“Yes. Even if I look at it again, it’s my picture.”
Lee Seo-jung’s phone wallpaper was definitely Sua. It was the photo taken during the short film festival awards ceremony.
Sua calmly organized her thoughts.
The first emotion she felt was, of course, surprise.
“I heard her level is similar to Yeon-joo’s?”
Even though Lee Seo-jung, who resembled a snake, felt like an unusual person, she was still highly regarded by the public. After all, she was treated as a rival to Seo Yeon-joo.
…And yet, this person seemed to like Sua.
‘She seems to be lacking somewhere… Did I look unusually intelligent? Out of so many people, she chose me.’
Setting someone as your wallpaper isn’t surprising in itself. After all, Sua used to set her favorite characters or celebrities as wallpapers in the past.
But it was surprising that Lee Seo-jung specifically chose Sua. Did she look that impressive?
Even though Sua was just a rookie.
“Ho ho.”
There was no way her shoulders wouldn’t rise a little.
‘How can this be? I’m someone’s role model?’
The world around Sua increasingly seemed to be immersed in illusion, but having an actor of Yeon-joo’s level set her as wallpaper felt undeniably joyful.
“Make sure you don’t drop it, and take good care of it. It’s rather tacky.”
Sua handed her phone to Lee Seo-jung with a dignified tone, pretending to act like a sensible adult.
At the same time, things now all started to make sense.
‘She kept looking at me strangely every time… Was it admiration and respect? So that’s how it feels. Wow, I’ve really succeeded. A top actor respects me?’
Sua thought to herself.
Maybe this was proof that Sua’s “image management” had become exceptionally excellent. Even normally, people often had a good impression of Sua, but now she had reached the level where even top actors considered her intelligent!
‘This tingling sensation feels so good. Being treated as intelligent is the best. Hmm, I’ll have to be extra careful from now on to not reveal that I’m actually a fool…’
Sua made a resolution.
Since being treated as intelligent felt so good, she resolved not to reveal her true self. She would just continue as she was.
Still narrowing her gaze at Lee Seo-jung, who was licking her lower lip, Sua’s eyebrows firmly formed a 10:10 posture.
“Seo-jung.”
“Hmm?”
“If you’re an adult, you should know how to say thank you.”
“…That’s right. Thanks. But, are you trying to teach me something?”
“Yes.”
Sua placed both hands on her hips.
“If you have any questions, just ask me.”
“Anything?”
“Of course. I’ve pretty much experienced everything.”
Sua’s words weren’t a lie. Every time she got a new script, she gained experience through special features. Plus, with the Sua Association, if Seo-jung had any curiosities, she could easily investigate them.
On the other hand…
“…”
Lee Seo-jung felt like she was testing her own limits.
‘…Does she not realize this is a seduction?’
She wanted to just pounce on Sua right there.
◈◈◈◈◈
MyTube was still bustling with activity.
First, the pet entertainment special created by PD Kang Hyun-seong through the Studio Snack channel continues to have a strong reaction.
[Which one is the master? A gathering of talented pets! | Studio Snack | ENG | Sua X Seo Yeon-joo in the show]
– Korean / ENG / Japanese
– 15,139,484 views
The initial episode’s views had already reached the insane number of 15 million, thanks to several factors.
Studio Snack was originally a popular channel, the success of “Special Mobile Unit 808,” and the appeal of the “rare pets” theme.
Therefore, the newly released episode 2 also…
[Human: Fail, Beast: Pass! A collection of people worse than animals begins its true joint mission! | Studio Snack | Sua X Seo Yeon-joo X Sumi]
– Korean / ENG / Japanese
– 6,133,224 views
It had surpassed 6 million views.
A peculiar point here was the mention of “Sumi” in the title for the second episode, derived from Studio Snack’s timely monitoring of real-time comments.
– Sumi is so clever…
– Is Sumi really a fox? She looks so intelligent…
– Are foxes usually this smart?
– I’m 42, have no kids, and was considering getting a pet. Sumi, you’re too adorable! Can I keep a fox like her?
