My Girlfriend’s Fortune: 3,141,592,653,589

TL: Aniea

└ 5 minutes before <Since the Fun is Ruined, I'll Take Responsibility> begins.

└ Why is the title like that? Is this a sitcom or something?

└ ㄴㄴ It's a drama. I don't really know about the title either. But since Seo Jun-woo and Choi Kang-hee are in it, I'm just going to watch it without questioning.

└ Sure~ I'm watching 2725. From last week's preview, it looks like the male and female leads are finally getting together in episode 15. Must. Watch. Live.

Social media and internet communities were more fired up than usual.

The reason? None other than dramas.

On one side, fans were excited about the news that two of Korea’s top actors, Seo Jun-woo and Choi Kang-hee, were teaming up.

On the other side, it was the final week for the drama, <Twenty-Seven Twenty-Five> abbreviated as 2725, a drama so popular in Korea that you'd be called a spy if you didn't know about it.

Originally, <Since the Fun is Ruined, I'll Take Responsibility> was supposed to naturally take over 2725's spot in terms of ratings. However, an unexpected variable appeared.

└ You drama newbies, lol.

└ Ikr. Obviously, we should watch <Peaceful Chaebol Life>.

└ I can't even count how many times I’ve rewatched the preview and script reading scenes. It’s been ages since I sat in front of the TV waiting for a live broadcast.

└ FR lol

That variable was <Peaceful Chaebol Life> starring Kang Woo-ju.

The previously released preview and script reading footage had garnered so much attention that it climbed the SNS trending videos list, throwing the anticipated ratings battle into chaos.

└ Which show do you think will get the highest ratings?

└ Honestly, 2725 probably won't surpass last week’s peak rating of 7%. Realistically, it’s a showdown between <Since the Fun is Ruined, I'll Take Responsibility> and <Peaceful Chaebol Life>.

└ Come on, let’s compare apples to apples. <Since the Fun is Ruined, I'll Take Responsibility> is airing on a major network with a star-studded lineup, it’s a guaranteed hit. That other one’s on cable with a bunch of complete rookies.

└ Are you ignoring Kim Young-ho right now?

└ No, that guy's a different story;

As the broadcast time approached, the debate grew fiercer. For viewers eagerly awaiting the dramas, this kind of speculation was half the fun.

However, there were people who didn’t find it fun at all and instead were nervously swallowing dry gulps. Those were none other than the production team of <Since the Fun is Ruined, I'll Take Responsibility>.

“Damn it, their show might’ve been thrown together last minute, but we spent over 5 billion won just on casting fees! We cannot lose!”

Tap- Tap- Tap-

Director Jang, who worked for MBS, couldn’t hide his anxiety, biting his nails as he spoke.

His bloodshot eyes were already glued to the ratings graph displayed on one corner of the broadcasting station.

“Director, please calm down for now.”

"How can I calm down right now!? If this drama fails, not only me but my whole family's livelihood will be cut off for a while!"

“.......”

“And Jun-woo, don’t think this has nothing to do with you. This will tarnish your profile too! Besides, that Kang Woo-ju guy is your classmate, isn’t he? Doesn’t this piss you off?”

Sigh-

At Director Jang’s words, Seo Jun-woo let out a deep sigh.

He’d known this man ever since his first step into the broadcasting station, but no matter how many times he witnessed it, he could never get used to the director’s over-the-top dramatics.

‘…Well, he’s not entirely wrong.’

Kang Woo-ju.

These days, his name kept popping up here and there.

It wasn’t just in their old classmates' group chat, but also in chats with the student council and alumni groups, his name was mentioned over and over to the point where ignoring it was impossible.

‘Even back in school, he was someone I couldn’t help but pay attention to.’

There were some strange rumors circulating about him back then, but most of them turned out to be false.

Seo Jun-woo already knew the truth, thanks to an incident he’d heard about during a faculty dinner he’d attended back in their school days.

Apparently, Kang Woo-ju had refused to pay membership fees, claiming there was a lack of transparency in how the funds were being used.

As a result, he became a target for criticism. But instead of backing down, he pushed back hard, making the situation even worse.

‘He supposedly gathered all kinds of evidence and reported it to the education office, didn’t he?’

Thanks to that, the entire school was turned upside down, and a massive audit of the accounting records of every student association, including the general student council, was launched.

As a result, the embezzlement and corruption that had long been tacitly tolerated within the associations were fully exposed. This led to an unprecedented situation where over 90% of the student association presidents at the time were expelled from the university.

Naturally, the scandal became a hot topic in newspapers, and the university faced tremendous humiliation. Enraged, the professors and the associations began a 'hunt for the culprit'.

