In This Life, I Want an Oscar, Not a Husband - Chapter 49

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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This life, I choose The Oscars over a husband.
Chapter 49

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Today was the release day for Part 1 of Purgatory.
Purgatory, produced as a total of 12 episodes, was scheduled to be divided into Part 1 and Part 2, with 6 episodes released for each.
And the character Yoon that I played appears in Part 1!
I sat in front of the TV with Kang Ye-reum at my newly moved apartment to watch Purgatory.
“Wow, you have a TV?”
Kang Ye-reum looked remarkably happy for someone who had been forced to move because of me.
“And a sofa in the living room too?”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Glad? Hey, this is way more than just glad. Thanks to you, I got a home and a job. But a sofa, a living room, and a TV? This is practically a successful life.”
By the way, Kang Ye-reum had officially become my stylist.
The outfit she had dressed me in even became a hot topic after the Nimalnaemal video was released, and I ended up filming advertisements for it.
Since that outfit was from Roll the Tape, I received offers not just for my own brand Cassette Tape but also for Roll the Tape advertisements.
‘One variety show solved the deposit for this place.’
Of course, I split it with the talent agency.
Originally, Heo Kyung-hoe had insisted on covering the entire deposit and monthly rent, but I refused.
Our company needs to grow beyond the “X-tier” label it had.
Otherwise, whenever the company makes even a small mistake, the public will keep saying “of course X-tier did X-tier things.”
That was when it happened.
Boom.

Netflix presents

Purgatory Part 1

It was finally beginning.
My first drama.
Now it was time to properly showcase my acting.

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【’Purgatory’. A liminal realm where those who go neither to Hell nor Heaven dwell.】

Seol-lim arrived for her first day of work, her expression visibly tense.
Her name was Seol-lim.
Known as “Forest of Eyes,” she had spent her existence escorting the deceased destined for Heaven.

【But why take on this work?】

A woman asked without so much as glancing back.

【One of the grandmothers who arrived in Heaven was desperately searching for her granddaughter. I heard that Purgatory holds the deceased who vanished midway. I truly wish to escort such souls to Heaven.】

A snort of laughter echoed through the air.
Seol-lim’s serene expression crumpled instantly.

【Escort to Heaven? The deceased we’re hunting are-】

The woman turned her head.
The woman with an expression of utter indifference was none other than Do Eun-hee.
Team Leader of Purgatory Detective Team 1, Lee Eop.
Lee Eop, dressed in a suit and turtleneck, pointed toward the wanted posters on the wall as she spoke.

【How would you even know if they truly belong in Heaven or Hell?】

Seol-lim’s expression hardened.
That’s right. Lee Eop was an emissary from Hell.
For reasons unknown, she had become a detective in Purgatory, yet the horrors she experienced in Hell had left her with a bitter contempt for the deceased.
Conversely, Seol-lim came from Heaven and harbored affection and tenderness toward the deceased.
These two, forming a team together, were the very foundation of Purgatory—an afterlife fantasy action chase thriller.

– The setting’s got the deceased, underworld emissaries, the Jade Emperor, all kinds of hybrids—but why is it so entertaining?
– I think Lee Eop and Seollim both have a story. I hope they release it quickly.
– I thought the worldbuilding was hybrid, but it gets tighter as it goes on.

Purgatory captivated countless fans from the moment of its release.
That wasn’t all.
It rapidly climbed to the top of the non-English-speaking rankings.
To be honest, I’d anticipated this much.
Do Eun-hee was starring in it, after all.
Even middle-aged and older viewers, still more accustomed to terrestrial broadcasts, watched unconditionally once they heard it was a series featuring Do Eun-hee.
And that wasn’t even the best part—Seo Eun-sul’s screenplay was exceptional.
A detective buddy film
(a genre where two protagonists work as a dynamic duo)
with a familiar narrative structure, yet presenting the fresh premise of pursuing the deceased.
The distinctly Korean yet contemporary music added color to the work and drew audiences in.
It was music performed by MillionX, a global group, after all.

The moon hiding behind clouds. In the darkness of night, we will find you.

Contemporary melodies blended with traditional Korean instruments created a unique atmosphere.
Two figures racing across that musical backdrop.
Though Do Eun-hee was tackling action for the first time, the sight of her running with her long hair flowing was far from awkward.
She even vaulted over cars and smashed through windows with such fluid grace—it was genuinely impressive.

My apologies. Think of it as meeting the grim reaper a bit early.

Do Eun-hee’s smile in formal attire shook all of Asia.
Non-English-speaking TOP 1.

You, who waited through eons. We will surely find you.

Seol-lim’s character—awkward yet righteous—also shone brilliantly in the buddy film format.

The deceased must have their reasons too. You’re sending them to Hell just because they ran away once? The deceased’s state is unstable!
That’s not our concern!

Seol-lim, constantly trying to trust the deceased, and Lee Eop, exhausted by such attempts. Seol-lim learns the seasoned detective’s approach from Lee Eop, while Lee Eop relearns faith in humanity—something long forgotten—from Seol-lim.
Seol-lim learns the seasoned detective’s attitude from Lee Eop, while Lee Eop learns the faith in humanity that she had long forgotten from Seol-lim.

“Then did you really think I would give up on the dead?”

Combined with sensational action sequences and Purgatory’s own symbolic elements, the series drew audiences deeper into its world.
The sensory action scenes and Purgatory’s unique symbolism drew people even deeper into this series.

“Hear me, sinners. There is nowhere for you to hide.”

Shorts mimicking Do Eun-hee’s famous line from the drama, synced to MillionX’s music, began trending everywhere.
Where did it start?

“No one can escape life and death.”

From foreign YouTubers.
Truth be told, Korean dramas had been virtually unknown to international audiences.
Distribution channels were limited, and subtitles were nearly impossible to find.
Netflix was the gateway that finally opened K-dramas to the world.
Yet there still wasn’t a true “super IP”—a phenomenon commanding explosive viewership numbers.
So Netflix had been viewing the Korean market as still minor when—

[Purgatory Part 1 Clinches Global #1 in Its Opening Week!]

Purgatory had finally claimed the global top spot.
And remarkably, the one who graced the final moments of Purgatory Part 1 as it reached that pinnacle was Ha Eun-rae.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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