NOVEL NEXT Chapter 74
[Japanese Cuisine] Episode 10 viewership rating: 41%.
This news quickly spread nationwide.
Back then, TV had an enormous influence.
It was that era when variety shows were raking in 40% ratings.
Everyone would gather every Sunday to watch the same program,
and on Mondays, they would share what had made them laugh so hard.
Breaking the 40% viewership wall meant you naturally tapped into the ‘common topic’ of everyone.
Moreover, a drama most of the public watched would naturally gain the title attached to it.
It might be a cliché name, but it was the title that represented its popularity: ‘National Drama’.
And, of course, the characters emerging from there were bound to be graced by the title of ‘National’ before their names.
And at this time, the title being attached to Kim Donghu was:
National Prince Kim Donghu has descended!
National Prince.
A name that came naturally for someone who played the crown prince so convincingly.
It’s an incredibly cringey title that makes you feel like you can’t even stretch your limbs,
but there was no better phrase to describe who Kim Donghu is at this moment.
“He’s so handsome, he’s just ridiculously handsome!”
“Where did this kid even come from…”
“A plastic surgeon said that look can’t be bought with money.”
“Of course, it’s a face sculpted by the gods; mere humans don’t stand a chance.”
In an age where words without legs can travel a thousand miles,
Kim Donghu’s recognition soared like it had wings.
The power of a 40% viewership rating.
Even those unfamiliar with dramas would at least have heard of Kim Donghu.
Perhaps that’s why people began to be curious about who Kim Donghu was.
The fan cafe saw an influx of new members,
and active posts about Kim Donghu started flooding in.
And the most popular post at the moment was:
“[Question] So, how handsome is Kim Donghu really?
Author: BCAQ152
I just joined today, so how handsome is Kim Donghu?
And I also want to know how he looks in real life, not just on TV.”
It all started with a single question.
“Seeing Kim Donghu in person makes everyone else look like squids or potatoes after that.”
“I really recommend not looking; your ideal type becomes solidified.”
“When people ask what it’s like to see Kim Donghu in person, just say it’s a rainbow reflection.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means he’s handsomer than whatever you can imagine.”
“If I ask my grandma who’s more handsome between me and Kim Donghu, she’ll say without hesitation, ‘Kim Donghu’—and I’m a triple-generation 독자!”
Fans of Kim Donghu described in various amusing metaphors just how uniquely handsome he was,
leading to some reactions being captured in articles for the giggles.
In the bubbling pot of popularity sizzling right now,
Kim Donghu’s break perfectly matched like a divine move.
At this time when people are most curious about Kim Donghu,
there have often been cases where overexerting oneself led to a drop in interest.
But what about Kim Donghu?
He declared a break.
He even rejected all entertainment appearances.
But what if there’s already a show where Kim Donghu is the only guest?
Ding ding ding!
Ding ding ding ding ding!
It was the sound of a mad rush of attention coming his way.
Ding ding ding!
Ding ding ding ding ding!
The head of the KBC cultural department frowned at the phone ringing incessantly.
“Ugh, I can’t even unplug the phone, it’s driving me crazy.”
“But it’s great! I’ve never had this many sponsorships while running a program before.”
The head of the cultural department, Kim Gijin, snorted at his subordinate’s comment.
“Always ignoring it, but the moment Kim Donghu appears, everyone’s suddenly all over it…”
It seemed so easy now, so why did they say it was so hard all this time?
Kim Gijin chuckled helplessly, realizing just how popular Kim Donghu had become.
“No wonder that Cherry Pie guy kept singing Kim Donghu, Kim Donghu!”
“Right? This time, the sponsorships we got must be the highest ever, no need for stats.”
“Anyway, we hit the jackpot! Everyone’s going crazy wanting Kim Donghu, and we got lucky.”
“True, true… If this keeps up, the ratings might suddenly jump back into double digits.”
“Haha, just hearing that makes me happy. If that happens, I might just start calling Kim Donghu ‘bro.'”
+++++
Ratings at 40%, the national prince, special fan meeting for [Eclipse], etc.
Time flew by busily, and finally, March arrived.
“Then from now! Let’s begin the Challenge! Golden Bell – Middle School Genius Special!”
I participated in [Challenge! Golden Bell].
To cut to the chase,
“Kim Donghu has! rung the Golden Bell!”
I became the last one standing and won.
“Kim Donghu is insane!”
“Handsome!”
“WANT! KIM! DONG! HU!”
Hearing my friends’ enthusiastic cheers, I tried to show my most humble face and conveyed my gratitude around.
‘Wow, it’s 2012 now.’
Not a decade,
but even a year is enough to see mountains change during these turbulent times.
With my future knowledge, the questions being asked in the Golden Bell seemed quite easy for me.
Of course, there were plenty I wouldn’t know at all if I didn’t study.
