Free Web NovelEven if they didn’t win, the mere fact that Korea’s top actors were attending an international ceremony known as the “Little Oscars” was welcome news in itself.
“Wow. This is insane.”
There were already quite a lot of reporters waiting at the airport. And not just them.
Ever since <The Great Garand>, the actors’ fanbase had expanded significantly, and so-called “fansite photographers” had gathered in large numbers.
At last, vans began arriving one after another. It was the <The Great Garand> team, right on schedule.
Airport guards put their earpieces in and formed up. The crowd surged forward all at once.
“Kyaaaaaaa!”
“Ah, fuck—don’t push!”
Click-click-click-click—! From the moment Ji Haebeom appeared, the sound of shutters didn’t stop for even a second.
Pushing, pulling, chasing—absolute chaos. Reporters, fansite photographers, and even bystanders watching from the second floor all snapped photos nonstop.
Reporter Wi also captured Ji Haebeom, Eun Baekhap, and Shin Seojin in sequence. Near him, someone shouted loudly.
“So fucking cute!”
“Thank you—!”
That voice seemed to hit his eardrums. The moment he heard it, Reporter Wi realized Yeoreum was nearby. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
Their eyes finally met.
‘Yeoreum!!!’
Han Yeoreum wasn’t wearing sunglasses—the must-have item of celebrity airport fashion—and instead was making eye contact with every single person gathered there.
Then she saw Reporter Wi, and a flicker of recognition lit up her eyes. His finger slammed the shutter like it had a motor.
“Sorry, we’ll move a little faster—!”
The guards picked up the pace to get through departure procedures as quickly as possible.
The clicking of cameras didn’t die down until the <The Great Garand> team disappeared through the gate.
Reporter Wi immediately pulled the memory card out of his camera. He needed to upload the article.
[Han Yeoreum departing for the Critics Choice Awards, ‘I’m Baby Melon Bread’]
[The reconstruction history of the Korean War—will it resonate in the U.S.? Anticipation builds for <The Great Garand>]
The moment the article went up, the views surged. Entertainment news sections were instantly flooded with photos of the <The Great Garand> team.
* * *
The moment Eun Baekhap sat down in her seat, she began cleansing her face. To protect her skin from the dry cabin air, she applied a collagen sheet mask, then ordered cold green tea. She slipped yoga rings onto her calves to prevent swelling and put on a neck pillow.
“Baekhap, here—stress ball.”
“Thanks.”
Squeezing the stress ball her manager handed her, Eun Baekhap placed a heated eye mask over her eyes and closed them.
The moment the flight landed, interview requests would come flooding in.
At a time like this, every single word mattered.
The Korean drama industry had been expected to falter after losing Chinese investment—but instead, it had surged forward.
There wasn’t a single celebrity in Asia who didn’t understand what that meant.
If <The Great Garand> succeeded in winning at this ceremony, the scale of overseas investment—once reserved only for top stars—would expand.
Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan—money from across Asia was ready to flow into Korea’s film and drama industry.
And that moment depended on the <The Great Garand> team.
Eun Baekhap went over her prepared English lines again. If her pronunciation slipped even slightly, it would follow her forever like a label.
“Unni, should I start filming the vlog now? Or after we get to the hotel?”
“Let’s film a bit now and decide at the hotel depending on how we feel.”
A foolish-sounding voice came from a nearby seat, and Eun Baekhap’s brow creased.
‘Does she not understand what this is? She has zero sense of the atmosphere....’
Maybe because she was a rookie, she didn’t grasp the weight of this event. As Eun Baekhap quietly clenched her fist, her perceptive manager slipped earplugs into her ears.
After more than ten hours of flight, they arrived in LA.
The moment the gate doors opened, local foreign press and Korean reporters began firing their shutters. Reporters pushed microphones toward Ji Haebeom and Eun Baekhap.
“This is the first time a Korean production has been nominated for the Critics Choice Awards. What do you think is the reason for that?”
Ji Haebeom delivered his prepared answer. His accent and pronunciation were natural.
“Well... this work deals with the historical tragedy of war and the struggles of ordinary people, but in truth, it speaks about universal human loss and hope. I believe its greatest strength is that it resonates beyond language and borders.”
A question was directed at Eun Baekhap as well.
“How do you feel about being nominated for the Critics Choice Awards?”
“It still doesn’t feel real. At the same time, I’m happy, as it feels like I’ve grown another step as an actress. I feel both pride and responsibility knowing that more people around the world are watching this work.”
Having delivered her prepared lines perfectly, Eun Baekhap smiled with satisfaction. The cameras captured her pure, elegant expression.
Since it wasn’t a formal interview, that was enough. She followed the guards forward.
‘Did Myeong Jeha live abroad or something? His pronunciation’s decent.’
The reporters’ microphones were already shifting toward the younger actors behind them. As Eun Baekhap half-listened to Myeong Jeha’s response, her attention suddenly sharpened.
‘What?’
Han Yeoreum was answering in quite fluent English.
* * *
[Foreign Language — Smooth as a Sip of Butterbeer]
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‘Please, please, please. Not much time left.’
I smiled brightly while watching the decreasing time stat. I had bought this item using the Lucky Points I got from the last mission.
‘Thank god... I don’t have to talk for more than five minutes....’
Because the item is insanely expensive.
Even just delivering a short line, sweat was running down my back.
Honestly, it was just a brief interview, nothing that serious, but...
‘I just wanted °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° to look impressive.’
Are you watching, Summer Days? You’ll definitely see this on Intube later, right? It might get re-edited and circulate as [Han Yeoreum not intimidated even in the U.S. interview, whoa]. I can’t let my fans lose face.
‘Who am I?’
