Peninsula: I'm the Top Streamer

Chapter 601 Morning Dew and a New Chapter (6.4k)

The next day.

Morning light pierced through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting a hazy band of light on the carpet of the hotel suite.

The air was filled with the lingering smell of alcohol, the warm, intimate scent of skin against skin, and a faint, pervasive morning coolness.

Quan Xuanhe woke up first.

The moment his consciousness returned, the weight and soft touch in his arms reminded him.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk lowered his eyes and saw Kim Yoo-jung curled up in his arms, fast asleep, her cheek pressed against his chest, her long, disheveled hair spread across the pillow beneath his arm.

She slept soundly, her thick eyelashes casting faint shadows under her eyes. Her usually lively and playful face appeared exceptionally gentle and serene, though the faint dark circles under her eyes betrayed the indulgence and exhaustion of the previous night.

He gently moved his arm, which had gone numb from being pressed down, startling her. Kim Yoo-jung's thick eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.

The misty vapor of early morning air instantly transformed into a clear, bright light and undisguised smugness when it met Quan Xuanhe's gaze.

I still managed to fall asleep.

Kim Yoo-jung's cheeks were slightly flushed, but her eyes shone brightly, clearly very satisfied with last night's "conquest." She snuggled closer into his arms.

Quan Xuanhe glanced around the messy room—clothes scattered on the floor, empty wine glasses overturned, the traces of last night's indulgence were obvious.

He released Kim Yoo-jung and sat up, his muscular upper body exposed to the cool air. He stretched, and his shoulder and neck bones made a slight cracking sound.

"Get up if you're awake, the sun's almost high in the sky." His tone returned to its usual relaxed and teasing tone, as if last night's passionate entanglement was just a trivial interlude. "I'm leaving soon."

As Kwon Hyun-hyuk spoke, he reached back and slapped Kim Yoo-jung's shapely buttocks with a loud "smack," the sound echoing through the air.

Kim Yoo-jung gasped, then threw off the blanket and jumped onto his back, hugging him tightly and resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Oppa's leaving already, won't you stay with me a little longer?"

Upon hearing this, Quan Xuanhe turned his head slightly and said, "Do you think I'm watching you film? Just focus on filming!"

Kwon Heon-hyuk has finished filming, but Kim Yoo-jung hasn't. She still has a solo scene to film for another ten days to two weeks.

His role as the unattainable ideal woman ends here.

Feeling the touch pressing against her from behind, Quan Xuanhe pinched her thigh, which was soft and elastic. "Get down, I'm getting dressed."

"hold head high"

Kim Yoo-jung obediently complied, but reluctantly let go.

Her eyes held a tentative gaze, but also an undeniable expectation. "Oppa wouldn't just sleep with you and run away, would he?"

She deliberately used straightforward words to pin the relationship from last night between the two of them, which was both flirting and a declaration that he could not easily sever ties with.

Quan Xuanhe took her hand and pulled it down gently, enveloping it in his warm palm and squeezing it lightly.

"What are you thinking about?" Quan Xuanhe laughed, but it was hard to tell what he was really thinking.

In reality, those who understand it understand it; he distinguishes these things very clearly.

"Focus on filming. If anything comes up later, feel free to contact me."

These words reassured Kim Yoo-jung somewhat.

What is the true value of Kwon Hyun-hyuk's promise?

Kwon Seonhyuk left under Kim Yoo-jung's watchful gaze.

The sun was shining brightly outside the window; it was already morning. She dragged her tired, tingling body back to her room, her bare feet sinking into the cool carpet, and with a slightly dazed mind, she walked into the bathroom.

Only when the warm water washed over her did she truly feel the exhaustion in her body.

Kwon Heon-hyuk's time in "20th Century Girl" came to an end, and he embarked on his journey back to Seoul.

Inside the speeding van, Kwon Heonhyuk leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes to rest.

His assistant sat next to him, holding a tablet computer, and quietly reported on the upcoming schedule.

The buzz surrounding Tzuyu's concert had barely died down when Gidle's "Tomboy" was already generating a lot of buzz, with their comeback just one day away.

Cube Entertainment has released information that Cho Mi-yeon is preparing for a solo career, which has led to a surge in media and fan attention.

"...Regarding 'Breaking the Tomb,' Director Jang Jae-hyun hopes to invite you to the studio again before the official start of filming to discuss the details and performance methods of the newly added scenes for the character 'Bong-gil.'"

Luo Changmin, the representative, also expressed his hope to meet again to discuss investment matters.