‘I seriously memorized just this for months.’
I loosely studied on the side, so all 50 questions felt like simple multiplication tables to me.
“Kim Donghu will receive a prize of five million won and a chance for overseas cultural exploration. Let’s hear your thoughts!”
As the MC continued with questions, I recited the words I had prepared just in case.
“I really wanted to ring it just once, and now that I actually did, I’m really happy.”
“I wanted to ring the bell a bit, but I’m really happy that it actually rang.”
A neat and straightforward sentiment.
The long-prepared and much-discussed [Challenge! Golden Bell] wrapped up without a hitch.
“Well, it’s funny that anything special happens in a quiz program.”
The only thing I can remember is some nonsense quiz.
“What’s the name of the high school penguins go to?”
The answer is: refrigerator.
It was such a nostalgic vibe from back in the day that I almost got goosebumps.
I can’t believe my self-control held out.
“But seriously, where should I travel abroad?”
First, I gotta hit the nationwide youth boxing tournament.
“I think I’ll head to Europe.”
It felt like this year was really pushing for me to take a break—like, they’re saying it out loud.
+++++
Time flew by again, and before I knew it, it was April.
I was heating up my preparations for the nationwide youth boxing tournament in May.
Normally, I’d be meeting various players for sparring around this time.
But after my sparring match with Kim San-soo spread like wildfire, everyone started avoiding me.
So, my opponent was always fixed.
“Dong-ho, let’s prepare for when the opponent plays really dirty today.”
Director Baek Sang-ha showed up, fully geared up.
“Playing dirty, you say?”
“Yeah, I get it, but matches aren’t always fair, beautiful, and cartoonish, you know.”
I know you’re really skilled, but I think you’d be surprised encountering these variables.
“Things like this, you only know by experiencing them once.”
After saying that, Director Baek Sang-ha called out,
“Start!”
With the ringing of the round-starting bell,
Whoosh!
He tried to hug me right away.
I tried to escape, but,
My resistance was useless against his rushing confidence in his gear.
In the end, I ended up in a clutch position with the director.
“Is the protective gear to show there’s tough kids out there?”
While I was figuring out his intentions,
Whoosh!
Director Baek Sang-ha attempted a headbutt, stopping his forehead just in front of my nose.
“Sometimes kids get so caught up in their competitiveness, they do things like this, and the biggest problem is the referee.”
Since it’s kids fighting, the referee often gives very generous calls.
So, a lot of kids end up breaking the rules, and you’ve got to watch out for that.
Just recalling past events seemed to annoy Director Baek Sang-ha,
And he continued explaining while pulling away from me.
“There are kids who use elbows… I think you’re fine since you’re in good shape, quick on your feet, and pack a good punch.”
But I just wanted to share my concern.
There are kids who win by managing the match like this and getting ahead on points.
There are kids who manage to win by running the game and winning by score difference, you know.
“Of course, it’s a really rare case.”
But how frustrating would it be if, after all rounds are over, I lost by score difference?
I nodded to Baek Sang-ha’s words.
This was definitely one of those things where you couldn’t know just because you’re skilled.
It was a database that could only come from direct experience.
It was a story that became part of me.
‘Plus, my visibility is high.’
Like Kim San-soo said.
There was also a possibility that my opponent in the boxing tournament would have some one-sided grudge against me.
I felt that I definitely needed to be careful at that moment.
“So, does that mean I won this sparring session?”
The playful words of the coach followed.
“Excuse me?”
“Since you couldn’t handle the situation, we could say you lost, right? Haha.”
I also laughed at that.
“Well, I did lose, didn’t I?”
“There are kids who are really good at headbutting, you know? They can really disguise it as a mistake! You have to be careful.”
With that, Coach Baek Sang-ha said he would take off his protective gear.
Since he had given me a warning, it was now time to really spar.
“Take a quick break.”
“Yes.”
At those words, I immediately got off the ring to check my phone.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
-[Judged to have lost due to an absurd possibility]
-[Decided that I absolutely cannot accept defeat when the road is clear!]
-[While “Sims – The Real Life” is walking this life with me as a partner, the word defeat is unacceptable!!]
-[In the first place, I need to have overwhelming destructive power to prevent such situations from arising!!!]
-[Downloading the application ‘Everyone Has a Plan, Until They Meet Me.’]
I was bombarded with angry texts from “Sims – The Real Life.”
“Hey, why are you doing this?”
Are you seriously throwing a fit just because you lost a sparring match with the coach?
“How much do you hate losing?”
Just when I was surprised by this unexpected competitive spirit, I realized something.
If my punching power increases, my opponent will be knocked out faster.
If that happens…
‘Won’t I miss another apology from San-soo?’
Ugh, if I can’t get an apology again, I feel like I’d be really sad.
I was genuinely worried.