Chapter 55: Jung Hyunjae’s Star Turn

[Park Jaehoon Does It Again! Blue Sky Spring Starts Strong at 6.8% on Its Premiere]

[Drama Explodes Online the Moment It Airs (Not an Ad)]

[Park Jaehoon X Jung Haein — Blue Sky Spring Ratings Jump to 8.3% by Episode Two]

To be honest, the first half of episode one felt pretty average, but starting from episode two it went absolutely wild.

How does Park Jaehoon never age?

I wasn’t really into it this time — not my taste.

I even started doing something else midway through.

Still, as expected of a Park Jaehoon drama, it at least delivers the basics.

Please, just watch up to episode two. This drama is insane!

At first the response to episode one was divided, but as soon as episode two aired and the real story began, the praise started pouring in.

[Blue Sky Spring Cracks tvM’s All-Time Top 10 Ratings]

[Park Jaehoon’s Blue Sky Spring Ranks #1 in Programs Loved by the Public This March]

[tvM Blue Sky Spring Ratings Trend]

[With the Main Villain’s Arrival, Blue Sky Spring Peaks at 15.8% in Real-Time Ratings]

The ratings graph drew a beautiful upward curve, and both the production company and the broadcaster happily rowed in the incoming tide. Among those in that boat was, thankfully, Donghyeok as well.

[Newcomer Gongjun X Park Jaehoon — Warm Brotherly Chemistry Keeps Breaking Ratings Records]

[Who Is the Handsome New Actor Turning Heads in Blue Sky Spring?]

Among the countless reactions, one community post in particular went explosively viral.

[The New Actor Whose Looks Were All Over the Drama Thread Yesterday]

When this scene aired yesterday, I was honestly spellbound.

So it wasn’t just me who felt that way.

Totally my type.

I literally gasped mid-episode because he was so good-looking.

Why is my husband on this show?

That kid’s worked so hard. What’s with this?

I hear this is his debut — and he can act too.

Why does his face look so familiar?

He used to be a model.

Ah! That’s where I saw him. I thought he was handsome back then, and he’s just as striking in the drama.

The scene Yongseok had painstakingly filmed as a favor ended up airing and created a huge buzz.

Still, the shot felt a bit like, “Look how handsome I am!” which was odd.

Yeah, the rookie push is a little too obvious, lol.

Who is this guy that they’re putting so much effort into?

It started with praise for his fresh looks and handsomeness, but with every admirer comes a detractor — people asked why a mere supporting actor was given such a scene.

But that talk ended the moment Jaehoon’s promotional YouTube variety show dropped.

“Any fun episodes from filming the drama?”

“Hyung, that’s such a cliché question. This is the hardest kind to answer!”

“What kind of talk-show line is that?”

Because the channel had a relaxed vibe, they could naturally bring up behind-the-scenes stories.

“I do have one!”

“See? He’s got one!”

“What is it?”

“Well, there was a scene where we actually burned down an entire house while filming.”

“Oh, I know that one! That’s an iconic scene! Hyung, you haven’t watched it yet, have you?”

“Ha! I did watch it! You’re talking about the scene where the younger brother cries and runs into the fire!”

“That’s right. While shooting that scene, the actor playing Donghyeok’s role suddenly said he smelled something weird…”

Jaehoon began telling the story about the near-fire incident, and everyone else listened intently, reacting all the while.

“Wow, that could have been really bad.”

“If it had exploded, it would have been horrifying.”

“He nearly died, so the director shot his next scene with extra care.”

Once the YouTube video went public, the chatter about excessive rookie favoritism and bribery disappeared overnight.

Ah, so that’s why. I get it.

There was a reason after all.

I knew that director; he’d never do something like that, lol. Rookie favoritism my foot.

Exactly. People who don’t know anything always jump in.

With that face and that acting ability, he’ll be big soon. Has he got a next project lined up?

He was filming Today at the Fruit Shop until recently.

Oh! I loved that novel.

These days everyone criticizes without even checking the facts first.

The dramatic episode actually brought even more positive reactions, to the point where no one could find any haters anymore.

And there was one person who had predicted all of this.

“Hahaha, did you see that?”

Hyungkyu laughed broadly, looking pleased as he sat on the sofa in the CEO’s office.

“I told you so, didn’t I?”

“That’s true.”

I’d been worried the director would be criticized just for trying to be kind to me, but things had turned out well, thank goodness.

“Anyway, you’re a celebrity now. Wear a mask when you’re out and about.”

“Got it.”

Hyungkyu brought up the time I’d faced fans completely unprepared.

“You signed autographs, and even though you weren’t ready the photos came out well.”

The fan who had taken the photo posted it on their social media, and of course the company staff who monitored me saw it too.

“Right? The fan left with such a big smile.”

“Still, don’t get photographed off-guard.”

“Understood.”

If my condition isn’t too weird, I should take photos. Snapping a picture for a fan isn’t exactly hard.

“Here’s the new script. Give it a read. The role’s better than the last one.”

“Is this for an audition?”

“The child role is special and has plenty of lines. Time to prepare for the next thing.”

“Mmm…”

None of the countless scripts really caught my eye.

“What kind of reaction is that?”

“No, it’s just… I want to focus on the role I’m doing right now.”

