Chapter Index

    Kim Iseo examined the posts on Sua’s fan cafe.

    [I had a chance to play games with Lee Sua a while back, and she wasn’t like this then. She didn’t seem like she had to be perfect at everything either? Did she just not care?]

    It was a short post, barely a passing comment, but Sua’s fan cafe had a considerable number of members. So, it wasn’t long before the number of views climbed steeply.

    The problem was, this wasn’t the only post like that.

    [I seem to recall Sua-ssi not being very good at swimming….]

    Of course, they didn’t attach any photos. In other words, there was no concrete evidence, only appeals to sentiment.

    However.

    [Sua-ssi’s impression was intimidating, so it was hard to talk to her lol. I didn’t try to talk to her back then, so I don’t know her real personality, but anyway, fighting!]

    [Lee Sua’s arctic fox impression was a little weird…. I knew Lee Sua a long time ago, and her eyes were so scary that they made all the animals run away]

    Even if it was just hearsay, when the number of posts increased, people couldn’t help but pay attention. Because it was frequently visible. In the case of sensational posts, comments quickly multiplied.

    ─Well, there might be a persona; it’s a broadcast.

    ─Am I the only one who feels like the intention is too malicious? Why bring this up in a fan cafe?

    ─Do you think celebrities are gods or something? Of course they’re human, they can be like that.

    Fortunately, this was a fan cafe. Most of the users were supporting Sua. But Kim Iseo knew. There was no good in leaving this situation unchecked.

    ‘Okay, it’s time.’

    She already knew this kind of atmosphere had existed before, and she had just been waiting for the right moment.

    And now that moment had come.

    ‘Sua is even about to make her debut in Japan.’

    Special Task Force 808 had fortunately become a big hit in Japan as well, and Sua was planning to move on to bigger things.

    That’s why she couldn’t afford to be held back now.

    Even a small scandal in Korea could spread in unpredictable ways in Japan, where the language and culture were different. It’s really tricky trying to explain things overseas.

    ‘Rooting it out completely is the fundamental solution.’

    Kim Iseo nodded and took out her cell phone. She made a call, and naturally, the other person was Sua.

    “Sua, let’s get going in the van soon. Oh, right, there’s something I want to talk about with you in the van today.”

    ◈◈◈◈◈

    A little later.

    Vroom─!

    On the way to the filming site for ‘Alien Game,’ Sua yawned, her mouth slightly open.

    “Haaaam.”

    She had slept less than usual.

    It was because Eunbi had messed up a lot of NGs yesterday. Thanks to her unique textbook acting, they had to reshoot five times.

    Actually, five times was a miracle. She managed to finish filming with a smile. She really meant it. If it had dragged on any longer, the atmosphere on set might have gotten really chilly….

    At that moment, Kim Iseo spoke.

    “Hey, Sua. About what I was going to talk about earlier.”

    “Yes?”

    “So, that is… um, ah, just a moment.”

    ─♩♪♬

    However, Kim Iseo couldn’t continue her words. That was because a phone call had come in from somewhere.

    “Yes, yes. Hello? Ah, more monitoring data has come up again? Okay. Scrape all the posts and send them to me.”

    It seemed like there was some data to monitor. The problem was how frequent it was. Every time she tried to talk to Sua, a phone call would come in, making a conversation virtually impossible.

    Eventually, Kim Iseo sighed deeply.

    “Never mind, Sua. I’ll collect data for just one or two more days, and then I’ll come to a firm conclusion and tell you.”

    “Okay. I totally understand.”

    Sua nodded. Sua understands.

    If it was something Kim Iseo was doing, it wouldn’t be bad for her. Sua had faith in her CEO.

    ◈◈◈◈◈

    After that.

    ‘Alien Game’ was slowly starting to film promotional videos as well.

    Sua thought. Netflix is amazing.

    ‘Usually, they just edit the drama footage and use it for the trailer, right? Why are they doing it here as an interview format?’

    It was true.

    They dressed Lee Seojeong, Kim Seonil, and Lee Sua in suits and filmed them as if they were doing an interview.

