Chapter 592
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[Myeong Jeha Misses Recording of ... “It's Only the Flu, So Please Don't Worry”]
Actor Myeong Jeha announced that he would be unable to attend the recording of , which had been scheduled for the 23rd. After achieved a clean sweep across 90 countries... (article omitted)
-OMG what TT_TT Myeong Jeha don't get sick
-The country should've vaccinated Myeong Jeha against the flu in advance. What the hell are they doing? America's going to look down on us.
-Mr. Myeong Jeha, please marry me... Ah...>//<
-Damn it, I knew it ever since he kept doing delivery jobs without taking care of himself...T_T
-Please let literally anyone else get sick instead of Myeong Jeha.
Shin Seojin ran along the Han River with a faint sense of bitterness.
[ Myeong Jeha's Loyalty... “He May Be Young, But I'm Truly Grateful to Him as My Junior”]
[Myeong Jeha Sent 'This Person' to Cover His Promotional Schedule? Turns Out His Heart Is Even More Incredible Than His Face...]
[Do You Remember the Acting of Kang Hyeonwoo, the Resident from , Who Used to Be an Unknown Actor? ⎜Entertainment News]
-This is insane. Even while missing his own schedule, Myeong Jeha personally contacted the actor who played Kang Hyeonwoo and asked him to do promotions together. That's crazy.
-I hope every actor from Seoul Metropolitan City makes it big...TT_TT That guy's acting was amazing in the Human Centipede episode.
-Holy crap, from Tak Jeongyun to Kang Hyeonwoo, why are they all so good?
-Oh my god... Why am I crying...
Even in the middle of winter, Shin Seojin showered in freezing cold water.
[Public Shocked by News of Myeong Jeha's Enlistment ⎜Daily Media]
["Guess It's Time to Serve in the Military Now." Myeong Jeha Smiles Brightly.]
-Ah, fuck, you scared the hell out of me. Say it's a military variety show properly!
-You crazy bastards, your clickbait skills are murderous.
-TT_TT Wait... Myeong Jeha in military uniform?
-Jeha, it's me. Please marry me. It's my life's greatest wish.
↳ I'm seriously turning this into a PDF and sending it to the agency.
-I knew you could do it if you wanted to. You could've done it all along. Then why the hell did you spend years turning your fans into lunatics? You could do it if you wanted to. Why? With a face like that, why did you waste it?
-I'm seriously so excited TT_TT
[Myeong Jeha Begins His Assault on Women's Hearts... Endless Recording Schedules Leave Fans "So Excited I Could Die"]
[Myeong Jeha Appears on ... Smiling After Joking, "I'm Drunk on His Face, Not Alcohol"]
[Brainiac Myeong Jeha to Appear on ... "Can He Survive in a World of Monsters?" Public Buzz Explodes]
[Even While Sick, This Loyal Actor Took on Every Grueling Promotional Schedule Himself... "It's Not Just His Face That's Premium." Who Is He?]
Shin Seojin picked up smoking again after having quit.
[HOT / Fans Are Flooding Him With Complaints: "You Could've Been Doing This All Along, So Why Didn't You?" Myeong Jeha's Schedule.jpg]
(Myeong Jeha flu article.jpg)
Ah, shit TT_TT Is he disappearing again now? Going back into hiding?
(Myeong Jeha fan reactions.jpg)
Since his debut he'd barely had any real activities, so fans were divided between "It can't be helped, it's disappointing" and "Are you out of your mind? This time you'd better actually work."
(Schedule articles.jpg)
??? Huh? Suddenly?
(Military clickbait article.jpg)
Fuck, I actually thought it was real.
(Brain-game variety show appearance.jpg)
? What's going on?
( screenshot.jpg)
...Is that really our Jeha?
He's suddenly showing his face everywhere, so all the fans who'd been fighting instantly united as one. Even ordinary people got swept into the trap, and now there was an entire truckload of unsuspecting women who'd somehow become Myeong Jeha's wives.
(Other promotions.jpg)
He gave the comparatively easier variety shows to Do Gyeoul and the actors who had still been unknown.
