Peninsula: I'm the Top Streamer

Chapter 642 Celebration Party? Blues Finale, a Scoundrel Informs!

Quan Xuanhe stared at his phone screen for a long time, seeing many news articles and online discussions about his coronation as emperor.

That's true; after all, with the development of the times, there's less and less 'novelty' in the industry.

In the 1980s and 90s, and even at the beginning of the new century, the entertainment industry was not as restrictive as it is now.

It was common for people to win Best Actor awards right after their debut, star in blockbuster movies, and break previous records, unlike now when there are more and more rules and everyone has to follow the order of arrival.

Park Jung-jung noticed that Kwon Seon-hyuk was staring at his phone, and knew that he was keeping an eye on what was happening online.

“You’re not filming multiple projects at once now, you only have Dark Glory to film, so it’s not as rushed.”

"You must have had quite a few people celebrating with you after winning Best Actor this time, right?"

"How about I suggest we throw a party?"

Kwon Hyun-hyuk was looking at his phone while listening to Park Jung-jung talk when he suddenly heard him say he was having a party?
Kwon Heonhyuk put his phone down and looked at Park Jung-jung with a slight puzzlement.

"Wouldn't that be too conspicuous?"

"It's just a private party, there are no news media. Just talk to the people who are there and ask them to keep their mouths shut so they don't let it slip to the outside world, or you can change it to say it was a dinner party."

Park Jung-jung waved his hand, not minding at all.

Come to think of it, the parties that follow the MAMA awards ceremony every year have only been revealed to the public in the last two years. Who knew that there would be a party after MAMA?

The artists maintain a perfect, unspoken understanding, which industry insiders don't talk about.

"But why have a party?"

"This is nothing unusual. There have been cases where people have thrown parties after winning awards."

"Moreover, privately thanking the team and maintaining relationships with peers are professional and mature behaviors."

Upon hearing this, Quan Xuanhe pondered the matter.

Ok.

Actually, partying was quite common when he was studying in the United States.

Hollywood stars, needless to say, are even more shocking; they practically get silver on their hands, getting it on everything.

Are there any companies in South Korea that specialize in organizing parties?

Kwon Hyun-hyuk didn't know much about Park Jung-jung, so he asked her a question.

"Yes, of course."

Park Jung-jung nodded. "If you're sure you want to have a party, you don't need to worry about the party details. You just need to think about who to invite."

How could Quan Xuanhe personally handle such matters? He would simply make a request, and his team would naturally help him resolve these issues.

"Okay, let's do it!"

Last night's revelry was just a simple celebration; throwing a party naturally involves many other factors.

You can discuss business in a relaxed atmosphere at a party and get a lot done, just like at a drinking party.

"Okay, let's take a break and get ready to go back to the set this afternoon."

Park Jung-jung nodded and gave his final instructions.

Upon hearing this, Quan Xuanhe rubbed his head, which still felt a bit sore from a hangover.

Sigh, there's never a moment's rest.

After quickly packing up, Kwon Heonhyuk arrived at the set of "Dark Glory" in the afternoon.

However, he was not greeted by a tense working atmosphere, but by a warm welcome ceremony spontaneously formed by the entire crew.

As soon as Kwon Seonhyuk stepped into the film set, someone shouted, "The Best Actor is here!" Immediately afterward, almost all the staff present stopped what they were doing and started clapping, their faces beaming with genuine smiles and congratulatory expressions.

Enthusiastic applause echoed across the set.

Quan Xuanhe was a little bewildered by the scene, not expecting the entire crew to give him such a warm welcome.

Director Ahn Gil-ho stepped forward and patted Kwon Heon-hyuk on the shoulder with a big smile.

"Congratulations, Xuanhe, you're really great."

He extended his congratulations on behalf of the entire production team.

Before he could finish speaking, the eldest sister from the logistics team quickly stepped forward with a large bouquet of carefully arranged flowers and stuffed it into Quan Xuanhe's arms.

A striking card was inserted into the bouquet, with a line of neat handwriting on it.

"Dedicated to our best male protagonist—the entire Dark Glory team!"

Upon seeing these words, Quan Xuanhe felt a warmth in his heart and repeatedly said "Kam Sanghamida" to those around him.

