Chapter 124

A person who stood out from the very beginning.

It was a sentence that described Ha-eun in the entertainment industry, similar to [Infinite Challenge].

That was to be expected, considering it was his first entertainment show in life.

And he was still only in the fourth grade of elementary school at that young age.

[Child actor Han Yu-hwa ‘Lee Ha-eun’ showcases extraordinary athletic ability on “Don’t Stop People”]

[Young Han Yu-hwa ‘Lee Ha-eun’ demonstrates remarkable ingenuity in “Don’t Stop People” to win]

[A child genius who broke through the 35 percent ratings barrier, pulling up the ratings for “Don’t Stop People”]

Making most of his screen time into highlights was not an easy task.

Some of the GIFs created during the airing of [Don’t Stop People: Special from the Stars] are still frequently used even after a long time has passed.

Especially the scene where Ha-eun jumps over the wall of the straw house to escape from the fake Park Do-jun is still described as legendary.

The fact that no guest has surpassed the ingenuity and passionate display Ha-eun showed at that moment is not insignificant.

However, it was a scene where Ha-eun could have been injured if things had gone wrong.

Of course, there were murmurs regarding Ha-eun’s safety in relation to [Don’t Stop People: Special from the Stars].

“Lee Ha-eun! Raise your hand properly!”

“…I’m sorry….”

Na-yeon had to scold Ha-eun severely after her heart sank while watching Ha-eun’s reckless and dangerous escape scene.

She had to kneel in front of Na-yeon for quite a while as punishment and then write a letter of reflection to submit.

Sung Yoon’s efforts to prevent his wife from being reckless ended up backfiring.

Anyway, Ha-eun’s entertainment skills had been proven a long time ago.

In the most recently aired entertainment show [Two Days and One Night], Ha-eun’s unique scene-stealing trait was clearly evident.

Perhaps that’s why.

“We need to get as many points as possible so that Ha-eun can perform in her desired order, so give it your all! Let’s get fired up!”

Just before the recording of the [Infinite Challenge Music Show], which was filled with various mini-games, began, PD Jeon Yoon-seob said this to Ha-eun.

He asked her to act as if she were playing and joking around with close friends rather than taking the situation too seriously, considering that the other guests were still somewhat unfamiliar with her.

As the one who cast Ha-eun for the big special [Infinite Challenge Music Show], PD Jeon Yoon-seob had many expectations of her.

He hoped that Ha-eun would showcase the stellar performance she had in [Don’t Stop People] and [Two Days and One Night] on [Infinite Challenge] as well.

That was why he had prepared mini-games involving physical activities.

Rather than recording in an interview format while sitting still, it would be better to highlight Ha-eun’s excellent athletic skills.

This was a considerably different approach than when various female celebrities had appeared as guests on [Infinite Challenge] before.

The most decisive reason was fun.

Seeing Ha-eun, whose popularity was on the rise, actively participate in various mini-games would undoubtedly be a fun spectacle.

This thought of PD Jeon Yoon-seob turned out to be correct in the end.

Among the various mini-games prepared by PD Jeon Yoon-seob, there was not a single game where Ha-eun’s bright performance did not shine.

However.

In a kind of tournament format during the hammer game, all the participants of [Infinite Challenge Music Show] facing Ha-eun.

“Ah, if you don’t throw, you’ll lose… Scissors, Rock, Paper—!!”

Even that phrase was slightly stumbling as they expressed their fear of Ha-eun.

It was because the speed and strength with which Ha-eun swung her hammer was stronger than that of most adult men.

In cases where they won in Rock Paper Scissors against Ha-eun, they only had to attack her – yet even that was blocked by Ha-eun’s quick defensive moves – it was still better than nothing.

But when they occasionally lost in Rock Paper Scissors to Ha-eun.

– Whoosh!!

– Crack—!!

“Ugh!!”

They had to endure a hit strong enough to momentarily daze them, like a mole in a whack-a-mole game.

It was somewhat fortunate that Ha-eun, for her part, reduced the impact when they failed to put the bowl on their head.

Of course, when they did manage to put the stainless steel bowl on their head.

In other words, when they successfully performed a defensive action in the hammer game, there was no mercy.

– Crack—!!

Even after that, the scene recorded by the cameras in the studio was one where attacks against Ha-eun continued to fail while defenses were rendered meaningless.

And.

“Gah!!”

“Ha, Ha-eun! Do you have a grudge against us!?”

It was the reaction of a famous idol who literally could not stand up against Ha-eun, along with other idols who were shocked as they watched.

Strictly speaking, their response was mixed with exaggerated entertainment-style elements, but there was some sincerity underlying it.

While facing the exaggerated reactions of these idols, Ha-eun merely smiled awkwardly and repeated that it was all just a game.

Thus, all sorts of screams echoed throughout the studio until Ha-eun ultimately won the hammer game.

Ha-eun’s hammer was already completely bent and deformed.

Perhaps it was because she had already destroyed about five spare hammers.

“That’s, amazing….”

PD Jeon Yoon-seob of [Infinite Challenge] realized that if there was another opportunity to shoot with Ha-eun, he should avoid games involving striking.

The next mini-game, the running high jump, began soon after that.

“Everyone, you will now jump as high as you can and stick your stickers as high as possible!”

With the explanation from the host and MC Sung Yoo-seok, stickers were distributed to each participant.

They also explained that scores would be assigned based on the height at which the stickers were placed on the wall.

