Peninsula: From a supporting actor to the best actor in Chungmuro

Chapter 69: The Battle for the Eighth Law

The evening of July 10.

The fifth episode of "The Heirs" aired on time.

On the real-time audience monitoring screen in the SBS building, the curve suddenly soared at 35 minutes and 23 seconds.

16.2%.

——The clip of Kang Jae-hoon carrying Krystal Jung in his princess arms.

(Kim Eun-sook chose the latter in the original version between being supported and being carried like a princess.)
In the camera, Zheng Xiujing's skirt rose and fell, and Jiang Zaixun's arm muscles were taut under his school uniform. The distance between the tips of their noses almost touched made the network barrage explode instantly:
[Ahhh, this hug! Kang Jae-hoon, where are you putting your hands?!]

[Krystal blushed! Is she acting or is she really shy?]

[Is this level of eye contact broadcastable? ? ]

【Kiss it!!!】

Then comes the famous ankle rubbing scene——

Artificial silver osmanthus flowers rustled as Kang Jae-hoon half-knelt before a bench, his fingertips lightly touching Krystal's reddened ankle. The camera zoomed in on the moment his Adam's apple rolled, and the prelude to "Gravity" played perfectly:

"It's a bit far from you, and my view is blocked."

"..."

The numbers on the audience monitoring screen were jumping wildly.

When the sunset shot of the back-to-back scene appeared, the real-time ratings rushed to 17.2%——

I think this is the law of gravity.

Kang Jae-hoon carried Krystal Jung on his back as they walked across the tree-lined avenue, her swaying calves gilded in the backlight.

【Find what you want to say to you】

Close-up of Krystal secretly rubbing the back of his neck with the tip of her nose.

[Together, you and I have already slowly gotten closer]

The osmanthus flowers blown down by the blower stuck to her hair. Jiang Zaixun tilted his head and said the line "Bo Na is lighter than a cloud", and his Adam's apple rolled in the sunset, casting an ambiguous shadow.

——After this segment was broadcast, the ratings soared to 18.3%, setting the highest instantaneous record since the show started.

The real-time hot search list on SNS was instantly dominated by related terms——

#The Heirs Episode 5#
#Chanrong Bona princess hug#
#Jiang Jae-hoon's foot control# (explosive)

#Heart Gravity OST# (hot)

Melon's real-time rankings were refreshed half an hour after the fifth episode was broadcast.

1. "See You Friday" - IU & Jang Ri-jeong (Feat.)

2. Gravity - Kang Jae-hoon & Krystal Jung

3. Pink High Heels - IU
4. Between the Lips - IU
5. "Everyone Has Secrets" - IU
6. "Ol's Love" - ​​IU
The comment section exploded:

[1st floor]: Help! I watched the princess hug scene ten times! Jiang Zaixun's arm muscles are amazing [screenshot]
[5th ​​floor]: I screamed when the background music started playing while I was rubbing my ankle! "Gravity" is the theme song for Chanyoung and Bona's love life, right?
[12th floor]: Hilarious! What the heck is this trending topic #康杰勋足操#? How is the person involved feeling right now?
[27th floor]: Sunset back-to-back scenes are legendary! Krystal Jung's leg-shaking look is so sweet! [GIF]
[44th Floor]: "Gravity" suddenly landed at number two! What kind of comeback script is this?

[59th Floor]: Wake up, screenwriter Kim Eun-sook! The male and female leads are being relegated to background roles by this couple!

[73rd floor]: Suggest changing the name to "The Love Story of Chan-young and Bo-na" [dog head]
……

The next day.

Inside the production meeting room of "The Heirs".

On the big screen, the audience ratings for the fifth episode were clearly displayed:

Average viewership rating: 14.3% (↑1.8%)

Peak audience rating: 18.3% (Chanyoung and Bona's piggyback scene)

Share of online buzz: Chanyoung and Bona CP 62% | Kim Tan and Eunsang CP 28% | Others 10%
"The data speaks for itself. What the audience wants to see most right now is Chan-young and Bo-na's relationship. They should be given the kissing scenes that are part of the eight-episode rule."