The applause subsided slightly, and then a voice, tinged with a hint of languor and mischief, rang out.

Han Hyojoo walked closer and stopped a step away. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes, which seemed to see into people's hearts, were smiling. Her gaze swept over Kwon Hyunhyuk's slightly tired but radiant face.

"Congratulations, our best actor."

Han Hyo-joo's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the fading applause.

"Now look what's going on, I guess I'll have to bow to Teacher Quan every day before turning on the computer?"

Upon hearing this, Quan Xuanhe was slightly speechless. "Nuna, it's not that serious, Hajimaragu."

Quan Xuanhe smiled helplessly yet frankly, as if he was a little embarrassed by the teasing.

A low chuckle rippled through the crowd. These words cleverly diffused any sense of distance that might arise from the sudden change in status, elevating the relaxed atmosphere of the celebration to a new level.

"Nu, please stop joking. The pressure is immense."

"When I saw those news reports this morning, my first thought was: 'Oh no, if I don't act well, I'll be too ashamed to show my face.'"

His voice was sincere, with a hint of self-deprecation, as he glanced around at the director, crew, and other actors.

Director Ahn Gil-ho laughed and chimed in, "Pressure is motivation!"

He patted Kwon Hyun-hyuk on the back, encouraging him.

Just then, Lim Ji-yeon, who plays Park Yeon-jin, also came over, her bright smile carrying the unique enthusiasm between actors and a hint of barely perceptible respect.

"Xuanhe-xi, congratulations from the bottom of my heart, you're amazing." Her words represented the sentiments of many young or less experienced actors present.

At this time, Lim Ji-yeon was not even considered one of the top actresses born in the 90s, unlike her meteoric rise after starring in "Dark Glory".

That's right.

She and her boyfriend, Lee Do-hyun, seem to have a striking resemblance.

That means you have a great eye for choosing scripts.

It's unclear whether Lee Do-hyun enlightened Lim Ji-yeon or something else, but she went on to star in dramas like "A House with a Yard" and "Lady Temperament," both of which received positive responses.

The former created a memorable scene that sparked a trend: jajangmyeon (noodles with soybean paste), cola, and sweet and sour pork. The latter achieved a peak viewership rating of 16% on JTBC, truly making it a hit once again.

Of course, it could also be because he signed with Lee Jung-jae's Artist Company agency.

Park Sung-hoon, who plays Jeon Jae-joon, also smiled and nodded, saying, "It's really amazing."

Jung Sung-il, who plays Park Yeon-jin's husband and has a somewhat reserved demeanor, also offered his congratulations calmly. "Congratulations to Hyunhyuk, you truly deserve it."

In response to the congratulations from his colleagues, Quan Xuanhe bowed to each of them with a humble attitude.

"Thank you everyone, this makes me feel ashamed and under a lot of pressure."

Quan Xuanhe concluded with a smile.

Han Hyo-joo stood to the side watching, her smile deepening.

This kid.

The little surprise the production team specially prepared for Kwon Seon-hyuk was the first small tangible feeling he experienced, which made him feel quite happy.

Kwon Heonhyuk took a group photo with the cast and crew, and also collected photos taken with other actors last night after the Baeksang Arts Awards.

He uploaded a total of more than a dozen photos, including a picture of himself with the trophy, to his Instagram account.

Within ten minutes of the post being published, the number of likes skyrocketed, easily surpassing six figures, and the comment section was completely flooded with comments.

I forgot to mention that he now has almost 50 million followers.

He had 20 million followers before the Squid Game aired, and the Squid Game gave him 10 million more followers, bringing his total to over 30 million.

Later, it gradually increased every day, and after his appearance at Paris Fashion Week, the number of followers has grown to more than 40 million.

His popularity in the Korean Wave has always been top-tier, and he currently holds a solid number one position on the list of Korean actors.

If it weren't for the fact that BLACKPINK has so many fans, fifty or sixty million, seventy or eighty million, that prefix could be removed.

After posting on Instagram, he received a wave of praise and compliments, and many celebrities also liked his post.

He remains as popular as ever.

"By the way, Nuna, I'm having a party later, do you have time?"

Kwon Hyun-hyuk handed his phone and flowers to the crew, went back to the dressing room to change his clothes, and then spoke to Han Hyo-joo after he came out.

