I Want to Be a VTuber

Honestly, Joo Seo-yeon and Joo Ha-rin’s acting felt like a mismatched outfit.

Boing!

Bouncy acting.

A girl in unrequited love.

And a fresh-faced kid scared and awkward around others’ love.

She might have thought deep down that it didn’t suit her at all.

She did her best, but maybe she lacked confidence inside.

Honestly, she thought that way too.

But…

She closed her eyes and imagined the script in her mind.

Changed content.

And lines.

Naturally, the emotion line she had prepared to perform also changed accordingly.

Min Se-hee, the writer, tried to incorporate Seo-yeon’s opinions into the script as much as possible.

Plain and simple.

Maybe it seemed that she made some additional edits after hearing Park Jung-woo’s comments.

“You might not be ready yet.”

Maybe that’s what Park Jung-woo meant.

It wasn’t wrong.

From his perspective, he probably thought Joo Seo-yeon wasn’t prepared enough to perform like that yet.

So, the script reflected that opinion.

But that wasn’t all there was.

If that was all, he wouldn’t have suggested listening to the actor’s viewpoint.

“Don’t worry if the acting color doesn’t match.”

Ma Yeon-woo felt the gaze focused on him.

A look that asked if everything was really okay.

No matter how much they tailored ‘Park Min-yul’ to match Ma Yeon-woo’s color, it couldn’t be the same.

“I’m the senior in acting, right?”

“…Well, it doesn’t matter.”

Ma Yeon-woo chuckled at the strangely different aura of Joo Seo-yeon compared to usual.

What does it matter anyway?

Honestly, this was a lot more comfortable to deal with than usual.

“Grabbing emotions.”

A common phrase actors use when preparing before a shoot.

Throughout the filming of Dream Future, Ma Yeon-woo hadn’t seen Joo Seo-yeon catch emotions even once.

Just in an instant, her expression changed, and her emotions shifted, showcasing her significant presence despite her short screen time.

So, he had also noticed how much Cha Na-hee, playing Song So-ha, was agonizing.

“Right, is this what grabbing emotions looks like?”

Joo Seo-yeon’s eyes, gazing at the set, were shimmering red.

Such an intense color.

The members who had prepared to be idols together a long time ago had such eyes too.

Suddenly, memories of the past floated up.

He remembered the dazzling faces of the members during their trainee days.

Such freshness.

Such passion.

That clear form imprinted itself in Ma Yeon-woo’s eyes.

“So, please act as an idol as much as possible.”

Joo Seo-yeon smiled brightly as she looked at him.

Not the usual Joo Seo-yeon, but another face.

Probably Joo Ha-rin.

A bright and cheerful idol with not even a hint of Cha Seo-ah’s shadow.

“You can do it, right?”

Joo Seo-yeon’s stance was filled with determination, fist raised.

Or should he say cheerful?

He felt like he had seen this face somewhere.

“Ah, Survivor of the Martial Arts.”

The variety show the fellow members watched at their dorm.

Ma Yeon-woo remembered the fleeting glimpse of Joo Seo-yeon from back then.

He had forgotten, but it suddenly came to mind.

Yes, it was that kind of feeling in variety shows.

“Of course.”

Park Min-yul and Ma Yeon-woo were different.

After all, Park Min-yul was a trainee who applied for an audition program.

And he was a member of Just X.

Though he might be a rookie as an actor,

“I’m Ma Yeon-woo.”

Top Idol.

The rank was fundamentally different from trainee Park Min-yul.

*

RY Entertainment.

The agency of Just X.

A major management company that belongs to Korea’s big three.

“It was a mistake for Ma Yeon-woo to appear in Dream Future.”

Lee Hwi-rok, the head of the actor management department, frowned.

And understandably so, as Ma Yeon-woo’s image had significantly diminished after Dream Future.

“The bad acting made it entertaining, though.”

“Manager Song, are you serious?”

Lee Hwi-rok let out a sigh.

“Do you know how much I’m getting hit in the idol division because of this? It ruins the idol’s image!”

“…Did you really think Dream Future would be that disastrous?”

“Sometimes the ratings seem decent, though.”

Yeah, decent enough.

Not too good or too bad either.

Of course, compared to the excellent start, it was faltering.

But for a theme like this, it had performed quite well.

“The scriptwriter must have put a lot of thought into it.”

When the business department heard about this project, the drama writer must have faced great difficulties.

