I Want to Be a VTuber-Chapter 290: Irregular (1)

The Actor of Kyungsung Lady Currently Making Headlines

The internet was in an uproar over the news that Ju Seoyeon, the actress who played Kasugayama Yuina in Kyungsung Lady, would be appearing on a variety show.

In Japan, reactions were mixed due to the lack of prior exposure to Seoyeon’s variety performances. Meanwhile, Korean fan communities were already brimming with excitement.

"Is it today? The episode of I Took On the Challenge and Won with Ju Seoyeon?"

"Yeah, it's starting soon."

"All the so-called masters who meet Ju Seoyeon are about to get their heads blown off."

"Fact."

Seoyeon had already displayed a wide range of personas on variety shows. The internet’s collective image of her could be summed up as:

"This is Ju Seoyeon!"

A woman with the sheer strength and stamina to carry two actresses and sprint at full speed!Reflexes sharp enough to see and dodge paintballs!The sheer audacity to ride a bear and smack it on the head!

"At this point, isn’t she just the Terminator?"

"For real, lmao."

With such expectations in the air, viewers settled in as Battle, I Took On the Challenge and Won began in earnest.

"Today's Special Guest!"

"Now then, today we have an incredible lineup—ten masters are waiting!"

The first to appear on-screen was the show’s host, Katsuyoshi. His tone was more excited than usual as he began hyping up the audience.

"Why ten, you ask? Because we have a special guest today! Yes, yes, that’s right! It was really tough. Seriously. For real!"

"Here he goes again."

"Doesn't he have a ‘special guest’ every episode?"

The panelists, regulars on Battle, I Took On the Challenge and Won, booed lightly at the typical exaggerated antics of a Japanese comedian. Their role was akin to a live studio audience, reacting to the challenges in real time.

"Ahem! Anyway! That’s enough explanation about the rules—let’s bring in today’s special guest!"

With Katsuyoshi’s words, the large doors behind him swung open. A thick cloud of smoke billowed out, covering the floor in a mist.

"It’s happening! It’s happening!"

"Lmao, they prepped ten people just for this?"

"Normally, it's only one opponent, right?"

"Yeah, today really does feel like something special."

As Korean viewers flooded the livestream chat with their excitement—

Click.

A single, soft footstep echoed through the studio, cutting through the noise.

"Oh... ohhh!"

"No way!"

The panelists exaggerated their reactions, calling out in awe. But even though it was all part of the script, their timing was slightly off.

It was clear they had rehearsed this in advance—yet, their real hesitation still seeped through the screen.

"Today’s challenger is none other than Ju Seoyeon, who plays Kasugayama Yuina in the newly released movie Kyungsung Lady!"

As the smoke cleared, Seoyeon appeared, fully dressed in Kasugayama Yuina’s outfit from the film.

A long-stemmed kiseru pipe in hand. A refined, aristocratic beauty.

The sudden shift in atmosphere was breathtaking. The panelists, who had been chattering moments ago, momentarily forgot their lines, their words trailing off.

Their reaction only served to amplify Seoyeon’s presence.

"Good."

Watching the scene unfold from behind the camera, the director of I Took On the Challenge and Won, Ninomiya Daiki, clenched his fist in triumph.

It had been Seoyeon’s idea to appear in Kyungsung Lady’s costume.

"I’m here to promote the movie—would it be okay if I dressed as Yuina?"

Normally, the request would’ve been denied outright. But since Daiki had received explicit orders from higher-ups to accommodate Seoyeon’s preferences as much as possible, he had no choice but to nod.

For the first rehearsal, she had worn normal clothes.

For the actual filming, she fully transformed into Yuina.

That last-minute change had been Daiki’s idea. He wanted the panelists’ reactions to feel more genuine.

After all, it was a pre-recorded show—if things didn’t go well, they could always reshoot.

And judging by the results, the gamble had paid off.

"Wait, is that really Ju Seoyeon?"

"The vibes are insane. She’s a perfect Yuina."

"Kyungsung Lady made her look absolutely stunning, lmao." freewebnøvel.com

"Low-key, I was hoping for Yuina to end up with Michiko instead..."

Even viewers who had been expecting a more casual, lighthearted Seoyeon naturally shifted their focus to Yuina.

With Kyungsung Lady already gaining traction through word of mouth, many in the chat were eager to discuss the film.

After all, Yuina had left a powerful impression on the audience.

"Hello, I’m Ju Seoyeon, and I play Kasugayama Yuina in Kyungsung Lady."

Her Japanese was flawless.

