Free Web Novel“Ah! That’s a bowl of ginseng chicken soup! A bowl of ginseng chicken soup!”
“Jackpot! Yeoreum, what is this—did you get possessed by a spirit?”
“I think there’s one more person on set right now...! On Yeoreum’s shoulder!”
Everyone’s reactions exploded. I tilted my head, playing the part of an innocent genius.
‘Let’s make a character.’
Because most of my activity so far had been vlogs and SNS, I didn’t really have a clearly defined “character” yet.
If I nailed it properly on my first variety show, it’d be easier to go viral later—and reporters would probably take a second look at me, too.
“Are you sure? That’s really the correct answer?”
Just as expected, the main PD bluffed. I pulled out a conviction I didn’t actually have.
“Yes! My personal creed is ‘don’t regret it’! I’m going with this.”
At that, the assistant director—whose history of cons was legendary—made a subtle face.
This was a world full of professionals.
“Ah... wait, no? Did I get the words backward?”
“Yeoreum, the word order! I think the order’s wrong!”
They were trying to take the bait without thinking too hard. I also looked at the panelists, pretending to panic.
“Yeoreum. Shall we go with it as is? Final answer. Three. Two—”
“...Wait!”
I hurriedly answered the main PD who was counting down, as if I were agonizing over it.
“Why? You regret it?”
The PD bit into the bait I’d laid earlier—
“...A little....”
—and I pulled.
“Ah, why is this person’s heart swaying like a reed?!”
“You said ‘don’t regret it’ less than a minute ago!”
A big catch.
From all around the set came the sound of people tearing into me. I looked at Kwon Junhyeok sitting next to me with a pleading expression.
The caption would probably read something like ‘Variety Show Freshman’ or ‘Shaky Variety Rookie.’
“Sunbae... what do I do....”
Then Kwon Junhyeok said seriously,
“Go with it.”
“Go with it?”
“Just go with it.”
We exchanged words one by one, putting weight into them, as if sealing a solemn code. As though I no longer regretted it, I raised my hand again.
“Yes! I’ll go with it!”
“Tsseup....”
This time, the youngest PD deliberately shot me a look, as if hinting that what I’d just said was the wrong answer.
“Uuugh.... I think I’m starting to regret it a bit....”
This was bad. If this aired, people were going to go crazy calling Han Yeoreum cute. What if everyone started fighting over coming to see me at the awards ceremonies this year?
‘Exactly one week left until <Top Class> airs.’
Even while thinking about other things, I smoothly carried on with the variety show schedule. For the record, my correct-answer rate was 100%.
As expected—it’s Han Yeoreum.
* * *
[♨It’s not Family Arcade, it’s Strangers Arcade, okay? After-School Quiz Show live thread♨]
(៸៸᳐⦁⩊⦁៸៸᳐ )੭Let’s go let’s go this episode too
-Han Yeoreum is insane LOOOOLLLL
-Isn’t she the best contestant ever? Her accuracy is crazy
-She gets it right and keeps regretting it T_T lolololol ah Yeoreum, just go with it!!!
-There has never been a regret girl like this... first in history, a dumb regret girl lololol
Aetami, as usual, watched TV with her phone in hand. On After-School Quiz Show, Yeoreum was absolutely flying.
Today’s quiz had been prepared specifically for Kwon Junhyeok and Han Yeoreum, who were appearing to promote <Strange Tales>. In other words—history questions.
Because the difficulty was so high, the assistant director and the youngest PD were grinning, delighted at the thought of tripping up the main PD again and again.
-A building constructed as the residence of ☐☐ during the Joseon period, originally built to enshrine three ☐☐☐, and after passing through ☐☐☐☐, repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. During the Japanese colonial period, ☐☐☐ were brought inside the palace, causing severe damage, but....
