That evening, in an online community known for discussing celebrity gossip, a post appeared:

"Has anyone been to New Like's Yeouido department store? Is that really Ju Seoyeon in the Violl ad?"

The comments poured in almost immediately.

* "It’s definitely Ju Seoyeon. How many actresses have a face like that?"

* "LOL, but seriously, I almost didn’t recognize her. She looks completely different."

* "For real, LOL."

Ju Seoyeon’s typical image boiled down to two archetypes:

1. A lively, quirky, golden retriever-type girl.

2. A strong and imposing high schooler, often jokingly referred to with gorilla memes.

But the Ju Seoyeon in Violl’s pop-up ad bore no resemblance to either of these personas.

* "Anyone remember when Ju Seoyeon first appeared on variety shows? That’s exactly how she looked."

* "Oh, you’re talking about Looking Back at Memories, right? Now that you mention it..."

* "Yeah, and people were worried about whether she could pull off Cha Seoa’s villain role because of her Princess Yeonhwa image."

* "Well, she did show her chops in theater."

* "Theater and film are completely different, though."

It had only been earlier this year, yet it felt like ages ago. That was how intense the public’s consumption of Ju Seoyeon’s various images had been throughout the year.@@novelbin@@

While some still associated her with Princess Yeonhwa, the majority now defined her by her chilling portrayal of Cha Seoa in The Chaser.

* "Violl really pulled out all the stops for this pop-up. They’re even releasing a making-of video?"

* "Looks like they’re aiming to make this a major promotional push."

* "Honestly, if I had both Park Jungwoo and Ju Seoyeon, I’d go all out too, LOL."

* "With this concept, it feels like Seoil and Princess Yeonhwa meeting in the modern day."

* "Wait, who’s Seoil?"

└ "The male lead from The Moon That Hid the Sun."

Violl wasn’t just relying on the ads plastered on the department store walls. They’d announced the release of a making-of video on their official website and YouTube channel. This sparked immediate reactions across various media platforms.

Pre-written articles and quick-moving YouTubers began flooding the internet with content.

"I was going to review a movie today, but I’ve decided to pivot to a drama review instead," announced Han Bongshik, a YouTuber who had skyrocketed to 1.4 million subscribers thanks to his "Ju Seoyeon coin."

"You know The Moon That Hid the Sun, right? The drama that aired ten years ago. I’m planning to focus my reviews on that for a while..."

* "Bongshik, you’re chasing Ju Seoyeon content again, aren’t you?"

* "He hasn’t covered any of her work lately, though."

* "That’s just because he already reviewed everything, LOL."

* "Didn’t you already review The Moon That Hid the Sun?"

"Hey now! That’s not it! How could you misunderstand my pure intentions?" Bongshik exclaimed with mock indignation before clearing his throat.

* "Han Bongshik, the filial son, LOL."

* "I wish I could shop for my parents at department stores too 😢."

* "Dude, you’ve already reviewed it!"

* "Really? It’s hard to imagine Ju Seoyeon fitting that image."

* "I saw it too, and honestly, I thought it was someone else, LOL."

* "She usually gives off a cold vibe, but the Ju Seoyeon in the Violl ad feels so different."

* "LOL, bet the shoot was chaotic."

* "Bongshik’s illusions about Ju Seoyeon are about to be shattered."

* "Anyone still holding illusions about her probably lost them after the bear-riding incident, LOL."

* "Seoil???"

* "Who’s this???"

* "???"

* "Does Park Jungwoo like Ju Seoyeon???"

* "Nah, I think he’s just genuinely caught off guard."

* "Honestly, I’d be flustered too if Ju Seoyeon acted like that toward me..."

* "Ju Seoyeon, you horrible gorilla! Bring back Princess Yeonhwa!"

* "Free Princess Yeonhwa from the body of that brutish head-butting dinosaur!"

* "You’re not Princess Yeonhwa—you’re Ju Seoyeon!"

You didn't buy this chapter

Buy Now (3 coupons)