I'm an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me

“The weight class is different.”

Gi Juye and Hong Suryeon are not on the same level.

In front of a top Korean ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) actress who doesn’t even need to go through auditions, you can’t even fight her on equal footing through acting.

“For now... Nam Pyeonghwa first.”

Even the name itself symbolized Dongdaemun—Nam Pyeonghwa. The only woman who could break through Jeon Segye’s calm, restrained nature.

A brutal schedule from midnight to midnight. Four years in Dongdaemun. If you had to tag her with keywords, they’d naturally be #diligent #steady #ordinary.

Let’s recall Hong Suryeon’s before the regression.

“She tries to look... ordinary.”

But Hong Suryeon had a striking, glamorous impression. She was far from the “ordinary” keyword. Maybe that’s why there was a slight difference from the synopsis I had now. It seemed like Writer Hwang had adjusted the character to suit Hong Suryeon back then.

“Back then, Hong Suryeon...”

Rather than steady and diligent, she was lively, full of dreams. Unlike Nam Pyeonghwa, whose world was narrowly focused on her daily work, she thought about tomorrow.

Nam Pyeonghwa, who dreamed of someday going far beyond Dongdaemun.

Back then, Hong Suryeon’s version was spirited and lovable.

“A detached, low-energy guy and a bright, lively girl—that combo always works.”

Compared to the current synopsis, Hong Suryeon’s Nam Pyeonghwa had higher quality. Maybe Writer Hwang was already revising the synopsis little by little while discussing it right now.

Back then, Hong Suryeon played the type who didn’t dress up—but would become stunning the moment she did.

No bangs, flat straight black hair with no volume, pale lips, thin-framed glasses, and finally, always loose, baggy training clothes.

One of the classic romantic comedy clichés.

The male lead who transforms the ordinary female lead.

And the cliché of falling in love at first sight—Hong Suryeon was an actress who fit that better than anyone.

Light brown hair, thick curled waves, bold eyeliner and lip color.

“All those Nam Pyeonghwa-inspired styling trends from were one of the key factors behind its mega hit...”

Then what about my Nam Pyeonghwa?

“...Do I follow that?”

But somewhere deep inside, a quiet refusal surfaced. I wanted to create my own Nam Pyeonghwa. Han Yeoreum’s Nam Pyeonghwa.

‘I’ve never really done romance properly before.’

Clunk. Clunk. In the middle of thoughts that felt slightly off, something Myeong Jeha had said came back to me.

“Love, you can do alone. But a relationship isn’t something you do alone.”

Then to understand Nam Pyeonghwa, I had to understand Jeon Segye first.

‘Even if Nam Pyeonghwa’s setup changed from the pre-regression version of , Jeon Segye stayed almost the same.’

I recalled one of the most iconic scenes from —Jeon Segye’s confession.

Jeon Segye⎢ (His voice trembles as if confessing a crime; the shaking won’t stop.) I... I’m not someone who should do this. I shouldn’t like anyone.

Nam Pyeonghwa⎢ (Confused by his attitude) Why not?

Jeon Segye⎢ ...There are people like that. People who just... shouldn’t.

Nam Pyeonghwa⎢ ...

Jeon Segye⎢ (He hurriedly draws a line, as if trying to regain control, lowering his head.) I’m sorry. In a professional relationship... I’ll keep my boundaries properly. I won’t cause any more trouble.

Jeon Segye is afraid of love. His mother spent her entire life in unrequited love with the chairman.

A child who grew up watching their guardian’s life fall apart could never fully accept that kind of emotion.

But if Jeon Segye is avoidant, then Nam Pyeonghwa is secure.

Nam Pyeonghwa⎢ Then don’t like me.

Jeon Segye⎢ ....

Nam Pyeonghwa⎢ I’ll just like you on my own.

Jeon Segye⎢ ....

Nam Pyeonghwa⎢ (She smiles lightly, as if joking.) But don’t forget. I’m saying this so you’ll keep me in mind.

Hong Suryeon’s Nam Pyeonghwa had dreams of tomorrow.

I should work a little harder and raise my salary. I should save my bonus instead of spending it. Then I’ll open my own shop. Someday, I’ll earn massive sales and open a clothing store somewhere far beyond Dongdaemun, somewhere expensive. When that happens, I’ll try buying expensive bags, wearing expensive clothes.

