Superstar From Age 0

SBC Broadcasting Station.

There was a pleasant tension in the monitor room.

[Working Man!] was a program that had been running for over 10 years, so it had a fixed audience and a steady rating.

That's why the monitor room was usually used to check if there were any broadcasting accidents or if the editing was done well, but today it was full of anticipation.

“How are the viewers’ reactions?”

“They’re great, aren't they? I think we can expect a good rating.”

“The rating will be good, of course. The question is how good it will be.”

PD Jeon Min-jae of [Working Man!] was watching the broadcast that was heading towards the end.

The other staff members were also smiling as they looked at their phones and monitors alternately.

It seemed like everyone in the country was watching [Working Man!], and the main topics of most sites were [Working Man!] and Lee Seo-jun.

The posts where people shared their impressions in real time, also known as ‘flame boards’, had already been changed dozens of times.

“The OST of Jin Natra was an excellent choice. It felt like watching a movie. Am I the only one who sees a halo around him? They said to find Lee Seo-jun among them. What, there were two Lee Seo-juns? I guess Lee Seo-jun was CG after all. Why are there so many ads? I can't change the channel because I don't know when it will start again…”

The staff read out some of the noticeable comments with excitement. PD Jeon Min-jae and the production team of [Working Man!] nodded their heads with satisfaction.

If they can't change the channel, they’ll watch the ads, and some of the viewers will feel the urge to buy them.

He thought that the ads they had sent out this time would have a pretty good promotional effect.

“That's why advertisers want Lee Seo-jun so much.”

“That's right. Our drama will also get a lot of ads, right?”

“We’ll be able to choose only the best conditions after today's broadcast, right?”

PD Shin Ji-hye and the assistant director whispered to each other.

There were not only the production team of [Working Man!] but also the production team of [Babel Tower] in the monitor room.

They didn't have to come here, but there was no better place to hear the real-time ratings than here, so they bought drinks and snacks with both hands and came over.

“The mid-term rating! It's out!”

The door opened and a staff member waved a piece of paper.

It was the mid-term rating for the first part. Of course, it wasn't very accurate because it was real-time, but it could give an estimate of the future ratings.

“26.4%…!”

Everyone's mouths opened wide at the number that exceeded their expectations.

Looking at the time, it seemed that the rating had risen since Choi So-yeong said she would call Seo-jun.

“Wow. Is this possible for a variety show these days?”

“…It's been a long time for us too.”

PD Shin Ji-hye asked and PD Jeon Min-jae shook his head.

There were many other media outlets where people could watch broadcasts besides TV, such as YouTube or Plus+, so TV ratings were gradually declining. The reality was that variety shows’ ratings were falling faster than dramas in terms of stimulation.

But that ‘reality’ was overturned by the appearance of one actor.

‘No, not just any actor.’

PD Jeon Min-jae swallowed his saliva as he looked at the paper with the high rating and the ads that had been sold at an expensive price.

A superstar who has a strong recognition, who is always interested by the public, and whose every action becomes a topic.

An actor who is enjoying his heyday, Lee Seo-jun.

‘…Wait a minute. Is this his heyday?’

Heyday.

A period when one's situation or power is at its peak.

In terms of celebrities, it means a period when they are actively promoting their name and enjoying more popularity than ever before.

‘…But actor Lee Seo-jun has always been like that.’

Actor Lee Seo-jun became a topic since his debut with [Shadowman1].

PD Jeon Min-jae groaned at the thought that suddenly came to his mind.

The heyday of superstar Lee Seo-jun.

Was it in the past, present,

Or…the future that hasn't come yet?

‘If this isn't his heyday yet, it means he’ll be more amazing than now… That's scary.’

Or maybe every period that Lee Seo-jun was active was his heyday.

‘A lifetime of heyday, that's scary too… But…’

A star that shines forever.

Was there a more fitting adjective for the fame of a superstar?

Somehow, PD Jeon Min-jae was looking forward to Lee Seo-jun's future moves.

“The second part is starting!”

PD Jeon Min-jae woke up from his thoughts at the staff's words. The ads seemed to have ended in the meantime.

The second part hit like a storm as PD Jeon Min-jae had edited it himself.

The fact that the freshman was Lee Seo-jun was revealed and the scenes that had been broadcasted before came out again, and laughter burst out from the data screen and captions.

And finally.

[Lee Seo-jun, cameo appearance in Babel Tower!]

The awaited scene came out. PD Shin Ji-hye and the assistant director raised their arms and cheered. They thought that ads and investments would flood in by now.

[Working Man!] next week's preview ended and immediately after that, the promotional video of [Babel Tower] that PD Shin Ji-hye and the assistant director had seen dozens of times flowed out.

[Babel Tower]

[First broadcast on Wednesday, March 15th at 10 p.m.!]

