Chapter 58

The entertainment producer at the online game broadcasting network GMN, Choi Kwang-su, doubted his ears for a moment after receiving a call that morning.

After all, the variety show he was currently in charge of was nearing its conclusion.

It had been a long time since they had any guests, and recently, the program had mostly revolved around the existing members.

Clearly, that had been the case.

“Hmm? A guest on our broadcast?”

For a moment, he thought he had misheard.

Well, sure, guests could happen.

But the real issue was who it was.

Sooyeon Joo.

The actor who had recently become a topic of conversation on the variety show *Looking Back at the Past, Memories,* and who also did plays in University路 where tickets sold out daily, or had rumors about terminating her contract with RY Entertainment.

This was someone so hot right now that there was no way she’d appear on a cable entertainment show.

“I mean, I don’t even know what this actor looks like.”

At that moment, Hwang Joon-ho, an actor from the show *If Possible, Until You’re King* who happened to be sharing a private meal with Choi Kwang-su, said while nibbling on some ribs: “Really?”

PD Choi let out a forced laugh. Though they had worked together for ten years and were close friends, sometimes hearing things like this from Joon-ho still felt strange.

“Ah, by any chance, have you been doing some kind of spiritual retreat in the mountains? Like, maybe for ten years?”

“Ten years is a bit exaggerated.”

“Not really. The actress Sooyeon Joo has been a hot topic since ten years ago with *The Moon That Hid the Sun*. You don’t know that?”

“I know, but I didn’t watch it because I was in high school and couldn’t watch dramas then.”

Well, yeah, if you were a high school senior, that’s understandable.

Wait a second.

If one was in high school, they wouldn’t have been able to star in *If Possible, Until You’re King,* right?

“That time, I remember Joon-ho was definitely over twenty years old.”

“Ah, you have a good memory.”

But it made sense that Hwang Joon-ho didn’t know Sooyeon Joo.

Though she had been in commercials, what stuck in people’s minds was her association with *The Moon That Hid the Sun.*

And she had made quite an impact with her appearance on *Looking Back at the Past, Memories.*

Her dramatic entrance during that show and Park Jung-woo’s reaction to her are still being replayed every day on cable networks.

After that, *Looking Back at the Past, Memories* altered its format to always include at least one guest, and surprisingly, the ratings have been on the rise.

It was literally a show that had been saved by her.

“We can do the same, right?”

“Hmm? Oh, you’re right.”

Hwang Joon-ho, munching on the ribs until the bone was clean, was curious. Who was this person that Choi PD was explaining with such enthusiasm?

“Can you show me a photo? Let’s see what she looks like.”

“It seems you genuinely didn’t know. Here, take a look.”

“Hmm, let me see…”

On PD Choi Kwang-su’s phone screen was a recent photo of Sooyeon Joo. It showed her dressed up like Princess Yeonhwa in Yeonhwa High School.

The moment Hwang Joon-ho saw her appearance, the rib bone he was holding dropped from his mouth.

“High school student?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, seriously, I almost never think someone looks really pretty from a photo, but this is impressive.”

“Right?”

“Now I get why she’s popular.”

“Exactly.”

“So why is she on our show?”

“I don’t know.”

They locked eyes.

Judging by her looks, she seemed worlds apart from anything related to gaming.

A pure socialite.

Right there, that vibe.

Actors often carry that celebrity aura, don’t they?

“Well, I guess we’ll figure things out when we meet her.”

“Yes, there’s really no reason to reject her if she wants to come.”

“You’re smiling a lot all of a sudden.”

“Yeah.”

What, who wouldn’t be excited about meeting a beautiful actress?

Anyhow, PD Choi Kwang-su closely checked Soyeon’s photo again.

“Is she planning something absurd, I wonder?”

We don’t have that kind of money.

In any case, there’s no harm in talking to her once.

With that thought, PD Choi sent a reply message.

***

While this conversation was going on during *If Possible, Until You’re King,* Su-yeon was wrapping up the successful run of the play *Close Your Eyes* and offering her farewell bow on stage.

The first performance of a play is usually avoided by people, but the final performance is preferred.

That’s because a play’s “closing performance,” or “Final Stage,” often comes with various extras:

Impromptu lines, farewell bows, the actors sharing their thoughts, etc.

Even those who’ve already watched the play once often come to see the closing performance.

“Thanks to actress Joo Sooyeon, this one was a hit. Wow! This was the first time I’ve ever experienced a run of full houses. I’ll continue to work hard so I can perform on such prestigious stages again in the future!”

A multi-talented actor in this edition of *Close Your Eyes* gave a hearty shout and bowed respectfully.

Next to speak was Cheong-seok Sim who played Baesung-hak.

“To be honest, I was initially worried it wouldn’t go smoothly, but it was truly the best stage ever.”

As he said this, he glanced briefly at Seoyeon.

“To the point where I’d love to perform with you again in the future.”

To this statement, Seoyeon wrinkled her nose and responded ambiguously: ‘Not necessarily onstage, but I’ll work on it.’

With this rather uneventful farewell from Cheong-seok, it was finally Seoyeon’s turn.

The atmosphere seemed to shift a bit when Seoyeon approached.

Cheers erupted from the audience.

While not the lead, Seoyeon as Hong Jeong-hee was undoubtedly the most anticipated actor in this play.

“Thank you so much. Thanks to the audience, we were able to perform well.”

Seoyeon bowed deeply and continued.

People waited quietly for her to say more.

Hmm, should I say something else? The audience’s response suggested it.

“Aah, isn’t there a planned project after this, Seoyeon?”

“Am I?”

