Free Web NovelYou know it, right?
That unforgettable midday youth.
A first love you want to engrave into your corneas and devote your entire life to.
That is Han Yeoreum.
“You really suit it so well! It feels like it matches the works you just mentioned perfectly. I’m already looking forward to it.”
It landed. Even without seeing it, I could tell this editor was going to polish the interview into something incredibly elegant.
‘Keyword fusion complete.’
When you think of Taiwan, what comes to mind? Summer.
Then what? Youth.
Then what? First love.
‘The image of Taiwanese works that succeeded in Korea is being layered onto me.’
The interview with the editor proceeded in a warm, lively atmosphere. It was thanks to the fact that, in the editor’s heart, I had already become a Korea-loving Taiwan enthusiast.
‘That’s one more fan added today.’ freēwēbnovel.com
When the editor wrapped up the interview, saying it had been a truly enjoyable time, and left, Manager Ma patted my shoulder.
“You’re adorable... you’re totally my type....”
Manager Ma, too, spoke with anticipation for the next issue of Ruel.
* * *
‘What do I do.’
Her racing heart refused to calm down. Even after taking a calming pill, her entire body—from the tips of her toes to the crown of her head—felt prickly and numb. Choo Gaeul clenched her fist tightly for a moment.
‘The atmosphere is heavy....’
Most of the people gathered here were probably only interested in the director and the leads.
‘Any article with my name on it will probably only run because my agency asked for it.’
And yet, her mouth felt painfully dry. She had thought about it countless times, but it still didn’t feel real that she was participating in a major terrestrial-network production.
“Hello. I’m Shin Hyeongjae, Team Leader from the Planning Department.”
“Ah—yes! Please take good care of me.”
“I’m Kim Minseong, head of casting....”
Before entering the seminar hall, <The Fuse> staff greeted Gaeul’s manager in the hallway.
“Hello! I’m Choo Gaeul.”
Gaeul, extremely tense, bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle. Seeing her like that, soft laughter broke out here and there, as if people found her cute.
“Relax, relax. Gaeul, you’re totally frozen.”
“Director Hwang isn’t a scary person. He’s a bit blunt, sure, but he doesn’t scold people.”
Even hearing that, her tension didn’t ease. That was when it happened. From far away, someone arrived accompanied by a low wave of murmurs.
“Hello.”
The star of this gathering, Do Gyeoul, appeared. Unlike Choo Gaeul, her relaxed voice and demeanor naturally proved that she was the top.
“Hello, senior. I’m Choo Gaeul.”
Gaeul forced her trembling voice into steadiness and greeted her. Do Gyeoul smiled kindly and extended her smooth hand.
“Let’s do well today. I’ve seen many of the scenes you appear in, Gaeul. I’m looking forward to it.” freёwebnoѵel.com
Do Gyeoul held Choo Gaeul’s hand and encouraged her like a warm-hearted senior. Strength tightened in their intertwined hands.
* * *
Input: After successfully concluding her Taiwan fan meeting last week, Han Yeoreum is scheduled to return to Taiwan—this time for the GV of <Faster Than the Law>. Actress Han Yeoreum once again became a hot topic at Incheon Airport due to her “real-life footage”....
“I really should’ve seen this in person.”
Reporter Wi stared at the monitor with dead-fish eyes as he wrote the article using Yeoreum’s SNS photos.
This was a seminar hall located in Gangnam District. Sitting at the café on the first floor, Reporter Wi was waiting to attend the upcoming <The Fuse> script reading.
“What are you writing?”
“Oh—senior.”
A veteran reporter, the same one who had predicted the ratings of Do Gyeoul’s <Beyond the Closed Door> last time, sat down beside him. Reporter Wi quickly checked for typos once and clicked the article upload button.
“Han Yeoreum’s really doing well these days.”
“She is. She even brought back investment for <Faster Than the Law 2> from Taiwan.”
Suppressing his swelling excitement, Deduck.B—Reporter Wi—talked about Yeoreum’s recent activities. Rumors about the investors for <Faster Than the Law 2> had been rampant in the industry lately.
“What on earth is that Jegal Rok guy thinking, diverting money to Taiwan when China money is on a completely different scale?”
