Chapter 101
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 101
As filming for the first half of the drama neared its end, the broadcast finally began. On the day the first episode aired, the staff and cast rented out a restaurant to watch it together.
"Ah, this might be a first for you, Ho-yun? Usually, everyone gathers like this to watch the premiere. Sometimes we skip it if the filming schedule is too tight, though."
"Haha, it is my first time for a drama."
I’d done it for variety shows, though. Still feeling the lingering fatigue from our self-produced content, I tried to give a half-hearted response and find a seat in a quiet corner. But Director Yoo caught my eye and beckoned me over.
"Ho-yun! Over here, over here!"
"Where do you think you're going? Your seat is right here, Ho-yun."
Dammit.
I was called to the one spot I absolutely wanted to avoid.
Still, I couldn't exactly ignore the director. I sat down next to Writer Kim, doing my best to avoid Min Ji-heon. Yoo Ji-ah, sitting across from me, gave a bright smile and a greeting.
"You worked so hard. Your ad-libs today were great!"
"Thank you."
I couldn't even stay seated for long because of the crowd of people pouring in. I kept having to jump up to greet people and accept drinks. It was only after the pre-drama commercials started that I could finally settle into my seat.
"I wonder what the ratings will be like this time?"
"Well, with my name on the line, I’m hoping for at least 4% for the first episode."
"Aren't you being too modest? I’m betting on 6%. What about you, Ji-heon?"
"Me? Hmm... I’ll bet on 6% for the first episode too."
Min Ji-heon, who had been inhaling the side dishes before the main course even arrived, suddenly looked up.
"But for the final peak rating, I’m going with 18%."
"18 percent?!"
Is he insane...?
I choked on my water.
Min Ji-heon was definitely doing this on purpose.
"18% is practically a national syndrome level. We’d get a reward vacation for that."
"I have very high expectations, you see~."
"Wow, I’ve never seen Ji-heon like this before."
"What about you, Ho-yun?"
I had been staying as quiet as possible to avoid being dragged into the conversation, but the question flew straight at me anyway. I wiped my mouth with a napkin before answering.
"I also..."
Sigh...
"I’ll go with 18% as well, just like Senior Min Ji-heon."
"Whoa, look at that ambition! I’m looking forward to it."
I had forced the words out through gritted teeth, but everyone just took it as a rookie’s passion and laughed it off.
Eighteen percent, my ass.
That must be the benchmark for success in Min Ji-heon's mind. He’ll only talk to me if we surpass that.
While we were chatting, the first episode began. As the opening credits rolled with the sound of a camera shutter, everyone cheered and clapped.
"Wow, Ji-ah’s acting is incredible. I’m tearing up just watching her sob at the funeral."
"Ahaha, you're too kind."
The scene at her father's funeral was objectively amazing. The acting talent that would eventually make her a superstar after starting as a singer radiated through the screen. Yoo Ji-ah was clearly born for this.
"Wow! Ji-heon, you really look great on screen."
"Honestly, the character Min Seung-tae could easily be hated if played wrong, but your sheer charisma makes him totally sympathetic."
Let's just skip over Min Ji-heon.
Finally, the scene where I joined the company appeared on screen. It felt different from monitoring my performances on stage.
A staff member, who was checking the ratings and community reactions in real-time, gave me two thumbs up.
"Whoa, the internet is blowing up now that Ho-yun’s on screen!"
"Where, where? Let me see!"
"It’s nothing but praise right now!"
"Haha..."
I’d have to look it up myself later.
My acting was one thing, but I was worried about whether this would negatively affect The Dawn.
My phone kept vibrating, so I checked it. The group chat with the members was moving at lightning speed.
[Jeong Da-jun: Hyung hyung hyung, when do you come out??]
[Seong Ji-won: Ho-yun looks busy right now ㅜㅜ let's not bother him]
[Seong Ji-won: Oh!! There he is!!!!]
[Kang Yi-chae: Whoa]
[Kang Yi-chae: What the]
[Kang Yi-chae: So handsome]
[Jeong Da-jun: Heol ㅠ!!!!!!! Hyung, what is this? Why are you so good at acting???]
[Jeong Da-jun: PD Lee Jeong-hun. My "immersion" is now COMPLETE.]
[Kim Seong-hyeon: We're all just laughing because we're so dumbfounded]
[Kim Seong-hyeon: If you were going to be this good, why did you say you wouldn't act? lol]
Because I didn't want to see Min Ji-heon...
I gave them a brief reply and focused back on the drama. As expected of a script by Writer Kim Suk-hee, who is known for hits, the show was so well-made that I couldn't take my eyes off it until the end.
