I Want to Be a VTuber-Chapter 283: The King’s Dark Souls (1)

The class president, Gil Dahyun, watched the film with almost no prior knowledge of it.

First and foremost, her impression was that, honestly, she had been moved to tears.

It was a film more than worthy of closing out the year.

She had laughed and cried while watching it with her friends.

Even after the credits rolled, no one could immediately get up to ask for autographs.

The lingering emotions kept them rooted to their seats.

"All of the actors were just too good."

She had already known about Seoyeon.

But, to be honest, she hadn’t had high expectations for Jiyeon.

To Dahyun, Jiyeon was just Seoyeon’s friend.

That was the only thing stored in her mind.

The only time she had met her before was at last year’s end-of-year party.

Other than that, she had never interacted with her, so she had no idea what Jiyeon’s acting skills were like.

"She was really good at acting."

"Yeah, yeah, especially in the second half when she was trying to stop Michiko..."

The scene where she tried to prevent Michiko’s suicide and persuade her.

Dahyun had been so immersed that she had unconsciously shed a few tears.

She had felt as if she could momentarily empathize with Yeon Seonye.

Or rather, in truth, she had related to her a lot.

That aside, the following scene had been quite explicit, making her flinch.

‘If this were rated R, they definitely would’ve been naked.’

How did it feel to see a classmate naked on screen?

For a moment, Dahyun had felt a dizzying sensation.

Even though there was no actual nudity, the depiction and breathing had been extremely suggestive.

Was it really okay to watch this with school friends?

That was the kind of feeling she had gotten.

‘And on top of that...’

Dahyun and her friends exchanged glances as Seoyeon entered the classroom, their expressions difficult to describe.

"Hey, Yuina’s acting was amazing yesterday, right? When she let Yeon Seonye go to Michiko, I almost cried."

"Honestly, she was so cool when she went to save her, too. I was rooting for Yeon Seonye and Yuina the whole time..."

"But weren’t they childhood friends?"

"Yeah, they said they went to the same kindergarten together, right?"

"Could it be... No way, right?"

"Then does that mean she lost her childhood friend to someone else?"

"I feel like I can kind of relate to that."

"Huh?"

This was the problem with acting too well.

Of course, logically, they all knew it was just a performance.

But Yuina’s presence from the film still lingered in the students’ minds.

Yuina, storming into the auction house to rescue Yeon Seonye.

The way she treated Yeon Seonye’s injured hands with such tenderness.

And in the final scene, as she let go of Yeon Seonye’s hand, sending her to Michiko.

Even with their eyes closed, they could vividly recall it.

There was a reason why actors who played murderers often struggled to shake off that image for a while.

Fortunately, Seoyeon’s role wasn’t that extreme, but it was still a hard thing to explain.

"S-Seoyeon, did you enjoy the movie yesterday?"

"Oh, today you didn’t come with that kid from the other class?"

The classmates who usually approached Seoyeon hesitated as they spoke, as if testing the waters.

And whenever Seoyeon’s gaze landed on them, they instinctively flinched.

"Um."

Moreover, whenever someone tried to approach her, their footsteps subtly slowed, keeping some distance.

Seoyeon realized it.

‘I can’t believe it’s affecting me like this.’

She had thought she would be fine since she didn’t have any particularly intense scenes.

But apparently, that wasn’t the case.

When she had watched it in the theater, the moments between Yeon Seonye and Yuina had felt incredibly tender—and even sensual.

It wasn’t surprising that this was the reaction.

‘Did you hear? Someone saw Seoyeon holding hands with that girl from the other class at the theater yesterday.’

‘For real?’

‘Yeah! It wasn’t too visible since they were in the front row, but...’

Low whispers.

Normally, she wouldn’t have been able to hear them.

But with her sharp hearing, she caught every word perfectly.

Of course, the moment she heard it, she felt a strong urge to retort.

‘I wasn’t holding hands. I was being held onto.’

But she couldn’t exactly run up and deny it, so she could only listen in silence.

And in a way, they weren’t completely wrong.

After all, Jiyeon had been visibly nervous—how could she have pulled her hand away in that situation?

"Come on, holding hands with a friend isn’t a big deal. Some girls even hold hands when they go to the restroom together."

"I guess, but still..."

"And it’s just a rumor. Let’s not jump to conclusions."

Thankfully, Dahyun subtly intervened.

Seoyeon genuinely wanted to thank her.

The strange atmosphere lasted until just before the first period began.

"What’s with you all today? The mood feels weird."

Even the teacher had noticed by the time they entered.

That was how much impact the movie had left.

