A heavy silence filled the air.
Arthur maintained a smile, but it was closer to a frozen expression than one of genuine amusent. He looked as though he couldn’t fully process what he had just heard.
The bodyguards standing nearby glanced nervously at Arthur, as did the Korean actors present.
"Does Ju Seoyeon have such a close relationship with Arthur Diaz?"
"If they were that close, she wouldn’t have rejected him so directly."
"But didn’t Arthur Diaz just extend his hand to her first?"
Who was Arthur Diaz, after all?
The rising star of Hollywood.
It was well-known that famous directors frequently reached out to him with offers. With a personality free of rough edges and a flawless performance in any role he took, he was so perfect that his peers called him "Mr. Perfect."
The fact that such a man was appearing in a Korean drama was surprising enough, but now...
"Is this okay?"
"The atmosphere is..."
In the midst of the silence, the corners of Arthur's mouth twitched faintly. He clearly hadn’t expected to be rejected so bluntly, and it had taken him a mont to react.
"You..."
Arthur had just begun to speak when—
"Friend~?!"
Jo Seohui, who arrived shortly after Arthur, exclaid with sparkling eyes. In truth, she had entered the room almost simultaneously with him, but the attention on Arthur had kept her unnoticed.
She had been quietly watching from a distance as Arthur and Seoyeon exchanged words. Then, out of nowhere, Seoyeon had said, “This is a spot for friends!”
"Oh."
Seoyeon finally noticed Seohui, though belatedly. Surrounded by others, she had been too preoccupied to spot her earlier.
It was a slightly awkward mont. Seoyeon had never explicitly called Seohui her “friend” before, and now it felt a bit embarrassing.
"Friend? Really? I’m your friend, right?"
"...Stop asking that."
"If we’re friends, why are you being so formal? Just call Seohui~."
Without hesitation, Jo Seohui boldly sat down right next to Seoyeon, ignoring Arthur entirely. No one had expected her to sit there so casually. Had she not overheard the conversation between Arthur and Seoyeon?
Regardless, with things turning out this way, Arthur found it even harder to say anything further.
"…Hmph."
Eventually, Arthur turned his back to the two girls after observing them briefly. Only then did the surrounding actors exhale.
"What just happened?"
"Ju Seoyeon is one thing, but who would have thought Jo Seohui would act like that?"
"Was she trying to protect Ju Seoyeon from Arthur Diaz?"
"That’s what it seed like."
Jo Seohui was widely known for her extensive connections in the entertainnt industry. Despite her delicate appearance, she had an exceptionally sociable personality. Her audacious behavior toward Arthur made others think she must have had a reason behind it.
In truth, Seohui didn’t have much of a plan. Her actions today stemd purely from the fact that Seoyeon had called her a “friend.”
"Call Seohui~."
"I absolutely will not."
"Can’t you at least drop the formal tone?"
"No."
Seohui shrugged at Seoyeon’s curt response, sensing her embarrassnt. Though a little disappointed, she found Seoyeon’s flustered deanor endearing—sothing rare to witness.
"Coming to Korea was totally worth it."
Seohui belatedly realized that this fortunate situation was thanks to Arthur Diaz.
"Ah."
Was this a mistake on her part? She glanced at Arthur, but he was no longer looking at her or Seoyeon. Even so, he didn’t seem to be in a good mood.
"Hmm."
Seohui narrowed her eyes as she observed him.
"Maybe this is for the best."
Though she was soft and amiable toward Seoyeon, Jo Seohui’s personality otherwise aligned with her aristocratic appearance.
Not that she was unpleasant, but she had the temperant of a noblewoman. And when it ca to adversaries, she could be as fearso as any villainess. Arthur, in her eyes, was an adversary.
It all dated back to their ti in Japan during the production of Majin.
At the ti, Seohui had been deliberating over whether to accept a role in the film. Having already worked with Seoyeon on Kyungsung Lady, she worried that appearing in Majin as well might give off a "too familiar" impression.
Just as she was preparing to decline director Han Yegun’s repeated requests, Stella Baldwin had reached out.
[Hello, Tomie.]
"Are we on such close terms that you’d call by phone?"
[Haha, don’t be like that. I just wanted to share so interesting news. You’ve been speaking informally with for a while now, haven’t you?]
"That’s because you..."
[Unlike , you still speak formally to Seoyeon, don’t you? I don’t.]
