Free Web NovelThe tension was overwhelming.
Among drama and film PR agencies, the so-called “named” firms that people actually recognized were already becoming razor-sharp with nerves.
The precariousness right before war.
A genuine atmosphere of impending battle now hung over the PR industry.
“What is this lineup?”
Some people could only gasp in admiration. Everyone had properly set the stage before the real fight began.
〈There Is Only One Culprit〉 had signed with Nice Production.
Currently the trendiest PR agency around, especially famous for putting immense effort into video editing and generating rapid reactions. They were also the favorite agency among famous drama addicts known as “clip-rippers.” From behind-the-scenes footage to feeding audiences chemistry bait between actors, they specialized in making people obsess completely.
〈Dear Judge〉 had signed with PR 1.
Veterans among veterans who had handled press promotion for countless dramas and films. Their strategy team in particular was infamous. To the point people claimed the only PR firm capable of matching JC ENM’s promotional strategies was PR 1.
〈Tamhok〉 had signed with Songwon Planning.
The largest PR company in Korea. They didn’t merely distribute press releases. Since the company representative was a former sports news reporter, they had broad connections and knew exactly how to stir up attention aggressively. They created projects that didn’t simply entertain people, but made them desperate to know what came next.
“Alright, the script reading’s right around the corner now—.”
“Let’s review the press materials one last time.”
“Should we start releasing things on SNS first?”
Everyone was filled with vicious determination.
The first thing a PR company had to do was seize the narrative of the project itself.
Why should audiences choose this project?
You should prioritize watching our actors. Our writer’s story is the most interesting. Our director’s production is different.
[HOT / At this point Do Gyeoul’s filmography should honestly be called “teacher-level” mastery.jpg]
[Yoo Jiuk・Hong Suryeon’s SNS selfie upload causes netizens to react “They already look good together”]
[The Era of Eun Baekhap Begins... 〈Tamhok〉 OST Released Early]
They had to establish dominance from the start.
Every PR company gritted their teeth.
Each side held up its own cards while engaging in psychological warfare.
Every single one possessed at least one SSR-tier joker.
〈There Is Only One Culprit〉 starring the top male and female actors of the era.
〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 by Hwang Boseok, the writer who had never lost once.
〈Tamhok〉 by Director Yang Huimun, infamous as a directing maniac.
KBC’s 〈Dear Judge〉, which had assembled the absolute top filming crew in the industry for lighting, camera work, and sound.
Whoever utilized the hand they’d been dealt most effectively would become the owner of the crown.
It wasn’t just the actresses staking their pride on this.
The broadcasters, the production companies, and the PR agencies too.
Everyone was in a state of extreme tension to avoid losing on this battlefield.
Public attention had already focused on them before filming even began, so they had no choice but to upload related content daily.
Past filmographies, directors’ previous works, writers’ interviews—
They took every possible measure to ensure public interest never cooled.
While everyone fought fiercely, JC ENM remained quiet.
After the script-reading footage was uploaded, public reaction split almost perfectly in half.
-“Seo Eden is honestly better than expected.. He’s not stumbling over everything at least”
-“I’m saying this for the hundredth time, bring Myeong Jeha”
˪ “Seriously TT_TT Myeong Jeha please... please work already why are you so inactive”
˪ “I don’t think mentioning another actor is appropriate T_T”
˪ “Then choose to blame Mr. Seo Eden for making people bring him up in the first place, damn it”
-“Just looking at visuals alone, I think they match well haha Seo Eden’s unique vibe and Han Yeoreum together are super cute too.. Personally I’ve been rooting for this Name Couple ever since Music N, so I’m just happy”
-“What the heck he improved so much compared to the script reading LOLOL He even handles Writer Hwang’s unique dialogue rhythm pretty well. I support him”
-“Actress Han Yeoreum has even been acknowledged by a Hollywood master. Even if the male lead may be lacking, I believe she will bravely carry this project as well. Funny Bunny Harmony’s Lala. My granddaughter likes her very much too. The whistle was truly splendid... Well then.”
