“How much?! How much?!”

The KBC Drama Department Director practically screamed along with the others as he checked the ratings.

〈Dear Judge〉 Episode 1 Ratings: 6.2%

〈There Is Only One Culprit〉 Episode 1 Ratings: 7.8%

〈Tamhok〉 Episode 1 Ratings: 3.2%

And finally.

〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 Episode 3 Ratings: 11.6%

First-week war. 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 Victory.

“Get the press releases out before we lose momentum! Push the articles now!”

The moment KBC moved, SBC, MBS, and JTBS all followed.

[Highest Numbers in JTBS History... 〈Tamhok〉 Episode 1 Hits 3.2% “As Expected of Eun Baekhap”]

[7.8% in Just One Episode? “Yoo Jiuk and Hong Suryeon’s Perfect Chemistry” Sends Hearts Racing in 〈There Is Only One Culprit〉]

[Do Gyeoul’s “Reasonable” Sociopath Performance Drives Stable Start for 〈Dear Judge〉]

[Actress Holy Grail War “Still Firmly in First Place”... 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 Episode 3 Kiss Scene “Heating Up the Internet”]

Even if they weren’t #1 in ratings, every station aggressively pushed reasons viewers should still watch their drama.

It was only Episode 1. The core audience hadn’t settled yet. They had to provoke people somehow and pull them in.

“This is driving me insane.”

The KBC Drama Department Director pressed a hand to his forehead. The difference between Episodes 2 and 3 of 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 was only 0.5%.

It wasn’t visibly rising.

But it wasn’t visibly falling either.

“...Which means... aside from the taste-test viewers who got stolen by the other dramas in Episodes 1 and 2, new viewers are still flowing in.”

At this point, it was safe to say 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 already had a growing core fandom.

“We have to steal that ‘still #1’ keyword!”

At the Drama Department Director’s words, every employee nodded.

Because once this Holy Grail War ended, the only thing the public would remember... was first place.

* * *

I was genuinely moved that we hadn’t lost first place.

“Wow....”

Judging by the buzz and reactions, it honestly didn’t look like it would take long for 〈There Is Only One Culprit〉 to break into double-digit ratings.

But still.

Right now, I was #1.

Of course, the reactions to the other dramas were blazing hot too.

ScreenDaze (UK Drama Account) @ScreenDaze

(Eun Baekhap Crying Scene.mp4)

Unnie came to discipline the entire drama industry with visuals alone

Retrits 21K Likes 37K

WrapYourHeart (MyWomanArchive) @yeomisae

(Do Gyeoul Studying Like Her Life Depends On It.mp4)

Study motivation clip UP

Retrits 21K Likes 25K

Second Male Lead Hunters of Darkness @s2ndlover

(Yoo Jiuk & Hong Suryeon Elevator Greeting.mp4)

The second male lead disease is already hitting.... Can Korean dramas PLEASE stop making the neat guy the second lead

Retrits 12K Likes 39K

Compared to the explosive openings of the other dramas, 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 wasn’t creating shocking reactions.

But you could feel a stable audience gradually forming.

INTUBE

[Han Yeoreum’s Adorable Wink Appearing Inside Seo Eden’s Head ⎪Dongdaemun Romance] 03:11

Views 115,622

-This kind of male lead is seriously a first for me lmfao he’s insane

-Please give us more Han Yeoreum aegyo.. I need to watch this a hundred more times

-Did she finally take the glasses off?ㅠㅠ Please never put them back on again

└The Korea High Myopia Association dislikes this comment

-First drama ever that makes me smile like a proud mom every episode..^^ Their chemistry is soooo cute too~~♥︎ Jeonhwa Couple is the best!

INTUBE

[Jeon Segye Seeing Han Yeoreum Without Her Glasses >//< Cinderella Transformation Scene ⎪Dongdaemun Romance] 03:45

Views 178,221

-This scene was SO good.. Seo Eden’s acting felt real too

└2222 His acting like he couldn’t stop staring because she was too pretty was crazy good LOLOLOL

-The scene where his legs start shaking in the background was the REAL point LOLOLOL Han Yeoreum without glasses is so pretty even I started grinning like an old creep^___^

-Jeonhwa Couple, seriously, why are they both so freaking adorable TT_TT

Posts analyzing Director Byeon’s directing, GIF compilations, and comments full of anticipation for the next episode continued piling up.

mailEyeoleum DailyYeoreum

(Nam Pyeonghwa Transformation Scene.mp4)

Guys the ugly glasses are FINALLY gone SCREAMMMM

Retrits 18K Likes 31K

└Finally finally PLEASE

└This was genuinely the worst hair-makeup-coord combo in Korean drama history..(positive)

└Why is she so pretty

I kept rereading that last mention.

‘Why is she so pretty....’

My chest was heating up.

Honestly, even I was shocked while monitoring the scene. The lighting director had crammed every technique he’d built up over the years into that single moment.

“Ang.”

Apparently filming with Seo Eden had already ended, because before I knew it, Beopsun was bouncing around at my feet.

I picked up Beopsun, who was wearing a melon-bread-green dress.

‘Unnie... please look forward to it....’