"Of course, the most recent thing I've arranged is to meet with screenwriter Kim Eun-sook this afternoon."

The assistant was explaining the upcoming schedule.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk rubbed his temples. Kim Eun-sook's dramas are always top-tier resources, and they are also key projects for Han Hyo-joo's "second spring," so this cannot be taken lightly.

He felt like he was being squeezed under a mountain of schedules that kept piling up.

"Is there any free time in between?"

Quan Xuanhe opened his eyes, turned his head and asked.

"There isn't much time, about a week, but it depends on the filming progress of the 'Night Owl' crew. I might need to join the crew at any time."

"That's a week's vacation."

Quan Xuanhe said so.

"Yes." The assistant nodded and made a note.

The car fell silent. Quan Xuanhe pondered that he had to make the most of this week's holiday and not waste it no matter what.

He opened his phone, then opened Instagram, and then asked his assistant, "Send me a photo, post it on Instagram."

The assistant had a lot of work to do, basically doing a little bit of everything. She nodded quickly and sent the photos she had taken of him to Quan Xuanhe.

After careful selection, I came up with nine pictures, followed by captions.

Happy wrap-up! Everyone worked so hard. (heart)

He tagged several other actors and the director on Instagram, and then posted the picture looking fresh and radiant.

The post garnered over 120 million likes within an hour, topping the Instagram global trending list.

Even career-oriented fans know that news media are spreading the word that Netflix will launch this year, and they're flooding the comments section with messages about it.

Netflix quickly sets release date! The Kwon-Yoo couple's Christmas box office is locked in!

[Waiting for it to top the Netflix charts!]

Some big fans even created a "Kwon Actor 2022 Calendar" which was widely circulated.

[April: Healing with "Blues" → June: Blockbuster "Decision to Break Up"! → October? Romance with "4th Century Girl"!]

Kwon Hyun-hyuk dominates the big and small screens!

A few photos showing him interacting with Kim Yoo-jung have reignited the enthusiasm of fans who were already anticipating the movie's release, even before it's officially released.

Happy wrap-up (×) Happy dating (√)

Selected screenshots of genuine top-rated comments from the comment section.
@DidKwonYugoMakeItOffToday: Wrap-up photos = wedding invitations! The first photo from the amusement park has a killer gaze, and the nine-grid photo is Kwon Yugo's subtle official announcement! (8.2 likes)
@ChungmuroQualityInspector: The achievements of the second lead in "Decision to Break Up" have been archived! Park Chan-wook, the internationally renowned director, is the second lead! Kwon Heon-hyuk is 70% on track for the Blue Dragon Award for Best Supporting Actor! (5.7 likes)
@SeonMiyuon: Brother-in-law, take a look at Miyeon! The "Tomboy" challenge is waiting for you to dance; your solo stage needs someone to hand you the microphone! (Attached: Miyeon's winking emoji) (4.3 likes)
@RationalChasingHyukStation: Please don't overinterpret! Following the film crew is basic etiquette! (3.9 likes)
The most common template is for solo fans to control comments:
"Focusing on current projects: '4th Century Girl' awaiting release | 'Our Blues' in April | 'Decision to Break Up' in June (currently airing)"

"Refusing over-interpretation, actor Kwon embarks on a new journey in his career!"

The fact that Kwon Hyun-hyuk has finished filming is a bit of a big deal, and his fans are celebrating it enthusiastically. They even went so far as to leak the casting information for "Dark Glory".

[Exclusive] Kwon Heon-hyuk is planned to star as the male lead in Netflix's "Dark Glory"!

Seoul Yonhap News: According to a source from the production company, Kwon Seon-hyuk, who rose to international stardom with "Squid Game," has officially signed on to star in the Netflix revenge drama "Dark Glory," playing the lead role of "Zhou Yeo-jung."

[Industry Shake-Up: Netflix's "Kwon Hyun-hyuk Effect" Continues to Spread]

An anonymous representative from the production company stated: "Kwon Heonhyuk's involvement has instantly elevated the project to a globally anticipated level. His astute business acumen has been successfully demonstrated in works such as 'Squid Game'."

Film critic Park Jin-woo analyzed: "From DP and Squid Game to Dark Glory, Kwon Heon-hyuk is building an exclusive content matrix with Netflix."

[Trending Search Keywords]

#Kwon Hyun-hyuk, the male lead in Dark Glory#
#Kwon Heon-hyuk and Han Hyo-joo Collaboration#
Although Kim Eun-sook stumbled with "The King: Eternal Monarch," her past achievements are still dazzling and cannot be ignored. This sequel has already garnered a lot of attention even before filming.

