"Are you saying she hasn't taken any ad offers?"
"They say she rejected most of them. She's very cautious."
"But wouldn't it be fine to take on a bit more even if it's a stretch?"
"The representative on that side said their actress is still a student, so..."
"Does she throw away this golden opportunity just because she's a student? She needs to earn aggressively."
"That's a phrase that's been coming up since mid-last year."
"Ah, is that so? Ahem!"
The smash hit of
Last year, the year Seoyeon showed the greatest results.
Naturally, ads have been consistently coming in since then, but there were definitely those who were still testing the waters.
Especially for large corporations, they couldn't help but be especially cautious.
Young celebrities truly never know when they might get involved in a scandal.
Therefore, they tend to use verified celebrities for their company ads.
However, that only goes up to a certain point; if they reach a certain level, they can't help but reach out.
They put out the ad even if they have to take on some risk.
But that's only if the other party accepts the ad.
"Aidez and Éclat Étoile? I can only say their foresight is truly insane."
"Right?"
The representatives and CEOs of the companies that recently placed ads with Seoyeon couldn't help but think so.
Did they really film the ads in advance thinking Seoyeon's brand value would rise this much?
"And when she appears in an ad, she really works hard to promote the product."
"When her photos are uploaded sometimes, even the chair is from Aidez... sigh."
"And what about makeup?"
There is no other celebrity as diligent as that.
Of course, in the case of Éclat Étoile, there were some things that made them wonder, 'Does that really work like that?', but most just let it slide thinking it must be humor.
"Actress Ju Seoyeon, please look this way. Hold the beverage can and turn this way."
The commercial director in charge of Seoyeon's shoot this time gulped as he saw Seoyeon holding the beverage and smiling brightly.
The image she showed in the recent drama was quite fierce, but this refreshing image also suited her well.
How should I put it, should I say it feels like she's recently been able to bring out this kind of image well too?
'The image of actress Ju Seoyeon, who debuted last year, was definitely mostly sharp.'
The commercials also seemed to promote mystique or coolness rather than refreshment or briskness.
Like an image of a blue moon.
However, recently, that image feels like it's changing into something more vibrant.
Is it because she's still a student?
Or is it because of the light and fun image that comes from entertainment shows or YouTube Shorts?
This ad borrowed that lighthearted image she possesses, rather than one from a drama or movie.
That was the correct answer.
Like that, another ad shoot came to an end.
A few more days passed, and it was early morning.
"Please change the sign."
"Wow, it's changing here too? Look at that. That one."
The workers changing the signboard pointed their fingers somewhere and said.
Gangnam, Seoul.
The numerous billboards near COEX Mall.
Ads flowing from the huge electronic billboards hanging on the buildings could be glimpsed.
The new cosmetics ad prepared by Éclat Étoile.
A woman with black hair, wearing a black dress, was swimming in the water.
I heard she actually wore a dress and went into the water to shoot that.
"It's pretty."
It makes you think, if there were a mermaid princess, would she be like that?
"Over there is an Aidez billboard too. This time it's the beverage ad, plus a new clothing brand ad."
Gangnam Station was the greatest battleground for outdoor advertising.
Depending on whose billboard was hung here, one could tell who the most influential celebrity in Korea was right now.
Foreigners.
And the big spenders.
The youth demographic.
The place that could appeal to them the most.
Until the end of last year, Seoyeon's ad was only one hung on a small billboard.
"Can it increase this much all of a sudden?"
"It's not sudden, the impact from last year is only showing now."
Mr. Kim, who had been in this business for a long time, spat out those words as he looked at Gangnam brightening with the morning sun.
"Plus, didn't they say a drama called
"Ah, yes."
"Which channel is that drama on? If it's Ju Seoyeon, is it KMB?"
"It's a Netrix drama."
"Where is that again? I don't know about such things."
Anyway, that merely acted as a trigger.
In the end, the market's reaction follows one step late.
And it's the same for ads.
Ads are hung one tempo later than the moment it explodes.
"That point in time has simply become right now."
The successive hit works starting from
Up to the recent
This was the result of that.
The outdoor billboards at Gangnam Station, the face you see when you look up.
