CH 254

Chapter 254. Getting Them Back (4)“The show?” Min So-Yeong suddenly looked troubled by that question.

Jeong Seok-Su cautiously asked, “Yes, Se-Ah's show. Do you think... it'll be a hit?”

“Oh, that. Well, uhm...” Min So-Yeong stuttered ungainly.

Her expression plunged Jeong Seok-Su further into the land of confusion.

Now that he had taken a better look, her expression wasn't troubled. It was more like she was flustered. She wasn't troubled by the prospect of comforting the manager of an actor starring in a rubbish TV show. Instead, it felt like Min So-Yeong was flustered by Jeong Seok-Su's simple question.

'But why is she flustered?'

Jeong Seok-Su had to wonder if 'fluster' were even the right emotion to feel in this situation. He was puzzled, but he decided to wait for Min So-Yeong to organize her thoughts first.

“Ah, that... Well, you see...” Min So-Yeong turned her head and asked the other PR team members, “How was the show? Do you think it'll be a hit?”

“Uh...”

Unfortunately, no one could provide a satisfactory answer.

'Oh no, we're screwed...'

Jeong Seok-Su grimaced. No matter how he sliced at it, their reaction seemed to be saying that Kang Se-Ah's show was a failure, even if their behavior seemed a little different than usual...

However, Min So-Yeong’s following words were completely out of Jeong Seok-Su's expectations, “My bad for saying this, but…”

“Yes?”

“...I can't remember what happened in the episode.”

“Eh?” Jeong Seok-Su stood there in stupefaction and stared at Min So-Yeong. Didn’t she watch the episode with the intent of dissecting it to its minute details? But now, she couldn't remember what happened during its runtime?

This made no sense unless the folks in the office changed the channel and watched something else after Jeong Seok-Su had left the office.

“Well, the thing is...” Min So-Yeong smiled awkwardly. “You see, Miss Se-Ah's oppa was...”

“...You mean, Mister Jin-Ho?”

“Ah, so his name is Mister Kang Jin-Ho? In any case, he left such a powerful impression that uh...”

“...?” Jeong Seok-Su didn't even bother to disguise his expression which basically looked like it said, 'Did this woman lose her mind or something?' as he stared at Min So-Yeong.

Wanting to defend herself, Min So-Yeong quickly turned her head and asked the others, “Don't you agree?”

“Yes, Chief!”

“Gee whiz, Chief! I've heard the term 'scene stealer' before, but I never understood what it could even mean. However, I finally found out what it is today. I can't even remember what Choi Yeon-Ha did in the episode.”

Min So-Yeong turned around to look back at Jeong Seok-Su; her expression seemed as if it were saying, 'See what I mean?'

“You heard them, right?”

“What on earth is going on here?” Jeong Seok-Su muttered while wiping the sweat off of his forehead. He figured out that there had to be something when both the PD and Choi Yeon-Ha raised so much fuss to rope Kang Jin-Ho in for the shoot. However, was he really that incredible? Seriously?

Min So-Yeong narrowed her eyes. “Besides all that... Mister Jeong Seok-Su! What have you been doing?!”

“I'm sorry?”

“Such a mega acting talent has been practically standing next to you, so why hasn't he signed a contract with us yet?! Things will go super crazy from now on, you know? Are you confident of not losing him to someone else?”

“Huh?! Mega acting talent?!” Jeong Seok-Su's jaw nearly hit the floor. That embodiment of the worst possible acting in the world was what now?

If the film crew present during that day heard Min So-Yeong’s words, they would've toppled over from uncontrollable laughter while clutching their stomachs. The Chief of the PR department had actually said something so outrageous without any hesitation.

Jeong Seok-Su cautiously asked, “Was he that amazing in the scene?”

“Well, a situation like this is uncommon, but it does happen…” Min So-Yeong sagely nodded. The 'situation' she was referring to was when some local dude with passable looks suddenly started acting, and they would become indescribably handsome on screen upon receiving the baptism of the cameras.

The phrase, 'I had no idea he'd become this successful,’ was a common phrase in this industry.

Min So-Yeong wasn't done yet. “Even if that's true, it's your job to recognize and sign up the potential superstars, Mister Jeong Seok-Su!”

“Hold on. Hold on!” Jeong Seok-Su hurriedly waved his hands. “Mister Jin-Ho only made that special appearance for the sake of his sister, Se-Ah! It's not like he wants to become an actor, you know?”

“I'm sorry? He doesn't want to be an actor? With his looks? Wait, maybe he wants to be a model, then?”

“N-no, please listen. He's totally not interested in the entertainment industry.”

Min So-Yeong didn't even bother to hide her expression that seemed to say, ‘What bullsh*t are you even talking about?’