Director Jiang Xinxiao sneered and retorted to Director Fu Shengzhe:

"Based on their star status and the weight of the script, the kissing scene is of course Kim Tan and Cha Eun Sang's. Yoon Chan Young and Lee Bo Na are just supporting roles, so we can't put the cart before the horse."

"supporting role?"

Fu Shengzhe pulled up a social media monitoring chart: "The popularity of the male and female protagonists is less than half that of the supporting roles."

Jiang Xinxiao slammed the table and stood up:

"The ratings are the result of everyone's efforts! We can't just change the script based on the audience's whims!"

Jiang Xinxiao's anger is not without reason——

As a director who comes from the film system, he pays more attention to the integrity of the work and the director's authority.

The language of the camera, the narrative rhythm, and the character arc are the key factors that determine the height of a work.

A passing preference among viewers? That's just a data bubble.

However, Director Fu Shengzhe, who was sitting opposite him and had been involved in the TV drama industry for many years, had a completely different idea.

In the industrial system of Korean dramas, ratings are oxygen.

Real-time audience feedback directly determines the direction of the plot:

The supporting characters were given more scenes, the protagonist's character was adjusted, and even the ending was temporarily modified...

Everything is for ratings.

"This is not putting the cart before the horse; it's respecting the market."

Jiang Xinxiao sneered:
“So the director’s job is to get down on his knees and please the audience?”

“It’s making money while standing.”

Fu Shengzhe retorted:
"We're making a commercial drama, not a Berlin Film Festival entry."

"..."

——This is not the first time such a quarrel has occurred.

In the original script setting of "The Heirs", the second male lead Choi Young-do and the second female lead Liu Rachel had separate love lines.

But at Kang Shin-hyo's insistence, the script was revised into a triangle relationship between Kim Tan, Eun-sang, and Young-do.

result?

The ratings continued to be low until Chanyoung and Bona's subplot unexpectedly became a hit...

On both sides of the conference table, the other members remained silent in tacit agreement.

The publicity team was trying to hold back laughter by posting the topic #Jiang Jae-hoon's foot control#, and the screenwriter team was posting group chats in the Kakao group calling for a "fight".

Even the producer pretended to answer the phone and slipped out——

In this kind of factional struggle among directors, if you stand on the wrong side, you will lose your job.

On the main seat.

Kim Eun-sook was holding her forehead and sighing.

A week ago, this question didn't even need to be considered -

The kissing scene in the eight-episode rule is of course for Kim Tan and Cha Eun Sang.

Although Yoon Chan-young and Lee Bo-na added a kissing scene, it must not overshadow the main character.

But now...

The numbers on the screen are cold and objective:
Chan-young and Bo-na CP accounted for 62% of the topic
Kim Tan and Eun Sang CP accounted for 28% of the topic
——The gap is too big.

"Tuk-tuk-tuk-"

Kim Eun-sook tapped her pen three times on the table.

The two directors who were arguing suddenly became silent.

"We'll decide after the ratings for episode six come out tomorrow."

The data team immediately pulled up tomorrow's forecast—

Cha Eun-sang was humiliated on campus

Choi Young-do and Kim Tan confront each other twice at a restaurant and a convenience store

Liu Rachel humiliates Cha Eun-sang

Obviously, there is no scene between Chanyoung and Bona in the sixth episode.

"What if the ratings remain stable?" asked Director Jiang Xinxiao.

"That kiss scene is still between Kim Tan and Eun Sang, otherwise——"

Jin Enshu turned to look at Director Fu Shengzhe: "Just as you say."

"clear."

——Typical survival rules for Korean drama production crews.

Data speaks and capital sets the tone.

After the meeting.

Screenwriter Kim Eun-sook stared blankly at the stills of "Secret Garden" on her computer.

The "bubble kiss" between Hyun Bin and Ha Ji-won was also a temporary addition, but it became a classic scene.

[PS: The "foam kiss" refers to the time when Ha Ji-won was drinking coffee and the corner of her mouth was stained with coffee foam. Hyun Bin stood up and kissed the coffee foam off the corner of her mouth.]

Maybe... I should trust the audience's intuition this time?

She picked up a pen and lightly drew a question mark on the blank page of the eighth episode of the script.

(End of this chapter)