Caught within the camera lens, Hong Suryeon pressed her lips tightly together.

She looked terrified, yet wore an expression that said she didn’t want to become a burden.

But trying to appear brave clearly had its limits. A faint tremor ran through Hong Suryeon’s chin.

“So... I really became... the target....”

Deep fear slowly spread across the face of the Hong Suryeon who had always smiled so brightly.

Clear tears gradually welled up at the corners of her eyes. It was instinctive fear.

“Most likely.”

Yoo Jiuk, playing the detective, crouched down beside her.

Unlike the considerate gesture of lowering himself to meet her eye level, his tone remained just as blunt as ever.

“In that case, it’s better if you’re protected twenty-four hours a day.”

Yoo Jiuk, someone already used to situations like this, spoke as if it were nothing.

“Come live at my place.”

“...What?”

“Just put up with the inconvenience for a while.”

As if he intended to protect her no matter what happened.

Looking at him, Hong Suryeon spoke softly.

“How... how can you say that....”

“If you value your life, you should.”

At last, a single tear fell from Hong Suryeon’s eyes.

Fear and terror gathered at the tip of her chin before dropping cleanly away.

One perfect tear.

That alone was enough.

Enough to show her trust in Yoo Jiuk.

The fact that she did not cry any further held enormous meaning.

The countless incidents that would happen in the future. An unspoken promise that she would never lose to them. At the same time, proof that she had fallen in love.

After this cut, the camera would capture the two of them from Hong Suryeon’s upward angle.

Because the viewers needed to decide for themselves which of the brothers she had fallen for.

A little later, the staff watched Hong Suryeon continue filming immediately with Yoo Jiuk after his styling change, imagining how all the cuts would look once edited together.

“It’ll be okay. Nothing bad will happen.”

Yoo Jiuk gently wiped away Hong Suryeon’s tears.

And Hong Suryeon smiled once more.

The love triangle had officially begun.

[Immersion is increasing]

A+ >>> S

[Concentration is increasing]

A+ >>> S

[Skill is increasing]

〈Ratings Generator〉

A >>> A+

Hong Suryeon’s acting had entered its prime.

* * *

Even though Do Gyeoul had beaten 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 in ratings, she didn’t feel victorious.

‘After all....’

Because there was still another work above hers.

And because she still hadn’t properly shown the world her true self.

And lastly—

‘The popularity’s increased.’

Currently, the most popular Korean actress in Japan was Do Gyeoul.

〈Beyond the Closed Door〉 still remained in Japan NetHolics’ Top 10. Its loyal core audience wasn’t just strong—it was absolute.

The popularity of 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉, which hadn’t even officially aired there yet, couldn’t possibly compare to 〈Beyond the Closed Door〉.

But still, still.

“Gyeoul, we’re going into standby!”

“Yes.”

She wanted to show the world her real self.

And through that, be acknowledged and loved.

It had been a perfect plan.

Instead of those pathetic romance performances, she wanted to create waves by properly revealing a fragment of Do Gyeoul’s own life.

Just like now.

“Ready—.”

At this moment, 〈Dear Judge〉 was creating a completely new sensation through a cold, ambitious sociopath character unlike anything audiences had seen before.

“Action!”

Standing in the courtroom, Do Gyeoul opened her mouth.

The description “an actress who perfectly digests the script exactly as written” no longer sounded like an insult.

Do Gyeoul analyzed Han Yeoreum once again.

More precisely, she memorized every expression needed for specific situations.

But not this time.

“Your Honor, members of the jury. As the defense representative standing here today, I cannot help but feel devastated as I look at the defendant seated before us. Do you remember the slogan of the Cheongsol Welfare Foundation operated by the defendant? ‘As pure as a child’s heart.’ But did the defendant truly act according to those words?”

Not as Lee Seohae.

But as Do Gyeoul herself.

“The large-scale remodeling project for the children’s care facility run by the foundation was the beginning of this entire case. Yet the actual building where the children lived was left in horrific condition due to rushed construction. I would also like to submit evidence that the paint used was harmful to the human body.”

I have to step on that person so I can stand above them.

An endless desire to climb higher.

That was what boiled inside Gyeoul’s chest.

Not something copied from someone else.

But Do Gyeoul’s own pure ambition.

“The defendant claims the 1.2 billion won paid to the construction company Hyeonjae Plant was intended to repair old facilities. However, after verifying the records myself, the repair fees charged by Hyeonjae Plant were absurd. The company’s registered director was none other than Chairman Jang of Mirae Group’s personal chauffeur.”

Without a single error, Do Gyeoul walked toward the opposing side with perfect diction and razor-sharp delivery.

