episode_0022

6.8%

The viewership rating for Episode 5 of was 6.8%.

For a cable network drama, it was a decent performance, slightly above average.

However, considering it was a new mini-series from KVN, referred to as the new kingdom of the drama industry, especially for a weekday drama.

Moreover, when you think about the investment that went into casting a top star like Yoo Hanuel.

It was a bit disappointing.

There could be several reasons for this.

Still, the channel’s position being overshadowed by public broadcasting.

Yoo Hanuel’s lackluster acting skills that need to anchor the work as the lead star.

Although he is a lead actor, Kang Sungwoo falls short in terms of recognition, lacking 2% in popularity.

But the biggest reason is the lack of a hook that captures the public’s interest.

The public is more interested in watching a sensational drama that stirs up controversy than a decently rated drama.

Perhaps that’s why.

Director Jo Gilsan allowed the scene where the lead actor was overshadowed by a supporting actor to be aired without reshooting, Scene 51, which should have been redone.

“Yoo Hanuel may have his pride… but wouldn’t a scene with that much impact be enough to create buzz?”

Jo Gilsan persuaded the CP and editing PD who asked if he would really air that scene.

Of course, that was just for show.

The real reason was his desire to showcase the talent of Seo Eisu, who he had nurtured with his own hands.

Anyway, that was the reason he publicly disclosed.

And so.

Episode 6 of airs.

Up to Episode 5, Seo Eisu’s presence in the overall work was not significant.

Although his first appearance had some impact.

Following that, his acting fell short.

Being bullied by supporting actors.

Resulting in repeated NGs.

After gaining recognition on set, he struggled to grasp how to act and had to reshoot several scenes.

Because of this, Seo Eisu’s name as an actor was almost forgotten by viewers.

However…

Through Episode 6.

The situation completely turns around.

Episode 6 is truly Seo Eisu’s solo performance. A highlight. A mad movie, to say the least.

As the drama unfolds.

-Please. Let’s not give up like this.

The close-up of Cha Yeonsoo’s face reaching out to So Ra, who has fallen, is shown.

At that moment.

Since the broadcast footage was already edited, Seo Eisu’s narration, which he participated in post-recording, flows as a monologue.

-I am, Cha Yeonsoo.

-When faced with hatred, respond with hatred.

-When given love, respond with love.

Seo Eisu’s voice is overlaid on Cha Yeonsoo’s expression.

Seo Eisu’s greatest strength is his ability to convey emotions.

Despite his lackluster acting skills in front of the camera, he was constantly held back.

The narration was different.

Because narration only conveys the voice.

Seo Eisu’s strength hit the audience directly without being overshadowed by his weakness.

In the video.

-Unnie. If you want to shoot a melodrama.

-Go to those people whose minds are like a flower garden.

Cha Yeonsoo pushes away So Ra’s last touch with harsh words and expression.

She sells her off with harsh words and expression.

However, in the accompanying monologue, it was different.

-I have lost everything now.

-Even this meager identity that remains. I must protect it somehow.

While being moved by So Ra’s heart.

She confesses her heartfelt desire to protect her last remaining sense of self by pushing it away.

The harsh expression of Cha Yeonsoo, combined with the narration, came across completely differently.

She looked terribly lonely.

She seemed sorrowful.

And at the same time.

She looked determined.

The villainess’s ambition to destroy herself rather than lose herself captivated the public’s attention.

The same goes for the following Scene 51.

Fellow actress who used to be a maid, Cha Yeon-soo, laughs off the teasing she receives.

She willingly accepts the humiliation she is subjected to.

“Okay, sure.”

“Got it, unnie.”

Viewers, instead of feeling pity for Cha Yeon-soo being ridiculed, began to feel overwhelmed.

Even while being treated with such contempt.

However, how many times has the villainess, who appeared so arrogant, actually been in the past?

The inevitable climax was the final confrontation between Cha Yeon-soo and Kang Ye-na.

-Congratulations.

Kang Ye-na and Oh Han-sung.

Facing the enemy who brought her downfall.

