In This Life, I Will Die As An Actress, Not As A Villainess [EN]: Chapter 119

I’ll Die as an Actress in This Life – Episode 119

A meeting before the guerrilla fan meeting.

“300 people?!

The PD [Production Director, the head of the production team] said they were planning to gather 300 people, then casually adjusted their glasses as if it were nothing.

Last time, we announced it in advance and gathered 300 fans through ticketing.

“I-Is that possible?”

Is it possible to gather 300 people on the day of, without any promotion?

Moreover, the fan meeting was scheduled for a weekday.

The PD continued to speak nonchalantly.

“Don’t worry too much. We’ll be promoting the program in advance to attract interest. And we’ll also build curiosity about the first participant.”

I nodded, still a bit skeptical, at those words.

The PD looked at my face, shrugged, and offered a reasonable compromise.

“If you’re too worried, we can put up a notice on the morning of the event.”

“Yes, that would be good… Thank you. So, what’s the program for the fan meeting?”

“We have several ideas. Singing, dancing to popular idol songs…”

“P-Please exclude that.”

I hurriedly stopped the PD’s words.

The nightmare from Gyeol Flower came to mind.

The PD smiled slightly, as if already knowing why.

“Yes. And we also have a Q&A session with fans, inviting an MC [Master of Ceremonies, a host] to host a talk concert, and so on.”

“Ah, those ideas are good.”

I smiled brightly and nodded.

“Yes, overall, it’s a system where Saena-ssi moves autonomously. If you want anything, please tell me anytime.”

“Yes.”

* * *

After a short meeting, I went to a small cafe near the broadcasting station.

I was sitting in a corner, reading the script for , which was up to part 10.

Fortunately, the writer, who was writing a drama script for the first time, was keeping the story interesting without losing tension in the later parts.

Unlike other scripts, the long stage directions and rich expressions, almost like a novel, were the charm of this script.

The detailed stage directions and instructions given to the characters also made it easy to imagine the characters in the work and situation.

I was reading the lines in my head when…

Bzz-

A call came from Minyoung unnie [older sister or close female friend].

“Yes, unnie.”

Unnie delivered bombshell news.

-Lee Sunho has been cast.

“Huh?”

– male lead. Lee Sunho.

“What?!?”

I was so surprised that I jumped up from my seat.

Then, I hurriedly looked around and sat back down.

I lowered my voice and asked quickly.

“Is Lee Sunho really doing this?”

-What’s even more surprising is, you know? He originally wasn’t going to do it, but he said he would as soon as he heard you were the female lead.”

I widened my eyes at unnie’s words.

“Why?”

-He must have wanted to work with you. Wow, Han Saena has grown a lot.

I could hear unnie’s proud laughter over the phone.

I was dumbfounded.

“No way.”

I was so surprised that my hand lost strength.

-With Lee Sunho joining, the director also joined right away. It’s someone he worked with on his previous project. We’re going straight into scheduling now.

“Ah….”

-Wow, this is going to be interesting, isn’t it? Let’s cause another big accident this year.

I nodded blankly at unnie’s words without answering.

The call ended, and I put my palm on my forehead.

“Am I dreaming right now?”

Or am I not?

Is Lee Sunho’s casting not that surprising?

When I think about it, I did film a drama with Lee Seokhyun, who is undoubtedly South Korea’s top actor.

I recalled Lee Seokhyun’s grinning face.

That guy is somehow a bit…

I shook my head and looked back at the script.

I felt a strange trembling in my heart.

If this happens, the scheduling is definitely a done deal.

It’s really starting now.

My heart was pounding fast.

* * *

And the day of the decisive battle.

[UBN ‘Guerrilla Fan Meeting’ Information on Participation in the 1st Han Saena Fan Meeting]

‘Date – July 8th (Friday) PM 8:00 (scheduled)’

‘Location – Hongdae Wayne Live Hall’

* Photo time and autograph session scheduled after the fan meeting

As soon as the notice went up on the morning of the event, the internet went wild.

As soon as it was evening, I hurried my steps towards Line 2 [Seoul Subway Line 2, a circular line].

Bang Chaehyuk and Lee Yul, whom I had a connection with on the NBS entertainment show , were reliably supporting me.

The two of them were walking together as MCs.

“Wow, I wonder how this program will turn out.”

“I’m so nervous!”

Bang Chaehyuk and Lee Yul were excitedly chattering.

“Okay, shall we go?”

Before going to Hongdae, a surprise event was prepared to raid (?) the Line 2 subway.

Fortunately, it was easy to move around inside the subway station because we avoided rush hour.

I exchanged glances with the two of them and took off my mask and hat.

Then, I started walking around the station.

With Bang Chaehyuk and Lee Yul on either side, and a camera following us, people were startled and looked at me.

I greeted those people brightly.

“Hello, I’m Han Saena. If you’re okay with it….”

I said with an embarrassed smile.

“Would you like an autograph?”

It’ll probably be funny on TV.

Then, the middle-aged women standing in front of me jumped up and down and even clapped.

“Oh my, Saena-ssi! I’m a big fan.”

“Give me an autograph! Wow, you’re so much prettier in person.”

“What is this? An entertainment show??”

People gathered from all directions after hearing the voices of the middle-aged women.

