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Thus, the web promotional variety show for Dream Future sparked unexpected buzz on the internet. The completely unpredictable development, along with the sudden inclusion of dance and song in what was supposed to be a youth romance, created a chaotic mix.
Even though only two scenes were released, that alone was enough to set drama-related communities on fire.
For the record, the competition between the actor team and the idol team ended in a perfect tie. The idol team naturally dominated in singing and dancing. The acting, while somewhat close, was marred by Ma Yeon-woo's notably poor performance.
Usually, this would have been heavily criticized.
Ma Yeon-woo’s poor acting quickly became a meme, spreading across various communities. The scene where he suddenly starts dancing while walking, and the intense dance moves synchronized with Seoyeon’s singing, were particularly highlighted.
Although Park Jung-woo's team technically won in the acting category with their stable performances, the spotlight was undoubtedly on Ma Yeon-woo’s side. Consequently, Seoyeon, who had supported Ma Yeon-woo’s flamboyant dance with her singing, also became a topic of conversation.
With this level of buzz, YouTubers and various content creators quickly picked up on it, and analyses of Dream Future began to circulate.
“This seems like they’re trying to do a musical drama. It’s quite innovative... Wait, no, it’s not?”
“This is an interesting attempt, though. Usually, in dramas, the lead actors are a bit older, even if they’re playing high school students.”
“Who is this? Ju Seoyeon? Oh, I know her. I saw her on a recent variety show.”
One YouTuber, with over a million subscribers, took particular interest in the buzz. Han Bong-sik, known for reviewing movies and dramas, hadn’t initially cared about Dream Future. But the constant memes caught his eye.
“Well then, let’s give this a proper review.”
The YouTuber started by watching the first scene that had caused the buzz—the idol team’s first acting performance in Dream Future.
“To summarize this scene: Jo Ha-rin feels talentless and becomes discouraged. Then Park Min-yul, who secretly has a crush on her, comforts her by... dancing? Wait, who wrote this script?”
Even hearing a summary was confusing. For someone who had reviewed countless dramas and movies, this left even him momentarily dumbfounded.
“Judging by the official website, this is supposed to be a serious youth romance drama. Maybe I don’t understand what ‘serious’ means anymore.”
After watching the scenes that had gone viral, he nodded in agreement. Having already seen the memes, the impact was lessened.
“Ah, I see.”
“Both are still inexperienced in their respective fields—Ju Seoyeon with singing, and Ma Yeon-woo with acting. That’s why this ended up so bizarre. Look at Park Jung-woo’s side; it’s not causing any buzz. He did well enough.”
That was the gist of it. Park Jung-woo’s side did have some flaws, but Kim Si-hwan, his character, was supposed to excel in singing. Since Park Jung-woo himself was quite capable of singing, there was little room for things to go wrong.
The only minor hiccup was from Hwang Seol-ha, the other actor on his team.
“On the other hand, this side has a second scene.”
If the first scene involved Seoyeon and Ma Yeon-woo, the second scene featured Seoyeon and Cha Na-hee.
Since it would have been too much for the two idols to handle the acting part alone, Seoyeon was added to support them.
“You’re being too harsh. This one was at least better.”
Fortunately, this scene was better because Seoyeon danced. Who knows why every scene includes dancing and singing, but that seems to be the nature of this drama.
“That’s why there are fewer memes from this scene. At least the dancing matched well with the acting.”
“Even from this, it’s clear this wasn’t done as a joke. It’s serious. And honestly, if it were properly filmed and edited, it could look completely different.”
This was something a video review YouTuber could say, having watched so many productions.
“If you notice, the singing and background music are there, but the camera hardly moves. Basically, the scenes are shot in a variety show format rather than a drama format. That’s why it looks so funny.”
“So if these funny scenes were directed and edited like a drama, it could be completely different.”
Of course, given the script, it might not be mind-blowing, but it would definitely be better.
“If both sides work on their weaknesses, I honestly think this drama could perform well. I’m predicting over 20% viewership!”
Han Bong-sik, the YouTuber, made such a confident prediction because he saw potential.
‘Ju Seoyeon’s acting and dancing are really good.’
He was honestly impressed but hadn’t said much because he wanted to save some commentary for when the drama aired.
‘Still in high school? There’s a reason she’s already done a drama and a movie.’
By the way, Han Bong-sik had also reviewed The Chaser when he did classic drama reviews. Seeing the child actor he praised now grown up was a nostalgic experience.
‘The Chaser was great, and although the singing is a bit of a problem, everything else is outstanding.’
While Park Jung-woo’s side was unremarkable, proper editing could make a big difference.
He was confident that the viewership could surpass 20%.
“Feel free to bookmark this. I’m serious; this will get over 20%.”
As Han Bong-sik’s bold prediction spread across the internet, Dream Future suddenly became a hot topic.
Seoyeon had one concern in mind.
‘What if I get attacked by JustX’s fans?’
There were many cases of malicious comments or petty attacks in the form of gifts. She worried about how to handle it if it happened to her.
‘Maybe it would be better if they just came to the school.’