Cha Yeon-soo utters words of congratulations.

It was a strange thing.

To offer congratulations to Ye-na, whom she faced after enduring all kinds of humiliation, seemed out of place.

But…

-Huh? Shouldn’t you start with an apology first? Why me?

-I didn’t do anything wrong. Just like how you didn’t ruin me.

-See, you could have kept yourself from ruining me, but you didn’t. I wanted to be ruined. There’s no difference.

-I did what I wanted to do. This is the entertainment industry. A place where desires run wild. Once you become a star, you can live according to your desires without limits.

-I lived like a star, and I will exit the stage as I have lived.

-You won’t be any different. You’ll live as a star, in a star-like manner. Like me.

As words pile up.

Cha Yeon-soo’s curtain call resembles a curse.

“I’ll be watching to see what kind of star you’ll become. You, who ruined me, will end up just like me. I’ll be watching as you become just like me.”

With these words, Cha Yeon-soo leaves.

Even in her downfall, she exits the stage, overwhelming the protagonist.

Arrogant.

Twisted.

And thus, alluringly precarious.

The Cha Yeon-soo portrayed by Seo Yi-soo was completed in this way.

And as intended by Jo Gil-san, she became a hot topic.

That day, discussions about Cha Yeon-soo and Seo Yi-soo, who portrayed the character, continued on the drama’s viewer boards, various SNS platforms, and communities throughout the night.

-Wow…

-While watching, I couldn’t see Yu Ha-neul, only Cha Yeon-soo.

-Is Cha Yeon-soo not appearing anymore?

-It’s a shame… I hope she continues to appear.

-The actor’s name is Seo Yi-soo, right? Has she appeared in any previous works? I can’t seem to find any.

-She seems like a complete newcomer.

-But a newcomer with such incredible acting skills?!

-Oh, come on;; She must have been active in the theater scene at least.

Various reactions.

But all the attention was focused on one thing.

So, who is this actor Seo Yi-soo?

Who is she, showing such amazing acting skills in a role with no previous filmography?

People are paying attention.

Of course, only the viewers of “My Manager.”

Among them, there was a somewhat enthusiastic response.

The majority of the public still didn’t know much about Seo Yi-soo.

The entertainment industry is a jungle filled with shining stars, moons, and suns, and Seo Yi-soo was just beginning to sparkle.

There is a long way to go.

But the fact that she is walking is important.

Keep walking, and eventually, the end will come.

And so.

Seo Yi-soo announces her presence to the world.

Through “My Manager.”

Wearing the mask of Cha Yeon-soo.

Mixing in a bit of her true essence as Seo Yi-soo.

That’s how.

The first trace of Seo Yi-soo’s flash was imprinted.

“My Manager”

Episode 6.

Cha Yeon-soo’s exit scene.

Instant peak viewership.

8.7%

***

And now, rewinding for a moment.

The day Seo Yi-soo completed filming scene 51, the final scene of “Cha Yeon-soo.”

The day she left the set.

“Great job, Seo Yi-soo.”

“It’s a shame to see you leave like this. Let’s work together again next time.”

Seo Yi-soo received numerous farewells from the staff.

Mostly, she spoke well of Seo Yisoo and suggested working together again in the future.

On the first day of filming, she displayed a humble attitude, despite having been severely criticized for speaking informally to the director.

Perhaps it was only natural.

The entertainment industry is like that.

Talent and popularity are everything.

That’s why it’s ruthless.

That’s why it’s superficial.

Yoo Haneul, despite her authoritarian nature, was treated like a top star because of her popularity.

Seo Yisoo was the same.

Her talent.

Her sparkle.

Those things made her uniqueness pass as eccentricity.

The entertainment industry is so blindly devoted.

Perhaps that’s why it might have been a suitable place for an alien like Seo Yisoo.

“Shin Jihu.”

Seo Yisoo.

She didn’t really understand all these complicated matters.

She just vaguely felt that if she lived in this world, she would shine. So, it was important that people paid attention to her.

Seo Yisoo felt that those times were lovely.

She hoped it would be like that.

