I Want to Be a VTuber

The fact that Seoyeon, the lead actress of Gyeongseong Lady, gained significant recognition in Japan turned out to be a great advantage for the film.

The movie, while previously unlikely to achieve commercial success due to Director Baek Min’s unique style, still enjoyed a degree of recognition thanks to his reputation.

Additionally, while most of the cast members were relatively unknown, the inclusion of Jo Seohee and Ju Seoyeon provided the production with considerable star power. On top of that, receiving a love call from Japan put a smile on the faces of existing investors.

"We actually have one more secret weapon," said Hwang Taesang, the cultural industry director of Best One, with a broad smile as he addressed Park Hoon, a director at the company.

"Actor Lee Sangsoo."

Lee Sangsoo, the secret weapon of Gyeongseong Lady, was a renowned Korean actor who hadn’t appeared in any projects since his failed Hollywood debut.

"Whether his reputation will live up to expectations, I can’t say."

"It will. Director Baek Min himself compromised on his vision to accommodate him."

Park Hoon, who had heard rumors of Lee Sangsoo’s participation but hadn’t known the full story, couldn’t hide his surprise.

"Is that true?"

"Yes, straight from Director Baek Min."

"That’s quite unexpected. For Director Baek Min to adjust his vision... it’s unprecedented."

"I thought so too. Despite his talents, he’s known for being quite stubborn."

Director Baek Min prioritized skill over experience and was resolute about his creative direction. If an actor didn’t fit his vision, he wouldn’t cast them, no matter how skilled they were.

"How did Lee Sangsoo come to join the film? I heard he’s refused every offer so far."

"Apparently, it was Ju Seoyeon who convinced him personally."

"Ju Seoyeon?"

How could a young actress, not even a year into her return, persuade someone like Lee Sangsoo? Was it perhaps due to their connection from the earlier Star Fisherman project? But even that didn’t seem sufficient to explain it.

"Regardless, it’s good news for Director Baek Min’s movie on multiple fronts."

"Maybe we have Jo Seohee to thank. She seems close to Ju Seoyeon."

Jo Seohee, who had never experienced failure since her childhood acting days, was often said to bring good fortune to her projects. She was even playfully referred to as a "luck fairy" by some.

"Jo Seohee being a fan of Director Baek Min is a stroke of luck."

"Still, isn’t it unusual that New Like didn’t get involved?"

"That’s no secret. Jo Seohee herself avoids relying on their support."

Hwang Taesang thought this was likely just youthful pride on Jo Seohee’s part. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"She’s young and might find it embarrassing to rely on her parents’ help."

Or perhaps it was simple self-respect. Every project Jo Seohee participated in was a hit. If New Like had invested in all of them, the profits would have been unimaginable.

"Well, Jo Seohee is a sharp individual. I’m sure she has her reasons."

"You seem to know a lot about her."

"She used to be affiliated with my previous company. I’ve met her a few times."

Park Hoon gazed out at the Gangnam skyline from their high-rise office, deep in thought.

"So, it’s safe to say she has her reasons. Maybe something to do with her mother?"

Or perhaps, purely, she believed relying on New Like would harm her image.

Using New Like’s power would make Jo Seohee’s acting career much smoother. Directors and producers alike would go out of their way to accommodate her. But once she started down that path, would she ever stop?

She’d cease to be "actress Jo Seohee" and become simply "New Like’s heiress." Her identity as an actress would become no more than a hobby for a wealthy third-generation chaebol. Perhaps that was the image Jo Seohee wanted to avoid.

To protect her identity as an actress. A choice most people wouldn’t make.

"Of course, it’s great news for us."

A legendary actor, Lee Sangsoo.

Jo Seohee, one of the most highly regarded young actresses alongside Park Jungwoo.

And finally, this year’s rising star—Ju Seoyeon.

Currently, interest in Seoyeon is skyrocketing in Japan.

Is it just because of her looks?

No, that’s unlikely.

Seoyeon’s activities in Japan boiled down to three key events:

And yet, these were enough to create such a buzz.

"If Jo Seohee is a luck fairy, then Seoyeon... what would you call her?"

It was something different—presence, or perhaps an aura. It wasn’t hard to see why Jo Seohee stuck so closely to her.

"A supernova."

Perhaps it was instinct—chasing the starlight that resembled her late mother’s.

When filming for Gyeongseong Lady finally began, Seoyeon realized she hadn’t given it much thought up to that point.

She’d been busy, and the movie itself wasn’t something she had to worry about. In her previous life, it had faced numerous challenges but still managed to release with a less impressive cast.

This time, with a much stronger lineup, failure seemed impossible. If anything, the real winners were the investors, especially New Like.

She’d been waiting for the shoot without much concern, but then...

"Now that I’m reading the script again..."

She’d received the script quite a while ago and hadn’t thought much of it at the time.

But as filming approached and she imagined performing certain scenes with Jo Seohee and Jiyeon, she felt unsure.

"Romance scenes... so many romance scenes."

Originally, the script had aimed for an adult rating, but as the cast’s average age lowered, so did the content’s intensity. This wasn’t much different from her past life when the lack of suitable actors had forced similar changes.

Still...

"Romantic acting."

And with someone of the same gender. Seoyeon had managed to fool the audience during Dream Future, but Gyeongseong Lady presented much more challenging scenes.

"This is hard."

