Who said this top flow is crazy! This top flow is awesome!

Chapter 188 of "My Love from the Star" premieres.

Has it started? Has it started?

[Everyone, please follow my instructions: you MUST download Tencent Video and subscribe to a yearly membership only after "Nan Du" is released. This will boost Yan Ge's new user acquisition ranking. Remember, do not download it beforehand.]

If you have the Tencent Video app on your phone right now, uninstall it immediately and download it again after the show airs.

【…】

[Yan Ge is so handsome! My brother is amazing!]

[Qingqing is so beautiful! This is the best-looking modern idol drama I've seen this year. Yan Ge's face is absolutely stunning in a modern idol drama!]

Don't worry if the first episode isn't good; just keep watching. It gets better from the third episode onwards.

【…】

Acquiring new users, charging top-ups, downloading app data, organizing and controlling comments and bullet screens, using multiple phones and tablets to artificially inflate view counts, and using virtual venue bookings to attract casual viewers...

If the fans of ordinary popular young male celebrities have to do all of the above when their idols' dramas are airing, then Yu Yan's fan group has to do ten times more, and is even more "professional, serious, and enthusiastic".

Because they are the "founding fathers" of this set of data-driven female workers.

No one understands better than them how to turn an idol into a "top-tier" star, the most dazzling star in the eyes of both insiders and outsiders.

That evening, when "Difficult Crossing" premiered, it was almost exactly the "spectacle" described above.

Within an hour of its premiere, "The Difficult Crossing" topped all data traffic charts... except for the most valuable ones: popularity and viewership ratings.

—Because only truly good works can make it onto the list.

Of course, since Tencent Video invested heavily in the show on its first day of release, giving it an S+++ recommendation rating, and with its fan base, the promotional momentum and popularity of "Nan Du" were bound to be good at first.

By the time the two episodes finished airing that evening, "Nan Du" had reached a peak popularity of 29800 on the platform on its premiere day, just 200 shy of breaking 30000, a higher trend than "Meng Xi Yuan" had initially.

As for the television stations, since "Nan Du" was broadcast on Hunan TV, the leading satellite TV station, and benefited from Hunan TV's formidable reputation, "Nan Du" achieved a high rating of 0.9801 on its first day.

It was just a hair's breadth away from breaking the 1% viewership mark—in this era where a 1% viewership rating on a satellite TV channel is considered a "minor hit," this was also an extremely impressive achievement.

Yu Yan's team is very satisfied, Yue Na is very satisfied, and Tencent Video and Hunan TV are also very satisfied.

"This is the trend on the first day. As expected of Yu Yan, her fans are amazing."

"It's just that the reputation... doesn't seem to be very good."

Upon hearing this, the head of distribution at Tencent Video raised an eyebrow: "Reputation? What good is reputation? We earn money from Yu Yan's fans' recharges, from data. That's how we make the financial report look good, and that's how we satisfy the higher-ups."

"You don't actually think Yu Yan can win a Best Actor award, do you? Relying on casual viewers to pay for his performance? Casual viewers hate celebrities with big fan bases, how could that be possible?"

The assistant who voiced his concerns: "..."

"The ratings are also very good, which means that the audience still likes this kind of show. Hunan TV loves watching idol dramas the most."

"Let's wait and see for a few more days. We can increase our marketing efforts and get Yu Yan, Cen Qing, and the producers of 'Difficult Crossing' ready to start business."

"it is good."

……

That night, the hit drama "Nan Du" was released, and the various data listings made countless fans of Yu Yan scream. Their pride and the attitude of "overlooking the traffic in the domestic entertainment industry" were already evident.

But the situation changed slightly the next day.

First, the initial surge in spending on "Nan Du" on the first day subsided, and while the new user acquisition rankings declined slightly on the second day, viewers who had been "tricked" by Hunan TV the previous night also realized their mistake, and very few people continued to fall for it on the second day.

The show's popularity and viewership could only rise slowly through extensive marketing, failing to meet the expectations of the investors and producers.

But it's not a big problem; these results are still the best among this year's winter break season.

—Until the appearance of "Folding the Bright Moon".

This is a female-centric historical romance drama starring Sheng Ning and Peng Chen, and it's the first big-budget production Peng Feisheng took on after his "double hit" (a term referring to two major hits in a single drama).

