Solar Music and Barum Entertainment simultaneously announced Rodriguez’s new regular album release and the news that all tracks would have music video shoots.
And that I’d be appearing in every single track’s music video.
The moment the articles dropped, not just Korea but overseas sites crashed in an instant.
While my participation in Roddy’s music video had become an accepted fact, no one had predicted full-track music video production.
-What’s with the leaked song? Was it really an accident? Or is this noise marketing?
-Whoa, full-track music video shoots alone are shocking, but Han Sena in them?
-Our actress’s Billboard debut was real…
-I’m so excited, seriously. The two of them have surprisingly good chemistry.
Watching international fans’ reactions was thoroughly entertaining too.
Everyone found my presence fascinating.
-Such a beautiful woman. Korean, you say? Where even is Korea?
-Roddy did the casting himself, right? The woman receiving all of Roddy’s love! I’m curious!
-Isn’t it amazing that Roddy’s acting in it himself too? We’ll see…
-Already excited for the album. Want to listen now.
Plus, several fans even made their own music videos using the leaked track and footage from my previous projects.
Roddy watched people’s reactions while getting thoroughly excited.
-People are finally recognizing her! My muse’s charms.
I got Roddy’s message and grinned.
Even though a song leaked, Roddy stayed cool about it.
Roddy even cackled watching music videos made with the leaked song.
Truly tough on the outside, soft on the inside.
And the most surprising part.
My SNS was on the verge of exploding.
Roddy’s fans and people interested in the album had flooded my SNS.
I watched in shock as followers increased like crazy.
Even when I’d been agonizing over whether to appear in <Desert Island>, <Hometown>, or <Fabulous>, at least I could understand the comments.
Now tags, reposts, and comments were pouring in using languages from around the world that even translation apps couldn’t process properly.
The photo of me and Roddy matching in hanbok with a moon rabbit concept during music video filming was incredibly hot too.
In the music video, Roddy was the rice cake being pounded by my mortar…
But people will probably find it fun, right?
* * *
After a flood of articles poured out.
I briefly left LA and returned to Korea for a CF schedule.
The first thing I shot was Morning Dew’s new CF.
Morning Dew and I had been maintaining solid loyalty for several years now.
This commercial was a short ad going on iTube.
Just a ten-second video, and once again in two versions.
First version filming.
I looked at the camera and cleanly downed a shot of soju, then smiled.
“You know this one, right?”
Morning Dew was now confident even in the ad content.
The ten-second video shoot went smoothly and incredibly fast.
And the next version.
I put on those tracksuit pants that had gotten hot reactions from people again.
I also wore a tousled mid-length bob wig to match and sat down at the table.
My cheeks were tinted red with makeup.
I lightly shook the soju using a wrist snap.
Then cheerfully popped the soju cap.
I lightly drank a shot in front of the camera and set the glass down on the table with a thunk.
I flicked the shot glass at my head.
“You know me, right?”
I burst into laughter between takes from the embarrassment.
The director didn’t call any NGs.
“Yeah, this awkward laughing concept works too. It’s natural. And pretty.”
“Right. We originally went with a natural concept anyway. That’s why the tracksuit one worked so well too.”
“When you laugh, that disarming quality is really pretty, Sena-ssi.”
Hearing that, I scratched my head.
“Doesn’t the line seem too cocky?”
Then the director made an ‘ahem’ sound.
Startled, I looked over to see the director shaking his head.
“Listen, people shouldn’t be too humble either.”
“Seriously! Can you give us some behind-the-scenes stories from the Rodriguez music video shoot?”
“Ah, I’m so curious! Did you get to hear the songs early?”
Staff members chimed in one after another, and the filming location instantly got noisy.
“When this commercial airs, will international fans recognize Morning Dew too?”
“Nah, foreigners don’t like soju.”
“Really? Well whatever! It’s about promoting the brand!”
I watched the excited staff chattering away.
I poured the water from the soju bottle and took another sip.
Then muttered quietly.
“I really want some actual soju.”
A staff member standing nearby heard and responded.
“Huh? Me too!”
“Should we all have a company dinner?”
At those words, I jumped up from among the staff and shouted.
“Deal! My treat!”
“Wow!! Han Sena! Han Sena!”
“Let’s go, let’s go!!”
* * *
“Yusung Electronics?? A smartphone commercial???”
At the office, summoned by Minyeong unnie.
Seeing my shocked expression, unnie’s lips curled up.
“‘Kite 7’ is coming out. They want you for that commercial.”
Hearing that, I stammered.