-The difficulty is f***ing insane, how is anyone supposed to get this T_T lololol
-I feel like I know it... but it’s probably one of the more minor palaces
Just as the comments were guessing back and forth, half-knowing the answer—
Before the sentence even finished, Yeoreum raised her hand again.
-A building constructed as a royal residence during the Joseon period, originally built to enshrine three Queen Dowagers, and after passing through the Imjin War....
“Yeoreum!”
Aetami called out Yeoreum’s name as if she herself were one of the panelists. The live thread did the same.
-She’s insane, did she grow up possessed by spirits???
-Is something actually attached to her? Are the papers transparent only to Han Yeoreum right now;;
After stating the correct answer, Yeoreum hesitated again. She really looked like a rookie unfamiliar with variety shows.
Uneasy, she once more glanced at Kwon Junhyeok sitting beside her.
-Sunbae....
-Go with it.
-Sunbae...!
Kwon Junhyeok, who hadn’t gotten a single question right, patted Yeoreum reassuringly with a dependable expression.
He tried to act like a senior, but once Han Yeoreum moved into the correct-answer zone, the one left behind until the end was always Kwon Junhyeok.
The main PD, who had been worried about broadcast time because Yeoreum answered too quickly, cast Kwon Junhyeok a warm look as Ju-ri missed answers on purpose.
-Junhyeok, at least try copying your junior’s answers or something.
-What do I do.... I’m alone again....
Whenever the panelists teased him for being an idiot, he’d shrink with a solemn face, not knowing what to do.
-LOLOLOOL what are you doing right now
-Junhyeok-ah...T_T you dummy...TT_TT
Watching the comments fly by, Aetami got drunk on Yeoreum.
“Ah.... Why is my girl so pretty and cute and admirable and smart....”
She’d thought Yeoreum wouldn’t get much screen time since it was her first variety show, but this episode was completely carried by Han Yeoreum. With reasoning skills that looked downright possessed, she thoroughly promoted <Strange Tales>.
“She was insane today. It was already worth capturing even if she just stood there... but she’s good on top of that....”
Today’s styling on Yeoreum was perfection itself.
Her hair was braided down, with a pale yellow butterfly hairpin and a light, fluttering lace daenggi. The thin-strapped sleeveless hanbok faded in a gradient of clear sky-blue.
Under the richly puffed skirt hem, lace fabric peeked out here and there.
After admiring Yeoreum’s face, Aetami searched Yeoreum’s name the moment the broadcast ended.
“Oh. Articles are already out.”
[‘Looks like she grew up loved?’ Not anymore~ The trend now is ‘looks like she grew up possessed by spirits’]
[Han Yeoreum’s fierce performance on ‘After-School Quiz Show’... “Is she actually possessed?” Viewers in an uproar]
[Amid the ‘regret guy’ craze appears a ‘true regret girl,’ Han Yeoreum. Netizens burst into laughter at her regretting answers she already got right]
Sipping creamy soda at home, Aetami scrolled and hit the recommend button on the articles.
“Then now I should do my part too.”
She clipped the fun parts from today’s broadcast and uploaded them to a new account. It was Yeoreum’s fan account, created not long ago.
@mailEyeoleum
(Yeoreum continuing her streak of correct answers.mp4)
HanYeoreumareyouactuallycrazy? Told you to act like a shaman and you became a real shaman what do we do, whoa
Retreats 2232 Likes 5658
“Posting Yeoreum talking on a burner account isn’t nearly as good as this!”
Smiling proudly, Aetami checked the rapidly retreating videos, then prepared to capture and spread them.
“Huh?”
Skimming community reactions, Aetami tilted her head. A detailed capture post for this episode was already up on the forums.
She realized it immediately.
“As expected, the agency works fast!”
This kind of timing definitely had JC ENM’s touch.
“Now all we have to do is wait for the flood of new bait!”
* * *
“Hey, newbie Shin—how’s the response?”
“It’s good. Fans are already clipping and promoting it.”
