"The movie is titled The Chaser, and they specifically requested to cast you, Seoyeon."

The Chaser.

The title Jo Do-yul mentioned matched a movie that Seoyeon remembered. As for how that movie performed in the past...

It had a total audience of 2.5 million during its release. Not too many, but not too few—an average success. However, considering the circumstances behind those numbers, it was actually quite an impressive achievement.

"This isn’t really my place to say, but this is such a great opportunity that I think you should consider it, Seoyeon."

Jo Do-yul seemed to really like Seoyeon, judging by his words. And it was understandable.

The Chaser was a movie that GH Group had ambitiously prepared. The investment was substantial, and the cast was quite good.

But…

"Joo Seoyeon?"

Lee Ji-yeon asked Seoyeon with a puzzled look, wondering what was going on.

"Hmm."

Seoyeon lightly patted her cheeks with both hands before looking at Ji-yeon. There was something she needed to take care of before the movie casting.

The agency. Various scenarios flashed through her mind. She wondered if there might be something better out there. But there was no guarantee that a better company would be better for her. So…

"Do you think I could talk to the CEO today?"

It was time to decide on something she had been putting off.

"Did you hear? That actress Joo Seoyeon, who recently made a comeback." "Oh, you saw the play? Yeah, the atmosphere was incredible!" "No, that's not it."

RY Entertainment, one of the top three entertainment agencies in Korea. A company known for its aggressive business expansion and for signing popular stars left and right.

They had recently heard about an actress.

"She doesn’t have an agency yet." "Are you talking about Joo Seoyeon?"

The performance she showed in the recent play was far beyond what could be expected from someone her age. It was the first time they had felt such a thrill from a young actor. Could Park Jung-woo, Jo Seo-hee, or even the rising young actors match that? Honestly, it was hard to say.

And this actress was still a free agent without an agency? How many agencies would just sit back and do nothing after hearing that?

"Manager Song."

And as if to prove that point, RY Entertainment's Actor Management Division was abuzz with talk about her.

"What do you think about actress Joo Seoyeon?" "Well, she’s only shown her talent in a play so far, so it’s hard to say for sure, but she’s definitely a promising talent."

The impact she had on the recent variety show Looking Back at the Past was considerable. She had managed to double the ratings of a failing show.

But... Because the ratings had been so low to begin with, it didn’t feel as significant.

"There’s been a lot of talk about her, and quite a few articles have been published, so this could be the peak of her popularity." "Exactly. But she’s already used up the premium of being a comeback project, so… hmm."

Lee Hwi-rok, the head of Actor Management, scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"But it would be a waste to let her go to another agency. And she has a great face." "Right. She was cute as a child, and she’s grown up beautifully without any awkward changes." "Her acting seems pretty solid too. If we can get her into a good project, she could be a real asset."

He made his decision as he spoke. There was no reason not to sign such a promising talent. And if they could sign an actress who was currently trending, it would positively impact their stock price as well.

"Manager Song, take care of this, alright? Let’s see… for the contract terms, offering A-tier money would be too much." "Somewhere between B and C, right?" "Exactly. B is already generous. Let’s go with C. And make sure it’s clear that the C-tier is only because of her recent buzz." "Of course."

A little better than C-tier. With that, he gave the go-ahead.

Typically, the contract fee is set at around 30% of what the actor is expected to earn during the contract period. Actors are usually classified into 18 tiers, with child actors typically at the lowest levels, 1-5. Seoyeon’s career consisted entirely of her work as a child actor, and since she was returning after 10 years, her tier wouldn’t be very high.

From their perspective, they were being quite generous.

"I doubt any of the other top three agencies will be in the running, so make sure to secure this contract." "Got it. I’ll put my best negotiators on it."

They spoke with confidence, already looking as though they had successfully signed the contract.

It was only natural. They were one of the top three agencies in the country. An up-and-coming actress like Seoyeon would probably be eager to join, even if she had to beg.

So, their confidence seemed justified. Until that moment, anyway.

Nova Entertainment. The agency where Ji-yeon was signed, and one that was considered mid-tier in the industry. In reality, being mid-tier was still pretty good. There were countless agencies out there that were completely unknown.

"Oh my, Seoyeon, you’ve finally decided to sign with us?!"

As soon as they arrived at Nova Entertainment, CEO Kang Chan-yul rushed out to greet Seoyeon. Though he was in his early forties, his appearance made him look like he was in his thirties. His hair was a bright blonde. Seoyeon thought to herself how youthful he always seemed.

"Hello." "Oh, come on. Ji-yeon told me you were looking for an agency."

Seoyeon nodded at Kang Chan-yul's friendly words. It was only natural—they had known each other for ten years already.

She had been in and out of the agency countless times, tagging along with Ji-yeon without signing a contract, so it was no wonder they were close. It was almost surprising to Seoyeon how consistently Kang Chan-yul welcomed her.

