A Genius Director Who Dominates OTT Platforms - Chapter 112

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Genius Director Who Dominates OTT

Episode 112

* * *

After barely managing to send away writer Jang Chi-su, who had no intention of going home, I sat in the cafe lost in thought.

Unknown 2.

It wasn’t season 2, just meant it was the second script.

I hadn’t read all 16 scripts, but I grasped the content.

It was a completely rewritten script that only maintained the supernatural battle genre.

This time, he seemed to have put some thought into it – a genetic engineer becomes a superhuman through self bio-experimentation and gets chased by Black Agents.

Unlike An Yeong-ung who was a soldier, this character wasn’t used to combat, creating early tension, and having family in Korea created many disadvantages.

Should I say the conflict arcs became more diverse?

But the way conflicts were resolved was the same.

Combat, and more combat.

In other words, the entertainment value the script provided was identical.

But…

“Wow, this is real talent.”

The combat scenes were absolutely brilliant.

I thought the previous script was excellent, but this one was even better.

The protagonist’s supernatural ability was completely different, but the way it was utilized was truly entertaining.

Even if we ultimately couldn’t produce Unknown, I thought I should maintain a friendship with this writer.

I thought writer Jang Chi-su could be brought in as a gun-for-hire writer for projects that needed combat scenes.

But what was important now wasn’t writer Jang Chi-su’s talent, but the precursor symptoms.

‘Why were the precursor symptoms for both works identical?’

The first thing that came to mind was to combine the two works…

Having completely identical precursor symptoms meant they were ultimately the same work, right?

Was it telling me to go with an omnibus-style composition with two protagonists?

Or maybe one main protagonist and one sub-protagonist?

Or perhaps a villain?

With this kind of structure, I could complete the sentences I heard in the precursor symptoms.

I am your ally.

I am your adversary.

I am your death.

No matter how I thought about it, this seemed right…

“Isn’t it?”

I asked the script cautiously, but naturally there was no answer.

Damn. I’m no different from a crazy person.

Considering that I get possessed the moment I know the answer, this wasn’t the answer.

Ah, this is driving me crazy.

Is there any other reason for identical precursor symptoms to appear?

Just then, my smartphone vibrated and showed Director Cha Seong-u’s name.

“Yes, Director.”

-I heard the news. You’ve moved another step away from Netflix, Senior Dohyeon-u?

“Haha. If I went to Netflix, couldn’t I become at least a department head?”

-It wouldn’t be easy. After all, it’s a company with a strong system.

Well, that was obvious.

SSK promoted me to senior because it’s SSK – it was an unreasonable story to begin with.

Chae Seo-hui spent 4 years as an assistant CE before being promoted to full CE, and that was considered quite fast.

To get promoted from there to senior CE, you needed to build notable achievements.

It wasn’t just about accumulating years of service – you had to prove you had an eye for projects and the ability to lead a team.

In that sense, if a senior was too competent, it made promotions difficult for CEs.

Everything would look like the senior’s accomplishment.

So they often got scouted by smaller companies to become seniors.

In that sense, promoting me to senior was truly a groundbreaking personnel decision…

But now I think I understand President Han Seong-hun a bit.

He’s someone who’s always kind and carries a smile, but surprisingly cold-hearted.

Should I say he views relationships between people only calculatingly?

President Han Seong-hun gives me full support because I haven’t failed.

There’s no reason to deny a function where inputting support outputs box office success.

Until the output value breaks down.

Then why did he support me when making Accomplice?

It was a contest work he’d already given up on – was it just a lucky break?

-Senior Dohyeon-u?

“Ah, sorry. I’m outside so I couldn’t hear well. What did you say?”

-I asked when you’d be free this week. Weekends are fine too.

“If it’s a business meeting, anytime is fine, but if it’s personal, I’m available Friday, Saturday, Sunday.”

-It’s about discussing Changed Sides promotion, so shall we meet Thursday?

“Yes. Sounds good.”

* * *

Pop, pop!

Watching the fireworks explode, I opened my mouth.

“Wasn’t this supposed to be a promotion discussion?”

“Should I say it’s a discussion about how to joyfully promote?”

I chuckled at Director Cha Seong-u’s words.

No wonder he suggested meeting at a hotel.

This was Netflix’s party celebrating the success of 【Changed Sides】.

Naturally, all the lead actors were gathered here too.

I’d been swamped with company matters recently, but Changed Sides was still doing well.

The intense trend had cooled down, but should I say a gentle interest was continuing?

It seemed like the category of ‘masterpiece dramas’ itself was trending.

“You know what? These days broadcasting stations are desperately searching for IPs worth making into season 2.”

“I know. I got a lot of contacts too.”

Cable broadcasting stations contacted me saying they’d meet almost any conditions, and from terrestrial TV, the MBY Manager called directly.

They were thinking of making 【Heart Specialist Doctor Choi】 season 2 and asked if I was interested in joining.