Even from the short script-reading footage, they couldn’t stop the reactions saying it felt lacking.
If Seo Eden had entered another project, the primary response would have been praise. Unfortunately, however, this was a project starring the hottest actress of the moment and written by the king of ratings himself.
There was no helping it.
[〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 Script Reading — Seo Eden Felt “2% Lacking”]
But what surprised everyone was the fact that JC ENM and MBS seemed fully aware of this atmosphere and yet were leaving it alone.
“What PR agency does 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 have?”
“In-house, obviously.”
An internal promotion team.
JC ENM’s 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 alone had chosen in-house promotion.
Usually projects choosing in-house PR fell into one of two categories.
Either a throwaway drama patched together as filler— freēwebnovel.com
Or...
“...Even all three of them together would barely stand a chance.”
Projects that broadcasters and production companies unanimously considered “stable works.” In other words, productions they believed didn’t require huge promotional spending.
And JC ENM was neither of those cases.
It was an extremely special situation.
“People were already asking what exactly Manager Hong is planning.”
〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 possessed one more hidden trump card beyond even the SSR cards.
It truly felt like the calm before the storm.
* * *
Manager Hong brushed his palm once across the dusty books.
An almost suspicious level of leisure lingered in his touch.
Fine dust clung to his hand.
“Hoo—.”
Manager Hong lightly blew the dust away. His bookshelf contained neatly arranged military strategy texts, including The Art of War.
“About time now....”
Smiling with narrowed eyes, he was a strategist who had rolled around this industry for decades.
Before beginning a war, what was most important?
Military strategy.
Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will win a hundred battles.
Manager Hong recalled the military texts engraved into his mind.
1. Dao (道): Are the people united with their °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° leader?
2. Heaven (天): Timing, weather, season.
3. Earth (地): Terrain, distance, geographical conditions.
4. Commander (將): The commander’s wisdom, trustworthiness, compassion, courage, strictness.
5. Law (法): Discipline and organizational structure.
These were what led wars to victory.
Then what led projects to victory?
1. Dao (道): Are the staff united with leadership?
2. Heaven (天): Do the broadcast dates and season align properly?
3. Earth (地): What dramas are airing in the same timeslot?
4. Commander (將): How capable are the director and writer?
5. Law (法): How disciplined and organized is the PR team?
Manager Hong was not afraid.
Among these, the only disadvantage 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 possessed was Earth (地).
The competing dramas airing at the same time were simply too powerful.
Which meant they needed to mobilize every possible method to win.
“Shall we begin....”
Across the long table spread countless press releases alongside the full promotional schedule for 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉.
Like tacticians conducting a war meeting, everyone began setting the direction for the project’s promotion.
* * *
“Episode 1, Scene 10, one take!”
Clack!
The sound of the slate snapping down rang out sharply.
This was the filming set of 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉.
Han Yeoreum appeared within the camera lens.
“Yes, this is Diot Lovely-. Yes yes, Gangnam ‘11am.’ The Erua Bla Black pieces you reserved last week all arrived except for three items. Yes. The Erua shipment will probably arrive Tuesday night? Or maybe Wednesday night.”
Han Yeoreum held a cellphone in one hand and a mouse in the other while checking orders arriving in real time.
“Okay. Is unni coming or is samchon coming? If samchon’s coming, please ask him to come after two. Last time he arrived too early so we couldn’t give it to him.”
The moment she ended the call, the phone vibrated again.
Han Yeoreum responded exactly like a highly competent Dongdaemun employee.
“Where’s your store located, boss? Have you worked with us before?”
Holding the phone between her neck and shoulder, Han Yeoreum rapidly typed down the caller’s information.
“‘Blanc & Noir,’ right? Not Eo, I. But there’s no transaction history with you yet. We only release samples after a first transaction.”
At that moment, customers entered the store. Han Yeoreum wrapped up the call quickly.
“Yes. Once we do the first transaction and you send us photos later, we’ll check whether your atmosphere matches ours before sending down samples. Yes-.”