Jeong Seok-Su felt so many things from that indescribable expression that he had to seriously ponder how he should explain this weird situation. “...I-in any case, what happened with the TV show? Was it good? Are we in deep trouble?”

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

“Wait for a moment,” Min So-Yeong turned around and asked a question out loud, “What's the highest trending search online right now? And what about the ratings?”

“The average episode rating is sitting at 4.8%. But, uh... The scene rating is…”

“How much was it?”

“8.2%, Chief.”

“Heol...” Min So-Yeong's jaw fell to the floor.

Jeong Seok-Su urgently asked her, “Is that good?”

“Well, the average rating seems more or less fine. How should I describe it... It's not a blockbuster hit, but—no, hang on. It is a huge deal, but...”

Jeong Seok-Su blinked his eyes in yet another bout of confusion. “This is a show on a cable network, so isn't it safe to assume that a nearly five percent viewership rating is great?”

“But Choi Yeon-Ha is starring in it. How many cable channels would be willing to splurge that much on a top actress? Considering that, the rating should have gone past five percent. So, the situation isn't exactly good as the show didn't surpass that hurdle, but it also doesn't mean it's a failure, either…”

Jeong Seok-Su tilted his head. Either it was good, rubbish, or average—there were more than enough ways to cleanly categorize something, so why was Min So-Yeong dragging things out like this?

“Well, the scene rating is unusually high, that's why. I can guess which scene it was, though...”

“Huh?” Jeong Seok-Su's head tilting intensified.

“Well, uh... So, it's like…” Min So-Yeong rambled on as if her mind was too chaotic for her to string along a coherent sentence or two. “...What I'm saying is! It's average! The first episode is about average. It's not a failure, but it's not a smash hit, either. Except, its scene rating is very high, and if that sets off a fervent discussion online—”

Min So-Yeong suddenly stopped talking there, then turned her head sharply toward her underlings before shouting once again. “What's happening with the highest trending search right now!”

“Chief!”

“Hurry up and tell me!”

“The show's title is the second highest trending search result online.”

Min So-Yeong tightly clenched her fists. Any new show would obviously find itself being googled by the viewers. However, considering the average rating, the show occupying the second spot in the trending search results proved that it had something special to make people talk about it!

'Hey, isn't this a good sign?'

“And Chief! The number one trending search right now is... The actor playing Choi Yeon-Ha's lover!”

“...!” Jeong Seok-Su chuckled hollowly at that revelation. “Hah, that dude... Who would have known that he would occupy the number one spot twice in such a short span of time? He's definitely the Personality of the Year, isn't he?”

Jeong Seok-Su's hollow laughter seemed to perfectly encapsulate what the PR team was feeling at that moment.

***

PD Jang Hak-Seon asked triumphantly, “So? What did they say?”

“Sir! Their phone lines are paralyzed right now! They say they are getting crushed by the deluge of inquiries!”

“I thought so!” Jang Hak-Seon grinned in satisfaction while glancing at his phone's screen. “And look at all these reactions online! Yes, this is what I'm talking about!”

Although it was rather unfortunate that the first episode's rating fell slightly short of expectations, this result was a necessary sacrifice. The first episode's focus had been shifted to Kang Jin-Ho, after all. And that meant there wasn't enough non-spoiler material to promote the upcoming show.

Besides, holding back Kang Jin-Ho's scene and letting the viewers spread the truth via word-of-mouth was more beneficial to the show in the long run.

“PD Jang! We just got asked if that actor is signed up with anyone!”

“Tell them that he isn't contracted with anyone,” Jang Hak-Seon replied nonchalantly.

“Sir, I already did! But they retorted with, which actor under the sun doesn't have an agency behind them?!”

“Hah. Then, tell them that they have found one,” Jang Hak-Seon replied with an even bigger grin etched on his face.

“Sir, will it really become a huge deal as you believe?”

“Can't you tell that yourself after witnessing the reactions? Even though I filmed that scene, I still couldn't quite believe my eyes. So, it has to be even crazier for the viewers at home. I'm telling you, that scene will become one of the most talked about in Korean TV history!” Jang Hak-Seon guffawed loudly.

“Sir, should we reveal that the actor was Miss Kang Se-Ah's older brother?”

“Sure, why not? However, reporters with keen eyes would have definitely figured it out by now. Before articles start popping up online, why don't you throw some bones to the reporters you're friendly with? Don't forget to tell them to package things nicely, too.”

“Yes, sir! Understood!” The assistant director hurriedly rushed outside the editing room.

Jang Hak-Seon leaned back on his chair with a content face, then tapped on his phone to scroll through a popular social media site.

