A bus heading from Wanju to Seoul.
Sua occupied the window seat alone. To others, her side view might have seemed exceptionally cool, but in truth, it was different. Sua was currently in a very good mood.
‘Yee-haw.’
Everyone on the ‘Sword’ production team looked at her with nothing but appreciation, and someone even approached her to be regarded as a mentor. Of course, she naturally turned them down.
‘How could I take on a disciple when I can hardly manage myself? That’s ridiculous.’
She had neither the leisure time nor the confidence to teach. She wasn’t at that level yet.
But so what? It was still a pleasant fact that such occurrences happened. It was similar to how one’s self-esteem would rise if someone asked for her number, even if she had no intention of dating.
She felt overjoyed. So overjoyed that it was frustrating not to have anyone to share this triumph with. Ah, that’s right. How about the group chat?
Sua immediately pulled out her phone.
[Sua: Okay, everyone, focus now.]
[Sua: I have a very important announcement.]
[Deer: If you don’t say it within 3 seconds, you’re dead.]
Just as Sua was about to begin, someone called out her name.
“Miss Sua.”
Sua hastily shoved her phone back into her pocket. Director Park Joon had taken the seat beside her.
He understood and said,
“Were you checking your schedule? With your skills, you must be busy every day. You’re probably even feeling like two bodies wouldn’t be enough. That’s the struggle of shining newcomers.”
No, it wasn’t that. Sua had initially planned to share her achievement in the group chat but nodded anyway.
“In acknowledgment.”
“Better to get used to it quickly. You are also acting in a drama right now, aren’t you? Once it airs and the audience notices you, ten bodies would likely not be enough either.”
“Hmm.”
In the midst of nodding her head, Sua thought to herself: Could this really be my future? The life of a celebrity is starting to sound appealing.
Meanwhile, Director Park Joon was gazing at her as if she were some precious treasure. After pondering for a while, he spoke.
“So, Miss Sua, what about your talent agency?”
“Talent agency?”
“Yes. After the mock filming of Special Mobile Unit 808, rumors began circulating that a monster rookie had appeared in the industry. That’s obviously you, right?”
Director Park’s excitement was evident.
“E-mails, messages, calls, actual meetings… I’m sure all sorts of approaches must have flooded in, but I’m curious about the final outcome.”
“I am still investigating. There’s one place I’m considering positively.”
There wasn’t any untruth to this statement. Due to the hectic filming schedule, Sua hadn’t fully explored her options and had only met with Mystic so far.
Director Park’s eyes widened.
“One place under positive consideration? That’s surprising. I thought someone like you might reject everything and maybe even aim to establish a one-person agency.”
“Well, I’ve thought about that as well.”
Sua reflected. Am I slowly becoming more shameless?
“Miss Sua, do you have some idea of the industry standards?”
“Not really, not something I’m interested in.”
“Well, then let me provide some information. Since Mystic has just provided investment, let’s use them as an example.”
“…Sure.”
Although she acted disinterested, Sua was listening intently. This was important information for her, an opportunity to finally understand the industry standards she had always been curious about.
“Mystic, even though it’s a new company, is like a dream for unknowns. With Seo Yeon-ju and Kim Sun-il involved, and very few actors under their wing, they can provide meticulous care. In fact, many would pay large sums just to be part of their roster.”
“…”
Sua considered. Should I have signed a contract when I met the president Kim, Iseo? Was that a big mistake?
However,
“Your situation is quite different, Miss Sua.”
Director Park’s next words differed slightly from Sua’s expectations.
“Do you know what the heads of agencies do?”
“Uh….”
“They evaluate the worth of an actor, right? But let’s think realistically. What value can be assigned to you right now?”
“I don’t know, am I missing common sense?”
“What value would you assign to someone who secured the lead role in Special Mobile Unit 808, turned the mock filming upside down, and had agency directors trailing you? Can you even guess?”
“In acknowledgment.”
“What? Why have you been saying ‘in acknowledgment’ so often lately…?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Sua quickly tried to cover up her habit. Stop it already.
In any case, she found it very difficult to assess her own worth. What benchmark would she use? How can I understand the units of this industry?
Director Park took it upon himself to explain.
“You might think your strength is just your acting skills, but agency heads see things very differently. You’re being analyzed by countless calculators.”
“Perfectly understood content.”
