I'm an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me

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This was JC ENM’s new headquarters. And among it all, this was the PR department—the core division.

“Yes, we’ve just sent over the materials. Please check them once!”

“The release date is set. We’ll quickly organize a separate preview schedule and contact you soon. Yes, yes. Oh come on, of course we have to tell Reporter Heo first, right!”

Everyone was busy making calls left and right. It was the day the official release date was announced for a film that JC ENM was handling investment and distribution for.

“Hey, new rookie—. Did you finish the SNS upload?”

“Yes! I’ll check the view count.”

The new rookie opened a new window on the monitor. Before he ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ knew it, the video had reached the final frame, displaying the caption written at the end.

[July 24 – Grand Release]

‘They really nailed the release date.’

Anticipated films generally have to choose their release dates extremely carefully. It’s because they need to maximize marketing impact and box-office momentum.

Rule number one. Wednesday release.

It’s the most preferred weekday in the Korean film market, and since the momentum can carry through the weekend, the chances of success increase. And above all—

‘You can get audiences to watch it in advance during the week.’

Then word of mouth spreads, making it perfect for weekend viewing. The final week also includes “Culture Day,” so there are plenty of viewers who try it casually.

Rule number two. Choosing a specific season.

A very classic option. Releasing during summer vacation and peak holiday season—July to August—aims for maximum audience turnout, though it comes with a bit of a gamble.

‘If it overlaps with an overseas blockbuster, it’s game over.’

Similarly, December to January is great for pulling in family audiences. Targeting the holiday season also allows for long-term box-office runs.

Rule number three. Golden holidays.

Aiming for periods where public holidays stack up for three to four days—Children’s Day, Liberation Day, and the like. Historically, most ten-million-viewer films were released in July and December.

‘And is coming out in July!’

Holiday boosts, “Culture Day,” and refreshing, cathartic action that fits the season. Every condition lined up perfectly.

The new rookie had a really good feeling about it. It was the ideal formula, perfectly suited to hitting ten million.

“The teaser trailer really came out well—.”

Amid the chaos, the new rookie muttered while staring at the monitor.

“There’s just one thing that’s a shame....”

He quietly replayed the teaser trailer.

From beyond the dark screen, the sound of sirens gradually grew louder. Then a low, heavy drum beat kicked in.

The first person to appear was Yun Hyeonjo, dressed in a white shirt. His neat appearance made it obvious at a glance that he was an elite.

In front of him stood an enraged police chief.

-How can you work like this, you crazy bastard!

He threw documents at Yun Hyeonjo. The papers fluttered through the air like white feathers. Then—thud!—the screen caught a gangster’s face getting smashed in.

Bang—!

The gangster collapsed to the floor. The ground was already a mess, littered with thugs who’d been beaten unconscious. The camera slowly panned upward.

Standing there was the culprit who had just thrown the punch. Kwak Cheolsik covered his mouth with one hand.

-Look at ‘em exaggerating, will you? Big bro hit them real gentle.

Behind him, his teammates let out sighs one after another. The head of Violent Crimes Team One shouted,

-Hey, you crazy bastard!!!! How can you handle things like this!

A playful sound effect played as captions appeared.

[Caption: A detective who uses only his head, a detective who uses only his body]

[Caption: A mission assigned to both of them at the same time?]

-A “Funny Series”?

A close-up of Yun Hyeonjo holding the documents quickly cut to Kwak Cheolsik.

In contrast to Yun Hyeonjo, he wore a khaki field jacket. The scar running along one cheek clearly marked him as a violent-crimes cop.

-What is this?

Bang! With the sound effect, bold letters slammed onto a black background.

[Caption: An epidemic spreading across the Gangnam area]

A junior detective standing across from Kwak Cheolsik took a slurp of instant coffee from a paper cup and replied. Like Kwak Cheolsik, he was from violent crimes and wore a khaki vest.

-It’s the hottest thing at Gangnam clubs these days.

A junior officer standing opposite Yun Hyeonjo pressed his forehead as he spoke. The contrast between the elite detective and the physical brawler was immediately clear.

-Once you do it, you start laughing like a lunatic.

[Caption: End the outbreak of the Funny Series]

The screen split, capturing Yun Hyeonjo and Kwak Cheolsik at the same time. Their expressions twisted.

-But why do I have to,

-With this unlucky,

-Boneheaded guy,

-Work together?

The scene rapidly shifted to a club.

Inside the dark, flashy space, red lights flashed in sync with a fast beat. The camera movement burrowed inward, matching the chaotic club music.

[Caption: Special mission ]

The camera went up to the second floor and headed all the way to the innermost room. Inside were balloons painted with smiley faces and people laughing and chatting. The table was cluttered with envelopes stamped with smile stickers and bottles of alcohol.

Crash—!

From offscreen came a sharp sound of something shattering. The music cut out briefly. The person holding the bottle, unaware of the blood dripping down, swung it again.

-Ahahahahahak!!!

