In This Life, I Want an Oscar, Not a Husband - Chapter 95

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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 95

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As filming for The Apartment drew to a close, Kang Ye-reum and I parked our car at Apgujeong H Department Store.
The vehicle we drove was a used sedan that Kang Ye-reum had recently purchased.
The company had offered to provide me with a personal vehicle as well, but…
The Entertainment Agency said they would provide me with a personal car, but…

“Why?”
Why?

I answered Jang Hee-ja’s question simply.

“…?”
“There are simply too many risk factors.”
“There are too many risk factors.”

but even a minor accident would disadvantage me, so I preferred to acquire a car gradually.
I wasn’t particularly active anyway, so I didn’t really need one.
More than anything—
Above all—

“I’ll earn money and support us. Please wait for me.”

At the very least, I’d buy my own car with my own money.
I pulled a mask and hat over my face and headed to the luxury goods section of Apgujeong H Department Store with Kang Ye-reum.
Today was the day I’d promised to buy Kang Ye-reum a gift at Bella Simo.
“I want to get something for Jong-ho too. What should I buy?”
“Something safe—a belt?”
“Oh, like one of those belts with the big G logo?”
I pointed to a belt displayed in a luxury boutique, its logo prominently emblazoned across the front.
Kang Ye-reum immediately swatted my hand down.
“Just stay quiet.”
“Okay.”
I answered obediently and stood with Kang Ye-reum in front of the Bella Simo store.
And there—
“Already caught it. Your photo?”
I was there.
It was an advertisement I’d shot not long ago.
With professional hair and makeup, plus retouching, I barely recognized myself.
‘How strange.’
I gazed blankly up at my own image, lost in thought.
Black, lustrous hair.
Deep, dark eyes.
Sharp gaze and tightly pressed lips.
Precisely—

“Ha Eun-rae, you photograph better at angles below 75 degrees. That opening scene—the angle was a shame.”

A photo of my face taken at a 75-degree angle.
But had Park Seo-woo ever looked down at me from a 75-degree angle?
Now that I thought about it, that was a strange thing to say.
A 75-degree angle, really.
“Come to think of it, I should get one of Director Park Seo-woo too.”
I still hadn’t eaten with Park Seo-woo.
Between filming The Apartment and producing “Us, Kim Ji-hyun,” our plans had been pushed back indefinitely.
In any case, for a director heading toward The Oscars, this much of a bribe would be….
“Oh? It’s Ha Eun-rae.”
That was when it happened.
Someone called out my name.
When I turned around, several people were already gathered nearby, murmuring among themselves.
“Come on, let’s go inside.”
Kang Ye-reum pulled me along.
As we entered the Bella Simo store, a security guard stationed at the entrance blocked the people trying to follow us in.
I could hear people shouting from outside.
“You’re so beautiful!”
“I loved your movie so much! Could you give me an autograph?”
I turned my head at those words.
Did they think I was here for an event?
“Oh no. They must have misunderstood. They thought there was an event here.”
Kang Ye-reum tapped my shoulder.
“What are you talking about?”
“Huh?”
“No, they came to see you because you’re here. ‘Cohabitation with a Ghost’ just came out not long ago anyway. Isn’t it already surpassing 50,000 viewers? Director Je-gal Se-yeon is even appearing on the program I watch next week? They’re saying you’ve written a legend in the independent film industry.”
“Oh.”
Right. That was true.
But what should I do?
It’s going to surpass 200,000.
Thinking about it that way made me a little excited.
Among those ten or so people, there were viewers who had watched my film.
I hesitated, then asked Kang Ye-reum for permission and headed toward the store entrance.
And I approached the person who said they enjoyed the movie.
Her face brightened immediately.
“I’ll give you an autograph.”
At my words, she pulled out a permanent marker from her bag and handed it to me.
“Where should I….”
“Here.”
I quickly signed the back of the phone she offered me.
Then the woman flipped her phone around and showed me her lock screen.
It was a screenshot from a scene in “Cohabiting with a Ghost.”
“I’ve watched it five times now. ‘Cohabiting with a Ghost’!”
Let me correct myself.
This isn’t something to be excited about—
“Thank you so much.”
It’s something to be terrified about.
Heart-poundingly terrified.