– This is a rare characteristic even among foxes. And raising an Arctic Fox is really tough; regular people should give up.
Mentions of Sua and Sumi overflowed beyond imagination.
Yes, it wasn’t for Sua’s benefit or to impress Mystic. People genuinely love it. If there’s any reason, it’s that.
But…
“Fifteen million? Six million?”
One day, Sua pondered.
“Isn’t this too high? Do Korean MyTube entertainment channels actually reach such views? Even if it’s a hit, can it really reach this level?”
This was a fairly rational assessment.
Why? MyTube entertainment normally creates a huge buzz just by surpassing 1 million views. Isn’t this way too abnormal?
Surprisingly, the reason was quite unexpected.
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[Which one is the master? A gathering of talented pets! | Studio Snack | ENG | Sua X Seo Yeon-joo in the show]
– Korean / ENG / Japanese
– 15,139,484 views
The reason, as it turns out, was the overseas views.
This became clear when sorting comments by newest first.
– My dog likes it
(Our dog loves it)
– Is there something?
(Is there something here?)
These overseas comments all pointed to the 14-minute mark, where in the video:
[Auuu-aauuu.]
[Auuuuu?]
[Auuuut.]
The part where Sumi and Sua made their noises while in conversation spread rapidly among foreign pet owners.
– My dog suddenly became polite
(My dog suddenly became well-behaved)
– My dog suddenly looks at me with what he wants. What is this sound?
– 犬が急に話し掛けようと吠えます
(After showing this part, my dog suddenly barks as if trying to speak with me.)
Then, with regards to the second episode of the variety show:
[Auuuu─!]
[Sumi, you are no longer a useful entity to your mother, like an empty bowl. Why couldn’t you extinguish the candle…!]
– If you play this, dogs eat well
– My cat wouldn’t eat well, and I was worried, but now she’s eating furiously. Why is this happening?
– Is some ghost in Sumi’s voice?;;
– うちの犬がすすっています
(My dog is wiping their eyes)
…Well, you could say Sumi carried it.
◈◈◈◈◈
Sua’s unstoppable rise continued day by day.
[Sua Zoo]
Members: 310,032.
The number of members in Sua’s fan cafe, previously lingering around 200,000, broke through the 300,000 mark.
This was an excellent figure compared to other rookies, but even more surprising was the “firepower” of these members.
[Sua Zoo], unlike other fan cafes, enjoyed excellent activation, thanks to Monkeying who managed the community.
Most of the posts praised Sua, but when people gather in large numbers, all sorts of characters are bound to emerge. Hence, a more noticeable phenomenon had recently surfaced.
[Sua didn’t use to be like this.]
[She didn’t seem to be so multi-talented before…]
Speculation about Sua’s past had grown more frequent.
However, this was exactly as Kim I-seo had hoped. For Mystic, wielding the trump card of “Apathy Disorder,” this couldn’t have been better.
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It would be nice if the world were just warm and friendly.
It would be ideal if we could console someone’s failures and sincerely praise someone’s successes, but the reality was not that simple. Many people were jealous of Sua’s success.
“This Sua girl, when is she going to vacate her position? Because of her, we can’t plan our actor’s comeback timing!”
“Don’t you think it’s excessive how much they praise her? Isn’t it time to step aside? A mere rookie doesn’t deserve this much attention. We’re struggling to nurture our own actors!”
For entertainment companies that needed to quickly develop their actors, the situation was maddening.
Whenever they tried to expose their actors while Sua was making headlines, the latter would soon be overshadowed by her. She was continuously showcasing new aspects.
Ultimately, they began searching for ways to directly bring her down. After all, gossip and innuendo are common in this industry.
“Let’s hire someone to write provocative articles. Articles that tarnish the actor’s image but still draw a decent number of views.”
“We can always clarify things later, so just do it!”
Subsequently, articles obviously aiming to tarnish Sua’s reputation began to emerge.
“Kim Yu-han” Sua, news of contracts galore, but no results yet? Just riding on publicity?
“The transparent intent of Mystic. Writing articles on unconfirmed contracts? The true face of CEO Kim I-seo.”
