Chapter 64

Just when many people thought that the ratings of "The Prince's First Love" would reach new heights, it faced its strongest competitor—KBS's "Full House," starring Song Hye-kyo and RAIN.

Song Hye-kyo, the most popular and beloved actress in Korea, became a sensation across Asia for her role as Eun-se in "Autumn in My Heart." If it were just a matter of current popularity in Korea, Sung Yu-ri might not necessarily be at a disadvantage to Song Hye-kyo, or if she were, it would be by a small margin, given her large fan base. However, in terms of the impression left on television audiences, especially the middle-aged women who are the main viewers of TV dramas, Sung Yu-ri was definitely a few levels below Song Hye-kyo. After all, the characters Song Hye-kyo had played were so deeply moving and sympathetic, while Sung Yu-ri was still a relatively new actress in the industry.

In terms of beauty, both women had their own unique charms, making it hard to compare. Although Sung Yu-ri was taller, there were still many men who preferred the petite and delicate Song Hye-kyo. In terms of acting, the newcomer Sung Yu-ri could not match the veteran Song Hye-kyo, who had been in the industry since 1996. If there was one area where Sung Yu-ri had an absolute advantage, it was in singing. As a professional singer, she was undoubtedly superior, but singing talent had little to do with TV ratings.

Therefore, in the eyes of TV audiences, Sung Yu-ri could not be compared to Song Hye-kyo, especially since her transition from singer to actress was often met with skepticism.

Now, let's compare the male leads of the two dramas. The male lead of "Full House," RAIN, was also one of the hottest figures in the music industry, with a popularity that rivaled that of Cha Tae-hyun. Although RAIN's acting skills were not as polished, he played a celebrity, which was essentially a role that required little acting. Additionally, RAIN's tall and handsome appearance and fashionable style were far more appealing to young girls than the down-to-earth Cha Tae-hyun.

Among the cast of "The Prince's First Love," the only one who could definitively outshine his counterpart was the second male lead, Jang Sung-woon. The second male lead of "Full House," Kim Sung-soo, was also excellent and not much younger, but he had only debuted last year and could not match the rapidly rising popularity of Jang Sung-woon. Moreover, Jang Sung-woon had the advantage in terms of looks and acting, completely outshining Kim Sung-soo. Of course, some might argue that Kim Sung-soo's gentle and gentlemanly character was more suitable as a boyfriend or husband, but this was a minor point.

The real reason "Full House" was poised to overshadow "The Prince's First Love" was that its plot was much more novel and interesting. The success of a TV drama depends not only on funding, direction, and actors but also on the script, which is the most crucial element. In this aspect, "The Prince's First Love" was clearly at a disadvantage.

"The Prince's First Love" followed the clichéd Cinderella and Prince story, which was no longer fresh. Although some attempts were made to revamp the old story, they failed to bring anything new.

On the other hand, "Full House" was set in the mysterious world of entertainment, telling a fresh love story between a superstar and a young screenwriter. It lacked the usual hardships and focused more on playful and joyful romance, breaking away from the traditional Korean drama formula and refreshing the audience's experience. This was one of the main reasons why the drama achieved a 21% rating upon its premiere.

Without "Full House," viewers might have continued to be immersed in the traditional Korean drama formula, unaware that love stories could be portrayed in such a fun and lively manner. As a result, "The Prince's First Love" would not have faced such strong competition, and its ratings would not have dropped from around 31% the previous week to 24.5%. If it weren't for Jang Sung-woon's unexpected surge in popularity in the past two weeks, which boosted the ratings, they would have been below 20%. However, it was predicted that with the continued popularity of "Full House," if no measures were taken, "The Prince's First Love" would eventually fail and end in a disastrous defeat.

Director Lee Kwan-hee, screenwriter Jeong Jin-young, and the head of MBC's broadcasting department were all deeply concerned. After an emergency meeting, they decided to modify the script. However, by this point, more than half of the shooting was already completed, and about three-quarters of the budget had been spent. Was there enough time to make changes? Even if they managed to modify the script, it was uncertain whether it would win the audience's favor and save the ratings.

However, not making changes was not an option. They had to try, even if it meant only tweaking the details or perhaps the ending. But would this be enough to turn the tide? The director and screenwriter had little confidence.

To find a better solution, the director and screenwriter gathered the main cast and crew to brainstorm, but no effective ideas emerged.

Perhaps it wasn't that they couldn't think of any solutions, but that they were afraid to voice them. If the proposed solutions failed, the consequences would be severe. As a result, most people either remained silent or made vague, polite remarks, and the meeting ended without any concrete results.

Jang Sung-woon had an idea, though it wasn't a real solution: increase his screen time. Given his sudden surge in popularity, this might help maintain the current ratings. However, he couldn't suggest this himself, as it would only cause unnecessary conflicts and give the impression that he was seeking the spotlight. He would rather the drama be shortened or even canceled by the network than damage his reputation. He also wouldn't want Sung Yu-ri to speak on his behalf.

In fact, he didn't need to suggest it. In the following shoots, he noticed that his screen time had increased significantly, almost matching that of the lead, Cha Tae-hyun, and in some scenes, he even had more opportunities to shine. Jang Sung-woon was pleased but worried about the impact on the crew's harmony, especially his relationship with Cha Tae-hyun. He feared that Cha Tae-hyun might suspect him of using underhanded tactics to increase his screen time.

At first, Jang Sung-woon thought he might be overthinking it, but when Sung Yu-ri privately asked him, "Did your agent, Park Byung-ryeol, do something behind the scenes?" he realized his concerns were not unfounded.

Jang Sung-woon quickly approached Cha Tae-hyun to explain. Cha Tae-hyun smiled and said, "Don't worry, kid. I actually requested the screenwriter to do this. If increasing your screen time can prevent the ratings from dropping further, I'm willing to make this small sacrifice. If this drama fails and is cut short, I might face endless criticism from the media and the audience, which could make me sick."

He paused and continued, "I did this hoping you could help me and share the pressure. I hope you don't mind my initiative!"

Jang Sung-woon quickly replied, "Brother Tae-hyun, you're joking. Thank you for your consideration. I'll work even harder." Regardless, the increase in screen time was a good thing for him.