stjorthotic Chapter 1530 Outbreak
Chapter 1530 Outbreak
Chapter 1530 Outbreak
The number of trending topics started to rise rapidly from the third day.
The trending topics list is usually quiet at night, but when no one is paying attention, a topic that has no prior announcement is climbing against the trend at a visible speed.
It originated from the popular online community Theqoo.
An ordinary drama fan posted: "Has anyone finished watching episode 10 of 'The Spy'? Who is that psychopathic killer? I thought it was Sung Yo-han, but when I think about the expression on Jung Ba-rin's face when he crushed that little bird at the end... I really can't sleep now."
Accompanied by a high-definition screenshot from the end of episode 10 of "The Spy," in which Jung Ba-rin stands with his eyes downcast, his expression indifferent and cold, all his gentleness and honesty gone.
There are no fancy copywriting, no deliberate attempts to attract attention, just a viewer's most genuine late-night emotional breakdown.
Four days after the series was released, a large number of viewers watched all ten episodes. The shock, doubt, upheaval and frustration that had been building up in their hearts desperately needed an outlet.
The post received over 500 comments in less than half an hour.
"I just finished watching it too... I'm lying in bed staring at the ceiling, and all I can think about is that last scene."
"It's a complete reversal!"
"So, is Zheng Balin the murderer or not??? Damn it, I always thought he was a good guy, and I was wondering why Ji Jingyuan played such a weak character this time. I was worried about him when he was being beaten by Cheng Yaohan, but I didn't expect a twist at the end."
"I think it's a brain transplant, they transferred Cheng Yaohan's abnormal genes into Zheng Balin's brain."
"I just finished watching episode eight. When Gao Wuzhi's brother died, I cursed at the screen for five minutes. Not at the screenwriter, but at the murderer... Then I suddenly realized that I didn't even know who the murderer was. I was cursing thin air."
"I haven't been this angry while watching a drama in a long time. It's not that I'm angry that the plot is bad, but that I'm angry that the screenwriter is so cruel. Gao Wuzhi has already suffered enough. His parents were killed, his brother was killed in public, and he was humiliated by the murderer on a live broadcast."
"Please don't let it be Barin! Grandma was so good to him, he was so upright, kind, warm-hearted, and gentle, how could he possibly be a demon with blood on his hands..."
The discussion spread like a snowball, quickly growing from a few hundred comments to thousands and tens of thousands, completely breaking out of its niche. Many viewers who originally planned to watch and then go to sleep were drawn in and couldn't help but join the discussion.
The silence of the early morning was completely shattered, and the popularity of "Peeping" officially swept across the entire internet.
By 7 a.m., the first wave of online buzz had begun.
Naver's top ten trending topics have quietly reshuffled, with three related terms from "The Spying" taking center stage. The highest-ranking term, second place, is the term #TheSpying#, while fourth place is the core topic that sparked controversy across the internet, #IsJungBa-rin the murderer#.
The remaining related derivative terms are also very popular, seemingly overwhelming the popularity of all other films and TV series during the same period.
At 10 a.m., the trending topics on Twitter in South Korea were refreshed again. The hashtag #Mouse was prominently marked with a red "爆" (explosive) icon, indicating that it was extremely popular. The number of views, discussions, and reposts all skyrocketed.
In just four days, this Netflix exclusive Korean drama achieved a perfect comeback, going from niche hype to mainstream popularity.
Now, apart from viewers who only learned about the TV series later and those who simply didn't have time to watch it, most of the first wave of viewers have finished watching all ten episodes within four days.
Countless viewers participated in the discussion, debating the quality of the drama, its production standards, the actors' performances, Ji Kyung-won's new drama, and especially the plot.
A well-known film critic posted a statement on his account.
"This drama is truly excellent. Leaving aside the production aspects like visuals, music, and lighting quality—they're on par with movies and top-tier even among Korean dramas—the plot and acting are even more crucial."
"The plot twist at the end of episode 10 gave me goosebumps. My mind was screaming 'Shiba Shiba Shiba!'"
"I believe many viewers, like me, were deeply moved by this scene and also really enjoyed the storyline of the show,"
"I want to share my opinion... Based on all the foreshadowing and details, I boldly conclude that Zheng Balin is that perverted killer."
“From the first two episodes, the director and screenwriter deliberately misled the audience with the camera, constantly amplifying Cheng Yaohan’s gloomy, paranoid, violent and indifferent nature, making him a natural villain template. This is the biggest smokescreen.”
"The ironclad rule of suspense dramas is that the more a suspect is deliberately pushed to the forefront, the less likely they are to be the real culprit."
"Jung Ba-rin's kindness is too perfect to be contrived, too perfect to be human. There is no such thing as an absolutely selfless, flawless good person in the world, but he is gentle and tolerant towards strangers, kind to enemies, and gives kindness to everyone without discrimination. This is not pure kindness at all, but a carefully planned, long-term performance of being a good person."
