Chapter 184

“Harara Shorts? What is this?”

The female lead of *Grand Game*, Ko Mi-eun, chuckled incredulously upon seeing a video that had appeared on her YouTube channel today.

It was, indeed, the recent theater skit held at “Mirinae Land.”

There were two types of videos.

One was an official promotional video posted by Mirinae Land itself.

The other was footage captured by a spectator from multiple angles during the actual performance.

It was children’s theater, so there was no strict prohibition against such recordings, allowing these videos to go public.

“Seoyeon Joo?”

For a moment, Ko Mi-eun questioned her eyes.

It was none other than Seoyeon Joo herself who had starred as the protagonist in the Harara play.

“Could she have squeezed this theater performance during the filming of *Sky Garden*?”

And when had she found time to practice?

In the promotional video, Seoyeon could be seen performing an action sequence, leaping around while fighting against a giant teddy bear puppet. Achieving such wire-action stunts wasn’t something one could pull off after just a couple of rehearsals.

This implied she had practiced sporadically, even during the filming of *Sky Garden*.

Honestly, these kinds of children’s theater performances didn’t pay much.

Thus, a moderately well-known celebrity would rarely appear in such a production unless absolutely necessary.

Still, was Joo Seoyeon that big of a star?

It was unknown for sure, considering she was a young actress who had only been active for about a year.

“But her popularity is enough that she could demand higher fees.”

Even so, it was unfathomable for her to participate in such children’s theater on a voluntary basis.

She was currently one of the top actresses in the industry.

Therefore, she didn’t need to boost her recognition through children’s performances.

– Seriously, lol. After that last Harara short clip, turns out there *was* a full live performance at the theater.

– Yeah, I heard the Harara team promoted last time.

– Conversely, maybe they cast her after she appeared in that clip.

– I regret not attending the Harara play. Apparently, Jo Seohui was there, too.

– A play loved by both adults and kids! ^^^^^

After reading the YouTube comments, Ko Mi-eun furrowed her brows, something unsettling registering in her mind.

‘Jo Seohui?’

Of course, she wasn’t unfamiliar with the name. Jo Seohui gained prominence right when Ko Mi-eun was busy filming another drama.

Just in the span of three years, she had emerged as one of the most frequently talked about young actors alongside Park Jung-woo.

For a while, it felt like every channel change would show Jo Seohui in a new series or movie. Her presence in dramas portraying middle or high school students was practically monopolized.

For a short time, she was even considered for the title of “Nation’s Younger Sister,” but…

“Jo Seohui is pretty, but, as a sister, she feels a bit… off.”

“If such a girl were at home, I’d probably avoid speaking to her entirely.”

Such were the prevailing opinions, which led to her not securing the “Nation’s Younger Sister” title. While Seohui might have grumbled at home, there was no way Ko Mi-eun would know about it.

“Why would Jo Seohui be at Mirinae Land?”

Seoyeon was surprising enough, but Jo Seohui had absolutely no reason to be in a mere children’s play.

Upon reflection, rumors had circulated about her being the daughter of a business tycoon.

There were suspicions about her connections, though they hadn’t involved this particular company in any tangible way, so it stayed a mere rumor.

– Seoyeon and Seohui are clearly close friends!

– I mean, wasn’t this obvious from last season’s *Hyper Action Star*?

– Remember when Seohui turned on Seoyeon? Seoyeon looked so crestfallen! Hilarious.

– They probably teamed up again for this play.

– Those who attended were really lucky. Word is this level of quality won’t come around again.

– Honestly, I thought they wouldn’t do well because they weren’t trained actors, but they were surprisingly amazing.

– They’re called “genius actors” for a reason.

Could they really be friends?

If one thought about it, their age proximity made it plausible.

Jo Seohui was in a position that even Ko Mi-eun wouldn’t dare to offend.

Not only as an actress but also as the daughter of a wealthy family, what were the chances one could provoke her?

‘And with Seoyeon being Seohui’s close friend…’

This too, was outside Ko Mi-eun’s reach.