The education office, tired of dealing with their anger, quietly leaked the name of the whistleblower. That name was none other than Kang Woo-ju.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

‘I never really paid attention to him since we didn’t have much in common…’

At the time, Seo Jun-woo was rarely on campus due to his packed schedule with drama and commercial shoots.

As such, it was rare for him to even see Kang Woo-ju’s face, let alone interact with him. And on the few occasions they crossed paths, they barely exchanged polite nods.

‘I never thought I’d run into him here.’

The entertainment industry is a world that runs on strict networks and the logic of capital. It’s common for professors to pick students they like and directly place them into projects.

But who could have guessed that someone like Kang Woo-ju, a student disliked by every professor and someone who had even taken a leave of absence due to lack of funds, would secure a lead role in a drama and end up face-to-face with him?

“...Interesting.”

“What?”

At Seo Jun-woo’s words, which escaped almost unintentionally, Director Jang’s eyebrows shot up reflexively.

However, their relationship wasn’t one of superior and subordinate. Seo Jun-woo, who had built up a strong portfolio and reputation since his days as a child actor, wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.

“Why don’t we just wait and see? The live broadcast hasn’t even started yet. We didn’t rush through production on our show to the point where we’d lose to something thrown together at the last minute.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Both shows are starting now. There’s no need to complain until we see the results. Let’s observe with patience for now.”

“Y-yeah, I guess…”

Reluctantly nodding at the underlying confidence in Seo Jun-woo’s tone, Director Jang stepped back.

Successfully silencing the nuisance, Seo Jun-woo sat down and crossed his legs.

He alternated his gaze between the two monitors displaying <Since the Fun is Ruined, I'll Take Responsibility> and <Peaceful Chaebol Life> as he stroked his chin.

‘Kang Woo-ju, Kang Woo-ju…’

Watching Kang Woo-ju’s face fill the screen in his first appearance, Seo Jun-woo quietly raised the corners of his lips.

***

“Wow, the squid is seriously so good.”

“There’s cheese balls and skewered sausages too.”

“Popcorn is a classic when it comes to the theater.”

The production team waiting for the screening was busy chatting while stuffing various snacks into their mouths.

This wasn’t a typical movie screening. It was more of a celebratory gathering mixed with a company dinner, and there were no other audiences present.

As a result, the atmosphere wasn’t at all quiet like in a normal movie theater. It was as lively as a World Cup viewing party, with everyone laughing and talking freely.

“Oh!?”

“It’s starting!”

“Wow, my heart’s pounding.”

Kyaaah-!

Screams erupted as the drama they had painstakingly created appeared on the giant screen.

Even though they all already knew the full content of the drama, not a single person could take their eyes off the screen.

The massive screen that filled their field of vision and the majestic sound system that felt like being on set completely captivated them.

"...They even did the upscaling perfectly."

The cinematographer, who had been watching the screen, couldn’t help but express his admiration. He understood better than anyone just how impressive this feat was.

Each type of camera has a recommended resolution, and IMAX cameras are entirely separate and specialized.

With the exorbitant cost of such equipment, it’s obvious that standard broadcasting cameras can’t compete. That’s where 'upscaling' (image quality enhancement) comes into play.

‘It’s a technique often used in actual films.’

Even in IMAX movies, not every scene is shot with an IMAX camera. Or rather, it’s more accurate to say it can’t be.

Because of this, only a few key scenes are shot with IMAX-specific cameras, while the rest either have their resolution changed or undergo upscaling.

The reduced quality from the stretched resolution is then corrected during post-production to make it appear seamless.

So, when they first heard the drama would be screened in an IMAX theater, they were initially skeptical.

‘Of course, it’s not like the edited parts are completely invisible…’

From the perspective of the average viewer, though, the adjustments were so smooth that you’d never notice unless you were specifically looking for them. The people around were simply exclaiming in awe.

The first episode had been finalized only a few days ago. In such a short time, how much manpower and resources must have been poured in to achieve this level of upscaling?

‘Supporting from behind the scenes really is on another level when you’re the owner of a conglomerate like Mirae Group.’

Crunch- Crunch-

The cinematographer stifled an incredulous laugh by chewing on his popcorn.

He decided that since things had already turned out this way, he might as well stop overthinking and enjoy the experience like everyone else.

After all, getting to see a project he had worked on screened in an IMAX theater was a fresh and unprecedented experience, one that might never happen again.

“Director, look over there! Our ratings have already hit 7%!”

On one corner of the screen, a small number displayed the real-time viewership ratings.

This was a feature coordinated by Kim Eun-ha and Kang In-ho ahead of time, linked with a broadcasting station staff member to allow real-time updates.

“...Hmm. That’s a bit ambiguous.”

“Ambiguous? We’re on cable, and we’ve just started! A 7% rating is insane! The only way now is up!”

