One day, a new variety show set to air on a cable network was announced. Produced with substantial investment from the GH Group, it was a show that had certainly required significant funding.

However, that alone wasn't enough to grab viewers' attention. Cable network variety shows were generally known for being edgier and more polarizing than what was typically seen on major broadcast channels, meaning they often had mixed reactions. The fact that the show had a large budget or was airing during prime time didn’t make much of a difference.

Especially when the show in question was a "survival audition show."

“Another one of those?” people complained. The market was already oversaturated with survival audition shows, particularly those aimed at finding new idols. The genre had worn out its welcome, and many viewers were sick of them, especially after previous shows had been tainted by rigging scandals. There was a sense that this new show would be more of the same.

However, today, the much-discussed cable show Hyper Action Star released its teaser trailer. It was available on YouTube and aired on TV.

“Is there anything new to review...?” muttered Han Bongsik, a YouTuber with 1.37 million subscribers, as he scratched his head, searching for new content to review. He had already covered all the recently popular movies and dramas, making it difficult to find fresh material.

His subscriber count had surged, partly thanks to content featuring Ju Seoyeon, but now it seemed some of them were starting to drift away.

• “How about a variety show?”

 

A comment in his chat caught his eye. Bongsik shook his head.

“I’m a reviewer, you know? How am I supposed to review a variety show?”

• “It’s a variety show auditioning actors.”

 

An audition for actors? That piqued Bongsik’s interest. But could such a concept work? How would they evaluate acting on a variety show stage?

“What kind of show is it? I mean, I don’t usually do variety shows, but you never know,” Bongsik said, trying to cover his curiosity. Soon, someone in the chat posted the title of the show, along with some teasing remarks.

Hyper Action Star?

It was an odd title, hard to guess what the show was about just from the name.

• “The teaser is out now ㅇㅇ”
• “Where do you even find these things?”
• “Is it just viral marketing?”

 

His viewers’ reactions suggested that the show wasn’t widely known yet.

• “Jo Seohui and Ju Seoyeon are in it.”
• “???”
• “What kind of show is it if Jo Seohui is in it?”

 

Jo Seohui? The mention of her name startled Bongsik. Jo Seohui was not one to appear in variety shows—she usually only did promotional interviews. She was in the same category as other top actors like Park Jungwoo, who chose their projects carefully.

“...Jo Seohui in an audition show? That’s ridiculous. Jo Seohui is at the level where she picks her scripts,” Bongsik muttered.

Jo Seohui was a young actress, still in high school, yet her career was far beyond what one would expect at her age. She had already appeared in two movies that sold over ten million tickets and had starred in several hit dramas on major networks, consistently driving up viewership ratings.

She had a strong relationship with veteran actor Jung Eunseon, and her acting career seemed unshakeable. There was even a saying in the industry that any project Jo Seohui starred in, no matter how risky, would succeed—a symbol of good fortune in the business.

And she had managed to maintain a spotless reputation as a young actress.

“So, this is about selecting actors for a GH Group-funded movie. The winner gets the lead role. Ah, but it’s a female lead, so only actresses are involved,” Bongsik explained as he continued reading.

• “Sounds boring.”
• “But what do they do on an acting audition show? Do they just act?”

 

“I’m not sure...,” Bongsik admitted. He couldn’t quite picture how it would work, but his interest was piqued. The fact that Jo Seohui was involved was intriguing, but there was another factor.

“And since Ju Seoyeon is also in it...”

• “How many shows is she doing in a year?”
• “I saw her on another variety show recently; I guess she’s really cashing in on her fame.”
• “She’ll burn out quickly if she overexposes herself like that.”

 

Bongsik agreed with the comments. Ju Seoyeon was like a goddess to him—the figure who had instantly boosted his subscriber count by hundreds of thousands. Even without Jo Seohui, the show was worth watching for Ju Seoyeon alone. Even if the ratings weren’t great, he felt an obligation to watch it out of respect. Bongsik prided himself on being a conscientious YouTuber.

