Chapter 71

《Weekend Star Date》 ended, but Lee Jung-hee's popularity soared with the show's broadcast!

Koreans place great importance on seniority and background, and academic achievement, one of the three key elements of one's background, is highly valued. This is also true in the entertainment industry. Except for those who debuted early and never had the chance to study, if someone debuts while still in school, they generally don't neglect their studies.

Most people choose to work while studying, and while this kind of study often has its loopholes, it also highlights the importance of a degree.

A Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard Business School is an incredibly prestigious honor, not just in Korea but worldwide. Moreover, Lee Jung-hee obtained it at the age of eighteen, which is not only a source of pride for him but also for Koreans, who rarely have such honors.

Additionally, his success in the film "Curse," writing the wildly popular online novel "My Sassy Girl," and founding an entertainment company that is producing a movie and planning another, are all remarkable achievements for an eighteen-year-old. These accomplishments easily draw attention.

Thus, with the strong support of KBS, and the bombardment of media from "Weekend Star Date," "Chosun Ilbo," "Dong-A Ilbo," "JoongAng Ilbo," and various TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines, it took just over a week for the entire country to know about the new star in the entertainment industry, Lee Jung-hee.

He became one of the hottest figures in the Korean entertainment industry recently, and even the Demon Entertainment System rewarded him with 3 achievement points, 1 luck point, and an increase of 1 in prestige due to his influence.

Of course, with Lee Jung-hee's rising popularity, his next work, "Blue生死恋" (Blue生死恋), naturally received more attention. In this sense, the plan that Lee Jung-hee and Park Dong-jean had initially set out to achieve was successful.

However, the level of attention and the final ratings still depend on the broadcast. Tonight at 9:55 PM, it was the moment to truly test the effectiveness of the entire promotional campaign.

"Mom, change the channel quickly!" In Busan, at Kim Eun-ju's home, seeing that it was already 9:52 PM, she desperately tried to grab the remote control from her mother, who swatted her hand away and scolded, "What's the rush? It hasn't started yet!"

"Dad!" Kim Eun-ju immediately clung to her father, pouting, "Look at Mom, she always hogs the TV!"

Her father, who doted on his daughter, was no exception. However, he smiled at Kim Eun-ju and said, "You should be sleeping now!" Seeing Kim Eun-ju pout in dissatisfaction, he added with a laugh, "If you admire him, you should learn from him. You're only a year younger than him, but he already has a Ph.D. from Harvard..."

"Ugh, stop it!" Kim Eun-ju huffed, but quickly clenched her fist with determination, "Don't worry, I'll definitely get into a university in Seoul. Hehe, then I can see oppa more often!"

Suddenly, she noticed the wall clock approaching 9:55 PM and screamed, "Oh no, Mom, change the channel quickly...!"

In Seoul, in Jongno District, 30-something Kim Hye-young, seeing the time jump to 9:54 PM, quickly snatched the remote control from her husband, Park Jin-young, and switched from the sports channel to KBS2.

Park Jin-young rolled his eyes in frustration, "There's a rerun tomorrow, and besides, how can something written by a guy who writes about women beating men be good? Everyone says it's great, but..."

"You, a dull man, can't understand the genius's thoughts," Kim Hye-young shot a disdainful look at her husband, "Lee Jung-hee understands and cares for women. Thinking back, I wouldn't have married you if I weren't so foolish back then!"

With this moral high ground, Park Jin-young wisely shut his mouth. At that moment, he could empathize with the protagonist, Gyeon-woo, in "My Sassy Girl."

Just then, the TV show started, and Kim Hye-young stopped arguing, her eyes glued to the screen. For a housewife like her, TV dramas were not only entertainment but also a topic of conversation with her idle sisters and neighbors. Especially with Lee Jung-hee's first TV drama, which was the hottest topic, she had to pay special attention, or she would be looked down upon in conversations.

"Joon-hyuk, look, do you see? That's your sister Eun-hyuk, isn't she cute...?" On the TV, Professor Yoon held the adorable little Joon-hyuk outside the nursery, pointing through the window and excitedly talking to him.

Soon, Professor Yoon went to get the camera, and little Joon-hyuk entered the nursery, accidentally knocking off the nameplate on the incubator and making a mistake... This series of scenes clearly explained the cause of the story and made the audience start to worry.

Next, the scene quickly shifted to the teenage years of Joon-hyuk and Eun-hyuk. When the first shot showed Yoon Joon-hyuk, played by Kim Heng-je, drawing in the art room, Kim Heng-je at home excitedly shouted, "Mom, Mom, look, that's me...!"