"...That’s just you being presumptuous."
Stella had shared unexpected news.
[Arthur Diaz will be joining Majin.]
"Arthur Diaz? I heard rumors, but is it confird?"
[Yes, it’s confird. I pushed hard for it. He’s incredibly talented, so I think it’ll be great for the OTT drama.]
"Did you call just to tell that?"
[Of course. I was worried.]
Worried? That didn’t sound like Stella at all. Seohui found it hard to believe her sincerity.
[If Arthur harbors resentnt toward Seoyeon, it could be my fault.]
"Then it’s your responsibility."
[But if I hadn’t pushed, he wouldn’t have joined at all.]
That was also true.
[So, I think it would be good if you stayed by her side.]
"?"
[Yes. You have experience with this kind of thing, don’t you? Seoyeon doesn’t seem equipped to handle situations like this.]
"...Well..."
[And, you’re her friend, aren’t you? Wouldn’t it be better to join her?]
Friend? Did Stella see her that way? Seohui felt her opinion of Stella rise slightly.
"Well, yes, I am her friend, unlike you."
[Exactly, unlike . I might be more like sothing... in-between.]
What was that supposed to an?
[I prefer this arrangent. It’s easier to shift relationships this way.]
"What?"
[Anyway, take care of her for , okay? If you could make Seoyeon scream in frustration, handling Arthur Diaz should be a piece of cake for you.]
With that cryptic remark, Stella hung up, leaving Seohui no choice but to agree to Majin just a week ago.
"I’ve heard plenty about Arthur Diaz."
She had been given enough insight into his personality and likely behavior, along with so additional details via chat.
In this mont, she decided it was best to firmly push Arthur away.
Her attention shifted to the man now walking toward the table.
It was Han Yegun, the director of Majin.
Beside him was Kim Hongbaek, an instructor from Cheonghong Action School. Since Majin involved significant action sequences, Kim Hongbaek had been brought on as a consultant.
"Mic test."
Han Yegun tested the microphone, checking the sound level. At the sa ti, he appeared to be assessing the number of people gathered in the venue.
"He's young," Seoyeon thought, a bit surprised. She had heard as much, but seeing him in person, he seed even younger.
Seohui, who had been chatting away beside her, suddenly fell silent, allowing Seoyeon to observe freely.
anwhile, Narumi Sora, seated next to Seoyeon, appeared even more tense.
With the director taking the stage, it seed the filming was about to beco a reality.
While Seoyeon was the lead, the second and third most prominent roles belonged to Arthur Diaz and Narumi Sora, respectively.
For Sora, who had never starred in a major production, the pressure was imnse—especially since the other Korean actors weren’t exactly welcoming toward her.
"Just like when I was called a nepotism hire as a child," Seoyeon muttered quietly.
Seohui, sitting beside her, flinched visibly, causing Seoyeon to tilt her head in confusion.
"I wasn’t saying that about you," Seoyeon clarified.
"...But I’m the one who said it back then," Seohui replied.
"I don’t really care about it anymore."
"So, you still think about it."
Regardless, Seoyeon didn’t like the way people were looking at Narumi Sora. Narumi was a legitimate cast mber who had earned her place through auditions.
Was it because she was Japanese?
Or because of her lack of experience?
Perhaps it was both. But to Seoyeon, Narumi Sora was an impressive actress.
To her knowledge, Sora possessed exceptional physical abilities.
"Hello, everyone. I’m Han Yegun, the director of Majin," Han Yegun spoke, breaking Seoyeon’s train of thought.
His tone was light, almost casual.
Seoyeon studied him carefully. He looked to be in his mid-to-late thirties—a young age for a director. He was tall, likely over 180 cm, with slightly long hair tied back. His sharp features gave him the appearance of a hawk.
Dark circles under his eyes added an artistic, almost eccentric aura.
"Director Han Yegun," Seoyeon recalled from her research, "renowned for his masterful direction. While his storytelling is said to be a bit weak, his ability to create an overwhelming atmosphere and visuals is unmatched. He’s considered one of the best in Korea when it cos to utilizing CGI."
She listened attentively as Han addressed the cast and crew.
"This is more like an introductory eting. I believe it’s important for everyone to et before the script reading. I know so of you must be very busy, so I apologize for the inconvenience."
Han glanced over the crowd, taking in the sheer number of people in attendance. With extras included, the group easily exceeded a hundred—testant to the significant investnt GH Group had made in the project.
