I'm an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me

* * *

Manager Ma, who had been monitoring the response, closed his eyes for a moment.

Then he took a slow, deep breath.

“Whew....”

He counted to three in his head. Three, two, one.

Click.

The moment he refreshed the page, Han Yeoreum’s face filled the screen.

It was an explosion.

[Han Yeoreum and Myeong Jeha’s heartbreaking first-love farewell... an unforgettable 〈The Great Garland〉]

[〈The Great Garland〉 once embroiled in ‘Joseon scum controversy’... Han Yeoreum’s decisive blow that turned rage into love: “Don’t lose me.”]

[“This is the value of public broadcasting,” says KBC — From the pain of the Japanese occupation to 6.25... proves its name value]

There were no other words for it.

Even after the episode ended, the heat refused to cool. Just ten minutes after Episode 4 finished airing, every news section was plastered with the names Han Yeoreum and Myeong Jeha.

– I was crying nonstop and then the episode just ended.. Is this really it for the child actors???? TT_TT

– I’ve been watching since Ep1 and I’m the winner, I swear I almost lost my mind live-watching this

ㄴ fr later viewers are pitiful TT_TT

– Taeseok... Huijae... how are we supposed to let you go...

Every community’s live-thread boards were exploding at record-breaking speed.

[30s Chat Board / Is Garland really that good? I was gonna start but the thread speed scared me off]

Never seen threads reset this many times before it even started

– Watch it.... No don’t.... No you have to.... No don’t....

ㄴ So do I watch it or not T_T LOOOLLL

ㄴ so damn true) exactly my heart right now..... TT_TT

Even people who hadn’t watched it knew about it. Several lines were already famous enough to feel universally familiar.

The JC ENM PR team’s fingers never stopped moving. The entire world felt feverish with 〈The Great Garland〉.

“How’s it looking right now?”

“It’s devoured Tr*tter real-time trends!”

#YeonHuijae 2,700 posts

#FailedLove 10,255 posts

#TheGreatGarlandIsInsane 2,211 posts

#SeokhwanAh 3,188 posts

Drama junkies who had anticipated 〈The Great Garland〉 before it aired.

People who clicked Episode 2 because Episode 1 baited them.

Viewers who gradually fell in and found themselves waiting for next week.

Fans who cried through Episode 4.

In just two weeks, the general public had solidified into fandom. The work’s loyalty rate had skyrocketed.

It wasn’t just about capturing viewers.

“At this rate, nobody’s dropping mid-series, right?”

“Of course not. It’d be weird to quit now.”

From here on, 〈The Great Garland〉 had only one direction left — upward ratings.

ScreenDaze (UK drama account) @ScreenDaze

(Huijae wedding clip.mp4)

Seokhwan-ah, there’s something called divorce in this world. Sit down first. Let’s talk.

Retweets 21K Likes 32K

pppongdang___e @pppongdang___e

All you people who said failed love is good, come out.... All of you

ㄴ (hand over mouth) didn’t expect it to fail this spectacularly;;

ㄴ Take your hand down, you’re suspicious as hell

ㄴ (grinning) Aang

Retweets 8,872 Likes 12K

yeomisae @yeomisae

(Huijae close-up looking at Taeseok through the car window.jpg)

Retweets 17K Likes 21K

Posts flooded SNS endlessly. Every episode felt like it had sworn to redefine bait, but Episode 4 was different.

It was the real thing.

Acting. Direction. Literary weight. A drama that missed nothing — and drama lovers went wild.

[The Great Garland Gallery]

[Is it bad to say they mixed Gatsby with Sudden Shower?]

At this level it’s a wholesome progression. In both works at least one of them has to go. But Garland? Both are still alive right? If they’re alive they’re bound to meet again????

Anonymous (124.88) You’re disgustingly positive f*ck... keep living like that, bastard

ㄴAnonymous (106.102) That’s basically a blessing

[As a Huijae mom I’m just glad Taejin isn’t terrible]

The moment he wrote her name properly at the end was my tear button T_T

Anonymous (121.184) Passed son-in-law test from first meeting

Anonymous (14.5) What’s the point, he’s not Taeseok

[Huijae, that guy is not it. Seriously.]