…This time it was real. She truly understood.
‘What? So, listening to this, I’m actually amazing?’
Even so, she wasn’t at a level where she could be ignored—such was her thought, but thanks to their conversation, Sua had a renewed awareness of her standing in the industry, alongside gratitude for Director Park.
“Miss Sua.”
Just then, Director Park spoke with a serious expression.
“Don’t you have a dream car? Request one if you like.”
…What?
While Sua headed from Wanju to Seoul, the production team of Special Mobile Unit 808 was busy at work. Currently, in collaboration with journalists they had secured beforehand, they were releasing myriad articles.
[‘Special Operations Unit 808’ successfully completes mock filming!]
[Is Special Mobile Unit 808 worth occupying the living room?]
Actually, there was no need to collaborate with journalists.
With the remarkable script by Lee Geum-sook, with the direction of Choi Hee-won PD, and with Seo Yeon-ju and Kim Sun-il involved, the journalists couldn’t wait to write about it, leading to a flood of articles.
[‘Special Mobile Unit 808’ – Unrevealed Facts: Who Funded It?]
[Groundbreaking Mock Filming… All Passed]
[Seo Yeon-ju, Kim Sun-il’s Casting Ritual for Big Success]
But mere written publicity isn’t enough.
The production team released several still cuts captured during the mock filming and also unveiled the poster that would represent Special Mobile Unit 808. Of course, Kim Yu-han, a top-secret, was only represented through a silhouette.
They were determined to keep it hidden until the very end.
Amidst this storm, Kim Sun-a, the junior reporter for Star Catch, continued to work despite not submitting her resignation. She stopped her current task momentarily and stared at the article she had drafted.
[Is Su-A the identity of Kim Yu-han in Special Mobile Unit 808?]
“…”
The article seemed absurd even to her.
“…Am I finally going insane? Did I really write this seriously?”
But she needn’t worry. If it’s true, it’s fine, and if not, she could simply quit as planned. She decided to think that way.
When to publish it? Kim Sun-a was only pondering this.
Meanwhile,
The official channel for Special Mobile Unit 808 was created on Mutebr, the world’s most popular online video sharing platform.
Videos were uploaded alongside well-selected thumbnails and polished titles.
[Mock Footage First Release] ‘Let’s have Mr. Lee Kang-cheol do it?’ – surprise orders given by Seo Yeon-ju to Kim Sun-il! #Special Operations Unit 808
Special Operations Unit 808 Outside Stars
▶ https—
Special Operations Unit 808 Official Website ▶ https—
The precisely one-minute-long clips showcased the striking uniforms of Seo Yeon-ju and Kim Sun-il in their two-shot appearances, which by itself became quite the topic.
To be precise, the word ‘quite’ is misleading. It pulled in an enormous amount of interest. With exactly two days, the views reached 1.6 million.
This traction naturally spilled over into forums.
[Special Operations Unit 808 Forum]
[Title: Did you watch the preview, idiots?]
[Of course they watched! Watch the preview right now if you haven’t! Seriously, Seo Yeon-ju’s uniform—just see her, seriously Seo Yeon-ju—just wow]
– Are you all turning into vegetables…?
– I understand the sentiment.
– Surprisingly, the meaning is completely understandable to everyone.
[Title: Finally, Kim Yu-han will be revealed soon! Come on!]
[It’s almost over, I can’t hold my breath any longer.]
– Me too, I’m holding my breath.
– Does everyone breathe with gills?
– Definitely Cho Il-hyun, definitely!
That day, the Special Operations Unit 808 forum proudly took the number one spot among real-time trending forums.
It was almost time for the giant time bomb to explode.
From Sua’s perspective, it was a chaotic string of days.
Two more days passed.
Boom!
“For!”
“Please, let Director Park win an award!”
“Everyone, thank you so much for your hard work!”
The filming for the short film ‘Sword’ was entirely wrapped up, and the production team gathered to celebrate. They booked an entire well-known ox intestine restaurant.
More accurately, it was reportedly booked by Mystic’s president, Kim I-seo.
Even Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-ju couldn’t attend due to their busy schedules, but Sua came. She came proudly.
Everyone was quite surprised and delighted by Sua’s presence, but for her, it wasn’t for any particular reason. It was simply because she couldn’t miss out on free ox intestines and beer.