They knew it from that.
Who is currently running at the forefront among Korean actresses.
Like that.
"Look over there."
"She's coming, she's coming."
The whispering of a few students could be heard.
On the way to school.
A girl was walking where the students' gazes were directed.
Black hair, and the contrasting white skin.
She was just walking normally, but her presence was different.
To the point that no one around dared to approach her side.
Ju Seoyeon.
That was her walk to school, having stepped into the realm of a top star.
***
'People are looking at me a lot lately.'
By the way, it hasn't been very long since Seoyeon started feeling those gazes.
She started feeling it a bit more distinctly during the recent beverage ad shoot.
"Actress Ju Seoyeon, I heard you've been getting a lot of contact from overseas because of
Seoyeon is the type to accept ads very cautiously.
For one thing, focusing on her studies was also a student's duty.
Above all, the people around Seoyeon wanted her to enjoy her school life more when she was a student.
So she filmed the minimum number of ads.
Out of countless ads, the ones chosen by Seoyeon were extremely few.
'This beverage will hit it big later.'
Of course, Seoyeon's future knowledge played a part to some extent in this ad selection.
A beverage whose brand awareness would rise later.
Plus, the image taken from the ad was also quite good.
A refreshment that would alleviate Seoyeon's own cool image.
The celebrity who originally filmed this ad was stuck in the public's perception with a refreshing image for a long time because of it.
Seoyeon, whose image was set to some extent, accepted it thinking that even if it wasn't to that extent, it could offset her fierce image.
'This is all because of that senior.'
Seoyeon grumbled inwardly.
Normally, the image Seoyeon had as an actress was a fierce and cool impression.
She thought it had gotten quite better recently, but because of Park Jeongwoo, it bothered her again.
"Actress Ju Seoyeon?"
"Ah, I'm sorry, I had something to think about for a moment. More than that, it's not really like that."
"Is that so? They're talking about Actress Ju Seoyeon everywhere you go these days."
Is that so?
It was true that
Of course, she did get contacted a few times from unexpected places, but it was clear they only thought of using Seoyeon briefly.
They had no intention of treating her properly.
Well, no matter how popular she got, they wouldn't easily reach out to an Asian actress.
'Rather, Viol is the unusual case.'
Come to think of it, the date for the 'Ready-to-Wear' to be held in France wasn't far away either.
Park Jeongwoo, who would be going with her then, seemed to be caring about it in many ways.
There would probably be a few reasons for that.
Lest Seoyeon might cause an accident.
And since it was their first time going just the two of them, he might be unexpectedly caring.
To be exact, rather than himself, it was the version of himself that would be fully dressed up then.
In a manner of speaking, he must be worried about Princess Yeonhwa's side.
'An overseas event, huh.'
The first event she would attend after filming
Honestly, even if they talked about her popularity overseas, it didn't feel real to Seoyeon.
Since Seoyeon lived in Korea, after all.
Rather, unlike its viewership ratings,
A decent action drama.
An awareness of about that level.
She thought it would only be to that extent, but...
'There are definitely more people looking at me than before.'
Monday, after finishing the shoot and returning.
When she went to school, she could feel the gazes of those around her following her.
If it used to be mostly because of her appearance, now she could feel them looking at her knowing she was 'Ju Seoyeon'.
'I did hear that a lot of ads were put up at Gangnam Station...'
Of course, Gangnam was like a world away for Seoyeon, so she hadn't particularly been there.
She often went there for shoots, but at those times, she was mostly playing mobile games and didn't have the leisure to look around.
'I don't know.'
First of all, that wasn't what was important to Seoyeon.
What was immediately important to Seoyeon was high school.
The fact that she hadn't been able to properly make friends in her class due to her busy schedule.
'The field trip is a good opportunity.'
Last year, they went on a field trip to Jeju Island.
She remembered climbing mountain-like places all day long, under the pretext of some Jeju Island oreum experience.
Seoyeon herself didn't find it very difficult, but the other students weren't like that, so they all collapsed, leaving no room to have fun.
She hoped it wouldn't be like that this year.
Seoyeon thought so and couldn't help but harbor anticipation for the upcoming field trip.
