“Harara Shorts? What is this?”
Ko Mi-eun, the female lead of the Grand Game, chuckled as she watched a video that had just popped up on her YouTube.
It was a recently captured short performance from ‘Milky Way Land’.
There were two types.
One was a promotional video posted directly by Milky Way Land.
The other was a recording of the play taken by various audience members from different angles.
Since it was a children’s play, there was no way to stop anyone from filming, so the video made its way online.
“Joo Seo-yeon?”
Suddenly, Ko Mi-eun doubted her eyes.
The female lead of the Harara play was none other than Joo Seo-yeon.
‘Could it be that she squeezed in a play while filming Sky Garden?’
When on earth did she practice for this?
In the promotional video, Seo-yeon was almost flying through the air, performing action moves against a giant teddy bear.
Doing wire action like that doesn’t just come from one or two practices.
So, she must have been sneaking in practice sessions while filming Sky Garden?
Honestly, children’s plays don’t pay well at all.
Therefore, unless it’s a big deal, it’s rare for a somewhat famous celebrity to take part in one.
Of course, is Joo Seo-yeon really that high-profile? I mean, she is just a young actress who has only been active for a year.
‘But she is in a position where she could definitely inflate her worth.’
That said, there’s no way she would perform for free in such a children’s play.
A top actress nowadays.
So, there was really no reason for her to gain recognition from a children’s play like that.
— No way, haha. After the last Harara shorts, now she’s performing in a real play! Haha.
— See, I told you! The last shorts were produced by the Harara promotion team!
— Honestly, they might have cast her after seeing that, right?
— But I regret missing the Harara play this time. I heard Jo Seo-hee was also in it.
— It was a play that both adults and kids would enjoy! ^^
Reading the YouTube comments, Ko Mi-eun frowned.
There was something that caught her attention.
‘Jo Seo-hee?’
Of course, she knew who that was.
She had been making a name for herself during the time Mi-eun was filming her drama.
In just three years, she was one of the most mentioned young actors alongside Park Jung-woo.
At one point, it felt like every channel she flipped to had a drama or movie featuring Jo Seo-hee.
Honestly, it’s rare to find a young actress who can perform like that at her age.
She could practically claim exclusive rights to playing middle and high school roles in dramas.
These days, she was occasionally mentioned as a substitute for the nation’s younger sister.
“Jo Seo-hee is pretty, but as a younger sister…”
“If I had a younger sister like her, I wouldn’t be able to say a word.”
There were many opinions like this, which prevented her from snagging the title of the nation’s younger sister.
Because of that, while Jo Seo-hee had been feeling frustrated at home, Ko Mi-eun had no way of knowing about it.
‘Why is Jo Seo-hee at Milky Way Land?’
While Joo Seo-yeon was one thing, there was really no reason for Jo Seo-hee to perform in such a play.
Thinking about it, there had been rumors for a while that Jo Seo-hee was the daughter of a wealthy family.
There were speculated sources, but since she didn’t work with that side, it remained a mere rumor…
— Seems like Joo Seo-yeon and Jo Seo-hee are really close! Haha.
— Honestly, everyone knows if you saw the last Hyper Action Star.
— The look on Joo Seo-yeon’s face when Jo Seo-hee betrayed her was hilarious! Haha.
— Looks like Jo Seo-hee called her to join again this time.
— People who went to see the play are so lucky! They say you won’t see that level of quality in a children’s play again.
— Honestly, I thought they wouldn’t be good since they aren’t originally actors, but they were way better than I expected! Haha.
— It’s not for nothing they’re called genius actors, right?
Could they really be friends?
Thinking about it, since they are around the same age, it’s not impossible.
Jo Seo-hee was someone Ko Mi-eun couldn’t even think about crossing.
As an actress, how could she possibly meddle with the daughter of a wealthy family?
‘Especially if Joo Seo-yeon is close friends with someone like Jo Seo-hee…’
That was still an area Ko Mi-eun couldn’t touch.
Grinding her teeth, Ko Mi-eun said,
“Mi-eun, are you checking the internet reactions again? Don’t worry too much.”