As she thought this, Seoyeon wondered if she should learn some self-defense. Although she had already learned some at Cheonghong Action School, she felt it might not be enough.
However, Seoyeon’s concern wasn’t solely about potential fan attacks.
“Nice to meet you!! I’m Ro from JustX, the leader.” “Yeah, our leader’s a bit of a troublemaker, right? I’m Do Ho-jin.” “Here, drink this before we start.”
The entire JustX group had come to the set once. Since Ma Yeon-woo was a member of JustX, the production team had decided to use the group for promotional purposes.
By the way, Killer Hong’s real name was Hong Yong-sik. He used the stage name Do Ho-jin to cover up his old-fashioned name.
In any case, Ma Yeon-woo was playing a significant role in the promotion. The writer had suggested including a cameo appearance by one of the members.
“Uh, let’s not do that.”
Director Kim Pil-seok declined the idea. But he agreed to use them for promotional purposes.
So, the promotion was set to feature Park Min-yul, played by Ma Yeon-woo, in a dance battle against the members of JustX. Before the shoot, they greeted Seoyeon, who had arrived early.
“You’re Seoyeon, right? Yeon-woo talks about you a lot.” ‘The idol who takes medication.’ “That’s right. He talks about you all the time.” ‘The Apgujeong Killer Hong.’ “Wow, so this is what an actress looks like. Now I see why idols don’t stand a chance next to them.”
‘The Gangnam Chair King.’
With such formidable nicknames, Seoyeon couldn’t help but feel tense.
“Hello.” “Ah, yes. Please continue to take care of Yeon-woo.”
Of course, they were puzzled by Seoyeon’s distant attitude but simply nodded in understanding.
‘Does she look down on idols because she’s an actress?’
It wasn’t uncommon for actors to look down on idols. Especially for a young high school student, this kind of attitude was easy to develop.
With that thought in mind, Lee Hyun, the ‘Gangnam Chair King,’ found himself disliking her for no apparent reason.
‘Should I teach her a lesson?’
In a past life, he was notorious for seducing women at clubs, being involved in several scandals, and making headlines five times due to love triangles. Later, he gained fame from the scandal of providing sexual services at his own club.
He smiled at Seoyeon. No woman had ever resisted his charm before.
“……?”
Seoyeon frowned in response. Knowing his notorious history, she could guess the reason behind that smile.
“What are you doing?”
At that moment, Ma Yeon-woo rushed in and quickly inserted himself between Seoyeon and the members.
“Seoyeon? Or should I say Seoyeon-ssi? Anyway, don’t bother her. Go on, move along.” “What the heck? Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”
Lee Hyun was taken aback by Ma Yeon-woo’s sudden push. However, Ma Yeon-woo was flustered for a different reason. He was honestly scared.
‘What is this idiot doing to a high school girl?’
If this got out, it would be a massive scandal. Ma Yeon-woo might not have the best personality, but he didn’t want to ruin his career. A minor controversy was one thing, but this was on another level.
Moreover, he noticed Seoyeon’s eyes narrowing into a sharp glare. He knew what could happen if you crossed her at the wrong time.
‘It wasn’t captured on camera, but still...’
Ma Yeon-woo shuddered. Cha Na-hee would likely agree with him.
The ‘Idol Team’ continued to work together even after the promotional ad ended.
When they rehearsed their lines, it was always the three of them together.
“It’s better to work with people you’ve already practiced with, don’t you think?”
That was what Director Kim Pil-seok had said. As a result, Ma Yeon-woo received a lot of help from Seoyeon in improving his acting.
“Your eye movement isn’t right.” “...Eye movement?” “You have to be aware of where the camera is.”
Seoyeon would give demonstrations as she explained. Every time she did, Ma Yeon-woo was reminded that, while she might be intimidating, she was definitely a skilled actress.
She had a certain presence that made it hard to look away. Even Cha Na-hee listened closely to Seoyeon’s advice.
A model student. That was Cha Na-hee, and it naturally made the troublemaker Ma Yeon-woo fall in line. Moreover, Seoyeon was strict.
Whenever Ma Yeon-woo made a mistake, her eyes would narrow. She would correct his posture with her hands, and every time she did, Ma Yeon-woo could feel his body creak.
‘This is weird.’
Ma Yeon-woo had a body trained through dance, but he couldn’t seem to resist Seoyeon’s strength. Even after long dance practices, she didn’t seem to break a sweat...
“Hey, Ma Yeon-woo, what are you doing?” “Just shoot the ad. I’m saving you.” “What are you talking about?”
Lee Hyun didn’t understand what Ma Yeon-woo was saying. Saving him? From what?
As for Seoyeon...
‘The members seem to get along well.’
Though they might be criminals... she couldn’t help but feel a little envious. Lee Ji-yeon, on the other hand, didn’t like it when others got too close to her.
But there were kids like this at school, too. Seoyeon secretly longed for that kind of camaraderie.
‘But soon...’
Seoyeon felt confident. Thanks to JustX, more students were starting to approach her.
Just a little more, and she would reach the realm of true friendship.
With this confidence, the first episode of Dream Future was fast approaching its broadcast date.
Good