And as for Jiyeon—

"J-Ju Seoyeon, this is all your fault! F-For the time being, we’re going to school separately, got it?!"

Jiyeon’s face was bright red as she declared this before running off.

What exactly had she gone through in class?

It was easy to imagine.

Unlike Seoyeon, whose role only hinted at something suggestive, Jiyeon had a full-fledged kiss scene.

‘Now that I think about it...’

As she recalled the gazes directed at her earlier, she realized that some of them had been filled with sympathy.

"It’s okay, Seoyeon."

"Yeah. Besides, that actress doesn’t even go to our school, right?"

"Losing a childhood friend must really hurt..."

"?"

After all, in the movie, Yuina was the one who was left behind.

She had lost Yeon Seonye to Michiko—just like how Jiyeon had been "taken" by Jo Sehee.

The last classmate to speak even sounded strangely melancholic.

It reminded Seoyeon of Jung Haran, the web novel author she had met recently.

Like someone who had recently been through a breakup.

Well, Seoyeon had felt something similar when she first watched the scene.

Though, of course, for slightly different reasons.

‘But it was just a movie.’

Still, she couldn’t outright deny it, so she just gave an awkward smile and nodded.

Either way—

‘There weren’t supposed to be any kids from the other class at the press screening.’

Seoyeon sighed at Jiyeon’s overreaction.

Fortunately, thanks to Dahyun, the weird stares disappeared quickly.

But Kyungsung Lady had now become the hottest topic in school.

And this was only the beginning.

After all, the film had only finished its press screening.

The actual release was still ahead.

‘...When this officially comes out...’

Should she take a break from school?

For the first time since playing Chasa in The Chaser, Seoyeon felt a real sense of impending crisis.

****

[Director Baek Min’s Kyungsung Lady. Will it Dominate the Year-End Box Office?]

[Rave Reviews from the Press Screening! A Perfect Film to End the Year!!]

[Does She Even Know the Meaning of Failure? Box Office Guarantee, Ju Seoyeon]

I just got back from the screening, and honestly, I cried. It was incredible!!I don’t usually like films with this kind of theme (LGBT content), but this might be the best movie since The King’s Lament, which shook South Korea.Reminiscent of The King’s Lament! The actors’ performances were absolutely insane!!I thought it’d be predictable because of the historical setting, but it was just a backdrop. The story was surprisingly fresh.Lee Jiyeon... was she always this good? I remember her from cable dramas, and she seemed average, but she was amazing in this movie.

The press screening reviews were already pouring into film forums and social media.

Even those who had no initial interest were beginning to get curious.

After all, from its very first advertisement, Kyungsung Lady had been marketed as a queer film—specifically, one about a romance between women.

Most people had initially reacted with strong resistance.

But now, with so many glowing reviews, even skeptics were starting to wonder.

Lee Sangsoo’s performance was out of this world????His villain role didn’t feel like a comeback after a long hiatus; he was just straight-up insane;;Fr though lol, I literally forgot to breathe in the second half lmaoIf you forgot to breathe, how are you still alive?They said Stella only appeared for a few seconds, but she was in the movie for a solid chunk? She was basically a supporting role lolHow much did they even spend to make this kind of queer film?At least watch the movie before talking. This isn’t something to be underrated.Ju Seoyeon’s acting was just on another level.Was Yuina too OP? If she had just stormed in from the start, she could’ve wiped everyone out lmao.Let us witness what you saw.Everyone’s making such a big deal about it. Let’s just wait for the release.

It had become the most talked-about film across online communities.

Those who attended the press screening couldn’t stop raving about it, making even the indifferent ones curious.

And more than anything, what really sparked discussion was the endorsement from a major film YouTuber, Han Bongshik.

"This could hit ten million. Even if it doesn’t, it’ll do at least eight million." freewёbnoνel.com

"No, I’m serious. Even without ‘that kind of content,’ this is a masterpiece."

"It’s not some pretentious arthouse film. It’s just straight-up fun, I swear!"

His passionate rant spread like wildfire.

And since there weren’t any other major blockbusters scheduled for release, public interest in Kyungsung Lady was growing rapidly.

Like a fire spreading through dry grass, the hype soon reached major corporations.

"Should we increase the number of screenings for Kyungsung Lady?"

The powerhouse of South Korea’s cultural industry.

When it came to movie theaters, GH Group held a firm monopoly.

GMV (GH Mega Village).

They owned the largest chain of theaters in the country.

"We thought it lacked commercial appeal, but it seems we were wrong."

To be honest, they had never paid much attention to Director Baek Min’s films.

Until now.

"Everyone who watched it is raving about it."

"I watched it too, and I have to say, it was genuinely entertaining."

