I Want to Be a VTuber

The filming set of Gyeongseong Lady was bustling with activity. The actors, arriving on set, found themselves staring in surprise at the unusually large number of staff members.

Even the outfits being worn were unfamiliar, and the murmurs of conversation were in a language that wasn’t Korean.

Japanese?

The realization dawned on everyone as their eyes met each other’s.

“Ah, that’s right.”

They remembered that Japanese representatives were supposed to visit the set. They were here to shoot promotional footage for Gyeongseong Lady.

“This is interesting. Director Baek Min’s films have always been well-regarded overseas, but...”

“This is the first time Japan’s shown this much interest, isn’t it? I heard they don’t usually care about foreign films.”

“Well, Japan’s film industry has its own distinct style, after all.”

Japan’s film industry was, in fact, a sizable market—or at least it seemed so in terms of numbers.

However, the actual number of people who went to see films wasn’t very large. While many films were produced, most didn’t achieve significant box office success and quietly disappeared from theaters.

In fact, animated films often outperformed live-action ones in terms of box office success.

For example, out of the top 10 highest-grossing films in Japan’s history, six were animated movies, while only one was a live-action film.

“So why would they be so interested in a Korean film...?”

Both staff and actors found the situation puzzling.

It was especially strange when one considered that all this attention seemed to be centered around a single actor.

“Future superstar, huh? Japan must have high hopes for her.”

“....”

“You’d think Yuina was the main character if you didn’t know better.”

The tone was unmistakably cynical.

Hearing the remark, Seohee visibly bristled, her body trembling in anger. Seoyeon averted her gaze, feeling the tension.

“She’s upset.”

Seoyeon shifted slightly to sit next to Lee Jiyeon, who had made the comment. Although Jiyeon’s words were biting, Seoyeon knew by now that this was just her way of venting.

Her words might sound harsh enough to make it seem like she wanted to slap someone, but there was no actual malice behind them.

More importantly, Jiyeon wasn’t upset about the Japanese attention itself.

Seohee, who had been fidgeting and sneaking glances, suddenly pulled something out of her luxury handbag and held it out.

“I brought gummy worms! Want some?”

“Did you buy those while you were out together yesterday?”

“H-hmph! No, I got them this morning at the convenience store.”

Jiyeon glanced at the gummy worms in Seohee’s hand. Their cheap packaging looked hilariously out of place, considering they had just come out of a designer bag.

“...I’ll eat them.”

Taking the gummies, Jiyeon began chewing them aggressively, the loud crunching sounds adding an almost comical tension to the atmosphere.

Watching this, Seohee leaned closer to Seoyeon and whispered, “I’ve never seen her sulk like this. She doesn’t do this often, does she?”

“...She does, actually.”

“T-that’s... weirdly specific.”

It was true. Jiyeon was generally magnanimous, brushing off most things with a smirk or a shrug.

But it seemed that she was genuinely annoyed about Seohee and Seoyeon having hung out alone yesterday.

“She went out by herself plenty of times, though.”

“Right?”

“Although... I may have forgotten to call her back after she called me before we went into the movie theater.”

The call had come just as Seoyeon was about to watch the film, and she’d forgotten about it completely.

Later, she found out that Jiyeon had been calling out of boredom, wanting to hang out. By the time Seoyeon called her back, it had been late at night.

“...You think that’s why she’s mad?”

“I called her back later.”

“O-okay...”

Seohee looked like she had a lot to say but chose not to press the issue.

Seoyeon, meanwhile, knew very well that she had been in the wrong. Her earlier avoidance of Jiyeon’s gaze wasn’t for nothing—it was pure guilt.

“But what am I supposed to do about it now?”

As someone with a naturally easygoing personality, Seoyeon couldn’t imagine holding a grudge over something so trivial. Surely, everyone forgot to respond to calls sometimes?

“...Ahem.”

She resolved to buy Jiyeon something nice later to make up for it.

“Everyone’s early today?”

Director Baek Min scanned the gathered cast, his gaze settling briefly on Seohee and Jiyeon, the leads for today’s scenes.

Seoyeon’s scene was scheduled for later, but she was already mentally preparing herself.

