Manager Hong of JC ENM, who had been monitoring everything, smiled. It would not have been an exaggeration to say that every algorithm was currently revolving around the “Anadyo” Challenge.
-“Why is Myeong Jeha’s Anadyo so damn long; what is this, a ten-hour challenge?”
˪ “LMAOOO ah holy shit”
˪ “LOLOLOL TT_TT I can’t turn it off”
-“Yun Hyeonjo isn’t even trying to slur the pronunciation, this is basically just ‘hug me’ not Anadyo”
-“...Wait? What’s up with Kwak Cheolsik...? Who even told him to do that...”
˪ “Supply nobody asked for holy shit LOOOL”
-“I watched every Anadyo version but nobody can beat the original. Everyone else feels kinda lacking”
˪ “facts”
˪ “Honestly she fits it the best~ LOOL baby flying squirrel^^”
As much as <Funny Bunny Harmony> exploded in popularity, mentions of Han Yeoreum skyrocketed vertically. And that wasn’t all.
-“Noah Williams is apparently a Han Yeoreum fan LOLOLOL The people who kept bitching about the casting early on must be dying of embarrassment..T_T”
˪ “They’re deleting comments and running away right now”
˪ “But seriously this is the first time Noah has specifically singled out one actor by name;; Not America or Europe either, how did he even discover some actress from this tiny little South Joseon”
˪ “Surely not because of ParCheHi”
˪ “LMAOOO ah fuck LMAO ParCheHi is insane” ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Noah Williams.
The moment the name of that brilliant genius attached itself to Han Yeoreum, a new image she had never possessed before was created.
Legitimacy.
Director Namgung Cheon’s <Crossing Lines>, one of Korea’s masterworks. Director Eom Gyun’s <War with the Rule of Law>, where every film effortlessly surpassed profitability.
The legitimacy possessed by Myeong Jeha, the actor in his twenties whose works had both crossed ten million viewers.
Han Yeoreum was beginning to claim that legitimacy for herself.
[Hollywood Love Call? No, Now Hollywood Comes “Directly”... “I Love Han Yeoreum,” Noah Williams’s Choice]
[Noah Williams, Music Director of <Fever>, <Circuit and Grand Prix>, <Orbit1989>, and <Funny Bunny Harmony>: “My Next Project Is a Korean Film”]
[Hollywood Music Master Appears... News of Noah Williams Joining <Faster Than the Law 3> Causes Uproar]
The power carried by the title “Chosen by Noah Williams” was enormous.
“At this point the investors won’t be able to sit still either.”
Before entering production, the most important thing wasn’t the shooting schedule or filming location.
It was the budget.
Exactly as Manager Hong predicted, massive PPL deals started flooding into 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 riding on the value of Noah Williams’s name.
At present, Han Yeoreum was a rising actress, not an A-list actress. Because she still lacked several qualifications necessary to become one.
To become A-list, you needed hit works, representative works, prestigious awards, and finally recognition from a master.
Manager Hong smiled as he thought of Han Yeoreum, who had somehow managed to obtain recognition from a true master.
The explosive momentum of <Funny Bunny Harmony> combined with the master’s name doubled public anticipation for Han Yeoreum’s next project.
“Then let’s ride this momentum and begin the next chapter.”
* * *
The Holy Grail War of actresses.
It was the topic that had recently set communities on fire and the issue entertainment reporters were currently paying the most attention to.
Reporter Wi checked his camera memory card while heading toward the script-reading site.
“What do you think, sunbae?”
Wi Jaehwi asked the senior reporter famous for accurately predicting first-episode ratings. The older reporter merely shrugged.
“Who knows?”
“Why don’t you know?!”
“Because nothing from episode one has been released yet.”
At present, only the synopsis and character introductions had been revealed. Everything else remained uncertain.
Some predicted Woo Seungri’s victory. Others said, “Still, it’s Hwang Boseok.” And others claimed this would become Do Gyeoul’s new beginning after pushing Eun Baekhap aside.
