Chapter 89

Thus, the web promotion variety show for *Dream Future* sparked an unexpected buzz on the internet when it aired.

Completely unpredictable plot developments.

Surprisingly chaotic with the abrupt dance performances and songs added to the mix, even though it claimed to be a coming-of-age romance.

Even though only two scenes were revealed, that was enough to set ablaze all kinds of drama-related communities online.

– Is this cut really from here?

– That Mahyeonu guy… lol, I can’t even.

– Act properly! Your face shows that you’re completely overwhelmed.

For reference, this competition between the actor team and the idol team ended in a perfect tie. It was obvious that the idol team took the upper hand in singing and choreography, but the acting side was neck and neck—only to be ruined by what people commonly refer to as Mahyeonu’s “terrible acting.”

Normally, this kind of performance warrants criticism, but…

– There’s nothing he can do… It’s actually pretty fun.

– Mahyeonu, you’re the best.

– You really gave us a good laugh.

Mahyeonu’s terrible acting was now spreading like wildfire across various communities, appearing in GIF form everywhere. There was the scene of him suddenly breaking into dance while walking.

His passionate choreography synced with Seoyeon’s singing was particularly viral.

While Park Jung-woo’s team, which showed stable acting, won the acting portion, the talk of the town was undoubtedly Mahyeonu’s side. Thanks to the viral sensation of Mahyeonu’s dazzling dance moves, Seoyeon also garnered attention.

– Seoyeon, I really like you, but… don’t sing anymore, please.

– Just dance, just dance.

– Mahyeonu’s acting combined with that song was unbearable. Is it just me?

– I turned it off when I saw that.

– Is this what they call the “Uncanny Valley”?

Anyway, with the discussions getting heated, various YouTubers and meme pages began sharing clips, leading to analyses about what *Dream Future* was all about.

“This is clearly marketed as a musical drama. It’s quite refreshing… or is it?”

“This could be a fresh attempt, though. Usually, if it’s a drama, the leads are a bit older. High school roles are done by adults.”

“But who is this? Oh, it’s that child actor—Joo Sooyeon? I’ve seen her on some variety shows recently, right?”

That’s how one particularly famous YouTuber got hooked on the topic. Han Bong-sik, with a million subscribers, who mainly reviews movies and dramas, chimed in.

At first, he hadn’t even paid attention to *Dream Future*, but as the viral clips kept circulating, he had no choice but to take a look.

“Alright, let’s do a proper review.”

So the YouTuber started the video from the beginning, starting with the first scene of the *Dream Future* idol team’s acting.

“To summarize: Joo Harin has no talent, so she’s feeling despondent. Then Park Min-yul, who has unrequited feelings for her, consoles her by dancing… Wait, who wrote this script?”

– This is the correct reaction, okay?

– It’s utterly baffling.

– Why is he consoling her by dancing on a sidewalk???

– Sidewalks are for dancing, not singing, right?

Even just hearing the summary was confusing. Despite reviewing countless dramas and movies, even he felt somewhat flummoxed.

“According to the homepage, this is supposed to be a serious coming-of-age romance drama. Am I misunderstanding the word ‘serious’?”

After watching all the controversial scenes, he shook his head, though it didn’t come as much of a shock since he had already seen parts of it.

“Ah, now I get it.”

– What do you mean?

– Explain already!

“Looks like they’re both still inexperienced in their respective fields—Joo Sooyeon with singing, Mahyeonu with acting. So it becomes even stranger. Take a look at Park Jung-woo’s side. No controversy there—he did a decent job.”

– So…

– Yeah, but that side was less engaging.

Exactly. Sure, even Park Jung-woo’s side showed some lack of polish.

Still, Kim Si-hwan’s character was supposed to be a talented singer, and since Park Jung-woo himself can sing, they weren’t at risk of things going wrong.

The only one who slightly struggled was fellow team member Hwang Seolha.

