"Since last week's episode ended that way, I wonder if they'll show something exciting today."
"Surprisingly, developments like these often end anticlimactically."
"But wait, isn't this story about high school students prepping for college exams? Why is there a weapon involved? Haha."
The tenth episode ended with someone preparing a weapon. Naturally, viewers’ anticipation reached a peak.
Kim Hyunseok, who plays Lee Minhyuk in the current drama, waited for Episode 12 with a tense expression. But he wasn’t alone.
Today, a few young actors from Sky Garden had gathered to watch the 12th episode together.
“Did you hear what Wednesday’s ratings were?”
“14 percent.”
“We’re three percent behind Grand Game.”
Kim Hyunseok thought that gap was manageable. He had already checked out the latest Grand Game episode.
A bold move—the episode featured a romantic turn between the main character and the female lead. The online reaction, of course, was positive.
This content is taken from freёwebnovel.com.
Based on the stream of praise on social media, it seemed like their gamble had paid off. But...
“By the way, isn’t Joo Seoyeon coming today?”
“What do you mean, ‘Joo Seoyeon’? Call her ‘senior Joo Seoyeon.’”
“She’s not here, though.”
Well, they weren’t wrong. Who doesn’t speak freely when the person isn’t present?
Not that it was an insult. Anyway, just as Hyunseok had mentioned, Seoyeon hadn’t shown up. Maybe she had stopped by ADs for another commercial before heading over, or perhaps she had something else to handle.
“But why are you bringing up Seoyeon?”
“Oh, she mentioned something during filming.”
“For Episode 12?”
“Yeah.”
The filming for Episode 12 had been exceptionally grueling. There was even a rainstorm in the valley, making it slightly dangerous. Although, it wasn't a downpour that would disrupt the shoot.
...Or maybe it was just safe because it was Joo Seoyeon. In any case, back then, Seoyeon had turned to a visibly nervous Hyunseok and said,
“Praise on online communities doesn’t necessarily translate to ratings.”
“What?”
“If you mistake community feedback for the general audience’s opinion and get caught up in it, you might lose something much bigger.”
Hyunseok understood this intellectually. But for someone like Seoyeon, close to his own age, to say it—it felt odd.
'And even if I know it’s different, ignoring it is difficult.'
It wasn’t completely wrong. Sometimes, what sticks out really does pierce through.
So it couldn’t be ignored.
“Grand Game is a good drama. I think... the original plot was probably a bit different.”
“Why?”
“Hints dropped throughout the series seem to imply that.”
Curious, Hyunseok asked, and Seoyeon replied in a calm tone.
With the sound of rain in the background, her voice, which had reached the finals in Mask Singer, almost felt like a melody. Like she was singing.
“I think the original culprit was supposed to be the female lead.”
“What? Really?”
“Yes, that’s likely why she’s been by the protagonist’s side all along. Of course, it probably wasn’t finalized.”
The turning point was likely Episode 10, just like Sky Garden.
However, making the “female lead” the villain would’ve been a significant risk for the show’s main audience.
Seoyeon knew this. After all, Grand Game was a drama she had avidly watched in her previous life.
‘Even without understanding emotions.’
Even without grasping emotions, she could still get invested in the storyline. Though, admittedly, there were many aspects of “investment” she didn’t fully understand.
‘Originally, Sky Garden was supposed to air on a separate network and much later, so there would have been no overlap.’
This gave Grand Game a clear solo run. But its conclusion was ultimately anticlimactic.
‘Still, it held up fairly well, maintaining its ratings through the end.’
The reason came out later in a director’s interview: “The original script had the female lead as the culprit.”
Looking back from the start with that in mind, there were definitely clues.
“They chose to appeal to the mainstream.”
It was a balancing act between thriller enthusiasts and the show’s main audience.
“So, what do you think?”
Hyunseok asked, almost like it was a prophecy. Seoyeon looked at him with a slightly puzzled expression before smiling.
That smile left an impression on Hyunseok.
