When the theater was bustling with the film festival, the area outside the theater was no less chaotic.
Not everyone at the fan meeting was a fan of Seo Jun. There were more fans who failed to get tickets for the fan meeting than those who did.
- Part 1 review is up!
- Wow! The MCs were the ones who appeared in the spring.
While looking for the brief reviews someone posted during the break, a notice from the fan cafe, posted by Cocoa Entertainment, caught the attention of the fans who were hanging out on the fan cafe.
Everyone clicked on it, thinking it was the announcement for the next fan meeting, only to find an incredible piece of news waiting for them.
A little while ago.
The public relations team member, who had just informed Team Leader Kim Soo-yeon of the news, was writing a press release following Seo Eun-chan's instructions.
Due to the agency's nature as an idol management company, everyone had little interest in international film festivals, and they had just learned that the WTV Film Festival determines its winners through a 'vote' by the audience.
Vote!
That word, which stimulates the fans' peripheral nerves!
It is a measure of the fans' love for their celebrities, visible to the naked eye, and has led to all sorts of underhanded tactics, even to the point of vote manipulation. It's something that any fan of someone has done at least once.
'The terrifying thing about voting is that the winner and the loser can be decided by just one vote.'
Watching his nephew on stage, Seo Eun-chan said to the public relations team member over the phone.
- Boss, should we post it on the fan cafe first?
"Since we've already informed the fans here, let's post it on the fan cafe before we distribute the press release. If this kind of news is announced late, people will say the company isn't doing its job! It would be fortunate if Seo Jun wins, but if he doesn't win by just a few votes..."
- There will be chaos.
That's right.
First nomination in life.
First possibility of winning.
And it's an international film festival!
If Seo Jun doesn't win due to a vote that the fans didn't know about, their anger will be directed at Cocoa Entertainment for not informing them about the vote.
The employees, listening to Seo Eun-chan over the speakerphone, swallowed hard.
"Since few people know that a Korean has been nominated for the WTV Film Festival, we need to spread the news as soon as possible. The fans of the other nominees are also not to be underestimated. The fact that they have longer careers and are active in the U.S. will be a significant obstacle for Seo Jun."
The public relations team members took a deep breath at Seo Eun-chan's words. It was time to show the power of Cocoa Entertainment's PR team.
Journalists, who were always on the lookout for topics and thirsty for news, started writing articles upon receiving emails and calls from the PR team. Anything sent by Cocoa Entertainment was a hit!
"Post it quickly!"
"What's the content!?"
"Even just the title is fine! You can edit it later!"
The title, "Lee Seo Jun, Overseas Film Festival Nominee, Possibility of Winning?!" and the keyword "Vote!" perfectly matched the public's taste. There was no better article to boost views.
To be the first to post, an article with only the title "Lee Seo Jun, Overseas Film Festival Nominee, Possibility of Winning?!" was uploaded to the internet.
[(Exclusive) Lee Seo Jun, Overseas Film Festival Nominee, Possibility of Winning?!]
- What? There's no content?
- Nominated? What film festival?
- You can't write an article like this!
Subsequently, articles flooded the internet. The entertainment section of the internet was filled with Seo Jun's name.
[Notable Actor Award! Nominee Lee Seo Jun!]
[Just 7 Years Old, Youngest Korean WTV Film Festival Nominee!]
[Notable Actor Award Determined by Vote! A Korean Actor Might Win!]
With the articles, Lee Seo Jun's name quickly rose to the top of the real-time search rankings.
1. Lee Seo Jun Fan Meeting
2. Lee Seo Jun
3. Lee Seo Jun WTV
...
10. How to Vote for WTV
Upon receiving the news, the fan cafe for Lee Seo Jun moved quickly. They had been waiting for the fan meeting reviews, but the exciting news made the fans ecstatic.
[(Notice) Please Vote!]
Our actor Lee Seo Jun has been nominated for the WTV Film Festival's 'Notable Actor Award'!
Let's make this the first award of Lee Seo Jun's life with our own hands!
Please vote.
>[WTV Voting Link]
- Wow, nominated! I voted!
- Notable Actor Award! It's definitely Seo Jun!
- Even the best villain is great, right?
=He hasn't done anything bad yet, lol. Maybe in Shadowman 3, lol.
- I voted!
While the fan meeting for Seo Jun was ongoing, the internet and the entertainment industry were in an uproar.
On TV, they explained the WTV Film Festival and introduced Korean actors who had won awards at international film festivals. They informed that if Seo Jun wins, he will be the youngest Korean to win at an international film festival.
BrownBlack and Lee Ji-seok also announced Seo Jun's nomination through their agency's SNS. Their hope that Seo Jun would win moved the fans.
[Let's vote too!]
BrownBlack and Lee Seo Jun are not just acquaintances!
He's like a nephew to us, BrownBlack! Let's vote!
>[WTV Voting Link]
- I voted!
- I hope he wins!
[Let's vote for actor Lee Seo Jun!]
