Peninsula: I'm the Top Streamer

Chapter 618 Overwhelmingly Positive Reviews: A Long-Awaited Reunion? 6.8k views
The stage for the press conference was meticulously decorated, with a huge poster backdrop for "Our Blues" under the flashing lights.

The main cast and crew sat in a row behind a long table, with director Kim Kyu-tae and screenwriter Noh Hee-kyung in the center, flanked by Lee Byung-hun, Kwon Hyun-hyuk, Han Ji-min, Shin Min-ah, and other main actors.

After a brief opening by the host, the media entered the Q&A session.

"Kwon Hyun-hyuk!" A reporter from a mainstream media outlet was the first to get a question.

"First of all, congratulations on wrapping up filming for '20th Century Girl'. 2022 seems to be another year of prolific output for you. How do you balance such a packed work schedule and ensure the quality of each project? Did you feel any unbearable pressure?"

Kwon Hyun-hyuk leaned slightly closer to the microphone.

"Thank you very much for your concern. Pressure certainly exists, but it's also a great source of motivation and a sense of mission."

His answer still emphasized the team's contribution, his appreciation for the work, and his humble attitude.

It's a very normal question, nothing new, and easy to handle.

Another reporter stood up and asked him a question.

"What are your impressions of working with top Chungmuro ​​actors such as Lee Byung-hun and Han Ji-min?"

"It is a great honor to work with seniors Lee Byung-hun and Han Ji-min."

Han Ji-min glanced at him from the side.

To have the honor of sleeping with someone is truly an honor.

The media outlets invited to the special press conference didn't ask any particularly difficult questions; it was all just a formality.

The press conference ended just like that.

"Our Blues" will premiere on Saturday and Sunday, April 9, 2022 at 10:00 AM, and will be available online simultaneously on Netflix!

It immediately topped the national viewership ratings for cable TV upon its premiere.

The first episode achieved an average national viewership rating of 7.324% and an 8.107% rating in the Seoul area.

The second episode saw its national average viewership rating soar to 8.736%, and 10.189% in Seoul, breaking its own premiere record.

The first two episodes achieved an average viewership rating of 8.03%, ranking first among tvN's weekend dramas that week, and also ranking second among all programs on all Korean television stations in the same time slot.

The drama ranked fourth in viewership ratings for its first week, behind only "Hospital Playlist 2", "Jirisan", and "Under the Queen's Umbrella".

Its premiere performance far exceeded that of other dramas in the same period, such as "Coast Village Chachacha" with a first-week rating of 6.821% and "Tale of the Nine-Tailed Fox 1938" with a first-week rating of 6.453%.

This was a very impressive premiere rating, and it's clear that such a high premiere rating is due to the strong cast.

Amidst lively discussions and praise for the plot on social media, the return of supporting actress Cho Hye-jung has sparked heated debate on Korean online forums.

Cho Hye-jung is the daughter of Cho Jae-hyun, the victim in the 2018 "Me Too" sexual assault case. Although the production team emphasized that she won the role through an audition, viewers still have controversy over her casting as a "second victim of sexual assault".

Related topics such as "#Cao ​​Huijing's comeback" made it into the top 20 of Naver's trending searches.

However, the drama itself became popular due to the beautiful scenery of Jeju Island, the ensemble narrative, and the actors' performances.

Hashtags such as "#OurBlues" and "#tvNWeekendDrama" have generated over a million interactions on Twitter and Instagram.

Netflix entered the top 10 in global viewership in its first week, with particularly strong performance in Southeast Asia and North America.

Some overseas viewers commented that it "heals modern anxiety with Eastern aesthetics".

The drama series ranked first in terms of bullet screen interaction and rating (9.2/10) on the South Korean video platforms Viki and Watcha.

It opened with a score of 8.5 in the first week, and judging from the positive reviews, it could rise even further.

It has been praised in China as "the most heartwarming Korean drama in recent years" and "the pinnacle of ensemble dramas".

There are also many positive reviews, including highly rated comments on Douban.

[Screenwriter Noh Hee-kyung uses mundane daily life to create an epic feel of life, making each character feel like a real person we might know.]

In this era where sweet stories, slapstick humor, and corny themes are all the rage, the only thing that dares to write and film this kind of everyday, mundane portrait is truly stylish and cool.

[Noh Hee-kyung and Kim Kyu-tae, they're amazing! I'm tired of saying how awesome they are. I was worried that having so many big names would make the film feel disjointed, but it doesn't at all! It's lighthearted and slice-of-life with a touch of fun. Every character is vivid and three-dimensional, and even the flashback scenes are exceptionally humorous. Highly recommended!]