Putting everything else aside, both Sheng Ning and Peng Chen are skilled actors. Moreover, compared to Yu Yan, who came from an idol background, Sheng Ning is someone who has truly worked her way up to this level through acting.

Therefore, she is known in the industry for her excellent script selection skills.

The production team and crew of "Folding the Moon" are renowned in the industry.

Therefore, after the first three episodes of "The Moon Embracing the Sun" premiered on the 3rd, it instantly took over most of the trending topics. Although its popularity was slightly less than that of "The Long Night", its reputation was a level higher.

Sheng Ning's performance still showcases her top-tier charm among the four rising stars, even surpassing her previous success with "Dream of the West".

Peng was excited and followed Ning Jie around, enjoying the good food and drinks. However, Ning Jie was wary of him and wouldn't let him get within three meters of her. She would also cover her nose from time to time, which made Peng very sad.

But it doesn't matter, as long as "Folding the Moon" does well, he's ready to rise to the next level once again.

"When is Ikeno and Jin Xia's new drama airing?"

At the Douyin event, Sheng Ning, who had just finished an interview, lit a cigarette and remembered this incident.

"Number 5, after us, it'll be here soon."

Peng Chen sat obediently three meters away and responded with a shout.

Sheng Ning glanced at him with her phoenix eyes: "Has his album been released? How's it going?"

"...?"

Although he didn't understand why Sheng Ning was paying attention to this, Peng Chen still told the truth: "It was just released today... It's alright, the overall sales are quite high."

"How does it compare to Yu Yan's?"

"...half the difference."

Sheng Ning nodded in satisfaction, her eyes narrowing comfortably: "That's good."

……

That's good.

Chi Ye's album "Jiangnan" and Yu Yan's new album were officially released today.

"Jiangnan" includes ten songs, while Yu Yan's version has twelve. The price is slightly higher than Chi Ye's, but not by much—and that's not why it can't outsell Yu Yan's version.

Yes, after the previous "failure", Yu Yan's fans not only spent a lot of money to buy "Meteor", but also made the sales of "Meteor" reach 200 million, completely breaking the personal historical record that Yu Yan had previously created.

The album's sales have been phenomenal, reaching 80 million copies to date, while Ikeno's album sales are just about to surpass 40 million.

In addition, "Someday or One Day" has not yet broken the 100 million sales mark because after that day, pirated singles of "Someday or One Day" were everywhere. Apart from fans, ordinary people could just listen to it and that was enough. Why would they continue to spend money on Chi Ye?
Therefore, Chi Ye's singles and albums are currently lagging behind Yu Yan's by a factor of two.

And this lag, barring any unforeseen circumstances, will continue to extend and increase indefinitely.

This is the norm for a top-tier player against someone like Ikeno, and this is his true "strength".

Those in the industry believe that things have finally returned to the "world" everyone knows, but... why is Ikeno so quiet this time? Isn't he taking the opportunity to continue his hype and piggybacking on the trend?
This is not normal.

Did they give up because they saw the gap was too big?
--not at all.

On the 5th, the day "My Love from the Star" aired.

Ikeno didn't try to ride the wave of popularity this time because he felt he had done what he needed to do. Now all he had to do was wait, relax, and enjoy his last moments of being a "flop".

While I'm at it, I'll also take a look at my career plan for next year and see what all the papers that are handed to me.

"Teacher Chi, the title of this script is a bit strange. Did you write it?"

It was 7:20 PM.

This summer, staring at the blank script in Chi Ye's hand and the name he had just written on the paper, she asked curiously, "Did you write this?"

"No, it's the script from the special effects team that outsourced the post-production of 'My Love from the Star.' I'll help revise it."

As Chi Ye spoke, he turned on the TV and tuned it to Tomato TV: "Are you interested?"

"Hmm...this name is a bit strange, 'Train to Busan'?" Jin Xia wondered. "Isn't that the name of a city in South Korea?"

"I just wrote it randomly." Ikeno casually put down the script, indicating, "The first episode is about to air."

"Really? Quick, turn the volume up!"

This summer, I paused for a moment, then straightened my back and looked expectantly at the Oriental Theater, which had already started advertising: "Starlight shines brightly, love is eternal! The Oriental Theater presents the blockbuster 'My Love from the Star,' a deep affection spanning 1,700 years, lighting up your heart-fluttering night during the golden hour!"

