Chapter 594
The one responsible for making Heo Haena into an actress and raising her to where she stood today was Management H, one of the three biggest entertainment agencies in Korea.
"Anyway, don't worry so much. Our little Baby Morning Bread."
"Yeah. No one's going to remember any of this later anyway. As long as you're successful, that's all that matters."
Even as her manager and coordinator comforted her, Heo Haena pressed her lips together and darted her eyes around.
'Just as I thought.'
Heo Haena was actually a very capable actress. She had been accepted into Chungkyung University's Department of Theater and Film on her first attempt. That talent, however, stemmed from her overwhelming desire to be cherished by others.
"Our little Baby Morning Bread is just too soft-hearted~. You worry far too much."
"I-I am not soft-hearted at all...!"
She whined helplessly, pretending to fluster before the manager and coordinator who always steered the conversation this way. But even this was exactly as Heo Haena had planned.
'That's right. This is it...'
A life where everyone adored her, loved her, treasured her as though she might shatter if held too tightly or blow away if breathed on. That was the life Heo Haena wanted.
'If I become the top star... just how many people will treat me like this...?'
She suffered from an extreme protagonist complex. Heo Haena understood her own condition better than anyone, fully aware that no matter who was around, she absolutely had to become the center of attention.
That was why aiming to become a celebrity had been the obvious choice. The only thing left was becoming the very top.
A heroine who would inevitably be loved—whether she wanted it or not, regardless of her own will. Someone people simply couldn't help but love.
'I do feel a little sorry for Han Yeoreum.'
It was only because Han Yeoreum had occupied the position first.
'But you've had your share of the spotlight by now. Isn't it about time you stepped aside?'
Heo Haena genuinely pitied Han Yeoreum. If only Yeoreum had been a little older, there would have been no need to take everything from her. Unfortunately, fate had made the two overlap in far too many ways.
"But really... Han Yeoreum's fans aren't going to hate me or anything... right? It's only because Baekhap and Yeoreum are close.... If they start saying, 'Who are you?'... then if Baekhap comes to the premiere too... they'll probably only hate me...."
"Oh, sweetheart! Eun Baekhap isn't coming."
"That's right. She won't be there, so stop worrying! Our little Baby Morning Bread, okay?"
So it was only natural for Han Yeoreum to lose everything. That was what Heo Haena believed.
'So Eun Baekhap isn't coming?'
Heo Haena smiled shyly.
Now the stage was perfectly set.
* * *
"Unniii... this is a little hard to bring up...."
"Then keep your mouth shut."
"But I still have to say ittt...."
"Fuck. Then why even start with that?"
"Basic manners, I guess.... Anyway, these days... everyone's talking about this Baby Morning Bread girl as the next Han Yeoreum.... And with all the hate Yeoreum's already getting... there are quite a few people saying she's actually better than Yeoreum...."
"So?"
A crooked expression crossed Eun Baekhap's delicate face.
She had been incredibly busy lately.
It wasn't only 〈Seoul Metropolitan City〉 and 〈Strange Tales〉 that had benefited from NetHolics' K-drama boom.
[〈Tamhok〉 Enters NetHolics Global Top 10... "Viewers Around the World Fall in Love with This Beautiful Revenge Story"]
[(Photo) Eun Baekhap's Finger Heart Captivates Smiles Across the Globe]
[The Value of Eun Baekhap During the K-Drama Boom | Daily Media]
Before OTT platforms had opened the market...
When KBC pursued an isolation strategy, MBS remained neutral, and SBC quickly partnered with streaming platforms, the cable network JTBS chose to follow SBC's path.
"This is where we'll survive."
So JTBS poured nearly all of its dramas into NetHolics' K-Drama category.
The result was overwhelming.
[HOT / The Unexpected Drama Exploding on NetHolics.jpg]
(〈Tamhok〉 Screenshot.jpg)
It's seriously Tamhok lol.
