Chapter 171: Internet reaction.
[Casting Boat Shatters Its Own Ratings Record Again, Reaching Its Peak with Episode 8]
[The Secret Weapon Hidden Until Episode 7—Who Is the Korean Actor, Yu Myeong?]
[What It Truly Means to Respect Acting: Casting Boat Viewers Moved to Tears]
[Not Contestant vs. Contestant, but Contestant vs. Judge? Will Yu Myeong Choose Derek's Class?]
[Hitmaker Dennis Milton's Bold Gamble Pays Off—Dedicating Thirty Minutes of an Audition Show to a Single Actor]
[Casting Boat's Popularity Sends TW Stock Climbing Daily. Will the Network Break into the Top Five?]
The following day, America's entertainment newspapers, magazines, and television programs were flooded with stories about Casting Boat.
The show had been overflowing with headlines from the very beginning.
The grand prize—a role in Kyler Unshaw's next film.
The overwhelming star power of Natalie Kassen and Derek McCurdy.
Now there was something else.
An astonishing editorial decision to devote thirty uninterrupted minutes to a single contestant.
And the contestant at the center of it all—
Yu Myeong.
This, too, had been Dennis Milton's carefully calculated masterstroke.
"Susan, if you can guarantee it's entertaining, breaking the format is actually the better choice."
"A format that's never existed before is newsworthy by itself."
"And if it's entertaining on top of that?"
"The audience calls it innovative."
"They call it fresh."
"Of course..."
"If it isn't entertaining, people will just say you made a reckless mistake and tear you apart."
And in 2007, Facebook and Twitter—both still rapidly emerging social media platforms—accelerated the phenomenon even further.
Eric Dweger @dweger_free
Watching yesterday's episode of Casting Boat gave me chills. If I'd been there myself, I honestly think I would have run onto the stage too. "The actor who summons actors" is the perfect nickname for him. Starting today, I'll remember the name Yu Myeong.
(1,523 Retweets)
Sara R. @upcaliptus_0
Casting Boat has been incredible lately. Especially yesterday... wow.
Watching his performance, melodies kept flooding into my head. I was going crazy because I needed to write them down before I forgot them, but I couldn't stop watching the episode.
Even after rewatching the recording, new musical ideas keep coming.
Starting today, I'm his fan.
He's my muse.
(894 Retweets)
Actors and singers took to social media, describing the inspiration they had drawn from his performance.
P. Palace @ppapapapalace
Oh my God.
I want him to become Palace's next model.
I've already come up with one hundred and fifty designs inspired by him.
(490 Retweets)
conspiracist @weliveingame
The Casting Boat production team suggested that one contestant might secretly be an "agent."
As conspiracy theorists, we'd like to offer another possibility.
What if he isn't an agent from a rival company or the government...
...but an alien sent to conquer Earth by enchanting humanity?
Why?
Because I've already watched Episode 8 eleven times.
(2,049 Retweets)
Celebrities openly expressed interest in him.
Influential opinion leaders across every social media platform shared their impressions.
There were, naturally, occasional negative comments.
"Monkey, go home."
"Are they rigging the winner?"
But those voices were buried beneath an overwhelming wave of praise.
People weren't responding only to his acting.
They had witnessed the process.
An actor's passion.
An actor's relentless effort.
A leader who elevated everyone around him.
That was what truly resonated.
"Hello."
"Did you happen to watch Casting Boat last night?"
"Of course!"
"It's my favorite show these days."
"But... where are you from?"
"I'm a reporter with The Friendship Daily, a Korean newspaper."
"I'm covering local reactions here in America."
"Wow."
"So you're from his country."
"He's incredible."
On Hollywood Boulevard, Yoon Jin Seong stopped pedestrians one after another, conducting street interviews.
The previous evening, he'd spoken with the Culture Department editor.
Although it was still before dawn in Korea, the editor had sounded wide awake as he demanded an immediate report on Episode 8.
"Chief..."
"The final thirty minutes of Episode 8 were devoted entirely to Yu Myeong."
"Not mixed in between other contestants?"
"They really aired thirty uninterrupted minutes?"
"They literally framed it as a documentary titled, 'Why We Hid Contestant Yu Myeong for Seven Episodes.'"
"The reaction online in America is unbelievable."
"...What?"
"You're serious?"
The editor practically shouted over the phone.