The first episode of "My Love from the Star" has been released.

……

"A deep affection spanning a thousand years and seven hundred years... What an exaggerated advertisement." A residential building in southern Hunan.

After getting off work, Liu Xiaoxiao ordered a simple bowl of spicy hot pot and went downstairs to buy a Coke. As soon as she sat back down, she heard the advertising slogan coming from the TV that had been turned on all along, and she couldn't help but chuckle.

She's no longer a fan of Hua Yichen, but... well, she's half a fan of Chi Ye. About two weeks ago, she even bought Chi Ye's single "Want to See You".

The reason it's only half is that she can't "get over" that mental hurdle in the short term.

The promotional campaign for "My Love from the Star" was very aggressive, so she had been paying close attention to the show. She went home early after get off work today to "test the waters."

However, given the subject matter and the advertisements, she found it difficult to imagine what kind of drama it was.

The phrase "seventeen hundred years of deep affection" just sounds a bit cheesy...

Liu Xiaoxiao muttered to herself, but didn't change the channel, because at that moment a familiar OST—"Want to See You"—was playing on the TV.

And the opening sequence of "My Love from the Star"—

403 AD, Eastern Jin Dynasty.

The wind raged through the mountains and forests, blowing the trees to their sides.

Professor Chi was dressed in ancient costume, with a tall and straight posture, a cold and stern face, and a sense of alienation in his eyes that seemed to belong to another world.

He looked up at the night sky, his deep eyes reflecting the unidentified flying object that seemed to descend like a dream.

A deep blue light streaked across the sky, as if carrying a mission, beginning his long 1700-year life on Earth.

As Ikeno's familiar voice sang, the OST played, and the scenes changed rapidly like a fast-forwarded history scroll.

The city's appearance has been constantly changing, from the ancient streets of the Eastern Jin Dynasty to the gradually emerging modern architecture, and then to the bustling and modern urban landscape of Jiangnan.

Professor Chi moved through it all the time, his appearance never changing, but the world around him was changing rapidly.

On the bustling streets, he stood alone, amidst the towering buildings. The fleeting passersby and vehicles only served to highlight his alienity and isolation on Earth.

"Wow, this is awesome?!"

Liu Xiaoxiao stopped unpacking the takeout and stared at the opening sequence with surprise and disbelief. She felt that the combination of the OST and the visuals was unexpectedly captivating.

Also...Ikeno looks so damn good in period costume!
Also, the filter, lighting, music, even the costumes and props... are so beautiful, so gorgeous, they're a whole level above other current idol dramas.

Just as Liu Xiaoxiao was pleasantly surprised, the opening scene changed to show Xu Xiaxia as a young girl—the eldest daughter of a powerful family in the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

She was frail and helpless, and the sedan chair swayed precariously in the strong wind.

Professor Chi used his superpowers to appear beside her instantly, firmly holding the sedan chair. In the instant their eyes met, the threads of fate quietly intertwined.

This scene was brief yet profound. Then the scene changed again, and the modern-day Cheon Song-yi appeared. She was dressed in gorgeous clothes and stood on a dazzling stage, radiating light, while the fans below cheered wildly.

In the urban jungle of skyscrapers, Professor Chi and Cheon Song-yi's figures inadvertently cross paths, yet they miss each other time and time again.

The subway roared past, and the crowds thronged. Professor Chi walked quietly through the crowd, while Cheon Song-yi was surrounded by her team members as they hurried along.

Until that fateful moment, the elevator doors slowly opened, and their eyes finally met in the small space.

Professor Chi remained expressionless, while Cheon Song-yi displayed her signature antics and curiosity.

The scene freezes there, and a cute blue intro appears on the screen: "Episode 1: Aliens and the Superstar".

"……interesting."

Liu Xiaoxiao forgot to unpack the package because she was already filled with intense curiosity and anticipation—this drama, the plot, and everything else seemed quite different from other domestic modern romance dramas.

……

at the same time.

Inside the hotel.

"Xiaxia is so beautiful... My god, how did the director manage to film these two so well?!"

At first, Shang Jie was marveling at Director Liu and the South Korean team's "skill." As an industry insider, she almost immediately fell in love with this "top-notch atmosphere shooting technique." Well... as the biggest fan of #SummerByThePool#, she had been waiting for "My Love from the Star" to premiere for a long time.