Woo Young-soo smiled and nodded, but his father, Kim Jin-jung, gave him a stern look, "What's there to be proud of? Remember, if you drop out of college and enter that industry, I'll deal with you!"

Kim Heng-je pouted, "But isn't my brother already in that industry?"

Kim Jin-jung sneered, "How can you compare yourself to Jung-hee? He's only two years older than you, but he already has a Ph.D. from Harvard, while you're still a high school student with poor grades..."

Kim Heng-je rolled his eyes. This comparison was too depressing. Woo Young-soo understood her husband's thoughts. The Lee family had three sons, all of whom were successful. The eldest had a Master's in Law from Columbia University, the second had a Master's in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and the youngest, at eighteen, already had a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard Business School.

If the Kim family's daughter, Kim Tae-hee, was a top student at Seoul University, the son in front of her was not a good student and had a rebellious nature. This was a significant regret for Kim Jin-jung, who had a small family business, and he was naturally somewhat dissatisfied.

Understanding this, some things couldn't be forced, and the current atmosphere was not good. Therefore, Woo Young-soo thought for a moment and said with a smile, "To be honest, Jung-hee has changed a lot..."

Kim Jin-jung, being a smart man, understood her meaning. He knew she was trying to say that Kim Heng-je was still young and might improve. However, he didn't think so and said bluntly, "What change? That kid has always been smart..."

Woo Young-soo thought he still didn't understand and continued, "I mean, he was a good student, but he wasn't very mature and was quite arrogant..."

"I know," Kim Jin-jung interrupted, "That kid was a bit immature, but that was because he was young. Now that he's grown up and is smart, he naturally understands these things. Look at him now, respectful and filial, knowing his limits and when to back off. I think, although Seo-hee and Moon-hee are both excellent, their future achievements will definitely not match Jung-hee's..."

Woo Young-soo was speechless at Kim Jin-jung's ability to forgive Lee Jung-hee's past immaturity while completely ignoring his son's current youth. She liked Lee Jung-hee too, but her son was her heart's treasure.

However, she knew it was pointless to argue with Kim Jin-jung at this moment, so she said nothing and quietly watched the TV, scrutinizing her son's performance.

The youthful innocence, beautiful scenery, and smooth, beautiful music, as the scenes flashed by on the TV, "Blue生死恋" quickly captivated the audience.

As the plot rapidly turned, and by the end of the first episode, when the two families finally met and the two mistaken children seemed to have reached a turning point in their lives, the audience was tense and anxious, and naturally, they were filled with anticipation...

The next day, September 12th, which was also the Mid-Autumn Festival, all the employees of KBS Production Department 2, who were supposed to be on holiday, were present. When the Nielsen ratings data was delivered to the department head, Song Yong-jin, everyone held their breath, and the room became so quiet that they could hear each other's breathing.

This was crucial for KBS's success in urban fashion dramas and the fate of the entire department. Some might even lose their jobs, but Song Yong-jin didn't immediately say anything. Instead, he maintained a stern face, staring at everyone. This made everyone's hearts turn cold, and even Park Dong-jean, standing at the front, felt nervous and somewhat disheartened, wondering if he should look for another job.

However, he thought the drama was well-made, and his wife and daughter liked it, as did the neighbors.

Therefore, he looked at Song Yong-jin anxiously and even gestured, "Director Song, what's the result?"

"Ha ha ha!" Seeing Park Dong-jean almost grab the paper and the employees' gloomy faces due to his stern expression, Song Yong-jin finally laughed and waved the thin but valuable paper, shouting, "Good news, 33.9%, and in the Seoul area, it reached 39.6%, almost breaking 40...!"

The office was initially stunned, but then erupted in thunderous cheers. Only Park Dong-jean glared at Song Yong-jin, saying, "Director Song, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Song Yong-jin, who usually didn't laugh or joke, caused this effect. At that moment, he was completely different, beaming and patting Park Dong-jean's shoulder, shouting in the noisy room, "It's not my fault. When I went to get this, the deputy president played a trick on me. Think about it, if I didn't get my revenge, would I be happy...?"

Park Dong-jean smiled bitterly, then snatched the paper and carefully read it. After confirming that it was not only the top-rated show of the time slot but also broke the historical record for Korean dramas, he finally laughed heartily, but then touched his chin with a mischievous smile, "Hmm, looks like I need to get my revenge too..."

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