“No evidence has been found regarding Sua’s past? As curiosity grows, Mystic remains silent.”
Of course, these negative articles were but a grain of sand compared to the positive ones. Besides, Sua had genuinely never caused any public controversy.
Additionally, she already had many people defending her. This was like sand castles resisting waves.
Just look at the headquarters of Star Catch:
“Director Sun-a, what should we do?”
“What should we do?!”
As Director Kim Sun-a sipped her coffee from the mug, she responded,
“Just keep tearing apart unsubstantiated articles and ensure only good articles about Sua are published. The more we catch trash journalists, the better our image will be.”
“Yes, Director!”
Thanks to Star Catch’s swift action,
“Revisiting Successful Sua: ‘They handed her the Success Guarantee.’ Don’t waste time on nonsense rumors.”
Initially, with so many eyes watching and more people rooting for Sua, the internet naturally cleaned itself up. Instead, it emerged stronger, like after a rain shower.
– Extremely defamatory;
– Where’s the source?
– Please investigate further before writing articles…
– Star Today? Their articles are trash
– Star Catch < This is accurate, keep it up!
Jealousy only fuels their own doom. That was the reality. They faced the blazing heat of Sua's continuous rise.
◈◈◈◈◈
At one room in Gangnam, Seoul,
"..."
It was the middle of the day, yet blackout curtains covered the windows, leaving the insides dark. Moreover, the narrow apartment, already cramped, seemed even smaller due to the pile of food delivery trash.
In the center was Yang Ha-rin,
"..."
She sat in a wasted state, hunched over her phone.
Her bangs, left untrimmed, covered her eyes, and dark circles shadowed her face. The clothes she hadn't changed for several days looked anything but clean.
[Depression Forum]
[Subject: Is there anyone who can kill me?]
Yang Ha-rin pressed the "Submit" button,
[※ It contains banned words.]
Her post was rejected by the system. After a few more attempts pressing the button, she finally let the phone slip from her hands. The room fell into complete darkness.
Suddenly, out of nowhere,
Yang Ha-rin began toying with the mirror Sua had given her.
It reflected nothing but total darkness.
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Sua, who was resting, blinked her eyes.
"Hm?"
[Chasing Dictionary]
[1. Kim Sun-il - Romantic Pursuit]
[2. Seo Yeon-joo - Intense Pursuit]
[3. ■■■ - ■■■■]
The dictionary was once again fluctuating.
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An hour later, CT Entertainment, Yang Ha-rin's former agency,
"Yang Ha-rin, that bitch, isn't answering her phone. Shit."
The CEO threw his phone down in nervous irritation, causing the nearby employees to visibly tense up from the force.
"The bitch cost me a ton of money, and now thinking about it, how could I have let her go so easily? Shouldn't she work it off and pay me back somehow?"
Bang!
As he slammed his hand on the desk, he continued speaking,
"Whether she goes to some love motel to sell her thighs or becomes a cam girl... Damn, I should've never let her go. Meanwhile, Sua is soaring, and what about me? Will I go insane or not?"
"..."
"This Sua, what the hell is she anyway? Hitting it big with "Special Mobile Unit 808" and then succeeding in variety shows? Plus photo shoots? Meanwhile, Yang Ha-rin..."
"Compared to Sua, Yang Ha-rin's case is unprecedented. No rookie rises this way."
"So what? I'm still saying that Yang Ha-rin is garbage!"
Bang!
With another bang on the desk,
"Yang Ha-rin, if only she hadn't decided to challenge Sua, I'd have been fine. She ruined me! I'm so angry I could explode!"
It was the CT Entertainment CEO who had initially encouraged Yang Ha-rin’s decision most enthusiastically. However, his conscience hadn’t retained that memory.
His selfishness and desires were endless, and all his anger was now directed at Yang Ha-rin and Sua.
"CEO, please calm down..."
"Calm down? Do I look like I can calm down!"