“Seoyeon, just act the same way you did during the script reading. Jiyeon, you too.”

“Yes.”

“Make sure to include the ad-libs from that day as well. They were perfect.”

At that, Seoyeon almost let out a small gasp.

“Wait, does he mean that ad-lib?”

She immediately thought of the moment during the reading when Jiyeon had bit her finger for dramatic effect. While the scene had turned out incredibly well, Seoyeon had been caught completely off guard.

Not because it hurt, but because of the strange, unexpected sensation of it.

“Why that of all things...”

To make matters worse, the movie Seohee and Seoyeon had watched yesterday had a similar scene—complete with a biting moment that led into a rather explicit sequence.

Seoyeon’s sharp memory vividly replayed the details.

“I swear I’ve never seen a movie like that in my previous life.”

Most of the media Seoyeon had watched in her past life played like vivid mental projections in her head. By contrast, things she experienced in her current life tended to fade with time.

But yesterday’s movie had stuck with an unusual clarity, almost as if it had been from her past life.

“I’ll bite hard this time,” Jiyeon muttered under her breath, grinding her teeth.

Even if Jiyeon bit her finger again, Seoyeon wouldn’t bruise. Her skin was flawless and resistant to any injury—it was, after all, designed to be aesthetically perfect.

Still, her heightened sensitivity would make the sensation all the more vivid.

“Something about this feels... off.”

Seoyeon nodded slightly, resolving to do her best.

After all, she was an actor. Filming wasn’t child’s play, and Director Baek Min’s instincts about what worked best were usually spot-on.

“Just don’t mess this up.”

Taking a deep breath, Seoyeon steadied her emotions.

While her experience with romance acting was still lacking, today’s scenes weren’t focused on romance, and that gave her some comfort.

+++++

The set of Gyeongseong Lady was buzzing with activity.

Japanese staff from YHJ Broadcasting were adjusting their cameras while exchanging quiet remarks.

『The energy on a Korean film set is amazing~.』

『There are so many people. I wish Japanese sets were like this.』

The Japanese team had already secured permission to film and would later have their footage reviewed by the Korean staff to ensure there were no problematic scenes.

『Seoyeon’s scene today is pretty short, isn’t it?』

『I heard she has the fewest scenes among the three leads.』

『Oh, but this is set in the Taisho era? That’s a sensitive time period. Is it... that?』

『The period is touchy, but thankfully, the content avoids controversial issues.』

Given that the story was set during the Japanese imperial era, the Japanese team was understandably cautious. While most viewers wouldn’t notice, overly sensitive individuals might stir unnecessary controversy.

『By the way, the three leads... wow.』

『Haha, yeah, they’re all stunning. But Ju Seoyeon especially stands out.』

『It’s more than just being pretty—she has presence. Aura, you know?』

『The actress next to her is impressive too. Jo Seohee, right? She’s apparently the top actress in Korea. I think I’ve seen her in a film released in Japan.』

『Let me check... Oh, yeah, it was released here, but the box office performance was disappointing.』

『Well, it’s a foreign film, and a Korean one at that. Still, the fact that it did this well is impressive.』

The staff continued their conversation, glancing at Seohee and then looking around.

『She looks like Tomie~.』

『Pfft! I was just about to say that. She’s like a manga character come to life.』

『Now I understand why people say Tomie is beautiful.』

They chuckled quietly while adjusting their cameras to focus on the three lead actresses. With the Korean crew about to begin filming, the Japanese staff prepared to document the process.

『Are we allowed to film the actual scenes? Or just the NGs?』

『Apparently, NG scenes are fine.』

『Oh no, I heard that Ju Seoyeon sometimes doesn’t make a single mistake during an entire shoot.』

『Seriously? Wow, she’s a genius actor.』

Adjusting their expectations, the Japanese team started filming.

“Good, that’s enough for now. Next, let’s shoot... Seohee’s and Jiyeon’s scene can wait. Let’s start with Seoyeon’s and Jiyeon’s scene—it’s shorter and should wrap up quickly,” Director Baek Min instructed.

The set for today’s shoot was the mansion of Kasugayama Yuina, a pivotal location in the story.

