episode_0113

“…23%? Did you just say that?”

Someone’s bewildered voice was the beginning.

“Special Task Force 808 got a 23% viewership rating?”

“Really?”

“PD-nim, are you kidding?”

Choi Hee-won PD simply opened her mouth again.

“You heard right. 23%.”

Immediately, chaos erupted.

“Episode 1! Episode 1 and it’s 23%! That doesn’t make sense!”

“Aaaaah!”

“This is crazy! I’ll go get more beer!”

The inside of the restaurant became so rowdy that it was hard to believe it had been quiet just a moment ago. They weren’t just shouting. They were running around like their feet were on fire.

“Cheers! Cheers!”

“I’m going crazy! I’m really going crazy!”

They had worked all-nighters every day, skipping sleep and meals. So, what could be a more valuable reward than the current numbers? Because they had all suffered together, they could all rejoice together.

And this was just the beginning.

Because only the people sitting near the actors and the PD had received this information. Soon, those who noticed the commotion began to gather one by one.

“What’s going on? What happened?”

“Viewership ratings! Did the viewership ratings come out!”

The shocking numbers were soon relayed to them as well.

“…23%?”

Joy and madness began to spread like a wave.

“23% in this day and age, is that even possible?”

“I know, right? These days, the younger generation doesn’t even watch TV that much, do they?”

Then, Choi Hee-won PD gave a faint smile.

“It seems the community and news articles’ public opinion had an impact. Soo-an’s provocative article garnered a lot of attention, didn’t it? Everyone probably tuned in to see how good we really are.”

It was then that Kim Iseo nodded.

“Ultimately, it became successful noise marketing. You need it once in a while. Kim Seon-ah, the reporter from Star Catch, started it, right? I should thank her later.”

Around that time, Sua felt a pang of guilt.

Why else? Because Sua had actually written that article! She didn’t even know about noise marketing. She just wanted to be praised…

Suddenly, Wi Ji-hye muttered in disbelief.

─That actually had an effect?

─Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

─Sua is closer to a clock with no hour or minute hands…

‘What are these guys saying?’

Sua shook her head to clear her thoughts.

A hand gently touched her shoulder. It was Seo Yeon-ju.

“Sua-ya, I’m sorry. The PD-nim asked you, but I answered, you know? Unbelievable numbers came out, so I just spoke.”

“It’s okay.”

Sua answered lightly. What mattered was the viewership rating, not who answered. Besides, her mental calculation was a bit slow.

“Anyway.”

Choi Hee-won PD, who had already downed a shot of soju, opened his mouth.

“It’s a real-time count, so it’s not entirely accurate, but it probably won’t change much from here. Let’s look forward to tomorrow’s broadcast even more.”

Then, shifting his gaze to Sua.

“By tomorrow, public opinion will be turned around, and then people will watch with anticipation rather than suspicion. Sua-ssi played a big role. You did a great job with the key role of Kim Yu-han.”

Thanks to that, the gaze of those who were simply rejoicing also shifted to Sua. It was accompanied by a change in their eyes. Their joy and elation transformed into gratitude towards Sua.

Soon, many words poured out towards Sua as well.

“Kim Yu-han, hurrah! Kim Yu-han, hurrah!”

“Kim Yu-han is played by Lee Sua herself from the beginning, right? This level of success is natural. Tomorrow’s scenes are even more amazing.”

“Sua-ssi! Say just one word. The PD-nim called you earlier, but you didn’t answer, and we’re most curious about Sua-ssi’s reaction!”

Everyone seemed to misunderstand Sua’s frozen state as composure, but the reality was different. Her brain was just frozen.

‘23% is almost close to 1/5, isn’t it?’

Then, the little suas inside her were relieved. Along with murmurs of at least she knows how to calculate simple probabilities and such.

But the relief didn’t last long.

Because Sua or the little Suas had reason to be greatly surprised.

‘No way. They said passing 10% is crazy!’

Even if you fill up a baseball stadium, it’s only about 20,000 people. But if the viewership rating is 23%, how many people watched it? She couldn’t even estimate.

‘Crazy, crazy! What kind of first episode viewership rating is this!’

Even Sua, who didn’t know anything, could feel the greatness.

She remembered seeing articles pouring out praising over 10% as amazing. But she had achieved twice that!

Sua took a fresh look at the perk.

[ Special Task Force 808 ]

▶ Implementation elements sufficient.

▶ Grade 1.