Ko Mi-eun gritted her teeth.

“Mi-eun, are you checking internet reactions again? Please don’t worry so much.”

“Yeah. *Grand Game* and *Sky Garden* are only a mere 1% rating apart.”

“Today will be completely different. We’ve ramped up the romance scenes. It will surely capture attention.”

That’s when coworkers and staff noticed Ko Mi-eun glued to her phone with a sour expression. They assumed her unease stemmed from last week’s ratings drop.

In truth, they were right.

Ko Mi-eun was relentlessly tracking the videos Seoyeon posted due to *Sky Garden*.

“Honestly, I don’t get it.”

“What don’t you get?”

“*Sky Garden*. It’s been making waves, so I checked, and honestly, I question if it’s really that good. And in the latest episode, there was that weird cliff-pushing scene.”

The staff were raving about *Sky Garden*, disparaging it.

These criticisms were, in fact, evidence of *Sky Garden* being a formidable rival to *Grand Game.*

Until last week, *Sky Garden* hadn’t even been mentioned in discussions. When it was, it was praised merely as entertaining.

People criticize only when it’s truly terrible or when they perceive it as a legitimate threat.

This time, it was the latter.

Everyone present felt the threat.

“Last week, the bizarre cliff-edge twist helped boost ratings, but wasn’t Seoyeon also in the *Masked Singer* finals? It was a singing showdown, so it’s natural that viewers were drawn in.”

“Eh, tricks like that won’t last long. For ratings to sustain, the drama has to genuinely be good.”

“Absolutely, absolutely.”

Such comments from the staff did slightly improve Ko Mi-eun’s mood, even if they were just flattery.

[KMB’s *Sky Garden* Hot On The Heels Of *Grand Game!*]

[Winner Of The Season: *Sky Garden’s* Family Feud Intensifies!]

[Will Ratings Narrow The 1% Gap This Week?]

After reviewing these latest Internet articles, Ko Mi-eun turned off her smartphone.

It was still just a 1% difference.

Considering last week’s aggressive media attention, the gap wasn’t all that bad.

‘This year *must* be my year.’

Ko Mi-eun resolved this while starting her filming, fully vowing not to lag behind Seoyeon.

But.

[*Sky Garden* Episode 13 Ratings Hit 20%. Astounding Surge!]

[*Grand Game* Trailing By 6%? The Magic Of *Sky Garden*]

[*Sky Garden* Episode 14 Ratings At 22%: Record-Breaking Numbers!]

[What Makes *Sky Garden* A Remarkable Drama Amidst Record-Breaking Ratings?]

[*Grand Game* Facing Collapse? Ratings Down By 2% From Last Week]

Human lives rarely follow one’s plans exactly.

***

“Congratulations.”

Corridor en route to the cafeteria at KMB Broadcasting Company.

PD Baek Tae-soo bowed his head in greeting to Director Ha Tae-oh.

“This week’s ratings for *Sky Garden* climbed up to 22%, didn’t they?”

“Yes, sir. The atmosphere at Drama Department is excellent.”

Ha Tae-oh smiled, gazing at Baek Tae-soo.

“Isn’t *Grand Game* also performing well? With you about to ascend to Director of Drama Department 2, this is quite a strong start.”

“Haha, indeed. We’re achieving results beyond what we deserved.”

“These days, KMB’s surge is remarkable. Right now, all of our dramas are leading their respective timeslots. Continuing at this pace will be great, won’t it?”

Baek Tae-soo’s lips quivered slightly upon hearing this but only for a brief moment.

“Of course, it should continue.”

“Now that I think of it, other networks have been requesting Seoyeon Joo recently.”

“Oh, wasn’t *Golden Duckling* not one of ours?”

“Still, it ultimately benefited us… but future cases are uncertain.”

At Baek Tae-soo’s comment, Ha Tae-oh smiled while briefly locking eyes with him.

“How can an actor work exclusively with one network forever? That’s quite natural.”

“That’s true, but I heard you admire Seoyeon Joo, Director. It feels like a loss, so I mentioned it.”