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[Ha Eun-rae♡Seo Kyung-bin, “Cohabiting with a Ghost” surpasses 1.8 million viewers! Writing a new legend in Independent Film?]
[“Cohabiting with a Ghost” official theatrical release begins. An independent film screening in multiplexes!]
[“Cohabiting with a Ghost” selected for international film festival invitation!]
[Purgatory Season 2 Ha Eun-rae confirmed to appear]
[Park Chang-sung’s “The Apartment” post-production complete. Tentpole release?]
[Next week’s WhatWhat Show on ONN drama “Impossible” features Seo Kyung-bin. Chemistry with Ha Eun-rae from “Cohabiting with a Ghost” revealed.]
[Seo Eun-sul’s new work “Loving – I’m Selling My First Love” confirms Go Heung-jae and Ha Eun-rae, airing on MBK!]

Over the past six months, Park Yu-jin had written countless articles.
If there was one article she felt most proud of, it was undoubtedly when she wrote about Ha Eun-rae, the actress she’d become a fan of.
Ha Eun-rae’s trajectory had been nothing but praise, and the industry was in an uproar about this monster rookie.
And now.
Park Yu-jin was experiencing the most thrilling moment of her life.
“I’m with the Entertainment Department of AHA Daily.”
“Ah, yes. Reporter Park Yu-jin? Here’s your press pass.”
“Thank you.”
Today was the script reading for MBK’s highly anticipated “Loving – I’m Selling My First Love.”
And it was a press-open script reading, no less!
How thrilled she’d been when her name appeared on the invitation list!
All the care she’d put into writing Ha Eun-rae’s articles had paid off.
‘This is… so moving.’
“Senior, you must be nervous,” the Photographer said, watching Park Yu-jin clutch her press pass like a treasure.
“Yeah. I’m so nervous.”
Park Yu-jin said as she walked toward the script reading venue.
“But… Eun-rae must be even more nervous than me, right?”
“Definitely. It’s her first broadcast drama. And it’s a Seo Eun-sul production, no less.”
The Photographer shrugged as if it were obvious.
“Plus, it’s press-open.”
At those words, Park Yu-jin suddenly felt her shoulders tense.
Park Yu-jin suddenly felt her shoulders tense at those words.
That’s right.
No matter how talented a rookie is, a lead role in a drama carries a different weight.
Dramas feature more actors than films, and all of them exist to support the lead’s story.
What if that lead botches their performance? What if the show fails because of it?
The devastation would be beyond words.
And because of that weight, actors taking on their first lead role tend to freeze up.
Especially on script reading day, when the character hasn’t been fully fleshed out yet.
‘Come on… Eun-rae, do well.’
Please, let me only write praise!
I’m a fan of Eun-rae’s, but I can’t help but write about her whenever she delivers—it’s my job!
“This way. Take some water.”
That’s when it happened.
I could see staff members at the far end distributing bottled water to journalists from various media outlets.
“There it is.”
Park Yu-jin entered the reading venue with trembling anticipation.
Half excitement, half dread.
And that dread of Park Yu-jin’s—
vanished the moment I saw Ha Eun-rae’s performance.
“Hello, junior.”
“J-junior?”
“Yes. Is there a problem with me calling you junior?”
Ha Eun-rae’s role was Kim Yi-an, a top-tier domestic female solo artist.
Known by her stage name ‘Yi-an’, she was a character who never backed down before anyone.
Not only that, but she was the type to crush anyone who dared touch her or her people.
And Ha Eun-rae brought that character to life—
“Even though I’m younger than you, I debuted a year earlier. You can search it online if you want to check. And don’t ask my manager to fetch you water or bring you a pouch. Humans have been using both hands since the Australopithecus era.”
—with absolute perfection.
She delivered dialogue that could have been overly theatrical with natural ease, while adding her own unique interpretation.
It wasn’t until ten minutes into the reading that Park Yu-jin realized every journalist in the room was holding their breath, eyes fixed only on Ha Eun-rae.
Because I too had been holding my breath the entire time, watching her performance.

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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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