Kim Eun-sook is known for her skillful writing of romance dramas and idol dramas, but her love stories are clearly more sophisticated and have a more unique perspective. However, this time, she is writing a revenge drama that is completely different from her previous works, which has obviously made the industry think twice.

Can it be as successful as before?
First, it was rumored that Song Hye-kyo would star in the film, then it was changed to Han Hyo-joo, and finally Kwon Hyun-hyuk was confirmed as the male lead. The hype was huge from the very beginning!
However, after the internet started promoting it, it was discovered that the projects Kwon Heonhyuk is currently starring in are all top-tier S-class projects in the industry, belonging to the very pinnacle of the industry!
Great directors, great screenwriters, and great actors.

Looking at it this way, it turns out that "20th Century Girl" has the worst cast of any project he has ever participated in.

This also shows that Kwon Seon-hyuk, who started out with Melo, has already risen to a higher level. Now, appearing in Melo is considered beneath him and doesn't match his status.

The rate of increase was too fast.

In addition, an invitation to star in "Dr. Romantic 3" had been extended to Kwon Heon-hyuk, but he ultimately decided to decline.

"Dr. Romantic" marked his true entry into the public eye, and his first drama to break the 30% viewership rating mark, making it a significant achievement.

However, he is currently very busy, and although starring in a sequel would guarantee his safety, it would be a dilemma for him—unappealing yet difficult to abandon.

Therefore, after careful consideration, Kwon Heonhyuk turned down the role.

However, in "Dr. Romantic 2", Kwon Heon-hyuk and Lee Sung-kyung were paired up as a couple. They just confirmed their relationship at the end of the drama and shared a passionate kiss on screen. Is this couple going to end so abruptly?
So when Lee Sung-kyung found out, she wasn't very willing.

"Hey, Qinjia, now that things are better, you don't care about the past anymore? You heartless bastard!"

You could almost hear her angry breaths in the air.

Lee Sung-kyung is not a gentle and delicate person; she has a straightforward and decisive personality and doesn't hold back when talking to Kwon Heon-hyuk.

"You're just leaving with a simple 'scheduling issues' and 'considering not continuing the series'? How are the writers supposed to explain this? How are the audience supposed to accept this?"

What should I do?

Because Kwon Heon-hyuk and Lee Sung-kyung's romantic storyline is intertwined, if he withdraws from the role, it will be difficult to continue Lee Sung-kyung's character, and there is even a high risk that her character will be written out of the story.

The same principle applies to the characters' departure from the first part.

Otherwise, Lee Sung-kyung wouldn't have been so angry when he withdrew from the show.

"The Bible, don't get so angry."

"I have a plan, do you want to listen?" After all, it takes a hundred years of cultivation to share a boat ride and a thousand years to share a pillow. Facing his former partner who once shared a bed, Quan Xuanhe also came up with a solution for her.

"mo?"

Upon hearing this, Lee Sung-kyung's anger was instantly replaced by eager curiosity, her voice filled with suspicion and anticipation.

Things have changed. Back then, the two were considered equals in terms of billing and status when they acted together, but things are different now. Kwon Heon-hyuk has risen to prominence at rocket speed, while she can't even see his taillights anymore.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk knew where her pain point lay. She worried that her character, "Cha Eun-jae," would become insignificant, or even end up hastily like a supporting character in the first season. She needed a substantial role and room for the story to continue.

"It's very simple, two paths, see which one you prefer." Quan Xuanhe slowly presented his solution.

"First, I have many projects on hand. When a suitable script or role comes along, I'll recommend you to the director and screenwriter. You know my word still carries some weight."

He spoke with considerable confidence, and it was indeed the truth. Given his current status and connections, getting Lee Sung-kyung into a high-quality project would be no difficult task.

Before Lee Sung-kyung could even process the first solution, he immediately offered a second, more entertaining, and potentially more effective way to resolve her current predicament: "The second way..."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk's tone was slightly teasing, "Aren't you and Youngdae dating?"

He paused deliberately to make Lee Sung-kyung realize what he was referring to—Kim Young-dae was seeking a more mainstream role after "The Penthouse," and "Master Kim 3" was the perfect platform, plus the fact that he and Lee Sung-kyung had developed feelings for each other on set could be a great marketing gimmick.