The sentiment was outdated, and the genre of youth dramas was quite unfamiliar to the public.

Dream Future was created directly by KMB.

It wasn’t a script originally envisioned by a writer.

Since it wasn’t purely their own creation, it must’ve been quite challenging for the drama writer to conceive the plot.

So, the writer kept the tempo light and humorous.

It might draw mockery, but at the very least, it allowed for a focused live scene.

They definitely balanced the light parts well,

Though there were gaps here and there.

“But regardless, Ma Yeon-woo’s acting looks so bad.”

Actually, it just looked like bad acting.

The reason was simple.

Right next to her was Park Jung-woo, whose acting skill set the benchmark for comparison.

Moreover, Joo Seo-yeon had been poorly scripted as Joo Ha-rin.

A rookie actress overlooked by RY.

No, not a rookie since she started from child acting, right?

“Such a shame.”

Even with her brief appearance, she had enough presence to make an impact.

After seeing The Chaser, that feeling of regret deepened.

“If she only plays villains, her acting spectrum might be limited.”

It started with her impression already… and then came the first episode of Dream Future.

In it, Joo Ha-rin’s live scene.

If she could come out like that again, who knows what could happen?

“Manager Song.”

“Yes?”

“Is Dream Future episode 7 airing today?”

“Oh, it should just be starting now.”

At Manager Song’s words, Lee Hwi-rok gestured.

It meant to turn on the big TV in the office.

‘Doesn’t he have hands?’

Grumbling, Manager Song quickly changed the channel to Dream Future.

It just started airing not long ago.

“But, have you watched Dream Future, Director?”

“Of course, haven’t you?”

“Yeah, I did.”

Actually, he hadn’t watched it.

He had turned it off since episode 2 because it was cringe.

But it seemed like Lee Hwi-rok had watched the whole thing.

Despite criticizing Ma Yeon-woo, he must’ve checked on the actor since he was in the company.

“An episode where Ma Yeon-woo and Joo Seo-yeon take the lead.”

He heard the script had changed.

They promised to give more weight to the characters, though it seemed to be in a relatively unfavorable direction for Ma Yeon-woo.

“No, maybe it’s better to step back slowly from this point.”

From the start, he was causing a stir about her bad acting, so reducing her role might be beneficial.

Thinking that, Lee Hwi-rok stared at the TV.

“Turn on the chat screen on the laptop. You know it’s being streamed online, right?”

“Oh, yes.”

Manager Song busily set up the laptop next to his seat so they could check the chat.

– Today’s the audition part, huh…

– Please don’t be cringy.

– But the song is nice, let’s have a drink.

The chat was already buzzing from the start.

Lee Hwi-rok noticed the chat’s speed.

‘It hasn’t dropped.’

This meant that there was a steady viewership for Dream Future.

‘The importance has increased.’

Right from the beginning, it proceeded from Joo Ha-rin’s perspective.

Focusing on Joo Ha-rin, Park Min-yul gradually revealed his feelings for her.

As Joo Ha-rin was letting go of her feelings for Kim Si-hwan, she was flustered with Park Min-yul’s actions.

“What do I do? The audition’s coming up…”

Joo Ha-rin whispered, teary-eyed.

Realizing that Kim Si-hwan had feelings for Song So-ha, Joo Ha-rin silently decided to cheer him on while letting go of her own feelings.

But just because she decided to let go didn’t mean those feelings vanished completely.

“Sigh…”

As Joo Ha-rin sighed,

– Hang on!

– Is this a thriller drama or what?

– Why does it feel like Park Min-yul is gonna die?

– Show us your bare hands!

Maybe because of the impact of The Chaser, such comments were frequent.

The chats linking Joo Ha-rin and Cha Seo-ah.

This was also proof of how strongly Joo Seo-yeon portrayed her character to the audience.

“…I…”

Joo Ha-rin contemplated Park Min-yul’s feelings.

In the upcoming audition, one of them would inevitably be eliminated.

It was a survival mission.

Thus, Park Min-yul didn’t communicate his feelings to Joo Ha-rin either.

Joo Ha-rin found out purely by coincidence.

She was at a loss.

But time didn’t wait for anyone.

The final mission to select the top ten was approaching.

A duet between Joo Ha-rin and Park Min-yul.

The song was a lively idol number.

A sugary, youthful song about love was the final mission.

For the record, Joo Ha-rin had personally chosen it.