The cast and crew of this drama are undoubtedly strong, both in front of and behind the camera, so most people believe that this drama is a sure thing, and even has the potential to challenge for the title of Best Drama at this year's Baeksang Arts Awards.

However, it is precisely because of its focus on ensemble casts and high-quality productions that it has not been particularly successful in terms of popularity within the Korean Wave.

Although the data is quite good, it's not as explosive as the Korean pop drama "Melo" or as popular with a large number of young girls.

However, this shortcoming was made up for by Kwon Hyun-hyuk.

Because this is an ensemble drama, there is no fixed main character, and Kwon Hyun-hyuk did not have any scenes in the first week of the series.

His role as the young captain officially debuts in the fourth episode.

In overseas promotions, Kwon Heonhyuk takes the lead!

He is currently the most popular Hallyu actor overseas. If you remove the Hallyu prefix and compare traditional popularity, he is only lower than those actors from Chungmuro, since their popularity is built up by years of experience.

With his newfound fame, Kim Woo-bin is attracting more attention from overseas K-pop fans than he was as Kim Woo-bin in his original role.

After all, Kim Woo-bin's peak popularity overseas was with "The Heirs," and nearly ten years have passed since then. Without any new hit Korean dramas to take its place, his popularity has naturally declined, and he no longer receives much attention.

Because of Kwon Heonhyuk's immense popularity in the Korean Wave, many viewers who were not originally intended to watch the show also came to watch it.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk made his debut in the first episode as Park Jung-joon, a young captain born and raised in Jeju Island, whose outstanding appearance left a deep impression.

The way he steers the ship is a beautiful contrast to the blue sea of ​​Jeju Island, showcasing his composed captain's demeanor and making the audience feel more connected to the profession of "captain".

Kwon Heonhyuk perfectly captured Park Jung-joon's taciturn yet deeply affectionate nature through his calm gaze and expressions.

Furthermore, while drinking with Young-ok and others, he kept his eyes on Young-ok, and Kwon Hyun-hyuk portrayed that silent, attentive look very well, which moved the audience.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk added a lot of charm to the character. Even his short lines were enough to make the audience's hearts flutter. After only one episode, he left a deep impression on the audience as "Jung-joon," making them look forward to the development of his story.

In the drama, Han Ji-min and Kwon Hyun-hyuk team up, playing a captain and a haenyeo (female diver) respectively, with completely opposite personalities.

After the first few episodes aired, viewers felt that the two had great chemistry and looked forward to seeing more exciting scenes between them in the future.

His personal fan base has sparked a global discussion.

The hashtag #CaptainParkJungJun surged on Twitter and Instagram, garnering over 50 interactions in a single day.

Many fans shared their feelings after watching it immediately.

[Kwon Heonhyuk's deep, affectionate gaze was so touching! He perfectly captured that reserved yet gentle nature, reminding me of the innocence in his earlier works.]

What, innocence?

Some people also edited videos, such as combining Park Jung-joon's Jeju Island boat scenery with Kwon Heon-hyuk's famous role, creating beautifully edited videos that were then shared on YouTube.

Especially in Southeast Asia and South America, Kwon Heonhyuk's overseas fan groups organize live drama-watching events through Discord channels, discussing how he conveys emotions through subtle facial expressions.

Kwon Heonhyuk enjoys considerable popularity in the Korean Wave globally, but his popularity is primarily concentrated in Asia and South America.

Although South America is not as well-known as Southeast Asia as the heartland of the Korean Wave, the Korean Wave is actually developing at an increasingly rapid pace in South America.

If you include the bug in "Squid Game," then he has been trending globally for the past few months.

Korean pop fandoms, especially support groups led by "Kwon Heonhyuk World Station," quickly launched organized actions.

In South Korea, Kwon Heonhyuk's posts on mainstream fan forums such as Pann and theqoo have become trending topics.

The discussion focused on his performance, and the very common praise and criticism of his acting.

There's also a post ranking people by appearance.

There are also rankings based on actual performance.

Professional film critics and media outlets highly praised Kwon Heon-hyuk's performance, regarding it as a perfect combination of popularity and talent.

The entertainment section of the mainstream South Korean media outlet Chosun Ilbo analyzed: "Kwon Heon-hyuk successfully transformed Park Jung-joon from a 'symbolic captain' into a flesh-and-blood character. His understated acting style—the emotional surge beneath his wooden exterior—highlighted the depth of the character, proving his transformation from an idol actor to a mature actor."

International professional platforms such as Variety emphasized in their reviews: "As a benchmark of overseas Korean Wave, Kwon Heonhyuk's appearance in the show caused it to rise from the top 10 in Netflix's global rankings in its first week to the number 1 spot, injecting international appeal into the series."

