Free Web NovelA few days earlier — Jongno District, Daily Media.
Reporter Wi, who had just uploaded Han Yeoreum’s article, flexed his stiff fingers.
“Jaehwi—. Meeting room!”
He had been about to admire Yeoreum’s photo on his monitor one more time when his senior called out.
The reporters gathered in the conference room began their usual second-half-of-the-year ranking check.
“Alright. Go around. Names.”
“Myeong Jeha.”
“Ah, come on. Something obvious doesn’t count.”
“Ji Haebeom.”
“That’s even more obvious, you idiot... rejected!”
The year was nearing its end. Award season nominations were just around the corner.
They needed to read the flow of the entertainment industry correctly.
“Female side’s number one is obviously Do Gyeoul, right?”
“Of course. She became ambassador for both C Company and T Company.”
“One brand is hard enough, and she landed two...”
“But jewelry’s the real killer, isn’t it? Damn, that’s scary.”
“T Company has huge demand in Japan. And <Beyond the Closed Door> is still number one on NetHolics.”
They analyzed not only the celebrities currently at the top but also those showing potential.
“Choo Gaeul’s not bad either.”
“She’s got potential, but it hasn’t exploded yet? She acts well in <The Fuse>, but she doesn’t have any personal endorsements.”
“I thought So Dami was pretty good too.”
Gradually, the rankings solidified.
Female ranking:
1st — Do Gyeoul
2nd — Eun Baekhap
3rd — Han Yeoreum
“Such a shame. If <The Great Garland> had aired just a little earlier, it might’ve been different.”
“Eh. She’s still a child role there. If that show pulls ratings, Eun Baekhap wins big.”
“Right. Even if Han Yeoreum acts well, she can’t make the kind of impact she did in <Strange Tales>.”
“She should’ve taken on one more project this year besides the play.”
It’s only because you haven’t seen Han Yeoreum’s theater stage that you can say something that ridiculous—
Reporter Wi swallowed the words and stared at the ranking sheet with regret.
“But you never know.”
The senior reporter — infamous for predicting first-episode ratings with eerie accuracy just by attending script readings — stretched lazily.
“It might change once episode one drops.”
“With all the promo content revolving around Ji Haebeom and Eun Baekhap, what’s going to change? Didn’t Han Yeoreum only show up at the production press conference?”
“Idiots.”
The senior waved it off like it was nothing.
“Didn’t you watch the teaser?”
“We did.”
“You call yourselves entertainment reporters and have no instinct? They gave Han Yeoreum serious weight right from the start.”
Even though the rainy-day scene appeared for only one second, it had left a significant impact.
“You’re wrong this time, sunbae.”
“You didn’t attend <The Great Garland> script reading, did you? Ah, that’s why we can’t ask you about the ratings.”
Could a child role really take up that much space in a network anniversary special drama? The reporters laughed at his prediction.
No matter how good Han Yeoreum was, a child role was still a child role. The screen time alone was different.
The senior only shrugged.
“Then let’s all watch episode one together.”
* * *
〈The Great Garland〉 opened exactly like the teaser.
The end of World War II. Liberation followed.
The world was loud with Joseon citizens running through the streets waving flags, shouting in joy. Jinhae, where Taeseok lived, was no different.
“They say we’re liberated!”
“Oh my goodness. It actually happened. I thought we’d live like this forever. Oh Lord. Thank you, Lord.”
People expressed their joy in different ways.
The fish-selling women with worn cotton cloths tied over their heads gave extra portions beyond what customers paid for. Day laborers who usually carried loads with bent backs straightened up for once and shouted three cheers.
A boy on a bicycle passed by as if it had nothing to do with him. As if delivering the goods tied behind him quickly was his only purpose.
Taeseok slowly eased his foot off the pedals.
“Manse! Manse! Manse! Long live Korean independence!”
The streets were still echoing with chants.
Before he knew it, he had reached his destination. One of the men in the distance recognized him and raised a hand.
Taeseok stopped his bicycle and silently handed over the bundle tied behind him. Running cigarette errands for the dockworkers was the youngest’s job. Even during break time, Taeseok had to work.
Sweat ran down the back of his neck from pedaling nonstop.
“Damn, Myeong Jeha.”
Aetami muttered in awe.
‘I saw it in the teaser, and at the press conference too...’
But every time, it felt like a different face.
With his hair cut short like a real harbor labor boy, Myeong Jeha looked as if he were teaching the public what it meant to have a face that didn’t rely on hair.
A faded khaki shirt and white sleeveless undershirt — an outfit that could easily look shabby — instead emphasized his boyishness.
[♨️Let’s run with 〈The Great Garland〉♨️ Episode 1 Live Thread]
– If you’re Korean, please slow-mo when Myeong Jeha appears
– Clone Myeong Jeha clone Myeong Jeha
– Sweet...
The live thread was exploding from episode one. Comments flew in at terrifying speed.
“Damn! Cigarettes hit different when you smoke them after liberation!”
