First Ratings Hit the Sweet Spot (1)
There was a flurry of comments trying to piece together the breadcrumbs.
The initial speculation revolved mostly around his looks.
The online fandom vibe was something like, "Finally, a fresh face that's got real potential."
In that atmosphere, the production team dropped a snippet of behind-the-scenes footage on YouTube.
It was a two-shot of Cha Do-jin and Jeong Seo-hoon, staring each other down during the script read-through.
That was like pouring a little oil on the spark.
The YouTube making-of video racked up over 2 million views, ramping up hype for the drama big time.
Jeong Su-ryeon fiddled endlessly with her phone, chuckling to herself.
SNS and communities were buzzing decently.
Not exploding from the start, but signs of a core fandom taking root.
'Build the hype slow and steady, carefully.'
Overdo the breadcrumbs and the netizen detectives would sniff it out later.
Balancing on that razor's edge was key.
So many cases where rookies or family/friends posted dumb stuff online early on, only for it to bite them later.
'This level of sneaky, naive bragging is perfect. But if it gets buried, that's a problem.'
Jeong Su-ryeon glanced at her brother, fresh from his workout.
Sweat-soaked workout clothes clung tight, outlining the solid contours of his upper body muscles.
Gross organic blob to her, but Lee Jin-wook fangirls would lose their minds.
She grabbed her camera and snapped a few pics.
"What're you doing?"
"Whipping up fandom content."
"Sell 'em for cash and you're dead."
"You think I'm an idiot? I've been in this game for years. Watch—this'll have you thanking your big sis later."
She snapped a few more shots, then dove back into scanning SNS and community reactions.
"Weird, face and name are out, but no one you know's popping up? You get bullied at uni or something?"
"Our department doesn't watch dramas. No time."
"Electronics is a sausage fest, fine, but high school? Oh right, science high school. Yeah, that tracks."
Jeong Su-ryeon felt bad for him.
If acquaintances showed up early with pilgrimage posts, it'd pay dividends later.
"So none of your friends know you shot a drama?"
"Nope. Didn't tell 'em."
"Girl friends might've heard?"
"No girl friends. Don't give out my number."
"Even department girls?"
"You swap numbers with every classmate?"
"...Guess no scandal worries is a silver lining."
***
It was premiere night for Illegal Episode 1.
The Jeong siblings decided to watch at home with the family.
Jeong Seo-hoon had no desire to rewatch scenes he'd already wrapped, but Mom insisted on gathering everyone.
"When else will we get this kind of treat? No arguments—living room, all together."
Before airtime, texts rolled in from Song Jeong-woo and Kim Sang-hee.
Cheers, well dones, and "let's keep working together."
Those two were the only drama folks who reached out.
While Mom prepped fruit, CFs blared on TV.
"Wish Dad was here too. Goose family life's a drag."
Dad had been working in the US for years.
Jeong Su-ryeon popped a fruit slice and asked,
"What'd Dad say?"
"Your dad's not into that stuff. Just 'have fun' or whatever."
"Dad's such a workaholic."
"That's why you can chase acting for years burning cash and the household budget doesn't blink, girl."
"Why pick on me?"
"Seo-hoon's chilling and gets scouted, bags 10 mil in days. Think about what you make."
"It's starting! Starting, Mom!"
CFs wrapped, and Episode 1 kicked off.
Mom quit nagging her daughter and glued to the screen.
After a debtor defendant's suicide, prosecutor-turned-lawyer Koo Je-man opens his own firm chasing his true calling.
But against his ideals, he ends up a divorce shark fleecing rich Gangnam housewives.
One day in his hamster-wheel rut...
-You're suing the Ministry of National Defense?
-I've been sued.
-Sued?
-They say I killed my comrades.
-I'll take your case.
Meeting the wronged Lee Jin-wook flips Koo Je-man's career.
He fights for Jin-wook, but the Ministry's influence is ironclad.
-A green private wiping out a whole squad solo? Impossible! All evidence points to rebel ambush! The prosecutor trusts one traumatized survivor's word?
Koo Je-man's struggle drags on.
The case hits the media, reaching the public.
Families with soldier sons rage at Jin-wook's story.
-Our boys when you ship 'em out, but crippled, it's not your son? You army bastards!
-Drag unwilling kids overseas, break 'em, now frame 'em too?
Mom, who'd just sent Jeong Seo-hoon off recently, flushed red and fumed along.
"Those rotten jerks! Argh, those scum!"
Koo Je-man pours everything in, but 1st trial: guilty, sentenced.
Post-trial call, his voice heavy.
-Not over yet. Two appeals left. Don't worry about fees—let's go all the way.
-Counselor, flipping it's tough. Everyone says so.
-Not over till it's over.
-I'll clear my name my way. Thanks for everything. Unforgettable. Forever.
"What? These network idiots crazy? Cliffhanger here?!"
Two-shot call foreshadowing doom, OST swells—Mom exploded.
"Aigoo, Mom, why so fired up? You're usually so chill."
"How could I not be? Spill—what happens next ep? Seo-hoon doesn't go to jail like that, right?"
"Even if jail, it's Jin-wook, not Seo-hoon. Chill. And next ep spoilers? Dead before I do. Sorry."
Jeong Su-ryeon's heart raced a bit.
Mom's raw reaction confirmed the drama nailed it.
Kim Sang-hee targeted maternal instincts hard.
Plus, the two male leads' visuals for the eyes, young female fans covered.
Yoo Jeong-ah as the prosecutor snagged the guys too.
Jeong Su-ryeon chatted nonstop in the staff group chat.
Suddenly beaming, she turned to her brother.
"Hey! Final ratings out! Peak was..."
"I know."
"How?"
"Writer beat you to it."
Premiere peak 9.8%! Next project together too, right?
First Ratings Hit the Sweet Spot (2)