‘He doesn’t even need new actors anymore.’

When Ji-yeon first joined, Nova Entertainment was much smaller. Of course, it was bigger than her previous agency, Eunha Entertainment, but still just one of many mid-tier agencies.

Back then, it was the kind of agency where someone like Ji-yeon could get decent treatment. But after ten years of struggling and gradual growth, it had become a mid-tier agency with a solid reputation.

They now had nearly 40 actors and singers on their roster. Among them were several established actors, and even a few who could be considered A-list. Their most prominent star was Hwang Min-hwa, who had recently appeared in a blockbuster movie and saw her fame skyrocket.

‘Eventually, an idol group will hit it big, and the agency will rise to second-tier status.’

But that was still a little way off. Nova Entertainment was an agency that, in Seoyeon’s previous life, had climbed higher than ever before. It never quite made it to the top tier, but it was free of scandals.

There had been a few incidents that could have caused major setbacks, but they were all manageable.

"The terms are exactly as we discussed before." "…Really?" "Of course. This isn’t just because of our relationship."

They sat facing each other in the company’s meeting room. Ji-yeon was waiting outside, so it was just Seoyeon and Kang Chan-yul in the room.

With a much calmer demeanor than before, he continued.

"I may not have much, but there’s one thing I can say with confidence."

Kang Chan-yul. He had once risen to a fairly high position in XN Entertainment, one of the top three agencies. He had been in the industry ever since, and after going independent and starting his own company, he had seen countless celebrities.

"I have a pretty good eye for talent." "…Is that so?"

Seoyeon reacted with a slightly ambiguous expression, causing him to give a wry smile.

"I once had a conversation with actor Park Sun-woong. He said that the talent of a star is like starlight."

A star. The innate talent they possess. A light that draws the gaze of others. He called that starlight.

"It’s a bit of an abstract expression."

Perhaps it was because he was an actor, but Park Sun-woong liked to speak in such poetic terms. As if he were performing on stage.

"A person who carries a spark and a person who carries starlight."

Both are qualities of a star.

‘But…’

Kang Chan-yul once had a conversation with Park Sun-woong about Seoyeon. He was curious if Park had seen in her what he had seen. And Park had said that she was a child with starlight.

"This is an investment."

Kang Chan-yul said.

"I see a lot of potential in the actress Joo Seoyeon, and I’m investing in that potential. So the terms… are exactly the same as before."

A contract fee on par with an A-list actor. He would have liked to offer her an S-tier contract, but the board would have opposed it, so he was giving her the best terms he could.

However, if she showed even a little success, he could easily raise her to S-tier. That’s how this industry works.

"……."

Even though Seoyeon had already made up her mind before coming, there was still a part of her that hesitated. It was precisely because they were close that she hesitated. And she knew how good the contract terms were.

Even the revenue split was 8:2. Usually, when signing a contract with an agency, the standard split is 7:3. The entertainer gets 7, and the agency gets 3.

That’s the industry average.

But starting with an 8:2 split was extremely rare. And he even offered to raise it further.

Honestly, Seoyeon was confident. Talent. She was sure she had it.

‘But…’

Starlight. She wasn’t sure if she had the kind of grand talent that Kang Chan-yul and Park Sun-woong spoke of.

The past life she had lived. The abilities of Joo Seoyeon, who had been reincarnated. The knowledge of the future that told her which projects would succeed.

Even so, there was a primal fear that lingered.

"…Yes. I’ve made my decision."

Seoyeon looked at Kang Chan-yul as she spoke. There was no more time to hesitate.

She thought of the two people who had come to see her after the play. Ten years ago. They were just brief acquaintances from a single project. Now, they were far above her.

A spark of competitiveness. Perhaps that’s what ignited a fire in Seoyeon’s heart. And…

"Please take good care of me from now on."

A top star. To keep the promise she had made to her friend, it was time to start running.

And the next day.

"Hello."

After class, as Seoyeon was leaving school to head to the theater, a man spoke to her. A man in a black suit, with a fresh impression. He looked Seoyeon up and down before smiling brightly.

"My name is Shin Min-chul, and I’m an agent from RY Entertainment." "Oh, I see."

He handed Seoyeon his business card as he spoke.

‘She’s definitely worth it based on looks alone.’

If her acting was on par with what he had seen on TV, she could quickly grow as an actress. After thinking that, Shin Min-chul cleared his throat and spoke.

"We were really impressed by your performance in Eyes Closed and Looking Back at the Past, so we decided to reach out."

Seoyeon stared blankly at him as he spoke.

‘What’s with him?’

He thought she would be thrilled and excited. Shin Min-chul wondered if she was just too shocked to react and continued.

"So, what I’m saying is that we at RY Entertainment would like to sign you…" "I’ve already signed a contract."

Before Shin Min-chul could finish his sentence, Seoyeon calmly responded. And upon hearing that…

"…What?"

He could only stand there, dumbfounded.