I Want to Be a VTuber

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The Beol advertisement crew was waiting for the actor Park Jung-woo had called.

Honestly, I was skeptical.

It wasn’t that I doubted the actor Park Jung-woo called, but the chance of him not accepting the offer easily was there.

Today’s shoot was practically about Beol’s model, being more like props for Park Jung-woo.

If it was an actor or idol with relatively low recognition, they might have easily accepted, but if they had some fame…

‘Wouldn’t that hurt their pride instead?’

However, since they seemed to be quite friendly with Park Jung-woo, they might accept the offer without issue.

If that’s the case, they were perfect for today’s shoot.

Because…

‘It fits the concept perfectly.’

The concept for this Beol ad was hanbok.

The women’s clothing design was incredibly stunning.

It was attire meant for display or to show off rather than everyday wear.

Like something you’d wear for a special event.

Well, Park Jung-woo was somewhat similar.

“Oh, I think they’ve arrived.”

“So soon?”

I wondered how it could be so quick since it hadn’t been long since we contacted them.

An actor of that caliber must have had a packed schedule.

‘Oh, but didn’t they say they were a high school student?’

That was the only thing that nagged at me.

Being young, would they really be able to capture the essence of the clothes when they dressed up?

I had a slight worry.

I felt like we’d have to put quite an effort into the makeup.

“Hello.”

As the girl slowly walked into the filming set, some staff couldn’t take their eyes off her.

Joo Seo-yeon.

If you asked who had had the biggest impact this year, she would undoubtedly be the first name on everyone’s lips.

She made a glamorous comeback on a variety show, then transitioned to theater.

After that came movies. Then dramas.

She had been active nonstop, and she racked up at least three hits this year alone.

Many would say that having just one or two hits in a lifetime is a success.

Yet, Seo-yeon already had three.

Among them, <Sky Garden> achieved unprecedented ratings as she played the lead.

For a while, if you didn’t watch <Sky Garden>, you couldn’t properly communicate with the broadcast crew, indicating its massive influence.

Conversely, there were concerns.

‘Is what we’re looking for too tied to her past image?’

The image of Cha Seo-ah in <The Chaser>.

And the image of Lee Yoo-joo in <Sky Garden>.

That’s how the public perceived Seo-yeon.

However, the filming director was seeking something from further back.

And the image Seo-yeon had briefly shown in variety shows.

In fact, the director immediately thought of the lively image she showed there when he saw her now.

…Though, aside from that vivacity, her expression was remarkably cold.

‘Is she maybe angry?’

That thought popped into my head first.

“Hello, actress Joo Seo-yeon. I’m the director Jeong Sung-min, in charge of today’s shoot. You came quite early, how did you get here?”

“I ran.”

“?”

Director Jeong Sung-min, who was slightly probing to gauge Seo-yeon’s thoughts, looked puzzled by her response.

“I guess your home is really close to the set? Ah! So that’s why actor Park Jung-woo said you would arrive quickly.”

“Really? Ah, yes.”

Seo-yeon didn’t bother correcting him.

If it was close, it was close enough.

It was about four or five subway stops away, so there was no need to emphasize how hard she ran.

‘I need to be careful about what I say.’

Seo-yeon thought.

The reason her image had dangerously changed recently was simple.

She had been active in variety shows, dramas, and movies where physicality was key.

Of course, she didn’t want to come off as weak.

But was this really the right image for an actress?

“Uh, you’re here?”

“Yes.”

Seeing Seo-yeon’s face, Park Jung-woo could roughly guess her thoughts.

‘She’s lost in unnecessary thoughts again.’

But did she actually run all the way?

Park Jung-woo knew she had just left her house.

While he didn’t know her exact location, considering the school she attended, it would be quite a distance from here.

If she really had run that far…

‘Forget it.’

Park Jung-woo stopped overthinking.

After all, Joo Seo-yeon wasn’t a person who acted according to common sense.

What could it be?

‘Could she be a reincarnated being?’

He seriously contemplated this.

Recently, Park Jung-woo had received an offer to star in a drama based on a web novel.

In truth, he had hardly ever read web novels before that point; he had only vaguely heard they existed.