Even though it was undoubtedly a challenging song for Park Min-yul, he respected Joo Ha-rin’s opinion.

“Lastly, do you have anything you want to say to each other?”

Before the performance kicked off, a judge asked.

Something to say.

As Joo Ha-rin hesitated,

“I’ll do my best to win and secure a spot in the top ten.”

The first to respond was Park Min-yul.

While saying this, he threw a brief glance at Joo Ha-rin.

A determined declaration.

And this was a signal from Park Min-yul.

Don’t hesitate on stage.

“Me too, me too!”

Joo Ha-rin, taking the microphone, replied.

“I will make it to the top ten!”

She smiled at Park Min-yul as she said that.

Park Min-yul chuckled back at Joo Ha-rin.

Their display made the judges grin.

Cheers erupted from the audience.

The stage was illuminated with light from all directions.

A refreshing idol song.

Park Min-yul took the lead.

– Yeon Woo, please!

– Why is she always the first to sing?

– Seems it’s because she’s an active idol?

– Just X, stop pushing this bubble idol!

As usual, Ma Yeon-woo,

No, Park Min-yul stepped forward, and the chat flooded with criticism.

Those riding the wave of negativity.

Or maybe just anti-fans of Just X.

Even those who sincerely criticized Ma Yeon-woo’s acting.

In the midst of all this, the camera zoomed in on Park Min-yul’s confident face.

Unmistakable presence on stage.

Bold steps forward.

Huh?

This was a posture Park Min-yul had never shown before.

Suddenly, the presence on stage felt overwhelming.

The spotlight shone intensely on Park Min-yul.

As the judges’ faces flashed across the screen, Park Min-yul’s refreshing voice rang out.

With rhythm, dancing, and moving,

Anyone could tell.

Top Idol.

Just X wasn’t just an idol group; they were bridges connecting K-POP to the world.

Despite the controversies, their skills were undeniably swift.

Among them, Ma Yeon-woo was a skillful idol in charge of vocals.

Watching this, Lee Hwi-rok couldn’t tear his eyes away from the screen.

Acting?

No.

“This is Ma Yeon-woo.”

Everyone must have been surprised by this dazzling stage.

But soon enough, they would realize.

It was not Park Min-yul on stage but Ma Yeon-woo.

Some fans might find this satisfying.

But Lee Hwi-rok, head of the drama division, narrowed his eyes.

This was an idol, not an actor.

A right choice, but not a satisfying answer.

But then, the camera moved, capturing Joo Seo-yeon reaching out toward Ma Yeon-woo.

Joo Ha-rin.

A bright girl from the countryside who came to the city.

With a cheerful smile, she received Ma Yeon-woo’s song.

Her technical skills were lacking,

Because she wasn’t a professional singer.

Yet, her distinct voice carried clear emotions.

The spotlight that had been on Ma Yeon-woo suddenly turned and followed Joo Seo-yeon.

Simultaneously, her dance, equally compelling as Ma Yeon-woo’s, filled the screen.

The emotions spilling out of her appeared everywhere.

Fresh feelings.

Ma Yeon-woo’s insufficient acting began to draw out her performance through song.

Naturally, she guided the audience to look at her.

Such lovable acting that made viewers gasp in admiration.

Ma Yeon-woo followed her lead.

Joo Seo-yeon was inducing her performance.

Though Ma Yeon-woo had many areas to improve as an actor,

Naturally, Joo Seo-yeon’s acting overshadowed them.

On the flip side, since Joo Seo-yeon wasn’t an idol,

Her performance capabilities on stage were inherently limited.

And it was Ma Yeon-woo who covered that gap.

In a way that seemed like acting.

The response on stage was akin to that of a top idol.

Eye-catching.

The speed of the chat slowed significantly.

This signified an increasing number of viewers focused on the drama.

But even so,

Manager Song and Lee Hwi-rok didn’t catch on.

Their attention was locked onto the drama.

“What a waste.”

For the first time,

Lee Hwi-rok, the head of RY Entertainment, thought while watching.

“I had to bring her on board.”

Joo Seo-yeon.

A child actor making a comeback after ten years.

Her acting skills were yet unproven.

Maybe she was just an actress whose buzz had increased momentarily.

It was a misunderstanding.

A truly foolish judgment.

A painful misstep.

Such thoughts spun in Lee Hwi-rok’s mind.

And with that regret,

“Thank you! Thank you for your support!!”

The real Dream Future revival began.

Zoom!

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