‘Grade 1 isn’t Grade 1 for nothing.’

She was surprised and surprised again.

She was impressed by the perk’s discernment and proud of herself for raising a work that was Grade 2 at the time of discovery to Grade 1.

After that, anticipation filled her heart.

This was only Sua’s first drama, and they had only aired the first episode. Would something even more amazing happen in the future?

The famous supporting actor Hwang Myung-pil burst into laughter.

“Representative Kim Iseo really hit the jackpot, signing with a rising star like a shooting star. Her filmography is different from the start, isn’t it?”

“I know, right? Mystic is so lucky. ‘Sword’ won them a Grand Prize, and the drama they’re broadcasting back-to-back has a 23% rating from the start? Even both works star Sua-ssi, right?”

It was then that Seo Yeon-ju shrugged her shoulders.

“What did I say? I said Sua is a shooting star.”

“Th, that’s right! She really is a wish-granting shooting star!”

Only then did Sua understand. She was wondering why people were suddenly treating her like a charm, but Seo Yeon-ju had been spreading it around.

“…?”

However, Sua felt a different atmosphere than before.

You can tell by looking at their eyes.

Before, their expressions had a bit of playfulness mixed in, but now it was different. They were faces seriously pondering something.

Kim Iseo opened her mouth.

“Pulling up a director in a slump, making an unfinished work, one won a Grand Prize and the other has a viewership rating of 23%. It’s one of two things. She only picks successes, or everything she touches is guaranteed to succeed.”

Everyone’s eyes widened even further.

Meanwhile, Sua was just looking inward. The little Suas were looking up at her with their chests puffed out.

‘Yeah, I know. It’s thanks to you guys.’

The perk’s abilities and the little Suas’ advice had created the current situation. It was an indescribable favor. When you think about it, Sua just put the spoon on the table with the name of effort.

The people around her didn’t know this inside story, so the atmosphere was serious.

Writer Lee Geum-sook was almost in tears.

“Sua-yang choosing my script was almost like a divine revelation. Sua-yang, I’ll emphasize it again. Thank you.”

That was the beginning.

“I couldn’t make a wish earlier! Again!”

“I’m making a wish now! Please let me succeed in my confession!”

“Get in line! Get in line!”

“I wish for a long and healthy life!”

“Please do something about my hair loss!”

◈◈◈◈◈

Finally, the company dinner came to an end.

About two hours had passed since the first episode aired.

“Awoo…”

Sua flopped onto the bed after taking a bath. So much had happened today. The fatigue rushed in late.

‘I was going to stretch out my legs and sleep soundly tonight…’

Sua had thought at the restaurant. Since both Kim Yu-han and Special Task Force 808 had a successful start, she should definitely sleep happily.

But when she actually lay down, her emotions were complicated again.

Happiness, excitement, fear, etc., were all mixed up.

That was because Sua had developed a desire.

A desire for the second episode airing tomorrow to be well-received, a desire for it to get even better in the future. Sua hadn’t quite grasped this concept yet, but she knew what to do in the future.

Work hard. To cherish this excitement in the future as well.

But it was then.

Vvvv─

The phone suddenly rang.

“…Huh?”

It was a text message, and Sua narrowed her eyes immediately after checking the sender. The other party was not within the range of expected individuals.

[ Sender: Lina Pilates Kim Su-yeong ]

▶ Sua-ssi, did you start acting by any chance?

▶ I usually make sure to watch dramas. There was a work that piqued my interest after a long time, so I was looking for related articles, and guess what, there was an article related to Sua-ssi in a short film?

▶ Is this really Sua-ssi? Really?

‘Ah, because of the short film?’

Sua understood.

Articles related to short films were pouring out, and people who recognized Sua were slowly starting to appear.

On the one hand, she was amazed.

‘Lee Su-yeong? Someone who wasn’t even close to me.’

This person wasn’t a Pilates instructor, just one of the members who took the class together.

But suddenly contacted her? Should she reply?

But it was then.

Vvvv─

The phone vibrated again.

[ Sender: Chef ]

The newly arrived text from another person was the signal.

“Wh, what is it. What’s going on.”

Vvvv─

Vvvv─

Vvvv─

[ Sender: Park Ho-yun Trainer ]

[ Sender: Japanese Tutor ]

[ Sender: Dance Instructor ]

Due to the messages that flooded in as if they had made an agreement.

“Hwaaaa…?”

Vvvv─

Vvvv─

Sua’s phone soon became a crybaby.