“Are you filming Asura again? Oh my, even Chaehyuk-ssi!!”

At that moment, a station employee approached from afar with suspicious eyes.

“You can’t sell things here… Oh.”

The cameraman quickly captured the station employee, who had mistaken our group for peddlers, with the camera.

“Oh my, Han Saena-ssi!! Please give me an autograph!!”

The young station employee ran over quickly.

Everyone around me, including me, burst into laughter.

“Wow, this is more chaotic and fun than I thought?”

Bang Chaehyuk chuckled next to me and made a comment.

“Okay, everyone!! We have prepared a surprise event. Han Saena-ssi will be performing a crazy dance for you!!”

Then, suddenly, Lee Yul put his hands to his mouth and shouted loudly.

“What?!

I was startled and looked at Lee Yul with wide eyes, but the people who had gathered like clouds were already clapping excitedly.

“Oh my, no. No, no!”

“Hey, you can’t back out now. Okay, let’s go!!”

Then, Bang Chaehyuk played EDM music loudly on his phone.

“Okay, one, two, three, go!!”

Ahhh.

Oh well, I don’t care.

In the end, I started dancing the crab dance (?), shaking my head back and forth.

Is it really okay for me to be doing this?

Two steps to the left, two steps to the right, to the music.

I could see people laughing and clapping.

A roar erupted when I shook my head even more excitedly and even performed a wave.

Bang Chaehyuk and Lee Yul were greatly amused, as if they hadn’t expected this much.

“Wow, Saena-ssi’s passion is amazing!”

“Let’s go too.”

Lee Yul, who had made things this way, felt responsible and stood next to me.

In the end, the three of us performed the Asura dance.

Before I knew it, people had gathered in the station without a place to set foot.

How long had we been dancing?

As soon as the song ended, people took out a piece of paper from somewhere and held it out in front of me.

“Please give me an autograph!”

“You’re awesome, Han Saena!!”

“Chaehyuk-ssi, Lee Yul-ssi, please give us autographs too!”

I signed autographs for people while saying 정신없이 [jeongsin eopsi – mindlessly, without thinking].

“Please come to the guerrilla concert later!”

Promoting it quickly like this.

To gather as many as 300 people, I had to win over even one or two more people.

After a while.

I came out of the station, panting.

When I walked in front of Hongdae, other people were surprised and looked at us.

“Hee, I’m already tired.”

However, those gazes were not even in my mind right now.

Bang Chaehyuk was also sweating profusely next to me.

“Honestly, you wanted to dance, didn’t you? What would have happened if we hadn’t made you do it.”

Lee Yul, who was still full of energy, teased me while looking at me.

A staff member approached us and handed us energy drinks.

I accepted the drink, bewildered.

“W-What is this?”

“We have a long way to go.”

The live hall we were going to was visible in front of us.

I took the drink with a determined expression, looking at the stage.

* * *

Outdoor live hall where darkness had already fallen.

I was fixing my makeup inside a makeshift tent behind the stage.

Time was already 5 minutes before the guerrilla live.

Bang Chaehyuk and Lee Yul had gone up on stage in advance to play the role of hype men.

“Are there a lot of people?”

I asked the staff, trembling anxiously.

The staff only smiled and no one answered.

I took a deep breath for a moment.

I’m fine with standing in front of the camera, but why is the stage always so nerve-wracking?

My nervous face was being captured on camera.

Why do I have to be the first performer?

What if there aren’t any people?

What if the program gets canceled!!

While I was having all sorts of delusions alone.

“Okay, stand by!”

A staff member shouted.

I jumped up from my seat.

The staff waved as if to wish me well.

“I’m nervous, what should I do.”

The staff laughed as they watched me pretend to tremble.

“Fighting!”

“Han Saena, good luck!”

I left the tent, listening to the staff’s cheers.

I moved my steps to the back of the stage.

Then, I slowly took a deep breath and started climbing the stairs connected to the stage.

Bang Chaehyuk shouted in a loud voice, as if he had received the signal that I was going up.

“Please welcome Han Saena-ssi!!”

“Everyone, please welcome her with a big round of applause!”

“Waaaaa!!”

On the stage I reached.

Bright lights prepared by the staff were turned on above the square illuminated by soft streetlights.

Below that, people were sitting densely in the 300 prepared seats.

In addition, people who could not sit in the seats were gathered in groups of three or five behind them, forming a crowd.

The faces of the people were clearly visible one by one from a close distance.

“……!”

I was stunned to see the people, who seemed to be well over 500.

Bang Chaehyuk smiled and gestured as if to tell me to come next to him.

With trembling steps, I approached the fans, one step at a time.

“Well, our Saena-ssi seems very surprised. But this isn’t the end, is it?”

“Okay, everyone. Shall we show you what we practiced together? One, two, three!”

With Lee Yul’s countdown, people held up placards.

The words ‘I love you, Han Saena’ were engraved on the blue cloth.

It was a surprise goodie prepared by the production team.

Many people were holding up the placards and smiling brightly.

People who did not receive the placards wrote my name on their phone mini billboards.

‘Our goddess actress♥’

‘Han Saena, let’s run long [support you for a long time]’

‘I love you Han Saena’

Soft music began to play, signaling the start of the fan meeting.

At that moment, my nose tingled.

I’ll Die as an Actress in This Life