And "My Love from the Star" certainly did not disappoint her, in fact... it gave her an unbelievable "surprise".

Yes, what a surprise! What a wonderful surprise!

How can it be so fucking beautiful?!
At first, Shang Jie was amazed by the excellent production of "My Love from the Star" and the stunning looks of Chi Ye and Jin Xia, but later she was completely captivated by the plot of the first episode of "My Love from the Star".

Good dramas are like that; they don't go around telling people, "Just get through the first few episodes, and it gets really good from episode X onwards."

Good dramas always grab people's attention from the very beginning.

Like a spring stream that overflows your ankles, at first you only feel a cool touch and don't pay much attention. But when you realize it, the babbling water has already reached your knees, carrying shimmering waves and tiny ripples, and sweeping you into the boundless river of stories.

I'm completely absorbed in it, unable to extricate myself.

The pacing, narrative, and visuals of "My Love from the Star" are almost like a game-changer.

As the pinnacle of contemporary idol dramas, it didn't exist, and no one thought there was a ceiling to idol dramas.

Once it appears, the current era has reached its ceiling.

that is it.

The businesswoman was smitten.

Unlike domestic dramas, each episode of "My Love from the Star" is a full hour long, yet it doesn't feel long or slow-paced.

The simple first episode tells the story of Professor Chi and Xu Xiaxia's "first encounter in their past life" 1700 years ago, the male and female protagonists becoming "most familiar strangers" in modern society, as well as various emotional entanglements, character relationships, first encounter, second encounter... and suspense.

Professor Chi is a seemingly stern and unsmiling, but actually sharp-tongued and abstinent "alien" who not only has the power of money but also real superpowers.

On the surface, she appears reserved and pretentious, with extremely poor public image, but secretly she loves eating "gutter oil" and "spicy hot pot," and hides cola in her thermos. She is a top-tier celebrity.

The two had hilarious yet sweet interactions.

A classic encounter involving an elevator, mistaking someone for a fan following them, secretly hiding snacks, being caught red-handed, and being reminded not to eat smelly food in public.

Cheon Song-yi was furious. She was singing in her high-pitched, affected voice at home, and it sounded awful. Professor Chi couldn't stand it anymore and went to knock on the door to remind her to keep it down.

Furthermore… Cheon Song-yi shared snippets of her life online, but this exposed her lack of common sense in life, leading to a barrage of attacks from haters. In an effort to salvage her image, she had to go to university to “take classes,” only to find that Professor Chi was her lecturer.

Then the second male and female leads appeared, clarifying all the relationships between the characters.

At the end of the first episode, Professor Ji and Cheon Song-yi were both lost in their memories.

Professor Chi recalled the scene of saving Xu Xiaxia 1,700 years ago, while Qian Songyi remembered the uncle who saved her in a critical moment more than ten years ago.

Although the two were unaware of the intricate connections between them, the gears of fate had already begun to turn.

The one-hour drama is almost non-stop entertainment, showcasing the interesting character backgrounds, past and present lives of the male and female leads, as well as suspense and a "sci-fi" feel.

--Finish.

When the progress bar jumped to the first episode of an old drama, Sister Shang finally came to her senses, dumbfounded: "Wait... that's it?!"

"They're only airing one episode for the premiere?! Ikeno, that's outrageous!"

She was furious and wanted to call Chi Ye, but then she thought that it would be pointless to call.

and…

How can "My Love from the Star" be so good?!
The character designs for the male and female leads are simply out of line!

They are exactly like Ikeno and Natsumi in real life!
Hmm… Aside from his sharp tongue, face, and physique, Professor Chi doesn't seem to resemble her much, but this summer…

Cheon Song-yi is practically modeled after Xia Xia!

"So it really was a script written specifically for her..."

Shang Jie muttered blankly, feeling a sense of unease—something was wrong, this drama…

and many more.

She suddenly realized.

—Even she, an industry insider, felt this way after watching the first episode of "My Love from the Star," so what about the ordinary viewers...?

Wow, this show might be a hit.

She realized something and quickly opened Weibo, only to find that Weibo was currently flooded with posts about "My Love from the Star".

(End of this chapter)