The workers laughed loudly, sharing cigarettes. Taeseok only gulped down water. His expression did not change.
Ding—. Ding—. Ding—.
The bell rang. Break time was over.
Taeseok bowed his head slightly. Time to return to work.
“Why you so unaffected? So dull, like nothing matters?”
“Aren’t you happy we don’t gotta watch the Japanese bastards’ eyes anymore?”
The workers took deep drags from their cigarettes as they asked him.
“Hey, you bastards! You gonna smoke all damn day?!”
“Yes, sir—! We’re going—!”
It hadn’t really been a question expecting an answer. They ran toward the yelling supervisor in the distance.
Taeseok crushed the still-burning cigarette butt under his worn shoe.
“Makes no difference anyway...”
He muttered quietly.
Liberation or not, Joseon was still Joseon. And Taeseok was still Taeseok. A poor boy in a poor country. Nothing to celebrate, nothing to grieve.
Poverty rotted a person from the inside like this.
“Move it already!”
The supervisor barked at him.
As the boy hurried forward, the sea shimmered beyond his profile.
The blue ocean stretched wide as ever. So brilliant it made the world beyond it seem radiant.
* * *
Elsewhere — a house in Kobe, so different from worn Joseon.
In a study lined tightly with books, Hanamura, dressed in a yukata, let out a groan. On his desk lay the news that the Emperor had surrendered.
He was furious. The country he left behind could be liberated or not — what mattered to him now was Japan’s standing.
War was a gamble. Some lost everything and became beggars. Others, like Hanamura, seized things beyond imagination.
“Damn it!”
He hurled the whiskey glass from his desk at the wall.
Crash!
The sharp sound rang out.
The scene shifted to his daughter, Rio, listening to that sound. Her room was silent, arranged like a display case.
Kneeling on the floor, Rio seemed to anticipate what would come next.
Her room felt frozen in stillness. The camera focused on her neck.
Beneath her short bob haircut, beads of sweat formed. She was tense.
Crash. Smash. “Bakayaro!”
Her father’s rage erupted again and again like signal flares.
Rio closed her eyes quietly.
Bang bang bang bang.
Footsteps approached.
A hand thick with anger flung open the sliding door.
“Tomorrow.”
He looked down at his daughter.
“You will go to the photo studio immediately.”
Light poured in through the opened doorway, casting shadows across the dim room. Rio’s shadow was faint — barely there.
“Yes.”
“Wear the most luxurious kimono. And do not forget the hair ornaments.”
Rio bowed deeply, as if in worship. Sweat slid down her neck.
Click.
The door shut.
Silence filled the room again. Even after the footsteps faded, Rio did not lift her head. She remained folded forward. fгeewebnovёl.com
Hanamura Rio. Another name — Yeon Huijae.
She carried herself like someone who already knew no one would ever protect her.
* * *
The new JC ENM headquarters was still lit as if it were midday.
The PR team worked with intensity, as if they had been waiting for this day.
Manager Hong focused on monitoring.
Episodes one through four of 〈The Great Garland〉 belonged to the child actors.
Given the pre-broadcast hype, episode one’s ratings would be stable.
“Are the articles on standby?”
“Yes! Uploading immediately after broadcast ends.”
“Ask KBC again when clips are going up. We need captures!”
“What about the photo studio stills?”
“Upload those to the official account tomorrow morning.”
They had to push Han Yeoreum along with the early buzz.
Her acting was making people exclaim everywhere at once.
– I haven’t slept thinking about Myeong Jeha and Han Yeoreum together please let’s go Korean drama already
– Have they ever cut their hair this short «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» before??? It suits them insanely well
Taeseok in Jinhae. Rio in Kobe.
The two had not met once, yet the chemistry was already drawing reactions.
Manager Hong scanned the rapidly scrolling comments.
‘As expected.’
Just as he thought.
No one was marveling at the Kobe set built to near-perfect authenticity. All eyes were on Han Yeoreum.
She had presence strong enough to eclipse a set worth tens of billions.
“Our girl’s posture is insane. What is this, a film? This doesn’t feel like drama-level production.”
The junior staff member monitoring reactions from both tablet and monitor stared in awe at Han Yeoreum’s performance.
Manager Hong smirked at him.
“Hey, Shin.”
“But I’ve been here three years. Why am I still ‘junior’?”
“Quiet.”
Manager Hong remembered the clip a contact from the 〈The Great Garland〉 filming team had sent him.
It wasn’t the original file — just a short video filmed off a phone screen.
But one thing was certain.
“It’s too early to be shocked.”
Han Yeoreum’s greatest strength — her voice — hadn’t even come yet.
When that dropped, the reaction would only grow hotter.
* * *
At that same time — Daily Media, Jongno District.
Reporter Wi was watching 〈The Great Garland〉 live with his colleagues.
Han Yeoreum was Hanamura Rio — completely.
The cold, measured tone she used to politely yet sharply draw a line with the photographer felt real. Someone spoke.
“...Sunbae, what do you think episode one’s rating will be?”
Everyone waited for his prediction.
