Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 269

269. Should I Really Go? (1)

[‘Dramatic Tempest’ Soars in Ratings, “Screaming with Joy”]

[Does it Work in Overseas Markets Too? ‘Dramatic Tempest’ Holds Onto #1 on Onflix for 3 Weeks]

[The Secret to the Charm of ‘Dramatic Tempest,’ Captivating Both Domestic and International Audiences?]

As the episodes progressed, the reactions became clearer and more pronounced.

“Hey, at this rate, aren’t we going to exceed 40 percent in viewership by the end?”

“Come on. That’s a bit much. We’re not a terrestrial broadcast [free-to-air television]. Has any cable drama ever exceeded 40 percent? Wasn’t the highest 34 percent?”

“Was that the modern-day Animal Kingdom couple version drama?”

The drama, featuring several couples each with their own unique characteristics, gained fame for showing raw, unfiltered lives, much like a modern-day Animal Kingdom.

Some criticized cable for being too sensational.

Others defended it for realistically portraying the world of couples, reflecting our true selves.

All sorts of affairs, betrayals, love, and deceit unfolding within the confines of a narrow townhouse community…….

It was truly a drama that deserved the title of Animal Kingdom.

“Oh, right. That’s the one. I remember it being 34 percent for the finale. Am I right?”

“34.1 percent to be exact.”

Yeon-woo had seen it too.

Regardless of personal preferences regarding the subject matter, it was necessary to monitor popular dramas.

His impression at the time…….

‘There’s a reason they call it the animal kingdom. It’s almost as if only instincts remain…….’

The emotion of love is still unfamiliar.

He had a hit with a romance movie, but he couldn’t quite empathize with raw emotions that disregarded morals and everything else.

‘Still, it was very helpful.’

Yeon-woo seriously observed the actors’ emotional processing, lines, and the passionate inner lives of each character.

The broader the spectrum of acting, the better.

A limited range of roles narrows the scope of projects one can take on.

That was never Yeon-woo’s desire.

“Still, isn’t it worth aiming for? We’re at 24 percent now. We still have another week before ‘that section’ comes out…….”

“Definitely worth aiming for if it’s ‘that section.’ If we gain momentum there and continue until the end…… will we exceed 34.1?”

For a cable program, not even halfway through, to record a viewership of 24 percent was almost unprecedented.

“Since the minute-by-minute ratings have already soared to nearly 29 percent at times…… it’s possible, right?”

The vague goal had reached a tangible level.

The opportunity to set a new record was right before their eyes.

It was also the reason why the staff’s faces were always beaming with smiles.

The weekly updated viewership ratings couldn’t help but make them excited.

Especially,

[‘Shocking Twist!’ Kang Yeon-woo’s Unbelievable Identity!]

[Turns Out He’s a Psychopath? “Viewers in Shock!”]

[As a Result of the Dramatic Twist…… ‘Dramatic Tempest’ Records Minute-by-Minute Viewership of 36.7 Percent]

Kim Sun-woo, played by Yeon-woo, had captivated viewers as a healing character.

The more protagonist Kim Si-hyuk dealt with complex and heavy cases, the heavier the drama’s atmosphere inevitably became.

In particular, most of the cases solved through psychometry [the ability to discern facts about an event or person by touching objects associated with them] were unsolved mysteries.

The process of uncovering these unsolved cases was interesting thanks to its realistic portrayal.

The problem was that watching it drained your energy.

In other words, it was that immersive.

And Sun-woo was the only haven where one could take a breather from that suffocating, swirling flow.

So,

-Wow, is this real? Is this true? Sun-woo was a psychopath?

-No way, lol. Excuse me, writer……? Can we have a little chat……?

-What did I tell you guys? I said the last video revealed at the first screening felt off.

ㄴPilgrimage here

ㄴPlease let me win the lottery

ㄴNo, how did you know that back then, lol…… I just thought they were trying to make an impact……

-Where am I supposed to get my healing from nowㅠㅠ

The week Yeon-woo’s identity was revealed, the reaction was truly unprecedented.

All sorts of communities were turned upside down in real-time.

Everyone became a wisp, spamming only ‘???’ marks.

Even Kim Sun-woo’s name became a real-time trend on social media.

And.

The most impressive of all was ‘that’ YouTube.

It was Trevi Hazel, Yeon-woo’s official stalker, now recognized worldwide.

“Someone said we should give money to Trevi.”

“What?”

“They said the view count of her reaction video hit 2 million in one day. It was completely legendary yesterday.”

It was legendary.

Even Yeon-woo, who thought he was already surprised enough by the incoming lifespan, was surprised again.

‘That wasn’t the end?’

How surprised he was to see the lifespan pouring in the day after Onflix aired.

How surprised he was to see that lifespan exceeding a full year’s worth.

‘That’s when I first felt the size of the global market…….’

Even Yeon-woo, who had no intention of going abroad, was slightly tempted.

That was also the time when Min Ye-rin, Kim Si-hyuk, and Gil Sang-joon misunderstood his calculations of expected lifespan.

“Yeon-woo. I will make sure you don’t regret that valuable choice…….”

Gil Sang-joon, holding his hands tightly and shining his moist eyes, came to mind.

Yeon-woo couldn’t bring himself to say ‘I never received any offers’ there.

Because he had this thought.

‘……Should I really go?’

The amount of lifespan being harvested was that appealing.

If an offer had really come in, as he was misunderstood to have received, he might have seriously considered going abroad.

[Multiple Lifespan Automatic Harvesting Complete.]

Lifespan from different sources always displayed a new notification, even with the off function turned on.