“It’s good to be confident, but you can’t predict the market’s evaluation until you see the results. I wonder what the ratings for MBS are right now?”

“Well, if we’ve snatched up 7%, it’s obvious. <Twenty-Seven Twenty-Five> is in its final build-up, so they’ll probably get around 10%. That means they will be stuck at 3-4%, don’t you think?”

“Oho, as expected from Writer Jung. Such precise analysis.”

“Huh?”

Swoosh-

Director Kang In-ho suddenly held out his phone toward Jung Ha-rin, who was tilting her head in confusion.

[Director, the current ratings for <Since the Fun is Ruined, I'll Take Responsibility> are at 3.2%.]

After confirming the message on the screen, Jung Ha-rin’s lips curved into a delighted smile. Kang In-ho, unable to hide his own joy, laughed along.

“Pfft. Director Jang’s face must be a sight to behold right now.”

“Haha. I bet it feels like a funeral over there. They went all out on their schedule planning to crush us, but now they don’t even have room for excuses.”

“Still, we can’t let our guard down. This is just the beginning.”

Kang In-ho put on a deliberately serious expression.

From the start, <Peaceful Chaebol Life> had generated far more buzz. It was only natural for its initial ratings to be higher.

The real question was whether they could hold onto those curious viewers and keep them watching. If they failed, the ratings could flip in just five minutes.

‘Of course, I don’t think that’s going to happen.’

Looking at Kang Woo-ju’s face on the screen gave him a sense of reassurance. The actor’s uniquely cold and commanding presence transcended dimensions, overwhelming the audience.

There was no narration.

No background music.

Not even any dialogue.

It was just a slow, distant close-up of Kang Woo-ju staring out over Seoul’s nighttime cityscape through a glass window.

“.......”

“.......”

Even that was enough to make the previously noisy theater fall completely silent. The production team, despite already knowing the full content of the first episode, couldn’t help but be drawn in by Kang Woo-ju’s magnetism.

As the close-up finally ended, the screen was filled with Kang Woo-ju’s expressionless face.

Then, very slowly. Ever so slowly.

His lips began to move. The motion was so faint it felt suffocating to watch, almost like it was choking the air out of the room.

Smirk-

At the moment his wine-stained lips finally formed a complete smile, the entire screen gradually darkened and the title appeared.

“...Whew.”

"...Still gives me chills even watching it again."

"...Seeing it on the big screen makes it even more overwhelming somehow. I literally couldn't breathe while watching."

As the title appeared on the screen, everyone collectively released the breaths they had been holding.

Even though they had seen this scene several times before, the lingering impact was undeniable, leaving the audience shaking their heads in amazement.

Then, as if it had been planned, everyone’s gaze naturally shifted to one side of the screen.

“Huh?”

“What?”

“Wait, is that broken!?”

Soon, people began wearing puzzled expressions. The viewership rating number on the screen had started fluctuating wildly.

7.3%

7.4%

7.5…

As the number kept climbing without pause, everyone stared in stunned silence, their mouths agape. Even Kang In-ho and Jung Ha-rin were caught off guard, blinking in confusion.

The shocking number kept climbing, seemingly without an end, leaving the audience in disbelief. By the time it finally stopped, a significant amount of time had passed since the opening scene.

“...11.4%!?”

Kang In-ho shouted in disbelief, his voice booming through the previously silent theater.

“Woooaaahhh-!!”

“We actually did it!”

“Kang Woo-ju! Kang Woo-ju! Kang Woo-ju!”

Soon, the theater erupted into deafening cheers. Without exception, everyone stood up from their seats, giving a standing ovation.

Kang In-ho and Jung Ha-rin hugged each other tightly, shouting with joy. They turned toward the back of the theater, searching for the protagonist to share this moment with.

“Huh?”

But no matter how hard they looked, the star of the day was nowhere to be found. The seat where they thought Kang Woo-ju had been sitting was empty.

“...Where did he go?”

“If you’re talking about Kang Woo-ju, he left a while ago.”

“What!? When did that happen…?”

“I bumped into him when I went to the restroom earlier. He said something urgent had come up, so he had to leave. Judging by the circumstances, it’s probably something related to CEO Kim Eun-ha.”

“Oh my…”

Jung Ha-rin covered her mouth with her hand, trying to suppress the smile that kept creeping onto her face. Her gaze lingered on the empty seat where Kang Woo-ju had been sitting.

“They really are a peculiar couple, aren’t they?”

“Indeed they are.”

Pfft-

Jung Ha-rin and Kang In-ho exchanged a glance and burst out laughing at the same time.

Afterward, as if nothing had happened, they turned their attention back to the screen. The smiles on their faces, however, refused to fade.