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A person who stood out from the very beginning.

It was a sentence describing Ha-eun in the entertainment world like <Infinite Challenge>.

After all, it was her very first appearance on a variety show. And she was still just a fourth grader at the time.

“Little Han Yoo-hwa, ‘Lee Ha-eun’ showcases extraordinary athletic ability on DonStopPeople.”

“Child actor Han Yoo-hwa’s brilliant resourcefulness during a predicament earns victory on DonStopPeople.”

“A child prodigy who broke the 35% viewership wall, also driving the ratings of DonStopPeople high.”

It wasn’t an easy feat to make nearly all of her airtime into highlights.

Some of the memorable moments generated during the broadcast of <DonStopPeople: A Special from the Stars> are still frequently used even now.

Especially the scene where Ha-eun jumps over the wall of a thatched house to escape from a fake Park Do-jun is still described with the three-letter term ‘legendary.’

It wasn’t that there hadn’t been a guest able to surpass the ingenuity and passionate display Ha-eun exhibited at that moment.

However, it was a scene that could have easily resulted in Ha-eun getting hurt.

Of course, there had been murmurs concerning Ha-eun’s safety amidst the opinions towards <DonStopPeople: A Special from the Stars>.

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

“…I’m sorry….”

Na-yeon, having her heart sink at Ha-eun’s reckless and dangerous escape scene, had to give her a serious scolding.

With her knees on the ground in front of Na-yeon, she was made to stand in punishment for quite a long time and even had to submit a letter of reflection.

Seong-yun’s efforts to dissuade his wife ended up having the opposite effect.

In any case, it was already proven long ago that Ha-eun’s variety skills were outstanding.

In the most recently aired variety show <2 Nights 3 Days>, Ha-eun’s unique scene-stealing qualities were perfectly on display.

Perhaps that’s why.

“You have to earn as many points as possible so that Ha-eun can perform in her desired order, so give it your all! Fight!”

As the recording for this <Infinite Challenge Song Festival>, filled with mini-games, was about to start, Director Jeon Yoon-seob spoke to Ha-eun.

He asked her to approach the shoot as if she were playing with close friends, rather than trying to accommodate the other guests, who were still somewhat unfamiliar.

Director Jeon Yoon-seob, who was the one to cast Ha-eun for the major special of <Infinite Challenge Song Festival>, had high hopes for her.

He wanted Ha-eun to showcase the brilliance she had displayed in previous shows like <DonStopPeople> and <2 Nights 3 Days>.

That’s why he prepared various physically engaging mini-games.

It seemed better for Ha-eun’s excellent athletic abilities to shine rather than to conduct interviews sitting still.

This setup was quite different from when various female celebrities had appeared as guests on <Infinite Challenge> before.

The most crucial reason was entertainment.

Having Ha-eun, whose popularity was rising daily, actively participating in several mini-games would certainly make for an enjoyable spectacle.

This thought of Director Jeon Yoon-seob was ultimately not wrong.

Out of all the mini-games he prepared, there was not a single one where Ha-eun’s prowess did not appear.

However.

In a tournament-style whac-a-mole game, all the cast members of <Infinite Challenge Song Festival> who were about to face Ha-eun.

“Ah, if you don’t go, you’ll lose… rock-paper-scissors—!!”

They hesitated slightly before expressing their fear of Ha-eun.

It was because Ha-eun’s speed and strength while swinging the mallet were greater than that of most adult men.

If they managed to win in rock-paper-scissors against Ha-eun, they would only have to attack her — however, even that was thwarted by Ha-eun’s quick defense.

It was somewhat fortunate that when they occasionally lost in rock-paper-scissors against Ha-eun.

-Whoosh!!

-Thwack─!!

“Ugh!!”

They experienced a blow strong enough to leave their heads spinning, akin to that of a mole in a whac-a-mole game.

If they failed to put the mallet on their heads in time, it was all the more fortunate that Ha-eun supposedly toned down her strength.

Of course, when they did put the stainless-steel mallet over their heads, meaning they successfully defended during the whac-a-mole game, it was ruthless.

-Thwack─!!

Even after that, there was a continuous display caught on the cameras at the shooting location where all attacks directed at Ha-eun ended in failure, and defenses were meaningless.

And then.

“Ugh!!”

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

The idols, who weren’t even close to matching Ha-eun, and were shocked at the sight of such idols.

Strictly speaking, their reactions were mixed with comedic exaggeration, but there was certainly an undercurrent of sincerity behind it.

Amidst these exaggerated reactions from the idols, Ha-eun merely smiled awkwardly, repeating that a game is a game.

Thus, the sounds of screams echoed throughout the shooting location until Ha-eun ultimately secured the first victory in the whac-a-mole game.

Her mallet was already completely bent and crushed.

Perhaps she had also broken about five spare mallets.

‘Wow, that’s amazing….’

Director Jeon Yoon-seob of <Infinite Challenge> concluded that if he had the chance to shoot with Ha-eun again, he should avoid impact-based mini-games.

It was after this that the next mini-game, a running high jump, began.

“Everyone, now you’ll jump as high as you can and stick the stickers as high as you can!”

With the explanation from the host and MC, Seong Yoo-seok, stickers were handed out to each cast member.

It was also explained that the scores would be distributed differently based on the height at which the stickers were placed on the wall.

And not long after that.

-Pat-pat─!

-Thwack!

