Free Web Novel—KBC drama <The Great Garland> has been nominated for the Critics’ Choice Awards, hosted by the American and Canadian Critics Choice Association. It is being evaluated as an unusual case, as a production made after the restrictions has received recognition at a major international awards ceremony. This nomination further reinforces the meaning that our dramas have proven their competitiveness beyond Asia and into the global market.
That evening, news of <The Great Garland> was broadcast. KBC quickly compiled its most iconic scenes and aired them as footage. frёeωebɳovel.com
—The drama <The Great Garland>, set against Korea’s turbulent period from the late 1940s to the 1960s, is a grand-scale work depicting the fateful meeting of a man and a woman in a port town, war, and the love and ambition that blossomed in the post-war recovery.
On screen, the face of young Taeseok riding an old bicycle across the port and the face of young Huijae carrying a water kettle to the servants flickered briefly.
Then came a scene where young Taeseok running across a battlefield transitioned into his adult self.
—With meticulous historical research, refined direction, and immersive performances by the actors, it received overwhelming love from viewers from the very beginning of its broadcast, earning the evaluation of “a new milestone in Korean modern historical dramas.”
Scenes of adult Taeseok and adult Huijae, portraying life of that era—breweries, U.S. military camps, night schools—filled the screen, and soon the news clip was uploaded to Intube.
INTUBE
[Is the nation’s drama going global? <The Great Garland> nominated for the Critics’ Choice Awards in the U.S.]
Views 238,772
-When she received the name, that bright, innocent joy, and those firm eyes... it really felt like there could have been a child who lived like that in such painful history. The synchronization was incredible. Not just Huijae, but the people of that era who did what they could even in the rain and wind were so beautiful.
-Truly a masterpiece among masterpieces. A drama like this absolutely deserves an award.
-TT__TT Even watching it again, Huijae is just my tear button, fck...
-I thought it would be re-evaluated later, but I didn’t expect it to reach the global stage this fast~ haha. Anyway, if you haven’t seen it, you can’t understand the depth of emotion!!
Algorithm.
What was it?
It referred to the phenomenon where, after watching a specific video on platforms like Intube, OTT, or SNS, related topics and figures kept appearing in succession.
For example, if you watched a hamster video once, then the next time you refreshed, you’d see videos like making snacks hamsters like or hamster animations.
“Why does this keep sticking to me. It’s so annoying.”
Eun Baekhap, too, had fallen under the control of the algorithm.
She had only watched a <The Great Garland> video to monitor her own appearance, yet Han Yeoreum’s face kept attaching itself alongside it.
“This means it’s showing up like this for other people too, right. Fuck....”
Thinking that anyone who searched her name would also have Han Yeoreum’s face constantly appearing in their feed made her frown.
At this moment, when <Faster Than the Law 2> and <The Great Garland> were both drawing attention, it seemed more and more people were clicking on any video that featured Han Yeoreum.
A fan video of Han Yeoreum that looked like it had been uploaded just days ago had skyrocketed in views.
INTUBE
[Trying the “Han Yeoreum Ordinary Girlfriend Experience”] 03:48
Views 118,331
To stop Han Yeoreum from further ruining her algorithm, Eun Baekhap clicked the video. She intended to press the “Do not recommend this content” button.
Han Yeoreum smiled brightly into the camera lens. She made finger hearts, mouthed “Have you eaten?”—she was busy.
“Doing all that ‘♡’ nonsense....”
Eun Baekhap instantly understood why the video had that title.
She tried to press down on Han Yeoreum’s face to stop the video, but misclicked and ended up adding a like.
“Ah, fuck.”
Eun Baekhap finally pressed the “Do not recommend this content” button. To remove the like, she would have had to tap Yeoreum’s face again, so she didn’t bother undoing it.
“This isn’t the time for this.”
She immediately began getting ready to go out, checking her dress. Soon, her face would spread across American media with the label “first from Korea.”
Her heart pounded like crazy. She couldn’t calm down at all.
The road to the Oscars. Now that its gates had opened.
‘I’ll get there before you, no matter what...!’
Thinking of Han Yeoreum—a junior who was already heading toward the U.S. just four years after debut—Eun Baekhap chose her dress.
She had her pride. She had to win the grand prize before Han Yeoreum and rise even higher.
And from the moment Eun Baekhap added that like—
INTUBE
Trending Now
▼ [Trying the “Han Yeoreum Ordinary Girlfriend Experience”] 03:48
Han Yeoreum’s fan cam shot up into trending.
* * *
Ding—.
「Mission Audience Temperature」
Keyword: Core Fans
Now that even core fans are rapidly increasing, there are people who will come to see you the moment they hear your name. Core fans, completely immersed in your perfect fan service, will become your strongest allies.
Success Condition
[Get a “legendary fan service” video into trending!]
Reward
[Fame] increases
B >>> B+
[A skill increases]
Sole Protagonist C >>> C+
Lucky Points 100,000p acquired
A status window appeared before my eyes. With this, the four missions that had been given along with the trophy at the awards ceremony two years ago were all completed successfully.
Then—
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
More mission windows appeared.
[「Mission My Life’s Work」
Keyword: Rewatch
A true life’s work never gets boring no matter how many times you watch it. Some works you watch once and move on, while others you return to again and again. Create a life’s work that will be engraved in hearts—lines, scenes, even the OST memorized completely.