He couldn’t help but get excited every time.

‘Crazy.’

The very week Kim Sun-woo’s twist was aired, right at the halfway point of the season.

Yeon-woo checked the unprecedented amount of lifespan coming in and thought once again.

‘……Should I really go?’

Just under 2 years, 1 year and 10 months.

A whopping 1 year and 10 months of lifespan had come in.

Well. Not all of it came from overseas.

But it was a significant portion.

‘Already 19 years…….’

To be exact, it was a little over 18 years, but that was close enough to round up.

“She’s like true love. A junior writer told me earlier that a lot of people were drawn to Onflix after watching her YouTube channel? The inflow path is completely unique? Seeing her film reaction videos from the first episode to now without missing a single one, that’s the real deal.”

“…….”

Yeon-woo had seen Trevi’s videos.

Actually, it wasn’t that he wanted to see them, but he happened to catch Kwon Seong-hyeon watching them while passing by.

-……It’s troublesome that she’s overseas.

He didn’t know what was troublesome, but he was muttering very seriously, biting his shapely lips.

His usually expressionless face looked very solemn.

-To exert power in that direction, I need to contact that person…….

Kwon Seong-hyeon muttered like that with a hard and cold face, like a ruthless angel sculpture made of glass.

His unusual appearance vanished in an instant as he discovered Yeon-woo.

He said it was nothing and closed the laptop, and Yeon-woo saw a foreigner for a moment, but that was Trevi.

“No. She still can’t believe it.”

Kim Si-hyuk was ranting as if he were Trevi Hazel himself.

“She’s originally famous. You know that, right?”

“Well…….”

“But she’s been simping [showing excessive admiration or attention] for you lately, and almost all of her feeds are filled with you.”

He knew that much from hearing it.

How else would Trevi’s nickname be ‘that person’ on set?

‘How often have they seen each other and become close…….’

It was almost one-sided familiarity, but the intimacy built up through the feed was not a lie.

“Because she’s been making such a fuss, it’s become a meme, and people come to see it, and then they get 영업당해서 [yeong-eop-danghaeseo: a Korean term for being successfully persuaded or influenced to buy something or support someone], and come to watch our drama… that cycle keeps happening. But that’s not all.”

“……?”

“Do you know why she’s the real deal? She gave all of her YouTube revenue to you, listing you as the copyright holder. The view count of the reaction videos she uploaded is at least 2 million, so it’s a huge hit. After knowing that, people acknowledged her. They said it’s true love.”

It’s strange.

Yeon-woo had never heard such a story.

Jerry was in charge of Yeon-woo’s YouTube account.

Above Jerry was the company.

Above that company was Kwon Seong-hyeon.

“…….”

Could that be why Kwon Seong-hyeon was watching Trevi’s channel?

‘I don’t know about the revenue, but she’s been bringing in viewers, so I’m grateful.’

Trevi Hazel’s evaluation was upgraded in Yeon-woo’s mind.

He could feel even the strict Heungseon Daewongun [a powerful political figure in the late Joseon Dynasty known for his isolationist policies] backing down with his arms crossed.

‘Come to think of it, that person sent me a proposal to work together, didn’t they?’

At that time, he had no intention of going abroad, so he refused without hesitation.

It seemed they had continued to contact him…….

If he didn’t remember, he must have erased it from his mind altogether.

‘……Should I go once.’

But now that the situation has changed a bit.

He felt like he would waver if the offer came again.

The curiosity that had already arisen had been growing larger every time lifespan came in.

Anyway.

Everything was going smoothly.

He would soon be able to fill 1/4 of the lost lifespan.

The drama’s reaction continued to be good.

Only promising results remained.

Only one thing.

“But why do you keep looking so withered…….”

Kim Si-hyuk looked at Yeon-woo with very pitiful eyes.

“Are you eating properly?”

Kim Si-hyuk, who was more Korean than anyone else, was obsessed with food like a Korean.

He acted as if the problem with Yeon-woo’s increasingly worsening face was all due to poor food intake.

“The writer likes it, though.”

The Dramatic Tempest team was currently filming season 2.

If season 1 focused on the growth of the protagonist Kang Seok, season 2 focused on the crisis that came to Kang Seok.

Prosecutor Do Gang-hoon, who appeared in the second half of season 1, was the one who caused this crisis.

Do Gang-hoon doesn’t just try to get Kang Seok in his hands.

He even uses meticulousness to get rid of Baek Ha-yan, who is next to him, in order to take Kang Seok.

While witnessing Kim Sun-woo, who is leaning towards Baek Ha-yan, getting rid of that person, Do Gang-hoon even intends to use Kim Sun-woo.

“That’s true. Honestly, it wouldn’t fit if Kim Sun-woo, who has been caught with his weakness, had a good face.”

The feeling of being sharper and more sensitive than before suited him very well, as if he had the role in mind from the beginning.

It could be said that the different feelings given by Kim Sun-woo in season 1 and Kim Sun-woo in season 2 were maximized.

It wasn’t intentional, but it ended up being highlighted as an advantage.

“Still, take good care of your meals. Kim Sun-woo can just put on makeup. What if even Yeon-woo becomes as exhausted as Kim Sun-woo?”

Then Kim Si-hyuk secretly put his hand into his pocket again and took out something different from usual.

“When you’re tired, sweets are the best. You need to consume sugar.”

It was a macaron with a brilliant mint color.

“It’s okay, you eat it. I keep telling you, it’s because your sleep is restless.”

That’s right.

In this situation where everything was going smoothly.

There was only one problem.

It was the dream that had been going on for several weeks.