But we can't just praise without criticizing.

Meanwhile, some media outlets, such as The Korea Herald, pointed out the shortcomings.

Despite Kwon Heon-hyuk's impressive performance, there's still room for improvement in the details of his scenes with Han Ji-min.

Overall, experts unanimously agree that Kwon Heon-hyuk's performance is in no way inferior to that of other veteran actors, and he blends perfectly and naturally into the style of the entire series.

His performance has only appeared in two episodes so far, and there is still room for observation.

However, this drama has further enhanced Kwon Heon-hyuk's resume. His skillful performance in acting will greatly benefit his popularity in South Korea.

The air backstage at Tokyo Dome was filled with the scents of cosmetics, perfumes, and the venue's unique aroma.

Today is rehearsal day for the Tokyo Dome in Japan.

They will be holding three solo concerts at Tokyo Dome in Japan, becoming the first K-POP girl group to hold three consecutive performances at Tokyo Dome.

This glory belongs exclusively to Twice!

The gorgeous costumes were neatly hung on a mobile clothes rack, and the makeup artist was checking them.

The huge space was divided into sections, where members either closed their eyes to rest or whispered among themselves, waiting for the rehearsal to begin.

On the sofa in the lounge, Sana Minatozaki sat cross-legged on a cushion, the light from her phone screen illuminating her flawless, unadorned face.

The screen is paused on the fourth episode of "Our Blues".

Kwon Heon-hyuk plays the young captain Park Jung-joon, who stands at the bow of the ship. The rising sun gilds his angular profile, with the boundless blue sea of ​​Jeju Island behind him.

Sana Minatozaki took off her headphones, swiped away Netflix, and then opened a forum on a Korean website.

My finger swipes quickly across the comments and trending screenshots at the bottom of the screen.

"Aigoo, the ratings are off the charts." Nayeon's voice came from behind. She rested her chin on Sana Minatozaki's shoulder and could see her screen.

The screen prominently displayed the title of Naver Entertainment Edition.

[Our Blues achieved an average viewership rating of 8.03% in its first week! Captain Kwon Heon-hyuk's debut sparked a buzz.]

"Starting with 8%? Tsk tsk, I heard a lot of people are watching it lately?" Lim Nayeon asked curiously.

"Yeah, the response from Netflix is ​​supposedly really good." Sana Minatozaki didn't even look up as she tapped on another translated English comment.

"Everyone is praising the TV series...and his expressive eyes."

Her tone sounded normal, but when she saw the words "eyes," she couldn't help but want to give them a good scolding.

This reminded her of what had happened not long ago in his kitchen, and in that damned blanket.

Is this the taciturn yet deeply affectionate Park Jung-joon on screen?
Ah……

Sana Minatozaki rolled her eyes in a coquettish tone.

"The look is so refreshing and clean." Lim Nayeon glanced at it again, praised it, and patted Hirai Momo, urging her to come and take a look too.

Momo glanced at the seascape on the screen, half-asleep and confused.

"Ah... Hai? Oh, he looks pretty good. He looks quite handsome in this work uniform too."

Her comments are always so direct and simple, with a touch of bluntness.

A little further away, in a relatively quiet resting chair, Chou Tzu-yu sat alone, wearing white wireless headphones, with the screen also showing a paused image.

Seemingly drawn in by the discussion, or perhaps because the clip she was playing had come to an end, Chou Tzu-yu took off one of her earphones and looked up with her clear eyes.

"Unnie is also watching Hyunhyuk oppa's new drama? 'Our Blues'?" Tzuyu noticed the conversation between Sana and the others and asked curiously.

“Ani, Sana is watching, I haven’t had a chance to look yet,” Lim Nayeon said, turning around.

Upon hearing this, Sana Minatozaki looked up, stretched, and her slender waist accentuated her alluring curves. The screen of her phone went dark.
She turned to look at Chou Tzu-yu, her beautiful crescent-shaped eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly.

"Tzuyu is watching too?"

Sana Minatozaki asked a normal question, without revealing anything unusual.

She recovered quickly from the absurd incident at Quan Xuanhe's house last time, without showing anything strange, so fooling Zhou Ziyu was not too difficult.

"Okay." Chou Tzu-yu responded, holding her phone. She glanced at Minatozaki Sana and saw that she had just finished watching.
"I just saw Hyunhyuk oppa appear."

Sana Minatozaki nodded in understanding.

Chou Tzu-yu continued, "The captain look suits him very well."

Sana Minatozaki unconsciously rubbed the edge of her phone with her fingertips: "Hmm... The character is quite novel, and the acting is really convincing."

