I'm an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me

In 〈Intern Academy of the Academy of the Academy〉, Jin Jinju’s insecure monologues were unusually frequent. If handled poorly, they might not even reach the very back row.

“No, but how am I supposed to do this....”

She clearly wasn’t speaking loudly. Her confidence had drained away, and her voice sounded like a whisper.

“Can you hear it?”

“...Yes!”

But it was perfectly audible. Each syllable sparkled and rang clear, as if someone had carefully washed every consonant and vowel, then laid them out under the sunlight to dry.

“No... I shouldn’t think about wasting the tuition....”

Han Yeoreum’s whisper-like muttering continued.

“Can you hear it?”

“...Yes!”

The director gave some instruction. Because of the distance, it couldn’t be heard from the very back.

‘What is she saying?’

A supporting actor tensed for a moment. Then came the next line.

“TOEIC... isn’t what’s important, and certification exams... aren’t what’s important either. Right. What matters is the internship. The internship. Al-ttal? Ah, what was it. I already forgot. Right, that thing, that thing....”

Yeoreum’s voice gradually diminished. It was as if someone were repeatedly pressing the volume-down button.

‘...Then why can I still hear all of it so clearly?’

Even as the volume dropped, her voice carried—like wearing high-quality earphones that preserved every detail. No one could quite tell how she was projecting the lines.

“Handle it! Properly! Cleanly! With! Sen! Se!”

Then it happened. As if someone were now furiously pressing the volume-up button, her voice swelled louder and louder. The sudden increase jolted everyone awake.

In an instant, all attention snapped toward Han Yeoreum. Under the lights, she was looking straight at them.

“Did you hear the first part?”

The director asked again.

“...Yes!”

She answered.

“I could hear it perfectly! Not a single syllable was swallowed!”

Capturing the entire moment, the 〈EmBubu〉 team smiled.

‘The edit points are crystal clear.’

This episode’s clips would undoubtedly double in views again.

* * *

Episode 2 of 〈EmBubu〉 aired. Once again, the one who drew the most attention from viewers was Han Yeoreum.

Since the success of 〈Strange Tales〉, she had deliberately held back on variety appearances. The public’s curiosity about her had nowhere else to go.

Choosing an observational variety format to show her daily life had been a brilliant move. Watching her focus relentlessly on her main job was more than enough to generate goodwill.

[HOT / The story from the radio that had everyone screaming over Yun Hyeonjo & Han Yeoreum in real time]

(Capture.jpg)

There are seriously people replaying the Two O’Clock Nap clip over and over just to hear this LOLOLOLOL including me

Anonymous1: Wow, can Yun Hyeonjo please play this kind of role just once LOOOLLLLL

Anonymous2: I thought Yun Hyeonjo was just talented at playing prosecutors but f*ck he’s talented at playing sunbaes too

Anonymous4: Someone please turn this into a webtoon I beg you I have a disease where I can’t watch live-action

ㄴAnonymous13: We don’t call that a disease, we call it being an otaku

ㄴAnonymous20: LMAOOOOOOO are you insane

The reaction was so positive that comments were saying the °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° two needed to add it to their filmographies. From the radio story itself, the focus gradually shifted toward Han Yeoreum’s voice.

Anonymous56: What made me think “she really is an actor” was how she read the story like it was a script reading LOLOLOL Han Yeoreum’s diction is seriously good

ㄴAnonymous59: Fr it’s like she swaps out her voice T_T

ㄴAnonymous64: I hope she comes back as a guest when Shim Juhwan DJ is on..

On the Two O’Clock Nap Intube channel, the Han Yeoreum clip was steadily climbing in views. Even if it didn’t quite make the trending list, the algorithm kept surfacing it, and people clicked before they even realized it.

They had already seen it repeatedly across Tr*tter and other communities.

Intube

[Two O’Clock Nap Special DJ Han Yeoreum Full ver]

54:05

170K views

– Recommend if you came after watching EmBubu

ㄴGot annoyed by the panel reactions in the middle so I came here LOLOLOL Ah this house does it right

– Even when I saw it on Tr*tter it was freaking heart-fluttering but ha... I thought Yun Hyeonjo was just uncle-talent but he’s sunbae-talent TT__TT

And that wasn’t all. Related posts were constantly going up in—

“I knew this would happen!”

[Wasn’t interested since my bias isn’t in it but suddenly I’m curious]

[Feels like there’s finally something worth watching in Daehakro after a long time honestly I’m sick of factory-made stuff now]

[It’s so obvious the broadcasting station pumped it up how much did they poke around Daehakro]

The Theater Gallery, where IP 85.152 resided.