Recently, he’d noticed Seoyeon smiling more often. And her serene smile was so beautiful, it momentarily mesmerized him.
Even he, who was used to beautiful celebrities.
“You’ll find out when you watch Episode 12, right?”
She wasn’t talking about Grand Game. She meant today’s Sky Garden Episode 12.
“...Did that really happen?”
Park Sejin, who played Lee Minseo, asked with a puzzled look.
“I didn’t even realize it back then because I was so out of it.”
“Right, right, Seoyeon ended up rolling down the valley after catching you.”
“Oh, that? She fell while trying to catch me?”
“For real? What if she’d gotten seriously hurt?!”
As Sejin spoke, Kim Hyunseok was taken aback.
“What, are male actors supposed to be made of steel? Rolling off a cliff would hurt anyone.”
“Was it that dangerous?”
Han Seongjin, Hyunseok’s friend, recalled the incident. There had been a bit of commotion, and when he went to check, he saw Seoyeon waving from below the valley. The staff were in a frenzy, and even the director had rushed over.
He remembered how Seoyeon, looking flustered, shouted, “I’m fine! I don’t get hurt from things like this!”
If even rolling down a cliff didn’t hurt her, what would it take?
“She didn’t even get a scratch. Are actresses’ skin normally this tough?”
“What’s with the ‘scratch’?”
Anyway, thanks to her fearless acting, the shoot ended without any issues. The director nearly fainted, but the scenes came out well, making Episode 12 a success.
In the middle of that conversation...
“Oh, Seoyeon’s here! I’ll go and bring her in for a moment.”
“Go ahead.”
Today’s gathering was at Park Sejin’s mansion. She’d suggested they all watch the drama together.
She really was like Lee Minseo in the drama. And since today’s episode focused on her character, her excitement was understandable.
“I wonder... how much of a rebound Episode 12 will give us.”
Sky Garden was already a huge hit. Any more would be pushing it, yet their eyes naturally looked higher.
They couldn’t help it. Actors were just built that way.
++++++
"Let's get started."
"Grand Game this week felt kind of off, honestly."
"Wonder if Sky Garden might end up going down the same path."
Grand Game had its appeal, especially with the core audience. However, male viewers seemed to lose interest at certain points.
Of course, male viewers made up just a fraction of the main audience, so they weren’t significant. They just grumbled things like, “Another ‘Bromance’? Well, that’s K-drama for you.”
Grand Game would probably keep doing well, even if it took some flak here and there—that was the expectation.
“It’s from Yiju’s perspective again?”
“Joo Seoyeon’s acting as Yiju has been phenomenal lately.”
“It was good at first, but now it’s just amazing. Seriously.”
“She’s really beautiful too, haha.”
Seoyeon truly shined in roles with a sharp, intense aura rather than gentle ones—or at least, her fans thought so.
And they weren’t wrong.
"So, who grabbed the weapon in Episode 10?"
“Isn’t it obvious? Lee Minhyuk, right?”
“That’s too obvious. Maybe it’s Gilsujin, haha.”
The discussions carried on as Episode 12 unfolded. Episode 11 had left an uneasy tension, hinting at the events of Episode 10.
The narrative shifted to Gilsujin’s perspective, revealing her growing animosity toward Yiju. And right in front of her, Yiju said,
“If that’s what you truly wish.”
That statement asserted Yiju’s dominance over Gilsujin, implying she was in control of not just Minseo but also Minhyuk.
Grinding her teeth inwardly, Gilsujin outwardly smiled warmly at Yiju.
Then, another scene unfolded.
“Oh, you’re here too? Hello, Yiju.”
Yiju’s classmates, Song Gayun and her boyfriend, Ji Changwoo, made their entrance.
“You guys came to hang out by the valley too? It’s a nice spot.”
Gayun had made occasional appearances up to Episode 10, frequently approaching Yiju.