The moment Yeoreum’s episode aired, JC ENM’s PR team sprang into action. Shin the Newbie, who had retreated Aetami’s post, went right back to being busy.
It wasn’t just Manager Hong and Shin the Newbie. Every single member of JC ENM’s PR team had gathered to etch <Strange Tales> into the public’s mind.
“Poster upload complete!”
Solo posters of Seoryeong and Myungdo, two-shot posters of them together, two-shot posters of Yeomga and Grand Prince Seonghwi, posters with everyone together—multiple versions were uploaded. Drama still cuts were released as well.
The moment they went up on the official account, retreats began pouring in.
“Saving will start now, right?”
“Check share velocity in an hour.”
As character posters went up on official SNS and portals, reactions slowly came in.
Thanks to Yeoreum’s strong showing on her first variety show, they’d managed to pull the public in.
“Once the teaser’s done, I’ll compile reactions to the full trailer that went up next!”
“Posters are live! Summarize reactions and start translating articles tomorrow.”
<Strange Tales> planned to scatter bait overseas the moment it aired. On Manager Hong’s ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) monitor were K-drama fan communities and SNS accounts popular in Southeast Asia.
“First, distribute drama articles to major media in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. Keep the tags as-is!”
[<Strange Tales> already drawing heated reactions in Southeast Asia... will it showcase the K-drama wave?]
The office was chaotic with the clatter of keyboards and conversations about the next promotional targets.
Behind Manager Hong, the sun rose, set, and rose again.
There was no time to breathe. The PR team’s hands never left their keyboards.
[Han Yeoreum and Geum Bitgang—will they show the true power of DaeYeJong? Chilling reactions to serious character analysis]
[June issue Ruel cover... new hanbok looks from Kwon Junhyeok and Han Yeoreum]
[JC ENM serves ASMR—<Strange Tales> second video surpasses 1 million views...]
As the air date approached, promotion for <Strange Tales> progressed steadily.
<Top Class> shot upward at a frightening pace the moment Episode 1 was released.
[Will SBC’s meticulously sharpened <Top Class> show ‘real class’? Ratings soar]
The SBC-produced drama <Top Class>, which first aired on June 4, has been a daily hot topic. With ratings of 5.3 for Episode 1, 7.7 for Episode 2, 9.8 for Episode 3, and 13.0 for Episode 4, <Top Class> surged into hit status almost instantly.
With refreshing action, top-tier acting, and flashy visuals all in place, <Top Class> now faces a head-on showdown with <Strange Tales>, airing tonight at 10....
“Wow... I’m dead....”
At last, the first broadcast day of <Strange Tales> arrived.
Half-dead, the JC ENM PR team stared at their monitors with hollow faces.
“Still... we can rest a little during the hour it airs....”
“Right...?”
Murmuring as they blankly watched the pre-broadcast trailer, the PR team looked like people who belonged inside <Strange Tales> themselves.
Then— ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Bang—!
“Keuhk.... R-right now, i-it’s not t-the time to watch the d-drama...!”
Manager Ma burst through the door, coughing like he was about to die from chronic lack of exercise.
“What?”
“Manager Ma... ran?”
Manager Ma—who always stood rooted in one spot like the sansevieria in the corner of the office—running meant something enormous was coming.
“C-cough.... cough cough...! J-Jegal Rok...!”
Gulp.
The PR team swallowed nervously.
“After watching Episode 2....”
Manager Ma’s face stiffened.
“He laughed....”
At those words, the employees slumped in their chairs all straightened up at once.
“Hey!!! Don’t rest!!!”
It was an emergency.
Jegal Rok laughing was the same as saying it was a massive hit.
At last, every last log needed to set <Strange Tales> ablaze had been piled high.
* * *
The long-awaited broadcast day of <Strange Tales> Episode 1.
Kiiik—.
Chapter 1
Heavenly Vein Land
The opening of <Strange Tales> began with the chilling sound of fingernails scraping.