"Our drama, Majin, is not a typical drama but an OTT series. I don’t think many of you here have worked on OTT projects before, as they’re still relatively unfamiliar in Korea."
The series was set to span six or possibly twelve episodes, a format that was still novel in Korea. Even the level of investnt in this production was unheard of.
Only Seoyeon seed to grasp the reasoning behind it.
OTT dramas hadn’t yet gained mainstream traction globally, let alone in Korea. Without the explosive popularity of Child Ga, this approach seed premature.
"This drama is targeted at international audiences, not just dostic viewers. Keep that in mind. Naturally, we’ll have high expectations, and the filming process may be grueling."
Han’s gaze briefly rested on Seoyeon. Unlike the others, who appeared bewildered, his lead actress showed no signs of hesitation.
"You’ve all passed a rigorous selection process, so I trust you’ll do well. And if not... well, we’ll figure sothing out then," he joked.
Though his tone was light, no one took it as a joke.
Han Yegun’s reputation preceded him. Stories abounded of his drastic changes to scripts when he was dissatisfied with an actor’s performance. Entire roles had been reduced or altered on a whim, often leading to contractual disputes.
It was no surprise that the contracts for Majin explicitly included a clause stating that roles and scenes could be modified at the director’s discretion.
For actors, it was an unreasonable clause. Yet, the power of GH Group had drawn this many people despite it.
"Filming officially begins next Monday," Han continued.
The schedule was tight: script reading followed imdiately by filming.
"We aim to complete all filming by the end of this year and release the series by February or March next year."
Three months. The room fell silent. A typical production tiline spanned at least a year, sotis longer.
But three months? It seed impossible.
"Not entirely impossible," Seohui thought, rubbing her chin.
If the schedule was already locked in, it could be done. Unlike traditional dramas, OTT productions didn’t have to coordinate with broadcasters or theaters. The main challenge would be marketing.
"They plan to handle marketing and production simultaneously," Seohui concluded, glancing at Seoyeon.
For Seoyeon, the next two months would likely be incredibly hectic.
****
"Majin? Three months? Haha, that guy is really pushing it," laughed Baek Min, the director of Kyungsung Lady, at a post-wrap party.
The typically composed director seed relaxed now that filming was complete.
"Seoyeon, you must be so busy. We’re starting promotions soon too. The PV is already done—could you take a look later?"
"The PV is ready already?"
Seoyeon had recently finished filming the final scene for Kyungsung Lady in Korea.
The last scene depicted Yuina letting go of Yeon Seonye, marking their farewell as Yuina left Korea.
"What happened in between?" Baek Min wondered as he observed Seoyeon.
Seoyeon had always struggled with romantic scenes, masking it in various ways. Yet, with each project, she seed to grow more comfortable expressing emotion.
Her final performance in Kyungsung Lady was the most poignant yet—full of longing and heartbreak.
"Ah, and I saw your Viola comrcial. You looked like a completely different person," Baek Min comnted.
"Did I?" Seoyeon replied awkwardly.
Everyone who saw the Viola comrcial said the sa thing: they couldn’t believe it was her.
"Totally different, Ju Seoyeon. Completely different," insisted Lee Jiyeon.
"Really?"
"Yes! So, sothing must have happened, right? Suspicious."
Seoyeon had barely begun to process Jiyeon’s persistence when her phone buzzed.
"Hm?"
She glanced at the screen and narrowed her eyes.
"Who is it? Park Jungwoo?" Jiyeon teased.
"Why would it be him?"
"...Hmm. So, it’s not?"
Lately, Jiyeon had been unusually curious about Seoyeon’s relationships. Normally indifferent, she now seed on edge whenever Seoyeon interacted with others.
"Anyway," Seoyeon muttered, looking at her phone again.
It was nothing urgent—just a ssage from Pyo Jiwoo, an old acquaintance from her Close Your Eyes theater days, inviting her to a reunion.
But it wasn’t the ssage’s content that caught her attention.
"The profile picture changed."
Pyo Jiwoo’s profile photo now featured two people: a beaming Jiwoo and a man with his arm draped over Jiwoo’s shoulder.
The man’s face was obscured by sunglasses and a mask, but Seoyeon could guess who it was.
Row from JustX.
The very man behind Shine Moon, the club poised to make headlines by year’s end.
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