Everyone loses their minds from episode one because the dopamine hits so hard.
(Reddit Comment Screenshot.jpg)
A ballerina obsessed with revenge who seduces people just to use them. How are you supposed not to become obsessed with this?
(Eun Baekhap Yousta Follower Screenshot.jpg)
Already gained three million followers in just a few days.
-Anonymous 1: Holy shit unniiiiiiiiiii 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
-Anonymous 4: Wow, so this is happening.
-Anonymous 12: After 〈Seoul Metropolitan City〉 became such a hit, people are checking out the other dramas too lol. Welcome.
-Anonymous 19: Flutter—
-Anonymous 24: Welcome to the world of K-dramas. Once you get a taste, there's no escaping lol.
-Anonymous 88: What about ? T_T Why hasn't it been released yet?
-Anonymous 91: Maybe because Ja Sokhwan is afraid he'll get sued internationally...?
-Anonymous 103: Holy shit LOL that actually sounds believable.
-Anonymous 116: Seriously, he'd really get arrested. On Jihwa's dads' association would never let it slide.
-Anonymous 140: I'm so happy Eun Baekhap is finally getting the recognition she deserves T_T I was so upset after she lost during the Holy Grail War... I've always supported her.
Foreign viewers were flocking to JTBS dramas.
As Han Yeoreum's popularity exploded, viewers naturally became curious about her earlier works. Since 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 still hadn't arrived on NetHolics, attention shifted to its rival drama—the one that had competed against it.
The more Han Yeoreum's Yousta followers increased, the more Eun Baekhap's own following benefited by association.
The overseas fans who discovered Eun Baekhap through 〈Tamhok〉 immediately binged every one of her older dramas available on NetHolics.
Her luck had finally turned around.
January—the exact month NetHolics Korea officially launched—also happened to be the month with the highest media consumption of the year.
It was, without question, the greatest stroke of fortune in Eun Baekhap's entire life.
"They're saying Yeoreum's fans calling her 'Little Han Yeoreum' and 'Baby Morning Bread' must really bother her.... But then people are replying, 'Didn't you all do the exact same thing to Eun Baekhap during ? Didn't that upset Eun Baekhap back then? Why was it okay then?' That's the atmosphere online...."
"Is that something I need to care about?"
"They're saying she's so exhausted and stressed lately that the inside of her mouth is covered in sores... and she's been going around getting IV drips.... It makes me worried just hearing about ittt...."
"The fuck? Instead of toughing it out, she's sitting around getting IV drips? Look at that weak mentality."
Eun Baekhap casually glanced at the notification lighting up her phone.
Lately, fans had been leaving an endless stream of comments on her Yousta.
Not just the new fans—even the old ones had returned, crying in the comments.
orosy_lily
TT__TT Unni, from now on it's only going to get better T_T I fucking love youuuuu TT__TT
'Even without that bastard, my work would've shined eventually.'
Eun Baekhap was certain of it.
She had complete confidence.
She hadn't benefited because of 〈Seoul Metropolitan City〉.
The moment NetHolics entered Korea, this future had already been decided.
Which meant she owed that bastard nothing.
She didn't have to think about that bastard.
It had absolutely nothing to do with that bastard.
"They're saying she's lost so much weight they have to keep taking in the waist of her skirts...."
"You're supposed to be my coordinator, but you seem way more interested in that bastard. Looking to die? Has your life gotten so peaceful you're bored now?"
"I just hear these things from group chats.... You're such an idiooot...."
Eun Baekhap's coordinator deliberately let out an audible sigh.
As irritating as possible.
"It'd really help if you attended the premiere, unniii...."
"Why the hell would I go to something like that? Don't be ridiculous."
"The people hating on her are getting more and more excited.... They're saying Heo Haena acts better than Han Yeoreum... and that if you compare their web drama debuts, Han Yeoreum only looks impressive because she got there first by luck...."
"What?"