Truth told, this *Sky Garden* was never expected to happen.

The plot was originally too risky for mainstream broadcast.

The drama was poised for an obscure time slot until Seoyeon’s participation in *Sky Garden* was announced. Then, Ha Tae-oh pushed for its primetime Thursday-Friday slot.

The decision has been validated by the results.

“Not the actor, but the quality of the work made the decision. Aren’t these fresh approaches needed sometimes?”

“…”

“No need to cling rigidly to the winning formula.”

“Right.”

They concluded their conversation and parted ways.

Baek Tae-soo turned with a forced smile, but his eyes weren’t laughing.

‘Winning formula.’

Not entirely wrong.

He didn’t harbor any intentions of blaming anyone.

Even if the staffs urged him to align the plot to suit the prime demographic, or if the director and writer harbored doubts about the suitability of the plot for a broadcast network, it was his job to steer it.

There was a risk, but it would have been worth it.

‘The status of Director might dull the edge. Perhaps it was never meant to be.’

The fear of failure paralyzed the willingness to gamble.

Still, *Grand Game* was a success.

As Ha Tae-oh mentioned, it was a fine accomplishment, given the establishment of Drama Department 2.

But people would only remember *Sky Garden* amongst this year’s KMB dramas.

‘This time, I’ve lost.’

Baek Tae-soo paused, turning his back and looking back.

Ha Tae-oh had already vanished into the cafeteria.

The early psychological edge had been claimed.

In their first battle, Ha Tae-oh seized psychological dominance completely.

But Baek Tae-soo didn’t plan to lose next time.

‘All of this was done by one actress.’

The explosive popularity demonstrated in *Masked Singer* and *Sky Garden*.

It was hard to believe this was only Seoyeon’s first full year in the industry, her impact was so massive.

‘It won’t be easy next time, Ha Tae-oh.’

With this thought, Baek Tae-soo strode down the hallway, knowing the launch of Drama Department 2 was just around the corner.

***

“Hello, it’s Bongshik.”

Han Bongshik, with over 1.42 million subscribers, smiled as he greeted his audience.

“I said it before, right? This *Sky Garden* is on fire!”

Comments flooded the screen.

– You’re going crazy, Bongshik!

– Why don’t you try fortune-telling?

– Quarter King, huh? You called it!

“Didn’t I say it? This *Sky Garden* is going to soar!”

Today Bongshik was reviewing *Sky Garden*’s Episodes 13 and 14.

Unlike Episode 12, where the drama garnered controversy by sheer happenstance, Episodes 13 and 14 surged ahead with an unstoppable narrative.

Lee Yoo-joo narrowly escaped death after falling into a gorge, having been stabbed by a knife.

Coincidentally, she was found and saved by her classmate Song Gayeoun, who happened to be passing by below.

– Ohhh, now I get why Song Gayeoun was introduced back in Episode 11.

– Isn’t this a factual error? Can someone really survive falling off like Yoo-joo did?

– Yeah, but she could’ve been hurt!

– She’s still human!

– Just to clarify, it’s Lee Yoo-joo who fell, not Seoyeon!

Amid these jests, the truth about *Sky Garden*’s twelfth episode was gradually revealed.

「I… finally beat you for the first time, brother. But if Yoo-joo helps you…」

It was a period when Yoo-joo had barely regained her parents’ trust.

For the first time since childhood, her parents had begun to expect things from her, and Min-seo, the twin sister, had wanted to live up to it.

However, if Yoo-joo were to help Min-hyeok, all attention would undoubtedly pivot back to him.

Thus, driven by impulse…

「Yoo-joo probably just sees me as a stepping stone, right? I’m not doing anything wrong.」

Min-seo rationalized her actions by muttering to herself, preparing for the inevitable.

Deep down, Min-seo understood. Yoo-joo’s initial kindness was only because her actual target had always been Min-hyeok, the brilliant heir of the Lee family and Min-seo’s twin brother.

In order to elevate her own status, Yoo-joo had used Min-seo as leverage.

