NOVEL NEXT Chapter 159
Lee Ji-yeon had somewhat expected this.
First of all, Seo-yeon isn’t the type to lie.
She’d rather avoid speaking than actually lie.
So when Seo-yeon avoided talking, it practically meant that it was true.
In other words, what does that mean?
– Is this really what Joo Seo-yeon was watching?
– Wow, she watches stuff like this!
– Is it a corporate event? The model is no joke!!!
– Her voice is nice!!
– You’re really into RP, aren’t you?
Ramiel stared at the number of people who had entered her room.
4,800 people.
A number that was quite astonishing.
It’s a figure that would only be reached by the crème de la crème of corporate events, and it was right there on Ramiel’s screen.
Of course, more than half of them would probably just be curious visitors.
For reference, Ramiel’s average viewership was about 500.
In other words, that means it had jumped nearly tenfold.
“Oh, there are quite a few people today.”
– Is this what you call a lot?
– No, get some of these trolls out of here!
In response to the regular viewers, Ji-yeon’s manager, not just ‘Ramiel’s’ broadcast manager but her actual manager, was working hard.
But when people flock, trolls are unavoidable.
Especially if it was something that had caught a celebrity’s attention.
“…Oh, you saw Joo Seo-yeon, the actress. Let’s see…”
Ramiel’s voice was endlessly sweet, but behind the scenes, she was gritting her teeth.
Anyway, for Lee Ji-yeon, Vtuber broadcasts served as a sort of healing.
– [Now airing on Golden Duckling for ₩100,000]
“….”
Separately, super chats were exploding.
Seeing that, Ji-yeon’s burning feelings dissipated.
Seo-yeon’s super chats were merely the work of a nasty troll, but the others were different.
The manager was managing things well enough.
No matter what, they were trying to make money, and seeing the super chats pouring in, Ji-yeon couldn’t feel bad about it.
“Oh.”
Ramiel had watched the recently aired episode 3 of [Golden Duckling].
The content of episode 3 was largely two things.
One was watching internet broadcasts, and the other was the gym.
“Are you pretending not to watch and got caught?”
– Yep yep
– I had it in a small window but got caught.
– Who’d be watching a Vtuber broadcast like it’s an EBS broadcast? LOL
– Did she think she wouldn’t get caught? LMAO
– LOL Is that a concept too?
– If it were a concept, she’d be watching it openly! HAHA
In other words, it seemed Seo-yeon was trying to make full use of her excellent acting skills.
With an endlessly serious face, she wrote notes while staring at the monitor.
Occasionally clicking the mouse, her demeanor made her look like a student diligently studying an online lecture.
However, what was captured on the monitor was just a suspicious character moving around.
– Do you really think this face looks like it’s watching a Vtuber?
– Yep, it does.
– It’s ridiculously clear.
Watching those chats, Ramiel sighed.
On top of that.
– [Oh, you look beautiful today ₩500,000]
A familiar username sent a massive super chat.
– Wow, that’s a huge amount!
– Seriously, what a big spender!
Of course, from the outside, it seemed that way.
But for Ramiel, it was still money she had to pay back.
Naturally, she didn’t tell Seo-yeon about that fact.
“Thank you.”
Ramiel simply greeted as usual and then winked at her manager nearby.
And with that, Seo-yeon was kicked out.
Anyway, it became a hot topic online that Seo-yeon had been caught watching Ramiel’s broadcast.
Her incredibly serious face while pretending to study while watching a Vtuber was quite the conversation starter.
Of course, it wasn’t made public, so most ordinary people were unaware.
However, if one was into the communities, it was almost impossible not to have noticed given how memes were circulating.
– But is Joo Seo-yeon really watching Vtubers?? She’s totally genuine!
– It’s just a “geek” concept.
– If it were a geek concept, she’d be watching anime or playing games, why Vtubers?
– True.
– It could have been a bit overboard.
Was Joo Seo-yeon genuine or not? It turned into a heated debate.
There were even rumors floating around that the person spamming super chats and getting banned was Joo Seo-yeon.
– Hey, that’s going too far.
– Do you know how much that person is sending? LOL
Of course, it was quickly denied, but the assumption that it might be Joo Seo-yeon lingered.
Naturally, upon seeing this, Ji-yeon would keep Seo-yeon on her blocked list for a while.
Moreover, if there was another controversy related to Joo Seo-yeon, it was this.
– So how much does Joo Seo-yeon weigh?
– Shh.
– Asking that isn’t sexy, you know.
The initial controversy arose from the swimming pool episode.
Seo-yeon’s scene of falling into the water gave quite a significant impression.
But if that was just a vague speculation, the subsequent episode three was more specific.
In episode three, the topic of conversation was not just related to Vtuber broadcasts.
No, originally the discussions around Vtubers spread anonymously after the broadcast was over.
Instead, most of the attention was on the gym scene that followed.
First of all, that day Seo-yeon had exercised as feminine as possible for image management.
Squats for hip raises.