“And this does not end there. Not only the Cheongsol Welfare Foundation, but several additional sponsors also expressed their intent to participate in the remodeling, resulting in a total construction cost of 4.5 billion won—higher per square meter than luxury penthouses in Gangnam. The defendant insisted this money was used to provide the children with the best materials and facilities possible. But look closely. The fire-prevention sprinklers were empty shells with no pipes connected at all. So where exactly did that astronomical 4.5 billion won construction budget disappear to? Decorating gardens visible from the outside? Building a few fancy-looking pavilions?”

She raised the papers in her hand high into the air.

“It’s simple. They inflated costs for special materials that never even existed, and recorded labor expenses for workers who were never hired. As a result, here are the medical reports of the children who suffered respiratory illnesses last summer while living in mold-infested rooms. I submit this evidence.”

“Evidence that was not agreed upon in advance—!”

“Accepted.”

As Do Gyeoul drove the courtroom scene forward in one continuous take without pause, she thought of Han Yeoreum again.

Han Yeoreum, who had portrayed the first female elite psychopath character, Lee Seohae.

But {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} in this industry, being the “first” never carried much value.

People only remembered the “best.”

And Do Gyeoul wanted to step on Han Yeoreum and climb higher.

[Name: Do Gyeoul]

[Analysis is increasing]

C >>> B

[Delivery is increasing]

C+ >>> B

[A new skill has been created]

〈Refreshing Beatdown〉 D

Do Gyeoul’s acting had grown wings.

* * *

Eun Baekhap waited quietly.

They still had to film Episode 8.

Since she needed to gather a level of tragic sorrow she had never shown before while still portraying lovable charm, she immersed herself even more deeply.

She decided not to care about the ratings of other dramas.

If they created a good enough work, she believed people would recognize it someday.

‘This is already a good situation.’

Despite the disadvantage of being on cable, they had achieved ratings unlike anything before, and their buzz volume was no weaker than competing projects.

None of the actors she worked with had committed crimes or appeared in scandal articles.

There were no fights between the director and writer either.

Compared to the things she had struggled through until now, this was nothing.

So Eun Baekhap did not waver.

“Ready—.”

Yang Huimun’s directing had even become more meticulous over time.

Not only classical music, but also the famous paintings hanging on the walls and the condition of the flowers placed in vases reflected Eun Baekhap’s emotions.

The precious dream she once held. The weight of the love she could never completely forget even after being broken.

He made sure the viewers could feel it every single time.

“Action!”

Eun Baekhap smiled while looking at the macarons brought by Kim Eunyoung’s husband.

“Wow, macarons. Thank you. I’ll share them with the teachers.”

“You must really like macarons.”

“I couldn’t eat them much before because of weight management, but now I really love them.”

The side profile of Eun Baekhap tasting the macarons he bought was simply beautiful.

Her long hair flowed along the line of her neck.

“Back then, even eating one of these made me feel terribly guilty. You could see it on my body immediately the next day.”

“Then eat as many as you want now.”

Eun Baekhap slowly chewed the macaron as though savoring those words.

Her eyes grew deep as she remembered the stage from those days.

“...But somehow, the ones I ate back then still tasted better.”

It was a bitter smile.

The kind of face that made you instinctively want to pat her shoulder.

“Ah... I said something unnecessary. I’m making the person who bought these feel awkward.”

Eun Baekhap raised her head and smiled.

She looked at him, then slowly shifted her gaze toward Kim Eunyoung standing outside the door.

A perfect ballerina capable of stealing anyone’s heart in a single instant.

[Name: Eun Baekhap]

[Immersion is increasing]

A+ >>> S

[Artistry is increasing]

S+ >>> S++

[Skill is increasing]

〈Extreme Immersion Inducer〉

A >>> A+

Eun Baekhap’s acting bloomed like a flower in full blossom.

* * *

“What dramas are you watching these days?”

IP 85.152 controlled their expression at the sudden topic change.

It was a question from the rookie employee sitting across from them.

“Me? Well, I turn on Hwang Boseok’s dramas whenever I’m bored.”

Like the cultured intellectual they were, IP 85.152 mentioned the greatest top writer of this era.

Of course, they liked Han Yeoreum a little too, but if you really thought about it, their interest came from Hwang Boseok’s storytelling, which had opened an entirely new era of romantic comedies.

Unlike ordinary fans who obsessively followed actors’ filmographies, they themselves were a cultured person with refined taste.

“So you watch the one Han Yeoreum’s in!”

The title itself should have come up immediately, but judging by the fact the rookie mentioned the lead actress first, they were obviously just a regular person.