"Derek McCurdy and Natalie Kassen didn't just praise him."
"They both came onto the stage saying they wanted to act with him."
"He was the only contestant they did that for."
"...Damn."
"What about Hyo Jun?"
"Hyo Jun..."
"...got absolutely destroyed this time."
"And both teams happened to perform the exact same script."
"Hyo Jun's team..."
"...against Yu Myeong's."
"...I've got goosebumps."
"Did Yu Myeong win?"
"Win?"
"It wasn't even close."
"He knocked him out the moment the bell rang."
The editor fell silent.
"How many headlines have you got?"
"Dozens."
"But the urgent ones are—"
Casting Boat Airs Thirty Minute Yu Myeong Special
Yu Myeong Brings Derek McCurdy and Natalie Kassen Onto the Stage
Yu Myeong Scores Knockout Victory Over Hyo Jun
Yu Myeong Showered with Praise for Outstanding Leadership on Casting Boat
Yu Myeong Declined a Casting Boat Seed and Entered from the First Preliminary?
"Once online reactions really start coming in, there'll be plenty more."
"...Declined a seed?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It came up during the broadcast."
"They offered Yu Myeong a seeded position before the competition."
"He personally turned it down so he could compete from the first preliminary."
The editor swallowed hard.
"...Wow."
"...Seriously..."
"...Whew."
"All right."
"You're going to have a rough day."
"Don't waste time polishing anything."
"Just write rough drafts and send them over immediately."
"We'll edit them here, publish the breaking news online first, then make it the evening edition's headline."
"Yes, Chief."
"We'll have the overseas desk help back up the online coverage."
"Don't worry about that."
"Starting tomorrow, focus entirely on local American reactions."
"Street interviews are good."
"If you can talk to industry people, even better."
"If you need anything, ask."
"Understood!"
"Email me the recording first."
"Then get back to work."
"Yes, sir!"
And so Jin Seong had spent the previous night writing more than ten articles.
He had flown for over ten hours.
Watched the broadcast immediately after arriving.
Then gone straight into writing.
Yet the adrenaline pumping through him after watching Yu Myeong's performance left him wide awake.
Every article I write is guaranteed traffic!
A rookie reporter.
He had landed his first headline through sheer luck with Peter Pan.
Now...
Yu Myeong had handed him another golden opportunity.
To Jin Seong, Yu Myeong was practically a winning lottery ticket.
Then, while conducting random street interviews along Hollywood Boulevard...
He hit the lottery once again.
Wait...
Isn't that Moon Yu Seok from Good Enter?
Among the countless ethnicities crowding the streets of Los Angeles, one Korean man stood out effortlessly.
His proportions rivaled any Western model's.
His fashion sense was unmistakable.
There was no doubt.
It was the brilliant executive from Good Enter.
He's here...
Because of Yu Myeong?
Jin Seong immediately shoved his way through the crowd and sprinted after him.
"Excuse me."
"Are you Mr. Moon Yu Seok, by any chance?"
Yu Seok turned at the unexpected sound of his name being called on a street in Los Angeles.
Standing there was an utterly ordinary young man.
Polo shirt.
Glasses.
Someone who looked like he'd only recently entered the workforce.
Who...?
Although he didn't recognize him, Yu Seok greeted him with his usual composed smile.
"That's right."
"And you are?"
"My name is Yoon Jin Seong."
"I'm a culture reporter for The Friendship Daily."
"We've never met personally..."
"...but do you remember the exclusive article about Peter Pan?"
"I wrote that piece."
"Ah..."
"The article that included Master Nam Hee Do's interview."
"Thank you."
"It was an excellent piece."
Yu Seok studied the young reporter with curiosity.
He looked inexperienced.
Almost certainly a rookie.
Yet somehow he'd managed to obtain a ticket to Peter Pan's premiere despite the press embargo.
He'd even secured an interview with a master like Nam Hee Do.
Perhaps he was far more capable than he looked.
And coming all the way to America this quickly to cover local reactions...
That kind of instinct was impressive too.
"No."
"Peter Pan truly was unforgettable."
"Mr. Moon..."
"Are you in America because of Yu Myeong?"
"Yu Myeong."
"And Hyo Jun."
"Hyo Jun is with our agency too."
"...Ah."
Right.
Jin Seong hurriedly corrected himself.