Since Seoyeon had never spoken Japanese in a broadcast before, her introduction was met with enthusiastic cheers from the panelists.

"You speak Japanese so well!"

"I only practiced the greeting."

"But you just answered me in Japanese?"

"That’s because it was in the script."

She flashed a knowing smile.

At that moment, she was Yuina—the elegant noblewoman from Kyungsung Lady.

Her refined, aristocratic aura was so overwhelming that one of the comedian panelists instinctively stood up and bowed deeply.

"Ah, now I feel oddly disrespectful."

"Dude, why are you acting so shy?"

"Seoyeon, just ignore this guy!"

Amidst the rowdy energy of the variety show, Seoyeon offered a slightly awkward smile.

Japanese variety shows had a distinct atmosphere—vastly different from their Korean counterparts.

Korean entertainment had once been similar, but over time, it had evolved in its own direction.

"I can’t let this feel too lighthearted."

That was precisely why Seoyeon had chosen to present herself in Yuina’s persona.

"It’s not like I can appear on Japanese TV frequently."

Any sense of familiarity the audience needed had already been covered by the Bear Encounter segment that would air as a documentary epilogue.

Back then, she had let herself relax and have fun—but she couldn’t afford to cultivate only that image.

Especially in Japan, where she had no guarantee of another appearance anytime soon.

This meant that the impression she left today could last for a long time.

The Fuji Safari Park footage already served to establish a friendly image. To balance it out, she needed to project a more serious, composed persona.

"Besides, they already think I’m good at reckless physical feats."

Seoyeon subtly furrowed her brows—so slightly that no one could notice.

Even the very first challenge involved something absurd—coconut piercing.

Pulling it off wouldn’t be an issue, but the potential aftershocks of doing it? That was a different story.

After all, she’d split a coconut once before on Survival Island, and that had saddled her with a gorilla meme for months.

If Japan reacted the same way as Korea, history would repeat itself.

"Stay in character. Be Yuina. Be Yuina."

Since she was promoting a film, dressing up as Yuina helped tone down the comedic atmosphere.

That was the real reason she had insisted on appearing on the show in full costume.

Two Weeks Later: The Broadcast Airs

As the episode aired, Seoyeon casually browsed the internet and typed out a comment.

"Damn, doesn’t she give off the perfect Yuina vibe? Ju Seoyeon always shines the most when she plays these cold, elegant roles. Agree?"

After activating her VPN, she hit send.

"Hmm... yeah, agreed."

"Her image has been too casual lately."

"That Violle commercial was great, though."

For the first time in a while, the audience was reacting exactly as she had hoped.

"This is it."

Satisfied with the responses, she quickly messaged Sora.

Seoyeon: "Sora, did you post anything on the Japanese forums?"

Sora: "Oh, was I supposed to?"

Seoyeon: "Hurry up. Go, go!"

Seoyeon had left the Japanese side of things to Sora.

After all, she had already planted a few people to maintain her image in Japan.

With that handled, all she had to do was sit back and enjoy the show.

Fortunately, none of the following challenges required absurd displays of brute strength.

"I made sure to keep things subtle whenever it seemed like it might turn into a physical showcase."

And when it came to acting?

She had absolute confidence.

She was an actress, after all.

Leaning back, Seoyeon watched herself on screen.

The show had now shifted to discussing Kyungsung Lady, with Seoyeon still in full Yuina attire.

"The Film’s Reception Was Beyond Our Expectations."

"So, the response to Kyungsung Lady has been far beyond expectations?"

The host, Katsuyoshi, turned to Seoyeon with curiosity.

She nodded.

From this point on, a translator stepped in to relay her words.

"This was the first time a Korean film had a simultaneous release in Japan. And given the genre’s niche appeal, we didn’t expect it to perform well."

But against all odds, the film had exceeded expectations.

Katsuyoshi then moved on to the topic everyone had been waiting for—one of the major highlights of today’s episode.

"The intense scenes you shared with Stella Baldwin in Kyungsung Lady have become a hot topic. Were you acquainted with Stella beforehand?"

It was a question she had answered before, but today, they were digging deeper.

They wanted to know—

Had she met Stella in Korea?

What had happened on set?

Since Stella had a huge following in Japan, the producers had planned to leverage that for publicity.

"It was a complete coincidence that we met in Korea."

She was, of course, referring to the night Stella had stayed over at her place.

Stella had already given her permission to mention it.

"Even if she agreed... she was way too enthusiastic about it."

When Seoyeon had messaged her about it, Stella had responded—

[Stella:] "You can talk about other things too, you know?"