Incidentally, Eun Baekhap’s filmography success rate had been so disastrous lately that everyone sighed whenever it came up.
“Still, dramas are writer games....”
Reporter Wi let out a light sigh.
Currently, Hwang Boseok possessed a career that completely crushed every other writer alive. They wanted to believe in him.
“As long as Seo Eden does well.”
The senior reporter nodded as well. There wasn’t a single person in the industry unaware of Han Yeoreum’s acting skills. Accordingly, nobody worried about her side.
And shortly afterward, during the script reading held at MBS—
‘...More than I expected....’
‘But still...’
‘Something feels... lacking....’
Seo Eden delivered acting that was about a five out of ten.
* * *
“You did well, you did well.”
After the script reading ended, Hwang Boseok and Byeon Juhwa patted Seo Eden on the shoulder. After enduring hellish acting training, Seo Eden had at least reached the point where criticizing him felt awkward.
A large part of that came from genius writer Hwang Boseok completely rewriting Seo Eden’s dialogue throughout pre-production.
The lines truly flowed as if Seo Eden had become Jeon Segye himself.
“I’ll seriously do even better on the first day of filming!”
Seo Eden answered energetically. After practicing various scenes with him, they discovered Seo Eden was the type who shined more on set. Rather than diction or line delivery, he was far better at speaking with his body.
Especially comedic physical scenes. No matter where or when, he executed them perfectly. As if determined to teach the world what true public humiliation looked like, he acted with possessed intensity.
Slipping down stairs, kicking away flyers on the floor by accident, smashing his nose into a closing door for a split second.
After seeing that, Byeon Juhwa summarized him in a single sentence.
“He’s the type that evolves?”
There were actors who grew through the unique atmosphere of a filming set itself.
The type strong in real combat.
We decided to begin filming faster than any other production. Before filming even started, pre-production continued nonstop like a training camp. Nobody could stop the burning enthusiasm of Hwang Boseok and Byeon Juhwa.
During the relentless schedule, Writer Hwang finally sent me away.
“Miss Yeoreum, you should go.”
“Huh? But....”
“When I say go, go. You’re someone who doesn’t need further analysis anymore.”
At that moment, Writer Hwang and Director Byeon practically shoved me elsewhere.
That somewhere was none other than SSS Ryu Risa’s office.
“From here to here.”
“...What exactly is all this?”
The two-story clothing rack was completely packed with outfits.
“Today’s fitting clothes.”
From sponsored outfits sent by companies to clothes personally prepared by Ryu Risa herself.
Countless outfits waited for me.
Honestly, I’d probably worn more clothes preparing for 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 than I had throughout my entire life.
Watching the endless pile of clothing accumulate made my heart pound.
Visuals, one of the major pillars carrying the drama.
‘SSS Ryu Risa chose me.’
The moment the Holy Grail War began, Do Gyeoul, Hong Suryeon, and even Eun Baekhap all sought out Team Leader Ryu.
But the one Ryu Risa chose was me, Han Yeoreum.
That alone made me certain victory in visuals belonged to this side.
Constantly changing fashion would add entertainment value. Seo Eden was the type of actor who grew on set, while Director Byeon would cover his lacking acting ability through directing skill. And on top of that—Korea’s greatest writer, Hwang Boseok.
Even if the script reading hadn’t been perfect, one corner of my heart still felt secure.
“Ang!”
As if reminding me not to forget my true purpose, Beopsun poked his head out and barked.
* * *
Eun Baekhap began a diet from hell.
She consumed the absolute minimum amount of food while attending ballet lessons.
“Fuck.... This time I’m seriously going to kill them all....”
Every single day, Eun Baekhap used fury itself as fuel while putting on toe shoes. Despite the vicious words leaving her mouth, her face remained breathtakingly pure.
Even the motion of tying up her long straight hair looked elegant and beautiful. Her pronounced shoulder blades stood out clearly.
“Unniii... This project is seriously going to become legendaryyy....”
