Chapter 1
“Saebyeol, just trust me and wait a little. I’ll definitely succeed and come back for you.”
On top of Hangang Bridge, Mincheol fixed his determined gaze on his lover, Saebyeol. Dressed in a neat suit, his sharp, well-defined features stood out strikingly.
The woman standing before him—Saebyeol—looked pale, her slender body seemingly lacking strength.
Her long black hair fluttered gently in the spring breeze, and the pleated skirt beneath her cardigan swayed precariously.
The river below, lit by the bridge lights, shimmered restlessly in the night.
“…Okay. But….”
With a trembling smile, as if she might cry, she made a request.
“Name… our baby before you go.”
Her hand moved to her slightly protruding belly. Inside, Mincheol’s child was growing.
A man about to leave behind both his lover and his child—Mincheol’s sharp jaw tightened as he swallowed his emotions.
At the same time, the drama’s live chat exploded with reactions.
(Haein) Wait, why is this ending?? Isn’t this the final episode today?!
(Singing Deer) No way… how is THIS the finale lol
(WH) He’s not seriously going to run away like that, right?
(Yukgaejang) Ah, Saebyeol unni…
After a heavy silence, Mincheol spoke.
“Chae-ah.”
Saebyeol’s eyes trembled as she looked at him.
When he first met her, she seemed wrapped in radiant light. So surely their child, too, would shine beautifully.
“Chae from ‘light,’ and ah from ‘beautiful.’ Chae-ah.”
“…Chae…ah.”
Unable to hold back any longer, Mincheol pulled her into his arms.
Her fragile body sank into his solid embrace.
“I promise. No matter what happens, I’ll come back.”
A shaky breath escaped his lips.
His deep eyes, filled with untold stories, were drenched in sorrow.
Even to viewers accustomed to dazzling actors, his face was strikingly handsome—but given the situation, the reaction wasn’t favorable.
“I’m sorry. This is the only way left for me now.”
(Sunlight) Even for a 90s drama, this is way too cringe.
(Yukgaejang) Writer, this isn’t it… What kind of drama has the male lead get the girl pregnant and then run overseas with some nonsense excuse…
(Singing Deer) I wish the female lead would just wake up and say it was all a dream.
(Ddutto01) Selling my eyes that watched this drama.
A sorrowful ballad began to play.
The more emotional the music got, the harsher the chat became.
(illiliill) Ah, this is the ending song… ffs
(Mala Flavor) What a waste of oxygen, male lead should just dive into the Han River
(Heart Sutra) Saebyeol, just push him.
(Yukgaejang) Kim Mincheol you trash!!! Die!!!
As the emotional ending song swelled, the male lead’s back was shown as he left for the airport, abandoning the woman.
The drama “Even If I Die, I Love You” was a romance set in the 1990s, telling the love story between a rookie actress (female lead) and a businessman (male lead).
As the title suggested, the story was extremely outdated. Ratings hit record lows every week, and the planned 16-episode series ended early at episode 8.
Still, some viewers tuned in because the cast were all fresh faces and the leads had great chemistry—but no one expected the drama to end with pregnancy and the male lead fleeing abroad.
(Yukgaejang) WHAT kind of reason makes you leave a pregnant woman without a word and run away alone?!
My furious message echoed in the chat.
But as the screen froze on the airplane taking off, and the sponsor credits appeared, I was left speechless.
—Thank you for watching Even If I Die, I Love You—
Wow. This drama is seriously insane. Ugh.
* * *
This drama really was insane.
No—this wasn’t even a drama.
“….”
Inside a funeral hall.
Despite the sharp scent of incense, I sat there blankly without moving.
My hair was roughly tied into two pigtails, with stray strands sticking out.
On my small four-year-old body, I wore a black hanbok—perfectly reflecting my situation.
On the altar sat the portrait of the woman who had been the drama’s female lead… and until yesterday, my mother.
