‘Celebrating! Han Sena Receives Silver Button!’
Inside the van heading to the stage greeting.
I giggled while watching a video with massive subtitles.
<Someone Else’s Life> had quickly surpassed 100,000 subscribers and was approaching 500,000.
To commemorate the silver button, several acquaintances appeared to offer congratulations.
The first was Lee Seokhyun.
In the video, Lee Seokhyun clutched the silver button and made a huge fuss.
‘Whoa, what? They make these? I want one too.’
Lee Seokhyun looked at his manager and asked.
‘Should we do iTube too? What do you think?’
The shot didn’t capture it, but the manager was apparently drawing a firm X with his arms behind the camera.
Perhaps he anticipated mass fan defections if Lee Seokhyun’s goofball personality became widely known.
I secretly agreed it was a wise choice.
Lee Seokhyun smiled casually at the camera and congratulated me.
‘As expected, our Sunim succeeds at everything she tries. You’ve got guts.’
The next person was Do Changhyeon.
Jinseok oppa had filmed Do Changhyeon offering congratulations while they were both waiting for a stage greeting together.
‘Wow, Mentor! You got a silver button? Please let me appear next time. I’ve watched every <Someone Else’s Life> video as soon as they’re uploaded.’
Do Changhyeon, who claimed he’d subscribed the moment my channel was created, said he’d been binge-watching <Someone Else’s Life> as each episode dropped.
‘I even left comments!’
Do Changhyeon shoved the comment he’d written at the camera.
-Han Sena universal supreme goddess the best! <Someone Else’s Life> is a total hit!!!
I stood beside Do Changhyeon, confirmed the comment, and cringed.
‘What is that, delete it!!’
‘Why? I left one on every video?’
The final person was Seo Jaeyeon.
‘Oh my, they make all sorts of things.’
In the video, Seo Jaeyeon examined the silver button from various angles with an intrigued expression.
Then she looked at the camera and flashed her signature eye-smile while beaming brightly.
‘My friend Sena, congratulations!’
I stood beside her, observing my colleague’s social life while forcing myself to smile for expression management.
‘As expected, our Sena… Keep going like this and become a million, ten-million iTuber!’
‘Thanks.’
Comments flooded in from Lee Seokhyun, Do Changhyeon, and Seo Jaeyeon’s fans, creating far more comments and views than usual.
I grinned, closed the video, and checked <Deadline>’s view count.
Just five days after release, it had already surpassed nine million views.
The comments section had become a forum for praise, compliments, and reviews from not just Koreans but international viewers as well.
-Wow I totally missed the trailer prediction lololol
-Ah, my heart aches. Tak Yeowon’s death is so sad. And Jeong Haeseon disappearing beyond that black smoke too… it leaves such a deep impression.
-Is this not going to any film festivals? That doesn’t make sense. Personally I love that it premiered on iTube, but I’m worried it won’t get festival invitations.
-It’s in the top tier of Korean films I’ve seen in recent years. The genre’s fresh, it’s not your typical zombie film, and the characters are unique.
⤷ The direction’s great, the promotion was great. Acting skills go without saying, plus the buzz factor. Even among OTT premiere films, it’s a masterpiece.
⤷ If this doesn’t go to film festivals, there’s seriously a problem. I don’t know about theatrical release, but it should at least make festivals.
-Han Sena’s acting has now… it feels like she’s transcended some dimension. She’s so inhuman and terrifying, yet somehow watching her makes me incredibly sad.
⤷ Ah me too T_T. She’s got no manners but her acting makes viewers feel sorry for her. How the hell does she do that.
⤷ Thought it was just me. I spent the whole time rooting for Tak Yeowon, I was so pissed I almost died.
-Tak Yeowon dies physically, Jeong Haeseon dies mentally… my heart’s breaking.
-Personally I’m so curious. Did Jeong Haeseon love Tak Yeowon?
⤷ I think he did. There were too many other emotions swirling that Jeong Haeseon himself didn’t realize it.
⤷ 100% yes. Just that neither Tak Yeowon nor Jeong Haeseon knew.
⤷ I think Jeong Haeseon didn’t know, but Tak Yeowon realized at the end.
⤷ I think this too. The moment Jeong Haeseon stood up for Tak Yeowon, she broke free from her trauma for the first time and finally became a human worthy of human treatment… That’s why when Tak Yeowon got bitten by a zombie, she decided to die as a human.
-Somebody give Han Sena a Best Actress award. If nobody does, netizens should pool together and create an award ourselves.
-All right, now let’s film those other versions too.
Reading the comments pumped me up.
“Almost there.”
Hearing Jinseok oppa’s words, I put down my phone.
Looking out at Busan’s unfamiliar scenery passing by the window, I kept exclaiming “Wow.”
“You’ve never been to Busan?”
Hearing Jinseok oppa’s words made me smile awkwardly.
Aside from a few visits for filming schedules in my past life, I’d never been to Busan even once.
Coming all the way to Busan to meet fans at a stage greeting made my heart flutter with excitement.
