I'm an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me

* * *

The moment the intro alone played, everyone recognized it—the performance that had once made people instantly know it would win the grand prize had begun.

The refined sound of the synthesizer, something unfamiliar in Korean pop music at the time, spread brilliantly from So Dami’s fingertips.

It didn’t simply fill in as accompaniment—it wrapped around the entire atmosphere of the song.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the hopeful, forward-looking tone of the piece came entirely from the keyboard.

That vague anticipation of tomorrow, that air filled with excitement, lifted people off their feet.

For feelings

That I can’t tell anyone,

I hold a worn-down pencil

And begin to write—

The first verse was sung by Han Yeoreum. Even without subtitles, her diction pierced straight into the ear, and the moment she opened, the audience’s focus deepened all at once.

An upbeat drum beat blended with the synthesizer. Smiling, Han Yeoreum continued the lyrics. Her voice was even better than it had been on 〈King of Mask Singer〉.

It’s too embarrassing to show,

So I pretended it wasn’t true, but still—

Han Yeoreum’s fingers moved across the guitar strings as if they were dancing. She played the song’s signature lively rhythm as if she were toying with it—like she was gently lifting up the very lyrics she was singing.

Assistant Manager Shin, once just a new hire, pressed his lips together.

Han Yeoreum had been a complete beginner.

Compared to just a few months ago, when she didn’t even know how to hold a guitar, this level of growth was absurd.

“Hey, that—”

“Sir, please, just—quiet for a moment.”

“You’ve got some nerve.”

Director Hong, standing beside him, had been about to voice his admiration, but Shin cut him off immediately. This wasn’t the time to talk.

Choo Gaeul, on drums, picked up the next line.

Every night before I fall asleep,

I keep writing without end—

Once hopelessly off-beat, Choo Gaeul had, through relentless practice, finally reached the point where she could perform an entire song perfectly.

Her face was tense—perhaps it was still too much to manage playing, singing, and expressions all at once.

But that only made it more moving.

Even if the wind blows harshly,

I want to gather the dreams that scattered—

Next was So Dami. With the most technically dazzling performance among the three, her relaxed, almost playful attitude stabilized the balance.

Her hands traveled across the entire span of the keyboard, enriching the sound even further.

Finally—the high-note highlight.

Choo Gaeul swung her arms wide. A powerful, overwhelming pulse—something you could only feel live—burst forth, shattering the still-chilly air of early spring.

Even if I don’t know where this moment is heading,

My heart for you won’t stop—

Han Yeoreum’s voice rang out as if it were bursting.

The expressions of those listening brightened instantly.

The high-pitched crash of the cymbals sped up their heartbeats, while the kick drum, stamped down from the toes, drove the song forward without losing momentum.

Assistant Manager Shin recalled the word Han Yeoreum and So Dami used so often.

And then—the solo section.

Choo Gaeul spun her drumsticks.

“Waaaah!”

Screams erupted from all around.

With one hand, she twirled the stick, then swept across the drums from left to right in rapid succession.

There was no trace left of the beginner who once lagged behind the beat.

Speed, dynamics, even flipping the rhythm—she handled it all freely.

Both of her hands blurred as she drove the performance forward with rapid-fire rolls.

It was a true storm of the stage.

The crowd screamed.

Next—the guitar.

Han Yeoreum leaned forward, her hands moving smoothly. The smile that had been on her face all along tightened slightly into a focused frown as she played. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

The electrifying, spine-tingling swell unique to the electric guitar rang out clearly.

As the notes surged upward from low to high, Assistant Manager Shin broke into a wide grin.

‘This is it!’

There was no way to understand how she had managed to practice to this level amid such a brutal schedule.

Han Yeoreum finished the solo flawlessly, pulling the final note long as she straightened her bent posture.

At that exact moment, a breeze blew, brushing through her hair.

That fleeting instant captured everyone’s gaze.

A vivid image of youth etched itself into memory.

And then—the climax.

The keyboard solo.

As if she were competing in a contest, So Dami’s hands flowed like water.

The synthesizer’s sound rose as if it were carrying everyone there upward.

It felt as though they could truly reach that height.

The brilliance that only a trained musician could produce overwhelmed the audience. Some covered their mouths in awe.

Even the timing of pressing the pedal to leave a lingering resonance was perfect.

The noon sunlight wrapped around them, dazzling.

