I'm an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me

* * *

“Aha... that was seriously way too long....”

IP 85.152 kept scrolling through the rapidly rising hot posts on the 〈The Great Garland〉 gallery while waiting for 〈Magyo-dong〉 to upload with her other hand.

Last period: club activities.

Today was finally the day Daily Media’s in-house content video would drop.

INTUBE

[Last Period Is Club Time! 〈The Great Garland〉 Jeha and Yeoreum’s Behind Story ⎜KBC] 42:10

“It’s here!”

A true cultural consumer, after all, must re-experience a work through the creators’ intent and the actors’ own commentary in order to call it proper appreciation. With that solemn sense of duty, IP 85.152 clicked the uploaded video.

– Hi!

– Yeoreum! Jeha!

– Jaehwi, long time no see~

The clubroom door opened, and Myeong Jeha and Han Yeoreum walked in. The Daily Media reporters, already seated, greeted them like old acquaintances. Everyone was faithfully dressed according to concept—in school uniforms.

“What the...?”

White dress shirts, navy jackets, gray knit vests.

Han Yeoreum and Myeong Jeha, dressed in perfect winter uniforms, looked like actual students.

“The styling....”

Both of them even had the exact same hair they’d worn while appearing in 〈The Great Garland〉.

Myeong Jeha revealed his neat forehead just like Taeseok, and Han Yeoreum had Huijae’s precise bob cut.

Put them in uniforms like that, and they looked like athlete-club Taeseok and disciplinary-committee Huijae. As usual, IP 85.152 instinctively began constructing narrative between the two.

– Sokhwan and Junmyeong are here too.

– Hello.

– Hey, speak casually!

– Our juniors are big on manners.... Still, I’ll tell them to take it slow and drop formal speech.

Ja Sokhwan and Ahn Junmyeong—who clearly looked old enough to be homeroom teachers—were absurdly cast as first-years while wearing uniforms. Brazenly taking on the youngest roles, Director Ja comfortably sank into the sofa.

– Then shall we skip introductions and start by watching a clip from episode 1?

– Our Sokhwan's personality is a bit impatient.... Sorry about that.

– Yeah, Sokhwan, we should introduce ourselves first....

– Can’t you just add that in subtitles? We need to watch episode 1 right away.

It was Han Yeoreum and Myeong Jeha who took care of Director Ja, who had absolutely zero intention of sticking to the concept. The atmosphere was relaxed.

– Alright then. Could you tell us why you came to our Culture Appreciation Club room?

– We came because we wanted to show you a work we made ourselves called 〈The Great Garland〉. Junmyeong handled the story, and Sokhwan directed it. They’re both very diligent friends for their age.

– Young... yes, young.... Sure. They really do look like first-years. Okay then, let’s start with the first best scene you picked!

The filming day had taken place before 〈The Great Garland〉 aired. Already knowing everything, IP 85.152 barely held back laughter.

“That was such a fresh bait....”

She still couldn’t forget the atmosphere right after episode 1 aired. The number of troll posts she personally deleted from the gallery had easily surpassed a thousand.

Sure enough, in the video, Reporter Wi stared at Director Ja in a dazed state after watching the episode 1 clip.

– ...Sokhwan?

– No, Sokhwan, you... no, Junmyeong, you.... How are you two planning to handle this....

All the Daily Media reporters had frozen. Not a single one could form a proper sentence.

– Is this really the broadcast version? It’s not, right? If this airs, then the viewers are going to.... What on earth....

Director Ja shrugged.

– So what do you think?

The reporters chose their words carefully. None of them had ever imagined facing a scene like this.

Who on earth would use the word “Joseon scum” at their first meeting with their first love?

– ....

Director Ja scanned the silent reporters once, then looked straight into the camera lens.

– If you’re Korean, you should get angry.

And then he delivered what would become an iconic line.

– That’s why we insulted you.

* * *

“Ah, damn, this is why!”

Aetami, watching the Intube video, shouted out loud. She immediately understood why Reporter Wi had told her to wait.

With that single statement, Director Ja had soothed every single viewer who’d fought over the ending of episode 1 of 〈The Great Garland〉.

The camp that had insisted, “Even so, wasn’t ‘Joseon scum’ too much?” quieted down in an instant.

@szq mimimiiii

(Magyo-dong Director Ja clip.mp4)

What is this..../// Yes, I’m Korean.... I got angryyy....

Retweets 5571 Likes 11K

– When Yeoreum showed us the revised episode 1 script, your expression was no joke.

– That was.... That moment, I honestly thought my eyes were deceiving me.

Recalling Ahn Junmyeong’s script, Yeoreum covered her face with both hands.

“The writer really came in grinding his teeth too.”

