Chapter Thirty-Three: The Gathering After XA

Page (1/3)

Entertainment Is All Around, No Pop-Up Windows
Story takes place: February, 2005
Recommended Song: Ming Dao & Chen Qiao En – Believe Again
Statement: This work is purely fictional. Please do not associate it with real people; any similarity is purely coincidental!

Yoo Jae-suk walked over, “Jiang Yihan, you did well. For your first time recording a show, your performance was impressive.”

Before Jiang Yihan could reply, Kang Ho-dong jumped in, “You really did great. When will you come record an episode of my show, Love Letter? I heard our production team has invited you. When will you join us?”

“Ah, it’s my first time recording a show, so I still have a lot to learn. I’ll need guidance from both of you seniors. As for the Love Letter recording, I’m not sure yet. I’ll have to ask my manager, but I heard it won’t be long before I join. When the time comes, I hope you’ll take good care of me, Senior Kang Ho-dong.” Jiang Yihan spoke humbly, and both Yoo Jae-suk and Kang Ho-dong genuinely liked this newcomer.

After greeting Park Kyung-lim, Chae Yeon, and Park Myung-soo, Jiang Yihan was just about to leave when Park Myung-soo called out, “We hosts are going out to eat. Are you coming?”

“Ah? Is it okay for me to join?” Jiang Yihan looked at Park Myung-soo, who had been looking after him during the show.

“Of course! You don’t have any schedule, right? If not, you can come. Kang Ho-dong and Yoo Jae-suk are coming too.” Park Myung-soo took Jiang Yihan along to catch up with the others.

When the recording began, it was already past one in the afternoon. By the time they stepped outside, the sky was completely dark. Jiang Yihan tightened his thick coat and called Li Ran, as well as Han PD from mpick, who had waited outside throughout the recording, and they followed the group.

The place they arrived at wasn’t very large—a medium-sized restaurant the group clearly frequented. They settled at the biggest table. Besides the three hosts, Park Myung-soo, Shin Jung-hwan, and a few others, most of the entertainers had to rush off for their schedules. The rest were directors, writers, and staff from the show, nearly twenty people crowding the table.

As soon as they sat down, Kang Ho-dong eagerly summoned the owner to order food.

“Jiang Yihan, you don’t have any other schedule? I thought you’d be busy, so I didn’t ask you to join us earlier,” Yoo Jae-suk started.

“Ah, lately my schedule isn’t too packed. Starting next week, it’ll get busy. I’m just debuting, and most shows only invite big stars—I’m not quite there yet,” Jiang Yihan joked.

“Haha, nonsense. If you say that, then even our X-Man only accepts stars. You joining means you’re already a star!” Yoo Jae-suk laughed.

“Of course, of course. Jiang Yihan, is your manager the one beside you?” Kang Ho-dong turned and joined the conversation. “Love Letter only invites stars, and our team has been talking about inviting you. Since your manager is here, have you made any arrangements?”

“Absolutely,” Li Ran replied. “We’ve planned for him to join Love Letter, but we’re worried he lacks experience and might not do well. We hope you’ll take care of him and guide him when he’s on your show. Sorry to trouble you.”

Everyone laughed and agreed. Just then, Shin Jung-hwan noticed Han PD beside Jiang Yihan. “Jiang Yihan, what’s that camera following you?”

“Oh, that?” Jiang Yihan glanced back at Han PD. “It’s for a new Mnet show called mpick, which introduces newcomers. They’ve been filming me since before my debut, for several months now. She follows me everywhere—must be tiring.”

“Haha, hello everyone. I’m Han Seung-yeon, the PD in charge of Jiang Yihan on mpick. Please look after us,” Han PD greeted. The table was filled with veterans, so manners were important. “Since you’re all seniors, could you share your thoughts on Jiang Yihan? Did his recording go smoothly today?”