If Episodes 1 through 3 of 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉 had focused on Jeon Segye, then starting from Episode 4, Nam Pyeonghwa’s growth arc as a designer would truly begin.

A heroine changing not only on the outside...

...but on the inside too.

“We’re definitely going to win, Beopsun.”

“Ang.”

The moment I thought about the promised Episode 8, a smile spread across my lips.

I hugged Beopsun tightly.

* * *

After hearing the Episode 1 ratings, Do Gyeoul smiled faintly.

‘At this rate, stable double digits by next week.’

Right now, viewers were spreading themselves across multiple dramas.

The fact that no single drama had overwhelmingly stood out yet also meant something else.

Nobody had fully made up their mind.

‘They’ll probably watch the Intube reactions first before deciding.’

At the very least, everyone would check out clips to see which drama had the hottest reactions.

Every station had surely predicted this much.

If they wanted to capture viewers, it had to be now.

That was why the 〈There Is Only One Culprit〉 side used the broken-elevator hug scene in the Episode 2 preview.

Why 〈Tamhok〉 revealed Eun Baekhap successfully infiltrating every single person around Kim Eunyoung.

And why 〈Dear Judge〉 sealed the deal with Seo Jeongwon investigating the chaebol family.

Everything was designed to force viewers into wondering what happened next.

〈Dear Judge〉 centered around the dual leads of Do Gyeoul, burning with ambition for power, and Seo Jeongwon, who wanted to crush the chaebol family beneath his feet.

From there, the story would slowly evolve into an investigation drama uncovering corruption tied to the conglomerate.

Anyone who had been obsessed with 〈Unfair Trade〉 would naturally keep following the live broadcast every week.

The promised Episode 8.

The point where viewers fully adapted to the characters, the narrative flow peaked, and the biggest emotional payoff exploded.

Do Gyeoul could confidently say 〈Dear Judge〉 would reach its absolute climax there.

The truth turned out to be that at least one of her friends had known her father was innocent all along.

They had received pleas for help over and over again, yet ignored them every single time.

And because of that, they’d continued thriving under the protection of the chaebol family’s eldest son — the real murderer.

That child had stolen everything from Do Gyeoul even before she was born.

Brilliant business ideas that should have belonged to her father.

Wealth that should have been theirs.

A rich, comfortable environment.

And now once again, they were sacrificing Do Gyeoul’s life to make it all their own.

Episode 8 would depict the moment Do Gyeoul truly resolved to begin her “real” revenge, while simultaneously achieving victory in the trial she personally handled.

A cathartic episode filled with her monologue acting as she led the trial entirely alone.

The war would be decided within three weeks.

* * *

Eun Baekhap didn’t care that 〈Tamhok〉 had the lowest ratings in this Holy Grail War.

Because in terms of attention alone, it was competing directly with 〈There Is Only One Culprit〉.

‘The public basically thinks it’s me and Hong Suryeon against that bitch and XXX anyway.’

A lot of people saw it as a two-versus-two matchup.

Ironically, that meant the more buzz 〈There Is Only One Culprit〉 generated, the more 〈Tamhok〉 would rise alongside it.

INTUBE

[Eun Baekhap’s Tears After Discovering Her Mother’s Affair ⎪Tamhok] 05:27

Views 217,112

[This Unnie Is Definitely a High Schooler She’s Lying to Us ⎪Tamhok] 2:45

Views 287,665

As if proving that point, 〈Tamhok〉 wasn’t last place in Intube views.

Ratings and buzz were fundamentally different things.

If ratings were high, buzz would naturally be high too.

But the reverse wasn’t necessarily true.

A drama could have low ratings while still dominating buzz.

Most of those dramas later became known as legendary cable masterpieces.

They simply couldn’t convert that into ratings.

‘...Well, except for that one 〈Strange Tales〉 project that bitch appeared in.’

Drinking ice-cold water, Eun Baekhap thought about the upcoming episodes.

The promised Episode 8.

A particularly important episode for the 〈Tamhok〉 team as well.

Eun Baekhap gradually wormed her way into Kim Eunyoung’s life.

Among the mothers surrounding Kim Eunyoung, she befriended the wife of the executive director — the person Kim Eunyoung most desperately wanted approval from.

Then she doted on the woman’s daughter, becoming her beloved ballet teacher.

At the same time, she repeatedly crossed paths with Kim Eunyoung’s husband at parks and bookstores he frequented, slowly engraving herself into his mind too.

Episode 8 would show Eun Baekhap’s suffocating scheme flawlessly succeeding as she systematically captured every person around Kim Eunyoung one by one.

And in the ending scene, Kim Eunyoung finally grabbed Eun Baekhap and apologized.

Eun Baekhap looked down ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) at her with an expression that could neither laugh nor cry.

Then answered:

“Instead of me... you should’ve broken your father’s legs.”

A cold verdict declaring there would be no forgiveness.

The revenge story would feed viewers exhilarating dopamine as it spiraled further and further into destruction.

Within three weeks, 〈Tamhok〉 would claim first place in buzz at the very least.