[Seoyeon:] "Other things?"

[Stella:] "Like what I said at the airport."

[Seoyeon:] "Absolutely not."

[Stella:] "XD"

Stella was a lot to deal with.

Still, she had helped her out a lot, so Seoyeon had agreed to meet up with her again sometime.

"...I am definitely bringing Jo Sehee along when that happens."

Lee Jiyeon might have been a lost cause against Stella, but the villainous noblewoman could hold her ground.

The Battle Begins

With the Stella discussion wrapped up, the real entertainment began.

"The first challenger is... a Trump card master!"

A man stepped forward, fanning out a deck of cards in a grand flourish.

For a moment, Seoyeon wondered if they were about to play some kind of thief-catching game with playing cards.

Fortunately, that wasn’t the case.

Instead, the master suddenly flicked a card through the air—

—snuffing out a lit candle.

A wave of impressed murmurs spread through the audience.

"Whoa, how the hell did he do that?"

"Dude's literally Twisted Fate."

"Ju Seoyeon doesn’t have the dexterity for this, lmao."

"Nah, nah, she’s way more precise than you think."

"Wait, ‘Seoyeon’ and ‘precise’ in the same sentence? Who are you?"

Seoyeon had been about to type a response but hesitated at the sudden doubt.

She pouted.

She was precise!

The show would prove it soon enough.

"Your Turn, Seoyeon!"

"Alright, time for the challenge!"

"Haha, this isn’t something you can pick up after just a little practice."

The master chuckled confidently, flicking card after card through the air—each one snuffing out a candle without fail.

Seoyeon had tried this a few times in practice.

She couldn’t even get the cards to fly straight.

"Now, let’s begin the challenge!"

The moment the host shouted, Seoyeon’s expression turned deadly serious.

She snapped her wrist—

Three cards flew in rapid succession.

And the candle...

split in half.

"?!"

"Ju Seoyeon: If I can’t snuff it out, I’ll just cut it in two."

"Wait, did she just slice through a candle... with a playing card??"

"Okay, yeah, the candle was thin, but still..."

Even the production crew seemed taken aback.

They scrambled to replay the footage in slow motion.

The cards had embedded themselves in a single spot, striking the same point in succession—splitting the candle cleanly down the middle.

"I did put out the flame, didn’t I?"

Seoyeon turned to Katsuyoshi with an innocent look.

He hesitated before nodding reluctantly.

"Well... yeah. You did put it out."

By, you know, killing the candle itself.

"Uh... well, it technically counts, so... it’s a draw!"

A draw?

The show moved on to the next round, but the internet was not done.

"If those were steel cards, she could decapitate someone."

"The truth: Seoyeon was never trying to snuff the flame. She was trying to kill the candle."

"Technically, if you destroy the candle, the fire does go out..."

"That level of precision... yeah, okay, I take it back. She’s insane."*

Anyway, the First Match.

The showdown requiring delicate hand movements ended in a draw.

And the second master to step forward—

"A master of memorization! They say he can instantly commit anything to memory."

Surprisingly, memorization also required stamina. Seoyeon felt a sense of relief when the memorization master was introduced.

At least it wasn’t another physically demanding challenge.

Besides, Seoyeon was fairly confident in her ability to memorize things.

Thus, the memorization battle commenced. Although Seoyeon put up a good fight, the master ultimately emerged victorious.

She hadn’t managed to perfectly memorize the assigned book within the given time.

—Wait, Ju Seoyeon is actually decent at memorization?

—So she’s not a total airhead.

—I thought she was smart because of Heaven’s Garden, but she’s actually not that bright?

—My cousin goes to Yeonhwa High School, and they said Ju Seoyeon is terrible at studying lol.

—Who’s that?

—?

—Who are you, and why are you asking? Creepy.

So far, out of the three matches, one was a draw, and one was a loss.

Typically, competitions consisted of three consecutive matches in the same category. However, since they were facing a different master each time, Seoyeon was at a relative disadvantage.

It was only natural for her to lose.

Besides, the purpose of the variety show was to promote the movie. In that sense, losing was the preferable outcome for Seoyeon.

Maintaining her aloof demeanor as Kasugayama Yuina, she picked the last opponent’s number.

"Ohhh, now this is something!"

Katsuyoshi exclaimed in amazement as a man stepped forward.

At a glance, it was clear—he was massive.

"The master of the punch machine, Tetsuma-san!"

Apparently, he was quite famous. With his well-developed trapezius muscles twitching, he raised both arms and gave a big greeting.