Page (2/3)

“Jiang Yihan,” Yoo Jae-suk began, “I think he’s excellent—handsome, talented, and sings well. He’ll have a bright future. He was a bit nervous at first, but adapted quickly and cooperated well. I hope he’ll keep coming back and help us create great shows.”

“Thank you so much for the compliment, Senior Yoo Jae-suk,” Jiang Yihan nodded quickly at the praise.

“I think he’s great, too,” Kang Ho-dong said, munching on kimchi. “Jiang Yihan’s performance today was a bit inexperienced, but once he adapts to our world and the pace of recordings, he’ll be welcomed everywhere. He’s already so popular and can boost ratings. What show wouldn’t want him?” Kang Ho-dong nodded towards Han PD, who smiled and agreed.

“I won’t say more. I like this kid, Jiang Yihan,” Park Kyung-lim said simply and directly.

“In my opinion,” Park Myung-soo added, “he’ll be more famous than me one day.”

“Come on, he’s already more famous than you,” Shin Jung-hwan quipped without hesitation.

“Haha, no, no, I’m just starting out—Senior Park Myung-soo is the impressive one! He’s at his peak right now,” Jiang Yihan hurriedly corrected.

“You see? Even Jiang Yihan says so,” Park Myung-soo said, looking quite pleased. “I liked this kid from the beginning—he’s just my type!”

“So many seniors here—could you share with Yihan how to stand out in variety shows and get more screen time?” Li Ran, though still stiff-faced, had learned to handle Jiang Yihan’s affairs and set aside his own airs.

“Hahaha, it’s an ‘editing’ issue, right?” Shin Jung-hwan and Park Myung-soo laughed.

“Editing” refers to the process where, after recording, producers cut out parts that aren’t funny, unnecessary, or unsuitable for broadcast. To stand out, you must perform well and appropriately, or risk being edited out and becoming invisible. Experienced entertainers always consider “editing,” aiming for the best and most memorable moments to win the audience’s favor. Li Ran’s question about how to perform is essentially about maximizing memorable moments and minimizing cuts, allowing your charm to shine through the screen.

“In shows, the main thing is to show your true self,” Yoo Jae-suk explained. “As long as the host draws the conversation to you and you respond, you’ll be fine.”

“Yes, that’s right,” Kang Ho-dong agreed. “Newcomers are often nervous, but as long as the host brings the conversation your way and you know how to respond, it’s good.”

Both hosts were right, but it wasn’t as simple as it sounded. In large variety shows, with so many entertainers, getting attention from hosts depends on connections. In formula: good relationships = more screen time. Responding well is a skill newcomers rarely master; showcasing your uniqueness and humor enough to be remembered is tough, so there’s much to learn.

“Of course, for comedians like us,” Shin Jung-hwan shared, “we have to create new material—dances, gestures, jokes, personal skills—and keep updating them. If the audience doesn’t like it, we change.”

“Yes, so when we have free time, we’re always thinking of new ways to make the audience laugh,” Park Myung-soo, though at the peak of his career, was very aware of the need to keep working hard.

Korean variety shows are filled with dance, music, gestures, dialogue, and personal skills. Excelling in one can make the audience laugh, but to be remembered and liked, you must work hard in all areas.

The seniors made it sound easy, but their effort and hardship could only be understood by newcomers experiencing it themselves.

Jiang Yihan listened and understood quickly. He realized his shortcomings, but also noticed something: the seniors seemed unusually attentive to him.

Page (3/3)

Yoo Jae-suk, Kang Ho-dong, and Park Kyung-lim, all hosts, intentionally or unintentionally steered topics toward Jiang Yihan, giving him opportunities in front of the camera. Other seniors, like Park Myung-soo, made their appearances memorable in their own ways. Looking back, Jiang Yihan realized many of his standout moments were brought out by these seniors; he simply followed their lead to complete his first recording.