Of course, Yiju never gave her much attention, as Gayun was just barely from an upper-class family—not enough to catch her interest at Taeyang High School, where the true elite gathered.
To Yiju, she wasn’t worth paying attention to.
“What a perfect time,” Yiju remarked with a slight sneer, watching Gayun with her boyfriend.
Yet, Gayun merely tilted her head and gave a bright smile.
“So are you.”
Gayun’s words were purely friendly, conveying, “You look happy too,” but Yiju’s expression briefly soured.
The scene drew reactions like these. But Gayun didn’t appear again after that moment in Episode 11.
Then came Episode 12, returning to Yiju’s perspective.
A small spat erupted between Minhyuk and Minseo, with Minseo stepping in to calm him down.
"I told you, I’ll handle my studies my way!"
“Prove it with your grades.”
“Then does Minseo score higher than me? No, she doesn’t!”
“Sure, but if you take Yiju’s help, you’d improve faster.”
Gilsujin already knew Yiju’s academic performance. Perfect scores.
Since enrolling, Yiju hadn’t missed a single perfect score, consistently ranking at the top. Her stellar grades, coupled with her attitude, made her a favorite among the teachers at Taeyang High School.
As for college, Yiju would likely have her pick. If she helped Gilsujin’s son...
Securing the top spot in Baekyeon University’s medical school wouldn’t be a stretch, Gilsujin thought.
As the drama neared its climax, the conflict simmered down, leaving the weapon’s whereabouts unknown.
Then, Minseo and Minhyuk vanished simultaneously. At first, it seemed they were just avoiding Gilsujin after a fight.
But as they didn’t return under the pouring rain, concern started to grow. Gilsujin and her husband, Lee Hyuksoo, went out to search.
Yiju had no choice but to join the search for them.
“I thought he’d outgrown this rebellious phase.”
Mumbling that she had overestimated Minhyuk, Yiju joined the search. As she scouted the area, her phone buzzed—a call from Minseo.
“Oppa fell down the valley and got hurt.”
Minseo usually called Minhyuk by name, so the use of “Oppa” suggested her panic.
Reluctantly, Yiju went to the location Minseo specified. It wasn’t far from where they had been earlier.
“Minseo? Where’s Auntie?”
With the rain and fog, visibility down the valley was poor. Yiju looked around as she approached Minseo.
Gilsujin and Lee Hyuksoo were nowhere to be seen. Minseo had said she’d already called them, so it was odd.
“That—that doesn’t matter! Oppa’s fallen down there!”
Seeing Minseo’s pale face and frantic steps, Yiju sighed and moved closer, assuming Gilsujin and Hyuksoo were somewhere nearby.
Yiju hadn’t considered that Minseo might actually do something to her. After all, to Yiju, Minseo was insignificant—merely a stepping stone.
A comparison piece and bait for climbing up through Minhyuk.
So she never imagined that someone so minor could do anything to her.
“Y-Yiju, my battery’s about to die. I haven’t called my parents yet. Can I borrow your phone?”
Ah, so that’s why Gilsujin and Hyuksoo weren’t here?
Casually, Yiju handed Minseo her phone.
After all, she had no intention of doing anything here herself. She just wanted them to sort things out quickly.
“I can’t see anything.”
The fog and rain limited her view, with trees and bushes obscuring the area. If someone fell, it’d be nearly impossible to climb back up alone.
Was Minhyuk really down there?
While she was focused on looking down the slope, a hot sensation bloomed in her abdomen.
“Huh?”
Glancing down, she saw the blade in her stomach. And Minseo’s face, holding the handle.
“Why?”
Her strength waned from the stab wound. Minseo, however, offered no explanation to Yiju.
Thud.
She simply shoved the staggering Yiju off the cliff. And...
With that, a commercial banner flashed on screen, marking the end of Sky Garden Episode 12.
It was a jaw-dropping ending, leaving viewers stunned and uncertain of what might happen next.
The online community’s reaction was explosive, marking the beginning of Sky Garden’s stunning comeback.