“Let’s watch the teaser. You have to see it to understand,” he said, as much to himself as to his viewers. The video wasn’t long—just 10 minutes, though the full version was available. The TV and YouTube versions were shorter, just two-minute trailers.

“Come to think of it, isn’t that long for a teaser?” he wondered as he hit the play button.

The video opened with various actors arriving at what appeared to be a set. They entered the building and began seating themselves around a large, circular table.

The text on the screen indicated that there were 100 participants in total, divided into four groups of 25.

“Wow, even this actor is in it,” Bongsik noted, recognizing some familiar faces, especially actresses known for action roles. However, most were unfamiliar—likely stunt actors looking to make a name for themselves as real actors.

And then...

“She’s here.”

At the two-minute mark, Jo Seohui’s group appeared on screen. The moment she entered, the other actors visibly reacted, causing a stir.

• “She looks so arrogant.”
• “Top candidate for ‘Most Likely to Have a School Violence Scandal.’”
• “Are you seriously trying to smear a million-ticket actress like Jo Seohui?”
• “Honestly, if Jo Seohui looked at me like that, I’d probably wet myself.”

 

Though people had plenty to say, no one could deny her cold, yet stunning beauty. Compared to the stunt actors, her appearance was leagues ahead.

• “Not to be rude, but she’s on a whole different level.”
• “But why is Jo Seohui here? She’s not an action actress.”
• “??? Now that you mention it...?”
• “Look at how the others avoid sitting next to her. They know they’ll look like squid if they do.”

 

Jo Seohui had the perfect look for a villainess. Yet, she wasn’t typecast in such roles thanks to her versatile acting skills. In her previous ten-million-ticket movie, she had exuded a gentle, innocent aura that had brought audiences to tears. But now, she embodied the haughty demeanor of an aristocratic antagonist.

Watching her sit down while the others avoided her was almost comical. It might have made her seem like she was being ostracized, but her haughty demeanor made it seem like she was the one excluding the others.

• “Here she comes.”
• “Oh.”

 

As the seats filled, a school-uniformed girl appeared—Ju Seoyeon. After scanning the room and squinting slightly, she sat down next to Jo Seohui, who immediately smiled.

• “What’s going on?”
• “Are they close?”
• “I’ve never seen Jo Seohui smile like that before.”
• “They’re the same age, so maybe they’re friends?”

 

Jo Seohui’s reaction to Seoyeon was noticeably warmer than how she treated the others. The two sitting together created an oddly powerful synergy.

• “Look at the others, all intimidated.”
• “They’re all around the same age, so I can understand why they’d be scared.”
• “If I saw those two sitting together, I wouldn’t dare go near them.”

 

Not only Jo Seohui but Seoyeon also maintained a stoic expression, adding to the chilly atmosphere. Her red-tinted eyes seemed to exude an aura that made people instinctively lower their heads.

And then there was the sheer presence that came from their beautiful yet intimidating appearances. The aura of true actors. It almost felt as if the two of them existed on a different plane from everyone else.

• “They look like they’re from a different anime.”
• “Different anime lol.”
• “Are you insane?”

 

Amid these reactions, the video continued.

"You’re late, huh?"
"I ran here after school."
"...Isn’t your school, Yeonhwa High School, quite a distance from here?"

The screen showed the distance between the filming location and Yeonhwa High School.

• “She ran five stops?”
• “Is that even possible?”
• “It is if you’re Ju Seoyeon ㅇㅇ”
• “?”

 

Just as the viewers were reacting, the scene shifted to show the actors’ surprised expressions.

"You ran here? Funny joke," someone muttered in the tense silence.

"My, dismissing what you can’t do as a joke isn’t very fair, is it?" Jo Seohui’s sharp retort heightened the tension in the room. Just as it seemed a confrontation might erupt, Seoyeon quietly nudged Jo Seohui in the side with her finger, stopping her.

• “Whoa!!”
• “Why are you so shocked?”
• “Did you know she can pierce a coconut with her finger?”
• “What? Is that even possible?”
• “Seohui’s done forㅠㅠ”

 

Fortunately, no further conflict arose. Just as the tension was about to break, the show’s producer appeared and began explaining the premise. Faces from Teams A to E flashed across the screen.

