A Genius Director Who Dominates OTT Platforms - Chapter 48

—————
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 48

 

* * *

 

I looked out the taxi window and then took out my smartphone.

 

When Accomplice was airing, I monitored public reactions several times a day, but lately I’d been neglecting it.

 

Tivic’s weekly TOP 1 was still Accomplice.

 

Meanwhile, Youngpal remained a laughingstock even three weeks after its finale.

 

Director Oh Ji-tae couldn’t clean up his own mess.

 

The thriller elements he forcibly inserted were handled as a MacGuffin—the protagonist’s delusion—but it completely broke the immersion.

 

The sudden thriller subplot stole screen time, weakening the supporting couple’s chemistry too.

 

In the end, the final viewership rating was 7.7%.

 

The overseas response was good since it was distant from domestic issues, so they probably won’t lose money…

 

But breaking even with 19 billion won invested is practically a loss for the broadcasting station.

 

However, the bigger problem was Kim Ra-un.

 

-In the end, didn’t Kim Ra-un prove he’s just a one-trick chaebol heir?

 

-?? : I’ll show you and prove it.

 

-If Kim Raun had been part of a criminal group, the whole group would’ve been screwed too lolol

 

-Dohyun Woo has insane taste lol

 

-Hey, since when did Kim Ra-un rise through acting… He rose through fashion.

 

-Idol Eum Seong-hyeon who competes with acting VS Actor Kim Ra-un who competes with fashion.

 

-Ahem. Eum Seong-hyeon from Light Dancer Unpack and Accomplice are different people.

 

-Yeah, that’s right. Just like how the Dark Dancer and Peter Parker are different people.

 

-Is it a symbiote, fuck

 

It’s common for lead actors to get criticized when dramas collapse, but this time it was excessive.

 

Even though his acting itself was flawless, comments criticizing Kim Ra-un’s performance were spreading like wildfire.

 

This wasn’t entirely due to issues involving me.

 

While I can’t deny that was the catalyst, the real problem was Kim Ra-un’s image.

 

Director Jang had made Kim Ra-un successful as a celebrity, not an actor.

 

Since the foundation of his popularity was ‘admiration’ rather than ‘acting,’ once he was no longer admirable, there was no way to stop his image from crumbling.

 

Of course, among those commenting, few actually harbored extreme hatred for Kim Ra-un.

 

This was just entertainment to them.

 

But the public tends to feel greater thrill and amusement from someone’s downfall than their rise.

 

It didn’t look easy for Kim Ra-un to reverse the situation.

 

“…”

 

I closed my smartphone with a bitter feeling.

 

It wasn’t my business, but I felt a bit resentful toward PD Oh Ji-tae.

 

He just had to hold out until Accomplice finished airing…

 

While I was thinking this, the taxi arrived at its destination.

 

It was MBY.

 

* * *

 

The sudden visit to MBY wasn’t my idea.

 

The PD from 【Elegant, Wow-ah】 that I’d worked with before had been calling for days asking if I could come to the broadcasting station.

 

No matter how much I pressed, he wouldn’t tell me the reason…

 

“You’re Director Dohyeon-u, right? Wow, you’re handsome.”

 

I didn’t know it was MBY’s drama manager who had called for me.

 

“Please feel free to speak casually.”

 

“Ah, I couldn’t do that… How about I settle for calling you Hyeon-u?”

 

The MBY manager, who had an overall smooth impression, got straight to the point.

 

“Hyeon-u, have you thought about joining as a special hire PD?”

 

“A PD?”

 

This was quite unexpected.

 

I’d received many scouting offers, but CE and PD are completely different job categories.

 

If a CE is a general commander who must handle everything, a PD is a specialist soldier focused on directing.

 

“Don’t you want to try making dramas at MBY? A director might have more things they can do, but… you know, right? When a director throws a tantrum, there’s nothing a director can do.”

 

That’s true.

 

It would be terrible to think Director Jeong completely ignored everything I said.

 

Honestly, I was curious.

 

I’d talked about it with Seong Tae before—my original dream was to be a director.

 

But I don’t have directing sense.

