Chapter 145

Currently, Seoyeon had only properly filmed an advertisement for Éclat Étoile.

Apart from that, there weren’t many other ads she’d done.

Whenever she appeared on broadcasts, she consistently used Éclat Étoile cosmetics, and because she tirelessly promoted them at every opportunity, in the eyes of Éclat Étoile, she was a highly beneficial celebrity.

…Of course, it felt to some extent like an excuse.

Nevertheless, given the current trend of her being labeled a top entertainer, she had been receiving a fair amount of advertising offers.

Among them, however, quite a few didn’t seem personally suited to Seoyeon—like gamepad ads or fishing rod ads.

Of course, there were some proper ones as well, but she hadn’t had the time to shoot any ads recently.

“But I guess I need to start thinking about it soon.”

Still, commercials bring in a lot of money.

And they help improve an entertainer’s image too.

“…Since I messed it up again with *Hyper Action Star*.”

There was an intensity to her tryouts for the action acting audition that seemed a bit excessive.

Frankly, Seoyeon secretly regretted Min Do-ha not reaching the finals.

Up until then, Min Do-ha’s performance skills had variously matched well with hers.

But who would’ve thought that a Japanese nunchaku user would reach the finals.

“Narumi Sora, wasn’t it?”

Seoyeon muttered her name under her breath and tilted her head.

It wasn’t something that popped to mind readily.

Although celebrities usually popped up with relevant information when you typed in a search term, there wasn’t much about Narumi Sora circulating.

“Maybe if she returned to South Korea, it may not have been known.”

Given her complete lack of interest in Japanese entertainment in her previous life, this was unsurprising.

However, the acting prowess she displayed in the finals was certainly a shame to have gone unnoticed if she remained anonymous.

“Hmm.”

“I didn’t ask if she watches VTubers.”

Although the atmosphere didn’t feel particularly inviting for that kind of inquiry.

Before the finals, she had shown a strong defensive posture.

When Seoyeon tried asking her afterward, Narumi looked at her with a somber face.

“I did gain a good impression, so why…?”

Nevertheless, Seoyeon developed a touch of irritation.

Hadn’t she taken on the role of the hero in her performance?

Once again, this side of her had portrayed a villain.

Because of that, Seoyeon’s image had reverted to something akin to the murderess Cha Soo-ah.

“Isn’t it tiring always taking on the strong, harsh image?”

“Maybe it’s time to retire from broadcasting and go to the UFC, Seoyeon.”

Such comments began to appear under Seoyeon’s articles.

Apparently, there seemed to be a group that conceptualized her primarily through physical abilities.

Given how many upvotes these comments received, it seemed many people agreed with this sentiment.

‘This is still the better reaction.’

In the fans’ cafés, many edited photos were trending, and Seoyeon privately breathed a sigh of relief that they were still in an era before AI editing.

Had it been the time of rampant AI editing, Seoyeon would probably already be synthesized in AI form fighting various enemies, sending shivers down her spine at the thought.

“…I’m appearing in an observation show, yes.”

By the way, filming for the observation show was only two weeks away—practically right around the corner.

But it seemed prudent to consider one more commercial before then.

Preferably one that would help with her image rather than revenue.

Still…

“Seoyeon, how about this ad? It’s for fried chicken.”

It was from a brand that would later antagonize its store franchise owners half a year later.

“Oh, this is good too. I heard it’s a brand a BJ recently created, and it’s popular with the younger generation.”

That brand, formed by Internet broadcasters moving into the business world, would completely collapse within a year.

Needless to say, the image of the actor who acted as its spokesperson also took a dive.

‘Complicates things…’

There were other perfectly fine ads, but none seemed to stand out.

Seoyeon sighed deeply.

Sometimes, having too much information in one’s head could turn into a disadvantage.

Since she knew too much, she couldn’t help but analyze things over and over.

Just pick any of them, then.

But none among these appeared like they would contribute to improving her image.

“Why can’t I get luxury brand advertisements like Oppa Jung Woo?”

Even while pondering this, Seoyeon had to consider her current image on the Internet.

“…There’s nothing I can do about it.”

She had no choice but to come to this conclusion.

The image Seoyeon currently bore was far removed from the usual high-class and poised vibe associated with female actresses.

“Maybe I could take on a public service ad for the fire station.”