Chou Tzu-yu's clear gaze fell on Captain Kwon Seon-hyuk's profile on the screen, and she added, "His eye acting is very good."

Sana Minatozaki paused almost imperceptibly in the movement of her fingertips, her expression unchanged, and nodded thoughtfully in agreement.

"Ah...is that so?"

Just then, the staff's voices came from afar, announcing that the rehearsal was about to begin.

The members got up, straightened their clothes, stretched, and put on their name tags.

Minatozaki Sana deftly turned off her phone screen, casually put it aside, and stood up to stretch her arms.

"Kids, gather together and get ready to begin!" Park Jihyo's enthusiastic voice dispelled the idle chatter backstage.

Nine girls formed a circle, cheering each other on.

Twice, cha-la-da.

I'll have to look for him when I get back.

As Sana Minato walked down the corridor, this thought popped into her mind.

She thought she was going back to settle scores with Quan Xuanhe, but deep down, she wondered if she was also missing him.
I don't know, but that's what Chou Tzu-yu, who was walking behind her, thought.

The dim lighting inside the cabin created a tranquil atmosphere, with only the continuous hum of the engine, the low creak of the air conditioning system, and the hushed conversations.

Liu Zhimin sat by the window, where the night sky was as dark as ink, and occasionally she could catch a glimpse of the sparse lights of the distant city below.

The flight from Incheon to the West Coast of the United States is long and monotonous, but for aespa, who is about to reach an important milestone in his career—the Coachella Music Festival—this rare moment of tranquility is just the right time to recharge and finally adjust his mindset during the journey.

Liu Zhimin adjusted the loose neck pillow to a comfortable angle, her slender fingers slid across the tablet screen.

Finally, her fingertip landed on a familiar icon: Netflix, with a clear purpose: Our Blues.

On the screen, the azure waters and unique scenery of Jeju Island slowly unfold.

The plot unfolds smoothly, and Liu Zhimin is quite engrossed in watching it. The quality and ensemble charm of this drama are truly exceptional.

When the young captain in his dark overalls appeared on the screen, Liu Zhimin's lips involuntarily curved into a sweet smile.

When she found out it was an ensemble drama, she skipped the first three episodes and went straight to the episode where Kwon Heon-hyuk made his official appearance.

Her "oppa," Captain Park Jung-joon, played by Kwon Seon-hyuk, has appeared.

On the screen, Park Jung-joon skillfully steers the boat, the sea breeze ruffling his bangs and revealing his defined brow bone.

The camera zoomed in: he stood at the bow of the ship, the morning light gilding his tall figure with a golden edge, against the backdrop of the vast, intoxicatingly blue sea.

His face, which had been so close to her countless times in real life, but was now separated by a screen and thousands of meters in the air, felt rather peculiar to Liu Zhimin.

"Tsk...you're putting on quite a show."

Liu Zhimin muttered to herself, her fingertips unconsciously twirling a strand of hair that fell over her shoulder, but her gaze remained firmly fixed on the screen.

This is a good drama, so Liu Zhimin naturally became engrossed in the plot.

Ning Yizhuo, who was sitting to the side, glanced at Quan Xuanhe, found a comfortable position to lie down, and then put on an eye mask to prepare for sleep.

She doesn't know what she's watching.

Liu Zhimin was slightly lost in thought as she watched the screen, the light reflecting in her eyes, clear and bright.

The plane seemed to be navigating through turbulence, and the fuselage lurched slightly. She instinctively protected her tablet, but her gaze remained fixed on the figure on the screen.

The slight fatigue from the long flight seemed to be largely dispelled by the comfort brought by the sea breeze of Jeju Island on the screen and that familiar figure.

"Let's cheer each other on... Coachella." Yoo Jimin silently prayed as she watched Park Jung-joon earnestly facing life by the sea on the screen.

The pressure and anticipation of stepping onto the world stage are subtly intertwined with the figure of the person on the screen at this moment, transforming into a steadfast and warm force.

She adjusted the neck pillow, moved the tablet closer to her, and curled her body deeper into the spacious airline seat.

Phew, busy days.
I can barely keep going by watching his TV dramas, so I'm not too lonely.
The black van drove smoothly through the brightly lit streets of Seoul, with the heater running high inside.

Kim Jisoo was resting with her eyes closed, having just finished a long recording session, and her face showed signs of fatigue.

The vibration of the phone broke the silence inside the car, and the screen lit up, displaying the words "agent".

"Oppa?" Kim Jisoo pressed the answer button, her voice carrying the languor of someone who had just finished work.

The agent's voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Jisoo, there's an important event announcement."