Very light weights.
Focusing mainly on bodyweight exercises to enhance flexibility.
Then came.
“Seo-yeon? Are you okay? Aren’t you going to lift any weight today?”
“Recently, Seo-yeon, lifting weights was her thing…”
“Oh, are you doing it? The plate seems slightly off, should I fix it for you?”
People who weren’t aware it was being broadcast kept buzzing around Seo-yeon with comments like those.
So, from the viewers’ standpoint, it was understandably confusing.
“Are they really saying this?”
“Come on, they wouldn’t.”
“But it seems like everyone is unaware of the broadcast. The curses are all muted, so…”
Anyway, despite such circumstances, Seo-yeon firmly continued her exercises.
From just watching her, it was a relatively typical daily gym routine for actresses.
The problem came next.
“I’ll challenge the ‘Joo Seo-yeon Challenge’ as the actress Joo Seo-yeon!!”
“Oh! I was just about to say that!”
“Our Jung Hyun-woo, you said that well! After you’re done, I’ll give it a try too.”
Unlike the gym-goers who didn’t know it was being broadcast, Jung Hyun-woo immediately realized the moment he entered the gym.
‘So they’re filming Golden Duckling here today!’
Since episode one had already aired, there was no way he wouldn’t know.
First of all, the gym’s layout had changed a bit.
Plus, cameras were visible in various places on the ceiling.
‘This is an opportunity.’
What they used to call a “trickle-down effect”?
The hard work he had put into attending the gym where Seo-yeon worked out was finally paying off!
Finally!
‘If I just get noticed, I could land a role in a cable drama or even a public broadcast!’
He was confident in his face.
He had been working out hard recently.
Plus, his acting was getting some help from Joo Seo-yeon.
Seo-yeon would seriously give him advice when he asked about acting.
From handling eye contact to managing lines.
Even though he was several years younger, Jung Hyun-woo learned a lot from Seo-yeon in many ways.
“Would you say the Joo Seo-yeon Challenge?”
Of course, Seo-yeon looked a little taken aback.
“That’s something you have to do with the Aids chairs; such things wouldn’t be in a gym.”
“It’s here! The director bought them the other day!!”
“….”
Why on earth would a gym buy Aids chairs?
While having thoughts like that, given that much dedication, it might be nice to give it a shot.
After all, most attempts at the Joo Seo-yeon Challenge ended in failure.
Even lighter women tended to fail, so it wouldn’t be too weird if she failed as well.
“Alright, then sit here.”
Jung Hyun-woo took a deep breath.
And after glancing at Seo-yeon sitting on the chair, he grabbed the bottom bar.
And then, he lifted it up!!
He couldn’t lift it at all.
“Not even a twitch?”
“Hyun-woo, try harder.”
Puff, puff.
Of course, it wasn’t the chair shaking, but Jung Hyun-woo’s body was straining hard.
Seeing this, the other gym-goers intervened.
“Wow, this won’t do, nope.”
“How did Seo-yeon manage to do this?”
The older men, unaware of Seo-yeon’s strength, laughed heartily and stepped away.
However, the gym owner who knew Seo-yeon’s in-body metrics…
“….”
He could only tremble his lips in silence, as if he had expected this.
“Jung Hyun-woo is cute.”
“Is he the male actor who came out of the same gym as Joo Seo-yeon? I know him; isn’t he on cable?”
“Really?”
Just like Ramiel, the second person who benefited from [Golden Duckling].
Seeing Seo-yeon unable to lift the chair was hilarious, and they thought he was handsome and fit.
That type of reaction.
Of course, there were controversies about Seo-yeon’s inability to lift weights as well, labeling it as “balloon muscles.”
– How could she not lift Joo Seo-yeon and still have “balloon muscles”?
– Oh gosh.
– But seeing her smile while not being able to lift is precious…
– Hey, how old are you?
Indeed, after episode 1 aired, there was news that Jung Hyun-woo was offered advertisements.
Naturally, Jung Hyun-woo came to the gym to show his gratitude to Seo-yeon by bowing deeply.
Thus, both Ramiel and Jung Hyun-woo reaped significant benefits.
However, someone suffered too.
It was none other than Joo Seo-yeon’s father, Joo Young-bin.
– With a wife like Suah and daughters like Seo-yeon and Su-yeon… Do I need to kill someone?
– How did Joo Seo-yeon manage to pull him in?
– I… work at Raywill Games… These days, every time I see my team leader, I just laugh and feel envious…
Essentially, he had become a superstar in the community.
If anything happened at Raywill Games in the future, he would be the first to get dragged out and beaten.
– Suah was supposed to be a woman who would become my mother.
– Are you crazy?
– Mama Suah…
In contrast, Suah had nothing but a good image.
Su-yeon was the same.
‘Did I… improve my image?’
Seo-yeon felt uncertain about whether the original purpose of shooting an observational variety show had been achieved.
*
Later, Joo Seo-yeon’s segment wrapped up successfully amidst praise.