“Yeah, Grand Game only has a 1% difference anyway.”
“Today will be completely different. We’ve packed in some romance now, so it’s going to grab everyone’s attention.”
While she was staring intently at her phone, fellow actors and staff approached Ko Mi-eun.
Staring at her phone like it was a magic portal, fellow actors and staff tried to strike up a conversation with Ko Mi-eun.
Seeing her continuously sour face, they thought she was stressed about the previous week’s ratings.
And they were right.
Ko Mi-eun’s obsession with searching for Joo Seo-yeon’s videos was all thanks to Sky Garden.
“I honestly don’t get it,” she complained.
“What don’t you get?”
“Sky Garden. Everyone’s talking about it, but is it really that great? It’s just giving me bad vibes.”
“Oh, I thought I was the only one! Plus, in the latest episode, they just pushed someone off a cliff for no reason.”
The staff members babbled on with their complaints about Sky Garden.
Their grumbling meant that Sky Garden was a formidable rival to Grand Game.
Just a week ago, Sky Garden hadn’t even been mentioned, and if it was, people merely called it an entertaining drama.
When people gossip, it’s usually because something truly bad has happened or they feel threatened and competitive.
This time, it was the latter.
Everyone present could feel that tension.
“They just got a boost in ratings from some dramatic twist last week. Plus, Joo Seo-yeon was on Masked Singer. Of course, viewers would flock to see her perform in a king contest.”
“Yeah, but that kind of trick won’t last. A drama has to be good for the ratings to stay afloat.”
“True, true.”
Thanks to the staff’s comments, Ko Mi-eun felt a bit better.
Even if their words were just sweet talk to lift her spirits, they somehow felt convincing.
[Sky Garden closes in on the ratings for Grand Game!!]
[Sky Garden declares itself the king of this quarter! Family feuds heat up.]
[Just a 1% difference from last week. What will happen this week?]
After double-checking the latest online articles, Ko Mi-eun switched off her smartphone.
It was still just a 1% difference.
In fact, considering all the hype from the previous week, it wasn’t a huge gap at all.
‘This year needs to be my year.’
Ko Mi-eun promised herself as she prepared for the shoot, vowing never to lose to Joo Seo-yeon.
But…
[Sky Garden Episode 13 hits a miraculous 20% in ratings!!]
[Sky Garden closes the gap with just a 6% difference? The magic of ratings unfolds!]
[Sky Garden Episode 14 sets new personal records with 22% ratings!]
[Sky Garden soars with record-breaking ratings! What kind of drama is it?]
[Is Grand Game about to collapse? Ratings down by 2% from last week.]
Life never goes as planned.
*
“Congratulations!”
In the KMB Broadcasting Company hallway leading to the cafeteria, PD Baek Tae-soo bowed his head to Director Ha Tae-oh.
“This week, ratings for Sky Garden rose to 22%.”
“Oh, really? That’s why the mood in the drama department is so upbeat.”
Ha Tae-oh gazed at Baek Tae-soo, his eyes smashing a playful smile.
“Grand Game is doing well too, right? You’re soon to be the head of the second department, and that’s a solid start.”
“Haha, yes! It’s almost embarrassingly good.”
“These days, KMB is really on a roll. We’re essentially beating all dramas in the same time slot, right? If this keeps up, that would be great.”
At Ha Tae-oh’s words, Baek Tae-soo’s mouth twitched ever so slightly.
But it was just for a moment.
“Of course it should be. Oh, by the way, I heard other broadcasting companies are also looking for Joo Seo-yeon lately.”
“Even the Golden Duckling was not from our side’s variety shows.”
“But still, it ended up having a positive influence on us… Though who knows what the future holds.”
After Baek Tae-soo’s comment, Ha Tae-oh smiled at him for a moment.
“How can an actor only work with one broadcasting company? It’s only natural.”
“That’s true. But I heard you, Director, have a soft spot for Joo Seo-yeon. I thought I’d mention it since it might be disappointing.”
After all Sky Garden wasn’t originally supposed to be produced.