“Why?”

Shin Jihu asked why she was calling him.

Seo Yisoo replied, “I want to keep living here.”

Seo Yisoo, positively affirming this world.

Blindly.

Being an alien.

Not even human.

She spoke without knowing what kind of place this was.

It was because she was a dragon.

Having lived alone for so long and broken down.

This place was different from her homeland.

Many things sparkled.

Those shining things surrounded Seo Yisoo and radiated warmth.

Seo Yisoo liked this place.

Leaving her homeland and coming here, she thought it was fortunate.

Not knowing what kind of place this was.

She still thought so.

“I want to know more about what kind of place this is.”

So Seo Yisoo wanted to experience more things.

“I want to act more.”

Seo Yisoo thought it was truly fortunate that she had come to Earth and transformed into Seo Yisoo.

Actors.

Aren’t they people who live other people’s lives?

During the short time of acting, don’t they live one life?

Seo Yisoo wanted to live like that.

At least a little more.

She wanted to experience more lives.

She wanted to embrace those countless moments.

Seo Yisoo.

Surrounded by sparkling things.

More than anything, shining.

“You are my manager. You said you are the one who helps me. So, help me to be able to do that.”

She looked at Shin Jihu.

“Help me a little. Teach me more about what I don’t know.”

Seo Yisoo asked.

“Leave it to me.”

Shin Jihu assured her.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Really. You can expect it.”

The two faced each other.

With a smile on their lips, they observed each other’s expressions and gestures.

As if they knew how important this moment was in their lives.

Thus, the actress and the manager decided to hold hands and navigate the rough entertainment industry, especially the world of acting, together.

***

“Oh, right.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Get yourself together. I left something important in the waiting room. Wait here for a moment. I’ll be back soon.”

“If you’re my manager, get yourself together. Hurry back.”

A man headed back to the filming set.

At that moment.

In one of the waiting rooms, chaos was unfolding.

Crash!

A mirror shattered as miscellaneous items flew around.

“Annoying!”

A furious voice echoed through the waiting room.

“Seo Yisoo, Seo Yisoo… that annoying woman.”

It was Yoo Haneul.

She was contorting her face in anger and frustration.

It was because of Seo Yisoo.

She had finally been deprived of a scene.

She hated Director Jo Gil-san for forcing the filming to continue.

She resented Gil Hye-yeon for teaching and taking care of Seo Yisoo, who had a talent she didn’t possess.

“I won’t just stand by like this. Just watch. I’ll get my revenge.”

Yoo Haneul was a top star.

She had never let an opponent she didn’t like go quietly.

This time was no different.

If she used her connections, she could take down anyone, from a rising star to a director.

She could make them all disappear from the industry.

Of course, she had to butter up her high-ranking connections a bit to do that…

But that was something she was good at.

“Soon, you’ll be kneeling in front of me, begging. Just wait.”

Yoo Haneul muttered these threatening words under her breath.

And then it happened.

Knock knock-

The sound of a knock on the door.

Someone opened the door and walked in.

“Who dares to come in so brazenly… You?”

“Hello, Actress Yoo Haneul.”

It was a man.

Yoo Haneul knew this man.

There was no way she wouldn’t know him.

He was the manager of the actress she was concerned about.

“Manager Seo Eisu, right? What’s going on here? Oh, did you come to borrow something by mistake?”

Yoo Haneul thought Shin Jihu had come to apologize to her.

There was no other reason for him to be here.

So Yoo Haneul snorted.

“It’s useless, so leave. Do you think I’ll just let Seo Eisu go because a manager is begging me?”

“Haha.”

But Shin Jihu just laughed.

Laughed as he said,

“You’ll be getting a call soon.”

“What are you talking about…”

“Answer that call.”

And at that moment.

Yoo Haneul’s phone, which had been silent, started ringing loudly.

“…!”

And Yoo Haneul’s expression hardened.

The number displayed on her phone was the secretary of a chairman who admired her.

“Hello.”

“You. What the…”

Yoo Haneul looked at Shin Jihu with confused eyes.