"S-Seoyeon, hi?"
"The w-weather's nice today, right?"
"……."
She thought she had to, to erase this awkward atmosphere felt in the classroom.
***
"The questionnaire I'm handing out today has the field trip destination candidates, so check it and submit it to the class president."
Seoyeon's new homeroom teacher, Chae Yeonghui, said that and passed the questionnaires from the front row to the back.
In fact, as far as field trips go, they were mostly domestic destinations.
'Gyeongju again?'
'It was Jeju Island in 1st year, so a different place would be good this time.'
Thinking like that, she just looked at the questionnaire listlessly.
It wasn't much different for Seoyeon either.
'I just hope it's not a place that requires stamina.'
When she went to Jeju Island before, there wasn't much to enjoy either.
They climbed Jeju oreums all day long, and on the second day, they climbed Hallasan.
Anyway, with her stamina drained from only climbing mountains, there was no room to properly have fun.
They had to do some sightseeing to have something worth talking about.
"Huh?"
The eyes of one of the students who saw the questionnaire widened.
No, how could this be. Is what's written here right?
"Teacher, is this the Paris I know?"
"Japan is here too."
A few students asked their homeroom teacher, Chae Yeonghui.
No wonder.
'France? Japan?'
The field trip destinations were written as overseas.
There were largely four candidate destinations.
Japan, China, France, and the US.
'Is this what Seoul is like?'
Seoyeon's pupils shook as she examined the questionnaire.
Glancing at the other students, it didn't seem like that was the case.
Especially in the case of the class president, Gil Dahyun, it was clearly felt on her face that it was quite burdensome.
Well, if they were to go on an overseas field trip, it couldn't help but be quite a financial burden.
"This year, the school's chairman made a bold decision to invest. So there won't be a big burden, so don't worry too much."
In a manner of speaking, it was also for promotion as Yeonhwa High School was shifting its direction toward a high school more specialized in arts and physical education.
In particular, if Europe was included in the field trip destinations, talk was bound to spread among the parents.
"Where are you going to choose? They all seem fine."
"I don't really want China."
"You can go to Japan often. Shouldn't it be the US or Europe at a time like this?"
Like that, after the teacher gave the questionnaire and left, the class literally became buzzing with chatter.
They never expected the field trip destination to be set so luxuriously.
Seoyeon had also been roughly thinking of Gyeongju or Jeju Island, so she became a little confused.
'Can you have pillow fights in Europe or the US too?'
She was just blankly thinking such thoughts.
Of course, after two or so people fainted when they had a pillow fight in middle school, Seoyeon was banned from pillow fights by Jiyeon.
But now, she had become more proficient at controlling her strength than before, so wouldn't it be okay?
Anyway.
"What are you going to do, Class President?"
Seoyeon casually asked Dahyun.
First of all, the student who held the power(?) of this class was Dahyun.
Although she was now a 2nd year, Gil Dahyun, who had taken the class president seat by unanimous vote, made a slightly troubled face.
"Hmm, personally I think Japan or China would be fine..."
Dahyun said that and looked at two other friends beside her.
Those two had come from the same class as before, so they didn't think of Seoyeon as too burdensome.
'That's a relief at least.'
How nice would it have been if Lee Jiyeon was in the same class too.
Seoyeon thought so anew.
But having less than five students in the class who properly meet her eyes was still a bit... she couldn't help but think.
"It seems the other students don't think so."
Usually, going on a field trip to Europe is not a common thing in Korea.
It wasn't nonexistent, but usually there were various obstacles so it wouldn't be executed.
"Besides, isn't it a bit rushed? Even if it's decided right away and we book the tickets, we'd be going at the end of April."
"End of April?"
"Yeah, why?"
Seoyeon's face stiffened at those words.
Because.
'It overlaps.'
The end of April was the event to be held at Viol's headquarters.
In other words, it overlaps with the Ready-to-Wear fashion show to be held in France.
More than anything else, Seoyeon also knew she absolutely had to go there.
'No!'
She had only been waiting for the field trip, so if they overlapped and she couldn't go, there would be nothing as troublesome as that.