Free Web Novel* * *
The second day was also an indoor shoot. I greeted the village residents who barged into the house with tired eyes, spoke to them in a voice full of annoyance, and handled their requests with hurried, prickly movements as if there was no other choice if I didn’t do it. Just like Jung Yeondu, who used to shoulder every task alone.
“Being young really is the best.”
“Oh my. Thank you~.” frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
“Here, eat this. Hm? If it’s not enough, tell me.”
Working together with various extras like this was a new experience.
There were no NGs today either. Instead, everything turned out so well that the filming team was delighted, saying they didn’t know which cut to use, and Director So was moved again by today’s acting.
‘So this is... the flavor of being the protagonist....’
No matter how many times I felt it, it was still so sweet.
“Yeoreum.... that gradient irritation. I love it. Especially how the easier the task is, the more faintly the anger seeps out....”
People with this kind of personality usually showed stronger anger toward being asked to do something that “they could easily figure out themselves with just a little effort.” Rather than being asked to do something difficult from the start, they tended to get more annoyed by little errands.
‘Good thing I lived as the part-time job king.’
Meeting all kinds of people in all kinds of places was helping me again like this. Even a life not spent acting ultimately ended with acting as its destination.
I had only lived as Jung Yeondu for two days, but it felt like I could grasp her perfectly now. Because—
‘My shoulders get stiff whenever I rest for a moment.’
The urge to snatch up objects before I even finish listening to explanations, the emotion that wells up every time I listen to someone speak, the fastidious refusal to help anyone and refusal to receive help from anyone.
Those things made my body tense out of habit.
I opened my palm once. The fingertips that had just sent a text message on behalf of Grandma Jeong’s grandson were tingling. It was because I had tapped the keyboard irritably.
‘I think tomorrow, even more... I can live as a slightly more perfect Jung Yeondu....’
I slowly curled my palm as I thought. Even without seeing the fully edited video, I could already sense what scenes would unfold. I had never felt this way before.
‘The more lines I say, the more I start to understand Yeondu.’
This feeling was new. It felt like I was absorbing a part of the character as-is.
* * *
MBS was putting its life on the line for Intube. Several videos were uploaded every single day.
“No, seriously, how many are they uploading per week...?”
News that MBS had completely lost in web drama buzz, topic level, and viewer response had already spread throughout the industry long ago.
“Wow. They’re going all in, huh?”
The attitude of merely creating an Intube channel and maintaining it casually was gone; now they were actively gathering subscribers.
“At this rate, won’t they catch up to Intube subscribers?”
“My friend who works at MBS said a new Web Content Department was just created there.”
“Ah, those crazy bastards!”
The influence of public broadcasting still held considerable weight even on Intube.
[MBS Masterpiece Theater♥ This is where the history of delulu fangirling begins...!︎]
They uploaded clips from past dramas that were previously available only as paid content on the official website,
[Even Yun Hyeonjo used to be a baby, okay? He had a grubby-grubby era, okay? It’s real, okay?]
and they even made compilation videos of variety shows and interviews that would appeal to fans of popular celebrities.
@Channel Press-and-Hold Fixed M-Kkook-Bbi-Kkook
A channel that gathers only the ♥FUN︎♥ videos from MBS-!
A tiny broadcasting station in your hand (｡› ▿ ‹｡) Subscribe-press tight!︎
Subscribers: 665,000
A broadcasting company that had led pop culture for so long truly was on another level. Their history ensured there was no difficulty in captivating the public.
“They completely removed the discomfort of having to watch from the homepage?”
“And they didn’t even attach ads in the beginning /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ of the videos...!”
It was a clean execution. The seasoned experience of veterans who excelled at handling sudden situations showed. The atmosphere at JC ENM, which had been basking in the joy of dominating public-broadcasting Intube channels, dimmed slightly.
“Ah, damn. Are they crazy....”
And this impact went straight to JC ENM’s Web Content Department, tormenting Team Leader Seong. This was inside the new headquarters building of the agency JC ENM, located in Cheongdam-dong.
“Argh... f***ing MBS.”