“So anyway, is that really all Saebyeol left behind? Eunha, you didn’t hide anything, did you?”
“What are you saying, oppa? Why would I hide anything?”
Behind me, the Kang siblings—villains from the drama and my mother’s half-siblings—argued over the inheritance.
“….”
So, here’s what happened.
After watching that historically awful ending and venting in the chat, I fell asleep in anger—and woke up as a baby.
Not just any baby, but the child of the drama’s female lead, Saebyeol.
“Waaah—!”
As I cried, Saebyeol—no, my mom—comforted me. She was even more beautiful in real life than on screen.
In the drama, she was a hopeful rookie actress. In reality, she raised me with utmost devotion.
Just like her bright and loving personality in the show, she was the same in real life. Even in poverty, she never made me feel lacking.
At first, I was confused about being reincarnated into a drama, but gradually I adapted and grew.
“Mama! Pretty!”
“Thank you, Chae-ah. You’re the prettiest in the world to Mommy too.”
No, that’s not it—Mom, YOU’RE really, really pretty! Seriously gorgeous! The best!
The screen couldn’t capture her beauty at all!
She would scoop me into her arms and gently pat my back.
She smelled warm—like a comforting “mom scent.”
“Chae-ah… I love you.”
Her soft touch lulled me to sleep.
I didn’t like the name much—since it was given by that trash male lead Kim Mincheol—but still, I, Kang Chae-ah, was living a happy, loved life in this drama.
Until yesterday—when Mom died suddenly in a car accident.
I miss you, Mom….
In my past life, I had already endured the destruction of my family.
And now again, I lost my family before I could do anything.
Tears welled up again.
I knew better than anyone how genuine Saebyeol’s love had been for me—a helpless baby with nothing.
And my love for her… was just as real.
This was no longer just a “drama world” to me.
Sniff—
I wiped my tears with my rough hanbok sleeve.
My eyes stung from crying so much.
Please let this be a dream. God, Buddha, Dangun…
“Anyway, we can just split the inheritance between us. But what about that kid…?”
The Kang siblings’ gaze turned toward me.
“Who’s going to raise her?”
“Can’t we just send her to an orphanage?”
I never expected them to raise me.
They were villains who constantly held my mother back in the drama.
But their presence made one thing clear.
I need to get a grip now….
From infancy until now, I had lived like a spoiled child under my mother’s protection.
But from now on, I had to be alert.
This was the dynamic South Korea of the 1990s.
If I let my guard down, I could end up on the streets with nothing.
Still—
Even if I go to an orphanage… with my knowledge, I can survive!
No—more than survive.
This drama was extremely accurate with its historical setting.
Major real-world events unfolded exactly the same way in the drama.
Which meant—
This was practically like time-traveling to the past.
I knew the future. The events that would shake not only Korea but the global economy.
IMF crisis, housing redevelopment, even Bitcoin.
That’s right. I’m the only one who knows the future.
I wasn’t going to waste this second life Saebyeol gave me.
And maybe…
If I gained wealth and power here—
“Unni is dead…”
—could I prevent the tragedy that destroyed my family in my past life?
This world was essentially the real past.
Somewhere, my family might still be alive.
This was a second chance to change the worst tragedy of my life.
A final gift from Saebyeol.
Mom….
I thought I had already received more than enough from her.
Thank you, Mom. I’ll do well on my own.
Just as my resolve solidified, someone cast a shadow into the quiet, empty funeral hall.
“Haah… haah….”
A man in a black suit jacket stood there, breathing heavily as if he had rushed over.
His worn purple tie dangled loosely over his unbuttoned shirt.
He was tall, with strikingly handsome features.
His searching gaze soon landed on me, sitting alone.
Ah….
The moment I saw his gentle eyes—like warm milk—my heart pounded.
I definitely knew that face.
That person is….
Step by step, he approached, reaching out his hand.
“Chae-ah.”
