In This Life, I Want an Oscar, Not a Husband - Chapter 64
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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 64
* * *
Park Yu-jin, a seven-year veteran entertainment reporter.
Having seen countless celebrities of note in this industry, she no longer felt much excitement even at the Busan International Film Festival.
When there was a provocative outfit worth making headlines, she’d merely say something like “zoom in and get the shot”—that was the extent of her enthusiasm these days.
When rookie actors appeared, she’d even tell the photographer to take a break.
Ha Eun-rae fell somewhere in between—someone she was uncertain whether to tell the photographer to rest or not.
She was indeed a rookie actress, but her diverse activities across commercials, music videos, OTT, and YouTube had already made her face somewhat recognizable to the public.
So normally, she would have simply told them to shoot casually.
But the moment Ha Eun-rae stepped out of the van, that thought completely changed.
The first thing her eyes were drawn to was Ha Eun-rae’s gaze itself.
Because of her slightly upturned eyes, she instantly evoked the image of a composed cat. Those charismatic eyes of the character Ryun from “Purgatory”—so that’s where they came from.
Yet simultaneously, her youthful face carried the pitiful, embrace-worthy image from her music video and from “To Dear Kim Ji-hyun.”
And her overall proportions, which the camera couldn’t fully capture, were model-level, possessing an overwhelming presence the moment you laid eyes on her.
She could hear the camera shutters around her accelerating.
“Come on, shoot faster.”
She urgently urged the photographer to take pictures.
That was when it happened.
“…?”
Ha Eun-rae’s pupils trembled at the sight of the massive crowd, then froze completely.
In that moment, everyone present realized it.
‘…Ha Eun-rae just froze?’
After that, Ha Eun-rae’s robotic, precarious gait continued unabated.
Her arms and legs weren’t moving in sync.
When the reporters asked her to smile, she trembled and stiffly pulled up the corners of her mouth.
Even Seo Kyung-bin beside her wore a bewildered expression.
Yet somehow that appearance was—
“That’s cute.”
The photographer beside her muttered blankly.
Park Yu-jin’s previously indifferent gaze naturally followed Ha Eun-rae.
A beautiful woman with such an aloof aura trembling as she walked the red carpet—
‘She’s adorable!’
Seven years as an entertainment reporter.
Had there ever been an actor who could captivate her gaze like this?
Just then, the Photographer’s voice reached her from beside.
“By the way, isn’t that dress Bella Simo? It looks like the Bella Simo logo?”
“Bella Simo?”
That’s a famous luxury brand from Milan.
They’re sponsoring a rookie actress with a dress from there?
What’s more, the dress Ha Eun-rae wore had an Eastern aesthetic, one that evoked Purgatory itself.
The neat center part was complemented by Korean accessories that gave off an adorable young lady vibe, and a traditional ornament was attached to the chest area to solidify the concept.
‘Oh… that’s tasteful.’
Park Yu-jin snapped back to attention and spoke to the Photographer.
“Get plenty of shots of that dress. Full-body shots as much as possible.”
This will definitely become a hot topic.
A Korean-style dress, no less.
It’s quite a bold concept, isn’t it?
Far more so than a dress showing a daring neckline.
“But she’s shivering so much… I’m worried the photos won’t turn out well.”
At the Photographer’s words, Park Yu-jin let out a hollow laugh.
True to their words, as Ha Eun-rae walked halfway down the Red Carpet, she was still trembling.
Where was that oil smell coming from….
But then, in that moment.
Ha Eun-rae’s gaze turned toward something, and her rigid face blossomed into radiance.
Like a flower opening, like tea leaves steeping in water—it was a transformation in an instant.
That dramatic change seized Park Yu-jin’s attention.
She had been beautiful even when rigid, but now that her expression came alive, Ha Eun-rae had become an entirely different person.
She even broke into laughter, and with such affection brimming in her eyes that in that instant, the Red Carpet ceased to be a film set and became the film itself.
