Chapter 540: Preview Battle (2)

I quickly pitched one more idea to Oh Bok-Hee.

"Mrs. Oh, if KBC's President Park Chan-Sik scheduled the preview for ten minutes himself, we should aim for about fifteen minutes."

Knowing Park Chan-Sik, he would have probably scheduled the previews for tomorrow and the day after to be ten minutes each, but he would likely air them for twelve or even thirteen minutes. Since he was up for reappointment, he wouldn't shy away from any kind of trickery.

For this reason, we had to air longer than the time he allocated. If, by any chance, our preview ended up shorter than theirs, viewers who tuned in for the preview might change the channel and take an interest in the other show.

Oh Bok-Hee looked troubled. Scheduling even ten minutes for a preview was already a big deal, and now I was asking for fifteen. Nevertheless, she soon agreed with me.

"

Hmph

. If it's President Park, he'll probably sneak in thirteen minutes after setting it at ten. To match them, we've got to go over."

"Thank you, Mrs. Oh."

"Don't mention it. I should be the one thanking you for pointing it out. But officially, let's stick to saying it's scheduled for ten minutes. We need to keep it fair."

"Understood."

Oh Bok-Hee took a deep breath and immediately called Ryu Han-Joon to explain that KBC had scheduled a whopping ten minutes just for the preview.

Ryu Han-Joon sounded baffled.

-What's gotten into them all of a sudden?

"President Park is up for reappointment."

-Well, no wonder he's losing his mind.

"They're clearly going all out, so we'll need to respond properly. Should I call the head of programming?"

-No, let's first come up with something on our end. So, is ten minutes enough?

"No, we need fifteen."

-What? Fifteen? Even ten is hard to secure! That's outrageous!

"If we lose from the preview, Episode 1 is guaranteed to fall behind. We have to win the viewership ratings battle for both of the previews airing tomorrow and the day after. That's how we'll win the main broadcast too."

Oh Bok-Hee warned that

Queen Jeong-Hee

was being made with all of KBC's capabilities and had significant quality and entertainment value.

-Alright, alright! You're splitting my eardrum. I'll first talk to the heads of programming and drama, and if it doesn't work out, I'll go to the president. But do we even have enough footage to fill fifteen minutes?

"I'll pour my soul into making it happen. You know how much this project means to me."

-Alright. I'm trusting you and going for it.

"Blessed are those who believe!"

-I hope it's a blessing and not a curse.

"There's plenty of splendor in

Hwaranjeon

before the disasters hit."[1]

-You and your mouth! Anyway, start cutting the footage right now once I hang up.

"Yes, sir!"

Click.

Oh Bok-Hee hung up and looked at me. "If Mr. Ryu said he'll do it, he'll make it happen no matter what."

"I know. People at the station usually accommodate Mr. Ryu's requests."

Ryu Han-Joon wasn't cutthroat enough to get promoted to director like his peers, but he had a unique gift for harmony. Because of that, most people at the station were willing to help him out.

Afterward, Oh Bok-Hee grabbed a megaphone and started gathering people to prepare for the task ahead. "We need to start emergency preview production right now. Team leads, gather up! And the making-film crew, get to the director's tent!"

Upon her orders, the on-site staff began moving quickly.

It was one week before the premiere of

Hwaranjeon

vs

Queen Jeong-Hee

, and the battle for ratings had already begun with the previews.

***

The currently airing KBC Wednesday-Thursday drama

Fox Marble

hit a peak viewership ratings of 20.1% with episode 22 last week, ranking number one in its time slot.

Especially in tonight's episode 23 airing at 10 p.m., the female lead, a thousand-year-old nine-tailed fox, was set to resurrect the male lead using the fox marble. Since the scene also included a kiss between the two leads, the ratings were sure to surpass those of episode 22.

Meanwhile, MBS'

My Way Sisters

recorded a top viewership rating of 13.3% with episode 22, which was a decent performance. With the baseline ratings of the two dramas differing by about 7%, it was only natural that the previews for their upcoming shows airing after the finales would see a similar gap in viewership ratings.

To overcome this disadvantage, we had to pull out every possible strategy.

I contacted the company, explained the situation, and asked for promotional support, then returned to Oh Bok-Hee's tent. Inside, the directing team and the making-film crew were huddled together to brainstorm preview ideas.

Geum Eun-Dong was nowhere to be seen, and I figured he must have already left for Seoul to start editing.

"If we cut in the palace scene from episode 5, scene 20, and the reed field action scene from episode 11, scene 39, that could work."

"Mrs. Oh, I think we can pull about five minutes from the making-film team's footage."

"For the preview airing tomorrow, we should focus on character introductions. And for the one airing the day after, background settings might be the right concept."

While Oh Bok-Hee worked on organizing the preview structure, I waited quietly beside her. After finishing the discussion with the staff, she looked around and asked if anyone had other ideas.

"Anyone got a fresh idea?"

