TQV 94

Chapter 36

I couldn’t guess what kind of answer I’d get, so I was a little wary.

Ha Ji-hyun spoke very gently.

“Just trust the fans, actor-nim.”

“…Huh? Trust who?”

“The fans. Su-a’s fans are going to search and stream like crazy and link the two videos. That way, the views will naturally rise together and the algorithm will start pushing it!”

She said it so confidently that I almost believed it. But honestly, it didn’t sound realistic.

‘What fans do I have?’

I was just a child actor who’d briefly appeared in two projects. Wouldn’t it take at least five years to build a fanbase?

Still, I didn’t deny Ha Ji-hyun’s faith in me. She worked hard — no point in discouraging her.

Anyway, what mattered was that I fulfilled my promise. If the video got views, great. If not, oh well.

“It’s done! It’s trending!”

…I really didn’t think it would actually happen.

[Dad Judgment/Info] All you Pul-moo-saes, gather!!!
(Note: "Pul-moo-sae" = pun combining "full version" & "fanatic bird", meaning die-hard fans who want full versions of content)

Our wish has finally come true!!!
Go right now to Hangil Entertainment’s YouTube channel!!!

Su-a fulfills her 7% ratings pledge from <Dad Judgment>!
Lee Su-a sings UNANSWER’s “You Don’t Know — What Kind of Feelings This Song Holds, But Someday I Want to Tell You, Chapter 1”

Even if you’re not a Pul-moo-sae, go listen!!! See for yourself why we begged for the full version!!!

• Finally!!!!

• The long oppression is over!!!

• I believed in you, damn it~~~!!!

• Hi to all the Pul-moo-saes!

└ You heard the song?

└└ Yeah.

└└└ New Pul-moo-sae here, hi!

└└└└ Hi~

• LOL that thread above... were you just looking for fellow fans or what? 😂

• That title is still crazy even now.

└ It was already long, and then they added “Chapter 1”?! Insane 😂

└└ Were they planning a Chapter 2 if it got popular? LOL

• This is it… This kid is a prodigy, seriously.

• My wish is fulfilled, I can die happy now…

└ RIF — Rest In Full version 😭

• She sings so well, my ears are blessed.

• She’s 10 years old?! How can a 10-year-old do this??

└ There are lots of idols who start training at 10. It’s not that unusual.

└└ But she’s an actress though.

└└ She sings better than most adults.

└└ Why compare across fields tho?

• Honestly, she could be a singer or an idol. Why is she acting?

└ Uh… this is a drama thread. Kinda irrelevant.

└└ I mean… I just meant her talent’s being wasted.

└└└ Would you say that after seeing Min Seo-dahee?

└└└ Her next project is a film with Director Hong LOL

• She’s talented in both acting and singing — maybe she can do both!

└ You must be a musical fan!

└└ Crap, you got me. But seriously, listen to her.

└└└ Musicals are out… Too expensive T_T

• Doesn’t matter — I’m just happy we got the full version!!!

Apparently, more people wanted the full cover song than I expected.
People affectionately called “Pul-moo-saes” (full-version fanatics) flocked to every community the moment the video dropped, generating a decent buzz.

On top of that, Oh Na-yoon and other UNANSWER members made reaction videos and promoted it on social media.
For them, it was a smart marketing move to ride the wave — but thanks to that ripple effect, my name also spread widely.

‘Still… trending? Really?’

The video of me sneezing had gone up on the official broadcast channel and went viral thanks to Go Jin-ki’s popularity — that made sense.
But this? I didn’t get it.

Sure, the original song hit No.1 on the charts, and UNANSWER was producing tons of content with their members all in — but still, how did my cover go viral?

“You see? I told you! Su-a’s fans worked hard!”

Ha Ji-hyun beamed through her tired face.
Apparently, she’d been swamped with calls from reporters since morning.

I hadn’t intended to promote the film through the cover, but once it started trending, articles began mentioning it alongside the movie.

Some reporters asked if I really sang the entire song, or if there was autotune involved.
They also asked what I thought about the comments suggesting I become a singer.

But Kwon Du-il was firm in his stance.

“We’re sticking to our path. Because we are Hangil Entertainment!”