“On the other hand, this side not only had the first but also the second scene.”

While the first scene featured Seoyeon and Mahyeonu, the second featured Seoyeon and Cha Na-hee.

It felt burdensome for two idols to carry the acting segment, so they inserted Seoyeon as a stabilizing force.

– This one gives me chills.

– That good?

– People naturally feel scared when they get Goosebumps… You weirdo.

“Everyone’s reactions are too intense. This one is somewhat better.”

Fortunately, this scene improved slightly because Seoyeon did the dancing here. Though why every scene necessitated both dance and song remained unclear—perhaps that’s just how this drama is.

“So there are fewer memes here. At least the dancing blends nicely with the acting.”

– Definitely true.

– Seoyeon is an excellent actress.

– Wow, Joo Sooyeon already has fans? Look at the polite chat.

– She’s pretty.

“Clearly, this isn’t a joke—it’s genuine. Honestly, things might look different on a properly edited video.”

As a YouTuber specializing in video reviews, he was qualified to say this, having watched countless works.

“Right now, you see the song and music cues, but the camera doesn’t move much. The scenes were edited more like a variety show rather than a drama. Naturally, that makes it funnier.”

– I understand now (or maybe not?).

– If you can’t get this, did you drop out of elementary school??

“So, if we add proper drama direction and editing to the funny scenes we see now, they could look totally different.”

Of course, a script like this won’t suddenly become a masterpiece—it won’t trigger some grand revelation. Still, it’s clear it could improve.

“To be honest, if both sides work on their flaws, I think this could deserve good ratings. Over 20 percent? I’m going to predict that.”

– Bongsik, are you serious?

– If this gets 20 percent, everyone’s going to quit the entertainment industry.

– South Korea is doomed.

Han Bongsik confidently making this outrageous prediction had a reason behind it.

“Joo Sooyeon’s acting and dancing are actually really good.”

Honestly, he didn’t say it outright, but deep down, he was genuinely impressed. If he revealed everything now, what would he say after the official broadcast?

“Still a high schooler? This explains why she already has a drama and movie under her belt.”

By the way, Han Bongsik was the same YouTuber who previously reviewed the classic drama *The Moon That Hid the Sun*. Seeing the growth of the child actor he praised back then gave him a new sense of appreciation.

“*The Chaser* is also coming up, and though her singing might be slightly lacking, everything else is exceptional.”

Park Jung-woo’s side might have been solid in acting, but once properly edited, it could be entirely transformed. He was confident they could easily surpass the 20 percent mark.

“You can hold me accountable. Seriously, it’ll go over 20 percent.”

That’s how one million-subscriber YouTuber Han Bongsik made this wild claim—and before anyone knew it, *Dream Future* had become the talk of the town.

***

Seoyeon, on the other hand, had one concern deep down.

“What if the Just X fandom launches a terrorist attack against me?”

It’s not uncommon for fans to leave hate comments or harass with unwanted gifts. She was worried about how she’d handle it if it happened to her.

“Rather, I wish they came to my school.”

Thinking this, Seoyeon started wondering if she should learn self-defense. She was taking lessons already at Cheonghong Action School, but she felt it might not be enough.

Besides, this wasn’t solely out of worry about fan terrorism.

“Nice to meet you! I’m Row, the leader of Just X.”

“I’m so sorry for the trouble, I’m Do Ho-jin.”

“Here, have a drink.”

Just X’s entire team had visited the filming site. Given Mahyeonu’s membership in Just X, the team was invited for promotional purposes, and the producer considered including a cameo where Mahyeonu, as Park Min-yul, danced against the group.

By the way, the killer Hong’s real name was Hong Yong-sik. He uses the alias Do Ho-jin to mask his less sophisticated name.

In any case, Mahyeonu had played a substantial role in promotions. The general gist of the ad involved Park Min-yul taking on the Just X dancers.

Before filming, they happened to greet Seoyeon, who was waiting nearby.