Amidst this, the premise was so interesting that he ended up searching for a web novel to read.

And the next thing he knew, he was immersed in web novels for a while.

It was so nice having something to read during breaks.

When he looked at Seo-yeon, he was reminded of the typical ‘hunter’ settings found in popular web novels.

“Why do you call me and say nothing?”

“I was just contemplating when the gate would open.”

“?”

Gate?

What the heck is that?

‘Is she reading web novels?’

Seo-yeon thought as she looked at Park Jung-woo.

But since he made such a serious face crossing his arms while saying such things, she began to wonder if it might be something else entirely.

Could it be a movie or drama reference?

Or had the concept for today’s shoot changed from what she had heard?

‘That would be troublesome.’

Seo-yeon had accepted to shoot today because she liked the concept.

If it wasn’t, she wouldn’t have bothered to come all the way out here.

Of course, when she contacted her manager regarding this Beol shoot…

[What?! Beol?! Is that real? Seo-yeon?]

“It’s not an official contract; they just need a filler.”

[That’s not the point! You’ll stand next to actor Park Jung-woo! You’ll be featured on the ad board together, right?]

“I’m just a prop next to him; I don’t think it will be emphasized that much…”

[How beneficial would it be just to appear at all? This might attract luxury brand endorsements!]

“You think it’s only that much…”

[I’ll tell the president! You must shoot beautifully, okay?!]

Her manager Park Eun-ha ended the call abruptly.

She seemed really excited about Seo-yeon getting involved in the Beol ad.

‘Is it really that significant?’

Honestly, Seo-yeon had agreed due to her image and hadn’t really contemplated gaining any additional perks from it.

‘Thinking about it, doesn’t Éclat Étoile count as a sort of semi-luxury brand?’

While it falls short compared to the world’s top brands, recently, what was it called?

K-Beauty? With that trend, the awareness of Korean cosmetic brands has significantly increased.

Among them, one of the most recognized overseas is <Éclat Étoile>.

At first, many mistook it for a French brand due to the name, but once it became known as a Korean brand, it reportedly achieved considerable success.

‘Though, it’s not like it achieved anything monumental.’

Thus, recently, Éclat Étoile had held a meeting with Seo-yeon to promote their brand more aggressively internationally.

Of course, they were still discussing how to proceed.

It was uncertain if hiring a Korean actress would actually be effective overseas.

‘Wouldn’t it be better to cast a foreign actor if you’re targeting international sales?’

After all, even if Seo-yeon were to shoot, no one would recognize her.

What would be the difference from casting an unknown foreign actor?

So honestly, Seo-yeon wasn’t quite inclined to participate in advertising for the overseas market.

“Now, let’s get ready for the shoot.”

As Seo-yeon was lost in her thoughts, the director exchanged glances with others, signaling it was time to proceed.

“Now that actress Joo Seo-yeon is here, please prepare her. We’ve prepared all the costumes and makeup on our side.”

“Okay.”

Well, what mattered now was the Beol shoot.

As Seo-yeon received the outfit, she tilted her head slightly, wondering.

‘This doesn’t seem like it’s meant for casual wear.’

In many respects, the decorations and overall outfit felt… elegant, or perhaps sophisticated.

It seemed like an attire that would come off as quite pure and innocent when worn.

Honestly, it contrasted greatly with Seo-yeon’s recent image.

‘Hmm.’

Seo-yeon pondered.

Would this truly suit her?

Considering her recent image and how long it had been since she wore such attire, she felt a bit worried.

It felt like she was losing her confidence.

‘They wouldn’t just kick me out because my image doesn’t fit, right?’

Seo-yeon cast a glance at Park Jung-woo.

He was quite stern when it came to shooting.

Even Jo Seo-hee would back down a notch.

If things didn’t go as expected, he might decide to toss her out.

“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing at all.”

“Pretty bland.”

Park Jung-woo chuckled and crossed his arms.

At that moment, the surrounding female staff gasped lightly.

Seo-yeon was startled for a moment.

‘He sure is popular.’

From the start, Seo-yeon had no particular stirrings about Park Jung-woo’s looks.