(Screenshot from the "extreme" military variety show.jpg)
Meanwhile, he handled all the shows that took forever, required physical labor, mental effort, and even drinking by himself, completely wiping away every last bit of resentment his fans had built up.
-Anonymous 1: 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 Jeha... Ah, Jeha...
-Anonymous 4: Yeah... It was about time you started listening to your fans. Thank you. Seriously.
-Anonymous 17: I love it. All I see these days is Myeong Jeha.
-Anonymous 24: Please tell me how I can marry Myeong Jeha. 100 bounty points. Urgent.
↳ Anonymous 32: Just go.
-Anonymous 58: You could've been this filial all along??? Who even are you?
-Anonymous 64: After looking at nothing but Myeong Jeha, every other male actor just looks... weird. Like, "Sir, who are you, and why are you acting with that face?"
↳ Anonymous 73: Fuck, I know exactly what you mean. Dead fish eyes. Long face. Fake nose. Dark lips. Legs carved to pieces.
↳ Anonymous 82: I can think of way more than just one or two.
Shin Seojin wasn't the only one who had reached for a cigarette because of Myeong Jeha's rampage.
"What the fuck is this...?"
Jun Cedric Valentian felt a kind of pressure he had never experienced before.
The entertainment industry ecosystem had been completely destroyed by the appearance of the monster called Myeong Jeha.
The comeback of a fairly popular male idol, the production press conference for a rookie leading actor who had just landed his first starring role, even the divorce of a celebrity supermodel couple famous for their perfect marriage.
Ordinarily, any one of those stories would have monopolized public attention for at least half a day.
Instead, every single one of them had been swept aside beneath the three characters that made up the name Myeong Jeha.
Meanwhile, continued its meteoric rise.
It refused to surrender first place—not in America, not globally, not even for a single day.
Especially now that movie ticket prices had increased.
The public, broadcasters, and the entire film industry all wondered the same thing.
Despite the massive disadvantage of higher ticket prices, could still become the third film in the series to surpass ten million admissions?
-The ticket prices are ridiculous now. Triple ten million? No freaking way lol.
-It's just another movie with people punching each other. Why pay for it? It'll be on NetHolics soon enough.
↳ And NetHolics is free now? What kind of miracle logic is that? Just admit you're broke.
↳ Yeah, I use my girlfriend's account, so I don't pay lolololol What's your problem?
-The guy playing the villain this time looks like some weak pretty boy... The last movie had Han Yohan, who was all about action. Bring him back. We'd be perfectly happy seeing him again.
↳ Exactly. After watching Han Yohan, every other villain feels lacking~!! ...Well, Kwak Cheolsik was good too, but we watch Faster Than the Law for the villains.
The prevailing opinion had already become almost an accepted fact.
" reached its peak with Part 2."
Jun Cedric Valentian knew it himself.
It was already his first movie, and the pressure grew heavier every single day.
From the teaser to the main trailer, every promotional video had been buried alive.
Every view had been swallowed by clips from .
'This is insane... The difference in level is...'
At first, he hadn't cared much.
So what if Han Yeoreum had filmed a drama with that guy who'd once been mocked over something as stupid as stuffing himself with churros?
"Ah, what should we do?♡ Seriously. We really look amazing together now, don't we? Kyaaa♡ The buzz around our phone-couple pairing is already insane."
Han Yeoreum had even openly mocked him to his face like that.
Even then, he'd simply let it slide.
He had been convinced Han Yeoreum valued films far more than dramas.
Once premiered, that guy would be forgotten.
To someone as calculating as Han Yeoreum, he was nothing more than a stepping stone to be used and discarded.
Thinking too much about someone like that would only leave Jun Cedric Valentian at a loss.
The problem was that the drama had become far more successful than he had ever imagined.
Then made Han Yeoreum completely untouchable.
And on top of that...
There was Myeong Jeha.
While the entertainment industry celebrated and analyzed the reasons behind the global popularity of K-dramas every single day, Jun Cedric Valentian continued to be battered by one disaster after another.
Kwak Cheolsik.
Yun Hyeonjo.