Reason: hasn’t served military

Anonymous (37.11) True....

ㄴAnonymous (172.22) “True” my ass LOOOLLLLL

Amid the chaos of posts, one analysis thread rose above the rest, dominating recommendations.

[(Long Post) Breaking down how the director portrayed Huijae and flowers]

Her surname Hanamura literally means flower village.

From her very first appearance in the photo studio, there was a pear blossom garden in the background.

(EP1 kimono studio scene.jpg)

When she moves to Jinhae, there are vases everywhere in the house — even in her room.

(EP1 Huijae bedroom capture.jpg)

The gold-leaf yukata she wears has floral patterns.

(EP1 Huijae eating alone.jpg)

What’s the common point? They’re all dead flowers. Paintings, patterns, or cut and placed in vases without roots.

But from the moment she begins speaking with Taeseok, living flowers start appearing. They alternate with dead ones, but they’re rooted, alive.

The flowers blooming at the fork where Taeseok comes to see her.

(EP2 wall scene.jpg)

The flower engraved on the water pitcher Huijae brings to the kitchen.

(EP2 “I am Joseon.” capture.jpg)

The garden flowers planted when she sees Hanamura off.

(EP2 “Have a safe trip.”.jpg)

When she first receives her Joseon name, she’s wearing clothes with floral patterns.

(EP2 “Miss, this is how your Joseon name is read.”.jpg)

And the day she tells Taeseok her name — look closely. There are flowers.

(EP2 Huijae on tiptoe at the wall, white socks embroidered with flowers.jpg)

From Episode 3 onward, Huijae is the first to speak about flowers. She climbs the wall with Taeseok to look for them.

Her name contains pear blossom, yet neither of them knows what a pear blossom is, so they go searching.

I think this represents her identity and freedom.

(EP3 rain in the mountains.jpg)

If you look at the corner of that scene, wildflowers are blooming. But neither of them look closely. Because when Huijae is with Taeseok, she’s already found freedom and identity. The flowers themselves no longer matter.

(EP3 Taeseok bringing chrysanthemum.jpg)

Still, Taeseok wants to give her flowers.. T_T

(EP3 Huijae receiving Taejin’s rose.jpg)

But the man who can truly give Huijae flowers is someone else.

Taejin, like Huijae, is a diaspora. No matter where they live, diaspora people inevitably face identity confusion. Huijae and Taejin meet while both are unrooted. They exchange flowers.

Unlike Taeseok, Taejin can remove Huijae from Hanamura’s control.

He’s the only one who can give her freedom.

(EP4 marriage talk scene.jpg)

In that moment, there’s no flower on Huijae’s teacup.

Because Taeseok’s life and death matter more than anything.

(EP4 wedding.jpg)

Yet on the chest of the man who will give her freedom, there is a flower. And Huijae holds flowers in her hands.

The wedding hall is filled with flowers. Outside too, flowers bloom everywhere.

In contrast, there isn’t even a blade of grass where Taeseok stands.

Taejin introduces himself as writing “joy” and “advance” in his name.

By taking Taejin’s hand and walking forward, Huijae finally becomes Yeon Huijae instead of Hanamura Rio.

What matters to Huijae is freedom and growth. Raised under abuse, she endlessly gathers courage, longs for the outside world, wants to know her own name.

I expect 〈The Great Garland〉 to emphasize Huijae’s growth arc as much as Taeseok’s.

The synopsis says Taeseok joins hands with the U.S. military for business. Huijae and Taejin leave for America right after marriage, right?

I’m dying to know how Taeseok, who rooted himself in Korea alone, and Huijae, who left to find freedom and returned, will collide again.

Anyway, it’s failed love. But for Huijae’s personal life, this might not be such a bad direction.

Anonymous (175.196) analysis posts always get my upvote

HuijaeChuu (58.238) Facts. Sadly Taejin is the one who can give her freedom. Even tyrant Hanamura couldn’t control him. And when he called her “my joy” the dopamine hit was insane

Anonymous (223.39) When you lay it out like this there are so many flowers. The direction is crazy

Anonymous (17.177) Building on this, I think it was the Joseon people who truly gave Huijae salvation. They knew Rio meant pear blossom, but they gave her a Joseon name that didn’t resemble its meaning at all. The moment they called her Huijae, she was no longer a flower raised by Hanamura.