The director of [Golden Duckling], Jeon Ha-young, said.
“Please come on again next time! I’ll make sure you have a fixed spot!”
He said it with an insistence that seemed like he wanted to bury his head in the ground.
It couldn’t be helped. The ratings for episode 2 featuring Joo Seo-yeon in [Golden Duckling] hit a whopping 14 percent.
A figure not easily seen since the rise of internet broadcasts.
Thus, Joo Seo-yeon was not the only one they were looking for.
“Hey, do you know Joo Seo-yeon well? We want her on our show too.”
“Someone from Nova Entertainment, please get in touch. Joo Seo-yeon’s sense of variety is extraordinary.”
Numerous broadcasting companies, including KMB, that had always been close to Seo-yeon reached out.
They wanted her to shoot another variety show.
Of course, Seo-yeon enjoyed shooting variety shows.
But…
“It’d be difficult for a while.”
If given the opportunity, she would, but for now, her schedule was overloaded.
Moreover, following her appearance on [Golden Duckling], Seo-yeon’s image had become incredibly familiar to the public.
‘There’s been some improvement in my image, but…’
The weird image of fighting a gorilla with a bizarre spear had mostly faded away.
It was originally just a fleeting meme that spread online.
Though she failed in creating the intellectual top student image through [Golden Duckling], she had, on the other hand, been marketed as a “daughter” or little sister figure.
That meant she had become quite relatable.
‘The “murderer” image created because of Cha Seo-ah has certainly lessened a lot.’
She was relieved about that.
As she worried she might end up being stuck with villain roles forever.
But if she continued shooting variety shows, she felt it would lead to too light of an image, so she planned to moderate it.
“By the way, Joo Seo-yeon,”
“Yeah?”
“Did we really need to go fishing?”
Lee Ji-yeon asked seriously.
Today was the day she had an appointment with actor Lee Sang-soo.
They were going sea fishing, just like when they shot [Star Fisher].
For reference, the members were nearly the same.
Except there were no PDs or staff members.
“I’m new to fishing, and I’m almost new to sailing.”
“That’s great.”
Seo-yeon replied nonchalantly and started organizing her belongings.
Anyway, since she was going to meet Lee Sang-soo today, it felt a bit awkward to go alone.
After all, the main character of [Gyeongseong Young Lady] wasn’t her but Lee Ji-yeon.
Immediately, Jo Seo-hee even contacted her personally yesterday.
Asking if they could meet.
But no matter what, she refused to go with the three of them.
Jo Seo-hee seemed a bit disappointed, but she appeared to have understood to some extent.
“But please, I urge you to take good care of Lee Sang-soo. However…”
“However what?”
“Director Baek Min, even if Lee Sang-soo says he will appear, it seems he wants to see his acting first.”
Upon hearing Jo Seo-hee, Seo-yeon frowned.
Of course, casting simply based on an actor’s name value without seeing their acting isn’t good.
She knew that.
‘But I wonder if Lee Sang-soo would accept it.’
In the first place, Lee Sang-soo had been quite skeptical about acting.
In fact, several years later, he would naturally decide to retire.
Lee Sang-soo’s last work would become a Hollywood movie that no one would even remember.
Seo-yeon didn’t want that.
“Oh, Seo-yeon, you always look healthy!”
Then at the appointment place, Lee Sang-soo laughed heartily as he greeted the two of them.
Though Ji-yeon seemed a bit awkward being with him, Lee Sang-soo…
And the ever-present Song Kwang-min also greeted them warmly.
After all, the increase in novice fishers was a welcoming situation for them.
Especially if it was a girl younger than their daughters.
“Actor, here! Let’s find this?”
“Ah, thank you. Ji-yeon, you’re sharp as a tack.”
With that, they boarded the boat and began fishing.
At first, both men struggled as they felt awkward with Ji-yeon.
However, they quickly warmed up, as Ji-yeon was engaging warmly with both of them.
Watching Ji-yeon stir the fishing roll, Seo-yeon couldn’t help but marvel.
‘Social skills are insane.’
It’s no wonder she excels at internet broadcasting.
Anyway, even if Ji-yeon wasn’t great at fishing, she worked hard to support in other ways.
She had good talk and would fetch whatever Lee Sang-soo needed almost like a ghost.
“Wow, having a daughter like Ji-yeon would be fantastic.”
“Right? She’s really sharp.”
The two spoke while they shared such moments.
While listening to them, Seo-yeon’s eyes narrowed.
Although they often went fishing together, none of them had ever mentioned wishing they had a daughter like Seo-yeon.
Of course, the two actors were unaware of Seo-yeon’s thoughts as they glanced out at the sea and continued laughing.
“And it seems like seeing Seo-yeon gives me the inclination to have a dog.”
“Ah, I understand that feeling.”
Without knowing that Seo-yeon was eavesdropping, the two actors continued their conversation.
And why am I a dog?
Seo-yeon felt a surge of sulkiness.