"Whether I have time or not is the same as yours, it's like you're saying we're not in the same production crew."

Upon hearing this, Han Hyo-joo rolled her eyes at him and made a sarcastic remark.

"Important people really do have bad memories."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk's lips twitched slightly, ignoring Han Hyo-joo's sarcastic remark.

Is it a celebration party for the TV King?

Han Hyo-joo, on the contrary, became interested and asked more questions out of curiosity.

"I guess so. It's mainly about getting together with people we know well so that we can strengthen our connections."

He really needs to gradually build up his skills and experience in the industry, mentor more people, and get to know more people.

A rising star can be dazzling, but it also needs to be enduring.

"Okay, send me the time later."

Han Hyo-joo nodded slightly, which was considered a happy agreement.

"Are you still calling them 'little sisters'?"

Then, as if remembering something, a smile appeared on her lips, and she asked with a grin.

This really stumped Kwon Hyun-hyuk.

If he were to host a party and not invite any of the women around him, it would seem unfair and biased.

But.
If we invite them all over, we can gather them together.
The image was too beautiful; just thinking about it gave Quan Xuanhe a headache.

"I'm thinking, figuring out what to do."

Seeing Kwon Seonhyuk's somewhat worried expression, Han Hyojoo couldn't help but chuckle.

"Serves you right for flirting with other women and bullying innocent young girls. Now you're in trouble, aren't you?"

It's only because Han Xiaozhou has such a broad mindset and doesn't get jealous or possessive that the entire Jin-Northwest region would be in complete chaos and utterly ruined.

"I didn't bully anyone, it was all a legitimate relationship."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk remained stubborn.

"Tch, there's no point in telling me all this. We'll see what you do when the time comes."

Han Hyo-joo didn't engage in banter with him; she simply raised her eyebrows and adopted a nonchalant and indifferent demeanor.

"Nu, then stop teasing me."

Quan Xuanhe rubbed his temples helplessly. "This is enough to give anyone a headache."

"Alright, stop worrying for now. Let's get ready for filming in a bit." Her gaze shifted to the filming area, which was already being prepared, with lights, cameras, and tracks all in place.

This topic will be left at that.

Quan Xuanhe took a deep breath, and the trouble in his eyes quickly subsided and calmed down.

Despite having a hangover last night, it didn't affect the filming.

"Action!" Director Ahn Gil-ho's steady and powerful voice rang out through the loudspeaker, breaking the silence of the scene.

Almost the instant the clapperboard sounded, Quan Xuanhe had already gotten into the zone.

Sitting behind the monitor, Ahn Gil-ho watched the screen intently, a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

Kwon Heon-hyuk won the Best Actor award, and there's really nothing wrong with that.

Having worked with him for some time, he certainly knew what Quan Xuanhe was capable of. To be honest, winning the Best Actor award was no accident, especially considering his age; his acting skills were beyond what one would expect for someone his age.

No problem.

The immense honor and the accompanying pressure of winning the Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor award did not affect his performance in this role at all.

Only the actors' dialogue, the faint sound of the camera running, and the director's occasional precise instructions remained on set.

Taking advantage of the momentum, when Kwon Heon-hyuk renewed "DP" for a second season with a sky-high salary, the production company and Netflix immediately announced the cast for the second season of "DP".

This can be considered as riding the wave of this trend.

However, since Kwon Hyun-hyuk is currently at the peak of his public exposure, everything related to him is attracting a lot of attention, so there's no need to elaborate further.

On the same day that Kwon Heon-hyuk accepted his award, "Our Blues," after topping the Netflix Korea charts for several weeks, finally aired its highly anticipated finale in the first week of June.

With the final episode airing, the series concluded successfully with an average viewership rating of 11.242%.

It not only became a strong contender for the highest viewership rating among Korean dramas in 2022, but also generated extremely high viewership on streaming platforms.

On social media, hashtags such as "#OurBluesFinale", "#LeeByunghunShinMinAh", and "#KwonSeonhyuk" instantly swept the trending searches, with content such as plot insights, character analysis, and replays of famous scenes flooding the screen.

Media reviews were lavish in their praise, calling it "the national drama of the year" and "the pinnacle of ensemble dramas."