Thinking this through, Jiang Yihan decisively poured a glass of traditional Korean soju, raised it, and said, “Having heard your advice, I now realize all the effort you seniors put in for me today. I don’t know why you all take such care of me, but I’m honored. Here, I sincerely thank you.” He downed the soju in one gulp; it was spicy but not too strong.

His words might sound overly sentimental, but they couldn’t fully express his feelings. In the entertainment industry, the care of good seniors and the relationships between entertainers mean so much. Though it was his first meeting with these seniors, their attention left Jiang Yihan feeling overwhelmed.

“Haha, don’t thank us. I just find you congenial—seeing you feels like seeing my own younger brother,” Kang Ho-dong said, as hearty as ever. “That Yu Xianfeng today was really out of line; you should be careful of him.”

“Yes, there are too many things like that in our world, and no one can stop it,” Shin Jung-hwan said, drinking a glass. “Entertainers scheming against each other—competition is fierce, and if this keeps up, the quality in our circle will only deteriorate.”

Shin Jung-hwan became a bit agitated, speaking more and more. Park Myung-soo patted him, and after hesitating for a while, Shin Jung-hwan simply said, “Be careful in the future.”

“The incident in January left us all disheartened, and our own internal issues—sigh.” Yoo Jae-suk sighed, and the atmosphere grew silent and heavy for a moment.

Indeed, South Korea’s entertainment industry had been riding the “Korean Wave” across Asia in recent years. Yet, internally, it remained divided, with recurring scandals. Yu Xianfeng, whom Jiang Yihan faced today, was only the most obvious and simplest example of the entertainment industry’s issues. Many insiders began to worry about the future of Korean entertainment.

The scene before him reminded Jiang Yihan of Brother Jang Dong-gun. As Jang Dong-gun said, Korea’s music market was in clear decline, and the film market was mostly a bubble—foreign movies were starting to dominate the box office. Even the drama market’s future was uncertain. Overall, Korea’s entertainment industry looked glamorous in Asia, but no one knew when it would start to slide.

The worries of the seniors were real, but there was little anyone could do.

Just as the atmosphere was turning awkward, silence was broken by a call: “The barbecue is here!” Instantly, Kang Ho-dong’s exaggerated expression lifted everyone’s mood.

Kang Ho-dong opened his mouth wide, eyes bulging as if he’d devour the barbecue with his eyes, then let out a dramatic shout, “Finally, it’s here!” His liveliness shifted everyone’s attention to the food and their rumbling stomachs. Han PD filmed for a while longer, then put down the camera and joined in eating.

Once the meal began, with so many variety veterans present, the mood quickly lightened. Everyone coaxed Jiang Yihan to show off his personal skill—voice mimicry, the most widely known technique, was the first challenge. Jiang Yihan, not one to shy away, attempted Kang Ho-dong’s classic “Finally, it’s here!” line, making everyone burst into laughter. Kang Ho-dong, with his classic “O” mouth and wide eyes, feigned surprise for a few seconds before laughing heartily.

By the end of the meal, everyone became familiar, bonds deepening over drinks. They looked out for Jiang Yihan, teaching him many recording techniques. The lively atmosphere lasted two hours, and everyone had a good impression of Jiang Yihan—after all, a humble and polite junior is always welcome. However, Jiang Yihan couldn’t hold his liquor and didn’t join the drinking crowd, which cost him some fun.

When the party finally ended, a few cameramen were drunk and had to be sent home, while Jiang Yihan, after saying goodbye to the seniors, went home with Li Ran and Han PD.

A brief ramble from Broken Cat—Chapter 31’s recommended song is “One Day” by NRG. I’ll be changing the dashes in front, haha! Thanks to xb1912 for the advice and support~

Secondly, I saw your suggestions about Li Ran and Jiang Yihan—thanks for your input! As for Li Xuanmei, she’ll have more scenes later, not many but important, so please keep reading. Allow me to keep a bit of suspense!

Finally, please recommend more actresses for the drama’s leading role—Lee Hyori seems like a good choice!