Perfect.

There was no more perfect drama promotion than this.

As the production team of [Babel Tower] was moved, the door opened with a bang.

“The final rating is out!!”

PD Jeon Min-jae and the staff crowded around a piece of paper.

They all swallowed their saliva and stared at the paper. They were well aware that it was not accurate. The exact rating would come out tomorrow morning.

“…Is this a printing error? Or…is there something wrong with my eyes?”

[34.3%]

At the unbelievable number, a bomb-like cheer erupted.

***

[SBC Working Man!, rating 34.0%!!]

[Working Man!, the highest rating after the first broadcast!]

[This is the power of a superstar! Rating 34.0%!]

-This is no joke;; These days, even 10% is good, but they almost tripled it;;

=Is this possible for these days’ rating???

=Didn't you watch it? It was so fun.

=?? I watched it too.

=But really, everyone around me seemed to watch it.

=22 My friends and I were guessing who Lee Seo-jun was and when it was revealed that he was the freshman, only !!! came up in the group chat???

-That's why there are so many people who want to cast Lee Seo-jun.

=Babel Tower will also be very popular.

=I heard from an insider that SBC drama department is going crazy right now.

=Why?

=All kinds of sponsorship and ad inquiries are coming in.

=It's not a historical drama, it's a modern one. There will be a lot of sponsored products like Spring Has Returned.

=Lee Seo-jun is an adult now, so he's also sponsored by cars, right?

=They could have just given it to him. It would have been a huge publicity effect if he drove it around.

-SBC is so lucky.

=I know. There's a strange connection between Seo-jun and Working Man.

-But Babel Tower is just a cameo, right? He's only appearing for a short time, right?

=Yeah, if there was a role for Seo-jun in Babel Tower, they would have just put the script in Cocoa Entertainment.

=It must be a role that can change the age for a while.

-How many episodes do you think Seo-jun will appear in?

=The last one.

=The finale.

=The final episode.

=Lol

=It's obvious what the broadcasters are thinking. If he appears in the beginning or the middle, the viewers will decrease. But if he appears in the end, he can create a buzz.

=22 And since we don't know what role Seo-jun will play, we have to keep track of the drama's plot.

=333 We have to know what role Seo-jun is playing.

=But the drama will be fun since Seo-jun is appearing.

=Yeah, Lee Seo-jun has a good eye for works.

-But isn't it staged? How can the keywords be [goggles, snowboard, freshman male student]?

=22 It seems like it really was. How did they meet at the same ski resort on the day of filming?

=33 I don't understand how they didn't know all along.

-?? It's not staged. Lee Seo-jun and his friends really just wanted to go home.

=? How do you know?

=I was there at that time. (A picture of Working Man! screenshot with a circle around one person) This is me.

=Wow.

=A witness appeared!

=Wait. Aren't you the one who left yesterday while talking? (link)

=There are two ways to make people angry, and the first one is not finishing what you say, and the second one is.

=He actually did it and got a lot of hate comments.

=Lol I saw it live lol

=Sry sry I had to get the chicken delivery.

=If you run away this time, I really… can't do anything!!

=Lol Just tell us the story.

=Yeah. And this is all my brainchild. I guessed after the freshman=Lee Seo-jun was revealed.

=Yeah yeah

=At first, I was just curious because a normal person did a backflip. But he came near me with his friends. So I unintentionally heard their conversation.

=Wow. You didn't know he was Lee Seo-jun?

=Yeah yeah yeah I didn't think of it at all.

=When Choi So-yeong said she would call him, didn't they discuss it loudly??

=Their voices were small so I only heard bits and pieces. I thought they were saying ‘Should we go home?’ or ‘Let's listen to Seo-jun's phone call.’

Everyone else thought so too;;;

=+) Anyway, his friends wanted to stay and watch more, and he said it was okay, but the freshman(Seo-jun) kept hesitating. I guess he felt like he was interfering with the drama promotion. But then someone started talking behind their backs near me.

=What kind of gossip?

=Gossip about Choi So-yeong.

=WTF;;; What did they say?

=They said that Choi So-yeong and Seo-jun were not close anymore. They mocked her for not working with him since Spring.

=There were a lot of comments like that too. They disappeared after Working Man aired though.

=Did Seo-jun hear that?

=Yup The celebrities might not have heard it, but it must have been loud enough for Seo-jun and his friends. Again, this is my brainchild, but I think he revealed his identity after hearing that. He moved his seat right at that timing.

=Wooow. So he might not have appeared if he didn't hear that gossip.

=22 He heard that gossip and said ‘I'm Choi So-yeong's friend, Lee Seo-jun!’ and made a splendid entrance.

=333 If he didn't hear that gossip, he would have just appeared normally.

=True. He doesn't usually make such a big entrance lol

=So that's why. Seo-jun is loyal lol

=What happened to the people who gossiped?