Yet, a faint wonder arose—was it really appropriate for someone who had swung a fire ax around so much to be featured in a public service ad?

“Let me think about it a bit more.”

“Alright, yeah. Anyway, we’re busy with acting projects, so let’s choose the advertisements carefully.”

Mysteriously seeing Seoyeon’s slightly gloomy demeanor, Manager Eun-ha felt pride in her.

‘There’s so many large advertisements but she prioritizes acting work.’

Regardless of other factors, Manager Eun-ha was particularly loyal to Seoyeon.

To her, Seoyeon was an actor who prioritized performances, even amid the situation where she was labeled as a top star.

In reality, the only ad Seoyeon had filmed was with Éclat Étoile, completely disregarding the many other offers.

Wasn’t this a model example of a great actor?

In any case,

“Maybe I should return to being that mysterious actress of the past.”

Seoyeon was contemplating such matters when a thought came to mind.

While there were no ads directed towards her, one place she could request directly was an ad for a certain chair brand.

It was a commercial for the brand Aids.

***

One week after *Hyper Action Star* ended.

Seoyeon visited the GH Group once more shortly after.

First, to celebrate her great performance in *Hyper Action Star* that had led to her victory.

And also, there was a need to introduce her roughly to the upcoming schedule.

“You’ve done excellent work in the audition. However, there seems to be an unfortunate delay in filming.”

Kang Tae-jin, the director of GH Group’s cultural business division, told her to take some rest first.

It was probably because, currently, only the lead role had been secured and the casting for the other actors was still in progress.

“Most likely, filming will begin in about three months…around the time your current drama, *Sky Garden*, finishes.”

Kang Tae-jin guessed correctly whether Seoyeon knew about *Sky Garden* and then gestured toward the man beside him.

Meeting for the first time, but Seoyeon, glancing at him, instantly recognized who he was.

“Han Ye-geon director?”

He was a director who had gained significant renown in her previous life.

While he was already somewhat well-known now for his “genius director” reputation, his true acclaim would emerge in a few years.

His potential became evident with the rise of OTT dramas, where he created drama visuals akin to movies with investments from a mega-international OTT drama site.

Probably the famous title was *Child Game*.

It was so renowned that Seoyeon didn’t have to strain her memory to recall it.

Interestingly, despite achieving a major hit, he firmly declared he wouldn’t work on Season 2 and exited.

His departure led to the second season of *Child Game* garnering only half the success of the first, though it still performed decently.

“Why is a director like him working on *Mine*?”

Is this okay?

What about *Child Game*?

“Wait. Is *Mine* jeopardizing *Child Game*?”

This couldn’t help but be considered a significant loss in its own right.

After all, *Child Game* had been a work that greatly influenced the Korean drama market.

“…Do you know me?”

Then, Han Ye-geon director, who’d been silent, broke the silence.

“Hmm?”

Startled, Seoyeon questioned back.

“I noticed you’ve been looking this way, so I wondered.”

“Oh, yes, I know. You’re Director Han Ye-geon, right?”

“Hmm… I wouldn’t expect an actor of your age to know me.”

Judging by his words, Han was only in his early thirties but had already attained considerable fame as a young director.

‘Unique personality; even from my previous life, it was famous.’

Moreover, he was also well-known for frequently clashing with actors.

A stubborn director known for his self-centered approaches, but his undeniable talent drove actors to wish to perform in his projects regardless of his tough reputation.

“Oh, I introduced you before. Director Han Ye-geon will be directing *Mine* this time.”

“Aha.”

Interrupting their conversation, Gang Tae-jin, the director of GH Group, stepped in.

“Seoyeon, you said you had something specific you wanted to discuss with her?”

“Ah, yes. Um.”

Nodding as Han listened to Gang Tae-jin continue speaking, he indeed had many things he wanted to say to Seoyeon.

“Seeing her in person, I understand now that she’s different from how she’s portrayed on screen.”

Even the internet community’s image of her had somewhat comically deviated.

Still, that was only on the internet.

Separate from the humorous images that floated around on specific sites related to entertainment and humor, the image of the actress “Sooyeon Joo” remained quite positive.

“The strongest image is Cha Soo-ah.”

In other words, a villainous image.

Not the typical run-of-the-mill villain but someone with a more nuanced depth of an antagonist.

Mystical gaze, pitch-black hair that evoked images of dark nights, and an especially cool atmosphere—such features suited her perfectly.