“Jaehoon’s childhood role?”

“Yes.”

Because Jaehoon had said that to me, my desire to do well only grew, and I didn’t want to split my attention.

“The shoot won’t take long anyway. Can’t we hold off until then?”

At my words, Hyungkyu paused, thinking for a moment, then spoke coolly.

“There’s nothing you can’t do — just do it.”

“Huh?”

“Do it. How long could it take anyway?”

I’d expected Hyungkyu to insist on a safe route — secure the part through an audition first, then adjust the schedule — but instead he gave his permission right away.

“If you rush things, something always goes wrong. And if an actor says he wants to focus on his role, what else can the CEO do but back him up?”

“CEO…”

I was genuinely moved. I was the only young actor in the entire agency, and even with a packed schedule this kind of decision couldn’t have been easy.

“I’m really touched.”

“Keep that feeling… because I’m going to book you for all the other schedules.”

“Of course! As much as you like. By the way, do I even have any other schedules?”

Up until now, I’d had almost no engagements that weren’t directly acting-related — in fact, none at all.

“Why wouldn’t you? This is the busiest we’ve ever been since starting the company. You’re a proudly recognizable celebrity now.”

“Well, yes… but what kind of schedule is it?”

“A schedule only the hottest people get invited to.”

***

“Over here, please~!”

“Give us a cheek-heart! A cheek-heart!”

At the photo zone a woman posed while reporters fired their shutters without pause, calling out their requests.

“Thank you.”

She smiled brightly, bowed, and stepped down from the photo zone.

“Who’s that?”

“No idea.”

“She’s the one from Heart Percent.”

“Ohhh, right. So what’s her name?”

They kept snapping away without even knowing who she was; only after one reporter said her name did the others nod.

In the past only celebrities attended events like this, but these days influencers and YouTubers were invited too, so it wasn’t unusual for journalists not to recognize someone.

“Please come up.”

“Yes.”

A tall man strode up onto the photo zone, smiling faintly and lifting a hand toward the cameras in greeting.

It was a familiar pose, yet clumsy and awkward enough that anyone could tell he was new at this.

“Must be a rookie.”

“An idol maybe?”

“Not sure. Don’t recognize the face.”

“Tall and handsome — looks like a model.”

Clicking their shutters, the reporters whispered guesses to each other about the unfamiliar man.

“Look left, center, right in turn, please.”

“Ah, yes.”

The lead reporter addressed the man radiating awkwardness.

He stopped doing his stiff little wave and obediently turned his gaze left, center, and right to meet the cameras.

“Please give us a hand-heart!”

“Oh, yes!”

He proudly raised both hands and formed a perfect, full-sized heart.

The reporters had meant the small one-handed finger-heart, but seeing his satisfied expression, none of them corrected him.

“Show us a cheek-heart!”

One of them called out, and this time he nailed the gesture exactly.

“Cat heart!”

“Sorry?”

At the mention of a “cat heart,” he tilted his head, clearly hearing the phrase for the first time.

“Please step down this way.”

Just as he was about to ask what that was, a staffer told him to exit.

He apologized and stepped off the photo wall.

“Guess he’s not an idol.”

No idol sensitive to trends would be ignorant of a cat heart, so the reporters felt sure he wasn’t one.

“Actor or model, then?”

“Come on, can’t you tell? Obviously an actor.”

A model wouldn’t be that unpracticed at photos — he had to be an actor.

“Well, his visuals are actor-level.”

“Looks like a rookie, but he’s handsome.”

“Yeah.”

Most of these photographers had shot countless celebrities; they rarely felt impressed anymore, but this was the first truly striking face they’d seen in a while.

“Kyaaa!”

“Wow!”

“He’s here.”

Hearing the excited reaction from the fans waiting nearby with their long-lens cameras, the reporters could guess who had arrived.

Unlike before, the fans squared up and fixed their focus, then began snapping furiously the moment he appeared.

It was my first time ever on a photo wall, and I hardly knew what I was doing.

With flashes going off nonstop, I had to force myself not to blink until my eyes stung.

“What even is a cat heart?”

I’d managed the trendy cheek-heart fine, but the cat heart had thrown me completely.

I really should have studied up more.

My first photo-wall left me with some regrets.

“This way, please.”

“Okay~”

Following the brand staff’s guidance, I entered the main venue, which was even more crowded than outside.

“Wow…”

People dressed to the nines, onlookers craning to see them, cameras with magazine name tags — it was a whole new world.

I’d been invited to the launch event for a new fashion brand.

“Please have a seat here.”

“Thank you.”

The staffer seated me in the third row — the highest row — flanking the long runway.

“How surreal.”

A seat with my own name, “Jung Hyunjae,” on it. It felt like I’d become someone special, like being a celebrity was finally real.

Turning my head this way and that to take in the new sights, I happened to lock eyes with the person sitting next to me.

“Hello.”

It would have been strange to pretend I hadn’t seen him, so I greeted him first. He returned the greeting warmly.

“Nice to meet you. What’s your name?”

“Ah, I’m Jung Hyunjae. And you are…?”

“What? You don’t know me? Almost every guy watches my stream.”

He was obviously famous — was I really the only one who didn’t know?

“I’m Dobby.”

D… Dobby?