He said that confidently to the press, but once we were alone, he whispered to me:

“Of course, if you want to try, I won’t stop you. Acting might be the most fun now, but that could change as you grow.”

I just smiled.

I know what I’m good at and what I enjoy.
I’m grateful people like my singing, but that alone doesn’t dictate my path.

Right now, I’m focused on acting — and on changing my mother’s future.

“Do you want to be my student?”

“Me? But this is my first time trying this.”

“Exactly. So? Want to be my student?”

Pansori master Park Young-ja, a friend of Director Hong Il-beom, gently took my hand.

“I’ll treat you better than Il-beom ever could! If you stick with me for 20 years, you could become a National Treasure and a Master.”

“Wow, really?”

“Of course! Auntie guarantees it!”

I giggled and pulled my hand back.

“Still, I want to be an actress. Acting is the most fun.”

“Pfft. Fun should be a hobby. What you’re good at should be your profession if you want to live happily.”

“I’m good at acting too! When my next movie comes out, please come watch!”

Park Young-ja looked a bit disappointed, but Lee Ok-dan, who’d come along for the interview, stepped in.

“Unni, are you trying to poach our actress in front of me? That won’t do.”

“But you’ve seen how talented she is.”

“Of course. I saw it all. Not just her singing, but her acting too. She’s good at everything. That’s exactly why we should let her do what she wants.”

“Aigoo… Still feels like a waste…”

Lee Ok-dan led the reluctant Park Young-ja into the main room, motioning for me to rest.

“Su-a, water.”

I took the water Kwon Du-il handed me and looked around Park Young-ja’s house.

Built near a quiet mountain, the house had a big yard and high walls — probably to allow for vocal practice.

The living room felt like any traditional Korean home, with folk paintings, Buddhist tanghwa scrolls, and small Buddha statues.
There was even a sort of altar in one corner. I was curiously inspecting it when Kwon Du-il gently pulled me back.

“Just in case — don’t touch stuff like that without permission.”

“Stuff like what?”

“Huh? Um… that…”

He stammered. It wasn’t something he believed in, but he was clearly unsure what to say because I didn’t understand.

I narrowed my eyes.

Let’s do a little detective work.

I’d heard that Park Young-ja came from a family of hereditary shamans, though the line was cut a generation ago and she turned to pansori instead.
When this came up yesterday, Kwon Du-il volunteered to come with me instead of Lee Won-seok.

He didn’t look surprised by the altar or the tanghwa scrolls, but whenever I got close to them, he steered me away.

‘Did Mom tell him something?’

“Oh gosh! That general in the scroll looks terrifying. Su-a, Uncle’s scared. Let’s go over there, okay?”

He freaked out over the painting — definitely trying to distract me.

I stared at the red-eyed general in the scroll and said casually,

“I’m not scared of things like this. What scares me is people who blindly believe in them.”

Kwon Du-il froze. I smiled slightly.

“Don’t tell Teacher Park, okay?”

Gods just exist — they don’t act. Humans do.
So using gods as a reason for your actions feels cowardly to me.

I don’t deny the existence of gods, but I don’t think they have some massive influence over human lives.
Actions are human choices. That’s it.

A god can be a motivation, but never an excuse.

…This could work for “Cheon-young.”

“Where’s my script and notebook?”

“Oh — here.”

I took out my notebook from the bag Kwon Du-il handed me and wrote down the thoughts I just had.
Then I compared it to the script, adjusting Cheon-young’s lines and subtle mannerisms.

I annotated every scene Cheon-young appeared in.
When I finally looked up, three pairs of eyes were staring down at me.

Park Young-ja muttered in awe.

“She really needs to act.”

“Right?” said Lee Ok-dan, nodding proudly.

Kwon Du-il gently sat me upright. When did I lie down?

Park Young-ja took the script from my hands, skimmed through it, then asked Lee Ok-dan,

“Did you take her around to shamanic rituals or something?”

“No, not yet. I was going to if necessary. Why?”

“No need. If she just performs it the way she’s written it, she’ll seem more convincing than most rookie shamans.”

Two of them looked at me like I was some kind of wonder.
One looked completely flustered.

I just smiled innocently.