As one of the core creators, Kwon Heon-hyuk's performance in the drama was not that of the absolute protagonist, but his role was profound and moving, which helped him firmly rank in the Top 5 of actor popularity in the second week of May (Racoi list), making him an important contributor to the drama's popularity along with his seniors Lee Byung-hun and Shin Min-ah.

On the day of the finale, his personal social media comment section was flooded with messages from fans, some bidding farewell to their characters in "Blues," while others discussed Kwon Heon-hyuk winning the Best Actor award.

Kwon Heon-hyuk is currently in the midst of filming "Dark Glory".

On the night the finale of "Blues" aired, he received congratulatory text messages from various co-stars, directors, and producers.

Although the series has ended, its long-tail effect continues to unfold: it remains prominently featured on Netflix's homepage, its OST continues to dominate music streaming platforms, and the personal brand value of the actors has seen a visibly significant increase.

For Kwon So-hyuk, as the newly crowned Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor, the finale of "Blues" was the icing on the cake, since the buzz surrounding the finale was not as great as the buzz surrounding his Best Actor win.

However, it does add luster to Quan Xuanhe's resume, as he has another highly acclaimed TV series.

His best-received work so far is "DP," which is one of the main reasons why he put so much effort into this series and was able to win a major award for it.

Secondly, there's the recently concluded hit series, "Blues."

So, which ones have the highest reputation? And which ones have the lowest reputation?
Surprisingly, it was "Innocence".

"One Day" and "True Beauty" are equally good.

The actual reception of "Innocence" was just average; it was just a coincidence that Kwon Heon-hyuk's debut performance that year was outstanding, so he won the Best New Actor award.

Fortunately, the market was willing to pay, and we were eventually able to break even.

The air conditioning in the practice room was on full blast, allowing Ning Yizhuo and Huili, who had just finished their intense practice, to wrap themselves in blankets and sit on the sofa playing on their phones.

Liu Zhimin was wearing AirPods and holding her phone.

She was immersed in the atmosphere of the finale of "Our Blues".

When the camera pans across the resolute and affectionate profile of the character played by Kwon Heon-hyuk, or when she hears his deep, familiar voice in her ear, her fingers gripping the phone tighten involuntarily, and her heart feels as if it has been gently tickled by a feather.

She's probably the one who most wants to see Kwon Hyun-hyuk.

Seeing that Kwon Heon-hyuk won Best Actor, and knowing that she hadn't seen him since their passionate encounter in Busan, she was suffering terribly from the pain of unrequited love.

She really wants a man!
The joys and sorrows of the characters in the drama, because of his presence, always easily touched her sensitive nerves.

Kim Dong-won glanced furtively at Yoo Ji-min, then stood up and walked out of the practice room alone.

Liu Zhimin managed to pull herself out of the story, only catching a glimpse of a hurried departing figure. She frowned, a strange sense of vigilance flashing through her mind, but then her attention was drawn back to the plot.

A few minutes later, outside the office.

Jin Dongtian took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and then gently knocked on the familiar door of the head of the department's office.

"Come in," came the room leader's calm voice.

Jin Dongdong pushed open the door and carefully entered the room.

"Room Leader."

The section chief was looking down at a document when he heard the sound. He looked up, and when he saw it was her, his eyes were questioning.

"What's the emergency?" the room leader asked, his tone relatively mild.

“Ani, there’s nothing urgent.”

"So, you've started dating recently?"

The room leader glanced at her, picked up his water glass, took a sip, and said something casually.

Upon hearing this, Jin Dong shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum.

The head of the department asked calmly, "So?"

"Eh?"

Jin Dongtian seemed to have thought of something, and suddenly raised his head, his face showing confusion and astonishment.

and many more.

and also?
Does this mean they've known all along?

Jin Dongtian's mind went blank for a moment, and he was completely stunned.

No, what does that mean?
These seemingly insignificant words struck her heart like a heavy hammer.

This means that... the head of the department likely knew, or rather, had been aware of the situation involving Yoo Ji-min and Kwon Hyun-hyuk for a long time.

The bewilderment and shock on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a profound sense of embarrassment and shame.

The carefully planned act of informing seemed so childish and ridiculous under the knowing and calm gaze of the room leader, making him look like a clown.