* * *
“Hello. I’m Han Sena, who played Tak Yeowon in <Deadline>.”
“Wow, Han Sena!! Noona!!!”
“Han Sena! Marry me!!!”
The moment the stage greeting started, cheers erupted from every direction.
Looking at the placards fans were holding in front of the stage made me feel shy.
[My Baby Han Sena! Congratulations on Deadline’s Release!]
[Tak Yeowon Don’t Die]
[Han Sena If You See This Placard Marry Me]
[Welcome to Busan, Yeowon]
[Sena Han I Love U♥]
The placards packed into the small theater felt like a fan meeting scene.
Do Changhyeon and the director smiled contentedly beside me as if this were their own event.
Soon the stage event we’d prepared with the staff began.
“All right, number 59! Who is it? You get a hug opportunity with Jeong Haeseon!”
At the MC’s announcement, a man in the audience roared and jumped up.
“Ahhh! Me! Hyung!!!”
The audience instantly became a sea of laughter.
Including me, the director, Do Changhyeon, and the cast all burst out laughing as the male fan rushed toward Do Changhyeon.
Do Changhyeon spread his arms wide.
“Come here!”
The male fan, a whole head taller than Do Changhyeon, wrapped Do Changhyeon in a tight embrace.
Flashes went off everywhere.
I also snapped photos of Do Changhyeon receiving love from his fan.
After the fan returned to his seat.
“All right, next! Number 12! Who’s number 12?”
“Kyaaaa! Me!!”
A young woman stood up from the very back row.
“Congratulations! Sena-ssi will give you a ceramic cup she made herself as a gift!”
“Waaaah! What do I do!!”
The woman bashfully fixed her bangs and came forward to the stage.
Her adorable appearance made me smile naturally.
I also exchanged a hug with the woman and handed over the gift.
“Wow, unnie, this is the one you made on <Someone Else’s Life>, right?”
“Huh, how’d you know?!”
“I watched everything!!! I’m your hardcore fan!!”
“What! Thank you!!”
I hugged the fan again.
“I was originally planning to give these out at a fan meeting. I’m glad you got it!”
Hearing my words, the fan suddenly teared up and furrowed her brow.
“Unnie, I love you.”
“Me too.”
After my fan went back in.
The moment everyone had been waiting for began.
“All right, audience members please come up one row at a time! Photo time is starting!”
Starting from the front row, people stood up with excited faces.
The side door opened, and the supporting actors who’d been waiting poured out.
Even people who already knew looked shocked as they stared at the actors.
The actors in zombie makeup approached people with realistic gestures.
“Wow, amazing!”
“All right, let’s take it!”
The actors, staff, and audience all mixed together and began taking photos.
“Three, two, one!”
“Deadline fighting!!!”
* * *
The stage greetings continued without pause.
The next day, after the Daegu event ended.
The director, cast, and I stopped by a restaurant for a late dinner.
Everyone was physically exhausted but wore happy faces.
“All right, let’s raise a glass.”
“<Deadline>! Fighting!!!”
We all clinked glasses together.
A moment later, after filling our stomachs, chat time continued.
“Ah, Busan was great.”
“Right? I hope we get to come back again.”
One of the lead actors from the survivor group spoke playfully.
The people at the table laughed, understanding the implication.
“Haeundae International Film Festival… I want to go too!”
When the director revealed his true feelings, another actor responded.
“What about overseas festivals?”
“I wonder. There’s been quite a bit of international attention.”
“The Jannes Film Festival invites OTT films regardless… think we could make it?” (+) [1]
One actor cautiously threw out hope.
The Jannes Film Festival—the most prestigious and famous festival in the film world.
A stage that both actors and directors dream of at least once.
As soon as Cannes was mentioned, everyone grew slightly quiet.
It was difficult to say either we could go or we couldn’t—a place beyond such discussions.
“But the Little Egg score is really high too, it even made the news.”
“Little Egg?”
Do Changhyeon, who’d been eating his second bowl of rice, widened his eyes as if hearing this for the first time.
“You haven’t seen the article yet?”
“It’s trending already?”
“Yeah? The favorable rating is 91%. They grade super harshly too.”
“Wow, amazing!”
Do Changhyeon looked shocked hearing the score.
“Usually in situations like this, don’t you go to at least a few film festivals?”
“That’s right.”
The director wore a slightly bitter expression as he filled his glass.
“Well, OTT has its pros and cons. From what I hear, we’re on track to achieve first place for domestic OTT film box office. Isn’t that amazing enough?”
I smiled broadly to lift the mood.
“Right. Just getting my name on that scoreboard is something.”
“Exactly. I personally really enjoy this—all of us going to stage greetings together. And unlike other films, checking real-time comments for reactions is so fun!”
Do Changhyeon also smiled with his eyes crinkling as he spoke.
“All right, all right! Let’s keep fighting! One more time, cheers!”
“Cheers! Great work, everyone!!”
The cheerful sound of clinking glasses rang out.
- 1. TLN: I believe, Jannes Film Festival is a fictional version of the Cannes Film Festival. Not 100% sure, but the chances are high.
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