IP 85.152 even considered lending them the Blu-ray DVD of 〈The Great Garland〉 someday—a work that had won at the Critics Choice Awards, often called the “Little Oscars,” and was considered one of Korea’s greatest productions—if the rookie ever developed proper interest in pop culture and the arts.

Because culture was meant to be shared with everyone—

“What about you, Assistant Manager?”

“I watch 〈Tamhok〉.”

“Ah! Eun Baekhap is seriously gorgeous!”

“Right? It’s gone completely crazy lately.”

But perhaps because they were ordinary people after all, instead of recognizing the true value of 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉, they only focused on Eun Baekhap’s visuals.

As a cultured intellectual, IP 85.152 felt frustrated.

“Her acting’s amazing too, and the ballerina styling is insane, so you can’t not watch it. I heard it got JTBS’s highest early ratings ever....”

“Still not even 10%, right? I don’t really know though.”

“Yeees. But it’s ca-ble. And not even TVM, but JTBS. It got the highest ra-tings there. It even beat the early ratings of 〈The Crown Prince’s Scandal〉 that Hwang Boseok did with Hong Suryeon before.”

“That’s because Hwang Boseok and Hong Suryeon had to start from barren land just to make people recognize some nobody channel called JTBS with 〈The Crown Prince’s Scandal〉. In comparison, isn’t 〈Tamhok〉 having it easy now? If 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 had nailed the styling from the beginning, it definitely could’ve hit those highest ra-tings too....”

Even now, IP 85.152 firmly believed the only reason for 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉’s weak ratings was Han Yeoreum’s bean-sized eyes from Episodes 1 through 3.

Of course, the actor’s determination and the writer’s intention had both come through perfectly, but cultured artists and the general public were fundamentally different.

You could tell just by looking at the two people in front of them discussing Eun Baekhap’s face instead of the actual work itself.

“But Han Yeoreum’s styling is super cute right now.”

“Right?”

“I even bought the same stuff. These days, all the top-ranked items at B-bly are Han Yeoreum picks.”

Come to think of it, perhaps they did possess a little cultural awareness after all.

Even at a young age, they clearly had a good eye.

This was what people called aesthetic sense.

The ability to recognize and appreciate beauty.

IP 85.152 almost wanted to applaud them.

“Probably because the prices are affordable. Eun Baekhap’s styling is kind of... D-brand level, you know?”

“True... Watching it makes me really want her bags.”

Even though the true value of styling came from how well it was carried, those shallow capitalist-minded people only discussed prices.

They had absolutely no refinement whatsoever.

“Still, I like dramas that don’t stress me out. Affairs, revenge, all that stuff is too intense.”

“Eh, but aren’t the themes basically all similar? The male lead’s father cheated and there’s revenge either way... but because of the directing and acting differences, one feels lighter.”

“If you’re talking acting differences, if you stick Seo Eden next to her, Eun Baekhap couldn’t even do half of Han Yeoreum’s acting right now....”

IP 85.152 stared blankly at the coworker, who had already lowered their chopsticks.

As a cultured intellectual, they could easily win this debate.

But this was still a workplace.

And they knew better than anyone that conversations should remain light enough for simple icebreaking.

At that moment, the coworker suddenly turned toward the rookie.

“So what dramas do you watch?”

Just seeing them cowardly drag the rookie into the fight proved they were completely different from IP 85.152.

They couldn’t compete properly through artistic merit, so they resorted to this.

“Yeah. What dramas do you watch?”

IP 85.152 asked as well.

‘Obviously....’

‘Obviously....’

Realizing they’d just had the exact same thought, IP 85.152 glared across the table.

“I don’t watch dramas though?”

The rookie’s answer was completely unexpected.

“What?”

“Why not?”

“You didn’t even watch Episode 1?”

“If you had, there’s no way you could stop watching.”

At their barrage of questions, the rookie answered brightly.

“My commute’s really long, so I sleep early! Miracle morning~. But I think our lunch break’s almost over. Should we head back if everyone’s done eating?”

The moment they heard that, IP 85.152 and the coworker both stood up.

After all, understanding culture and appreciating art wasn’t a basic qualification everyone possessed, so there was no choice but to accept it and move on—

“But the story isn’t hard to follow, so you can totally start now. Eun Baekhap’s acting explains everything for you.”

If a coward interfered, then there was no choice but to fight back.

“This side’s easy to follow too, even if you start now. Han Yeoreum’s acting explains everything for you.”

IP 85.152 whispered to the rookie.

“And starting today, it gets real....”

Today was the promised Episode 8 of 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉.

The episode featuring Jeon Segye and Nam Pyeonghwa’s real kiss scene.