wait. It’s coming soon.”
Seo Eun-seong was tense inside too.
“Hm?”
The background shifted to a Hwagok-dong alley at dawn. Jang Seo-ah (Kim Na-yeon), late for work, clutched her briefcase and dashed down the alley.
“Oppa’s scene!”
Seo Ha-rin’s face lit up.
Meanwhile, as Jang Seo-ah rounded the corner on screen—
A roaring engine sounded from the opposite end, a delivery scooter bursting out.
[Whoa? Get out of the way!]
[Kyaa!]
Screech! Amid the sharp friction, as Jang Seo-ah startled and stumbled—
A long, firm arm shot out from the scooter, snatching her waist.
[Ah?]
Thud! She was pulled straight into the driver’s embrace.
From Jang Seo-ah’s upward gaze, the man’s face filled the screen in slow motion.
And—
[Hoo...]
Whoosh. Seo Eun-seong—no, Kim Young-woong—casually removed his scooter helmet with one hand. He roughly swept back his sweat-dampened, tousled hair.
Streetlamp light illuminated his sharp jawline and melancholic eyes.
[Hey. Can’t you watch where you’re going?]
Seo Eun-seong’s low, indifferent voice flowed through the speakers.
“....!”
The five Siren members in the office gasped in unison.
“Whoa? Oppa? What? Why do you look even hotter on TV?”
“Eun-seong oppa-ni... so... cool...”
Seo Ha-rin followed by Go Min-ji, who’d been munching chicken—both jaws slowly dropping.
“Eun-seong oppa?”
Lee Ah-hyun nearly dropped her cola can.
Just like Ha-rin said, Seo Eun-seong dominated the TV screen.
“Screen presence is no joke.”
Even Oh Ji-yeon swirled her champagne, impressed.
And the internet communities exploded.
. . .
Yes. In just 10 seconds of appearance, Seo Eun-seong flipped the bland weekend drama vibe 180 degrees. He’d grabbed it by the collar and carried hard.
His momentum didn’t stop there.
[Hold still. Your knee’s scraped.]
The scene where he indifferently bandaged Kim Na-yeon’s scraped knee played.
“Bear Doll... you’re good at romance?”
“Eun-jin unnie, I told you. Eun-seong oppa’s got Northern Duke vibes.”
Drama addict Choi Eun-jin and webtoon addict Lee Ah-hyun couldn’t stop marveling.
“Oppa, I admit it. Even as your sister, you’re cool.”
Seo Ha-rin gave him a thumbs-up.
“Heh. Getting it now? This oppa’s dignity?”
Seo Eun-seong puffed up with relief.
But the real highlight hid at the end of episode 1.
[Haa... bad guy...]
Drunken Jang Seo-ah (Kim Na-yeon) staggered along. Spotting Kim Young-woong (Seo Eun-seong) tossing trash by a pole,
[Bad guy...]
She mistook him for her ex and approached with resentful eyes.
[You traitor...!]
Jang Seo-ah grabbed Kim Young-woong’s collar out of nowhere.
[You...! So bad...!]
She suddenly tiptoed, lunging for his lips.
The camera angled perfectly on their backs and profiles—a razor-edge, flawless near-kiss.
And—
[The Three Sisters of Jang’s Pharmacy, next time at this hour...]
The end title rolled at that perfect timing, closing episode 1.
“.....”
The office air froze cold. The five sisters-in-law(?), no, Siren members’ faces turned grim reaper-dark.
“Hey... Bear Doll.”
Choi Eun-jin crunched a chicken bone, turning to Seo Eun-seong.
“Your lips touched then, right?”
“No, what? Touched what? You were all watching, Eun-jin noona. You monitored so tight, couldn’t even kiss if we wanted.”
Seo Eun-seong was baffled. They’d sat in a line with death glares, and now nitpicking?
“Huh? Eun-seong oppa? What’s that mean? Couldn’t kiss even if you wanted?”
Lee Ah-hyun pounced.
I’m screwed.
Seo Eun-seong sweated bullets. Sharp Ah-hyun didn’t let it slide.
“Oh? So you wanted to kiss Kim Na-yeon sunbae? That it, oppa?”
Seo Ha-rin jumped in.
“Men are all the same after all.”
Even Kim Chae-yeon shook her head.
“Haha? Just a figure of speech? You guys twist everything.”
Seo Eun-seong desperately explained.
But it wasn’t enough against the hyena-eyed suspicion.
“Agh! Why the cushion? Ha-rin-ah?”
He was instantly shoved to the sofa corner.
The drama was a hit, but reality was tough.
Thus ended the chaos as KBC’s weekend drama The Three Sisters of Jang’s Pharmacy episode 1 drew to a close.
“Hm.”
Oh Ji-yeon checked real-time reactions on her tablet PC.
“As expected.”
A smile crept onto her lips.
The post-episode fallout was massive. Communities were flooded with The Three Sisters of Jang’s Pharmacy in real-time searches.
Reactions? Total success.
. . .
Praise poured for Seo Eun-seong’s visuals and acting. But the drama’s quality itself earned raves too. Writer Jeong Eun-young, protégé of national treasure Kim Soo-yeon, had hooked viewers with her chewy script.
“And we’ve still got one more punch left? Eun-seong. Wanna see?”
Oh Ji-yeon smiled and handed Seo Eun-seong the tablet.
“Oh? Articles already, Director?”
Seo Eun-seong perked up.
The screen showed a fresh official press release from KBC and J&J Entertainment.
. . .
This one article obliterated the controversy over Seo Eun-seong’s “weekend drama” choice.
Communities erupted in shock and awe.
. . .
“See? Told you, Eun-seong. Director was right?”
Oh Ji-yeon leaned deep into the sofa, smugly raising her champagne.
“Why I picked this for your debut. Get it now?”
“Whoa... Director, you’re the best. I admit it.”
“Nah. Ultimately, it was your choice as the actor. You did the work.”
“Kuh. Really? Director?”
Actor and manager bantered praises back and forth.
“God Ji-yeon! God Eun-seong! Praise them!”
Seo Ha-rin and the gluttons marveled at the meticulous planning.
“I need to work even harder.”
Seo Eun-seong muttered his firm resolve.
Doubts and jeers had turned to praise and anticipation.
In just one episode.
Public opinion had fully swung to Seo Eun-seong’s side.