‘Now I see why people say she’s only suited for villain roles.’

Han Ye-geon sometimes exchanged thoughts with other directors. When recent actors were mentioned, Seoyeon’s name came up more frequently than others.

A young actress.

A truly young actress with real talent was quite rare.

Thus, most of the times, the cast consisted of actors older to balance that.

Young actors often lacked the required skills.

Therefore, talented young actresses were rare.

That’s one reason why Seo Hee Jo was highly acclaimed among directors.

Recently, along with Cho Seo Hee, another young actress gaining increasing popularity was Seoyeon Jo.

‘But Seoyeon is only suitable for villainous roles? Hmm, that doesn’t seem right.’

After all, she played a lively character in *Dream Future*’s Joo Ha-rin.

Perhaps it was simply her character trait.

‘Just overshadowed by the impact of Cha Soo-ah.’

Han Ye-geon observed Seoyeon, stroking his chin.

Even though she appeared to be like that in broadcasts, it was different when seen in person.

For instance, ‘Geum’ from the preliminaries—an almost replica of the intense Cha Soo-ah character—but the actual Seoyeon, hmm…

‘Isn’t she somewhat lively?’

Upon closer inspection, yes.

Underneath the neutral expression, her constantly moving gaze revealed deep emotions.

She watched Han Ye-geon intently, radiating immense curiosity.

Sensitive about this, Han Ye-geon found himself unconsciously smiling.

‘A smile?’

Generally, actors who claimed him as a “genius director” observed him closely.

Given that he was also known to be quite temperamental,

Therefore, he usually detested such attention.

But why today?

As if a young puppy curiously observing a stranger, the gaze held nothing but raw curiosity.

“Seoyeon.”

“Yes.”

Han Ye-geon had already watched Seoyeon perform.

The unreal physical abilities she showcased were undoubtedly astonishing, yet they didn’t quite fit into the realm of ‘acting’.

“There’s a lot I want to try with you in this movie.”

Perhaps the lively demeanor she showed today and the intense persona displayed during the audition for ‘Yehwa’.

He wanted to present both aspects through her.

“Can you do it?”

This wasn’t really a question but more of a declaration.

Ordinarily, an actor might have felt tense upon hearing such a line, but Seoyeon responded with her head nodding, her eyes brimming with determination.

This response from Seoyeon was, oddly enough, quite satisfying.

“Very good.”

Han Ye-geon, known for his strict image, broke out into a broad smile—a sight that could shock anyone well-acquainted with him.

***

“Excuse me? Commercials?”

Kwak Hyun-woo, team leader for the ADIS chair advertisement planning, found himself doubting his own hearing moments after hearing the news.

“Are you serious? That’s true?”

“Yes, the manager from Nova Entertainment. They clearly identified themselves as the manager for actress Seoyeon Joo.”

“So, Seoyeon Joo wants to endorse our brand?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Kwak Hyun-woo was perplexed once more.

Sure, ADIS was doing decently well as a chair brand,

But when compared to competitors, it wasn’t particularly remarkable.

Moreover,

‘Isn’t ours the company that doesn’t use expensive endorsers?’

Generally, they didn’t see much merit in having extravagant celebrity endorsements.

Back in the day, they tried recruiting famous entertainers who were once considered big names, but it didn’t yield much effect.

Whether famous or not, an unknown actor or idol was equally effective, so ADIS hadn’t felt any particular need to hire high-profile celebrities.

“Anyway, why? Isn’t she so in demand now? How much does she expect to earn?”

Especially surprising, given that it was the talent agency that made the first move.

It was indeed rare, though there were rare instances where such things happened.

Typically, this was possible only when there was some sort of personal connection.

Since Nova Entertainment had an entertainer who once acted in ADIS ads, they probably reached out due to that relationship.

With their current rising star, they might just be trying to push another advertisement opportunity.

‘But why…?’

At her current level, wouldn’t commercials come to her in droves? Why choose ADIS?

“Let me send the rejection email then.”

“Ah, hang on a second. Let me think this through.”

After a brief moment of thought, Kwak Hyun-woo crossed his arms and shifted his body.

“Alright, let’s at least arrange a meeting.”

Let’s figure out the motive for this.

Decided.

Why did ADIS become her endorsement target?

Given how it didn’t make sense from his perspective, he needed to find out.

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