Recognizing Seoyeon’s implicit gesture that she’s done speaking, Cheong-seok quickly chimed in, acting as the de facto MC:

“Yes, there might be a film later. I think it’s scheduled for release by the end of the year.”

The mention of a movie triggered cheers from the audience.

Brief exchanges followed about the character and the movie.

All of this was due to Cheong-seok Sim, who unintentionally took on the role of the master of ceremonies.

“Oh! One last thing, I’ll also be appearing on a variety show soon!”

“Really? A variety show?”

Cheong-seok was inwardly surprised.

Though she gained recognition through theater, being already booked for variety shows… wow, that’s what being a hot topic means.

Changing his mind after working on this play, Cheong-seok internally reflected.

Before, being satisfied with a small theater stage was enough for him, but now, it wasn’t.

Seeing Seoyeon made him want to perform on bigger stages and for more people.

“What kind of variety show?”

A variety show appropriate for a female actress, and considering Seoyeon’s recent prominence, it was likely part of promotional activities for the upcoming movie.

As names of famous variety shows surfaced, the audience eagerly guessed.

“If Possible, Until You’re King.”

“What?”

The unexpected show title that came out of her mouth left everyone momentarily stunned. The once-cheerful space fell silent.

And the next day at school.

“What the heck did you say on stage, anyway?”

Eun-yeon pointed her phone at Seoyeon.

“Breaking News: The Legendary Princess Yeonhwa to Appear on *If Possible, Until You’re King*!”

“Reason for the Participation in the Ending Season of *If Possible, Until You’re King*?”

Though not too many, the articles had made their way onto the homepage of Naver.

Seyeon felt a bit wronged.

She just thought that doing some proper promotion would be good. Other actors do it too, right?

And what’s wrong with *If Possible, Until You’re King*?

It’s fun, isn’t it?

I haven’t watched it in about seven years.

“Still, you’ve sure drawn a lot of attention. The community boards are buzzing even more.”

“Really?”

“Sure, getting some attention is better than getting none.”

As Eun-yeon said, there was definitely chatter happening on several online community websites.

– Here comes the Fashion Gamer, Fashion Chewdie again…

– Is the failing King of If Possible back? Did the management lose its mind?

– Can she play games at all?

– She’s portraying a relatable high school concept.

– Seems like she doesn’t get the atmosphere and will spice up the show big time.

Seeing this, Seoyeon had one thought:

“I need to learn boxing.”

She was seriously contemplating delivering a solid punch when she meets these people.

“Can she even play games?”

Of course she could.

Didn’t the Million TS Rank prove it?

TS stands for gamers who can play well. Everyone should know that.

If you don’t know, commit it to memory.

So Seoyeon had every confidence in her gaming skills.

***

A few days later.

The day of the filming of *If Possible, Until You’re King.*

The cast, who usually prepared for the show in the same poses, were inwardly excited.

How long had it been since they had a guest?

The male cast members were all giddy after seeing photos of Seoyeon.

Even though there were two female cast members present, they seemed equally excited.

“Let’s try to sit further away.”

“She’s really small. I’d better not be seated next to her.”

*If Possible, Until You’re King* didn’t really have a proper studio set.

Often, they would film from Choi PD or actor Hwang Joon-ho’s house.

But now, after years, the studio had been set up at GMN.

“*Looking Back at the Past, Memories* viewers seem to be excited too.”

“Even so, it’s still different from public broadcast shows…”

Though *Looking Back at the Past, Memories* had impressive ratings that cable shows could never match, it was still a good opportunity for the show’s cast.

Just filming comfortably would be fine.

While everything was being set up at the newly prepared studio,

“Here she comes!”

“Really? Is she here now? So is the camera rolling right now?”

“The cameras have been rolling for the last 10 minutes.”

Ah, really?

Hwang Joon-ho nodded in response to Kung Taekyun’s comment.

“Cough, well then, we have a guest today! I’m sure you’ve heard.”

After a round of unenthusiastic reactions, Choi PD signaled, and Hwang Joon-ho loudly announced,

“Today’s guest, after 10 years, our Yeonhwa Princess returns! Joo Sooyeon!”

Following this announcement, all six cast members’ eyes collectively focused on the set entrance.

Though they were entertainers and had seen various actors and idols, seeing a new face was always exciting.

As soon as she entered the stage…

“Wow, she’s wearing her school uniform?”

Everyone knew that Seoyeon was an active high school student, but none of them imagined she would actually show up in a school uniform.

“Hello.”

A gentle bow.

Recreating the impression of a young Princess Yeonhwa, Seoyeon bent her waist and greeted respectfully, sparking an immediate enthusiastic response.

“Whoa! Hello!”

The cast abruptly stood up and bowed deeply, creating a bit of an awkward situation that Seoyeon hadn’t intended.

“Why the school uniform?”

Thinking she might have come directly after school, Hwang Joon-ho asked, and Seoyeon blinked her large eyes and smiled.

“It’s a sponsorship.”

“R- really?”

Ahh, so the school uniform was a sponsored item.

Considering she was an active high school student and the show primarily targeted young audiences, it made sense that uniforms were being sponsored.

Still, it was strange that a brand would sponsor an appearance on a game show.

This thought crossed Hwang Joon-ho’s mind, but it wasn’t really his concern.

Meanwhile, amidst his thoughts, Hwang Joon-ho unconsciously swallowed.

Though he had seen various actors, Seoyeon’s appearance was striking among them.

So much so that, without realizing, the other cast members were gaping openly.

“Is this… okay?”

Are the cameras rolling now?

Amidst these thoughts, *If Possible, Until You’re King* officially began filming.

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