"Isn't the production team worried about continuing the 'Cha Eun-jae' storyline? Your two have a ready-made romantic relationship, which is exactly what the audience loves to see. Real couples playing real couples will generate a lot of buzz, making things easier for the production team and guaranteeing a pleasant surprise in ratings."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk spoke casually and practically, as if he were offering a win-win or even a win-win-win solution.

Kim Young-dae landed a major supporting role, Lee Sung-kyung's character storyline continued and may be enhanced by the real-life romance, the production team gained popularity and guaranteed viewership, and he himself completely resolved the worries that came with leaving the show.

After he finished speaking, there was a brief silence on the other end of the phone.

Lee Sung-kyung is clearly weighing her options. The first path is long-term compensation, while the second path is to directly resolve the current predicament of her role, which may even bring additional benefits.

"Ah..." After a long while, Lee Sung-kyung finally spoke, her tone complicated. Her annoyance had mostly dissipated, replaced by a slight unease at having her thoughts exposed, and the helplessness of having to admit that the plan was indeed feasible.

“You…” She didn’t explicitly say which option she chose, but from her tone, Quan Xuanhe knew that the second option, “real couple acting as a couple,” had already planted a huge, tempting stone in her heart.

Her relationship with Kim Young-dae seems good, even surprisingly stable, and they are still dating.

As the head of the 'Hyeonhyuk Clan', Kwon Hyunhyuk, along with Kim Youngdae and Lee Do-hyun, as disciples of the clan, naturally looked after and helped each other.

Lee Do-hyun was introduced by him to act in "The Company's Blind Date", which has already been broadcast in the last two days and is doing very well.

Adapted from the popular webcomic of the same name, which has 3.2 million views, the first two episodes feature some scenes supplemented with cartoon images, achieving a high degree of fidelity to the source material and satisfying the expectations of many fans of the original work.

The first episode garnered a national viewership rating of 4.9% and a metropolitan area rating of 5.4%, peaking at 6.8%. The second episode saw its national viewership rating rise to 6.5% and its metropolitan area rating reach 7.2%, peaking at 8.4%, breaking the premiere record and demonstrating a strong upward trend.

However, some viewers felt that the plot of the first two episodes was somewhat clichéd, consisting of common domineering CEO tropes, which felt cheesy and awkward. But overall, the positive response was the majority.

This is already a very good momentum, and if this trend continues, it's a sure thing that the ratings will break 10.

In the second week of March, it ranked sixth on the non-English speaking TV series chart, and then topped the list in the third week, showing a rapid rise.

Although Korean dramas have become increasingly dark and gritty, girls all over the world still love melodramas, and that will never change.

Once the insider matchmaking scandal broke, in the version of the power struggle circulating in the industry, the credit was also given to Kwon Hyun-hyuk.

The controversy surrounding the casting change couldn't possibly remain hidden from the public. Through the production company behind it, and through the intentional or unintentional leaks from both parties' management teams, it's possible to guess what happened if one was interested.

Ahn Hyo-seop was naturally furious at having a hugely popular melo stolen from him, while Lee Do-hyun got a popular melo, which helped him recover and upgrade his career. Kwon Hyun-hyuk, who was behind the scenes, became even more secure in his position.

A true sage pointing the way.

"If you're interested, I'll talk to Yongda about it."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk said this to Lee Sung-kyung.

Although he and Lee Sung-kyung had a brief affair, she now has a boyfriend, so the past is naturally left behind. That's fine. Actors need to have a greater sense of conviction and shame than normal people.

He got along well with Kim Young-dae, and he also filmed a kissing scene with Lee Sung-kyung. Now that Kim Young-dae and Lee Sung-kyung are dating, most people would feel awkward or uncomfortable, but they don't feel that way as long-time professionals.

"You go first. If you can persuade the production crew, then we'll do it your way."

Reuniting a couple is risky, and it might even require Kwon Heonhyuk to make a short appearance as a scumbag to smoothly transition into the main couple. But there's no way around it; he's a very busy man, and he has to resign when necessary.

"By the way, I have something to ask you."

"mo?"

"Did you sleep with Kim Yoo-jung?"

"Why are you asking?"

These words were a bit too blunt, leaving Quan Xuanhe speechless.

"I'm just curious. Can't I ask you? Don't you sleep with every actress you work with?"

Lee Sung-kyung spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, without feeling embarrassed at all, and said it so openly and naturally.

"The words may be rough, but the meaning is sound; however, your words are far too rough."

"Sure enough, he slept with that little girl too."

Lee Sung-kyung gave a soft snort, and after knowing this, she didn't say anything more.

"Alright, I'm hanging up now, bye."