After Hyo Jun exploded in popularity during the early episodes of Casting Boat, reporters had frantically investigated his past.
Almost nothing surfaced.
Except for one fact.
He belonged to Good Enter.
"Mr. Moon..."
"Could you spare me a little time?"
"I flew here yesterday specifically to cover Casting Boat."
"If you help me just once..."
"I promise I'll repay you with a great article."
Yu Seok looked thoughtfully at the reporter bowing almost ninety degrees.
A few days earlier, Ho Cheol had sent him a list.
A list ranking every Korean media outlet according to how they had treated Yu Myeong during the weeks of criticism.
"Manager."
"Don't go easy on them."
Ho Cheol had said through gritted teeth.
Any publication marked with stars was to be permanently boycotted.
The Friendship Daily, however...
Had received high marks.
Besides...
A reporter perceptive enough to come all the way to America at a time like this...
It wouldn't hurt to earn his gratitude while he was still young.
Someone with instincts like these was bound to become important one day.
Suppressing a knowing smile, Yu Seok invited him to come along.
The young reporter's face lit up with joy.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Moon!"
"By the way..."
"Do you happen to have any connections at the LA Times?"
"These days, exchanging Korean material with local American coverage would benefit both sides."
"I could introduce you."
"...Really?"
Completely unaware that he had just wandered into the hands of one of the industry's greatest strategists...
The reporter happily followed after him.
It began online.
Members of the God Named fan community had dragged themselves out of bed before dawn, waiting for the live broadcast despite knowing they couldn't watch it themselves.
Some jokingly pinched their own thighs out of frustration.
The busiest thread of all belonged to the user King Taejong Lover, who was providing live updates.
By dawn...
The chat room was already packed.
(Host): I wish I could livestream it on Afreeca for everyone... but America's internet is way too slow. T_T
It's okay!
We're grateful you're updating us at all!
Then...
Thirty minutes before the broadcast...
She suddenly stopped typing altogether.
Hyo Jun had just been thoroughly criticized by Derek.
Yu Myeong's team was about to begin.
The entire chat room grew anxious.
I wanted to support Hyo Jun too, since he's Korean...
But the media kept comparing him to Yu Myeong just to tear Yu Myeong down.
It's hard to feel attached anymore.
After tonight, I have even less reason.
He doesn't seem serious about acting.
More importantly...
I hope Yu Myeong doesn't get criticized...
Wait...
Where did King Taejong Lover go?
She hasn't typed anything in ages.
Nothing happened to her... right?
Only when the broadcast was nearly over...
Did she finally return.
(Host): ...Yu... Yu Myeo... ahskdfjkl...
King Taejong Lover?!
What's wrong?
Did your computer get a virus?
(Host): Yu Myeong...
Yu Myeong...
Oh my God...
How does he keep doing this to me...
Yu Myeong... Yu Myeong... T_T
Aaaah!
Use actual words!
You're killing us!
(Host): Sorry...
I completely lost my mind for a while.
They aired a thirty minute Yu Myeong special.
...What???
You didn't fall asleep and dream that, did you?
How does an audition show have a special episode for one contestant?
(Host): It's true.
Apparently everything up through Episode 7 was planned from the beginning.
They said an impossibly gifted contestant had appeared...
Natalie even went up on stage because she wanted to act with Yu Myeong...
WHAT?!
You're kidding... right? T_T
Yu Myeong! T_T
I want to fly to America right now!!
(Host): Derek too!
He said Yu Myeong inspired him as an actor, walked onto the stage himself, switched into Yu Myeong's role...
He just kept praising him over and over...
D...
Derek McCurdy?!
asdfghjkl;;;
I...
I'm shaking...
I can't even type...
(Host): They also replayed his first and second preliminary performances.
The editing before had been completely misleading.
In reality he absolutely crushed everyone with his acting.
Then in the team assignment he dragged his entire team up to create the best performance of the round.
His interpretation of the script was unbelievable...
I can't even explain it properly.
Anyway...
Every judge completely fell for him.
...
That became the spark.
Soon, overseas social media was flooded with praise for the actor named Yu Myeong.
The moment The Friendship Daily published the first report...
News outlets everywhere rushed out special coverage of Yu Myeong's performance.
Public opinion, which had spent more than three weeks drowning in criticism and concern...
Reversed almost overnight.