* * * 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Meanwhile, Woo Seungri — the writer of 〈There Is Only One Culprit〉 — couldn’t celebrate despite holding the highest ratings among the three dramas.

“...They changed the released script!”

Hwang Boseok truly was a top-tier writer.

He ruthlessly covered every unnecessary scene with CG, shortening filming time while simultaneously stuffing the episodes full of hooking elements.

The production cost for the CG was dragged out of Sansung Electronics.

At the same time, he used watches and smartphones to strengthen Jeon Segye’s characterization.

“...And they even pulled scenes from Episode 4 into the Episode 3 preview?”

The shot of Jeon Segye looking flustered after the kiss in last week’s preview.

That scene originally belonged to Episode 4.

Woo Seungri admired Hwang Boseok’s experience while also grinding her teeth in frustration.

“But there’s no way that pairing can create real thirst.”

Cute Jeon Segye and cute Nam Pyeonghwa.

The Jeonhwa Couple — also nicknamed the Kindergarten Couple.

She was convinced they could never generate the same heart-pounding tension as the leads of 〈There Is Only One Culprit〉.

And as proof, 〈There Is Only One Culprit〉 had prepared its trump card for the promised Episode 8.

“I’m making all three of them live together.”

Woo Seungri had written a dizzying romance-simulation setup.

“Living together with brothers... and adding a dangerous murder case on top? Nobody can resist that. Nobody.”

Hong Suryeon ends up living together with both the neat Yoo Jiuk and the indifferent Yoo Jiuk after becoming the killer’s target.

The two brothers take turns protecting her, gradually deepening their feelings in the process.

The excitement of being caught between brothers with completely different charms.

Fear of the murderer.

And despite all of it, her stubborn desire to continue pursuing her dream job as a perfumer.

Then all the incidents and accidents that naturally occur while living together under one roof.

“There are endless heart-fluttering episodes you can make from cohabitation!”

Like accidentally entering the wrong room and sleeping there.

Or opening the door while someone’s changing clothes.

Or a man who looks like he’d never cook actually being surprisingly good at it.

Or the opposite — a man who looks skilled in the kitchen but actually isn’t, yet cuts his hands trying to make your favorite dish because you once said you liked it.

“Why would anyone NOT write something this delicious?! They couldn’t even make proper use of the love triangle! Their instincts are dead!”

Woo Seungri smiled victoriously.

“The world of that writer is over now....”

From here onward, it would become the world of genius romcom writer Woo Seungri.

Within three weeks.

* * *

“Writer, we’re barely holding onto first place.”

Another peaceful day in Hwang Boseok’s studio, where birds chirped outside the window.

Kneeling on one knee beside the rocking chair Hwang Boseok sat in, Lee Saerok looked like a loyal knight.

“Everything’s unfolding exactly as you predicted....”

Even if you combined the careers of every junior writer currently challenging him head-on, they still couldn’t surpass Hwang Boseok’s years of experience.

“Mm.”

That’s right.

“Everything is flowing exactly according to my expectations....”

Hwang Boseok.

A battle-hardened veteran who had beaten down countless challengers and forced them all to kneel.

He possessed the ability to read only Episode 1 of a script...

...and already know everything that would happen by Episode 8.

“Send out some press coverage praising Seungri’s work as a once-in-a-generation romcom. Tell people they’re having the happiest dilemma trying to choose between the two leads. And as for Huimun... he’s probably under insane pressure right now. No, wait. Actually, that guy works better when he’s suffering a little.”

The skill floating above his head glowed.

<Beyond the Frame> S

“What should we do about 〈Dear Judge〉?”

“Shinseong’s project? Shinseong’s....”

He could see the flow.

“Leave it alone.”

“...Pardon?”

“Don’t touch it.”

Writer.

Director.

And—

“It already split apart from Episode 1.”

The actors too.

“A project is a living creature.”

Would they be consumed by the project?

Would they consume the project instead?

Would they seize its reins...

Or—

“That’s why we’ll win.”

Would they breathe life into it?

Hwang Boseok thought of Han Yeoreum, silently waiting for her moment.

An actress who perfectly understood the difference between holding herself back and letting loose.

An actress who understood the flow of the stage.

He had no doubt she would keep matching Seo Eden’s pace for now...

...but at a certain moment, suddenly start sprinting at full speed.

“By the way, what exactly did Sokhwan do that made Juha threaten to kill him if he ever comes to the set again? I heard he even sent a coffee truck.”

“He told her that even if the project failed, he’d personally drag it back up by the collar, so she shouldn’t worry too much.”

“Hahaha. That lunatic... if that bastard ever comes to set again, throw salt at him.”

Chuckling in satisfaction, Hwang Boseok leaned his weight back and slowly rocked the chair.

It almost looked as though all the discarded scripts he’d cut down over the years were scattered at his feet.

The corners of his lips curled upward.

A dagger hidden behind a smile.

“How could this possibly fail?”

What Hwang Boseok envisioned wasn’t the short three-week battle the other writers obsessed over.

The conclusion he intended to write...

...would come eight weeks later.

At the exact moment the drama ended.

Now that everyone’s blades had crossed—

The stabbing and slashing had only just begun.