* * *

Manager Hong scrolled through the communities, checking the current reaction.

“Nothing that looks like a major issue. There’s a bit of noise from the theater-musical side, but....”

“They’re always fighting over there anyway.”

Rookie Shin replied as if it were no big deal. His hands were busy processing work related to Han Yeoreum. Though he used to talk nonstop about leaving work on time, ever since 〈EmBubu〉 aired, even consecutive nights of overtime hadn’t drawn a single complaint.

“Still, block it as much as possible. If someone starts circulating analysis posts like ‘the theater-musical scene doesn’t like Han Yeoreum,’ it’ll get loud.”

“Yes, sir! Also, Han Yeoreum’s pajamas from 〈EmBubu〉 just sold out. N-brand training pants.”

“Make card news focusing on that—ah, it’s already produced? Then tie it together with the Pi Chaewon sneakers that sold out the first time Han Yeoreum modeled for N-brand.”

“‘N-brand’s cheerful recent situation.’ I’ll go with something like that!”

JC ENM’s PR team hadn’t been able to rest since Episode 1 of 〈EmBubu〉 aired. They had to begin the countdown promotion for 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉 in sync with Episode 3 of 〈EmBubu〉. Once the script reading began, the synopsis would be released.

‘A script reading signals that the project has officially begun.’

It tells the public: with these actors, with this scenario, we are starting. It plants the idea subtly in their minds. If you wait, the second 〈Faster Than the Law〉 series is coming. Potential viewers had to be secured in advance.

‘Half the early reputation is decided at the script reading.’

The chemistry at the script reading site mattered. It spread faster than any teaser. That was why Yeoreum’s schedule had been moved forward.

‘We promote the film and build Han Yeoreum’s branding at the same time, while securing a fanbase for both.’

For three weeks, the only thing Han Yeoreum would show was acting. The public likes people who are good at their main job—but they like it even more when someone clearly loves their main job.

‘And she has the fundamentals to back it up!’

The production of 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉 was already a major topic within the industry. Since JC ENM was handling production, investment, and distribution, they had to monitor both the film and Han Yeoreum simultaneously.

“Time the script reading clip with 〈EmBubu〉’s broadcast schedule. Is the editing finished?”

“Not yet. But the rough cut is done.”

“Tell them to extend the actor interview segments on our side. If Yun Hyeonjo and Kwak Cheolsik—who aren’t in 〈EmBubu〉—are included, it’ll be more enjoyable.”

Once all three episodes of 〈EmBubu〉 aired, it would be time to row hard in earnest.

As Rookie Shin was relaying instructions to the editing team, he suddenly spoke up as if something had just occurred to him.

“Manager.”

“What.”

“Teacher Geum Bitgang is huge, right? The public already knows her skill by default, right? Obviously?”

“Of course. Why are you asking something so obvious?”

Rookie Shin stared at Manager Hong.

“If theater fans start circulating analysis posts saying they don’t really like Han Yeoreum, can’t we just block it with Teacher Geum Bitgang? The weight class between the audience and a grand master is completely different.”

Geum Bitgang. At that name, Manager Hong felt as if someone had smacked him on the head.

“...Right. Teacher Geum Bitgang is there!”

They had already made full use of Geum Bitgang in 〈Strange Tales〉. Not to mention she had appeared in a similar look on the mint carpet before the 〈The Great Garland〉 audition.

The weight carried by the name Geum Bitgang was incomparable. You could pour hundreds of millions into promotion and still not match a single mention of her.

But for a moment, they had forgotten one thing—they had once turned down the script for 〈Intern Academy of the Academy of the Academy〉.

Geum Bitgang was a tremendous card. Yet the time and manpower of a rising actor could not be compared to anything else.

‘They said a tidal wave was coming.’

But after that ten-minute private meeting with Jegal Rok, the decision had changed. Han Yeoreum had willingly chosen to appear in the play, and Geum Bitgang became a usable card again.

“This isn’t it. Let’s start immediately. Light and cute.”

“How?”

Manager Hong grinned. It hadn’t been long since Episode 2 of 〈EmBubu〉 aired. Interest in Han Yeoreum practicing for the play hadn’t died down yet. Not using the card called the legend of theater, Geum Bitgang, would be a waste.

“Geum Bitgang’s favorite doll.”

* * *

“Tsk. They come up with the strangest phrases these days.”

Geum Bitgang muttered while looking at her phone. On the screen was a headline that made it obvious who had orchestrated it.

[‘Geum Bitgang’s Favorite Doll’ Han Yeoreum, From Drama to Theater Her Top Pick]