Then, not long after that.

– Pitter-patter—!

– Wham!

– Slap!

Ha-eun’s sticker, which had an extraordinary approach, stuck right at the top of the makeshift wall.

“…Wow….”

“Ha-eun, are you perhaps a former athlete?”

“Wow, that’s insane.”

The astonished remarks directed at Ha-eun were picked up one after another by the broadcast microphone on their chests.

No participants came forth to place stickers comparable to Ha-eun’s height afterward.

In the end, once again, victory belonged to Ha-eun.

Even after that, mini-games such as speed quizzes ensued.

But, ultimately, no participant surpassed Ha-eun’s score.

“Alright, now it’s time for the Lee Ha-eun & Yoon Si-hyeok team to choose their performance order. Is there a specific order you’d like for your performance?”

Sung Yoo-seok posed this question simultaneously to Ha-eun and Yoon Si-hyeok.

To this, Yoon Si-hyeok replied that it would be less nerve-wracking if they went third or fourth.

– Shuffling.

– Swiftly.

“…Oh? Ha-eun, are you really going to go last?”

“Yes.”

As Ha-eun was about to place the sticker for the Lee Ha-eun & Yoon Si-hyeok team in the last position.

“Ha, Ha-eun! That’s not what we agreed on!!”

Yoon Si-hyeok’s flustered voice filled the studio, clearly caught off guard.

Nevertheless, Ha-eun’s reply came back in the form of a gentle smile.

“Shouldn’t the last performance be the one that stays in everyone’s memory the longest?”

“Hey, hey…! The last performance is so nerve-wracking…!”

“Fighting. We can do this.”

Eventually, Yoon Si-hyeok realized that he couldn’t bend Ha-eun’s will and became despondent.

And seeing Yoon Si-hyeok like that, the other participants were both clapping and trying to suppress their laughter.

From an entertainment perspective, this scene was a kind of highlight moment.

The silent admiration that came from PD Jeon Yoon-seob, who observed the overall situation in the studio, was the reason for that.

‘She knows how to make things interesting.’

Ultimately, PD Jeon Yoon-seob acknowledged that Ha-eun’s broadcasting sense was even better than he had anticipated.

He also did not deny that she had quite the bold demeanor.

Of course, as Yoon Si-hyeok said, the last performance was a rather burdensome position.

But he believed that there was confidence behind Ha-eun’s intent.

***

– Lee Ha-eun is going to be on Infinite Challenge?

A few days before the first episode of [Infinite Challenge Music Show] aired, a post about Ha-eun’s appearance on the show was made in a certain community.

To be precise, at the time the post was made, it received no attention and was buried.

However,

“──♪───♪”

When the identity of the mysterious female singer with an excellent voice was revealed in the early part of episode one of [Infinite Challenge Music Show],

More precisely, when the identity of the mysterious female singer who had received love calls from all the members was finally revealed to be Ha-eun by Sung Yoo-seok’s narration.

– No way, Lee Ha-eun’s singing is insane?

– I never imagined it, but it really is Lee Ha-eun, lol.

– The national hip-hop queen is amazing.

– She sings so well.

– The person who sang “Star on the Dot” was the child actor Han Yu-hwa? How can I handle this, lol.

The community was abuzz with discussions about Ha-eun, who suddenly transformed into a singer.

This was due to her extraordinary singing ability that was truly unmatched by any other female singer.

However, after Yoon Si-hyeok was chosen as Ha-eun’s partner for the music show,

The moment her hidden other partner appeared in the preview for episode two of [Infinite Challenge Music Show].

“Long time no see, Ha-eun.”

– ????

– Why is Ji-hyuk here!!?

– Is this for real?

– Suddenly, they’re a duo from “SIT ON THE MONEY,” lol.

– Legend, legend, legend.

– What’s happening on [Infinite Challenge]?

The reactions of people who sensed something extraordinary were showing up both online and offline.

That was understandable because the combination of Ha-eun and Hwang Ji-hyuk had demonstrated overwhelming power in the finals of [SIT ON THE MONEY].

Long ago, Ha-eun, who dominated the music charts as the featuring singer Pinocchio for Daulby, and

Winner of SIT ON THE MONEY, Hwang Ji-hyuk.

The fact that these two had formed a team again stirred up communities.

The reason PD Jeon Yoon-seob had sought after Ha-eun so eagerly was being revealed in full.

However, Ha-eun’s appearance on [Infinite Challenge] did not only impact the communities.

“Ba, Team Leader Park!”

In an office of Sears.

An employee monitoring the response to Sears’ new bed advertisement, which began airing a few days ago, hastily rushed to Team Leader Park Hwan-soo.

What followed was the sudden spike in advertisement views.

And the rapidly steep rise in sales figures that accompanied it.

“This is… somehow….”

“Let’s keep an eye on it for now. There’s still time until the autumn peak.”

To be precise, since the nature of the furniture industry allows for temporary changes to occur at any time,

Sears’ advertising team leader, Park Hwan-soo, suggested they keep observation for now.

However, less than two weeks later.

“Team Leader, the IT team contacted me. Our website is currently down….”

“…Huh.”

Sears’ sales figures began to skyrocket in a literal sense.

It was a frightening upward trajectory reminiscent of a roller coaster’s 90-degree incline.

In the past, when Team Leader Park Hwan-soo planned the advertisement, he aimed to create a slight change in Sears’ stagnant sales.

But now, Sears’ new model was achieving far more than that.

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