Chapter 80
Chapter 80: Achieving the Highest Ratings!
Before watching “Afterlife Restaurant,” Lee Jin’s heart was pounding.
It felt like the excitement of watching a movie for the first time.
What kind of performance would Baek Seungchan show this time?
His expectations were high—but he wasn’t worried.
Because until now, Baek Seungchan had always exceeded expectations.
“Oh!”
Not long after starting the drama, Lee Jin exclaimed.
“For his first historical role, there’s no awkwardness at all.”
Historical acting was clearly different from modern acting.
It wasn’t just about costumes—it required tone, expressions, and gestures that conveyed the era.
Even skilled actors often struggled with it.
But Baek Seungchan showed none of that difficulty.
“It really feels like a true warrior.”
Lee Jin even began to anticipate him starring in a full historical drama.
“And this one hasn’t lost her touch either.”
Another actor who caught his attention—
Cha Minhee.
“No, she’s even better now.”
Having seen her as a child actress, he knew her past work.
But now, her acting had improved significantly despite her long hiatus.
“His cooking really is on another level.”
When the cooking scenes appeared, Lee Jin was impressed again.
He had noticed it in “Surviving in the Jungle,” but here it was even more dazzling.
“….”
His mouth watered.
“I just ate lunch…”
Yet he opened a delivery app and ordered soft tofu stew.
Then immersed himself again.
“That’s satisfying.”
Watching Baek Seungchan’s action scenes against evil spirits made him smile.
“There’s so much to watch.”
Historical acting.
Cooking.
Action.
Emotion and comedy.
“It felt like too much at first—but it blends perfectly.”
Too much could ruin a work.
But “Afterlife Restaurant” balanced everything well.
“He’s truly a treasure of an actor.”
Lee Jin knew—
That balance came from Baek Seungchan.
“I should’ve waited…”
After watching up to episode 5, he regretted not waiting.
Now he had to wait for the next episode.
“Still, I have work to do.”
He wrote his review:
“A refined first step into historical drama, a splendid feast blending dazzling cooking, thrilling action, emotion, and comedy. ★(4.0) – Lee Jin”
“A 4.5 felt too early.”
Lee Jin’s influence was massive.
Some people watched content based solely on his ratings.
His scale:
2.5 or below: disappointing
3.0: watchable
3.5: recommended
4.0: excellent
4.5: masterpiece
5.0: legendary
And “Afterlife Restaurant” received a 4.0.
A rare evaluation.
“4.0? I have to watch it.”
“Same critic as before.”
People who mainly watched films started tuning in.
Then ratings were revealed:
“Afterlife Restaurant: 14.5%”
“Ghost Real Estate: 12.9%”
By episode 6—
14.5%.
It was officially a hit.
And many smiled.
“Haha, my investment was right!”
Go Dongman, CEO of “Life Chicken,” laughed.
Both “Afterlife Restaurant” and “Surviving in the Jungle” exceeded 10%.
Naturally—
Sales skyrocketed.
In just weeks, revenue doubled.
Franchise inquiries flooded in.
“What does Baek Seungchan like…”
He even considered future contracts.
Another beneficiary—
CJini Plus Korea.
Their platform ranked #1 domestically and top 5 globally.
Subscribers surged daily.
“Good thing I bought the rights.”
CEO Song Jina smiled.
She even planned future collaborations with Baek Seungchan.
But not everyone was relaxed.
Many brands feared contract renewals.
His value had skyrocketed.
As episodes progressed—
The gap widened.
“Afterlife Restaurant: 16.3%”
“Ghost Real Estate: 12.1%”
Even aggressive promotions couldn’t close it.
Park Taeho smiled endlessly.
“I might break records…”
At episode 10:
19.6%.
“20% is guaranteed.”
And maybe—
Even surpass 25.9%, the record of “Queen of Tears.”
Finally—
Before the last episode:
25.5%.
Expectations soared.
Then—
Final ratings:
“Afterlife Restaurant: 27.1%”
A record-breaking success.
The highest rating across two years.
But what captured attention most—
Was not the rating.
It was the song.
“Hongyeon (Afterlife Restaurant OST) – Baek Seungchan”