Seeing him, Seoyeon's face tensed.

"Here it comes."

At that moment, she truly thought that.

And for good reason!

If it was the punch machine, there would be no avoiding the brutal image attached to it.

But as she watched the broadcast, Seoyeon found herself momentarily confused.

"Huh? Why did this one get chosen?"

Of course, only three matches were aired on TV, but in reality, she had participated in far more.

Since it was a pre-recorded show, that was to be expected.

They had played multiple matches and selected the three that looked the best for the final broadcast.

From what she recalled, the chosen games were cards, memorization, and cup stacking.

The cup stacking challenge, in particular, had been carefully staged—Seoyeon had deliberately adjusted her speed to lose to the master by a hair’s breadth.

So she had assumed those three would make the cut...

"Now that I think about it... didn’t they mention a change midway?"

She vaguely remembered getting a message about it, but she had been busy playing Coldwind at the time and didn’t pay much attention.

Something about the punch machine looking better visually?

"Oh, right. I figured it would help emphasize a more delicate image, so I was fine with it."

The problem was, they had sent an attachment along with that message. And she had completely forgotten about it.

"...Nothing weird, right?"

At least, nothing strange had happened during the actual shoot.

With that in mind, Seoyeon watched the broadcast with nervous eyes.

"Tetsuma-san has traveled across Japan, setting record-high scores on every punch machine. He’s also an active professional in mixed martial arts and the reigning national arm wrestling champion!"

As the host made his announcement—

—So he’s not really a punch machine master then lol.

—Might as well have entered as the arm wrestling master instead.

A few panelists chuckled, eliciting lighthearted jeers.

After all, a punch machine match was inherently unfair to an actress.

Then, Tetsuma stepped up and delivered a clean strike.

A perfect 999 points flashed on the screen.

As the panelists gasped in admiration, Tetsuma shrugged his shoulders.

"Next up, actress Ju Seoyeon’s challenge!"

At Katsuyoshi’s call, Seoyeon gave a brief nod and stepped forward.

"Make it look weak."

Carefully measuring her distance from the machine, Seoyeon acted as if she were putting her weight into the punch.

At least to make it seem like she was giving it her all.

With a thunk, the machine recoiled, and the screen displayed a score of exactly 700 points.

Tetsuma looked genuinely impressed.

"That’s seriously impressive for a one-handed punch."

"Oh! It was one-handed, wasn’t it?"

"Ah, so she wasn’t using any technique!"

The competition was based on three attempts, with the final score being the sum of all three.

For the next two ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) strikes, Seoyeon pretended to use both hands—though the scores remained at 700, 800, and 800.

With that, the victory went to Tetsuma.

—Still, 800 is pretty high.

—Honestly, that’s kind of low for Ju Seoyeon?

—I was expecting her to break the machine lol.

—What, do you think she’s some kind of gorilla? Lmao.

—She’s actually more fragile than she looks.

—?

—That’s not true.

And so, the relatively uneventful match was about to conclude.

Seoyeon, relieved that she had successfully projected a weaker image, let out a quiet sigh.

[Exclusive Additional Footage!]

Suddenly, huge flashing letters slammed onto the screen.

The scene cut to footage of the three actresses from Kyungsung Lady, along with Stella Baldwin, visiting an arcade in Japan.

"Wait... don’t tell me—"

It hit her.

She remembered now.

Back then, they had been filming some sort of vlog alongside the Kyungsung Lady documentary.

That footage had never been used, so she had completely forgotten about it.

For Seoyeon, this was nothing short of a disaster.

As she stared at the screen, horrified—

A thunderous sound erupted.

The footage clearly showed the punch machine trembling under the impact.

"Marvel or DC?"

Stella’s serious voice followed.

—She really just asked if it’s Marvel or DC lol.

—I mean... at least that’s a realistic question.

—Realistic??

—?

—Did a bomb just go off?

—Lmao, the network just got caught faking it.

—......

As reactions exploded across the internet, Seoyeon clutched her head with both hands.

There was no doubt—the Korean side of the internet would be flooded with memes again.

"I’m doomed."

At least, that’s what she thought.

—Uh, what’s going on with Japan’s real-time trends?

—It’s almost entirely about Ju Seoyeon right now.

[The Unexpectedly Charming Beauty]

[A Fantasy Character Come to Life]

[The Super High School Girl]

[Ju Seoyeon]

[Kasugayama Yuina]

[Kyungsung Lady]

[Nettrix - Mine]

The internet’s response was nothing like what she had expected.