For the sake of actor Lee Seo Jun, who helped Lee Ji-seok break his lead role jinx!
Let's vote!
- I'm so happy that all his works have been successful since The Spirit.
- I voted!
The movements of the two fan cafes caught the attention of the journalists, who were like predators waiting for their prey. Articles were posted one after another.
[BrownBlack and Lee Ji-seok's Fans Unite for Lee Seo Jun!]
[Brothers will help! Aim for Lee Seo Jun's win!]
[Actor Lee Seo Jun Nominated for WTV Film Festival!]
[First for a Korean Actor!]
[Let's Learn About the WTV Film Festival!]
[Winners Determined by Fans' Votes!]
* * *
The second part of the fan meeting was a whirlwind of excitement. Especially when Seo Jun performed his intense acting, everyone was amazed and applauded, thinking, "This is the performance that got him nominated!"
Seo Jun was so excited that he could only smile. The entire fan meeting felt like it was floating on a cloud. Still, he didn't forget his duties.
Seo Jun proceeded with the fan meeting according to the schedule. He picked a few fans to receive gifts and shake hands, and he sat in a comfortable chair to chat with the fans.
Stories from the U.S., stories about friends, and even a story about a missing tooth. Though they were trivial, they were entertaining. The fans laughed and enjoyed the stories.
As the fan meeting, filled with happiness, came to an end,
"How was it?"
Ida Jin and Choi So-young went down, and Seo Jun was left alone on stage, shining under the spotlight. Seo Jun smiled and said,
"I was so excited, I'm not sure if I acted properly."
- No, it was amazing!
- You did great!
Seo Jun laughed and looked at the audience. Everyone was as excited about his nomination as if it were their own.
It was wonderful to see the fans cheering for even the smallest actions. Throughout the fan meeting, he looked around to see if anyone was unhappy, but everyone was smiling and enjoying themselves.
As Seo Jun slowly looked at the audience, he wondered if he had fans in his previous life. If he did, would they have cried seeing him dead? He was worried. If he had even one fan in his previous life, it would have been great...
Shaken by the fans' gazes focused on him, Seo Jun bowed and shook off his thoughts.
The past is the past, and now I should only think about my fans! Seo Jun smiled widely.
"Thank you all for coming today. I hope you continue to support and love me!"
- Seo Jun! Congratulations on the nomination!
- It was fun today!
Seo Jun went down from the stage, and the theater doors opened.
The staff at the entrance distributed paper bags from a large box.
The fans carefully placed the gifts they brought into the prepared boxes and took the paper bags containing Seo Jun's autograph and DVD. As soon as they left the theater, they quickly turned on their phones.
Eun-yeon, with an excited face, turned on her phone to brag to her friend.
"Hey, it's over now."
- How was it?
"It was amazing! Seeing Seo Jun act in person was incredible. He only provided the voice for the Blue Dragon role, but it was impressive. Oh, and did you know Seo Jun was nominated for an international film festival? We were the first to know!"
- Oh, that's in the news. The internet is going crazy.
"Of course, the journalists are fast. I hope Seo Jun wins."
- Wait, they didn't tell you at the fan meeting?
"What?"
Eun-yeon, listening to her friend, Park Sung-a, couldn't help but shout. The people leaving the fan meeting theater turned to look at her, it was that loud. No, Eun-yeon's words hit the fans hard.
"The winner is determined by a vote!?!?"
Vote!?
The word that stimulates their instincts made the fans' eyes widen.
* * *
"Vote?"
"Yeah. You go to the site and vote."
"But you didn't mention that earlier."
After parting with his sisters and with the staff all gone, Seo Jun decided to go home with Uncle Chan. Seo Eun-chan drove Seo Jun's car, and they headed home.
Seo Jun, who had learned from Seo Eun-chan that he wasn't the owner of the song or the questionnaire, tilted his head in confusion.
"If we had mentioned it at the fan meeting, everyone would have been busy voting. Besides, it would have looked like we held the fan meeting just to encourage voting. The fan meeting was for Seo Jun to thank his fans, so posting it on the fan cafe is enough."
"I see."
"Uncle has already voted."
"Hmm."
Seo Jun was pondering. Should he ask about the current voting situation or not? He was curious, but if he was in last place, it would be disappointing.
Ding!
At that moment, his phone rang. It was a text from Seo Eun-hye. Seo Jun's eyes sparkled as he read his mother's message. Seo Eun-chan asked,
"What does it say?"
"Let's have a celebration for the nomination! Bring a cake! My favorite! If you want anything else, bring it too!"
"Okay, where can we get a good cake?"
"Uncle, Uncle, let's have chicken too!"
"Cake and chicken. Sure, let's eat as much as we want! Uncle will pay for it today!"
While Seo Jun, excited by Seo Eun-chan's words, went to buy a chocolate cake, the internet was on fire with voting.
- If you're Korean, vote for Lee Seo Jun!
- I didn't know about this film festival, but Redbone