In this scene, Amanabi Michiko visits Yuina’s mansion on an errand, while Yeon Sunye hides to avoid revealing her connection to Yuina.

Before they got to that scene, however, the crew prepared for Scene S#17.

Seoyeon’s costume had undergone a striking transformation.

Playing Yuina, Seoyeon wore a traditional Japanese kimono decorated with red butterfly motifs on a black background. Holding a fan, she exuded an elegance that made her look like a living painting.

The Japanese staff couldn’t hide their awe.

『Wow~.』

The atmosphere became charged as everyone rushed to capture the moment.

“Are we filming this too?”

“Uh, we weren’t, but I’ll start now.”

The increased attention heightened the pressure on the actors.

“The leads must be so nervous.”

Jiyeon, standing a short distance away, took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

“Or maybe it’s just me.”

Seoyeon, seated serenely in a spot befitting a lady of Yuina’s status, appeared utterly composed.

“Gorgeous, ridiculously gorgeous.”

Her alabaster skin, jet-black hair, and crimson eyes perfectly complemented the solemn elegance of her kimono. The coordination had sacrificed some of the character’s original gaudy design for something that better suited Seoyeon’s features.

In contrast, Jiyeon’s character, Yeon Sunye, was dressed in understated attire, her natural sharpness softened with makeup to prevent her expressions from overshadowing her performance.

The plate clapped. The crew murmured and shuffled as Director Baek Min gave a nod to begin.

Jiyeon had never seen Seoyeon show nerves during a shoot. There were rumors about her making mistakes, but Jiyeon had never witnessed one herself.

Seoyeon’s acting was always near perfection.

“I’ll have to up my game today.”

The presence Seoyeon exuded now was even more powerful than during the script reading. In her school uniform back then, Yuina had felt less intimidating. Now, she was unmistakably the villain—an aristocratic antagonist who looked down on others with icy disdain.

“Action!”

Breathing in and composing herself, Jiyeon locked eyes with Seoyeon’s crimson gaze.

“You’ve come, I see. The mutt Isamu brought along,” Seoyeon said, her voice lilting like a haunting melody.

The tone sent shivers down Jiyeon’s spine. She swallowed involuntarily—a natural reaction that, fortunately, appeared as part of her performance.

“Focus.”

Jiyeon steadied herself and delivered her line.

“Yes, my lady. It’s an honor to meet you. I am Yeon Sunye.”

“What if I didn’t understand your Joseon tongue?”

“Well, I thought it was best to start with introductions...”

“Judging so much from such little information. Hmph. I wonder if you’ll be competent enough for this.”

Seoyeon tapped her pipe rhythmically, her refined gestures exuding a condescending elegance.

Jiyeon clenched her fists subtly, fully immersing herself in Sunye’s feelings of inferiority.

“Know this: if you do as you’re told, you’ll be rewarded with wealth beyond your imagination. Enough to live a life of leisure.”

The exchange flowed seamlessly, just as it had during the script reading.

“Oh my, why so quiet? A stray dog should wag its tail obediently at its master’s words,” Seoyeon said, her voice dripping with disdain as she gently brushed her chin with her fan.

That was Jiyeon’s cue. Fully absorbed in her role, she instinctively bit Seoyeon’s finger just as she had during the reading.

“...Mm.”

This time, Seoyeon didn’t yelp. Instead, her eyes narrowed, her brows furrowed slightly, and her lower lip quivered as she gently stroked the bitten finger with her thumb.

Her face turned a delicate shade of red, her expression resembling that of a humiliated aristocrat.

“Cut. Let’s go again,” Director Baek Min called out.

The NG took Jiyeon by surprise.

Seoyeon had never made a mistake before.

“Seoyeon, why is your acting so... sensual?”

“...”

Seoyeon shot Jiyeon a sharp glare, making Jiyeon blink in confusion.

“Why is she glaring at me? She’s the one who messed up.”

Jiyeon scoffed in disbelief, while Seoyeon fumed inwardly.

“This is all Seohee’s fault for showing me that movie yesterday!”

Blaming Seohee felt like the only way to cope with what had just happened.

After all, this was the most embarrassing NG of her career.