And at that very moment, at a major entertainment company, a top Korean actress was in an argument with the CEO.
“I have already decided. I’m doing 'Rental Lover'.”
“Ha- are you seriously doing this??”
“What do you mean ‘doing this’? I already explained. 'Rental Lover' is directed by PD Jung, and the writer’s script is solid, so the artistic quality is good too.”
“But still, damn it! It’s a one-act drama, a one-act! What are you trying to do, going into a one-act right now?”
“I am resting anyway, and I’m saying I’ll give up my break to work! And even if it’s a one-act, if another director sees it positively, it could lead to something bigger, right? The female lead character is solid too. I’m not giving this up.”
“Sigh- I’m going crazy. Who’s the writer?”
“I said I don’t know. Seems like a rookie. I saw him, but their face was covered, so we just exchanged greetings.”
“You-you’re seriously!! From the visuals alone, you’re the one who should be dragging them by the collar! Jung Soo-ryeong totally baited you!”
“CEO-nim. I’m not making this decision lightly, I thought it through seriously. As an actress, this is a project I really want, and if I miss it, it’ll haunt me. Would you rather have that? I’m already starting to feel down, you know?”
“...I’m going nuts here. Agh- fine, fine. You win, I give up.”
In the end, the CEO raised the white flag. Of course, neither Choi Rina nor the CEO knew how 'Rental Lover' would unfold in the future.
“But if you do that one-act and come whining to me about how it flopped, I swear-”
They didn’t know the full story.
It was exactly 9 p.m. The location was the luxurious home of top actress Choi Rina, with a view of the Han River. She didn’t seem to have any scheduled work today, and she was sitting on the sofa with both legs propped up.
She raised the TV volume and took a bite of a sliced apple. On the table lay the script for 'Rental Lover'. Dressed in pajamas, Choi Rina was watching 'Produce That 100!'. The TV channel was naturally JTVM, and Episode 3 had just begun.
“Wow- can’t believe I’m actually tuning in to a survival audition show.”
Amused by herself, she let out a short laugh before quickly focusing on the screen. Episode 3 of 'Produce That 100!' started by replaying a part from the end of the previous episode.
- [“Each of you will come up one by one to draw a ball, check the task written on it, and hold it up so everyone can see. That will be your second-round assignment.”]
PD Woo Han-suk was briefing the 70 contestants, including contestant Number 1. The camera flashed through the contestants’ faces in short cuts. Among them was Kang Rojun. It was a strange image. Kang Rojun displayed on the TV, the 'Rental Lover' script sitting on the table in front of Choi Rina, and Choi Rina herself, clueless and absorbed in 'Produce That 100!'.
Whatever it was, there was an odd synchronicity.
Then PD Woo Han-suk’s voice came again.
- [“Number 1, please go first.”]
The camera cut to the other contestants looking at Number 1. The angle landed on Kang Rojun’s face, expression calm and composed. Choi Rina looked at him and marveled again.
“That ridiculously handsome face has a touch of decadence too.”
Though she didn’t know, the 'Produce That 100!' open group chat, with over 200,000 users, was in absolute chaos.
-He really doesn't seem humanㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋwhat on earth is he
-F*** he’s insanely handsome
-Looks like he came straight out of a fantasy, not real life ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Kang Rojun on the screen began to move. Walking confidently, he stuck his hand into the square box and pulled it out. In his hand was a gray ball with text on it. Number 1, or Rojun, raised the ball above his head as PD Woo Han-suk instructed.
-What is it??? What’s written on the ball?
-Ugh, show it properly already
Top actress Choi Rina stared at the TV and murmured.
“What did he draw? Another vocal task?”
Soon, the ball Kang Rojun picked was shown in a close-up.
Murmurs erupted among the dozens of contestants. The camera flashed through a few of them, and then finally settled on contestant Number 10 with red hair. The angle returned to Rojun. Despite drawing 'Dance', his expression didn’t change much.
- [“Alright, you may return to your spot with the ball.”]
He returned to where he had been standing. A full shot of Kang Rojun appeared, accompanied by voiceovers from the other contestants.
- [“Honestly, I was kinda glad Number 1 drew dance. I thought he might not be that good at it.”]
- [“Come on! His visuals are already god-tier. If he can dance too, that’s just unfair!”]
- [“I just kept praying, please don’t let me get matched with Number 1!!”]
Soon, the angle shifted to Number 10 with red hair standing next to Rojun.
- [“Next, Number 10, please come forward and draw.”]
The real-time group chat was still filled with nothing but talk about Number 1. Dozens, hundreds of messages were popping up every second.
-Didn’t he refused to take training?? That’s why he got cast as the villain, right
-Yeah, Number 1 went full psycho mode, declared he wouldn’t do training??? So how’s he gonna do dance??
Tons of curiosity or skepticism were exploding.
-Exactly ㅋㅋㅋㅋ He’s probably just gonna flail around doing the national gym routine or something
Meanwhile, Choi Rina, still crunching on her apple, kept her attention mostly on Number 1.
“Dance? I’m kind of excited but also worried.”
Then she laughed to herself, finding her own thoughts ridiculous.
“Worried? Why am I even worried? What am I saying right now?”
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