"Dior is going to hold a grand offline event for its new season of beauty and Goju collection at its flagship store in Cheongdam-dong, and we would like to invite you as the brand ambassador to attend."

Kim Jisoo's previously hazy eyes widened slightly.

With the recurring outbreaks of the pandemic, large-scale offline events have been drastically reduced, so it's only natural that they are now restarting.

"What's the specific time?"

"Early next month! Here comes the important part..." The agent paused, his tone becoming somewhat subtle.

"Dior specifically stated that you will be attending this event with Kwon Heonhyuk."

"..."

The dazzling neon lights outside the car window were reflected in Kim Jisoo's slightly frozen pupils.

The car seemed to fall silent instantly, with only the low hum of the heating system.

Quan Xuanhe's name is like a pebble thrown into a lake, stirring up complex ripples.

His tired yet honest gaze in the parking lot that night seemed still vivid in my mind. After that night, their relationship did indeed ease up a lot, no longer as tense and cold as before.

That's so unlike her. She's such a positive person, bringing warmth to others, yet she's had such a falling out with him.

Fortunately, things have eased up a lot now, and it has indeed been a long time since we last met.

Kim Jisoo's eyes seemed to be deep in thought, her fair and delicate face showing a thoughtful expression.

The nightmarish and horrific stories about "Snowdrop" circulating online continue unabated.

The production company's stock price plummeted, and lead actor Jung Hae-in was caught in a media storm, with his acting skills being ridiculed. The entire drama was nearly drowned in the spittle of South Korean netizens.

Every time she sees these news reports, Kim Jisoo feels a sense of lingering fear.

If it weren't for Quan Xuanhe back then... she doesn't even dare to imagine what her life would be like now.

I guess he's back to focus on preparing for group activities and recharge for the next opportunity.

"Yes, Arasso."

Jisoo snapped out of her reverie and responded, but her manager on the other end kept talking.

"You are their top spokespeople in the male and female fields, respectively, and the buzz and reach are definitely 1+1>2."

"Moreover, the proposal clearly states that you two should cut the ribbon together and give media interviews. The media is really looking forward to seeing the two of you together."

The agent said jokingly.

The van drove smoothly on its way to CJ TV station.

Outside the window, the streetscape of Seoul recedes rapidly in the sunlight.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes to rest, sorting out the details of his upcoming role as the special MC for Zhao Meiyan's first stage performance—the transition lines, the timing of interactions, and so on.

The car was quiet, with only the faint hum of the air conditioner and the sound of tires rubbing against the road.

Just then, Quan Xuanhe's phone, which was placed beside his leg, vibrated, and the screen lit up, displaying his manager's name.

He frowned slightly, opened his eyes, and swiped to answer the call: "Hello?"

Park Jung-jung's voice came through: "Seonhyuk, an important appointment has come up."

"Hmm?" Quan Xuanhe adjusted his posture, signaling the other person to continue.

"It's Dior. They're holding a large offline event for their new product at their flagship store in Cheongdam-dong early next month, and they need you to attend." Park Jung-jung paused before clearly stating the key information.

Kwon Heonhyuk was not surprised by this, as he is currently a spokesperson for Dior Beauty, and this is part of his regular schedule.

"Furthermore, Kim Jisoo will also be attending this event. As required by the plan, you will need to participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony together and give interviews to the media together."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk was stunned for a moment.

Kim Ji-soo?

Come to think of it, it's been a while since we last met. The last time we met was back in AAA. I still vividly remember our conversation in the parking lot that night. But thinking about it, it was already last year.

Time flies so fast.

"Okay," Quan Xuanhe readily agreed.

It's been so long since I've seen Kim Jisoo, let's meet up.

"Just confirm the time on your end, and tell Dior. No problem."

“Okay! I’ll reply right away!” Park Jung-jung’s tone became lighter. “You continue preparing for Miyeon’s stage performance. I’ll send you the detailed event plan later.”

"Let's hope there's no more scandals."

Before hanging up, Park Jung-jung teased him again, clearly knowing that he was only there to support his girlfriend. Otherwise, why would he come to MCD? He must be bored.

"Okay." Quan Xuanhe responded with a smile and ended the call.

The phone screen went dark, and the car returned to silence.

As the van rounded a bend, the familiar building of CJ Television came into view.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk leaned back in his chair, his right index finger tapping lightly on his knee unconsciously.

The news of the Dior event was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples, but soon, Zhao Meiyan's stage regained his attention.

At the entrance to the TV station ahead, the figures of fans gathered could already be vaguely seen.

It's a true return to offline entertainment; the number of fans of the show has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Everything became lively.

(End of this chapter)