The first episode ended with a shot of Yoo Ji-ah running toward the broadcasting station with her hair tied back.
Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief and check the messages flooding their phones.
Just then, a staff member at the next table jumped up and cheered.
"Real-time ratings are at 6.2%!!"
"Woooooah!"
The writer let out a sigh of relief, and the director stood up with a shout.
6.2%. It was a great start.
Could we keep this momentum and climb all the way to 18%?
"Congratulations, everyone."
"It’s a hit! A total hit!"
While my mind was busy analyzing past drama data, my mouth was busy greeting people. In the midst of it, I locked eyes with Min Ji-heon.
"I hope it keeps going up like this... right?"
"It has to."
"Really? How high do you want it to go?"
"To shibal-teen percent."
"......"
"Oops, I mean eighteen percent."
Min Ji-heon’s eyes widened for a moment before he let out a beautiful laugh. The guy really did have a flawless face.
* * *
[Title: I think 'Please Take Care of the Camera' is gonna be a masterpiece
As a 25-year veteran K-drama fan...
I can feel it.
This is a masterpiece.
└ I used a whole box of tissues when Yoo Jeong-hwa was sobbing at the funeral.. ㅠㅠㅠ Wow, seriously.. Yoo Ji-ah’s acting is insane.
└ Right? And that arrogant Min Seung-tae couldn't even talk to her and just stood behind her with an umbrella... That look in his eyes? Guilty. Just straight-up guilty.
└ Min Ji-heon’s acting just gets better and better. Sometimes he looks possessed;; He’s definitely a top-tier actor.]
[Title: I’m in a hurry, someone help me
Who is the guy playing PD Lee Jeong-hun? He’s so handsome.
That sharp, cold look is totally my type.
Is he a rookie??
└ That’s Seo Ho-yun.
└└ Heol, I just looked him up.
Is he an idol????
└└ Yup.]
[Title: Wait, didn't they say an idol was in this?
My friend hated it because they said it was "idol-washed," but I honestly couldn't tell who the idol was until the end; Is it Yoo Ji-ah’s friend? Or the colleague who joined the station with her?
└ No, it’s PD Lee Jeong-hun.
└└ ??????? HIM???
└ LOL seriously, I was shocked too.. What’s up with Seo Ho-yun’s acting? He’s literally channeling PD Lee Jeong-hun.
└ How old is he? Is he on the older side for an idol?
└└ 23.
└└ ...???? His aura doesn't feel like a 23-year-old;
└└ I guess celebrities really do have a different aura lol. People bashed him when he was cast, saying the agency forced him in and even changed his age, but he’s actually good...]
The community reactions were quite good. As the buzz grew online, the ratings for the second episode rose even higher.
The second episode hit 9.1%.
The complaints from the first episode about PD Lee Jeong-hun being too harsh on the rookie Yoo Jeong-hwa completely vanished by the second episode.
[Title: Hey, is it okay if I ship the second lead in 'Camera'?
At first, I was pissed because Lee Jeong-hun (Seo Ho-yun) was being such a jerk to Yoo Jeong-hwa (Yoo Ji-ah). It reminded me of my own rookie days...
I was like, "Dammit, she's new, she might not know! How is a rookie supposed to know!" and I was so mad.
But did you see today’s episode? Here are the highlights for me:
└ Man.. he’s so rude but so cute.
I hated him at first because he was such a jerk, but now I’ve grown fond of him.
This was meant to make our hearts flutter, right? I’m jumping on the second lead ship.
└└ Wait, why would your heart flutter at this? It’s literally just him bullying her.]
[Title: About that Lee Jeong-hun post below
Sorry, but this is a two-top romance, so there is no second lead. The writer confirmed it.
└ Don't lie.
└└ LOL, you picked a failing stock...
└ I’m betting on the Jeong-Jeong Couple.
└└ Don't make up couple names already ㅠㅠ lol]
[Title: All in on the Jeong-Jeong Couple.
Friends, this is it!!! This is a winning stock!!
└ (Image of a person becoming a beggar)
└└ That’s so mean, LOL.]
Seeing that the tide was coming in, Daepasung started rowing for all they were worth. They released a bunch of behind-the-scenes footage of The Dawn on their official Nutube channel, including clips from the drama making-of film.
Fans were furious, asking why they were only releasing stuff from the archives now, but they were grateful nonetheless.
"—And that’s the current situation!"
Pointing his index finger out, the manager brightly explained the state of affairs.
Honestly, I was dumbfounded.
But why?