Yusung’s Kite was a domestic brand competing equally with North America’s powerhouse ‘Diphone’ for the first time.
Plus it was practically monopolizing Android market share in Asia.
Taking on this commercial would mean my face broadcasting daily in every country where Yusung Electronics operated.
And Yusung Electronics’ influence would only grow stronger as time passed.
I briefly recalled the era from my past life.
Unnie rested her chin on her hand with a satisfied expression.
“For smartphone commercials, only the biggest stars of the era take them on, wouldn’t you say.”
“Ah.”
“Coordination’s all done, you just need to sign the contract.”
I stared blankly at unnie, unable to answer.
“Shouldn’t we take some time to… proceed with this? They’re releasing it second half of this year anyway, right?”
I said while flipping through the documents unnie gave me.
It wasn’t that I disliked it or was hesitating.
Just a small worry that maybe we were rushing things too fast.
And I didn’t know the commercial concept yet either.
“They’ll set up filming so you can shoot right after finishing the music video schedule.”
Am I dreaming right now?
I blinked quietly.
“You’re doing it, right? You have to?”
Unnie asked urgently.
I nodded.
“Well, of course.”
After answering like that, unnie brought up another agenda.
“Your next project.”
The moment I heard those words, my head throbbed.
I still hadn’t even picked the candidates.
With the mission to choose before music video filming ended, I felt more rushed than usual.
Unnie chuckled seeing my expression.
“Having too many scripts is its own kind of hardship, right?”
“Yeah…”
“That’s why top stars just participate in famous directors’ projects or ones that seem likely to succeed first.”
I nodded quietly.
“Then at some point if you lose your sense, you gradually get weeded out.”
Unnie said something chilling.
What she meant was: stop complaining and just read all the scripts.
From guaranteed hits to rookie writer scripts to experimental scripts—everything.
Since I was reading with that mindset anyway, I felt drained.
“Any you like yet?”
“There were a few decent ones. But if I like the character, the story’s lacking, and if the story’s good, there are holes in the character. It’s not easy.”
Hearing my words, unnie chuckled.
“So nothing feels just right?”
“Yeah. I’ve been worrying about what to do at times like this.”
“Did you see the HBC project that came in?”
“Ah, that one.”
Hearing unnie’s words, I fell into thought.
I recalled the Vice President of Dayz I’d met the night the yacht party ended.
After that chance meeting, Dayz’s side immediately sent the script to the company.
The script HBC and Dayz were co-producing together was truly stable.
A 24-episode miniseries with big scale and entertaining content.
Plus my role was the solo top female lead carrying everything.
Female-led solo productions were still almost impossible to see in broadcast dramas.
And a blockbuster pulling in all available capital.
Around this time in my past life, HBC almost never poured capital into dramas like this.
The flow had definitely changed from my past life.
It seemed Netmate establishing itself domestically much faster than in the past life I’d lived had some influence.
“It’s truly high return, high risk.”
Even unnie seemed conflicted as she muttered.
Taking on an unprecedented female-led solo production would leave a historic mark in the drama industry.
But I’d have to shoulder almost all responsibility for the drama’s success or failure.
Unnie shrugged.
“Let’s think carefully about it. Our actress.”
* * *
That night, back at home after so long.
With jet lag still affecting my tired body, I sipped wine on the terrace.
Tomorrow’s filming schedule was packed tight from morning.
I looked down at the sparkling night view below.
“Pretty…”
I fell into thought watching those lights.
Day by day, my life kept rapidly changing.
Just when I’d adjust a bit, new events and changes quickly filled my daily life again.
I sometimes worried I might lose balance, or suddenly become intoxicated by a star’s life.
I couldn’t know how long this popularity would last either.
An anxiety I’d never experienced once in my past life had settled in a corner of my heart.
Still, my focus remained on just one thing.
Then and now, only acting.
Rather than worrying and dwelling on when popularity might fade, I just needed to give my all to the work.
Just as I was falling back into thoughts about my next project.
A short vibration rang from my phone.
It was Rodriguez.
-Mixing complete.
Seeing the message, I smiled and set down my wine glass.
Soon after, Roddy sent the mixing file.
With a trembling heart, I pressed play.
I sat in the small chair on the terrace and briefly closed my eyes.
I slowly soaked in the gentle melody.
That melody was so soft, I felt like I might cry.
I smiled slowly.
You did it, Roddy.
The short song had transformed perfectly into a three-minute track.
I didn’t move a single step until the song ended.
Right now, this moment was the world’s most perfect three minutes.
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