-Stick!

With Ha-eun’s run-up being anything but ordinary, her sticker stuck at the very top of the makeshift wall.

“…Wow….”

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

“W, wow, that’s unreal.”

Their amazement towards Ha-eun quickly filled the broadcast mic on their chests.

There was no cast member who would stick a sticker at a height even remotely close to Ha-eun’s.

Once again, victory belonged to Ha-eun.

After that, mini-games like speed quizzes continued, but in the end, there was no cast member who could surpass Ha-eun’s score.

“Now, we will select the performance order starting with Lee Ha-eun & Yoon Si-hyuk’s team. Do you have a preferred order for your performances?”

Seong Yoo-seok’s question was simultaneously directed at Ha-eun and Yoon Si-hyuk.

In response to this question, Yoon Si-hyuk suggested that the third or fourth position seemed to have less pressure.

-Soft.

-Whisper.

“Wait, Ha-eun, are you really going to perform last?”

“Yes.”

As Ha-eun went to decide the performance order as the representative of her team, she innocently placed the sticker for Team Lee Ha-eun & Yoon Si-hyuk in the very last position.

“Ha, Ha-eun! That’s not what we talked about!!”

Yoon Si-hyuk’s shocked voice filled the filming site.

Despite that, the answer returned from Ha-eun was in the form of a gentle smile.

“Isn’t performing last the best way to be remembered the longest?”

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

“Fighting! We can do it.”

Eventually, Yoon Si-hyuk, realizing he couldn’t break Ha-eun’s will, fell into despair.

And watching that, the other cast members clapped while trying hard not to laugh.

From a variety standpoint, the scene was a kind of highlight moment.

A silent gasp of admiration slipped from Director Jeon Yoon-seob, who had been observing the overall situation of the filming site.

“He really knows what’s funny.”

Thus, Director Jeon Yoon-seob ultimately recognized that Ha-eun’s broadcasting sense was beyond his expectations.

He also acknowledged that she possessed quite a bold disposition.

Even though, just as Yoon Si-hyuk had said, performing last was a considerably burdensome spot, he believed that Ha-eun had the confidence to handle it.

*

-Is Lee Ha-eun going to be on <Infinite Challenge>?

A few days before the first episode of <Infinite Challenge Song Festival> aired, a post about Ha-eun’s appearance in the variety show was written in a certain community.

To be precise, the post had garnered no attention at the time of its writing and was buried.

But then.

“When the marvelous singing of the mysterious female vocalist, whose identity remained hidden, aired in the beginning of episode one of <Infinite Challenge Song Festival>.

More precisely,

“When will we find out who the mysterious female vocalist that received love calls from all the members is? Let’s find out now—!”

As Seong Yoo-seok led on, when the identity of the female vocalist revealed as Ha-eun,

“No way! Lee Ha-eun’s singing is insane!”

“I didn’t expect it, but it’s really Lee Ha-eun, lol.”

“The ‘Queen of K-Hop’ is in a crazy form.”

“She sings exceptionally well.”

“The child actor who played Han Yoo-hwa is the one singing ‘Star On the Ground’? How do I even bear this, lol?”

The community became bustling with talk about Ha-eun, who suddenly transformed into a singer.

It was due to her great singing skills that could rival any female vocalist.

However, after Yoon Si-hyuk was chosen as Ha-eun’s partner for the song festival, things escalated further.

When another hidden partner of Ha-eun appeared in the preview for episode two of <Infinite Challenge Song Festival>.

“It’s been a while, Ha-eun.”

-????

“No way! Why is Ji-hyeok here!!”

“What is this, real?”

“Suddenly they’ve become the winning duo from ‘SIT ON THE MONEY,’ lol.”

“Legend, legend, legend.”

“What’s up with their presence on <Infinite Challenge>?”.

People were quick to realize that something unusual was happening, with reactions showing up online and offline alike.

That’s because the duo of Ha-eun and Hwang Ji-hyeok had shown overwhelming power in the finals of <SIT ON THE MONEY>.

A long time ago, Ha-eun had dominated the music charts as a featuring artist under the name Pinocchio.

And winner of SIT ON THE MONEY, Hwang Ji-hyeok.

The fact that these two were forming a team once more sent the entire community abuzz.

The reason Director Jeon Yoon-seob had been so eager to recruit Ha-eun became clear.

However, the impact of Ha-eun’s appearance on <Infinite Challenge> wasn’t confined to the community alone.

“D, Director Park!”

In an office of Sears.

One employee rushed to Team Leader Park Hwan-soo, who had been monitoring the reactions of the newly started Sears bed advertisement since a few days ago.

What he reported was the suddenly rising advertisement view counts.

And the rapidly increasing sales numbers as well.

“I think this is…”

“…Let’s just wait and see. We’re still some distance from the fall peak.”

To be precise, temporary fluctuations can happen in the furniture industry at any time.

Thus, Sears’s advertisement team leader Park Hwan-soo suggested to keep an eye on the situation for now.

However, less than two weeks later.

“Director, the IT team just contacted me. Our website is currently down…”

“…Huh.”

Sears’ sales were literally skyrocketing.

It was a steep increase, like the terrifying rise of a roller coaster nearing 90 degrees.

When Park Hwan-soo had originally planned the advertisement, he had merely aimed for a slight change in Sears’ stagnant sales.

But Sears’ new advertising model was achieving far beyond that.

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