"Since we’re all here, why don’t we start with a little preview?" the producer said, and the scene changed again.

Actors from Group A began rappelling out of a window, acting out scenes as they descended.

"What superpower did you imagine as you jumped?" The actors were asked to perform as if they had superpowers while rappelling down.

Most of the actors were caught off guard, scrambling to improvise. Those who went later managed to put a bit more thought into their performances. The video showed brief clips of each actor’s attempt.

“Hmm?” Bongsik’s eyes widened. Ju Seoyeon was shown solo, unlike the others who had only appeared in quick, collective shots.

What was she going to do?

As if echoing his thoughts, the chat filled with shocked reactions.

• “???”
• “What’s happening??”

 

Ju Seoyeon, without properly securing her harness or holding onto the rope, suddenly ran toward the window and leaped out.

Some of the actors watching screamed in surprise. But Seoyeon spun in mid-air and landed cleanly on the air mattress below, bouncing slightly before landing smoothly on her feet.

• “She’s insane;;”
• “Who in their right mind just jumps like that, even with an air mattress???”
• “Why did she spin in the air? Was she trying to strike a pose?”
• “Maybe she wanted to do a superhero landing lol.”
• “??”

 

As the chat filled with incredulous comments, Bongsik found himself wondering, Did she really mean to jump without the air mattress? It seemed crazy, but then again, something about Ju Seoyeon inspired a strange sense of trust, as if she’d be fine no matter what.

Then, Cha Mingyu, who was playing the role of the instructor in Hyper Action Star, asked Seoyeon what superpower she had imagined while jumping.

“Healing factor.”

• “You’re kidding, right?”
• “What does that have to do with anything?”
• “Healing? Seriously?”
• “Ah, she meant she jumped because she wouldn’t get hurt even if she fell, lol.”

 

Despite the chat’s reactions, Seoyeon looked oddly pleased, as if she was satisfied with her answer. Meanwhile, Jo Seohui’s response was different.

“Aren’t you going to rappel down, Seohui?”
“They said I could just take the stairs.”
“What about your superpower?”
“Hmm, a genius with a high IQ? Or maybe a rich person.”

With that, Jo Seohui simply took the elevator down, making herself even more noticeable by avoiding the rappelling altogether.

Her final appearance in the teaser, like a cameo, wrapped up the video.

“Uh...” Bongsik stared at the finished video, trying to find the right words.

“This... looks like it’s going to be interesting.”

That was all he needed to say. Sometimes, that’s all a variety show needs.

And as if to prove Bongsik right:

[Hyper Action Star teaser hits 3 million views in two days!]
[Young action stars face off—who will be the lead?]

Hyper Action Star had quickly become a hot topic, thanks to the GH Group-funded movie and the battle among young actresses for the lead role. The most talked-about participants were none other than Ju Seoyeon and Jo Seohui.

Their reputations aside, they had left a lasting impression. Of course, for every standout, there was someone who didn’t make the cut.

Bang!

“This is all I got?” Min Doha muttered through gritted teeth.

Ten seconds. That was all the screen time she had received in the teaser, most of it showing her picking a fight with Seoyeon. Her rappelling scene had been cut to just two seconds.

While Min Doha’s rappel had been skillful, there were plenty of others in different groups who had performed at a similar level. Being merely competent wasn’t enough to stand out or make a lasting impression.

Indeed, none of the articles mentioned Min Doha’s name.

“...Ju Seoyeon.”

She didn’t care about Jo Seohui. Jo Seohui hadn’t even been serious about this show.

But Ju Seoyeon was different. She was a monster who had returned to the entertainment industry after a ten-year hiatus.

“Next time, I’ll definitely...”

Min Doha couldn’t bear the thought of losing to an actress who had only just returned after a decade away. She vowed never to let that happen again.

Meanwhile, at that very moment...

“Uh... So, what was that you said just now?” Ju Seoyeon, the actress causing Min Doha so much frustration, was looking excitedly at a group of male students, asking, “Can I try out the eSports club for a bit?”