"The perspective from which this drama is watched subverts all suspense tropes. In the past, when we watched dramas, the audience stood shoulder to shoulder with the police, tracking down the murderer in the shadows. But 'The Spy' is different. We stand from the murderer's perspective the whole time, watching how he disguises himself as a righteous patrolman, infiltrates the police station, coldly observes everyone investigating his crimes, and manipulates everyone's perceptions. This is a unique sense of oppression and suspense."
"However, although that's what I think, to be honest, I don't want Ba Lin to be the murderer. I have to say that Chi Jingyuan's acting is really good. I've already grown to like this simple, honest, and warm-hearted policeman. Grandma Fengyi, Fengyi, the priest, and Wuzhi are all so good to him. If he really is the murderer, how bad must he be?"
There are thousands of replies under this post, and one of them is the most popular: "The analysis is good. Anyone who has watched a lot of suspense dramas knows that you can't trust the camera and the director, but... I also hope it's not Barin, otherwise it would be too heartbreaking."
Besides, countless comments praised it: "High-energy from the start! It gave me goosebumps! The entire cast's acting was superb!"
"The first episode was rated 19+, and more than a dozen people died in the second episode. The screen was full of mosaics... but the more it was like that, the more I wanted to watch it."
"I really cried in episodes seven and eight. Grandma Fengyi was such a good person, and she was killed like that. And Gao Wuzhi, kneeling down and begging the murderer, it was really hard to watch. Tears just flowed down my face. I even looked up the actor, Li Junxi. I don't know much about him, but he acted really well."
The craziest thing was the "Leeuwenhoek" scene on social media.
After seeing the final twist, many viewers frantically started looking for 'details' and 'foreshadowing' in the previous episodes, desperately trying to prove that Ba Lin was the 'murderer' or that he 'wasn't the murderer'.
They instantly split into two camps, analyzing Chi Jingyuan's expressions and movements frame by frame with the evidence they had found.
The audience seemed to be solving a crime rather than watching a TV series.
Of course, there are also dissenting voices. Some people complain that the pacing of some parts of the plot is too slow and the setup is a bit too long. Others feel that the brain-swapping concept is too sci-fi and unrealistic, and that it is deliberately mysterious and unacceptable.
But these voices were quickly drowned out by the overwhelming discussion.
……
"Jingyuan seems to be in a good mood."
In the van, Choi Ji-chang looked at Chi Kyung-won humming a song and couldn't help but laugh and tease him.
They have just left the CJEM filming center, having completed more than ten hours of filming for "PD48," and are on their way back to Seoul.
"It's okay."
Chi Jingyuan chuckled and looked at his phone.
Although he was exhausted after recording a variety show and working for more than ten hours straight, he was in a pretty good mood.
First of all, this season features a reordering of the trainees. The trainees he previously coached have all made significant progress, especially Class D. This group, which used to be a weak link with clumsy dance moves, stiff movements, and inability to keep up with the rhythm, has now greatly improved its overall quality and is finally able to complete a smooth and complete stage performance.
Kim Min-ju has made great progress.
If her performances were completely unwatchable before, they are now barely watchable.
Having had a similar experience, Ji Kyung-won knows very well that improving dance skills in a short period of time requires a lot of hard work.
Although it was just a variety show, he still felt good about witnessing the children grow up with his help.
Another factor is the popularity of the TV series "The Spy".
The show's popularity has been visibly increasing over the past few days, and today it exploded, directly topping the trending searches.
The reviews were excellent, especially the enthusiastic discussions about the plot and the expressions. Whenever he felt down these past few days, he would check the reviews and immediately feel lightheaded.
Right now, he's looking at his Instagram. His last post was a promotion for the show "Spying" which aired on the 20th. Now, the comments section of that post is flooding in with new messages at a visible speed.
"Jingyuan oppa, I wasn't a fan of yours before, but after watching 'Spying,' I went and watched all of your stage performances. How do you know everything?"
"Yuan's new drama is a huge hit!!"
"Oppa's new drama has become incredibly popular, completely dominating the scene and overshadowing 'My Mister' in terms of discussion."
"This is brilliant!"
"Is Barin the murderer or not?! I'm going crazy!!!"
Many people also posted memes of Jung Ba-rin, all screenshots of him from the drama. The drama, which has only been online for four days, is already showing a clear trend of taking off.
The most obvious reflection is the data, especially the paid data. Producer Lin Xiuyan reports good news to him almost every day about the data and publicity of "The Spy". On the second day of its premiere, it had already achieved the KPI of 50 new paid users, and yesterday it had already added 62, officially bringing the total number of paid users to over one million.
Netflix was thrilled. Kang Dong-han even called to discuss their next new drama, but Ji Kyung-won jokingly declined, saying it would be a few days later, after "The Spy" finished airing.
A TV series achieved its KPI in three days, and I heard Netflix is going to give out bonuses soon.
The actors were naturally delighted as well. Ji Kyung-won even received a text message yesterday from Lee Joon-hee, who plays Go Moo-chi, expressing his sincere gratitude for choosing him for the role.
Although Lee Joon-hee debuted early and played many roles, they were all minor supporting roles.