    Kim Seonil opened his mouth first.

    『…A feeling I’ve never experienced before?』

    They’ll present it as Kim Seonil’s honest evaluation, but in reality, even this is a line. It’s just part of the directing to get people excited.

    So Sua also said the written lines as they were.

    As if it were just an interview.

    『I thought while filming. Wow, this is really….』

    Because Lee Seojeong, Kim Seonil, and Lee Sua have high name recognition, even just releasing a fake interview video like this as promotion would have a huge effect.

    『I guarantee it. This is Lee Seojeong’s best work.』

    Finally, Lee Seojeong’s line.

    Honestly, there was nothing bad about it from Sua’s perspective.

    Why?

    ‘Filming is so easy!’

    This was a real free ride.

    After finishing filming the promotional video, they continued filming the minor scenes of ‘Alien Game.’

    Unlike before, Hong Yejie wrote the scenes quickly and explained them to the staff smoothly, so the speed increased significantly.

    At the same time.

    [Netflix lands in Korea…. So many other flagship titles besides ‘Alien Game’? Anticipating Park Yumi’s ‘High Society’]

    The news of ‘High Society’ broke, and Kim Iseo received a phone call.

    ─♩♪♬

    “Yes. This is Kim Iseo of Mystic.”

    “Ah, CEO Kim! It’s writer Park Yumi.”

    Writer Park Yumi’s voice came over the phone. It had been a long time since the two of them had spoken.

    “CEO Kim Iseo, you haven’t completely forgotten about our ‘High Society,’ have you? Sua seems so busy these days?”

    “She is busy, but I haven’t forgotten. How could I forget the work where our Sua plays a maid?”

    “Good, you remember. It’s nothing else, the schedule has finally been released. Should we start the script reading soon?”

    “Yes. When are you thinking of?”

    “I’m thinking of next Sunday, is that okay?”

    “Just a moment.”

    “If Sunday doesn’t work, Saturday is fine too. But no other days really work. Can’t you do one of those two days?”

    Kim Iseo had only said “Just a moment,” but the other party was already offering to give up time. Kim Iseo was realizing that Sua’s standing was rising more and more.

    “Saturday will work. I’ll keep that in mind.”

    “Good. I’m really looking forward to it, okay?”

    The call ended with writer Park Yumi’s playful voice. Kim Iseo let out a sigh of relief.

    “Busy. Really busy….”

    It was fortunate that the Saturday proposed by writer Park Yumi worked out. If she had suggested an impossible date, it would have been really difficult.

    “Huh?”

    Immediately after, Kim Iseo checked her cell phone again.

    ─♩♪♬

    Another phone call. This time the caller was Go Taemin.

    “…Why are these important people all acting like this at once?”

    Kim Iseo said that and answered the phone.

    “Hello. This is CEO Kim Iseo of Mystic.”

    “CEO Kim, this is director Go Taemin of ‘Crescendo from Tomorrow.’ The script reading schedule that was postponed because of that sexual harasser Kang Hakman has finally come out.”

    “Yes, yes. Please tell me.”

    She nodded as if nothing was wrong, but inside, Kim Iseo was feeling worried about Sua.

    ‘I hope our Sua isn’t having too hard a time….’

    But what could she do? Kim Iseo knew Sua. If she canceled a few schedules out of concern for Sua, she would actually be very disappointed. She’s a passionate top-class actress.

    ‘Okay, so I’ll work harder too.’

    Kim Iseo steeled her resolve.

    ◈◈◈◈◈

    The next day.

    Today was the day that ‘Alien Game’ was finally filming the long-awaited first game. The outdoor set that matched Yejie’s script was finally complete.

    Sua thought.

    ‘Are sets originally built this quickly? I don’t think so? How diligently did they build it….’

    She was amazed by people’s passion and amazed once again by their technology. Sua was always amazed by the scale of this industry.

    To think that such an elaborate space would be built and then thrown away after just one shoot!

    Director Kim Yeonggon, with his Guan Yu beard, grabbed the megaphone.