Even if I don’t know where this moment is heading,

My heart for you won’t stop—

Choo Gaeul swung her arms desperately, So Dami moved her hands with ease, and Han Yeoreum sang with a bright, happy smile.

Even if I can’t achieve everything I’ve written down,

My love for you won’t stop—

By now, the people watching were singing along.

As if they were speaking of their own youth.

〈Youth Disqualified!〉—the long culmination of all that practice ended in complete success.

* * *

“Please take good care of us today. Alright?”

“Oh come on, Director Hong, what is all this...”

Director Hong handed out iced Americanos he had prepared in advance to the reporters.

The stage had come to an end. After finishing the University Song Festival grand prize song they had prepared, they asked—

“Is it a shame to end it like this?”

“Yes—!!!”

The heated crowd shouted at the top of their lungs.

“Then... shall we go for an encore?”

Han Yeoreum, smiling as she caught her breath, led the response.

And just like that, one more song—Seo Eden’s—was added.

Of course, the performance itself was played live by the silver prize band.

Then a few more songs followed. It was possible because the silver prize team’s fundamentals were solid.

So Dami, Choo Gaeul, and Han Yeoreum were each given another chance to sing. They performed a medley of nostalgic songs.

To close, Han Yeoreum sang once more the final song she had performed on 〈King of Mask Singer〉.

So that everyone could leave with smiles on their faces.

After a long, long winter, spring had finally returned.

〈Youth Disqualified!〉 opened that beginning more brightly than ever—

so that people’s hearts could burn as hot as summer.

[MBS Presents ‘True Youth’—The 〈Youth Disqualified!〉 Production Showcase Echoes Across Yeouido]

[A “Mini Concert” Opened with the OST—Han Yeoreum, Choo Gaeul, So Dami on the Yeouido Han River Stage... “Please listen closely”]

[The University Song Festival in Yeouido? A Unique Introduction to MBS’s New Drama 〈Youth Disqualified!〉]

“But seriously, how did they prepare all this? I’ve never seen a press conference like this before.”

“Exactly. We’d really appreciate it if you focus on that aspect in particular.”

“Oh, Director Hong, honestly...”

The reporters were favorable.

It wasn’t just the public who had watched the 〈Youth Disqualified!〉 vlog—industry insiders had been paying attention too.

It was rare for a project to generate this level of buzz even before its release.

At some point, Han Yeoreum had become a keyword cheat code.

Just putting her name in an article title was enough to draw clicks.

‘Of course she’s going to be liked.’

From 〈ParCheHi〉 onward, everything Han Yeoreum had attempted had brought a sense of freshness to the industry.

It was only natural that attention toward her was high.

Director Hong turned his gaze toward the people still lingering nearby.

“This one turned out great!”

“Hey, look at this—they’re saying you should’ve brought them along too.”

People were smiling as they checked the photos and videos they had just taken.

Just recalling the stage seemed to naturally bring a smile to their faces.

Zel An9el

(Today’s 〈Youth Disqualified!〉 stage video.mp4)

A youth encountered in passing today

Retweets 2,827 Likes 4,467

There was a reason they had chosen to perform in a public space.

Through people’s SNS, the 〈Youth Disqualified!〉 production showcase began to spread.

* * *

The owner of Café clapped sharply the moment the performance ended.

He had stayed through even the encore of the encore, and once the stage was over, he intended to go up to and speak to them.

He was thinking of asking them to come perform at his café on weekends.

Because the fact that their skills hadn’t rusted meant they had cherished their love for music for a very long time.

“Hello.”

“Ah, yes...”

“I, well... yes. I’m from here.”

But just as the performance ended, before he could approach them, he noticed another man already stepping forward with a business card in hand.

“If you don’t mind, could we talk for a moment?”

Judging by the company name printed on the card, it seemed to be fairly well-known—their eyes widened.

Thanks to that, the owner of Café , standing a few steps away, was able to witness a precious moment.

Their lost youth was embracing them once again.

That immature anticipation—the kind that comes from not knowing what you might become—rested clearly on the faces of the second-place team.

“What? Why’d you come back already? Weren’t you going to suggest the live performance?”

“Well...”

The ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) wife tilted her head as she watched her husband walk back without hesitation.

“If it’s meant to be, we’ll meet again.”

Perhaps next time, meeting them would require fierce competition just to secure tickets.

He turned slightly and looked back.

