Free Web Novel“Wow, as expected of Director Park!”
“He killed it....”
“The Episode 1 ending was seriously so well done, right?”
The moment the ending song for Episode 1 finished, the dinner venue erupted into noise.
“We got a crazy number of articles!”
“Where, let me see too.”
“Shin Seojin’s charismatic transformation? Ooooh-. Han Yeoreum’s intense entrance? Oooooooh-.”
The staff gathered around Director Park immediately started monitoring the articles on their phones. There was an obvious confidence that none of the pieces would have been uploaded maliciously.
‘Even I have to admit, it really is impactful.’
A figure who seemed to hold the key to this entire case, someone who instantly created the expectation that the suffocating atmosphere of the mystery would finally be broken open.
“What do you think the ratings will be? No way it hits double digits from Episode 1, right?”
“Come on. That’s too much.”
Satisfaction showed on the faces of the people chatting here and there.
The certainty that they had completed it properly.
You could feel the air that only exists at the starting line of a project destined to succeed. My heart was racing too, at Lee Seohae’s entrance, the kind of appearance that left a real impact before exiting.
“This feels good. Seriously.”
Beside me, Shin Seojin muttered under his breath.
“So this is what it feels like to be the lead.... Wow. This feels amazing.”
He looked oddly proud as he watched the expressions on the staff’s faces.
‘I know this feeling too.’
The confidence of knowing you’re the one pulling the entire project forward from the front. The exhilaration that swells every time things go well. I still couldn’t forget the wrap party for 〈Strange Tales〉.
“I’m only supporting cast, so if you keep subtly bragging like this, it’s a little unfair. You’re making me jealous.”
“Sorry, sorry. That’s why I gave you the Episode 1 ending. You know Episode 1 matters the most.”
If Episode 2 aired, what kind of reaction would the world have then?
What would people say after seeing my Lee Seohae?
“Let’s nail the action scenes too. Us.”
At Shin Seojin’s words, I deliberately didn’t answer. I only tapped my glass against the one he held out.
The clear clink of the glasses sounded unusually bright.
“But this isn’t cider, is it? It’s just water.”
“You need weight control.”
“I didn’t think you were this cold, sunbae.”
“Me? Cold?”
Shin Seojin laughed as if slightly dumbfounded.
“You said you’re going to film a commercial tomorrow-.”
Ah, right.
“How... did you know?”
That was when the staff monitoring the articles nearby each chimed in.
“After hearing that much bragging, anyone would remember. I stopped counting after ten.”
“Right! I even remember the exact date!”
“Seriously, we heard about it way too many times....”
So pretending not to remember and bragging one more time was a failure. What a shame....
‘Who am I?’
The CF fairy, Han Yeoreum, who had now even conquered the soju commercial—the symbol of stardom.
“Aww. Anyway, wasn’t the Episode 1 start amazing? Then let’s do one final cheers and get everyone ready for the remaining shoots.”
From far away, Director Park waved a green soju bottle in the air.
It was the exact product I’d be filming tomorrow.
“〈Unfair Trade〉-!”
“Fighting!”
Starting tomorrow, it would truly begin in earnest.
From here on, it would become a brutally busy forced march with barely a moment to breathe. But no one was worried.
Because everyone already knew that 〈Unfair Trade〉 wouldn’t end as merely the most anticipated drama of the second half—it would also go down as one of its biggest hits.
* * *
While the 〈Unfair Trade〉 team was [N O V E L I G H T] warmly finishing their Episode 1 dinner gathering, somewhere inside the SBC building, anxiety was leaking through the crack of a tightly shut door.
“Hooouuu....”
The SBC drama bureau director anxiously clasped both hands together. A faint sheen of sweat had formed on the forehead resting against the backs of his hands.
A first attempt.
There was a reason something that could have been handled safely had instead been dragged all the way here through a risky curve, and the SBC director himself had been one of those reasons.
