I’m an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me

“Hey! Han Yeoreum!”

As soon as the lecture ended, someone called my name.

“…Da-mi?”

“Why didn’t you answer my calls? I thought you couldn’t wake up~.”

So Da-mi.

Da-mi, with her gentle eyes, was a classmate I had been close with around this time.

She was also the only one who tried to stop me to the end when I was wandering and caught the “real actor” fever.

‘The last thing I told her was to stop meddling in others’ lives and focus on her own….’

Why did I act so childishly?

Looking back now, it was reasonable for her to cut ties with me.

‘If it were me, I wouldn’t have tried for that long.’

Seeing Da-mi, who still reached out to me even after gaining recognition through a rom-com project, made me feel strangely emotional.

‘This time, I’ll forget the useless classmates and seniors and focus only on Da-mi.’

Choosing others over her was foolish in hindsight.

“Did I drink too much yesterday? From now on, let’s stick to one bottle each. Seriously.”

Judging by the nuance, it seemed like Da-mi was the one I drank with yesterday.

I remember now.

‘Before the semester started, the classmates got together for a drink.’

Caught up in the excitement of being in an arts university, I wasted time talking about acting theories, an actor’s future, and the Korean film industry—all pointless chatter.

“Yeoreum, let’s meet with the classmates again later—”

“Da-mi, sorry. I can’t drink anymore.”

But that’s not happening now.

‘I don’t have time to waste.’

I needed to catch up with Do Gyeoul as soon as possible.

Earlier, I checked Do Gyeoul’s status window, and it looked like this:

[Name: Do Gyeoul]

Level: 1.07 million followers

Titles: Daughter of Do Moon-jung / Genius Child Actor / #1 Teen Favorite Actress / #7 Star Brand Reputation / Zephyr Muse

‘How can someone have so many titles?’

Looking at Do Gyeoul’s status window, I felt the gap between us.

All I had left was one tiny title: “Unknown Actress.”

‘It’s not like she’s a title hunter….’

The stats below made the comparison even starker.

Immersion: B+

Analysis: D

Delivery: D

Quick Thinking: B+

Focus: C

Recognition: B+

Artistry: D

Skills
〈Lead on Stage〉 B
〈Presence That Commands Attention〉 B+

Everything was at least two levels higher than mine.

And though we shared one skill, hers was far superior.

It was a bit disheartening….

‘She started acting ten years earlier than me, so it can’t be helped right now.’

I’d catch up soon, so I wasn’t too worried.

As soon as I got home, I opened the system again.

“Please, with beginner’s luck…!”

This was why I turned down my classmates’ offer to drink.

It was the “Skill Draw Ticket” I got as a reward for completing the first mission.

‘I’ve never had luck with these things, so please, just this once!’

With trembling hands, I pressed the “Use” button.

Pop!

Light burst from the status window, and the roulette began to spin.

Whirrr—

The circular roulette spun so fast I couldn’t even read the letters, accompanied by flashy sound effects.

Then it stopped abruptly.

「A Second Look (C)」

Whether offline or online, what a star needs most is the public’s attention! Your physical presence, photos, videos, or even just your voice will make people stop and look again. Skill mastery affects recognition.

As soon as I got the skill, a second mission window appeared.

「Mission: First Step of Self-Promotion」

Keyword: First Stage

When someone searches for you, the first thing they’ll see is? Your profile picture! Take a photo that best represents you, post it on SNS, and get over 500 likes.

Success Conditions:
[Photo must be taken by someone with Artistry of grade B or higher.]

Rewards:
Increased [Recognition]
Increased [Artistry]

What is this?

‘…Is this good or not?’

Correction: this skill doesn’t seem that great.

***

“Is that her?”

Word about Professor Geum Bit-gang’s class from yesterday spread quickly.

‘Even to other departments and seniors in ours….’

They came looking for me.

Look at the atmosphere. The military-like discipline in the arts department never fades.

‘I can already see where this is going.’

The seniors in their final year must be desperate.

They thought they’d have debuted by now, but even landing an audition was tough.

‘For now, the priority is leaving a strong impression.’

For that, connections are crucial.

When the directing students make their graduation projects, they need to pick me as the lead.

‘They’ll probably pick an easy-going junior to use as an extra or an assistant. Film sets are always short on hands.’

Just then, one of the seniors, who’d been acting full of himself, spoke up.

“Hey! You’re pretty good at acting, right? What was your name again? Han Yeoreum?”

“Perfect timing~. You probably don’t have much on-set experience yet, so we’ll help you out.”

I raised the corners of my lips slightly in a smile.

‘Help me out? Don’t get in my way.’

Before my regression, I’d have been happy to work for free, even for a one-liner.

But now, it’s different.