Method acting wasn’t an option. Not that she’d used method acting much in recent years, finding it unnecessary.

But could she convincingly convey the emotions required?

"Even so..."

Seoyeon closed the script, deep in thought. All eyes in the room seemed to follow her.

Today was the day of the script reading for Gyeongseong Lady. She’d considered coming with Jiyeon but had arrived early on her own.

She had a lot on her mind—the script, the film’s impact, and its reception in Japan.

"This never happened in my past life."

In her previous life, Gyeongseong Lady was well-received overseas but only made its way to Japan two years after its Korean release.

But now, Japan was eager for it before anyone else.

"How will this turn out?"

Seoyeon had joined Gyeongseong Lady at Jo Seohee’s recommendation. Not because she couldn’t refuse but because it was genuinely a great opportunity.

"A chance to build recognition as an actress."

It was a rare chance to gain momentum in her career. Gyeongseong Lady had propelled many actors to fame in her past life, even if some later fell into obscurity.

Still, the opportunity mattered most. For Seoyeon, the recognition from Gyeongseong Lady was invaluable.

"An actor needs more than talent to attract investment."

It wasn’t that Seoyeon wanted to become a director or anything of the sort. But she did have vague plans to create films someday.

"Graduation."

The word carried a special meaning for Seoyeon. In the virtual YouTuber world, "graduation" often referred to retiring from the platform. It wasn’t just about ending activities; it felt akin to death—an eternal farewell.

For Seoyeon, graduating meant something similar. She had lingering ties to her past life, and achieving her dreams was a way to sever them.

She had to graduate from her past self—not by retiring as an actress but to truly live as Ju Seoyeon.

These thoughts weighed on her mind as she returned to her script. Among them loomed a significant challenge:

Romance.

Acting out love was incredibly difficult for Seoyeon. To her, emotions were like paints, tools to craft her performance. The better she understood an emotion, the more vivid and compelling the portrayal.

But love was different. It required personal understanding and connection with others, making it especially elusive.

"One day, I want to truly understand it, like other emotions."

For now, however, she’d have to find a way to fake it.

"Especially with Jiyeon..."

The situation boiled down to this: she had to act out a romance with her close friend.

Her character, Kasugayama Yuina, was a villainess hopelessly in love with the heroine. Realizing this anew gave her a headache.

"Looking forward to your performance, right?"

Jo Seohee grinned brightly, completely oblivious to Seoyeon’s inner turmoil. Seoyeon considered glaring at her but decided against it.

"Yes, I am."

After all, there were parts of it she was genuinely excited about.

First, let it be said—Jo Seohee was in a fantastic mood.

The thought of today’s script reading had her so excited that she barely slept the night before.

To remedy this, she played YouTube sleep music all night, tossing and turning until she finally managed to drift off. Thanks to this, she arrived at the set in excellent condition.

"Is she nervous about the acting?"

Seohee noticed that Seoyeon was quieter than usual. It was rare for Seoyeon to be so absorbed in the script, especially before a reading.

Meanwhile, as for Jiyeon, who had just arrived...

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Her tone was cynical as she spoke up almost immediately. Her sharp eyes and cutting words matched her demeanor. Though she sat properly, mindful of the senior actors present, Seohee couldn’t help but feel skeptical whenever she looked at Jiyeon.

"She won’t end up in a school violence controversy later, will she?"

For Seohee, Gyeongseong Lady was an incredibly important project. While she’d gotten to know Jiyeon well enough to be confident she wasn’t the type of person to cause trouble, the suspicion lingered.

After all, no matter how you looked at her, Jiyeon had the face of a delinquent.

"Alright, let’s begin shortly. Has everyone introduced themselves? Should I call out names one more time?"

Director Baek Min’s words lightened the somewhat heavy atmosphere on set. In truth, the script reading session had been unusually quiet.

The reason wasn’t anything complicated.

*"Actresses these days sure leave quite an impression."

"With those three sitting together, it’s a bit... intimidating."

Seoyeon was focused on her script, while Seohee sat next to her, stealing glances. Meanwhile, Jiyeon, sitting nearby, pretended not to glance at both of them but failed miserably.

The three of them each had a striking presence, each from a different "genre" of charm. Their combined aura made them difficult to approach, leaving the supporting cast quietly keeping to themselves.

This silence naturally extended to the set, creating an almost oppressive quiet.

"Let’s break the ice and start with something light," Director Baek Min suggested, scanning the room to decide who should go first.

At that moment, Seohee thought to herself, "I’ll go first."

She shot a meaningful look at Director Baek Min, her eyes sparkling with an eager intensity that practically screamed, "Let me start!"

"Seoyeon looks like she’s too deep in thought to begin," she reasoned. Given Director Baek Min’s personality, he would most likely call on Seoyeon if no one else volunteered. Seohee figured it was better for her to step in first.

Just as she was about to gesture more emphatically to make her intention clear...

"We’ll start with a scene between Lee Jiyeon and Ju Seoyeon," Director Baek Min announced with a smile. "Their scene comes first in the script anyway. Seohee, since you’re so eager, we’ll save you for later."

His tone was playful, clearly aware of Seohee’s enthusiasm and teasing her with a good-natured joke.

As a result, Seoyeon, who was unexpectedly called upon to read first, turned her narrowed eyes toward Seohee.

"This is so unfair," Seohee thought, suddenly feeling genuinely wronged.