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
It was the samgyeopsal restaurant near the office. Team Leader Seong wetted his throat with soju and slammed his glass down with a loud thud. The table shook roughly.
“Newbie... can’t you tell just by looking? Team Leader Seong won’t be going home for a while. He’s gonna end up living at the company again.”
The Web Content Department and the PR Team were inseparable. Since they had just launched, they needed results to show.
They had achieved huge success with 〈ParCheHi〉 and were now planning the production of the next web drama, which made things even more urgent.
“Jegal Rok says we need to make our own content. At this rate, I’m gonna get dark circles like that guy-!”
It wasn’t only JC ENM employees who were watching the rise of public broadcasting. Jegal Rok was also paying sharp attention.
Now that a new era was opening, taking the lead was more important than anything.
“Original content, huh.... Hmm... like the kind on magazine Intube channels?”
Magazines like Le-el and Marie Claire uploaded videos like ‘What’s In My Bag’ or ‘Today’s Casual Look,’ turning footage of celebrities who came for photo shoots into content. Team Leader Seong nodded at Chief Hong’s example.
“But that’s not the kind of trivial content he wants.... My head is going to explode.”
Magazine Intube channels didn’t perform exceptionally well. They averaged around two to three thousand views, and on a good day, they managed to exceed a hundred thousand.
“So— what Chief Director Jegal Rok wants is...”
“Money.”
“With influence added on top.”
All three let out a sigh.
This was not going to be easy. Each of them took out their phones, trying to gather ideas even in the noisy samgyeopsal restaurant.
“But Chief Director Jegal Rok is really keeping an eye on Han Yeoreum.”
“Right. I don’t know why he hasn’t scooped her up already.”
“You never know. But that guy always sees the big picture. The one nobody else sees.”
At that moment, Yeoreum appeared again on Newbie Shin’s feed. It was the script-reading video he had watched multiple times.
‘Original content... can’t we start with Han Yeoreum?’
Newbie Shin unconsciously focused his thoughts on Han Yeoreum.
“Then how about something like ASMR? The content is fresh, so it’ll probably get good views. We can adjust the theme depending on the dramas or movies our company produces, it’ll cut promotional costs, and most importantly—.”
Once he imagined Yeoreum in it, Newbie Shin could speak without hesitation.
“Just turning on her voice would make people replay it several times.”
Chief Hong and Team Leader Seong exchanged looks.
“That’s....”
“Pretty good.”
It felt like JC ENM’s Intube channel could bring in another new trend with a fresh piece of original content.
* * * fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
PD Hwang and the lighting team left at dawn to check the condition of the filming location. Even while being touched by the early morning dew, they didn’t feel tired.
“Ah— the air is great.”
“Right? It’s different from Seoul.”
As they walked toward the village hall, they immersed themselves in work talk again. The third day of shooting. At some point, the name Jung Yeondu felt more familiar than Han Yeoreum. The image of Pi Chaewon that had hovered before filming <No Interest Whatsoever> had already disappeared long ago.
“It’s such a shame it’s only one episode.”
“They could’ve added one more character and made it a two-parter.”
It felt like a waste to have only one. Those who had watched Yeoreum’s acting up close made an instinctive judgment. The body language soaked with life’s details shone brilliantly within the frame.
“We checked the water truck schedule, right?”
“Yeah. Since it’s evening, we need to lay everything near the lighting setup in the afternoon.”
Those who had watched Yeoreum’s naturalistic acting as Jung Yeondu began to look forward to the climax sequence. The scene where Jung Yeondu, who carried all emotions alone, finally bursts open.
“Ha. It’ll be bad if we get lots of NGs then... there’s the actor’s condition to consider too.”
“Hasn’t she pretty much never had an NG so far? I think it’ll finish fast.”
“No. It’s hard to burst emotions. Even kids who never stumble on lines normally end up stumbling in scenes like that.”
They began preparing for the shoot while discussing whether this scene would surpass the rooftop tear scene from 〈ParCheHi〉 that had amazed everyone.
One thing was certain: this one-episode drama would linger long in the viewers’ hearts.
“Yeoreum has arrived-!”
As soon as the set was ready, Yeoreum arrived right away, as if to avoid making the staff wait.