‘I won’t do it.’

They must’ve heard about the acting class and naturally thought I’d be a good catch.

Of course, they would.

‘I am none other than Han Yeoreum, acknowledged by Professor Geum Bit-gang!’

I suppressed the laughter threatening to escape, but then someone called out to Do Gyeoul as she entered the lecture hall.

“Hi, Gyeoul!”

Do Gyeoul stopped mid-step and met my gaze.

We silently stared at each other.

“You’re Han Yeoreum, right? Hello.”

After a moment, Gyeoul was the first to speak.

Her eyes were different from when we briefly made eye contact yesterday.

There was no emotion in them as they looked at me.

It was the pure, observing gaze of someone with no preference, neither liking nor disliking me.

‘…This is even more unsettling.’

But as if nothing had happened, Do Gyeoul changed her expression and smiled as she approached.

“I didn’t get to greet you yesterday. You were really good at acting.”

Her polite voice was so clear it was almost awe-inspiring.

I gave her a casual nod in response.

My heart thudded, filled with instinctive discomfort.

‘…Calm down.’

The memory of that terrible car accident threatened to resurface.

‘Officially, this is our first meeting.’

I forced my expression into a light smile.

“You were good too.”

At my words, Do Gyeoul lifted the corners of her lips as if to say thank you.

Then, as if it were natural, she took the spotlight.

“Did everyone come to see Yeoreum?”

“Well, sort of? But more people came to see you….”

The seniors, trying to please Do Gyeoul, answered deferentially.

It made sense.

‘If someone were to pick the most successful actor here, it would undoubtedly be Do Gyeoul.’

She debuted at five years old and had appeared in countless projects until she was fifteen.

Then, at sixteen, she suddenly vanished to prepare for college and smashed her way into one of the most prestigious arts universities in Korea as the top student.

‘Everyone instinctively knows.’

Even among students at the same school, they know who holds the upper hand.

“Gyeoul, why did you come to this school? Are you restarting your acting career?”

“Could you help with our project? We have a really great script. Just give it a read!”

Everyone was desperate to get in Do Gyeoul’s good graces.

‘Should I consider myself lucky to be out of their spotlight for now?’

I planned to slip out for a while and come back when the lecture started.

“I have some issues with my agency, so it might be a bit difficult…. I already have a pile of scripts to go through.”

As I quietly tried to leave, Do Gyeoul suddenly grabbed my wrist.

The heat from her grip was intense.

“Instead, how about Yeoreum here? I watched her yesterday, and wow~. She’s no joke.”

…What?

“If it were me, I’d cast Yeoreum as the lead. I’m really curious to see how her acting will unfold.”

With just that one sentence, the atmosphere flipped.

The seniors, who had been fawning over Do Gyeoul, turned their sharp gazes to me.

This was a trick Do Gyeoul had used once before.

In professional terms, it was called dumping responsibility.

‘You think I’ll fall for it twice?’

Back then, I was so proud that Do Gyeoul acknowledged me.

‘I had no idea she was taking all the lucrative commercial projects while I was left running around for unpaid roles.’

In the past, I would’ve been eager for such recognition and let myself get dragged around.

But now it’s different.

‘Do you know how much it costs to complete the profile photo mission?’

No more unpaid work for me.

Just as I was about to firmly refuse,

“Alright, everyone—settle down! Take your seats!”

Thankfully, the professor entered before Do Gyeoul’s scheme could solidify.

I sighed in relief, calculating the perfect escape.

***

As soon as the lecture ended, I bolted.

The seniors, determined to latch onto someone since Do Gyeoul declined, would come after me next.

“What about me? I’m really good at acting! Anyone interested?”

Fortunately, Da-mi noticed my distressed expression and stepped in to shield me.

‘Da-mi, I will never forget this kindness.’

I only stopped running once I reached the entrance of the film department building.

‘Anyway, I need to find a part-time job soon….’

Hair and makeup alone cost over 100,000 won. Add in the profile photo, and the expenses easily climbed into the hundreds of thousands.

‘I’m not sure about the system’s exact standards yet….’

To achieve 500 likes and work with someone with artistry of grade B or higher, I had a gut feeling that I couldn’t settle for an average shoot.

“Sigh… If I work in logistics for about three days….”

The spirit of part-time work, deeply etched into my bones, awakened.

I sighed and instinctively scanned the wall near the entrance of the film department building.

‘Sometimes they post job listings for shoot assistants here.’

Among the many posters—scholarship applications, screening dates for student films, and…

‘Hmm?’

There it was.

A piece of paper that immediately caught my eye.

Its subtle color scheme and clean font stood out, exuding a sense of refined skill.

I quickly read the text.

“Of course.”

My instincts were never wrong.