Peninsula: I can steal the luck of disgraced celebrities

September 3, 2011, evening.

The Dream High crew released the crew before 8 p.m.

Director Li Yingfu's voice was hoarse when he waved people away.

Lin Chih-hsun had just unlocked the door and hadn't even turned on the light when he heard hurried footsteps behind him.

"Hurry! There are only twenty minutes left!"

Ham Eun-jung, carrying two large plastic bags printed with the fried chicken shop's logo, squeezed into the room like a gust of wind.

She tossed the bag onto the folding table and expertly pulled out a chair to sit down.

"Why don't you close the door properly?" Bae Suzy's voice came from outside the door.

She was wearing an oversized gray hooded sweatshirt and carrying a stainless steel basin filled with washed strawberries.

Lee Ji-eun followed behind Suzy, carrying four large bottles of Coke in her hands. Her down jacket was zipped up to the top, revealing only her eyes.

Lin Zhixun glanced at the three uninvited visitors and casually closed the door.

"So, why is my room like a public toilet, where anyone can just walk in?"

"Why so many whys!" Eun-jung said without looking up as she unpacked the fried chicken. "What? You're not convinced?"

Lin Zhixun sighed helplessly, "I wouldn't dare."

Lin Zhixun walked to the foot of the bed and pressed the switch on the old-fashioned CRT television.

The KBS logo flashed on the screen.

The four people sat down around the folding table.

Lim Ji-hoon sat on the edge of the bed, Suzy sat to his left against the wall, Eun-jung occupied the center position facing the screen, and IU moved a small stool to sit on the far right.

The room wasn't big, and the aroma of fried chicken mixed with the warmth of the heating made it a bit stuffy.

Suzy placed the strawberry bowl in the center of the table and reached for the remote control to adjust the volume.

Her movements were natural, as if she were in her own room.

IU picked up a French fry and stuffed it into her mouth, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards the wall behind Suzy.

The Girls' Generation poster was quietly displayed there.

The smiles of the nine members of Girls' Generation are still radiant.

IU remembers very clearly that on New Year's Eve, the bottom right corner of the poster was curled up.

Now it's stuck on tightly, with even two extra strips of transparent tape pressed against the edges.

She glanced at Suzy, then at Lim Ji-hoon.

Suzy had just finished eating a strawberry and took out a tissue to wipe her hands.

The tissue box was originally placed at the far end of Lin Zhixun's bedside table. Suzy didn't even turn her head; she just reached out and grabbed it.

IU quietly lowered her head and took a sip of cola.

She thought to herself: Suzy knows exactly where Lim Ji-hoon keeps his things.

"It's starting!" Eun-jung slapped his long legs.

The image cuts to the television screen.

The film opens with a fast-paced montage of interviews with Representative Pei, many years later, after the main characters have become famous.

The scene changes.

He was a country boy wearing clothes made of urea bags and with messy hair.

The camera moves from the back of the boy's head to his front.

There was no elaborate makeup, and no idol filter.

Those eyes stared straight at the camera, carrying a wild, untamed quality, before they grinned, revealing a simple yet sly smile.

He spoke fluent and authentic Gyeongsang dialect.

The room was silent for two seconds.

"Daibak..." Eun-jung even forgot to throw away the chicken bone in her hand. "Ji-hoon, you have to compensate me for the emotional distress caused by watching this video."

"I think it's fine," IU said softly.

That was the first thing she said tonight.

Looking at the rustic-looking boy on the screen, she found it hard to connect him with the man sitting on the edge of the bed in front of her, exuding laziness and composure.

This contrast is fatal to the audience.

As the montage ends, Representative Bae begins to reminisce about the past, and the story officially begins.

Scenes of Go Hye-mi being pursued by debt collectors because her father went bankrupt are shown.

Suzy stared at the screen, her body involuntarily leaning forward.

In the scene, Gao Huimei has a cold face and speaks rudely to Boss Ma.

"Oh my, Suzy," Eunjung mumbled, biting into a piece of fried chicken, "your acting is nothing like someone who's acting for the first time."

Suzy gave a professional fake smile: "That's because Director Lee Eung-bok taught me well."

"It's really good." Lin Zhixun leaned against the headboard, his gaze fixed on the screen. "For a first-time actor to be this good, he might be able to transition into a serious actor in the future."

Suzy turned her head and glanced at him. "That's too far."

Most South Korean idols are self-aware, and even if they go into acting, they mostly film idol dramas.

This is partly due to South Korea's strict hierarchical system, where actors hold a higher status than idols.

If they are Chungmuro ​​actors and idols, then they are beings from two completely different worlds.

When Suzy heard Lin Zhixun's outrageous words, the shame she felt from her inexperienced acting skills suddenly dissipated considerably.

She picked up a strawberry, popped it into her mouth, and bit off half of it.

The end credits song began to play.

The first episode has officially ended.

Eun-jung let out a long sigh, crushed the empty Coke can, and threw it into the trash bag.

"What do you think the ratings will be?"

This is the most crucial issue tonight.

The fate of Korean dramas hinges on these few numbers.

"The competition in the same period is very strong."

Lim Ji-hoon sat up straight, took a tissue to wipe his hands, and said, "SBS has 'Athena: Goddess of War' starring Jung Woo-sung and Soo Ae, and MBC has 'Queen of Reversals' starring Kim Nam-joo. Both of these are big productions, and their viewership ratings are generally above 15%."

"Our drama is a collaboration between JYP and Bae Yong-joon," Eun-jung retorted. "It should at least break 10%, right?"

"The first episode was tough." Suzy was very clear-headed. "The plot is still being set up, and the main characters haven't all been assembled yet."

"How about we make a bet?" Eun-jung's competitive spirit flared up, and she slammed her hand on the table. "If the ratings break 10% tomorrow, Lin Zhixun, you treat us to a barbecue!"

"Why should I pay?" Lin Zhixun raised an eyebrow.

"Because you're so ugly that I'm disgusted."

Eun-jung was unreasonable but also very assertive.

"Okay." Lin Zhixun smiled.

He had originally wanted to treat Eun-jung to a meal because she helped him with his dance practice.

Adding two more people wouldn't be too much, after all, Eun-jung had treated him to a meal before.

"What if it doesn't break 10%?"

"Then I'll..." Eun-jung's eyes darted around, "...forgive you for peeking at my New Year's Eve wishes!"

"...So you still remember."

"Nonsense, it's only been less than three days!"

As the four of them joked and played around, night fell.

After finishing the fried chicken, the strawberries were all gone.

The three girls cleaned up the trash and went back to their rooms.

Suzy walked last.

She stood at the door and glanced back at Lin Zhixun.

"Song Sendong is quite handsome."

After saying that, she closed the door.

The room fell completely silent.

Lin Chih-hsun pushed the folding table back to its original position and walked to the wall.

He reached out and touched the Girls' Generation poster.

The tape was applied very firmly.

This was posted by Lin Chih-hsun on the first day of the new year, just to prevent them from coming over again.

It seems that being prepared is always better than being caught off guard.

He smiled, turned around, and went into the bathroom to wash up.

……

The next morning.

The snow in Incheon has stopped, and the sky is overcast.

Lin Zhixun was woken up by Suzy's cheers from next door.

He sat up groggily and shouted at the childhood poster:

"Suzy, what's all the excitement about so early in the morning!"

From across the wall came Soo-ji's excited voice.

"Shihoon! The data is in!"

Lin Zhixun rubbed his eyes and yawned. "How much?"

On the other side of the wall, Soo-ji took a deep breath and called out a number.