The phone hung up with a beep.

The afternoon sun in Seoul streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Aespa practice room, casting bright but rather cold patches of light.

Having just finished rehearsal, Liu Zhimin had fine beads of sweat on her forehead. She leaned against the barre to catch her breath and habitually reached for her phone to unlock the screen.

As usual, I searched for news about Kwon Hyun-hyuk online.

#Kwon Heon-hyuk's "20th Century Girl" has officially wrapped filming!#
#Historic Like on Instagram!#
#Male lead for "Dark Glory" confirmed!#
Liu Zhimin's heart skipped a beat, then was filled with a secret joy.

She immediately opened Instagram and, unsurprisingly, saw the photo that Kwon Heonhyuk had posted not long ago.

Finally finished filming!
Liu Zhimin couldn't help but curl up her lips, her mind racing with calculations.

She remembered that Kwon Heon-hyuk had mentioned that he would have a short break after filming "20th Century Girl".

Now the opportunity is coming!

"Hey?"

"Oppa!" Liu Zhimin's voice was filled with excitement that she couldn't suppress, like a kitten that had just discovered a treasure.

"I saw it! On Instagram! Oh my god, filming is finally wrapped up! You've worked so hard!"

"Yeah, just got off the highway and headed back to Seoul." On the other end of the phone, Kwon Hyun-hyuk's voice carried a hint of languor as if he had just been relieved of a heavy burden. There was a faint sound of traffic in the background, and he seemed to be in his van.

"Are you practicing?" he asked casually, clearly having also heard the faint music and laughter coming from Liu Zhimin's side.

"Yes, in the practice room." Liu Zhimin immediately seized the opportunity to act coquettishly, her voice softening a bit, "I just finished dancing, and my legs feel like they don't even belong to me anymore."

"Is that so?" Quan Xuanhe's voice rang out again, so calm that it didn't reveal much emotion.

Just when Liu Zhimin thought he would suggest giving her a ride or abandoning the idea altogether, like last time, Quan Xuanhe casually uttered a sentence:

"Want to come out and play?"

Liu Zhimin's eyes widened instantly, her heart leaping with joy, but she remained calm on the surface.

"Really? Oppa, are you inviting me out to hang out?"

"Yes, invite Jiminni."

"Alright then, I'll reluctantly accept."

Liu Zhimin was naturally overjoyed and secretly delighted.

"Okay, then you can wait for my notification!"

Quan Xuanhe was about to say something when he suddenly remembered something and his tone changed abruptly, leaving Liu Zhimin on the other end of the phone stunned and completely taken aback.

"Eh???"

"oppa?"

"Speak like that???"

The bright lights in the practice room suddenly became a little glaring, and Liu Zhimin's smile froze, her fingers hovering over the screen.

Liu Zhimin was furious, her face flushed red, she was so angry she was practically gritting her teeth, her mood fluctuating wildly, leaving her speechless.

As for why Quan Xuanhe suddenly changed his mind, it was because he suddenly remembered...
Twice are back from their tour in the US. Their flight landed tonight, and they're all exhausted from the tour. They said they wanted to meet up the very night they got back.

Gidle's return is expected in the next few days, and we'll meet up then, mainly to see Miyeon.

He'll need to maneuver around for a couple more days.
As for Zhimin, she'll have to put up with it for now.

"Ugh, oppa is so annoying!"

"I suddenly remembered I have some urgent matters to attend to, please wait a moment~"

"What's the rush, oppa? Are you in a hurry to see your girlfriend?"

Liu Zhimin said it openly and without any hesitation, and she didn't feel embarrassed at all.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk naturally picked up on the joke, "Yes, I have too many girlfriends, so it's hard to allocate my time all at once. Jimin, you should be understanding."

Why does your tone sound so irritating?
Liu Zhimin couldn't help but roll her eyes as she listened. Finally, she didn't want to listen anymore, so she said something harsh and then hung up the phone.

"Oppa, if you want to ask me out, just wait. Go get in line!"

Her shout caught the attention of the other members, who all turned to look at her and saw the angry and annoyed expression on Liu Zhimin's face.

Liu Zhimin noticed the members' gazes and returned a dejected expression.

The other members all knew about her relationship with Kwon Heon-hyuk, so they didn't pay much attention to it.

However, Kim Dong-won had his own agenda.

Kim Dong-won could tell who Yoo Ji-min was talking to just by hearing "oppa" on the phone.

She lowered her head again without making a sound, her eyes flickering.

(End of this chapter)