The recent atmosphere in KMB's drama department could easily be described as the calm before the storm. Naturally, this was expected. With the drama department splitting into the 1st and 2nd divisions, it was only natural that the staff and producers below would be greatly unsettled.

But what mattered most was...

“Has PD Baek mentioned anything to you? About moving over to his side?” “Oh, I’ve heard something. It seems like he’s starting to seriously gather members for the 2nd division.” “I think most of the decisions will be made from above, though...” “It seems like PD Baek is directly approaching the people he wants to take with him.”

After such conversations, the producers fell silent for a while. While the higher-ups would naturally make the decisions, producers would still have some say in the matter.

That made it all the more agonizing to decide.

‘Should I stay in the 1st division?’ ‘Or should I move to the 2nd division?’

Based purely on ability, I’m more inclined to join Director Ha Tae-o. After all, he quickly resolved the incompetence of the former director, and thanks to the recent success of Dream Future, the drama department is currently thriving.

‘But...’

PD Baek Tae-su had a direct line to the KMB president. It was uncertain which side would be favored in the future.

Of course, only a fool wouldn’t back the stronger side. However, in this case, the risk of failure was the bigger concern.

If both sides ended up failing equally, PD Baek Tae-su would likely be given another chance. That’s the power of connections.

Because of this, Director Ha Tae-o was at a relative disadvantage in that regard. But he had more producers following him and was known for his personal competence. Moreover, the vice president had his back, so...

‘This is a headache.’

Connections. Or allegiances.

Which side do you align with? Who would have thought it would come to this within a broadcasting company? Then again, in any workplace, big or small, you eventually have to align with someone.

But in this case, the battle between the 1st and 2nd drama divisions would inevitably grow intense. Choosing the wrong side could leave you adrift with no direction.

‘Both sides have ongoing dramas, right?’ ‘We’ll get some idea based on the performance of those shows.’

The last drama produced before the department split would likely determine the future movements of the producers.

“So, what do you think about Haneul Garden?” “It’s good. Writer Min Se-hee, whom we’ve discovered, has a great sense. Her style is something you don’t often see on public broadcast.” “Hmm, that’s true. But whether it’ll work out or backfire remains to be seen.” “Well...”

That was an undeniable fact. Writer Min Se-hee’s script was sharp and had a solid storyline.

However, the romance element was quite weak. This was a significant weakness for a public broadcast drama. Writer Min Se-hee was well aware of this and was trying to address it as much as possible.

‘But it’s not something that can be resolved quickly.’

The producers thought to themselves. PD Baek Tae-su had supported a variety of writers, so there were many talented writers around him. That side seemed stable.

“And I’ve heard something about PD Baek’s upcoming drama.” “Heard what?” “Apparently, Song Ga-min is going to be in it.” “Ah, Song Ga-min. Yes, I’ve heard.”

When asked who the rising young actress was lately, her name was mentioned most frequently. Song Ga-min. She was now 25. She had been active since she was a child, but it had only been about a year since she truly gained recognition.

Her story of achieving success through a series of hardships had become a hot topic among the public.

“It seems like they’re setting her up to compete with the rising actresses.” “And since her counterpart is Ju Seoyeon, they may have chosen her as the opposing actress.”

Though 25 wasn’t old, it was difficult to compare her to a young actress who was 17 and constantly making headlines.

‘They’re setting up a narrative.’ ‘A genius actress versus a hardworking one.’

While the public may be drawn to a genius actress, in the end, people tend to root for the underdog. The focus would naturally shift to Song Ga-min, who rose to fame through hard work and adversity.

A drama’s success wasn’t solely determined by the acting ability of its cast. It was as if the casting choices were made with this in mind. There would undoubtedly be continuous media play surrounding this.

In other words, Ju Seoyeon’s image was so strong that it required such measures. Her radiant star power. Her monstrous potential.

The actress who had been captivating KMB for the past 10 years was now...

“Mom, I want to appear on that observational reality show.” “...Huh?”

Her mother, Su-ah, was clearly flustered as Seoyeon continued to persuade her.

‘Observational reality show.’

It was a type of program that showcased the daily lives of stars. The reality show in question was Golden Duckling, a relatively new observational program.

Though some observational shows tackled topics like romance, Golden Duckling was a show focusing on the daily lives of stars living with their parents. Since it featured stars living with their families, young actors often appeared on the show. It was quite a daring concept, but the first episode, featuring a young actor, had been a major hit.

The show was popular, particularly because it offered a rare glimpse into the lives of child stars or young celebrities. It was also often used as a way to shape the image of young stars.