“...Was that just a joke?”
“China money with a massive difference! Hahaha!”
At the senior’s joke, Reporter Wi cooled his expression and checked the article’s view count instead.
‘Still, it doesn’t really make sense.’
It was hard to understand deliberately leaving a smooth, well-paved road to take a winding, thorny path.
‘Especially when expanding into the Chinese market would be far more profitable than the Taiwanese one.’
With even a slight increase in recognition, the scale of money earned would be entirely different.
No one understood Jegal Rok’s decision to refuse all Chinese investment starting last year. When JC ENM pulled out of the investment market, other production companies were thrilled.
“Everyone else just benefited. They snatched the money that would’ve gone to JC ENM and doubled their production budgets.”
“But what if it really happens—what if, like Jegal Rok predicted, the Chinese market actually gets blocked?”
At Reporter Wi’s words, silence settled briefly. Then it shattered under booming laughter.
“Hahahaha! Hey, no way!”
“Hahahaha! Right! Do you know how big the Hallyu market is right now!”
“Hahahaha! That’d be a disaster if it really happened!”
“Hahahaha! Exactly! There’s nowhere China’s reach doesn’t extend right now!”
It was absurd. The two stood up and got into the elevator. It was time to attend the <The Fuse> script reading.
“Wow, they really went all out.”
Three main cameras were set up, with two additional handheld cams rolling.
Camera A was for close-ups of the actors’ faces, Camera B captured the entire table in a long shot, and Camera C filmed the reactions of the director and production staff.
“This is way bigger than ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) I expected.”
“Well, it is Hwang Huinam and Do Gyeoul.”
The director in charge of <The Fuse> was a star director who had previously handled heavyweight historical dramas like <Fate> and <Operation War>. Whenever he picked up the megaphone, awards followed.
“This is bad. Everyone’s probably pretty tense today.”
The promotion team and the publicity PD were also on standby. Filming script readings and production briefings for Intube uploads had become standard practice for films and dramas alike. The power of SNS could no longer be ignored.
‘That’s probably why Choo Gaeul was cast too.’
Among the traditionally trained actors, there was a single trendy-type actress. Choo Gaeul, from the web drama hit <The Cherry on the Parfait Belongs to the Heroine!>.
After <ParCheHi> succeeded with Season 1 and even a spin-off, web dramas completely reshaped the Intube market.
[LuluFilm / Thought everything would work out once I got into college, Ep1]
[Why won’t you say you want to date me? One-Frame Ep-3]
[The most popular girl in school: Jisoo’s POV / Newference]
Web dramas that had once been short, gossip-style episodes shifted toward story-driven narratives. Most themes centered on K-high-teen or K-youth stories.
‘But not a single work surpassed <ParCheHi> in buzz.’
<ParCheHi> remained at the top. SBC had clearly cast Choo Gaeul with their awareness of Intube dominance in mind.
‘But still... what do we do.’
Reporter Wi looked at Choo Gaeul sitting in her seat.
‘Compared to web dramas, this stage is enormous....’
Perfect conditions for a rookie to feel overwhelmed.
As expected, Choo Gaeul visibly stumbled during today’s script reading. After Director Hwang repeatedly asked her to read her lines again, she even cracked her voice toward the end.
Her face flushed bright red, and the tips of her fingers trembled slightly.
* * *
“You worked hard today.”
Do Gyeoul spoke to Choo Gaeul. Looking dazed, Gaeul bowed her head in greeting.
“Thank you, senior.”
“Speak comfortably. I’m friends with Yeoreum too.”
“Ah, but still....”
“It makes me uncomfortable. Gaeul. We’re the same age.”
In a low, friendly voice, Gyeoul stepped one pace closer.
‘The typical appearance of a rookie who made a lot of mistakes on set....’
And she analyzed Choo Gaeul. Gyeoul flicked her gaze toward the script lying on the table. It showed signs of earnest analysis, in its own way.
“Want to grab a coffee?”
Choo Gaeul—close with Han Yeoreum.
“That way we can talk about today’s script reading, and get closer too.”
That alone made it worthwhile.
Do Gyeoul led Choo Gaeul to a nearby café she frequented.