ㄴAnonymous (38.1) That’s insane... legendary female lead growth arc

“This person knows how to watch.”

Aetami could smell a seasoned drama addict. Right now, nothing matched 〈The Great Garland〉 in capturing both the general public and hardcore drama fans at once.

Light meme posts. Serious essays. High-quality captures. Endless material.

“Ah... this reminds me of 〈Strange Tales〉....”

Drenched in nostalgia, Aetami’s hands kept moving.

Click. Click.

In the quiet room, the sound of keyboard tapping and mouse clicking was almost violent.

[HOT / The Great Garland analysis post that has drama fans losing it.jpg]

(IP 85.152 analysis capture.jpg)

Anonymous1: A real masterpiece finally came out TT_TT After all those early cancellations KBC finally got the hang of it

Anonymous2: The way blind hate dropped instantly from Ep3 is my biggest laugh LOLOLOLOL Even after Ep2 cleared misunderstandings people were still stubbornly bashing Han Yeoreum

ㄴ Anonymous11: Right?? Saying actors who approved that script must lack intelligence... I was hurt for her

Anonymous27: Han Yeoreum had no choice but to play Yeon Huijae. 8.15 Liberation is summer. 6.25 began in summer. The armistice was July 27, also summer. Every season of Garland was prepared for Han Yeoreum LOLOLOLOL It was hers from the beginning

ㄴ Anonymous31: That gave me chills

ㄴ Anonymous48: This analysis too... TT_TT

ㄴ Anonymous87: Gi Juye (fuck)

ㄴ Anonymous102: LOLOLOLOLOLOL sudden Gi Juye what the hell

“Good. We hit Magyo-dong tomorrow, and once that goes up...”

The love for Yeon Huijae would deepen further. Aetami’s face glowed with anticipation as she forgot about sleep.

* * *

Morning broke.

Calls poured endlessly into KBC headquarters.

“Yes, ah thank you so much. But regarding the story, our writer...”

“Haha, yes. Of course. We shouldn’t have made them separate like that...”

But the atmosphere was completely different from before.

Even with awkward smiles, the staff’s shoulders gradually straightened. After hanging up, they fell into brief reverie.

“Seriously, what era are we in? People get so immersed.”

“When was the last time we felt this kind of emotion? Since 〈Hourglass〉, maybe.”

〈The Great Garland〉 was KBC’s 50th anniversary drama. Combined with its subject matter, the average viewer age naturally skewed older.

“What’s going on over there?”

The MBS Center Director, peering through the blinds at the proud staff faces, asked his longtime friend.

The KBC Center Director smiled casually.

The MBS director sensed danger in ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) that elegant uncle-smile.

Sure enough—

“The elders keep calling to protest why Taeseok and Huijae have to break up.”

“....”

“I thought those days were gone — villains getting smacked in bathhouses and all that. But if you make a drama this good, people still blur it with reality.”

There was no attempt to hide the bragging.

“Look at Episode 4 ratings — 18.3%. Who expects that from Episode 4? Peak surpassed 20%. Though honestly, buzz-wise, numbers are just numbers.”

When KBC had been hit with consecutive early cancellations, his face had been gray. Now it bloomed.

He even wore a tie pin — a pear blossom pin. It wasn’t just viewers over-immersed.

“Calls are flooding in from everywhere. It’s not all good. Sponsors are lining up — logos might get plastered everywhere. Might even turn into an ending-scene meme. We don’t even need viral marketing anymore.”

The MBS director’s hand trembled around his coffee.

“...I’m leaving.”

“Where are you going? You just got here!”

“I’m busy too, bastard! We’ve got 〈Youth Disqualified!〉 entering full project phase. There’s a whole young mood you wouldn’t understand!”

“What young mood?! Explain before you go!”

“Old man, stay out of it!”

“You’re old too!”

He slammed his cup down and stormed out of KBC, glaring at the glowing employees answering complaint calls with radiant smiles. Then he pulled out his phone.

“...Seriously.”

He clicked his tongue.

The KBC director hadn’t exaggerated.

If judged purely on buzz, this would go down in history.

And that wasn’t all.