His acting skills have been lacking for a long time, but this time, with the recent airing of "The Spy," many people have already noticed him, and his personal search volume and discussion volume have skyrocketed in the past few days.
The essence of acting in "The Spy" has not yet been fully revealed. In the ten episodes that have been broadcast, Lee Joon-hee has shown "explosive acting skills". In the live broadcast of the eighth episode, Lee Joon-hee plays Go Moo-chi. At first, he is very strong and provokes the murderer. After his brother is coerced, his panic, kneeling down and begging and crying are very empathetic.
Ji Kyung-won's performance was very comfortable to watch; his uprightness, kindness, and even a hint of cowardice made it hard to believe he was a pervert.
In his performance, it wasn't until the second half, after Zheng Balin's twisted identity was revealed, that those seemingly gentle and harmless moments were already full of dark foreshadowing.
When Jung Ba-rin sheds his disguise and confronts his true self, struggling between good and evil, experiencing a complex mix of regret, pain, and redemption, that's when the character truly shines, and that's when his acting truly reaches its pinnacle.
His phone vibrated slightly, interrupting his thoughts.
It was a text message from Lim Na-yeon.
Since the show started airing, and after that late-night phone call, Rabbit Teeth has become addicted to contacting him, and the frequency of his calls has increased dramatically.
Aside from chatting and joking around, he would pester him to ask about the truth of the plot.
Most people don't want spoilers when watching this kind of drama, but Lim Nayeon couldn't resist the urge to plead with Ji Kyung-won for inside information.
After much persuasion, Ji Kyung-won finally revealed a little bit, telling him in a serious tone that he was playing a good guy.
Upon hearing this, Lim Nayeon instantly relaxed and happily said, "I knew Ba Rin was a good person. Grandma Bong-yi and the priest treated him so well, how could it be him? I knew it a long time ago, Oppa, you acted really well."
Seeing the lively and cheerful words on the screen, and seeing her showing off like that, Chi Jingyuan secretly smiled to himself.
...I really want to see the expression on that rabbit-toothed face after the plot twist.
"Where to now? Home?"
Cui Zhichang glanced at Chi Jingyuan and then asked a question at the opportune moment.
Let's go to Jiangnan.
Chi Jingyuan was sending a text message:
"Suzy invited me to dinner."
…………
On the other side, in Twice's van.
Although most of the TWICE members have been very busy lately, they have all watched the first ten episodes of "Spying".
Firstly, it's Ji Kyung-won's new drama, and most of the cast members have a good relationship with him, so of course we have to support it.
Secondly, it's really good. Once you see it, you can't stop watching, just like Lim Nayeon. It's also the hottest topic right now. If you don't watch the variety show, you won't be able to keep up with the jokes. Even Park Jihyo watched it with great interest.
It must be said that the script and filming of "The Spy" were indeed excellent. The suspense and the twist at the end made the Twice members unable to help but discuss the plot frequently.
The focus is especially on whether Jung Ba-reum, played by Ji Kyung-won, is the murderer.
"I already said no~"
Thinking she had inside information, Lim Nayeon casually flashed her front teeth, slightly raised her chin, and said with an expression of 'insider': "Ba Rin is 100% a good person, the murderer is definitely someone else!"
"Did Kyungwon oppa tell you that?"
Sun Caiying looked at her curiously: "Didn't you say yesterday that he hadn't told you?"
"Yes... Ah, I analyzed it myself."
Lim Nayeon originally wanted to show off, but she immediately stopped herself after blurting it out... It would be too boring for everyone to discuss the plot together, and it wouldn't show her level and intelligence if she said that Ji Kyung-won told her what would happen next.
Of course, it depends on one's own analysis and wisdom... Then, changing the subject, she launched into a long, rambling monologue, sharing her insights on watching the show.
"..."
Everyone listened attentively, except for Chou Tzu-yu, who was holding her phone in the back and blinked slightly.
She clearly remembered... Ji Kyung-won had said before that he was playing a psychopathic killer in this drama.
I remember that when he was playing this role, he immersed himself in the character's emotions and became so engrossed in the character's state that he was emotionally repressed, tense, and even a bit neurotic.
These past two days, when the members were talking about the drama, she didn't participate much because she knew the inside story. Why does Lim Nayeon seem so confident now?
"I have to say, this show is really good..."
After a brief discussion, Park Ji-hyo remarked, "But 'Spying' isn't just popular outside; it's also a hit within the industry. I've heard the film and television industry has been quite turbulent lately."
She recounted the news she had heard: "It seems that Netflix's development in the peninsula was not so good before, and they were somewhat ostracized by our film and television industry. This time, they took a desperate gamble and found Ji... Jingyuan oppa."
"This show, 'The Spy,' has been under the spotlight since it was first announced and it's about to become a huge hit. The situation might change from here on out. I've heard that Netflix is offering very good treatment and has a novel format, so many people are interested in collaborating with them."
"How did you know?" Son Chae-young asked in surprise.
“I ran into Junho oppa and PDnim today, and I heard them talking about it.”