Even though Min-seo had accepted this, witnessing her stepping over her to Min-hyeok was something she couldn’t ignore.

So…

「I did it! I succeeded!」

With those words, Min-seo collapsed, watching the fallen Yoo-joo below, her eyes filled with terror and triumph.

It felt as though everything was now over.

Switching perspectives, the story carried forward from Yoo-joo’s point of view.

After being saved by Song Gayeoun, Yoo-joo received treatment in the hospital and stared at Gayeoun with a perplexed expression, unable to fathom why she had gone so far to help her. Despite Gayeoun’s assistance, she wondered if she had some deeper agenda.

Was there some sort of gain involved?

Her suspicions lingered.

Could Gayeoun also be using her?

Nevertheless…

「Isn’t it just what friends do?」

Gayeoun smiled brightly, unfazed. Unlike others, she was not born into a lavish family. Though part of a high-class setting through “Sky Garden,” she was the daughter of a small clinic doctor.

To Yoo-joo, who saw no benefit to engaging with someone from such a modest background, Gayeoun was practically invisible, like a ghost within her school.

But in the wake of Gayeoun’s words, Yoo-joo underwent an internal transformation.

「What exactly do you want to do, Yoo-joo?」

「What?」

「Since you’re so good at studying and have so many talents, surely there must be something you truly desire.」

Within the small hospital room operated by Gayeoun’s father, the two conversed.

Gayeoun didn’t envy Yoo-joo.

She was merely curious, asking this question out of pure innocence.

What do you want to do?

It’s a simple question.

「I…」

Yoo-joo faltered in her response.

She’d already decided what she wanted to do and what she should accomplish. But oddly, in that moment, she couldn’t answer.

Her wavering gaze, fixed on Gayeoun, concluded Episode 14, leaving the audience uncertain of what lies ahead.

—Wow, Seoyeon Joo’s acting was insane in this part.

“The emotional delivery is exceptional. Even without much dialogue, it feels heavy.”

It was rare to see such sincere comments scrolling across the screen.

Bongshik agreed with those opinions.

“This section feels different from Seoyeon’s previous performances. The emotional delivery hits differently.”

Why this was so remained unclear.

It was as if she’d given it deep thought.

‘A performance that truly delves into the method acting.’

Her complete immersion in the role was evident. Being able to convey emotions to the audience in such a manner indicated a deep connection to the character.

Although she was already talented, the difference was stark compared to how she performed before.

Indeed, from the episodes after filming *Masked Singer*, this shift became particularly apparent.

‘There must’ve been something going on back then…’

Nevertheless, Seoyeon’s enhanced acting hit the right notes.

All of this was reflected in the growing ratings.

“This doesn’t even feel like the same person, does it?”

With that remark, Bongshik then transitioned to the “Harara Shorts” clip filmed recently at “Mirinae Park.”

This video was a compilation edited from recordings by various spectators.

Among the numerous camera angles, one captured Harara from an unusual angle at the edge of the stage—revealing a side of Seoyeon’s face that wasn’t commonly visible on regular broadcasts.

There, it was evident—Seoyeon’s red and flustered cheeks, a side of her that was rarely seen.

Her lower lip quivered as she nervously chewed on it, her hands visibly trembling.

– Oh wow, lmao, this was it!

– Oh man, someone is sensitive about her action flicks?

– Yet she still managed not to show it when facing the audience lol.

– Even gorillas can be cute sometimes.

– Don’t call her a gorilla, please!

Such clips and screenshots ended up on various community boards almost predictably.

Unbeknownst to her at first, upon later discovering them, Seoyeon reacted in a way that was entirely understandable.

“Seo, Seoyeon! Morning!”

“Yesterday’s play was amazing!”

“…”

At her classmates’ greetings, Seoyeon’s only option was to bury her face on her desk.

‘How am I supposed to face people at school after this?’

Seoyeon’s ears turned bright red as her face remained buried on the table.

In her entire life, this would likely remain the most embarrassing moment she’d ever experience.

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