Peninsula: I created the golden age of girl groups

Jiang Yuhe was familiar with the person sitting near the head of the table.

It was Cho Hyo-jin, one of the PDs of "X-MAN".

However, in the near future, he will have an even more prominent and widely known identity:

He was the first main PD of the national variety show "Running Man" and one of the three PDs in the early days of "Running Man".

He is a legendary figure who pioneered an entire era of variety shows!

As for the others, although Jiang Yuhe had never met them before, his experience in the variety show industry allowed him to immediately match their faces with their identities.

Producer of a top weekend variety show on KBS, senior director of the drama department at MBC, deputy director of the entertainment bureau at SBS...

Their names may not be as dazzling as those of celebrities on the screen, but they truly control the lifeline of the program and can be called half of the sky behind the scenes!

Jiang Yuhe unconsciously softened his breathing, and his gaze fell on the two women sitting by the window.

One of them is Yoon Eun-hye.

As regular guests on "X-MAN", the two are quite familiar with each other.

Although the title "Girl Warrior" is deeply ingrained in people's minds, her identity is more than just a variety show personality.

From her debut in the girl group Baby VOX to winning the MBC Drama Awards' Best New Actress Award for her superb acting in "Princess Hours," she had already completed her magnificent transformation from idol to actress.

But what caught Kang Woo-hyuk's attention the most was the woman next to Yoon Eun-hye.

She looked to be about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with short, neat hair, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a well-tailored gray suit jacket.

And... the intellectual and capable aura she exudes is so strong that even Yoon Eun-hye would lean forward noticeably and look at her with respect when talking to her.

Clearly, he is of high status.

What Jiang Yuhe cared about most was:

The moment he entered, the woman seemed to sense something, her gaze suddenly rising and landing precisely on his face.

But after lingering for a moment, it inadvertently moved away.

"Oh? Jae-seok and Woo-hyuk are here! Please have a seat, we've been waiting for you."

When PD Zhao saw the two of them come in, he quickly stood up and greeted them with a smile.

"Everyone, I'm so sorry I'm late. I just finished recording the show and rushed over after a quick tidy-up. I'm so sorry!"

Yoo Jae-suk stepped forward with a smile, exchanging pleasantries with everyone present. He then led Kang Woo-hyuk, who was behind him, to the front and introduced him.

"This is Jiang Yuhe, whom I mentioned to everyone before. He's a semi-regular guest on our show, a young man with great talent. I won't introduce PD Zhao, but the others are all true senior figures..."

"This is Producer Kim from KBS, this is Director Lee from MBC, this is Vice Minister Park from SBS..."

Jiang Yuhe immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Good evening, seniors. I am Jiang Yuhe, a newcomer. It is an honor to meet you all. I apologize for disturbing you tonight."

After he finished greeting him, he did not get up immediately.

The Korean entertainment industry has always had a strict hierarchy.

Yoo Jae-suk's influence is enough to get him here, but whether he can truly catch the eye of these bigwigs depends on his own performance.

Seeing this, Zhao Xiaozhen quickly smiled and smoothed things over: "Alright, alright, we're just friends having a private get-together, no need to be so formal. Sit down, what kind of behavior is this, standing like this?"

Yoo Jae-suk smiled and agreed, then pulled Kang Woo-hyuk to sit between himself and PD Cho. He then turned to Eun-hye and asked with a smile, "What brings Eun-hye here today?"

Yoon Eun-hye smiled and said, "I was just discussing script details with Jung-ah unnie nearby when I heard that Jae-seok oppa and PD Jo were there, so I thought I'd come and join in the fun."

The Jung-ah unnie she mentioned was naturally the short-haired woman beside her.

Jeong-e... Lee Jeong-e!

Upon hearing this name, Jiang Yuhe felt his heart skip a beat.

He remembered!

Lee Jung-e, one of the most well-known screenwriters in Japan, is known for her delicate and insightful style, especially her exploration of characters' inner emotions and portrayal of their growth arcs, which are highly praised in the industry.

If the timeline is correct... then the script she's currently preparing for, and the one Yoon Eun-hye is about to star in, is...

"Woo-hyuk, this screenwriter Lee Jung-ah is a very busy person," Yoo Jae-suk's voice rang out at the right time.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuhe immediately composed himself and bowed slightly again, "Hello, screenwriter Li. I've heard so much about you."

Li Zheng'e looked up and nodded slightly to him, which was her way of greeting him.

With the wine poured, the atmosphere at the table became lively again, and the topics of conversation flowed freely.

From the fierce competition for ratings among major television stations to the soaring production costs of TV dramas, from newly introduced policy trends to the unusual stories of overseas filming...

The people present are all top figures in the industry, and the information density in their conversation is extremely high. A casual remark may involve a major project that is about to be launched, or an assessment of the potential of a popular artist.

Jiang Yuhe was well aware of his position and remained silent most of the time, listening quietly.

He only speaks cautiously when the topic occasionally touches on anecdotes from the filming of "X-MAN" or when it requires discussing certain variety show phenomena from the perspective of young guests.

Although he didn't say much, he always got to the point, and occasionally he would quote some real feedback from the audience on the Internet, injecting a bit of fresh air into the boring discussion, which made the big shots nod frequently.

However, most of his attention was still uncontrollably drawn to Li Zheng'e.

She spoke very little, mostly just listening quietly and constantly talking in hushed tones with Yoon Eun-hye.

"Go Eun-chan's youthful charm in the early stages... the key was in his eyes and demeanor... that innocent naiveté and resilience..."

"The expectations of book fans are both a pressure and a foundation. But the key is how to get the audience to empathize..."

"And then there's Cui Hanjie. His... needs to be supported by a plausible background; otherwise, it's just a label, it doesn't hold water!"

Cui Hanjie.

Go Eun-chan.

That's right!

It's "Coffee Prince"!

Jiang Yuhe's hand gripping the wine glass tightened suddenly.

This drama was a huge hit in the summer of 2007, making the careers of several of its lead actors soar!

Although it was not widely favored before its premiere due to its novel subject matter, it became a dark horse and created phenomenal popularity after its premiere!

After only five episodes, the viewership ratings broke through the 20% mark. Later, due to the overwhelming response, the production team even made an exception and decided to extend the number of episodes!

The female lead of this drama is none other than Yoon Eun-hye, who is standing right in front of me.

The male lead of this drama, Gong Yoo, will also usher in a new peak in his career with this drama.

Just as Kang Woo-hyuk was lost in thought, Lee Jung-ah also ended her conversation with Yoon Eun-hye.

She first wiped her hands with a towel, then looked up, her gaze passing over the table and landing again on Jiang Yuhe's face.

This time, however, she didn't look away; instead, she stared at him intently with a scrutinizing gaze.

The others seemed to notice the subtle change in atmosphere as well, and unconsciously lowered their voices, drawing several pairs of eyes to them.

Even Yoo Jae-suk, who was talking quietly with PD Cho, seemed to sense something was wrong. Although he was still turning his head to the side, a hint of doubt flashed across his face.

"Jiang Yuhe Xi".

Li Zheng'e looked at him and spoke softly.

"Yes, screenwriter."

Jiang Yuhe quickly put down his wine glass, leaning forward instinctively as if to listen attentively.

"His image... is indeed quite good."

Lee Jung-ah ignored his reaction, muttering something to herself before asking, "I heard from Eun-hye that you're mainly doing variety shows now? So... do you have any thoughts on acting?"

The moment the question was asked, the entire private room fell silent, and everyone turned to look.

Even Jiang Yuhe was stunned.

What... what's going on here?