Because 〈The Great Garland〉 had such overwhelming buzz, the malicious nitpicking had been just as strong. The focus had been aimed squarely at Han Yeoreum.

– No matter what lol if you’re being provocative and throw in a Joseon scum line then what, next you’ll go even harsher?? So disappointed in Han Yeoreum ㅠ I’m boycotting everything she’s in from now on

ㄴExactly, seems short-sighted.. Honestly when her classmate fell from running a private account before, I figured there had to be something there ㅎ There’s no smoke without fire ㅜㅜ

ㄴHere we go again with the female-actress conspiracy theories, already saved the PDF~

ㄴBetter than the Yeoreum maids starting up again.. Say you don’t like the Joseon scum line and they grit their teeth trying to silence you; aren’t diverse opinions allowed on a community? She’s such a superstar now huh

ㄴBut why do you keep hitting Han Yeoreum? LOLOLOL Leave the writer and director out of it; your intentions are gloomy and transparent

But in 〈Magyo-dong〉, the writer and director had appeared alongside her. Despite having been uploaded only recently, the views were climbing quickly.

At this rate, hitting 200K by tomorrow was guaranteed.

ㄴAre the people writing these comments serious lol The writer literally said Han Yeoreum agonized a lot over that Joseon scum line and you’re still trying to pin it on the actress ㅠ

ㄴ??Wow LOOOLL first time watching someone delete their comment in real time

“Starting tomorrow, the nitpicking side is definitely going to get hit!”

Ja Sokhwan and Ahn Junmyeong had played this smart. By appearing in the official video, they had dispersed the focus.

Since the content had been filmed before airing, it was impossible to argue they had coordinated stories because of public opinion.

Now the conversation in the video shifted to character analysis from Han Yeoreum and Myeong Jeha.

– The role of Huijae must have been difficult. Was there a particular scene you focused on, Yeoreum?

– For me, the scene at the end where she cries holding the manual. Because she’s about to part with Taeseok, I wanted to show that sense of, this really can’t continue. That they’re crossing paths and missing each other.

Aetami lifted her phone closer, as if trying to crawl into the screen.

– So when they cry, Huijae covers her mouth, but Taeseok covers his eyes. Did you notice that difference?

– Ah...! Did you two discuss that deliberately?

– Yes. Yeoreum suggested it first, so I covered my eyes during the firefly scene too. There are plenty of scenes where people cover their mouths while crying, but not many where they cover their eyes, so I worried about it a bit.

With the two of them in uniforms side by side, Aetami found herself bouncing her foot even without them saying anything romantic.

“Ah, what is this.... When, where, how did you discuss that... you need to release behind-the-scenes footage....”

Was it while they were in Huijae and Taeseok’s costumes? Or in casual clothes? Or over the phone? In Aetami’s eyes, the shipping lens had fully clicked into place.

“But this isn’t my fault.”

She was certain everyone watching this video had the same shipping lens on.

“And the reporters were like that first.”

She remembered what Reporter Wi had told her recently.

“There probably won’t be anything this year that beats the GiYeon couple’s buzz. That’s what they’re saying internally.”

It was about the Best Couple Award nomination.

Soon, each broadcasting station would release its award lists. Among them, 〈The Great Garland〉 was expected to receive attention across every category.

It was, undeniably, the drama of the year.

“That’s the kind of award that proves popularity with both fandom and the general public.”

Winners were selected through a combination of real public reaction, internal station votes, and buzz metrics.

Even if ratings were high, without couple chemistry it was hard to win. On the other hand, even if ratings were only moderate, explosive couple popularity could secure it.

It was an award focused squarely on the individual value of the actors.

Clear proof that their chemistry had resonated with the public.

“And if Yeoreum wins it over Eun Baekhap....”

There would be no bigger headline.

How many “post–Eun Baekhap” actresses had come and gone? Yet the top seat still belonged to Eun Baekhap.

A position anyone could acknowledge. Fame where the face came to mind the moment you heard the name. Influence that guaranteed trust.

Just imagining Yeoreum grasping that kind of recognition made Aetami’s heart pound.

– We said we’d try it first and change it if it felt artificial. But this was much better. So we kept it. Every time we cut, your gaze naturally falls to the neck and jawline, and the sorrow shows even more clearly.

– We showed that scene to Haebeom... sun...bae—the adult-role actor. It’s a little awkward calling him sunbae, but anyway. He said it came out beautifully, so you’ll probably see traces of Jeha in Haebeom’s acting from now on.

– I’m already excited! As someone who’s lived a long drama-fan life, I guarantee it. The ratings are going to be insane.

And then, one of the Daily Media reporters turned to Yeoreum and asked:

– Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes when I watch your acting, I feel like I see Baekhap in you. Was that intentional too?