"But audience reactions don’t always match those of film critics."

"That’s right. If we increase screenings too hastily just based on these early reactions..."

"No, expanding the screenings is the right move."

"What?"

All eyes turned toward one person.

Kang Taejin, the Director of Cultural Affairs, spoke calmly under the board members’ scrutiny.

"We are currently investing in Mine, correct?"

"That’s right."

"Netflix has shown significant interest and invested heavily in it. And surely, you all remember who the lead actress is?"

Ju Seoyeon.

The board members nodded.

"If we boost her recognition here, it will definitely impact Mine as well. More importantly, Kyungsung Lady is a film that’s better suited for the international market than the domestic one."

"That’s always been the case with Baek Min’s films."

"Exactly. So if we want to maximize the promotional impact for our OTT drama, Kyungsung Lady needs to perform well."

The better the film did, the more profit they would gain in return.

If Kyungsung Lady successfully made waves overseas, it would naturally draw more attention to Mine.

"But... it’s still a film with limited mainstream appeal."

"Mainstream appeal can be manufactured by increasing the number of screenings."

"......"

"And if a film is truly good, it won’t result in a loss."

"Hmm."

The board members exchanged glances at Kang Taejin’s statement.

He wasn’t wrong.

More than anything, the timing was perfect.

There weren’t any major films currently dominating the box office.

To the point where theaters were filling gaps by re-releasing older hits.

If they had empty slots anyway, wouldn’t it be more beneficial to use them for Kyungsung Lady?

"For now, let’s observe a little longer."

"Understood."

"There’s still some time before the official release..."

The buzz surrounding Kyungsung Lady was growing at an explosive rate.

And that was just from the press screening.

The actual theatrical release was still ahead.

And when that happened—

It would be a completely different story.

****

"Why was the press screening only held in Korea?!"

"Reporter, how was it? Was it good?!"

"Of course it was good! It was amazing!"

Japanese entertainment journalist Furihata Yuito wasted no time in writing his article, prioritizing it over shaking off the fatigue from his overseas trip.

And for good reason— Kyungsung Lady was set for a simultaneous release in Korea and Japan.

‘They mentioned releasing a promotional documentary through an OTT platform, right?’

Would it coincide with the film’s release?

It seemed slightly delayed, but in a way, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

‘Now I understand why the film received such glowing praise.’

Yuito had connections with YHJ Broadcasting, the company producing the documentary.

Because of that, he had heard bits and pieces about the project.

But whenever he asked about the film—

"Ehh, you'll have to watch the movie to find out."

"Come on, just a little hint! We’ve known each other for years!"

"Ahem, if I say too much, I might get fired. Anyway, I can assure you—it’s going to be good. Some of our actors even attended the filming as observers."

"...Really?"

"Reika showed interest, so she watched some scenes during the Japan shoot."

Was that even allowed?

The thought crossed his mind, but since Reika had previously appeared on a Japanese variety show with them, it seemed like her connection had granted her special permission.

Though, only for Reika.

Thanks to that, most of the Japan-related segments in the documentary would reportedly be narrated by Reika herself.

"A review from an actor’s perspective should provide valuable insight."

"And Reika is a popular actress, after all."

"It seems like she had a lot of personal takeaways from the experience—wait, why am I even telling you this?"

"Thank you."

"Do not publish that in your article yet! I mean it!"

"I know, I know."

But just watching the film alone had already given him more than enough material to write about.

The additional content could be prepared in advance...

"...This is going to be exciting."

Late at night, Yuito let out a deep sigh in the empty newspaper office.

But it wasn’t a sigh of exhaustion—it was one of satisfaction.

To be perfectly honest, from his perspective, the film had been pure eye candy.

There were so many striking moments that he couldn’t even pick a favorite.

‘Ju Seoyeon and Stella’s performance. That was phenomenal.’

If ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ there was one scene that would cause the biggest reaction in Japan, it would be that one.

After all, Stella was already a massively popular actress in Japan.

And Ju Seoyeon had all the qualities Japanese audiences loved.

And so—

[Kyungsung Lady: A Powerful Film Capturing the Sincerity of Three Actresses.]

When Yuito’s article was published in Japan, it immediately caught the public’s attention.

A compelling film about three conflicted women. Director Baek Min successfully balances artistic integrity with commercial appeal—a true masterpiece.

The infamously sharp-tongued film critic Kang Yuseok also gave the movie high praise, setting the internet abuzz.

And when the actual screenings began—

"What? There are no seats left?"

"There are a few, but they’re way off to the side."

"How is that possible with this many screenings?!"

It had officially begun.

The Kyungsung Lady phenomenon was in full swing.