Maybe it was a past life influence.

It felt more like he just had a different art style compared to others.

“I’ll change now.”

Anyway, she had to get it right.

Seo-yeon thought about that as she disappeared to prepare for the shoot.

‘Some acting cover might be necessary.’

I can’t present my usual image.

So it seemed like I’d need to be a little ‘fancy’ today.

That was the conclusion she reached at that moment.

***

Meanwhile, Park Jung-woo was busy preparing various things while Seo-yeon was away.

Since the actress had changed, the poses they planned to shoot initially needed to be reconsidered.

The composition could also change quite a bit.

“Actress Joo Seo-yeon is shorter than the previous actress, so it would be better to shoot a bit closer.”

“But isn’t the ratio still acceptable?”

Seo-yeon was shorter than the model they had shot with before.

Compared to Park Jung-woo, who was nearly 185 cm tall, she was at least a head shorter.

So there were many adjustments to consider.

“Honestly, a head’s difference is just perfect. It looks nice in the picture when shooting.”

“Her looks… no need to mention.”

Director Jeong Sung-min, who had seen many models and actors, was secretly surprised by Seo-yeon’s appearance.

He had often thought an actress was pretty while watching movies or dramas, but seeing her in person was something else.

Her aura was completely different from others.

Just like the impression he’d felt when he saw Park Jung-woo for the first time.

‘No, perhaps even more.’

It was such a strong impression that he wondered if it would be alright to use her as a prop.

That thought crossed his mind fleetingly.

Joo Seo-yeon seemed like someone who existed to be the star of the stage.

Thinking back, she had never failed to stand out in the films and dramas she starred in.

Especially when considering the impactful role she played as the villain.

Remembering how Cha Seo-ah had made quite a mark just made it more evident.

‘Maybe we’re trying to revive too much from her past…’

Actors naturally grow.

To portray the subtleties of the past would be challenging given how striking Seo-yeon currently was.

“All set, ready to go.”

Just then, a voice gentle like spring breeze filled the air.

Director Jeong Sung-min couldn’t help but feel enchanted by the sweetness of the voice, as he wondered if there had been someone this captivating on set.

“Ah.”

And suddenly, he found himself speechless.

What first caught his eye was a calm white.

Then came the noble blue.

The blue skirt embroidered subtly with gold threads.

With an appearance that suggested a refined young lady, she stood there with her hands elegantly clasped in front of her.

Her long ebony hair was neatly styled, cascading down past her back.

Her fair skin perfectly complemented the outfit, radiating a pure aura.

The moment he saw her face, Director Jeong Sung-min realized who she was.

“…Um, you’re actress Joo Seo-yeon, right?”

“Yes?”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing.”

Seeing her face left Jeong Sung-min momentarily bewildered.

‘Is she really the same person?’

In a flash, such a thought crossed his mind.

Could it be that since she is an actress?

No, that can’t be it.

He stole another glance at Seo-yeon standing demurely.

Her gaze lowered slightly, revealing her gentle sunset-colored eyes.

Blush-painted cheeks and sparkling lips.

The cold expression she wore a moment ago had transformed into the elegant poise of a young lady.

‘Once upon a time…’

He felt like he had seen something similar.

As he thought about it, a scene suddenly flashed in his mind, as if struck by lightning.

Joo Seo-yeon.

Returning after a ten-year hiatus as a child actress.

From <Past, Viewing Memories>.

She was the one who caused the ratings to soar like never before during her first acting since her comeback.

“Princess Yeonhwa?”

“Yes?”

“Oh, no. I just thought of that for a moment.”

Jeong Sung-min, middle-aged yet appearing almost juvenile in his response, seemed even more difficult to approach than the initially cold-looking girl.

Seeing Jeong Sung-min’s words, Seo-yeon raised her hand to gently cover her mouth and smiled sweetly.

“Did I get caught?”

That smile was so breathtaking that Director Jeong Sung-min found himself mesmerized, unable to look away in a daze.

Moreover, there was another person astonished on this filming set.

‘…No, what just happened?’

Park Jung-woo rubbed his eyes.

He simply could not believe how this was happening.