In the head of the notoriously stability-obsessed SBC director, the image of the MBS director getting blasted by two consecutive early cancellations during the Korean content ban season flashed through his mind.
‘It should be starting by now.’
Nielsen Korea and the other ratings agencies would already be tallying real-time estimates.
“Normally we’d start by releasing the ratings coverage first, but....”
The SBC director lifted his head and checked the time.
The entertainment reporters were probably dying to write articles about the first broadcast ratings of Shin Seojin’s new drama between midnight and dawn.
And this was no ordinary project.
Looking back over the past ten years, 〈The Great Garland〉 had created one of the strongest presences in Korean drama history.
With Shin Seojin—the man called the greatest second male lead since the drama bureau was founded—and Han Yeoreum, the rising actress who had never once failed in a project, the SBC director had placed an embargo out of fear that even the slightest stumble could happen.
It was the cautious decision expected of an elite among elites.
“Once the official statistics page goes up... then, then we can release the materials.... Right. Exactly.... I should just head home for now.”
They had to be careful of possible reverse-viral issues.
If the article released at dawn and the ratings announced in the morning ended up different, 〈Unfair Trade〉 would start its run already surrounded by noise.
The SBC director stood from his seat and slipped on the jacket he had taken off.
He would go home, take a clean shower, come in early the next morning, and check the ratings—
Tick.
Glance.
Tick.
Glance.
Tick.
“Ah, why is time moving so slowly?!”
After repeatedly glancing at the clock, the SBC director finally exploded in frustration. In the end, he tore the jacket he had just put on right back off.
And instead of going home, he chose to stay up all night with bloodshot eyes, monitoring everything.
INTUBE
[Intense first entrance, Han Yeoreum as an IQ 160 perfect criminal profiler this time? ⎢〈Unfair Trade〉]
-That entrance scene is legendary holy shit LMAO
˪ fr Han Yeoreum’s filmography NEEDS this
-Please let her do more roles like this TT_TT she’s the smart one but not one of those forced-genius characters, she actually feels believable
˪ ? It’s only Episode 1, what do you mean believable...
˪ I read the original source you bastard don’t pick a fight
[HOT/ The Episode 1 drama that’s absolutely blowing up among drama addicts right now.jpg]
(〈Unfair Trade〉 poster.jpg)
The drama that already caused chaos from casting alone with Adult Taejin X Baby Huijae
(Trash-house murder case.jpg)
The case is the case, but the characters were cast so damn perfectly it’s making every genre nerd’s heart race;
(〈Unfair Trade〉 Shin Seojin action scene.jpg)
(〈Unfair Trade〉 Han Yeoreum entrance scene.jpg)
Physical detective X brainy criminal profiler
This combo works
-Anonymous 1: Shin Seojin bulking up this time is so damn good..T_T his hair’s super short but he kinda looks like a national judo athlete
˪ Anonymous 4: omg that description is perfect LOLOLOL seriously his face totally has that national-athlete vibe
-Anonymous 23: Personally it surpasses the original.. the pacing of Episode 1 flowed so well, and I liked that it wasn’t too brutally graphic
-Anonymous 49: I wish tomorrow would come faster. I’m waiting like crazy for Episode 2.
-Anonymous 101: Han Yeoreum handles this kind of role better than expected LOOOLL later I really want her to do a rom-com once, like that goofy role in Influ1..T_T actresses who can cross genres are so rare
Han Yeoreum only had two lines.
She didn’t even last ten seconds on screen, yet she was already drawing attention.
Seeing the reactions, the anxiety slowly started fading.
“Hm.”
The SBC director looked deeply satisfied with Episode 1 of 〈Unfair Trade〉, which seemed to be receiving positive reactions everywhere.
And finally, 7 a.m.
“Director!”
The Episode 1 ratings for 〈Unfair Trade〉.
“The nationwide average came out to 8.3%!”
A number far above the projected average.
“...Then let’s begin.”
The Episode 1 ratings article for 〈Unfair Trade〉 was uploaded immediately.