The plot was too tricky for a public broadcast to handle.
It was a drama that would normally be aired in a vague time slot or not at all.
But once the word got out that Joo Seo-yeon was joining Sky Garden, Ha Tae-oh decided to slot Sky Garden into the Wednesday-Thursday drama lineup.
As soon as the word “participate” came out, Ha Tae-oh incorporated “Sky Garden” into his Wednesday-Thursday drama lineup.
And that number was proving to be effective as evidenced by the current results.
“It’s not about the actors; it’s about the work that made the decision. It’s fresh, isn’t it? Sky Garden.”
“……”
“No need to cling too hard to a victory formula.”
“You’re absolutely right.”
After such a conversation, Baek Tae-soo and Ha Tae-oh turned their backs to each other.
Baek Tae-soo smiled as he turned away, but his eyes weren’t smiling.
“A victory formula, huh.”
It’s not incorrect.
He had no intention of shifting the blame onto anyone.
No matter how much the staff and actors wanted to change the plot thinking about the main viewing audience,
when the writer and director felt that this plot might not fit the public broadcast,
it was something that needed to be corrected by him.
There was a need to take some risks.
“The position of a department head might just dull the edge of the blade.”
The pressure of not being able to fail made it impossible to take any gambles.
Of course, “Grand Game” is a successful drama.
As Ha Tae-oh said, in a situation where the second country was just being formed, the achievement was sufficiently excellent.
But people would only remember “Sky Garden” among KMB dramas in the latter half of this year.
“At the beginning, I lost.”
Baek Tae-soo paused for a moment and turned back.
He couldn’t see Ha Tae-oh anymore; perhaps he had already disappeared into the restaurant.
Dominating the narrative.
In the first battle, Ha Tae-oh completely dominated the narrative against him.
However, he didn’t plan to lose again.
“Joo Seo-yeon.”
This was all due to one actress’s influence.
The explosive power she showed in “Masked Singer” and “Sky Garden.”
An intense explosiveness that didn’t feel like she had only been active for a year.
“Next time won’t be easy. Ha Tae-oh.”
Baek Tae-soo walked down the hallway, thinking so.
Now, it wouldn’t be long until the second drama department officially launched.
*
“Hello, this is Bong-sik.”
With a smiling face, 1.42 million YouTuber Han Bong-sik said.
“I told you, right? Haha, I told you ‘Sky Garden’ would be a hit!”
– Crazy, Bong-sik.
– How about just riding a bamboo horse?
– The breakthrough king is here, it happened just as you said!
“I told you so, didn’t I? This is gonna be ‘Sky Garden.'”
Today, he was reviewing episodes 13 and 14 of “Sky Garden.”
In episode 13 and 14, the story progressed like a tidal wave, as if proving that the hype in the previous 12 episodes was no fluke.
Lee Yoo-joo, stabbed and falling into the valley, almost died.
By chance, her classmate Song Ga-yeon, who was passing below, saved her.
– So that’s why Song Ga-yeon appeared in episode 11!
– But isn’t this a historical accuracy error? Would Joo Seo-yeon really get hurt falling into the valley?
– She could get hurt, though;;;
– Joo Seo-yeon is human too!
– Guys, it was Yoo-joo who fell, not Joo Seo-yeon.
Anyway, as such jokes were exchanged, the truth about “Sky Garden” episode 12 was gradually revealed.
“For the first time, I beat you, oppa. But if Lee Yoo-joo helps you…”
It was a time when the expectations of parents, which had drifted apart, were just barely being reclaimed.
For the first time since childhood, her parents had hopes for her, and Min-seo wanted to meet those expectations.
But what if Lee Yoo-joo helps Min-hyeok?
All the attention would surely turn back to Min-hyeok.
And so, it was impulsive.
All of this.
“Lee Yoo-joo, she only sees me as a stepping stone, right? I’m not bad at all.”
Muttering such words, Min-seo rationalized herself and prepared for her actions.
Min-seo knew it too.
The only reason Lee Yoo-joo treated her so amiably in the first place was because her ultimate goal had been Min-hyeok.