Anyway,
“Ah, it’s somewhat regrettable that this is a short film.”
“Exactly. I’d like to see more of Sua’s acting.”
“Let’s all work harder and try to catch up with Sua. Then we could meet in another project, couldn’t we? Then we’d see Sua again.”
“Ah, it’ll take years of practice to even be able to that…”
In just less than a week, the extras became incredibly close. The atmosphere was so lively that one could easily believe it was a high school alumni gathering.
In fact, they even created a group chat and established a club with the goal of growing together. It was an immensely heartwarming event from Director Park’s perspective.
On the other hand, Sua was in a slightly different situation.
“…”
Sua had come determined to eat loads of ox intestines and had even skipped lunch, yet far from recouping her investment, she hadn’t even finished three pieces. Her chopsticks remained almost motionless.
Was it due to the many stares directed at her? Or were the numerous conversations centered around her becoming too overwhelming?
Though these were true to some extent, they weren’t the main reasons. Sua was now experiencing certain spontaneous emotions arising from being at the center of such an atmosphere.
‘This atmosphere… it’s amazing….’
Everyone did their best to create a piece of work and unanimously wished for its success. They supported each other, and this atmosphere was entirely new to Sua.
Especially considering that she herself was at the center of it, it was nothing short of astonishing.
Sua suddenly recalled the process of filming ‘Sword’.
Because everything was new, the week-long period felt like the blink of an eye. While performing practical acting, she also had to manage her image, and it was exhausting. After returning home, she had fallen asleep like a corpse.
But Sua was certain.
If she had to go back to a week ago, she would do it again.
‘A sense of achievement. It’s not a joke.’
There had been no sense of achievement in Sua’s life before.
Unable to do anything, she felt powerless, and being powerless she could achieve nothing. But Sua is now moving forward entirely on her own strength, altering her life.
The world no longer changes Sua’s life; only she changes it.
‘…I hope there are more days like this in the future.’
Of course, it was just the first step. In order to reach even loftier goals, she knew she’d have to continue walking forward, maybe even madly.
While Sua was contemplating this with chopsticks in her mouth,
“Miss Sua!”
One of the extras gingerly called out to her.
“Don’t you like ox intestines? You haven’t touched any at all.”
“Miss Sua, please eat more! You worked the hardest, after all!”
“I went into the forest and my entire skin got messed up, but Miss Sua, despite working hard, doesn’t show any signs of fatigue. Look at your flawless skin!”
Sua slowly waved her hand slightly, indicating no.
One change from before was that she no longer blurted out the word ‘stop.’ Doing so made the people actually stop, and that was undesirable.
Absolutely don’t stop! Keep complimenting me!
Shortly after, Park Director calmed them down.
“Now, everyone, don’t harass Miss Sua too much. I can’t disclose everything, but Miss Sua is also involved in something incredibly substantial. She’s very precious.”
However, this only made the extras more excited.
“Something huge?”
“What is it? What is it?”
Sua maintained her expression for 4 seconds without changing a bit. Her mouth twitched, but she was duty-bound to keep the secret. It was a contract, after all.
“Is it about Special Mobile Unit 808…?”
“Nah, that couldn’t be it. Kim Yu-han is male.”
That’s when,
“Miss Sua! Then, let’s all take a group photo together! Picture, picture!”
“That’s right! This isn’t the time to eat ox intestines leisurely! When else would we get a chance to take a picture with Miss Sua? We should do it now!”
“…A picture?”
The mention of ‘picture’ acted like a trigger; everyone moved in perfect unison as though they had prearranged it. Before long, they had surrounded Sua as if they were ready for a wedding group photo.
“Miss Sua, give us a pose! Pose!”
“V hand, please!”
“Could you possibly smile?”
“Anything is fine! Miss Sua, do it all for us!”
Sua quietly formed a V with both her hands. Shouldn’t pictures be expressionless? Image management is important. Coolly. And slightly lifting the corners of her mouth in a not-overdone manner.
“…”
The onlookers swallowed their dry saliva.
To them, it was a peculiar mix—a cute gesture but a fierce expression. No one pointed it out, though, as there wasn’t anyone brave enough.
“Miss Sua! Let’s take one more picture, please!”
It was a lie. Sua was almost tormented by nearly a hundred shots.
.
.
.
.
.