[Shin Seojin・Han Yeoreum’s 〈Unfair Trade〉 blows up Episode 1... records 8.3% ratings] freёweɓnovel.com
[Trash house arson case? Turns out it was a ‘trash house murder case’—〈Unfair Trade〉 opens with a powerful ending and 8.3% for Episode 1]
[Han Yeoreum’s “I’m criminal profiler Lee Seohae” leaves a powerful first impression... perfect chemistry with Shin Seojin incoming?]
At long last, the genre-drama boom was about to begin.
* * *
Meanwhile, Haebo Brewery had achieved an astonishing level of success in Taiwan.
[Hallyu, now alcohol too? More than 8,000 customers flood the 〈Creamy Soda〉 pop-up store... “This is what’s popular in Korea” causes a stir]
[A new beginning for low-ABV drinks, Haebo Brewery Chairwoman Han Myeongsuk reveals the secret behind the Taiwan export success: “I wanted to share Korea’s elegance and flavor”]
[The class of K-culture, Korean makgeolli loved around the world? 〈Creamy Soda〉 creates an ‘open run’ phenomenon]
As 〈The Great Garland〉 progressed through its episodes, the standing of Korean content in Taiwan changed completely.
They truly struck while the iron was hot.
To what extent?
It had gotten to the point where—
“—The popularity of 〈The Great Garland〉 grows hotter by the day. Customers are lining up at the pop-up store just to buy products from Haebo Brewery, which has Korean star Han Yeoreum as its exclusive model....”
It was making the news.
At some point, signs had started appearing regularly at the 〈Creamy Soda〉 pop-up.
[Sold Out]
[Sold Out]
[X X X]
All of the Han Yeoreum merchandise they had prepared was completely sold out.
And that wasn’t all.
Even after the pop-up ended, the popularity didn’t cool.
Director Ja Sokhwan’s manipulation, which had made Korean viewers collectively scream, seemed to have hit Taiwanese viewers even harder.
The reaction felt like a roller coaster plunging downward.
-Whenever my chest starts hurting, I rewatch Episode 2. This is the only real Huijae and Taeseok.
-Hee jae... T.T Hee jae... T.T Hee jae... T.T
-Everyone has completely lost their minds. The Taiwanese government needs to arrest Ja Sokhwan.
-Every time I see Huijae’s face at the supermarket I physically can’t walk away, damn it! I bought it again today.
Every brand Han Yeoreum modeled for saw the effect immediately.
And if you had to pick the number one beneficiary, without question it was Haebo Brewery.
Among all the major franchise corporations, only Haebo Brewery’s 〈Creamy Soda〉 had still felt unfamiliar in Taiwan.
Surrounded by giant brands like Burger Queen, P-kari, and SAUS, Haebo Brewery successfully cemented the image of itself as “Han Yeoreum’s alcohol.”
The marketing had landed perfectly.
The contract that had originally been for the three signature 〈Creamy Soda〉 flavors to be stocked in major supermarket shelves was revised.
All products.
Han Myeongsuk of Haebo Brewery unconsciously parted her deep red lipstick-painted lips.
“My goodness....”
She had never once imagined a day like this would come.
When Han Myeongsuk saw Haebo Brewery’s alcohol stocked on the shelves of a major supermarket—at eye-level prime placement, no less—she felt her heart tremble.
“Relax, relax! Oh my, there’s no need to be nervous just because you’re the ad model! How can the real thing be this adorable?”
“...Chairwoman, your voice is a little loud....”
“It’s absolutely perfect for the Fresh Leaf Soju image, absolutely perfect!”
That was why.
“So pure and refreshing and clear and cool and spotless and innocent and bright and dazzling....”
Unable to overcome the pounding in her heart that felt like being hit by a truck, Haebo Brewery Chairwoman Han Myeongsuk had ultimately stormed all the way onto the CF filming set.
[Our newly appeared first love♥︎ Han Yeoreum]
With an enormous bouquet cradled in her arms.