The expected eldest son of the Lee Hyuk-soo family.
Her twin brother.
To prove her abilities to him and climb higher.
Lee Yoo-joo used Min-seo as a stepping stone.
Min-seo knew that fact and agreed, but she couldn’t just watch as Lee Yoo-joo tried to step over her to reach Min-hyeok.
I couldn’t just watch Lee Yoo-joo quietly.
So.
“I did it, I did it.”
Min-seo crumples down as she says that.
Laughing with terror in her eyes as she looks at Yoo-joo who has fallen into the valley below.
As if to say, this is the end of everything.
And then the story unfolds again from Yoo-joo’s perspective.
Saved by Song Ga-yeon, Yoo-joo is treated in the hospital, looking at her savior with a confused expression, as if trying to understand why she would go this far to help her.
What’s in it for her?
She keeps pondering this question about Song Ga-yeon.
Is she trying to use me too?
But then.
“Friends help each other, right?”
Song Ga-yeon says with a bright smile.
She wasn’t from a prestigious family like others.
Though she lingered in the upper class since she stayed in the “Sky Garden,” she was just the daughter of a doctor who ran a small clinic.
Yoo-joo saw no merit in her, meaning she was practically a nobody at school.
Almost like a ghost.
However, with Song Ga-yeon’s words, Yoo-joo experiences an emotional shift.
“But what do you want to do, Yoo-joo?”
“What?”
“You study well and have so much talent. I thought you must have a lot of things you want to do.”
In the hospital room of the small clinic run by Song Ga-yeon’s father, they have this conversation.
Song Ga-yeon didn’t envy Yoo-joo.
She simply asked out of pure curiosity.
What do you want to do?
That was the question.
“I…”
At those words, Yoo-joo suddenly finds herself at a loss for words.
She had already decided what she wanted to do in her heart.
But for some reason, she couldn’t respond to that question.
With her eyes shaking, Yoo-joo looks at Song Ga-yeon, and Chapter 14 ends.
In a state where no future developments can be anticipated.
– Wow, but this part, Joo Seo-yeon’s acting was insane.
– The emotion line was really good. It felt a bit overwhelming even without many lines.
A rare serious chat comment appeared.
Bong-sik also agreed with that statement.
“You can see that Yoo-joo’s acting here is different from her previous performances. It conveys emotions more deeply.”
I don’t know why.
Maybe it just happened like that?
“It really feels like a performance she put a lot of thought into.”
It felt like she completely immersed herself in the role, like this is what they often call method acting.
Being able to convey emotions to the audience this well means she really empathizing with the character.
It was already good before, but now it feels incomparable.
Yeah, especially since the episodes after filming [Masked Singer] gave off that vibe.
“What happened back then?”
Anyway, Seo-yeon’s acting hit home.
Everything was proven by the ratings.
“I can’t believe this is the same person.”
As he said that, Bong-sik turned on Harara shorts.
Recently, there was a Harara theater shorts show at “Mirilna Park.”
For reference, it was not official; it was a compilation of audience-captured footage.
There were various angles, and among them was a clip from the far right of the stage, capturing Harara’s face turned away—an expression the regular audience would never see.
There was Seo-yeon’s face, full of embarrassment.
Her cheeks flushed bright red, a side of her never shown on the broadcast.
In that moment, with her bottom lip nervously bitten and her hands trembling…
– Wow, this is it, haha.
– Is Joo Seo-yeon shy about being in special effects?
– Well, she didn’t show it where the audience could see, haha.
– Even a gorilla can be cute sometimes.
– Don’t call her a gorilla, haha.
Such videos and clips circulating in various communities were bound to happen.
Of course, when Seo-yeon saw those clips later, she couldn’t help but bury her head in her desk.
“Hey, Seo-yeon, how’s it going?”
“Yesterday’s play was great!”
“…….”
Receiving her classmates’ greetings, she had no choice but to hide her face.
‘How am I supposed to show my face at school now?’
With her head buried in her desk, Seo-yeon’s ears turned red.
It was probably an embarrassment she’d never face again in her life.
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