Soon after, Ha Eun-rae went to those who had made her smile and took photos with them.
Watching that, Park Yu-jin could tell who had made Ha Eun-rae smile so brightly.
‘She smiled so radiantly at seeing her fans?’
After trembling just moments before?
Park Yu-jin found herself smiling despite herself.
And even as she inevitably had to distance herself from the fans, watching Ha Eun-rae make a heart with her hands and smile.
Park Yu-jin realized something.
After seven years in entertainment journalism, she had finally found her favorite actress.
* * *
Ha Eun-rae’s Red Carpet incident at the Busan International Film Festival exploded across SNS in real time.
The first to react were the cinephiles who regularly attended the festival.
(film enthusiasts)
Their accounts flooded the platform.
– I’m losing it. Who let a humanoid walk the Red Carpet?
– Humanoid performance seems to have deteriorated a lot these daysㅠㅠ Robots stock price is a messㅠㅠ
└ Don’t worry, it’s Korean-made, not American.
Hahahahahaha
Those accounts were flooded with videos of Ha Eun-rae frozen stiff with tension.
It didn’t matter whether they were fans of other actors or more interested in films than performers.
On a Red Carpet that was always so solemn, Ha Eun-rae gave everyone a good laugh.
Meanwhile, among Ha Eun-rae’s fans, topics beyond the “clank” moment became trending.
It was the way her expression, stiff and awkward at first, would suddenly brighten the moment she saw her fans.
– Ha, our love for our fans is crazyㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
– She looked so nervous, but the second she saw the fans she smiled… How do I stop loving this woman…?
More and more accounts began saying they might fall victim to “fan conversion” because of Ha Eun-rae.
– Ha.. I see a ton of celebrities because of my job, but Ha Eun-rae in person is insane. I went to the Red Carpet this time and her eyes when she looked at the fans were completely sparkling.
– Wow, I’m so jealous of Ha Eun-rae’s fans.. Other actors suddenly change 180 degrees after doing global OTT projects..
– Is this person the villain from Purgatory? I didn’t know Ha Eun-rae’s name but I’m totally into her now;;;;
But the most talked-about thing among all of this was—
@silverlining ♡Eun-Gureum♡
(photo) (photo) (photo)
Who is this girl who quickly took photos while watching the bodyguard’s expression, then immediately turned around to pose?
Our actress is this devoted to her fans..
It was a photo of Ha Eun-rae posted on Eun-Gureum’s account.
Ha Eun-rae smiling brightly and making a heart with her cheeks.
With her hair neatly parted like a young lady’s and her radiant smile, people even said it looked like a scene from an animation.
– Her visuals are genuinely unrealistic.
– Is she a cat fairy..?
– Wow.. so our girl can pull off cuteness now too.
– Wait, a Korean-style dress in all this? Isn’t Bella Simo a brand that rarely does sponsorships?
– Watch Bella Simo’s move.. if they snatch her up right now, it’s a steal.
└ And Bella Simo was quick to notice.
└ What are you talking about?
└ A photo of her just went up on Bella Simo’s official account. Looks like she’s an ambassador, not just a sponsor.
* * *
The next morning.
I widened my eyes at the sight of the large box that had arrived from Bella Simo.
It wasn’t a simple cardboard box—it was a weighty case with genuine leather texture.
“What is this?”
“A gift from Bella Simo. They followed you on SNS and posted that photo from yesterday too. They’ll be setting up separate advertising fees. You’ll get paid when you post this on SNS as well.”
A gift…?
Advertising fees?
Right, I’m a Bella Simo ambassador now.
But they’re already starting SNS promotions?
Come to think of it, we moved so fast I didn’t even properly review the contract.
“How much are the advertising fees?”
“Twenty million won per SNS post.”
“…?”
“The ambassador fee is two hundred million, though that might seem a bit low…? Everything moved so urgently there was no way around it. I’ll negotiate better terms next season.”
Wait, did I mishear this while half-asleep….
Two hundred million…?
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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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