The talent agents stared blankly, unable to respond. Seizing the moment, I carefully spoke up. "Mrs. Oh, let's use Yoo-Jin and Miso for the first preview."

"Those two?"

"Yes. If Yoo-Jin and Miso walk around the set and explain the characters themselves, I think it'll draw a good reaction."

Previews for upcoming shows usually garnered less viewer interest. However, if the hottest actors personally introduce the characters, it would surely grab attention.

Oh Bok-Hee's eyes sparkled as she looked around. "

Hm~

I like that idea. What does everyone think?"

The staff nodded.

"Yeah, if Miss Yoo-Jin and Miso introduce the characters themselves, it will definitely be different."

"Exactly. Even if only their fans watch the video, it could help us hold the viewership ratings."

When the staff quickly aligned with my suggestion, Oh Bok-Hee smiled and nodded. "Seriously, what would we do without Mr. Jung? Alright, I'll get the script ready right away. Any idea when Miso can get here?"

"Just in case, I had her leave about thirty minutes ago."

As soon as we decided to shoot the preview, I had called Jung Sang-Bong to bring Miso over from Seoul.

At that moment, Oh Bok-Hee's face lit up. "I knew it~ Mr. Jung. I'll send you the character intro script as soon as it's ready."

"Great. Send it to me right away on Kk Talk. I'll have Miso read it. Please allow some ad-libbing."

"Of course. After all, Miss Yoo-Jin and Miso are both great with on-site ad-libs."

"Then we'll stand by."

Oh Bok-Hee nodded with satisfaction. "Alright. Since Miss Yoo-Jin's cross-dressing scene today is going into the preview, let's start filming that first."

"On it."

We had about three hours until Miso arrived.

Oh Bok-Hee and the staff quickly moved to shoot additional footage for the previews airing tomorrow and the day after.

***

After filming scenes 10 to 12 of episode 10 in her male disguise, Yoo-Jin headed to the dressing room to change into Princess Yu-Hwa's outfit.

Not long after, a white Binz Springer van carrying Miso arrived at the parking lot. The van's side door opened, and Jung Sang-Bong stepped out first. Then Miso hopped out of the van behind him. Already in full makeup as Young Princess Yu-Hwa, Miso clutched a big smartphone in one hand.

"Miso!"

"Uncle Yoon-Ho!"

Spotting me, Miso grabbed Jung Sang-Bong's hand and dashed over. Her braided hair bounced up and down with each step. She was thrilled to be back on the

Hwaranjeon

set after a long time.

"Miso, did you get carsick at all?"

"Nope! Not at all."

"Then do you think you can handle being our one-day reporter today?"

Miso stretched out the phone she was holding in her right hand. On the screen of her Galactica Note 20, just like mine, was a list of interview questions for the actors. But over that, she had scribbled something in her own messy handwriting.

Pointing proudly at the squiggly letters only she could understand, Miso tilted her head back with pride. "I read all of this and practiced on the way here!"

"Great job. Then can we jump right into filming?"

Miso nodded and looked around. "Yes. But where's Mom?"

"There she is."

From one side of the set, Yoo-Jin appeared dressed as Princess Yu-Hwa. "Oh~ it's Mom! Mom~!"

Yoo-Jin grabbed her skirt and scurried over with short, quick steps, then pulled Miso into a big hug. "Miso, it must've been rough rushing over here."

"Not at all, Mom. I wish I could film every day!"

Even though she's often filming in the southern regions for

The Foodie Nomads

, Miso bragged about how much she enjoyed being on set again after just a few days off. Miso really was truly made for the set.

"Okay then, you two. Shall we go to Mrs. Oh now?"

It had only been a day since they didn't see each other, but the two looked like they were reuniting after a North–South summit. I guided them toward the waiting tent where Oh Bok-Hee was.

"Yes!"

With that cheerful answer, I led Yoo-Jin and Miso straight to Oh Bok-Hee's tent.

Seated in front of the monitor, Oh Bok-Hee was on the phone with Geum Eun-Dong, who had just arrived in Seoul. "Eun-Dong, we'll send the footage as soon as we shoot it, so stay on standby in the editing room."

-Yes, ma'am.

After hanging up, Oh Bok-Hee turned her head. "Wow~ Miso looks especially pretty today!"

Miso grabbed the edge of her skirt and gave a polite bow. In an instant, she had transformed into the elegant Young Princess Yu-Hwa. "Thank you, Mrs. Oh."

Seeing Miso seamlessly shift into character upon arriving on set, Oh Bok-Hee was thrilled. "That's our girl. We've got high hopes for today, so let's do our best, okay?"

"Got it!"

Yoo-Jin and Miso finished their greetings and followed Oh Bok-Hee to the main set of the palace.

With the grand Moon Palace throne hall behind them, Yoo-Jin and Miso got ready to film. Since the first focused on character introductions, both of them held microphones.