It was one of the most successful medical dramas, probably about 15 years old.

I think it’s a sufficiently realistic project.

Medical dramas don’t follow trends much, and it would be interesting if the season 1 protagonists became professors and got involved with new characters.

But I declined to support Chae Seo-hui and Kwon Cheol’s projects.

If I, as a senior, started another project, the team would be short-staffed.

As a result, Chae Seo-hui’s project fell through.

“So I just gave them an idea.”

“Why did you give away an idea? That’s all valuable property.”

“I made an enemy of the SBX Director. So I should have at least one terrestrial broadcaster on my side.”

Cha Seong-u chuckled.

“I told you last time, right? That I might be able to give you a gift.”

“A gift?”

I was about to ask back when I understood belatedly.

-Fine. Even if I can’t match global SVOD rates, I think I can give you a personal gift.

“Did you secure Milddang SVOD?”

“Yes. Global launch starts tomorrow. Promotion is next Wednesday.”

Wow, Netflix indeed.

They finished it in an instant.

“So the promotion discussion wasn’t completely a lie?”

“Aren’t you curious what the gift is?”

“I’m just pretending not to be curious.”

“The SBX Director. You won’t have to deal with him anymore. He’ll be transferred to CP of the Educational Programming Department during the next personnel reshuffle.”

“CP? Not Director, but CP?”

“Yes.”

Wow, that’s basically telling him to write his resignation and leave.

“Rumors will spread that he got kicked out for coveting Dohyeon-u Senior’s work… This is quite a sufficient gift, isn’t it?”

“That’s true, but… 【Tug of War】 and 【The Shift】 doing well overseas would be an even bigger gift.”

I knew it would be more comfortable with the SBX Director gone, but now that he’s actually been kicked out, I don’t feel that at ease.

As expected, this kind of political fighting doesn’t suit my temperament.

I just want to make my works peacefully and without trouble.

But the world won’t leave me alone.

“Director.”

Just then, Ji Seok-u appeared from somewhere and handed me something.

It was a wedding invitation.

“Already? You’re setting a date already?”

“What do you mean already? Do you know how old I am?”

“No, that’s true, but…”

“Could you sing a song? You have the look of someone who could sing well.”

“No. I absolutely can’t do that.”

“I’ll get you a suit tailored. Something really expensive and nice.”

“…”

I guess I just need to put my congratulatory feelings into it, right?

* * *

Diane Keplinger, the representative of CBD, the agency that dominates Hollywood.

At Diane’s level, there was no need to take care of anyone, but the man in front of her was an exception.

Vincent Coldwell.

This master of Hollywood SF suspense was the number one contributor to CBD’s success.

He was also an old friend of over 30 years.

“Vincent. Please clean up your house and live properly. You have plenty of money, so you could hire a cleaner.”

“There’s a risk that the cleaner might also clean away my inspiration.”

“I’d understand if I could see memos or something, but I don’t see anything at all?”

“You’ve become a slave to capitalism and can’t feel the inspiration that fills the house.”

“Please just shut up.”

Diane, speaking in a casual tone she’d never shown in front of reporters, sat down next to Vincent.

“What are you watching? A Korean movie?”

“A Korean drama.”

While K-dramas and K-movies used to be unfamiliar to Americans in the past, that wasn’t the case anymore these days.

Among non-English speaking cultures, there were even those who ranked Korea higher than France or Italy.

Though this was from a popular culture perspective, not fine arts.

“What’s the title?”

“Tug of War and The Shift.”

“Is it a series?”

“Yeah. Very interesting works. You could call them the Korean version of the Before series.”

Before Sunrise.

Before Sunset.

Before Midnight.

This series consisting of three works had story time flow as much as real time.

Before Sunrise was in 1995.

Before Sunset was in 2004.

Before Midnight was in 2013.

The films were released every 9 years, and the characters in the story also aged 9 years each time.

Naturally, the content the movies dealt with progressed accordingly, creating masterpieces that covered ‘the freshness of first meeting’, ‘the tenderness of chance reunion’, and ‘family love after romance ends’.

Feeling curious, Diane began watching the drama next to Vincent.

But since it was near the final episode, the drama ended in less than 10 minutes.

“Satisfying.”

“You look satisfied.”

“Diane. Didn’t the Korean director, Mr. Yang, invite me to his new film premiere?”

“Yang Ho-seok? Right. He did. You have a good memory.”

“He was a director who brought joy to conversations. All the movies he made were good.”

“So? You’re saying you want to go to Korea?”

“I’m looking forward to meeting Yang, and I also want to meet the director who directed this drama.”

Diane shrugged her shoulders.

There was no reason to stop her friend from going out when he spent all day holed up at home watching only movies and dramas.

“Go ahead. While you’re at it, bring back a project too.”

“Haha. A project set in Korea would be quite interesting.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————