The original body lived all alone in this huge, cold, fancy room. The world was seriously messed up, and the weight of all the cruelty was crushing her. Every single day, the mean rumors and harsh accusations just dug deeper into her soul. Late at night, when everything was quiet, Yuri felt so lonely and desperate it hurt.
She was totally depressed. She thought about ending it all so many times. Her hands would shake, ready to just give up. But then she'd think about her twin little brothers. Her aunt and uncle took care of them after their parents died when Yuri was only 13. If she died, they'd have nobody left. That thought was the only thing that stopped her.
The original Yuri wouldn't let the sadness win, though. Instead, she threw all her pain into music. She worked non-stop, writing songs, hoping for a huge comeback that would totally shut down all the cruel rumors haunting her. She stayed up every night, totally exhausted, running on just coffee and energy drinks, while trying to keep up with a crazy strict diet to stay skinny. She was so desperate, she kept looking for proof to show everyone the accusations were lies. All that stress finally broke her body, and she worked herself to death. That's how the new Yuri got the chance to take over.
....
After seeing all that, Yuri felt a deep sorrow for the girl she replaced. Her life had been one of pain and loss. Yuri felt guilty for taking over a life that was so broken, yet one that still desperately fought to survive.
"The rumors were too perfect," Yuri muttered, thinking out loud.
"And those marketing accounts told a story that was way too good to be true. Someone planned this whole thing so carefully. It must have cost them millions." She seriously wondered how the original girl got tangled up in this giant mess.
Before Yuri crossed over, she was pretty good at analyzing stuff. Using the original owner's memories, she traced the main suspect back to the girl's old company: SSV Entertainment. SSV was one of the three biggest companies in the business, known for its perfect trainees and super strict system.
The original Yuri signed up as a trainee when she was fourteen. But after she refused the gross "unspoken rules" that the music director demanded, they froze her out for three long years. Luckily, her uncle was a lawyer, so she only signed a short-term contract. That's also why the company didn't care about her, they refused to spend any real money on her training.
Yuri didn't renew her contract when it ran out; instead, she signed with Juson Entertainment. SSV didn't seem to care much about their old trainee. But nobody guessed that Yuri would go on the TV show "Goddess of Tomorrow" as just a regular girl and become famous overnight, all because of her insane looks.
The "Goddess of Tomorrow" contest brought together beautiful and talented girls from 16 to 24, all showing off their unique skills. It was trying to find the next "it girl." And Yuri totally stood out. Her face was even better than a lot of famous Korean stars, and she had a stunning body, a unique personality, and okay talent. Fans and people online immediately supported her, giving her votes that were almost double the second and third places. She was the clear winner, representing the future of beauty and talent.
Yuri's success was fast, with new jobs and endorsements popping up non-stop. This quick rise made SSV Entertainment nervous, it felt worse than watching their stock crash. First, they tried to sue her, saying she broke some old contract rules. When that failed, they started secret schemes, using their power to try and completely destroy her reputation.
"I knew the entertainment industry was dirty," Yuri said to herself, "but I never imagined it could be this disgusting."
She sat stiffly on the solid wood dining chair. It was hard and super uncomfortable, digging into her sore skin. After sitting for hours, she sighed and stood up, her legs aching. She quietly walked to the living room and flopped onto the sofa, grabbing a soft pillow. Her eyebrows were squeezed together tightly; her troubles felt so heavy.
For two years, the original Yuri was a super popular artist, making tons of money and fans. But now, everything was crashing. Huge sponsors like Etude House and LG had all canceled their contracts. They were demanding she pay compensation for damages, and nobody wanted to hear her excuses. In the harsh business world, reputation is everything. Once it breaks, your partners bail.
Yuri never imagined that getting a new life would come with such a massive price. The debts were piling up painfully, 500 million won in total, which she listed on her phone. A pounding pain filled her head. She had begged God to become an artist and chase her dreams, but now she was stuck in a body weighed down by a major crisis.
"God, why did my new life have to start in hell mode?" she whispered, rubbing her temples.
Suddenly, another wave of dizziness hit her.
"Ding."
[The star-making system awakens and begins binding.]
[Your AI is at your service.]
Yuri's eyes went wide. Help had just shown up in the most random way possible.