She naturally addressed the extras browsing the clothing racks.
“Did you come after checking Shinma? What are you looking for?”
“Ah, this one... how much is it?”
Han Yeoreum glanced once at the customers pointing at a blouse.
Then she briefly fell silent.
The straight line of her tightly closed lips carried the exhaustion unique to experienced workers.
“Where are you from?”
“We’re from Apgujeong ‘Lamang.’”
“Apgujeong ‘Lamang’? If you’re from there, you already bought this last week.”
The extras instantly panicked.
Despite preparing in advance, their expressions clearly said they’d been caught.
“You ladies aren’t actually business owners, right?”
Using ShinSang Market’s basic system—the app every Dongdaemun clothing business owner used—Han Yeoreum immediately exposed their lie.
“The prices are already listed on Shinma, so business members can all see them. We don’t sell retail.”
As though even arguing felt like a waste of time, Han Yeoreum immediately returned to checking orders.
Overwhelmed by her decisiveness, the extras awkwardly put the clothes back down.
“Hey, let’s go....”
“Ah, shit....”
As the extras walked away, Director Byeon’s signal rang out.
“Okay!”
First day. First shoot. A clean okay from the very first take.
The atmosphere on set instantly brightened.
* * *
‘Haah. Starting filming with Yeoreum really was the right choice.’
Byeon Juhwa had changed after completing Hwang Boseok’s hell training.
He now felt an enormous sense of responsibility toward 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉.
It felt like he had returned to the earliest days of his career.
No—even before that.
Back to the era when he remained a bottom-rung nobody.
In front of a star writer who stayed awake night after night, he had become a fledgling once again.
He had even overturned all the directing concepts originally planned during the early stages.
The atmosphere of 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 had now become entirely different from the original concept.
“We’re shooting everything on location, right?”
That was why he had taken such a reckless gamble.
Originally, Lovely—the Diot store where Nam Pyeonghwa worked—had been planned as a studio set shoot.
The original storyboard involved Team B quickly capturing location atmosphere shots while Nam Pyeonghwa’s daily life scenes were filmed comfortably on set.
“Make it feel real.”
Conditions like this could easily exhaust everyone and drag production down.
Filming on location versus filming on a set were entirely different difficulty levels.
There were simply too many unpredictable variables on real locations.
But Director Byeon trusted Han Yeoreum.
He believed in her acting ability to cover countless variables.
He was certain she could create a Nam Pyeonghwa who genuinely seemed alive somewhere in the world.
“Wow. This seriously feels real....”
“I heard Yeoreum worked in Dongdaemun for a week.”
“That was real?”
Han Yeoreum did not disappoint Director Byeon’s trust.
She packed different categories of clothing tightly into giant shipping bags, printed out jangkki receipts and smoothly slipped them between the clothes so nothing got missed. Even her taping skills looked professional.
The experience of surviving the brutal dawn markets of Dongdaemun could be felt from her practiced fingertips.
“Okay!”
During the very first shoot of 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉, Director Byeon’s mouth kept producing consecutive okay signs.
For some reason, the feeling was good.
Click!
Even the market merchants who had gathered to watch Han Yeoreum captured the filming site of 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 on their cameras.
* * *
“....”
Aetami lost the ability to speak for a moment.
“...?”
No, correction.
For quite a long moment.
“...!”
No, correction again.
For a very, very long moment.
“What is this?”
Aetami doubted her own eyes.
She genuinely could not believe it.
The photo attached to Han Yeoreum’s name—the name she habitually searched every single day—was absurd.
[Nate Pann / Teen Talk / Han Yeoreum filming sighting just uploaded.jpg]
(Han Yeoreum filming in Dongdaemun.jpg)
-“This is real???”
-“Han Yeoreum really abandoned absolutely everything now....”
-“LMAO I’m losing my mind how sincere are you going to get (N)”
Han Yeoreum was frozen in the photo wearing tiny glasses that made her eyes look bean-sized, cheeks flushed pink, messy hair tied carelessly, pilled-up sweatpants, and lips completely drained of color.