Then, along with insane laughter, the music resumed. The mismatched laughter in a situation where nothing seemed to have happened sent a chill down the spine.

The screen shifted to a car cutting across the Gangnam area.

Yun Hyeonjo, driving, had eyes dyed with rage. Neatly dressed in his suit, he shouted at the person on the other end of the call.

-There’s a limit to things not making sense. How are we supposed to get into a party full of influencers, huh?!

Bang—!

The car jolted violently back and forth. Yun Hyeonjo closed his eyes in irritation, then knocked on the window of the car behind him.

-Come out.

The window rolled down slowly. Yeoreum appeared, eyes brimming with tears.

-See? I told you I could handle it. You can’t just use your head—you’ve gotta use your body, your body!

Kwak Cheolsik’s voice overlapped through the receiver.

[Caption: What we have to fight is]

And what followed was a refreshing action sequence.

In a narrow club hallway, Kwak Cheolsik beat down gang members indiscriminately while Yun Hyeonjo cleanly twisted arms and subdued opponents, the shots alternating between them.

-Damn it.

-We really don’t match.

They looked at each other and sighed. The thugs Kwak Cheolsik had pummeled were all writhing on the floor, bloodied, while those Yun Hyeonjo had subdued were unconscious.

They were completely different people, but—

-Die!

-You sons of bitches!

They covered each other’s backs, taking down gang members who tried to smash bottles over their heads from behind.

Like reliable partners guarding each other’s blind spots.

The music grew heavier. Sirens layered over it, as if explaining that this time, the opponent was the final boss.

-Hi there, pig cops.

It was the gang from the Funny Series, dubbed “MZ gangsters.” Dressed in clothes plastered with luxury brand logos, the gangster waved playfully. Behind his smiling face, Funny balloons floated like something out of a fairy tale.

-Oh, hi. Big bro’s here.

-Are you here to socialize? Don’t greet them.

The boss, glancing between the two, burst into laughter. Then he deliberately crunched down on the capsule in his hand.

-So what, wanna have some candy too, old men?

Kwak Cheolsik glanced at Yun Hyeonjo. Yun Hyeonjo nodded as if to say, do whatever you want.

What followed was an action scene packed with overwhelming force.

The sound of thick fists landing mercilessly rang out, and on screen, the boss—his face swollen from the blows—grinned viciously.

The boss, who had been relaxed just moments ago, screamed,

-Do it by the book, fucker!

-Oh? Big bro wants it done by the law?

[Caption: Those who stand above the law]

-Call my lawyer, now!

-Ah~. So you like the law.

Kwak Cheolsik echoed him, and Yun Hyeonjo made his judgment. Standing beside Yun Hyeonjo with his hands behind his back, Kwak Cheolsik crushed the criminal underfoot.

-This is faster than the law.

The two of them answered in unison. Then a fast punch flew into the gangster’s face. With a crack! he bled and lost consciousness.

[Caption: Law-Faster-than]

[Caption: July 24 – Grand Release]

In just one minute and thirty seconds, the film clearly showed what kind of story it was.

Not only the chemistry between the two, but the action was incredibly refreshing.

‘Perfect for a summer movie!’

It helped that they’d cast only actors with diction clean enough not to bother even someone as sensitive-eared as the new rookie.

If you’re not careful, the sounds of crashing and collapsing drown out the dialogue, making it sound like mumbling—but didn’t have that problem.

‘The only downside is that Han Yeoreum shows up too little.’

The new rookie recalled the making-of footage he’d received and regretted that Yeoreum appeared in only one brief scene. He refreshed the page to check the comments.

-Whoa lol Pi Chaewon is in this lololololol Almost didn’t recognize her ‘cause her hair changed

Someone recognized Yeoreum. The new rookie smiled with satisfaction—then a dark shadow fell behind him.

“Our rookie—. Everyone else is working themselves to death, so what are you doing right now—. Heh heh....”

It was Team Leader Hong, smiling kindly, but with unchanged eyes.

“Hurry up and get the calls going! Have you checked the preview invitations, promo events, and merchandise production yet? Have you or haven’t you, huh?!”

“I will! I’m doing it right now, right now!”

With that, articles flooded out the moment the trailer went live.

The instant revealed itself, it began getting promoted as one of this year’s most anticipated films.

[ Han Yeoreum, a perfect transformation into an influencer... playful back-and-forth with Kwak & Yun]

[Han Yeoreum, from to ? Rising as a trend-leading actor]

[‘She has a different kind of presence~’ Rookie actress Han Yeoreum appears in film... revealed in teaser]

* * *

“Yeah... the response isn’t bad....”

Tap-tap-. Tap-tap-.

Fingers diligently pounding on a laptop keyboard made a noisy clatter.

Her short nails, marked with clear bite marks, dug painfully into her skin, but she didn’t care in the slightest.

When she saw that the post she’d written only a few hours earlier had already climbed to the Best section, the corners of her mouth lifted.

[Nate Pann / Best TalkTalk / MusicN’s name really sounds like a fake marriage show lol jpg]