Han Yeoreum.
Jun Cedric Valentian.
If this lineup couldn't produce strong box office numbers, even Jun Cedric Valentian himself knew exactly where people would point the blame.
The more he thought about it, the more hopeless everything seemed.
Standing beside Han Yeoreum now was one bastard determined to conquer Korea before heading for Hollywood.
Another bastard who made headlines every day for raking in Japanese yen.
And then...
Jun Cedric Valentian, whose movie was on the verge of bombing.
"...Ha."
Jun Cedric Valentian had finished his photoshoot before anyone else.
From the corner of the studio, he quietly looked at Han Yeoreum, who was asleep.
Every schedule for currently revolved around Han Yeoreum.
Anyone could see that her workload was enough to make a person collapse.
No matter what they were filming, Han Yeoreum always came first.
It was all so she could squeeze in even a little more sleep before her next schedule.
By contrast, Jun Cedric Valentian's shoots were always delayed the longest.
He was assigned the final slot every single time.
Watching Han Yeoreum sleep, he let out another sigh.
'She doesn't even know any of this...'
At that moment—
He felt a hand settle gently on his shoulder.
"Mr. Junseo..."
"Ah, Director."
"The color really doesn't look good... Here, want one of my stomach pills? I've got extras. You want one? A movie's about to premiere, so you're probably so nervous you can't eat, can't sleep, and you're going crazy, right? I get it. I really do...."
If the phrase "under pressure" could be given human form, it would probably look exactly like this.
Jun Cedric Valentian instinctively started to refuse the medicine out of habit, but...
"...Yes. Just one."
He accepted one of Director Gong's stomach pills.
The success of wasn't merely the success of a single film.
It was a battle over the pride of the television industry versus the film industry.
"If K-Dramas are expanding across the world while Korean films can't even survive in the domestic market..."
The immense pride possessed by Korean film directors could end up being trampled into the ground.
If things went badly, Gong Mujin would become the film industry's public enemy.
No one understood that better than Director Gong himself.
He looked so fragile that it seemed a single tap would not merely knock him over—it would make him crumble into pieces.
"Which is why... could I ask you for one favor, Mr. Junseo?"
"...Me? What kind of favor?"
"Well... I don't think you're rude or ill-mannered. Not at all. Plenty of people are shy around strangers, aren't they? I really understand. I do."
Jun Cedric Valentian was caught off guard by Director Gong's sudden bluntness.
"But... the audience members coming to the stage greetings might see things differently.... Right? They won't be watching you for long... just a brief moment! An instant! They'll only pass by you."
"...Ah."
"So... even if you can't be like Ms. Yeoreum, could you at least try to match the atmosphere on site a little? I'm not asking you to make hearts or wink at people or anything. Just shake hands, graciously accept the gifts they've prepared... okay?"
"..."
Jun Cedric Valentian understood exactly what Director Gong was worried about.
"The thing about word of mouth is... if it starts off positive, more people begin thinking, 'Huh? Maybe I should go watch it too.' People complain that stage greetings are nothing but celebrity marketing... haha. Even so... I'd like movie theaters to remain places people walk into with excitement...."
After speaking, Director Gong awkwardly rubbed the tip of his nose.
He was nothing like the stereotypical film director everyone imagined.
The Civil Servant of Chungmuro.
Jun Cedric Valentian finally understood why people called Gong Mujin that.
He looked once at the sleeping Han Yeoreum, then at Director Gong, who smiled sheepishly.
Taking a deep breath...
Even if people mocked stage greetings as nothing more than attracting audiences with celebrities rather than the movie itself...
"...Okay. I'll do my best."
had to at least break even.
Under no circumstances could it be allowed to fail.
Even if people mocked it for being nothing more than average.
"Thank you. Really. But don't feel pressured or anything! It's not like the box office depends on whether you're good at stage greetings. Everyone already did an amazing job. It'll do well. Yeah. It'll definitely do well. Right? Huh? It will. Yeah. It will."
Director Gong's encouragement, desperately trying to reassure Jun Cedric Valentian beneath the crushing tension and pressure, felt almost heartbreaking.