Eun Baekhap’s coordinator covered their mouth with both hands ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) in emotion. The more weight Eun Baekhap lost, the brighter her pure elegance shone.
The moment she closed her mouth, her uniquely sorrowful aura naturally emerged. Simply standing still made her existence itself feel like a narrative.
“Let me see that.”
Eun Baekhap then requested sponsorship from Brand D, where she currently served as an ambassador. Even the notoriously arrogant Brand D gladly accepted the request of a top actress.
Not because of the project’s success potential, but because Eun Baekhap wore Brand D’s products better than anyone else.
The combination of Brand D’s signature elegant jacket and tulle skirt.
This would become Eun Baekhap’s new trademark in the project.
Since SSS Ryu Risa had been stolen away, Eun Baekhap’s ability to pull off extreme high-end fashion was the card their side intended to use.
After changing clothes, Eun Baekhap straightened her back.
A perfectly painted ballerina stood reflected in the mirror.
“It looks like clothes made specifically for you, unniii....”
Her coordinator gasped in admiration.
At that moment, Eun Baekhap was perfection itself.
* * *
Hong Suryeon headed to a boxing gym. The moment she opened the door, she frowned at the smell of sweat.
“Hellooo!”
Everyone in the gym lost focus one after another at the sight of her beauty. Hong Suryeon walked toward a man sitting inside the ring, breathing heavily beneath a towel draped over his head.
“Oppa!”
When Hong Suryeon yanked away the towel, Yoo Jiuk’s face was revealed.
Since he would be playing dual roles in 〈There Is Only One Culprit〉, their side planned to focus the styling almost entirely around Yoo Jiuk.
Hong Suryeon’s greatest weapon as a beautiful actress—
Yoo Jiuk, the item who became twice as handsome when placed beside her.
If Han Yeoreum had SSS Ryu Risa and Eun Baekhap had high-end fashion, then this side planned to use the male actor who would appear beside her in every scene.
“What are you resting for?! Run! Sweat more and starve yourself! Writer Hwang already started filming!”
At Hong Suryeon’s shout, Yoo Jiuk’s sharply raised eyebrows twisted.
“Ah, this damn girl keeps nagging nonstop telling me what to do. I’ll handle it myself.”
“You’re dumb, so you should just listen to meee!”
Hong Suryeon grabbed Yoo Jiuk by the collar.
“Starting today I’m monitoring whether you eat carbs or nottt!”
“Who are you to do that?! Who are you?!”
Hong Suryeon shook his collar violently.
“Because oppa has to become my background! If you ruin my project I won’t let you liveee...!”
“Why is this your project?! Are you filming it alone?! Huh? Are you filming alone?!”
“It’s myyyy projecttttt-!”
Hong Suryeon’s passion burned fiercely.
* * *
At the same time, Do Gyeoul was preparing watches and handbags.
Because of the nature of her role as a lawyer, overpowering viewers through clothing was impossible.
Which meant the only option left was extreme high-end luxury.
She planned to display products shocking enough to become conversation topics every episode.
Simply pulling in luxury items impossible to obtain through sponsorship would generate overwhelming media attention.
If a cold genius lawyer ruthless enough to abandon even her own father treated such items as personal belongings, it was only natural the public’s eyes would be drawn in.
“Gyeoul, are you really okay with this?”
“Aha, of course.”
Do Gyeoul smiled at the production team’s worried question.
“Let’s smash everything spectacularly.”
On top of that, Do Gyeoul added unprecedented extremity.
For a car action scene, she planned to destroy her own car to maximize realism.
The sight of an expensive vehicle being wrecked would make viewers feel a level of tension they had never experienced before.
Han Yeoreum with SSS Ryu Risa.
Eun Baekhap with high-end sponsorships.
Hong Suryeon with a male actor maintained into unprecedented visual perfection.
And Do Gyeoul with jaw-dropping heritage luxury.
Each side began filming armed with their own weapon.
The true Holy Grail War had finally begun.
Who would emerge victorious?
Everyone watched closely.