Eun Baekhap frowned.
"What kind of bullshit is that?"
"Exactlyyy.... Even though you're the only one who secretly acknowledges Yeoreum's talent...."
"I absolutely do not. Since when?"
"Anywayyy... maybe you don't care... but it really bothers me, and it breaks my heart...."
After hearing her coordinator's words, Eun Baekhap found herself strangely irritated.
'Who does that nobody think she's comparing herself to?'
Of course Han Yeoreum wasn't on her own level.
But she had at least climbed close enough to reach her feet.
There was no way someone whose name she'd never even heard before could surpass that bastard.
Eun Baekhap let out a disbelieving laugh.
'What kind of ridiculous baggage has she picked up now?'
From Do Gyeoul—whose mere existence made the word fuck pop into her head—to complete nobodies.
That bastard had all kinds of arrogant trash clinging to her now, and it irritated Eun Baekhap.
"Ahhh... Hong Suryeon unni is going, though.... Guess there wasn't a place for you anyway.... Good thing you didn't say you'd attend...."
"What the fuck?"
"They're close, after all.... Even if it doesn't help public opinion much, they'll probably comfort and encourage each other... she'll feel better.... That's such a relief...."
"That flower-headed idiot should spend her time practicing acting instead of going to other people's premieres. Fucking unbelievable. Guess she has way too much free time."
Keeping Eun Baekhap within the corner of her eye, her coordinator quietly sent a message.
Typing: Our unni is attending ^^
[Han Yeoreum Coordinator / Hwang Jihye] Ahh, really? TT_TT Thank you so much.
Behind Eun Baekhap, it almost looked as though a roaring tiger had appeared.
* * *
The group insisting that Han Yeoreum "wasn't all that" became even more active with the upcoming release of 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉.
[Anonymous Discussion Board / The 〈Faster Than the Law〉 series should've stopped after 2 instead of dragging it out]
The trailer has way less hype than part 2... T_T Movie tickets are already expensive enough that everyone's become super picky, and now they're using exactly the same formula again? Who's gonna watch this?;
They couldn't replace Yun Hyeonjo or Kwak Cheolsik since those characters are iconic, but they should've at least gotten rid of Han Yeoreum's influencer character and cast someone else. Instead they stubbornly dragged her back, so part 3 is definitely gonna flop.
-Anonymous 1: Yep, exactly what I was thinking.
-Anonymous 8: That influencer image is way too limiting and overused...
-Anonymous 12: If they just needed a goofy character they should've cast a male actor with a different image. No sense whatsoever.
-Anonymous 23: Even all the movie-review Intubers are saying the same thing lol. They don't think it'll even break even.
The reason was that the reaction to the trailer for the 〈Faster Than the Law〉 series—which had already produced back-to-back ten-million-viewer hits—had been overshadowed by 〈Seoul Metropolitan City〉.
And they wanted to blame Han Yeoreum for it.
-Anonymous 28: After burning through her image in parts 1 and 2, dragging her into part 3 too lololol It's hard not to think Han Yeoreum's agency is behind this.
-Anonymous 31: Why?? What do you mean??
-Anonymous 45: Han Yeoreum's agency is JC, the 〈Faster Than the Law〉 production company is JC, and GCV belongs to JC too. She's basically just some rich family's princess playing around with a parachute job.
-Anonymous 52: Seriously? I didn't know that.
"Good. I like this atmosphere."
The person monitoring all of this was Heo Haena's uncle, the head of Management H.
He loosened the tie fastened tightly around his neck.
He could finally breathe.
"This is it. This is exactly how it should be."
Watching the online reactions, he smiled with satisfaction at the growing negativity aimed at Han Yeoreum.
"Well... I don't really have anything against Han Yeoreum personally... but what can you do?"
The head of Management H thought of Han Yeoreum's agency.
"That popularity was nothing but a mirage anyway. She should be grateful for everything she's enjoyed up to now."