=When Lee Seo-jun revealed that he was the freshman, everyone realized that he heard that gossip. I realized it then too. So I looked at where the gossip came from and they had panicked faces. They must have known that Lee Seo-jun heard them too.

=+) But the other people who were watching also looked at them at the same time. They felt embarrassed and ran away lol

=??? : Choi So-yeong and Seo-jun are not close anymore.

Lee Seo-jun : ?Me? No way?

(Splendid entrance!)

Lee Seo-jun : We’re this close!

=He cleared the rumor with just his entrance.

=Wow. I was shocked even when I watched the broadcast, but it must have been amazing to see Lee Seo-jun in person without knowing.

=I want to see him too??

=But how did you not know after hearing that much conversation?

=??How would I think that Lee Seo-jun was there. I thought they were just kids who were wondering whether to go home or watch the filming?? I wanted to get his autograph??

***

-So-yeong : (link) Is this true?

-So-yeong : ??Thank you??

Seo-jun scratched his cheek.

“I didn't expect this kind of story to come out…”

There were more than one or two people who heard the gossip at that time, and they analyzed the scenes of [Working Man!] and made various guesses, so the truth was somewhat revealed.

There were also a lot of YouTube videos with the title ‘Lee Seo-jun, loyal man!’ and articles were also coming out a lot.

“I wish So-yeong noona didn't know…”

Even if it was a past thing, gossip was still gossip.

He wished she didn't know, but Seo-jun sent a reply with a forced smile.

[No.

[I just wanted to make an entrance like that?

-So-yeong : Seo-jun??

-Da-jin : Do that for me too when you meet me next time??

Seo-jun smiled and tapped his phone keyboard.

[But Da-jin hyung.

[Isn't it hard for this kind of coincidence to happen twice?

-Da-jin : ??That's true.

-Da-jin : I couldn't believe it even when I watched the broadcast??

-So-yeong : I must have been so surprised when I filmed it??

The conversation turned to the play [MOEB-436].

-Da-jin : Tomorrow is the last performance, right?

[Yes. That's right.

Finally tomorrow.

The last performance of the play [MOEB-436] that had been going on for 2 months.

-So-yeong : Are you practicing?

[No. I finished practicing and came home.

I'm taking a break.

Today, team 436’s practice ended early for the final performance tomorrow.

Seo-jun wanted to practice more, feeling restless and energetic, but he decided to rest well today for the perfect condition.

[Ah. So-yeong noona

[Unnie, you couldn't watch the play because of the filming, right? How about coming tomorrow?

-Choi So-yeong: Can I?

[Yes. I have an invitation.

-Lee Da-jin: Then I want to watch it again!

[Ah. Sorry, but you can't.

-Lee Da-jin: ??Why??

[I only have one invitation left??

-Choi So-yeong: Who else is coming?

[Yes.

Seo-jun tapped his phone with a mischievous face. They must be both surprised.

[Ryan Director and Jonathan.

-Choi So-yeong: Ah. I was wondering when they would come.

“…Huh?”

-Lee Da-jin: Yeah. They can't be left out of the Seo-jun saga.

Their reactions were different from what he expected.

Seo-jun blinked his eyes at the calm responses of the two and quickly sent a message.

[You're not surprised?

-Choi So-yeong: I'm used to it now.

-Lee Da-jin: ?? Evan and Rachel came too??

-Choi So-yeong: Right. The special lecture was more surprising than the invitation.

-Lee Da-jin: A lecture by a Hollywood actor! I want to hear it too!

“Ugh.”

Seo-jun failed to surprise them and sent a reply with a deflated expression.

***

[Play ‘MOEB-436’, final performance tomorrow at 5 pm!]

[Play ‘MOEB-436’, will be uploaded on YouTube tomorrow at 7 pm!]

[YouTube channel ‘Mirinae Trailer’ subscribers skyrocket!]

[Shadowman director Ryan Will and In the Name of God director Jonathan Will spotted at the airport!]

[Why did the two directors come to Korea?!]

-It's already the last show!

=I haven't seen it yet and it's already the last one??

=I hope they upload it soon… It felt like 2 months were 2 years.

=22 I’ll order some chicken and watch it at 7 pm.

=333 I have plans but everyone will leave early to watch the play.

=Unexpected diligence???

-Wow. The Will directors are here. But it's not that surprising.

=Fa-miliar.

=They became familiar because of Seo-jun. The Shadowman family is.

=?? I'm very happy, but not surprised.

-I bet they came to watch Seo-jun's play. I want to see it too!!

=22 Evan Block and Rachel Hill came too, so I expected someone else to come.

=33 My first choice was Director Ryan Will.

=Aren't you guys too familiar with them??

=It's so funny?? Hollywood directors came and everyone is familiar with them??