Success Condition
[Achieve a 78% completion rate on OTT]
[「Mission Overseas Media」
Keyword: Hallyu
It’s time to expand into the world. Shall we make your name reach farther, to more people? So that anyone who hears it can immediately think, “Ah, that person!”
Success Condition
[Get 10,000 articles containing the term “Han yeoleum” published]
[「Mission A Trusted Triple」
Keyword: Ten Million
Shall we continue the success of the series? You’ve reached ten million once—now aim for triple ten million. Etch your name into your third ten-million film.
Success Condition
[Surpass ten million viewers!]
[「Mission One Step Higher」
Keyword: Best Supporting Actress
You’ve already won rookie awards at film festivals and acting awards. Now it’s time to step up. Solidify your position further with a Best Supporting Actress award.
Success Condition
[Win Best Supporting Actress!]
I looked at the status window and smiled.
Because—
‘I think I can do all of them....’
It truly felt like I could accomplish anything.
“Not done yet?”
“Hey, colt! Hurry up and put it on!”
“If the size doesn’t fit, should we change it...?”
“Yeoreum, just come out comfortably, comfortably.”
Noisy voices came from outside the door. Yun Hyeonjo, Kwak Cheolsik, Han Yohan, and Director Gong were waiting outside the dressing room.
Right now, <Faster Than the Law 2> was just about to hit five million. With the article about <The Great Garland>’s Critics’ Choice nomination, the film had completely sold out.
I tightly gripped the T-shirt with the <Faster Than the Law 2> logo printed on it. The texture against my fingertips told me this wasn’t a dream.
“I’ll change and come out right away!”
If the works with my name attached became someone’s life’s work, if people overseas knew Han Yeoreum, if I achieved three ten-million films and even won Best Supporting Actress—then how far could I go next?
“I should fix my bangs.”
“Hey, colt—aren’t you wearing a size too big? Did you lose weight?”
“You lose weight and gain it back anyway, so don’t worry too much—”
“We’ve got to go to the awards ceremony soon, you must be exhausted, Yeoreum. Still, let’s hang in there. We might... maybe... even hit double ten million. Am I getting ahead of myself? Was printing the five-million T-shirts first a mistake? What if we stop right here? Should we have made ten-million T-shirts too?”
The moment the <Faster Than the Law 2> team filmed their five-million promise video, total viewership surged toward six million.
It had only been a week since release.
* * *
INTUBE
[<Faster Than the Law 2> already at 5 million! A promise video filled with gratitude]
Views 98,112
-Did Han Yeoreum suggest this too T_T it’s so cute LMAO
-???: Did you diet? Just now?
-Pride of Korea~^^ Acting genius Han Yeoreum. Always supporting you. Hope you finish strong in the U.S. as well..
-At this rate they’ll be filming a ten-million promise next week LOLOLOL why is it so fast
Do Gyeoul quietly recalled her childhood as she watched Han Yeoreum.
Genius girl.
She had once been called that.
Because she could express mature emotions, because she could carry several minutes of dialogue alone, because she rarely made NGs, because she didn’t behave like a child.
Do Gyeoul had easily climbed to the position of a genius.
“You really need Gyeoul for the child role to come alive, right!”
“How can someone so young act this well, huh?”
“So smart, so smart. Once you’re twenty, you’ll be unstoppable!”
Do Gyeoul never placed much meaning in those words. Acting was easy for her. Every time people said she had fully immersed herself into a role, she found them laughable.
So she had never felt joy from the title of genius.
But what was this feeling now?
“Han Yeoreum....”
When she first saw Han Yeoreum, it had simply been amusing. Do Gyeoul was at the top, and Han Yeoreum was far below.
But Han Yeoreum’s excessively fast, explosive growth was now beginning to surpass her position.
The moment she realized that, watching Han Yeoreum was no longer purely enjoyable.
At some point, Do Gyeoul had gained a goal.
“Manager. Could you bring back the scripts the planning team reviewed?”
She wanted to firmly take the position above Han Yeoreum.
It was the first time Do Gyeoul had become greedy for the title of genius.
* * *
“Wow....”
“This is insane....”
This was the MBS Drama Center. The director was currently holding his forehead.
Right now, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the entertainment news was completely dominated by <The Great Garland> and <Faster Than the Law 2>.
Predictions for <The Great Garland>’s award,
Record-breaking success of <Faster Than the Law 2>,
Interviews with Ji Haebeom and Eun Baekhap,
Shin Seojin rising as a new advertising powerhouse,
Next projects of Myeong Jeha and Han Yeoreum.
There was practically no other entertainment news to be seen.
“They said they called Director Ja ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) for a special broadcast today, right? KBC is really going all in....”
KBC wasn’t just covering <The Great Garland> in the news. They had even invited Director Ja as a guest to hold a full conversation segment.
At a time when the economy had been shaken, KBC was practically injecting the public with a lethal dose of national pride.
The value of the broadcasting fee. Hallyu reaching America.
Watching KBC celebrate with full fanfare, the MBS director spoke with firm resolve.
“Everyone. Hold tight.”
“...Yes....”
Director So and the <Youth Disqualified!> team nodded.
“It’s coming our way!”
With <The Great Garland> nominated for the Critics’ Choice Awards, the Intube videos of <Youth Disqualified!> also began benefiting from the algorithm.