‘The kid looks polished on TV, but they’re still just a kid.’

“It’s an MDC variety show.”

MDC had a somewhat familiar connection with Seoyeon. During her childhood days, The King of the Masked Sword had aired directly against MDC’s drama Action King.

And it felt like there had been some comparison with Dream Future, but honestly, Seoyeon didn’t remember much of it. Anyway, it wasn’t as if an actor was bound to a specific broadcasting station.

In terms of variety shows, there wouldn’t be any big issues, regardless of which station she appeared on. In the past, there may have been some hesitation with dramas, but that’s no longer the case.

There had even been instances where an actor appeared in dramas on all three major networks simultaneously. At the same time.

So, a variety show? No big deal.

‘I’m not sure exactly what I’m supposed to do, though.’

But she figured she could just refer to what other celebrities had done. More than anything, Seoyeon felt this was a huge opportunity.

‘This time...’

She was always highly conscious of her image, the embodiment of ego-searching. Recently, she’d developed a reputation for battling all kinds of wild animals in various situations.

Even...

• Did Ju Seoyeon just punch that bigeye tuna to death?
• It’s true, the tuna has been awfully quiet since then.
• 200kg tuna? Even Ngannou couldn’t do that!
• But it’s dead, though.
• That’s true.

 

A previously unearthed video of Seoyeon punching a tuna had gone viral again, with the action captured in slow motion. It was a blurry video, half-jokingly being shared around.

‘This is dangerous.’

Watching her image unravel in real-time made Seoyeon break into a cold sweat. Honestly, she envied Jo Seohui and Lee Jiyeon.

In Jo Seohui’s case...

• She totally gives off that villainous young lady vibe.
• Feels like the daughter of a demonic cult leader.
• Definitely a villainess, but she’s pretty!

 

Because of her sharp features, people often commented on her villainess image. But in a way, it gave her a noble, high-class brand image.

And for Lee Jiyeon, though her fanbase wasn’t as strong as Jo Seohui’s, she was cultivating a similar image. However...

• Is there still no controversy about Lee Jiyeon being a bully?
• Still???
• Please step on me, Jiyeon noona...
• Wasn’t Lee Jiyeon a delinquent?
• Stop slandering her! Jiyeon is so kind!

 

There were some rumors here and there. Compared to Jo Seohui’s villainous high-born image, Lee Jiyeon seemed more down-to-earth and relatable.

It seemed like they both needed to manage their images a bit, but still... They both had strong feminine images. Cute and pretty were the most common descriptors.

But in Seoyeon’s case...

• Could Ju Seoyeon destroy a punching bag?
• Special forces unit vs. Ju Seoyeon. Does she win if they don’t use guns?
• Even if they use guns, Seoyeon wins. She dodges bullets!
• Those were just paintball guns, though.
• But could she dodge real bullets?
• Hmm... a special forces unit would still be tough.

 

Seoyeon looked at the post, seriously pondering. Was this really a fan cafe for an actress?

Of course, there were more posts saying she was pretty and cute. After all, she was beautiful. Most of the people who became fans initially left comments about how pretty she was.

But eventually, they’d end up in the Arena section of the fan cafe.

‘Is the Arena board really meant for discussions about actresses versus hypothetical scenarios?’

Seoyeon pondered deeply. She had glanced at it occasionally, but it seemed more like a debate forum for users. But here, it was mainly about discussing how many opponents Seoyeon could defeat.

Honestly, Seoyeon was curious about a few things, too. Would she get injured if she got shot? After all, her TS skin seemed impervious to scars or wounds... No matter how much she trained, she never developed any calluses on her hands.

Her skin remained smooth and soft. That was just Seoyeon’s skin. A basic feature of her TS body.

‘Maybe I’m just naturally tough.’

She had never been shot, so there was no way to find out. Not that she wanted to get shot, anyway.

“Hmmm.”

After pondering for a moment, Seoyeon left a comment on the post.

• Why would I beat special forces? I’m just a normal, cute, pretty actress... Keep it reasonable.

 

That should be good enough. For Seoyeon, that was the best response she could come up with. After all, Seoyeon did like being called strong.

‘For the sake of my image.’

She had initially wanted to write, ‘Honestly, Ju Seoyeon would win,’ but she held back, trembling as she changed her comment. Shortly after posting it, she refreshed the page.

[Your account has been suspended for 3 days.]

• Reason: Stop spreading slander.

 

“?”

How was this slander? Was saying she was cute and pretty considered slander? Or was it claiming she would lose to the special forces?