“Seoyeon, right? I’ve heard quite a bit about you from Yeonwoo.”

“The medicine-taking idol.”

“Right, he talks about you a lot.”

“The Apgujeong Killer Hong.”

“Woah, now I understand why actors struggle when idols are nearby.”

“The King of Gangnam Chairs.”

Anyway, with such formidable stage names, Seoyeon couldn’t help but feel nervous.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Oh, sure. And please take good care of Yeonwoo.”

Of course, the Just X members merely nodded at Seoyeon’s guarded attitude, finding it curious but not pressing.

“Is she looking down on us as an actor?”

It was fairly common for actors to look down on idols. High school students, especially, were often inclined to think similarly.

Thinking about it more deeply, ‘King of Gangnam Chairs’, Lee Hyun, didn’t feel particularly fond.

‘Should I give her a taste of what I’m capable of?’

In his previous life, he had spun countless romances, making it into the news five times for relationship dramas. Later, his associate’s club got him entangled in a sex scandal which made even larger waves.

He gave Seoyeon a charming smile, confident that no woman could resist him.

“…?”

But Seoyeon frowned in response to that smile. Knowing roughly about his colorful history, it was clear to her why he was grinning.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

That’s when Mahyeonu rushed in, cutting between the members and Seoyeon.

“Seoyeon? Or, Seoyeon-ah? Whatever, just leave her alone and back off.”

“What? What’s going on all of a sudden?”

Lee Hyun was baffled by Mahyeonu’s abrupt push. Mahyeonu, however, was internally panicking.

‘What exactly is this guy trying to pull with a minor?’

If caught doing anything inappropriate to a minor, the backlash would be immense. Mahyeonu, with his generally questionable character but without suicidal tendencies, wanted nothing to do with it. A little controversy was one thing, but this was too much.

Besides, Seoyeon’s gaze was darkening, and he knew what that meant.

‘It’s not like she didn’t appear in the footage.’

Mahyeonu shuddered involuntarily. Cha Na-hee would likely agree, knowing the full context.

‘Team Idol’ promotions, even after wrapping, were still in effect.

When practicing for acting coordination, the three of them often worked together.

“After all, it’s best if we practice once, right?”

This was how Kim Pil-seok justified it. Thus, Mahyeonu benefited greatly from Seoyeon’s guidance on acting in *Dream Future*.

“Your gaze handling needs work.”

“…Gaze handling?”

“You need to think about where the camera is.”

Seoyeon demonstrated as she explained. Mahyeonu noted with each explanation, despite his nervousness, that this person was truly a dedicated actor.

There was something undeniably compelling about her.

Cha Na-hee, too, listened intently to Seoyeon’s instructions.

A model student—Cha Na-hee fit the description perfectly, forcing the troublemaker Mahyeonu into line. Moreover, Seoyeon was strict.

Whenever Mahyeonu made mistakes, her eyes would narrow dangerously. If he needed his posture corrected, she’d physically adjust him, leaving him in mild discomfort.

‘Not right, is it?’

Mahyeonu, despite being well-trained in dance, could do nothing against Seoyeon’s strength. Watching her not break a sweat after hours of practice was perplexing.

“Hey, Mahyeonu, what’s going on?”

“Whatever, the ad is next. I’m the one who saved you.”

“What are you talking about?”

Lee Hyun didn’t understand Mahyeonu’s cryptic statement—what did ‘saving’ even mean?

For Seoyeon, on the other hand:

‘They have good chemistry among themselves.’

Although technically a criminal, there was a slight envy in her tone. Jiyeon preferred to avoid such attachments but…

‘But, maybe soon…’

In the school setting, she harbored a desire for connections like that.

‘At least soon…’

Seoyeon’s confidence was growing as students were gradually approaching her thanks to her association with Just X.

Now, as she built a bit of camaraderie, she believed she could cultivate friendships.

The drama in question, *Dream Future*, was nearing its premiere.

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