Her cheeks instantly burned, turning red all the way to her ears.

She felt her hands and feet were frozen stiff, and her lips moved slightly, but she couldn't utter a single word.

I know you've gone to all this trouble to tell me this, what kind of reaction are you hoping for? Or what can you possibly do about it?
The room leader frowned slightly as he looked at her face, which flushed red instantly, and her helpless expression, as if she wanted to disappear into the ground.

What's going on in that head?

"Min-yeon?"

Is there anything you want to say?

"Ani."

Jin Dongtian hurriedly shook his head, feeling deeply humiliated by his own thoughts.

She didn't even dare to look at the head of the room's face again, and hastily bowed deeply, her voice as low as a mosquito's hum.

"Um... Room Chief, excuse me for disturbing you."

She practically scrambled out of the office.

The corridor was deserted, and the cold air couldn't dispel the burning heat on her face.

She walked stiffly and quickly toward the elevator.

How embarrassing! It turns out her clever ideas were all just wishful thinking and completely useless.

She thought she had something on Liu Zhimin, but in reality, the company had deeper considerations and compromises on a deeper level that she couldn't see.

She lowered her head and walked quickly through the corridor, her steps somewhat unsteady.

This moment seems particularly ironic.

"An excuse to go to the practice room...an excuse to go to the practice room..."

Her mind was a jumbled mess, her only thought being that she had to conceal the true purpose of her recent departure, especially to avoid Liu Zhimin's possible suspicion.

Liu Zhimin was naturally perceptive, and she would definitely overthink things if I suddenly got up and left.

The slight feeling of weightlessness as the elevator descended brought her to her senses a little more, and an idea instantly formed in her mind.

Just say you went to buy coffee!

This excuse is perfectly reasonable.

The practice was very physically demanding, so the girls often took turns buying coffee.

The timing also fits roughly: from leaving the practice room, to buying coffee at the coffee shop and then going back, plus the few minutes spent in the head of the room's office earlier, although it's a bit long, it's not entirely unreasonable.

She took a deep breath, trying to suppress the flush on her face and the turmoil in her heart, and went to the coffee shop inside the company building.

Kim Dong-won remembered what the members liked to drink and quickly ordered it.

Carrying the packaged coffee bag, the coldness of the cup seeped through the paper bag to her fingertips, seemingly giving her a false sense of calm.

Pushing open the door to the practice room, the familiar cool air rushed out.

Liu Zhimin was still wearing AirPods, engrossed in the "Blues" video on her phone, while Ning Yizhuo and Huili, wrapped in blankets, were still chatting on their phones.

The atmosphere in the practice room seemed no different from when she left.

"I bought coffee!" Jin Dongtian shouted in a cheerful voice as he carried the bag toward the sofa area.

Ning Yizhuo and Eri were immediately drawn over.

"I'm thirsty," Giselle said happily, taking the cup.

Ning Yizhuo also took a cup and thanked him with a smile.

Jin Dongtian secretly breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed that Ning Yizhuo and Eri had no suspicions at all.

Then, she took the initiative to approach Liu Zhimin, who was engrossed in watching the TV series.

Liu Zhimin paused the phone playback, took off one earphone, looked up, and her gaze first fell on the coffee that was handed to her.

He then naturally looked at Jin Dongtian, his lips curving into a bright smile, seemingly without a trace of doubt.

"Did Minjun go down to buy it himself?" Yoo Jimin took the coffee, smiling sweetly.

"Kamsamita, thank you for your hard work."

After her trip to Busan, she was still in a good mood and wasn't angry with Kim Dong-dong much anymore.

At this moment, Kim Dong-won's acting skills really came alive, and he nodded nonchalantly.

"I was thirsty after using the restroom, so I bought some."

"That's it."

Liu Zhimin casually replied, took a sip of her coffee with a straw, and then put on her headphones to immerse herself in watching the final episode of "Our Blues".

While watching the drama, she felt that the pairing of Kwon Heon-hyuk and Han Ji-min was nothing special and that she could completely accept it.

Because she felt that Han Ji-min and Kwon Seon-hyuk were so far apart in age, how could the two of them possibly be having an affair? They were just work colleagues!

(End of this chapter)