= My honest impression of the first episode of 'Love Will Still Come Around'... Can't remember jack about the show's premise or whatever. But I can't stop thinking about the face of Choi Yeon-Ha's boyfriend. Seriously now! When is the rerun time slot?

= We should be seeing a deluge of articles by now about that historical event, so where are they? I wanna see the episode again just to figure out what I saw earlier, you know... C'mon, get to work, you reporters!

= Maybe the TV network hasn't released any PR material yet?

= I just heard. The rerun's on one in the morning later today. Definitely catch the rerun!

= Are you saying that show was really that amazing?

= No. Can't remember if it were amazing or not, but... In any case, you gotta catch the rerun no matter what. Watch it, and you'll see for yourself. I seriously thought that American actor, DiCaprio, made a cameo or something.

= Eh? Stop exaggerating. How dare you mention someone of that caliber here?

= Sure sure, fam. Just go and watch it. Then let's talk after.

“Mm. No, not yet.” Jang Hak-Seon did his absolute best to suppress the urge to unleash the press release into the world right at this moment. Obviously, he had already selected the best cut out of them all, but such a still shot should only be released after things had reached the boiling point. Only then would his actions reap the full reward. Indeed, it was never a good idea to release the best stuff to the masses without a carefully-crafted plan!

“Aigoo~, I wonder. Did our wonderful Mister Kang Jin-Ho have fun watching the first episode?” Jang Hak-Seon chuckled.

Judging from Kang Jin-Ho's personality, he didn't seem to be the type to watch a TV show like that, but he probably wouldn't have a choice this time. Without a doubt, people around him should raise one hell of a fuss about this, after all!

“Man, what a pity...”

The bigger the happiness, the stronger the bitterness in his heart. To think that Jang Hak-Seon could use that living statue capable of producing an unprecedented level of visual art only once!

If only Kang Jin-Ho could act just a bit—just a tiny bit. Jang Hak-Seon would have done anything to craft a show solely centered around that young man. However, that was an impossible dream. Kang Jin-Ho needed an untold amount of effort to complete a single scene, so to have him as the main lead in a show? Even three years wouldn't be enough to shoot one episode!

Kang Jin-Ho's scene this time was a static one, making it easy to paper over the cracks by dubbing over his lines. But such a 'solution' was only applicable since the scene itself was short.

Every TV show production ran on a tight schedule. If dubbing had to be added on top of that, then well... It would be completely impossible under the current Korean TV show filming conditions. A feature-length film might be a different prospect, but...

'...Hang on. How about a silent film?'

Jang Hak-Seon cackled and lightly smacked his own head. With how good things were going, it seemed all sorts of silly ideas were popping up in his head. Instead of daydreaming stuff like that, he should be focusing on completing the second half of the show properly.

“So, then. The scene rating went past eight percent, huh...”

Usually, an episode's average rating had to be around six percent for a scene rating to hit the eight percent mark. However, this show still achieved that feat while failing to break past five percent. It had to mean that the scene in question had blown everyone's mind. Well, the ones who watched it, that was.

Pretty soon, word-of-mouth should get around. And the impressions of the first episode should quickly profligate on various social media sites. With that, other people dying of curiosity would seek out the episode.

The storyline would only get going for real from the second episode onward, which meant that as long as the new viewers could be retained, the show would be considered a huge success.

“...No, wait. That alone isn't gonna be enough.” Jang Hak-Seon clenched his fists tightly, then yanked open the editing room's door. “Hey, In-Hyeok! In-Hyeok, where are you!”

“Yes, Director!”

“Contact the talent agency, Code!”

“...Code, sir?”

“That's right. Contact Miss Se-Ah's manager and let him know that I'd like to speak to Mister Kang Jin-Ho. Ask him to connect us two.”

"What should I say our business is this time?"

Jang Hak-Seon smirked smoothly. “Now that the viewer reactions are out, how about making another appearance in the second half of the show? Tell him I'll support him to the best of my abilities.”

“Understood, Director!”

While Jang Hak-Seon was cooking up various ways to coax Kang Jin-Ho back into the fray, his phone resting on a nearby table displayed a new tweet.

= I met the actor from 'Love Will Still Come' earlier! He's working in a pizzeria. I thought it wasn't him initially, but it really was him! We even took some pictures!

The new tweet included the photograph of Kang Jin-Ho and two women with their faces blurred out hugging his arms. And that was when the retweets and replies started to appear so fast the PD's latest smartphone was having a hard time keeping up with the notifications.

= Where is that pizzeria?

= Share the address! Hurry!

= He even lets you take pictures? And it really is him!

= I didn't notice it on screen, but from that photo, his physique is no joke either! Look at the snug fit!

= First time I find a chef's uniform so sexy.

A storm fierce enough to fluster Kang Jin-Ho was slowly gathering in the digital space.