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Ji Sung and Hyun Bin, a fateful choice

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It's a war in the miniseries market.

Some get a few million for an episode and some get paid in the tens of millions. Choosing the right scenario is critical. One project might change someone's future and decide how much he or she is worth. Their fee lies on their decision and so does the number of advertisement contracts. Top stars also have to be sincere about what they decide to maintain their status.

Here's where Ji Sung and Hyun Bin's competition comes in. They are both starring in the MBC drama "Kill Me, Heal Me" and SBS "Hyde, Jekyll and I", respectively. The results show that Ji Sung is obviously in the lead. The viewing percentage doubles that of Hyun Bin's and reviews about their acting also differ.

However, not many expected Ji Sung to win. Hyun Bin initially was given the script for "Kill Me, Heal Me". Pen Entertainment struggled to hold onto him but they failed. He chose "Hyde, Jekyll and I" instead. This is his first drama since his National Service duty. Attention drew to this drama because of this and people expected viewing percentages to soar.

The production for "Kill Me, Heal Me" failed to get Hyun Bin and they also gave out the script to many actors. Lee Seung-gi was a likely candidate but he didn't join. They reached out to Ji Sung and Hwang Jung-eum, who previously starred together in KBS 2TV "Secrets", so there was a chance that it could get boring.

It must not have been easy for Ji Sung to agree to a drama that so many actors turned down. However, he didn't let his ego get the best of him and showed his passion for the drama. He said at the press conference, "I wanted to do this drama ever since I heard about the troubles it went through with casting. Then it came to me".

Eventually, Ji Sung and Hyun Bin got what they wanted. However, Lady Luck only stuck to Ji Sung. He is being reviewed that it is the best decision of his life and he manages to stay in the lead. On the other hand, Hyun Bin is in tears. His drama has been in the single digit since the beginning and critics are saying he needs a change. It must hurt more as he was a well-known star.

The exchange of joy and sorrow is also shown in the number of ads they made. Agents used to prefer Hyun Bin and Han Ji-min over Ji Sung and Hwang Jung-eum. The standard to a sale advertisement relies on the stardom of the main model. At first the Hyun Bin effect had influence, resulting in total sales, but now, it's the other way around. With the popularity of "Kill Me, Heal Me" rising more and more, "Hyde, Jekyll and I" is dropping.

The two dramas formed competition at first for their similarities in element and casting. However, Hyun Bin lost and Ji Sung is the last one standing. Their choices changed their fates.

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