In my past life, acting was something I *had* to do.

    I performed for the people who had given me life, who said that just not abandoning me was fulfilling their duty as parents.

    But, in an unspoken way, I had been grateful, because they smiled at me. Those who usually only looked at me with cold or disdainful gazes smiled at me for the first time.

    Now, with everything so different, I know how wrong it all was. I realize those smiles weren’t the kind I’d truly wanted.

    Still, the memory of craving their approval so desperately that I pushed my frail body to keep acting remains vivid. And though, deep down, I knew they weren’t giving me real love, the fool who hoped for it still lingers in my memory, convinced I might truly be loved someday.

    So, drawing out memories best left forgotten, I began acting once more.

    “...And the winner of the 8th Korean Film Awards, Best New Actress, goes to... Congratulations! Lee Ha-eun from *The Neighbor Uncle!*”

    Less than a year later, I finally experienced the love I’d once longed for in my past life. People loved me for my acting. But still, feeling my own inadequacies, I studied alongside people who didn’t like me, all to improve my craft.

    Now, acting is something I want to continue at all costs, something I must show my past self was worth doing for me, not just for others.

    Since I began my journey as an actress, I’ve constantly strived to achieve a more ideal performance. So, after putting all of my effort into shooting this last scene of young Han Yoo-hwa...

    “Senior Ha Yoon-sung... did I do... okay?”

    For the first time, I felt it was okay to be a bit selfish, to hope that none of the people here, who all stood silently rather than smiling, saw this the way I had hoped they might.

    “Hm, Ha-eun. Don’t you know better than anyone if you did well or not?”

    Yoon-sung’s response, his gaze warm as he looked down at me, reassured me that all my efforts had borne fruit. He seemed to think Sung-ah would say exactly the same thing.

    “I don’t know what task Sung-ah set for you, but after watching your performance, she’d pass you whether she wanted to or not.”

    “Ah... thank you.”

    Walking alongside Yoon-sung to review the final cut, I couldn’t shake my concern about the dirt stains I’d gotten on my costume during the fall.

    “...I’m sorry. You told me not to fall.”

    Technically, Ha-eun’s name had appeared in articles as well, in connection with her role as young Han Yoo-hwa, though it hadn’t garnered as much attention as the main stars.

    But from what PD Hwang had seen in Ha-eun’s recent footage, her performance was striking enough to capture people’s attention. So they decided to include a brief glimpse of her as a hidden card in the teaser, something that hinted at an unexpected twist.

    “People say young actors can be intense these days, but Ha-eun seems a few steps beyond even that.”

    “And thank goodness for that. From our perspective, it’s all to our advantage, isn’t it?”

    “True enough.”

    At this point, Ha-eun was receiving only moderate attention, mostly as an addition to the impressive lineup of stars Yoon-sung and Sung-ah. People generally assumed that, like most child actors in past dramas, she wouldn’t play an exceptionally prominent role alongside such top-tier leads.

    Moreover, viewers usually have a subconscious belief that the main character will survive any crisis, no matter what. If Ha-eun’s portrayal of young Han Yoo-hwa could shatter that expectation, demonstrating a powerful performance unlike any typical child actor...

    “A new star is about to be born.”

    “Indeed.”

    The impact of that moment would be undeniable. Of course, the teaser, being only a minute long, wouldn’t be able to convey everything, but it would give a hint that something truly significant was coming.

    After all, a teaser is only a teaser. The real focus would always be on the drama itself.

    The plan was to build the initial hype with Ha Yoon-sung and Yoo Sung-ah’s performances in the first episode. Then, starting from the second episode, Ha-eun’s outstanding portrayal would begin to captivate the audience further.

    “Whatever happens, whatever sounds you hear, don’t look back. Just keep going.”

    By the time the backstory reached its climax in Episode 5, Ha-eun’s heart-wrenching performance...

    “You know, Mister? I’m going to become a star. So high and bright that no one can look down on me.”

    ...and her ability to embody a younger Sung-ah would give viewers yet another reason to keep watching *My Love From the Stars.*

    *...It would be strange if this didn’t succeed.*

    With the accumulated tension between the two lead characters unfolding in full force, this would give viewers all the more reason to tune in, cementing *My Love From the Stars* as a must-watch drama.