Sua regained her freedom quite a while later.
As the atmosphere heated up with a mix of alcohol, Sua chose to step outside for some air. She didn’t enjoy heavy drinking much.
Then another person joined her outside.
Director Park Joon.
He got a can of coffee from a vending machine nearby and handed it to Sua. The two sat side by side outside the ox intestine restaurant.
Dark night, shop illuminations, and pleasant weather.
With her current good mood, Director Park posed a question.
“Miss Sua, how does it feel being harassed by people?”
How does it feel? Completely chaotic, not a second of peace. But it wasn’t unpleasant either. It was amazing to be sought after by others when she had been previously useless in every way.
But she can’t express all of that. A zero-second humility.
“I understand.”
“Truly a response befitting Miss Sua. Absolutely right. Why wouldn’t the public cling to someone like Sua or even adore her? But Miss Sua, would you still understand when this extends to the entire nation?”
“…That sounds a bit frightening.”
“That’s only in the future, though.”
“Isn’t the future closer than you think? I don’t think it’s far away. It seems inevitable.”
Director Park stressed it.
“Anyway, thank you, Miss Sua. Thanks to you, we’ve successfully wrapped up the filming. From tomorrow onwards, I’ll be editing non-stop.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Not at all. It’s rather like I’ve gained something to enjoy. The scenes Miss Sua portrayed? Each one is truly remarkable! It will likely be the hardest yet most enjoyable time.”
Then, something seemed to pop into his mind.
“Ah.”
Director Park hurriedly took the coffee can away from his mouth.
“Miss Sua, start preparing mentally. Or rather, Miss Sua, is mental preparation even necessary for you? Though this might be a little big event…”
“Mentally prepare? Big event?”
As Sua tilted her head,
“Yes. Purely a hunch, but I’m pretty sure this project will make it to the finals of a certain competition. If that happens, Miss Sua’s attendance would be a must. You are the beginning and end of this project as you portrayed Wi Ji-hye.”
“Hmm.”
“Of course, if you’re too busy, there’s not much we can do. But there’s a reason I stress it’s essential. Notable figures from all over gather at the Short Film Festival. It’s an advantage for Miss Sua just to make an impression!”
Director Park seemed ready to continue endlessly, but
—♩♪♬
Sua’s phone rang at that moment.
“Please hold on.”
“Ah, take as much time as you need. Feel free to have a long conversation. I’m going in to check on the staff and extras.”
After Director Park went inside, Sua picked up the call.
“Hello.”
“Miss Sua, it’s me. Writer Lee Geum-sook.”
Sua silently nodded. By now, Writer Lee Geum-sook had become a very familiar figure to her.
“What is it?”
“Sua, soldiers heading to war wear combat uniforms, right?”
“…Right? But why suddenly talk about soldiers?”
Could he be writing a scene where Kim Yu-han is dragged off to war? It would be an intense experience training.
Sua was musing about this when,
“Sua, you’re an actress now. An actress’s combat uniform is styling, or what some call coordination. Decoration.”
Writer Lee Geum-sook continued slowly.
“Recently, a lot of people have been flocking to Sua. Styling can be immensely helpful in that regard. Even the mere vibe can be a tool for relationships and negotiations. Anyway…”
Sua listened first.
“…Finally, a clear direction for Sua’s styling has been decided. It’s perfect in my eyes. After waking up tomorrow morning, you can head straight to the shop. Of course, our production team will also go together.”
“Hmm.”
Styling? Am I also being styled now?
Sua felt a strange sensation of excitement and nodded, but at the same time, she became curious. What kind of style am I getting?
“Please tell me what kind of styling it is first.”
“Naturally, I’ll tell you. But before that, do you know the defining feature of excellent styling?”
“Not particularly.”
“It brings strong associations. Seo Yeon-ju is associated with a rabbit, Kim Sun-il with a raven. Similar to that. Sua’s about to have her own.”
“What will mine be?”
Sua asked with half curiosity and half anticipation.
“Sua is the Arctic Fox.”
The response she received was an animal she had never imagined.
“…Arctic Fox?”
“Yes. We’re planning to transform Sua into a completely white theme.”
As Writer Lee Geum-sook spoke, her voice sounded more excited than at any other time she had ever conversed with Sua.
“I guarantee it. There won’t be a single person who isn’t smitten.”
