I'm an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me

This was the new JC ENM headquarters in Cheongdam. Adjusted to the U.S. time difference, the PR team was monitoring everything in real time.

The moment Han Yeoreum appeared on the red carpet, the prepared articles were uploaded immediately.

[Han Yeoreum of appears at U.S. awards ceremony... a dazzling greeting]

[Han Yeoreum’s smile lights up Critics Choice, “I came to win~”]

[‘Little Oscars’... Han Yeoreum on the Critics Choice red carpet ⎜Star Photo]

Reporters on-site quickly snapped photos of Han Yeoreum. Manager Hong checked the prepared articles.

“Ryu Risa really knows how to use her head. Hey, even after being in this industry this long, I still can’t pull off something like creating a narrative with just an outfit. Right?”

“Exactly. A real pro is just different.”

What Ryu Risa had chosen wasn’t a high-end brand everyone recognized at a glance, nor was it a rising designer already gaining industry attention.

It was a dress from a new designer who had only recently begun circulating her portfolio.

[Han Yeoreum, dress chosen with Huijae’s heart from ... what is it exactly?]

Han Yeoreum’s dress choice at the Critics Choice red carpet in LA—dubbed the “Little Oscars”—has become a hot topic. The blue satin dress she wore was created by American designer Selena Harper Cruz. Recently gaining attention on Tintok after uploading design school vlogs, Selena Cruz is a Filipino-American designer. A video introducing her grandfather as a World War II veteran reached 17 million views... (omitted)

This detail closely connects with Huijae’s character in . Huijae is the daughter of a collaborator, yet also a victim of abuse by her father. Through the clothing industry, she aids Joseon people, teaches them literacy, and chooses a path of resistance and recovery.

The moment Han Yeoreum wore Cruz’s dress, the two narratives overlapped. The red carpet became more than just a stage for a star—it expanded into a symbolic space where memory and healing of Asian women converged.

The number of Filipino-Americans living in LA was far from small.

About 3.3% of the total population—out of roughly 14.5 million in LA County, around 4.8 million were Asian. Of those, approximately 1.37 million were Filipino.

A period drama about overcoming poverty after colonial rule.

And an actress from that drama entering the U.S., wearing a dress designed by someone whose family included a Filipino war veteran.

To them, it carried deep meaning.

A kind of solidarity in embracing the pain of war.

“Selena’s live right now, right?”

“Yes! Recording it in real time!”

Selena, with 3 million followers on Tintok, was watching the Critics Choice in awe.

“I never thought my dress would make it to an awards ceremony! This feels like a dream. What do I do? I’m so excited right now.”

Her followers flooded the live stream.

—What is happening lol someone explain!

—Her graduation portfolio dress made it to Critics Choice!

—Selena, congratulations! I always knew this moment would come :)

A platform not yet launched in Korea—Tintok. But its user base was already exploding, especially in the U.S.

Upon release, Tintok had surpassed 100 million users, and within a few years, its monthly active users would reach 800 million.

—If you’re interested in K-dramas, I really recommend watching . I swear, once you see it, you’ll never forget it!

That meant Han Yeoreum’s recognition could spread through teenagers by being the first to wear a trending U.S. SNS designer’s work.

As Selena’s fame grew on Tintok, Han Yeoreum’s name would inevitably be brought up again.

With a single outfit, Ryu Risa had not only created a narrative—but also demonstrated insight into Han Yeoreum’s future expansion in the U.S. market.

“My grandfather was really happy too. When I told him what kind of woman Huijae is in , he was shocked. And he kept saying this—he wished a drama like that had come out in the Philippines too.”

Gaining favor from Filipino-Americans in LA.

Introducing what is.

Creating emotional attachment to Huijae even before viewers watched the drama.

“Anyway... will there ever be a happier moment in my life than this? What it feels like when something you’ve dreamed of suddenly unfolds right in front of you. Look—goosebumps.”

And most importantly—

It left a lasting impression.

After ending her live stream, Selena immediately edited and uploaded Han Yeoreum’s red carpet footage.

Views and likes surged instantly.

“Upload it!”

The moment Manager Hong gave the order, the entire flow was neatly compiled and posted to communities.

[HOT / Actress getting great reactions in the U.S. right now.jpg]

(Selena live broadcast.jpg)

She’s a popular celeb in the U.S.—basically like an Intuber for us? I followed her because her vlogs are fun lol

(Selena dress.jpg)

Selena is a Filipino-American and a design student. She just successfully finished her graduation runway! But then an actress wore this dress at an awards ceremony... lol

Totally unexpected

(Critics Choice Han Yeoreum.jpg)

Han Yeoreum is in the U.S. right now for ... what’s the connection???? I was like ??? but apparently Selena’s grandfather was a Filipino WWII veteran who fought against the Japanese army during the liberation of the Philippines T_T

(Huijae from .jpg)

Huijae helped Joseon people who were taken to Louisiana sugarcane farms during WWII, went all the way to Manchuria to teach them how to read... and now it feels like she’s reaching out even to the granddaughter of a Filipino allied soldier... maybe I’m overthinking but all the narratives feel connected and it’s so moving TT__TT

(Tintok comments.jpg)

Even on Tintok the comments are positive lol people are leaving suns, oceans, and red hearts—guess it’s because her name is Han Yeoreum (summer)?