He exploded,
"What about CT Entertainment, huh? An entertainment company I've built my whole life, and now it's at risk of collapse! Either Yang Ha-rin compensates for the losses, or Sua falls into despair—either way, I need a chance to nurture the next someone!"
"Still, Ha-rin can't be reached..."
"Then find a way to bring Sua down! There's no human being that doesn't have some dirt to uncover!"
"Aren't we basically already eliminating Sua entirely...? She hasn't caused any public incidents, and since she doesn't use social media, we can't even wait for a verbal slip-up..."
The employee hesitated for a moment before continuing,
"…If anything, maybe testimonies from old acquaintances?"
"Testimonies from acquaintances?"
Noticing this, the CEO's eyes widened.
"What? Tell me."
"Not something certain, I mean... Nothing related to crime or school violence."
"Don’t make me ask twice."
"Just a few people mentioned that Sua's image was quite different from what it is now. Nothing has been confirmed, but the numbers aren't negligible. That's it."
The CT Entertainment CEO stroked his chin for a moment before saying,
"…Then that's what you'll dig into. Remember, Sua's fall is essential if CT Entertainment is to make a comeback."
◈◈◈◈◈
The next day,
Thanks to the CEO of CT Entertainment's all-out effort, articles obsessively digging into Sua's past began to appear.
[Sua's past controversy involving "image cleansing"?]
[Sua, an overseas returnee... is it true? ]
[Sua, growing interest in her past...]
However,
The world wouldn't revolve as simply as CT Entertainment's CEO had imagined, and it certainly wasn't that fragile.
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In Lee Geum-sook's writing room,
"Huh?"
All her assistant writers suddenly put down their chopsticks. The reason was an unexpected cell phone screen displayed by Lee Geum-sook, displaying an article related to Sua.
Everyone frowned simultaneously.
"Who the hell do these people think they are, messing with Sua?"
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Same goes for JOG Korea headquarters,
"...Sua is the main role for our summer special, why are they targeting her like this? Team leader, what should we do?"
"Ignore them. Spread positive vibes."
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"And, Director Ko Tae-min."
– Piano music –
G Director Ko Tae-min, who was warming up his fingers playing the piano, stopped his music.
"Why?"
"Articles spreading false rumors are circulating about Sua."
"..."
Gof Tam-min played with the white keys before saying,
"...I can tell this is CT Entertainment's tricks, huh? What a disgraceful move. Let's double our coverage. We completely trust Sua and are certain that the chemistry with Ham Ah-yoon will work."
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And finally, Director Yusaku.
"嫉妬は韓国でも溢れてるね."
(Hatred is overflowing in Korea as well.)
After muttering those words, he spoke to his production crew,
"Sua is the only one who can complete Sawako's script. I'll be deeply unsettled if anyone meddles with our benefactor this way."
The assistant nodded,
"Right now, the internet is inundated with talk about Sua. They probably cannot find the right timing to become a topic themselves because of this bitterness. Anyone who speaks with Sua in Japanese would never question her being an overseas returnee."
"That's right. So we can't just sit by and watch."
"If you're saying we can't sit by and watch, then?"
"Start by releasing the article about Sua's debut in Japan. There's practically no chance of anything failing at this point anyway."
In addition to these, there were others: Monkeying defending the community, Director Choi Hee-won, ‘Extreme’ beverage company benefiting from subtle product placements, Entertainment PD Kang Hyun-seong, and many more...
[PD Kang Hyun-seong, in the planning stages of a variety show... The main role will be entrusted to Sua. I've never even considered anyone else.]
[Ham Ah-yoon─Sua, harmony shown through two pianos. Director Gof Tam-min said, “We'll do our best for ‘Tomorrow Begins Crescendo.’”]
[Jog Korea, A Bold Swimsuit Teaser from Sua?]
[Energy drink ‘Extreme’─Always warm person, Sua. Moreover, a grateful person.]
CT Entertainment's mischief was drowned out in a flash. That's how the world operates. Forced criticism inevitably turns into admiration and affection.
And during all this,
‘Korea is narrow.’ Finally, Sua ventures into Japan.
Uesaku Director delivered the final blow.