    “Let’s start filming the first game scene! Everyone be careful not to get hurt! We’re using a lot of wires today!”

    Sua was so relieved. Because she wasn’t a character who died in the first game, she didn’t have to use wires.

    Needing wires meant there was a chance of falling. In other words, the people who died today would die from falling.

    Because….

    『The first game is, Human Rhythm Note.』

    That’s what the first game was that the aliens made the kidnapped people do. The people who fell had to shout “Now!” accurately at the moment they hit the ground.

    What happens if they don’t?

    Splat─!

    They would be crushed to death when they hit the ground like that. Ah, of course, the thing that just fell wasn’t a real actor, but a mannequin.

    『No, no, Now!』

    Splat─!

    『Nooooow─!』

    Splat─!

    Watching the interesting and cruel situation through the monitor, Sua quietly thought to herself.

    ‘Yejie sunbae’s world is really unique….’

    How does she come up with this stuff?

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    After finishing filming the first game, CEO Kim Iseo gently massaged Sua’s shoulders.

    “Sua, good work.”

    “It was nothing. I didn’t even use any wires.”

    “Still. By the way, do you know about a program called ‘Celebrity Zoo’? It’s a Japanese variety show.”

    “No? It’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”

    Sua shook her head.

    If it were the usual Sua, she would have considered pretending to know, but now Sua was suffering strongly from the aftereffects of her conversation with Yejie.

    Thanks to that, she was in a pure state. To put it another way, Pure Sua?

    “If you think of a program that comes to mind when you think of Japanese variety shows, it’s that kind of show. They contacted us to be on it.”

    “Me?”

    Not a Korean variety show, but a major Japanese variety show? But soon Kim Iseo explained it well.

    “It’s because STF808 has been a really big hit in Japan. There are a lot of reactions in the community waiting for season 2.”

    “Um…. I’m always grateful for offers, but will filming be possible? I have so many schedules, don’t I?”

    “Hey, it doesn’t necessarily have to be filmed in Japan.”

    Kim Iseo raised the corners of her mouth slightly.

    “Filming will be done in Korea.”

    “In Korea? Just for me?”

    “It’s not that, this special itself is about Hallyu. I guess they’re planning to show the Korean atmosphere in many ways.”

    “Ah.”

    Sua was relieved. She would have felt very burdened if they had come all the way from Japan just for her.

    However.

    It was too early for Sua to relax.

    “But, I think that Sua’s influence was definitely a big part of them coming to Korea. That’s what they said when I told them that Sua’s schedule was difficult.”

    “Eek….”

    That meant that MDD 808 was successful.

    It’s a good thing.

    Yes, it’s a very good thing, but….

    ‘Ugh, I can’t feel happy about it comfortably.’

    That’s what Sua was honestly thinking. It was because she kept thinking about the poster where she was sticking her butt out. Thinking that it was a hit made her feel a little strange….

    Meanwhile, Kim Iseo continued, excited.

    “In my opinion, ‘Celebrity Zoo’ is a strategically good choice. ‘Alien Game’ will be released soon, and it would be good to make a good impression as an actress beforehand, right?”

    “Umm.”

    “Besides, the special is about Hallyu, and Sua is the main one? What will the Japanese people who are seeing her for the first time think? Ah, is that person the center of Hallyu? They’ll have that preconceived notion. It’s very good for us in many ways.”

    “Umm, umm….”

    The more good points there were, the more burden Sua felt in her heart. Variety shows are the wild where you can’t use special powers.

    ‘Even if I consult the Sua Association, there’s a limit, right? I can’t try it out beforehand.’

    At that time, Kim Iseo asked again.

    “What should we do? Of course, I fully respect Sua’s opinion. If you say to cancel it, I’ll cancel it without saying a word.”

    Then suddenly, Sua had an idea.

    “Is it okay if I attach conditions?”

    “Of course? I’ll go negotiate anything!”

    “Really? Then….”

    Sua pointed at Kim Iseo with her index finger.

    “…Can’t I go with the CEO?”

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