Her love for Jeon Segye was probably just one part of that.

For now, I’ll keep liking him. Because I don’t know how to stop this feeling. And someday, you’ll definitely come to like me.

“....”

I think I get it.

“But...”

It still wouldn’t come into clear focus. Something that could stand against Hong Suryeon’s Nam Pyeonghwa—the one who had even changed Hwang Boseok. My Nam Pyeonghwa, the one that didn’t need to change Hwang Boseok.

At times like this...

“Unni! Unni!”

This was the best option.

“Jihye unni! Let’s go to Dongdaemun!”

Let’s just go.

To the place where Nam Pyeonghwa exists.

* * *

“I looked it up online, and they said Dongdaemun is a late-night market. Is it okay to come now?”

“That depends on the building.”

Coordinator Hwang and I got out of the parked car. A biting cold wind brushed past my cheeks.

“Doota opens at midnight, but NUZZON and others open earlier.”

Coordinator Hwang pushed up her glasses, her eyes gleaming.

“Come on.”

As soon as we left the parking lot, the noise of motorcycles filled the air. The dark streets clashed with the bright neon signs. It was dazzling—almost overwhelming.

“What’s that? Are those all clothes?”

“Yeah. All of it.”

People on the street were setting down huge bags on the ground. The rustling of plastic was loud.

NUZZON

[Where fashion begins! NUZZON]

It felt like I could hear more Japanese than Korean around me. I followed Coordinator Hwang into the massive shopping mall.

“There used to be a ton of Chinese buyers. They’d sell products through live broadcasts on Tintok, but now...”

It seemed like the Korean content ban had hit even the Dongdaemun market.

“NUZZON has a lot of clothes imported from China. If you look closely, the sizes are generally smaller than typical shops.”

Just as she said, I checked the clothes hanging in the stores. Each shop had completely different displays. Inside, bags packed with clothes were stacked high.

“Right?”

That’s when it happened—while I was looking around.

An employee from the shop looked at me and asked,

“You’re Han Yeoreum, right?”

Ah... who am I again...?

“Yes... that’s right.”

“Ahhh! Oh my god! Can I take just one picture with you?”

At this point, no matter where I went, people recognized me instantly—not by a character name, but by my real name, Han Yeoreum. A rising star of this era, who had swept all three major network rookie awards, and was about to climb even higher through action melodrama and romantic comedy.

“Of course.”

I took the photo right away and even signed for her.

“Oh? Maybe...?”

“Yes...”

After that, I ended up taking photos with several other employees who recognized me.

So this is what it feels like to be a protagonist...

“Yeoreum, let’s move.”

Checking the time, Coordinator Hwang pulled me toward another building.

“You’ve never been to Dongdaemun Market before, right? What do you think?”

“Hmm... it feels like an underground shopping center. Like the express bus terminal?”

“Right.”

Coordinator Hwang grinned.

“Now it changes.”

And exactly five minutes later, at Doota, I understood what she meant.

“Ugh!”

“Sorry—!”

Why is it so narrow here? The hallway was barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. I had already stumbled for the third time.

Some wholesale runner with a massive bundle had slammed into me as he passed, throwing me off balance.

“Unni... why is it so cramped and busy here...? It’s rough.”

“Doota has the highest sales right now.”

“How much are we talking?”

“I don’t remember the exact number, but just think of it as overwhelmingly number one. It’s mostly young casual fashion, so the volume is on a completely different scale. People from their teens to their thirties are buying a ton.”

The raw, unfiltered wholesale market you couldn’t really feel at NUZZON or Pyeonghwa Market—that was what Doota was.

This building was packed wall to wall with stores, no space wasted.

As I followed Coordinator Hwang, I listened to the noise around us.

“Amy blouse—can I get ten of each color today? Do I need to reserve unshipped stock?”

“Please come back at 2.”

“Do you issue VAT invoices for this?”

“Where are you coming from?”

“Unni, this hasn’t even been uploaded to Shinma yet, take a look. It’ll match your store perfectly, right?”

“Boss, this is Doota Athens. The sample hasn’t arrived yet. If two weeks pass, you’ll need to purchase—should I process the invoice now?”

The overlapping voices of employees answering calls filled the air with chaotic noise.