Chapter: 31
The Sun Hidden by the Moon!>
In the third episode of The Sun Hidden by the Moon.
Portrayed were the young Lee Hye-wol and young Yoon Seo-il.
It marked the end of their childhood.
In other words, from this point on, we could say it’s the real beginning of The Sun Hidden by the Moon.
The story begins anew as the grown-up Lee Hye-wol and Yoon Seo-il come face to face.
But.
– Shouldn’t the child actor segments have been a bit longer?
– My mom watched it with me, and we both agreed it was totally enjoyable!
– Are all child actors like this these days? Just insane!
– The kid who beat Jo Seo-hee really is a jackpot. Now I see why she won!
– Idol actors, take a good look and learn. Seriously!
Online reviews were filled with disappointment over the segments being too short.
That just shows how impactful the third episode was.
Such an unprecedented thing happening in the industry caused quite the stir.
Especially.
“Does anyone have photos of Joo Su-yeon?”
“Did anyone attend the teaser event and take pictures?”
“Seriously, there’s not a single photo to use for the article!!”
The most frantic were the reporters.
In their hurry, they resorted to capturing screenshots from the drama, but that just didn’t capture the essence.
Other articles were already using screenshots too, making it hard to stand out.
“What’s up, Byung-hoon? When was this photo taken?”
“Well, it was during the last teaser event. Didn’t I mention I went to the premiere too?”
Photos from the premiere and teaser event were indeed there.
But catching a solo shot like that, well, that wasn’t common.
“Do you have any good ones? I could use them for my article.”
“Sorry, there’s really nothing suitable.”
Byung-hoon replied with a smile, but inwardly clicked his tongue.
‘See? That’s what happens when you only take pictures of Ha Ye-seo.’
Anyway, the next episode would surely bring Ha Ye-seo’s era back.
This whole Sun Hidden by the Moon deal was already a massive hit.
“I’ve been a reporter in this entertainment industry for a long time, but I’ve never seen ratings like this in a child actor segment.”
“Right? How is this even happening?”
“I was watching it while my wife was glued to it, and I gotta say, it really blew me away. What was the name of that idol in Action King?”
“Oh, you mean Sebin? But honestly, didn’t he do quite well for an idol?”
At that comment from one reporter, another shook his head.
“Yeah, he did well for an idol. But let’s be real, he can’t compete with child actors. Especially this Joo Su-yeon. Isn’t this her first drama?”
“Wait, that’s her first? How does a reporter not know this?”
As they exchanged those words, Byung-hoon kept writing his article.
The only regret was not grabbing the chance for a solo interview during the teaser event.
‘But yesterday was really peculiar.’
In the third episode of The Sun Hidden by the Moon, Joo Su-yeon’s portrayal of Princess Yeonhwa was nothing short of incredible.
However, Byung-hoon felt a strange unease.
It felt almost like the character might truly leave.
Not just Princess Yeonhwa, but Joo Su-yeon herself.
‘Nah, that can’t be.’
Who would achieve such popularity and suddenly quit?
‘Right, that’s definitely not happening.’
This kid has the spark.
Without a doubt, when she grows up, she’ll become a mega star.
Byung-hoon was certain of it.
*
“PD Ha… Did I hear that right?”
“Of course!”
“Oh wow, this is for real.”
Kang Seong-chan, playing the adult Yoon Seo-il in The Sun Hidden by the Moon, was taken aback.
“The average is already a jaw-dropper at 30%. But wait, did you say the peak rating hit… 36%?”
Even cutting that in half would still render a fantastic achievement.
If 15% can be attained in just the first three episodes, it’s likely heralding a ‘masterpiece’ level drama.
And even though it might be a fleeting viewership, surpassing 36% just brought a chuckle from Seong-chan.
“I remember filming that historical drama where it was a big hit, and the finale only hit 41%.”
“I remember. That was a total riot!”
“Yeah, it was no small fuss. So, what do you think of 36% in episode three?”
Through the phone, PD Ha Tae-oh’s laughter echoed.
It was obvious he knew.
Numbers like this early in a drama’s run were truly rare.
And to think it all came from those two child actors’ efforts was almost unbelievable.
“With source material backing it, even if it gets higher ratings than other dramas…”
He sighed after saying that.
“We’ll face serious backlash if we mess up going forward. Especially for actress Ha Ye-seo—there’s a lot of pressure on her.”
He could handle it just fine.
After all, he was Park Jung-woo, the son of the legendary actor Park Seon-woong.
That kid was known as a prodigy who often surpassed typical child actor expectations.
But Joo Su-yeon was different.
She was unique.
She had only done The Sun Hidden by the Moon.
Now she found herself in a position often compared with her.
What if that acclaimed actor wasn’t performing better than a seven-year-old?
‘Of course, she’d perform better.’
Seong-chan wasn’t saying Ha Ye-seo’s acting was worse than Su-yeon’s.
However, merely being better wouldn’t suffice.
It would be a wash at best, and if she faltered, it could lead to a bitter lesson in her acting career.
“So, what’s our little superstar doing right now? Given the current situation, it seems tough for her to even go outside. Oh, have they lined up her next project?”
His curiosity about what Su-yeon would tackle next was already piqued.
If all went well, he was tempted to join in.