An actress who created buzz with just four episodes, earned the title of Nation’s First Love, starred in a film that surpassed 7 million viewers shortly after release, saw her vlog views climb with anticipation for her next project, entered the U.S. market in just her fourth year since debut, and received a vow of eternal love from her fans.
Han Yeoreum.
The moment I got into the van, I let out a deep breath.
“Phew...”
“Yeoreum! You did so well.”
“When did you even prepare all that for the interview? Did you practice all night again?”
It’s item power. But I put on a look of earnest pride that made them adore me and nodded.
“Yes...”
There will now be a short segment of Yeoreum is so admirable. As I soaked in the praise, I looked out the window.
‘I actually made it to America in this lifetime....’
Even though it was winter, the air was much warmer than in Korea. Palm trees stretched under a blue sky. Yellow taxis. A huge “Welcome to Los Angeles” sign at the airport. English radio playing in the car.
My heart pounded at the unfamiliar scenery as the car drove smoothly forward.
The moment we entered the hotel lobby, the atmosphere shifted completely. A grand chandelier and marble floors gleamed brilliantly.
‘So this is... what it feels like to be a successful actress...?’
Someday, I hope this place becomes known as “the hotel Han Yeoreum stayed at.”
After checking in, I went up to my room.
Through the wide-open window, LA’s night view spread out before me. I immediately turned on the camera. To commemorate coming to the Critics Choice, I planned to upload a vlog on Intube for the first time in a while.
“This is my room. Oh? What’s this on the table... Ah, I think it’s a gift. They prepared wine. I’ll take the card as a keepsake.”
I filmed a full tour of the room.
“I’m really, really nervous. It’s my first time in America... I don’t know if I’ll do well tomorrow.”
Lying on the bed, I spoke to the camera like I was on a video call.
“But I’ll do well, right? I’ll be less nervous tomorrow, right?”
Even I thought that line sounded cute. It had that fresh rookie charm, and somehow made people want to protect me...?
I paused the recording and re-shot it. About ten times.
Because when a line hits just right, it has to come out with the cutest expression possible when people replay it.
“Alright. That’s it for today’s vlog.”
I placed the camera beside the bed and stared at the ceiling.
“This is really LA....”
The hotel bedding rustled softly, carrying a pleasant scent. Maybe it was the jet lag, or maybe it just didn’t feel real yet, but my head felt slightly hazy.
I never imagined I’d come to a place I had always dreamed of visiting so soon.
My heart pounded wildly. I was so nervous, there was no way I’d be able to sleep tonight—
“Yeoreum! Yeoreum!” freēwēbηovel.c૦m
“Yes?”
“You need to get up now.”
Huh? What? I slept way too well.
When I opened my eyes, the hotel room was already filled with staff. Huge cases, silver metal makeup boxes, and—
“Director?”
I stared at Dok Gogyeol in shock.
Wait. Dok Gogyeol came all the way to America?
“Ah, seriously...”
Holding a brush, Dok Gogyeol smiled lightly.
“I don’t fly over ten hours for jobs like this—”
Her gaze fixed on me, certain.
“Unless it’s a real top.”
Eun Baekhap’s side must have contacted her too. They went to the same salon as me.
And yet, she chose me.
“Go wash up. Before I change my mind.”
“Ah—wait! I’ll be super quick!”
It meant that in Dok Gogyeol’s eyes, I had more potential to rise than Eun Baekhap.
Higher.
All the way to the top.
* * *
Hwang Jihye looked at Han Yeoreum after the long preparation was finally complete. Dok Gogyeol, having finished the makeup with great care, clapped briefly, forgetting her fatigue.
“Perfect. Seriously.”
Ryu Risa’s choice was a deep navy dress layered over a soft gray base.
To avoid making her look too young, the dress was made of luxurious satin, the hem shimmering subtly with every step.
Unlike Huijae’s neat bob, Han Yeoreum’s hair had grown to brush her collarbones.
A calm, clean impression. It looked as if Huijae—the girl from <The Great Garand>—had grown up beautifully.
Like she stood somewhere between young Huijae and adult Huijae.
With much lighter makeup than usual, her delicate, sculpted features stood out even more. Every time she smiled, the soft nude tones on her cheeks and lips glowed gently.
“Let’s go!”
Manager Choi grabbed Yeoreum’s hand and led her out of the hotel room.
With every step toward the van, the necklace around her neck caught the light and sparkled.
The road to the Critics Choice red carpet felt unusually short. Inside the van, the staff felt a strange sense of exhilaration.
Not long ago, Han Yeoreum had been a rookie who had just debuted in web dramas.
People often said overnight success was common in this industry—but Han Yeoreum kept setting new records.
First. First. First.
The more titles were attached to her name, the more brilliantly she grew.
Where would she go next?
Han Yeoreum was an actress who gave people that heart-racing anticipation.
“Alright, Yeoreum.”
At last, the van reached the red carpet area. The noise outside grew louder.
Actors giving interviews, fans cheering, shutters clicking endlessly, flashes bursting even through the tinted windows.
Coordinator Hwang gave Han Yeoreum one final check—down to the last strand of hair.
“Go.”
Yeoreum nodded. There was a hint of tension on her face.
Click—
The heavy door of the black van slid open, and Han Yeoreum carefully stepped out.
In that instant, dozens of cameras flashed at once.
Watching her small back as she walked confidently onto the red carpet, Hwang Jihye clenched her fists.
Forward.
Step by step, moving further ahead, Yeoreum grew smaller in the distance. Flashes exploded on both sides.
Standing at the very center of the red carpet, Yeoreum raised her hand and waved.
As if they had been waiting for her.
That smile—
It was as if she had been preparing for this moment her entire life.