Seoyeon stared at the post for a while before closing the browser window.

‘Yes, the observational reality show is the answer.’

Seoyeon made up her mind. This was her chance to fix her image.

Though there were still plenty of posts in her fan cafe praising her beauty and acting skills, the Arena board had a strange vibe. If she didn’t improve her image soon, she might get a call from Éclat Étoile.

But to appear on an observational show, there was one major hurdle.

“Se... Seoyeon, an observational reality show? Does that mean I have to go on, too?” “You’ll be sitting in the guest chair, Mom.” “The guest chair?!”

Su-ah was flustered, jumping in her seat. As she jumped, so did her chest. Seoyeon briefly pondered her own body.

‘My chest has been growing a bit lately, too...’

Surely it wouldn’t get as big as that, right? Then again, those could probably block bullets.

“Mom’s going to be on TV?”

Her younger sister, Suyeon, blinked her large eyes and asked.

“Oh, no. It’s not for sure yet... If I go on, Suyeon, you’ll be on, too.” “I’ll be on? I want to go on TV!”

Raising both arms excitedly, Suyeon, who was almost 8 and soon to be an elementary school student, beamed. Seeing her cute daughter, Su-ah’s expression softened, but then her gaze sharpened.

“B-But, Mom can’t do that! Isn’t the guest seat where they talk with the MCs?!” “Well, it is a show about observing stars with their parents.” “That’s not the point. Your school life will be shown, too. Are you okay with that?” “Yes.”

Seoyeon had no shame. At least, when it came to her school life, she was a model student. She took notes diligently, never fell asleep in class.

She maintained impeccable posture and never took her eyes off the teacher!

“But, won’t your lack of friendships be exposed?”

“!!”

Seoyeon’s eyes widened. She never expected such a pointed comment from her own mother.

“I mean, at least I keep in touch with Jiyeon’s mom and Jungwoo’s mom sometimes.” “Well, Jiyeon, sure. But you’ve been in contact with Jungwoo-senpai’s mom?”

Considering how shocked Jungwoo had been when she returned after a 10-year hiatus...

“She’s not the type to talk about such things with her son.”

It had been kept a secret. At least, that seemed to be the case. Seoyeon felt a strange sense of gratitude for that subtle consideration.

‘But still, doesn’t that mean you only have two contacts?’

Seoyeon didn’t mention it. If anything, she could count at least three.

Lee Jiyeon, Jo Seohui, and recently, Gil Dahyun. Ah, and there’s also Cha Nahyi. That makes four. And if you generously count Park Jungwoo, that’s five!

‘I win.’

Seoyeon shot a triumphant look at Su-ah. Su-ah felt a strange unease, but she was more concerned about what Seoyeon had said.

‘An observational reality show?’

Su-ah didn’t attend neighborhood meetings or mom cafes. As a freelance programmer working on outsourced projects, she rarely left the house.

In any case, Su-ah loved staying at home. She never imagined this would happen.

“B-But why an observational reality show? People already like seeing you do action stuff.” “You know what kind of image that creates.”

“A strong, healthy image.”

“Yes, but for an actress, it’s not ideal.”

Seoyeon spoke seriously.

“To reshape that image, this is something I have to do.”

“...”

Hearing Seoyeon’s earnest tone, Su-ah realized there was no way out. From experience, she knew how difficult it was to change her daughter’s mind once it was made up.

There was no avoiding it. The observational reality show was inevitable.

And so... MDC Broadcasting Station.

“Oh my! It’s so nice to meet you!!”

An excitable middle-aged woman. This was none other than Jeon Ha-young, the PD of MDC’s reality show, Golden Duckling.

As she looked at the girl standing before her, she couldn’t help but smack her lips. With her black hair and calm demeanor...

Even Jeon Ha-young, who had met countless celebrities over the years, found herself momentarily entranced by Seoyeon’s beauty. She had heard that Seoyeon was still a high school student, so it was impossible to imagine just how much more beautiful she would become as she matured.

‘Nahyi really found a gem.’

She had mentioned Seoyeon as a possibility just in case, but she never expected to actually bring her on. Jeon Ha-young barely managed to keep a smile on her face as she repeatedly greeted Seoyeon. If she let her guard down for even a moment, she felt like she might just stare at Seoyeon without speaking.

That’s how stunning and radiant this actress was.

‘Ju Seoyeon.’

The actress who had made a name for herself at KMB Broadcasting Station. Of course, other broadcasting stations were eager to have her as well.

And this Golden Duckling was the first step. Jeon Ha-young had been entrusted with an important mission from MDC, and that’s why she was here.