Yet, Seong-chan’s hope was completely dashed by Tae-oh’s next words.
“What? A break? For real?”
Right when a young actor is on a hot streak, the news of an indefinite break was shocking.
*
In the third episode of The Sun Hidden by the Moon.
With astounding ratings hitting 36%, Su-yeon had essentially become a local superstar.
She couldn’t even dare to go to kindergarten.
Even after a week since episode three aired.
“Su-yeon, all the kids are asking about you.”
Lee Ji-yeon, who dropped by Su-yeon’s home, said while eyeing the doll-strewn floor.
“Umm, don’t you see?”
Su-yeon, buried in her toys, replied.
To be honest, she found it hard to explain her feelings at that moment.
She had heard about how life could change overnight, but never thought she’d be the one experiencing it.
“Such a shame.”
“Hmm?”
“Are you really going to take a break?”
Ji-yeon displayed her own feelings of disappointment instead.
Then, as if something crossed her mind, she cautiously asked.
“You’re not moving away, right?”
Suddenly becoming popular isn’t always a bed of roses for young actors.
There was a story of another child actor who gained national fame from a sitcom, only to face bullying at school because of that popularity.
Despite moving several times, it didn’t change anything, resulting in her refusing to attend school altogether.
Of course, she also had to retire.
It was more than a decade later when she briefly appeared on TV to share an update.
“If I move away, how are we supposed to attend the voice acting academy together?”
“Well, there’s that.”
Finally, Ji-yeon seemed relieved and immediately smiled.
Su-yeon realized anew just how much Ji-yeon cared for her.
‘Could it be thanks to Ji-yeon that I’m okay?’
The tyrant of kindergarten.
Ji-yeon’s presence likely acted as a stabilizer for Su-yeon.
“And by the way, I’m going to learn acting properly.”
“…You? Why?”
“Of course, because there’s so much I can still improve on.”
Ji-yeon couldn’t wrap her head around Su-yeon’s words.
Just a few days ago, when she watched episode three of The Sun Hidden by the Moon with her mom,
Ji-yeon was honestly shocked.
She couldn’t believe the young actress’s performance matched that of her peers.
Compared to the seniors she’d seen in her agency and acting classes, Su-yeon was downright exceptional.
No comparison at all.
‘Yet, you want to learn how to act?’
Ji-yeon thought to herself.
If Su-yeon attended an acting academy, everyone would be left in awe.
‘Hmm.’
But seeing Su-yeon making that statement, Ji-yeon figured there had to be a reason behind it.
After all, she was still just a kid herself, so she simply accepted it.
“Su-yeon.”
At that moment, the door swung open, and Sua entered.
“Ji-yeon, here’s some juice. I’ve cut up some fruit. Want some?”
“Yes, please!”
“Great, and…”
Sua hesitated before speaking.
“PD Ha mentioned that maybe you should consider doing an interview?”
“An interview?”
“Not just any interview, but appearing on Celebrity Live Broadcast.”
Celebrity Live Broadcast.
An entertainment show covering gossip about celebrities.
The program had a segment where they interview stars making headlines.
“Apparently, this is your third time as a child actor.”
An entertainment show.
To be honest, Su-yeon didn’t have much interest.
She had so much to learn now, and keeping her face in the limelight wouldn’t serve her well.
‘But still, just a final interview…’
Disappearing suddenly could have its own charm, but it felt polite to at least say goodbye.
With that thought in mind, Su-yeon nodded.
“Okay.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Surprised by Su-yeon’s consent, Sua’s eyes widened.
She figured Su-yeon would decisively decline.
Especially since she thought Su-yeon despised such things as variety shows.
However, in contrast to Sua’s assumptions, Su-yeon didn’t have a particular distaste for variety shows at all.
‘If I go on variety shows, I might even learn some broadcasting tips.’
Hmm.
Su-yeon crossed her arms.
Ultimately, it all comes down to content for Vtubers.
There are indeed similarities to variety shows.
However, as usual, continuing to hold on to broadcasting would just create lingering attachments, so she committed to letting go.
‘After all, I can always do variety shows later on.’
She figured that by then, she’d have so much more capability.
Su-yeon scrolled through what she wanted to pick up.
Acting, singing, voice acting techniques.
And just in case, self-defense skills too.
‘Being a Vtuber and an actor isn’t as easy as it looks.’
There’s a palpable sense that life is getting busier ahead.
*
“Wait, are you serious?!”
Ha Tae-oh beamed at the news from Sua.
Given Su-yeon’s personality, he thought she might flat-out refuse.
But the answer he received was a yes.
The moment Su-yeon’s first variety show appearance was confirmed.
“You’re quite lucky. It’s Su-yeon’s first variety show, as well as her last one as a child, you realize?”
“Haha, of course! Thank you so much! You know I really like you, PD-nim!”
PD Shin Jae-woon from KMB’s entertainment team was trembling with joy.
Last time, helping with the behind-the-scenes footage of The Sun Hidden by the Moon seemed to channel back in rewards this way.
The ratings had soared double at that time.
But now?
‘We could do this for another year!’
This was a last chance for Celebrity Live Broadcast, which had slowly started to wind down.
Shin Jae-woon had no intention of missing this opportunity.
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