Oh Bok-Hee took a deep breath and gave the cue. "Alright, starting the first preview shoot. Staff and actors, just rehearse your scenes, and when Miss Yoo-Jin and Miso approach, please respond to their interview. Alright! Standby... action!"

With the cue called, Miso held her white mic adorned with flower petals and struck a cute pose as she introduced herself.

『Hello, I'm Jung Miso, playing Young Princess Yu-Hwa, and I'll be filming the character spotlight video for

Hwaranjeon!

』

Miso pointed her left index finger to her cheek and smiled with her eyes. Her plump cheek squished slightly under the pressure of her finger.

Next to her, Yoo-Jin held her yellow flower-decorated mic, mirrored Miso's pose by pointing to her own cheek with her right index finger, and continued the introduction.

『Hello, I'm Jung Yoo-Jin, playing Princess Yu-Hwa, and I'll also be filming the character spotlight video for

Hwaranjeon!

』

Like mirror images, they struck matching poses and giggled as they looked at each other. After laughing for a while, they dropped their hands from their cheeks.

Still smiling, Yoo-Jin extended her mic to Miso.

『Alright then, let's begin introducing the characters appearing in

Hwaranjeon.

First up is our cutest child character, Young Princess Yu-Hwa. In the story, she's a beloved figure in Seorabeol and...』

As the character introductions began naturally, smiles started to spread across the faces of Oh Bok-Hee and the staff. After introducing each other, Yoo-Jin and Miso began roaming the set with mics in hand, full of energy.

Actors, while rehearsing, smoothly transitioned into their interviews when approached.

『Our second Queen! Please give us an interview! Come on, just one minute. Don't run away~.』

『This here is the mysterious...』

『This person plays the role of a Baekje figure who bullies both me and young Princess Yu-Hwa in the drama. Everyone!』

Yoo-Jin and Miso continued to playfully introduce characters while acting as Princess Yu-Hwa, their exaggerated expressions making the scene even more entertaining.

The set was filled with laughter thanks to their lively performance. But watching Miso's adorable and confident hosting, a new idea popped into my head.

'

Miso could totally be an MC for a kids' program.

'

Not only was she a solid actor, but she also showed natural MC potential. Watching Miso made me smile. Every time I saw Miso, I found myself wondering just how far her talents could go.

And with that, I started silently wishing for tomorrow's preview to be a success.

***

Maybe because the preview shoot had been such a whirlwind, the entire day passed in a blink.

And now, the time was 10:50 p.m. on January 6.

Episode 23 of

Fox Marble

on KBC and

My Way Sisters

on MBS, both of which started at 10 p.m., had just ended.

On set in Gyeongju, the staff paused the preview shoot and huddled together, anxiously waiting for the viewership ratings to come in.

Ding!

At that moment, Oh Bok-Hee received a message with the current drama viewership ratings.

"KBC

Fox Marble

ended with 22.4%! And MBS

My Way Sisters

ended with 15.4%!"

Oh Bok-Hee's expression wavered as she spoke. Typically, the preview for a new drama got about half the viewership rating of the ending moments of the drama airing before it. That was because most viewers switch channels as soon as the drama ends.

In other words, the expected viewership ratings for

Queen Jeong-Hee

's preview on KBC was about 11.2%, while the expectation for MBS'

Hwaranjeon

was about 7.7%.

Though the expected viewership ratings were significantly different, it wasn't time to lose hope yet. After all, they were just estimates.

While everyone waited, both networks began airing their new drama previews.

"It's starting."

On MBS, the preview for

Hwaranjeon

opened with Yoo-Jin and Miso holding microphones.Their bright smiles as they introduced the characters naturally brought smiles to viewers' faces as well.

Thanks to the blood, sweat, and tears of Geum Eun-Dong, who would one day be hailed as a master editor, the footage was captivating. The broadcast was too well-made to even be considered just a preview.

One minute had passed since it aired.

It was now 10:51 p.m., time for the first round of ratings to come in, updated every minute.

The staff held their breath.

Ding!

At that moment, Oh Bok-Hee received a message with the new numbers.

𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Her eyes widened. "KBC's

Queen Jeong-Hee

preview viewership ratings for minute one...12.5%!"

That was 1.3% higher than the expected viewership ratings for the preview. Everyone's hands began to tremble. The fear that

Hwaranjeon

's preview might start off with a loss in ratings had gripped them all.

'

Please...

'

Then came the second message.

Ding!

With a trembling voice, Oh Bok-Hee began announcing the viewership ratings for MBS

Hwaranjeon

's preview.

"MBS

Hwaranjeon

preview viewership ratings for minute one rating is..."

1. There's a bit of wordplay here with the

hanja

. Ryu Han-Joon used the

hanja

화 (禍) for catastrophe and Oh Bok-Hee used 화 (華) which means to shine brightly—this is the same Hwa used in

Hwaranjeon

. ☜