"..."
After finishing filming and stepping out of the camera's frame, Yun Hyeonjo casually glanced toward the corner.
'This round of stage greetings should be pretty efficient~.'
He figured he'd be able to conserve a little energy.
The corners of Yun Hyeonjo's lips curved upward ever so slightly.
* * *
"Ah—fuck! Seriously!"
With Myeong Jeha's meteoric rise, the male actors throughout the entertainment industry were in terrible moods.
Especially those around his age.
"What the hell is this?!"
Among them, the one suffering the greatest blow was undoubtedly Noh Seungchan.
A one-hit wonder.
Not only within the industry but even among the general public, Noh Seungchan's image had become a complete disaster.
A male actor who had only succeeded because he rode Do Gyeoul's coattails for one project.
In his twenties, but inferior to Jun Cedric Valentian in physique and to Myeong Jeha in looks.
And the hardest thing of all to endure...
"Noh Seungchan? Him... well...."
"Ah, what a shame. Early success is usually just beginner's luck."
"He should at least take care of the fans he already has.... No new fans are ever coming in."
"This time the ratings are obviously going to end up in the single digits. I mean, he's up against Ja Sokhwan's team and Han Yeoreum. Doesn't matter if Han Yohan is the Grim Reaper of romance dramas."
People were already clicking their tongues over the upcoming drama that would compete against .
"If the company had just secured properly, none of this would've happened!"
Noh Seungchan's anger turned toward Han Yeoreum.
The reason he had been pushed aside.
The reason Myeong Jeha was being showered with praise.
It was all because of Han Yeoreum.
"And don't even get me started on ! If they'd properly pushed me for that, do you think I would've lost it?"
.
.
Both projects were tied to Han Yeoreum, making the bitterness even worse.
Now, hearing the three syllables "Han Yeoreum" alone was enough to trigger him.
"Those should've been mine! Ah! Fuck! If I'd landed just those two projects, then that delivery rider role in ! Hollywood! All of that would've been mine!"
Noh Seungchan rampaged through Jeongdam.
The employees, long accustomed to his tantrums, merely exchanged quiet glances.
"..."
"Wasn't someone supposed to spoil and ruin it? Did you actually pay Nice Production properly?"
"Hey."
Even the department manager answered him coldly.
"Is this really the time to come here acting like this? Seungchan. The drama airs in less than three months."
"I'm acting like this because nobody's taking care of me properly!"
"Just go. Cool your head at the filming set, then we'll talk later. If you delay filming again—"
"Fuck off then! Go! Why the hell are you shoving people? Pissing me off."
Noh Seungchan violently shook off the manager's hand before storming out.
The manager poured himself a paper cup of cold water, drank it, and sighed.
"...We've really got to do something about this."
The Jeongdam employees also clicked their tongues.
The reason they couldn't even get properly angry at Noh Seungchan's outburst was simple.
None of them had expected a variable like this either.
They hadn't even had time to prepare before being swept away.
That was how overwhelming the success of had been.
"Still."
The manager smiled meaningfully.
"At least we can stop one thing."
"What?"
"〈First-Year, Class One〉."
Immediately, everyone seemed to think of the same person.
"We've got to stop Han Yeoreum's one-woman domination."
As it happened, the lead actress of that drama was another rookie actress in her twenties whose image overlapped heavily with Han Yeoreum's.
She had graduated from Chungkyung University's Department of Theater and Film, credentials impressive enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with DaeYeJong.
"Whether the drama succeeds or not, at least her image will be split."
Now was the perfect timing.
Han Yeoreum had only just risen to A-list status.
After losing both and , Han Yeoreum had quietly become Jeongdam's public enemy.
The employees smiled, understanding exactly what he meant.
"PR 1 is handling that one."
"They're obviously planning to tear her apart down to the bone."
The company that had handled the promotion for —PR 1—would now be in charge of promoting 〈First-Year, Class One〉.
And as though proving his words correct...
Not long afterward, news spread that among those attending the very first preview screening of would be that young actress.
The rookie in her twenties who would soon be known as...
Little Han Yeoreum.