The stage, once blazing and radiant, was already being dismantled.

It felt like a midsummer night’s dream.

It was as if the youth he had left behind was still there.

Time, which had flowed so quickly along the blue river, came back to him.

The owner of Café smiled as he adjusted his aviator sunglasses.

Maybe it was the river breeze—but the corners of his eyes were slightly damp.

“Let’s go.”

He took his wife’s hand.

The most beautiful gift that youth had left behind.

That day, long, lengthy comments kept appearing under the 〈Youth Disqualified!〉 live video.

-I was there at the live stage. Listening to the songs reminded me of the moment I first met my wife lol. First, let me say this—people who talk without knowing anything...^^ what do they call it these days, “baseless hate”? Stop wasting time and polluting others’ eyes with that nonsense. Please put an end to it.

And Han Yeoreum, Choo Gaeul, So Dami—you three did really well. It’s not easy to perform a first live stage without mistakes... impressive. But a few points for improvement might help. Toward the latter half, Gaeul’s volume kept increasing—understandable given the excitement, but it can bury other sounds. Also, I’ll say this again: you don’t use your wrists, you protect them. Han Yeoreum, don’t bend your wrist when holding—move your whole arm. Finesse is good, but relax your strength, use your elbow and shoulder if you want to play for life... (truncated)

↳ How many comments did this guy leave;; he’s under every Youth Disqualified live video lol

* * *

IP 85.152 lay blankly on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

‘Honestly... the sound quality wasn’t great...’

She had gone through countless theaters watching musicals. This wasn’t a quiet indoor setting—it was an outdoor Han River stage filled with noise. It didn’t meet her high standards.

‘But...’

Even during the encore and encore-of-the-encore, there were occasional mistakes—as if they hadn’t fully rehearsed those parts.

‘Why does it keep...?’

IP 85.152 picked up the phone she had barely set down.

Once again, she opened Intube.

INTUBE

[〈Youth Disqualified!〉 Yeouido Live Video / Han Yeoreum Focus] 04:36

Views 76,221

She clicked the video—already fully watched.

It was uploaded by the account “Everyday Is Summer.”

From the moment Han Yeoreum, stiff at first, opened her mouth... to the way her tension melted into a smile as her hands moved busily... to the serious intensity of her solo—

everything was captured.

Under the clear blue sky, with sunlight alone shining brilliantly, no other stage direction was needed.

-fr outdoor stages hit different, like those random festivals way outside Seoul?? those videos always go legendary lol

↳ facts... like FreshCrispGreenPepperFestival or LuckyHappyGoldenCroakerFest those places go insane

↳ lmao that festival was in my town..^^ everyone come visit

The audio was a mess.

Shouting voices, constant shutter clicks, even the ding of video recording starting—it was all mixed in.

But even so—

No, because of that—

‘It’s not bad... is it?’

It felt like it created a stage called youth.

IP 85.152 wasn’t a fan of Han Yeoreum.

Being a fan meant setting all your passwords to her birthdate, opening a savings account just to support her, buying magazines for every interview and carefully scrapbooking them, purchasing three copies of every photoshoot—one for display, one for viewing, one for storage—digging through Intube for overseas interviews and translating every single line, organizing birthday cafés, sending coffee trucks and gifts, carrying a telephoto camera to every schedule, even sending protest trucks to her agency when something went wrong.

An exhausting, troublesome ordeal.

“I don’t like her that much. Honestly.”

And that wasn’t all.

A real fan would report or argue against negative comments online, visit all the places she frequented like pilgrimage sites, add her favorite songs to their playlist, and even set their phone wallpaper to her.

Only then could you call yourself a real fan.

“Still... well...”

IP 85.152 was just an ordinary person.

“If I had to say...”

But if someone asked which actor she liked these days, she would say Han Yeoreum wasn’t bad.

Because among actors these days, Han Yeoreum had genuine skill as a foundation, consistently chose projects with a certain level of quality, and above all—had gone overseas and won awards for the first time.

An actor worth paying attention to, even from a cultural standpoint.

“When does the first episode air?”

As a cultured viewer, IP 85.152 decided she would watch the first broadcast of 〈Youth Disqualified!〉 starring Han Yeoreum.

Not because she was a fan.

And so, the first broadcast of 〈Youth Disqualified!〉—a drama that had captured everyone’s attention—

was finally approaching.

The most anticipated release of the first half of the year was about to begin.