If there’s an issue let me know gently

I’ll delete

—Anonymous 1: Wow today her styling rolled a 6 TT_TT Han Yeoreum is insanely pretty

—Anonymous 12: If she dresses like this she’s basically guaranteed Best Dressed lol

—Anonymous 35: I’d be so moved too—if my grandfather was an allied soldier and an actress from a war drama wore my dress??? That’s basically a proposal

—Anonymous 114: I’ve been watching Han Yeoreum since debut, I’m so proud T_T must protect her

—Anonymous 210: Damn, seeing her get good reactions in the U.S. is such a high LMAO let’s goooo

Han Yeoreum alone had ignited anticipation for the award.

True to her name, she burned brightly.

At last, the Critics Choice Awards began.

* * *

The lights dimmed slowly, and a spotlight illuminated the center of the stage. The MC stepped forward with a bright smile, holding the microphone.

“Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. Welcome to the Critics Choice!”

Cheers and applause erupted from the audience. This year’s MC was an actor who had won the Academy Award the previous year.

“Now, shall we all raise a glass to commemorate this night? Not because I want to drink—this is for all of you! And for tonight’s Critics Choice!”

He scrunched his nose playfully while holding the cue card, drawing laughter from all around.

At the round tables sat actors representing their respective countries. On each table were champagne glasses, small floral arrangements, and a placard indicating the work they represented.

The table marked was positioned fairly close to the front.

It meant the work was one of the highlights of this year’s Critics Choice.

As everyone raised their glasses together, camera shutters clicked from the press area. Cameras broadcasting the event from the back of the hall moved busily.

The first category appeared on the screen.

Best Picture

The ceremony opened with the top award. Massive Hollywood franchise films, high-budget sci-fi works known for their overwhelming CG, even a thriller where the lead actress shaved her head and lost 20 kilograms for the role—it was breathtaking in scale.

I still couldn’t believe I was here.

‘Wow... these are people I’ve only ever seen in movies....’

Actors who defined Hollywood were sitting right near me. I was so nervous I couldn’t even drink my champagne properly.

It didn’t seem like I was the only one overwhelmed.

Ji Haebeom kept clenching and unclenching his fists. Eun Baekhap cleared her throat quietly. Shin Seojin, seated across from me, hadn’t moved at all, sitting perfectly upright. Even the director hadn’t spoken for a while.

‘The only one calm here... is Myeong Jeha.’

Was this nothing to him? Myeong Jeha, with the composure of experience, called over a passing server and asked for sparkling water.

‘As expected....’

How could he be so at ease? Sitting among actors who would go down in history—Nicole Johansson, Christine Taylor, Benedict Colbine, Andrew Springfield, Kirsten West, J.K. Hines...

The awards for Best Actor and Best Actress followed. As more famous figures stepped onto the stage, my hearing seemed to dull from the tension.

Everything sparkled.

Endless flashes, blazing stage lights.

It made me realize just how vast the world around me was.

The atmosphere and immersion of the ceremony overwhelmed me from the very beginning.

* * * 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

‘Ahhh, Yeoreum....’

It was 3 PM in Seoul. Aetami secretly had an Intube window open, her heart racing.

Seeing Yeoreum sitting among actors who had swept through Hollywood made her chest swell.

‘When did she grow this much....’

Han Yeoreum was, in every sense, rising.

Day by day, she climbed higher. Aetami had been chasing after her nonstop, and before she knew it, Yeoreum had reached America.

Aetami gulped down coffee from her tumbler, her mouth going dry.

‘The film section is almost over....’

At Critics Choice, once the film section ended, the TV section began, following the same order.

Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor—then the rest.

‘And Yeoreum’s category is last....’

❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) was nominated near the very end—Best Foreign Language Series, right after Animation.

‘I feel like I’m going to lose my mind from nerves....’

On the screen, Yeoreum appeared for a brief moment, clapping.

Seeing her holding her place so firmly in such a distant world made tears well up.

Aetami remembered Yeoreum from the final group screening of .

She had always felt that Yeoreum would one day reach a place Aetami herself could never go.

She just hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.

Han Yeoreum felt like someone who would go even further.

Much, much further.

* * *

IP 85.152 stared at the screen. The Critics Choice—called the “Little Oscars”—was a fairly solid awards ceremony for testing one’s cultural insight.

‘I got every prediction right.’

Having correctly predicted even the fiercely contested Best Picture, IP 85.152 admired their own refined judgment.

Best Actress. Best Actor.

All matched their expectations.

‘It has to be this.’

The moment was nominated, IP 85.152 immediately watched all the competing works.

But nothing resonated as deeply.

The image of a young girl smiling brightly in the rain—

It must have left a strong impression on the judges as well.

“And the winner for Best Animated Series is...!”

Watching their chosen work win again, IP 85.152 clenched a fist over their chest.

Sweat seeped through their fingers.

It was a feeling difficult to put into words.