No matter how she thought about it, the timing was strange.

Why did he say she would receive a call, and why did the chairman’s secretary call her?

A strange feeling crept over her.

It felt ominous.

She felt like she shouldn’t answer this call.

But she had to.

It was a number she had to answer.

“…Yes. This is Yoo Haneul.”

And not long after, Yoo Haneul’s face turned pale blue.

The chairman’s secretary said,

“The chairman is extremely upset because of you. An actress should just act. Why are you doing unnecessary things? Do you think you’re a chaebol’s wife just because the chairman admires you?”

Like this.

“The chairman is very angry. Several advertising contracts will be terminated because of you. Just so you know.”

She was being punished.

“You. Who are you exactly?”

She hung up the phone.

Trembling, Yoo Haneul looked at Shin Jihu.

No matter how she looked at it, the man in front of her didn’t seem like a simple manager.

Yoo Haneul didn’t look like her usual arrogant top star self.

She looked scared, pathetic, and vulgar.

“Well, does it matter who I am?”

Shin Jihu said, moving closer to Yoo Haneul.

From Shin Jihu, who was getting closer to Yoo Haneul, there was no trace of his usual immature manager side.

He was expressionless, and his eyes were cold.

‘This person. He’s living with a mask on.’

Trembling, Yoo Haneul involuntarily thought that.

This was a filming set.

A place where you couldn’t just assume that the person acting was just an actor.

To her, this current appearance of Shin Jihu was his true nature.

Indifferent, ruthless, and a monster who wielded his power freely.

The manager was just a mask disguising his true nature.

She thought.

As Shin Jihu whispered in her ear,

“You should just quietly act according to your station. Don’t do unnecessary things.”

And with that.

Yoo Haneul couldn’t say anything in response.

“Oh, what happened today.”

Opening the waiting room door, Shin Ji-hoo spoke in a light tone.

“No one should know. I hope your mouth is heavy enough.”

Without even listening to Yoo Ha-neul’s response.

As if a lowly and vulgar actress like her should naturally listen to his words.

The waiting room door closed.

“Phew.”

Walking down the empty hallway, Shin Ji-hoo unbuttoned his shirt.

He was feeling a bit tired.

Dealing with his father’s connections and contacts was mentally exhausting.

So he didn’t really want to do it.

But it was inevitable, as it seemed like Yoo Ha-neul was up to something dirty.

“I’m going through all this trouble for you. Seo Yi-soo should be grateful to me.”

Muttering to himself.

Shin Ji-hoo walked towards Seo Yi-soo down the hallway.

As he walked.

“Heh.”

He thought about Seo Yi-soo.

“Help me.”

He remembered what Seo Yi-soo had said.

She wanted to act more.

She said it with a twinkle in her eye.

“Alright. I’ll make it happen.”

Shin Ji-hoo really wanted to make it happen.

When Seo Yi-soo was shining in the entertainment industry,

Shin Ji-hoo looked at her with shining eyes.

“Definitely.”

Shin Ji-hoo wanted to make Seo Yi-soo shine more than anyone else.

During this shoot.

Watching her act brilliantly.

He held that feeling.

When he looked at Seo Yi-soo, his mother came to mind.

His mother who abandoned him.

His mother, who was a shining actress.

His mother who committed suicide due to mental illness.

Even though they had completely different personalities.

Even though they didn’t resemble each other.

Seo Yi-soo gave off a feeling of his mother.

Perhaps Seo Yi-soo’s radiance shone brighter than anyone else’s.

The reason didn’t matter.

Shin Ji-hoo just wished.

“I’ll make you shine like my mother.”

“I’ll never let you become like my mother.”

With conflicting desires.

“I’ll make it happen. Because. I am. Your manager.”

Shin Ji-hoo made a determination.

I am a manager.

I am your manager.

As a manager who could only watch you shine like a star.

And.

Just like I am your manager.

You are also.

You are my actress.

“I’ll make you shine brighter than anyone else. Not by anyone else’s hands, but mine.”

I will make you shine like a star.

Definitely.