 

The world of directing is where filming the same scene with the same actor produces completely different results, and I could never shoot like Director Jeong no matter what.

 

“I’m very grateful for the offer, but I don’t have directing talent. I’m not just saying that—my original dream was to be a director.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes. I’ve received some scouting offers before… Today’s is the most regrettable.”

 

I laughed, but the manager said something unexpected.

 

“I think you’re mistaken.”

 

“Mistaken?”

 

“Looking at the work you’ve done, there’s no way you don’t have directing sense. Even during your acting days, they say you acted considering the realm beyond the lens.”

 

He looked into my acting days?

 

Well, hiring an inexperienced PD through special recruitment rather than public recruitment is rare.

 

“Some people are born with directing sense, but others bloom as they age. You only studied directing in your youth, right?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“When you get the chance later, learn it properly. You’ll do better than you think.”

 

“Thank you for the kind words. If I seem to have directing talent, I’ll come to you first, Manager.”

 

“Haha, good.”

 

The manager smiled slightly and drank his green tea.

 

“You have to remember that I think highly of you, okay? I’m not writing empty checks today.”

 

It definitely wouldn’t be an empty check.

 

Hiring one special recruit PD wouldn’t cost the broadcasting station much money anyway.

 

And would they give me a main directing position right away?

 

I’d have to build experience starting as an AD.

 

They want to use my connections to cast Accomplice actors or people like Seo Jae-yeon.

 

Ah, maybe Seo Jae-yeon was the target from the beginning.

 

It’s time for him to look for a new project.

 

But I hid these thoughts and just smiled brightly.

 

“Of course. I should brag to the whole neighborhood. MBY’s manager contacted me directly.”

 

“These days terrestrial and OTT collaborate a lot to make dramas. Let’s do something amazing together next time.”

 

“That would be my honor to ask.”

 

After that, we spent quite a long time exchanging pleasantries and smiles.

 

As the meeting was winding down, the manager changed the subject.

 

“Oh, but is the rumor that you’re hooked on PD Yeom’s work true?”

 

“It’s not confirmed, just that the work’s quality caught my eye so I’m reviewing it.”

 

“Interesting. I saw it too, but it’s not something worth making these days.”

 

“That’s true, but I like high-quality scripts.”

 

“I see. Review it carefully. That guy is my university junior. We used to have meals together often before…”

 

Unexpected.

 

I’d been thinking PD Yeom was involved in internal corruption or political issues.

 

After thinking briefly, I spoke up.

 

Since it could be problematic, I used a nuance suggesting I was on his side.

 

“But there wouldn’t be any problems working with PD Yeom, right? I don’t know for certain, but I’ve heard some rumors.”

 

“Ah, what. Internal corruption, staff harassment, that kind of thing?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“No, does that reach outsiders’ ears too? It’s not like that. He just can’t do shit at work, oh sorry. He just fucking sucks at his job.”

 

“He can’t do his job?”

 

“Hyeon-u. Is PD Yeom from the Drama Department? He’s from Variety Show Department. He has no talent for variety shows. But he’s a perfectionist.”

 

“Ah….”

 

“Originally he aspired to be a drama PD but got on someone’s bad side and was transferred to the Variety Show Department…. Would that superior still be around? It happened over 20 years ago when I was directing.”

 

This is really unexpected.

 

Is this like life’s MacGuffin?

 

Was PD Oh Ji-tae actually a realistic director?

 

“Anyway, nothing happened. So you don’t need to worry about it, PD.”

 

Looking at the Manager’s face treating it as no big deal, I suddenly had a question.

 

“Does PD Yeom think the same way?”

 

* * *

 

I lingered for a moment at the entrance of the broadcasting station.

 

With only 3 days left until Team 4’s establishment, I had an impulse to meet PD Yeom Jae-mun.

 

But I didn’t want to give false hope, and I hesitated thinking it would be hard to expect a new perspective from a writer who had been holding onto the same script for 15 years….

 

Since I came all this way, should I meet him once?

 

Besides, there was a thought that came up from my meeting with the Manager.

 

It was about ‘perspective.’

 

The Manager treated PD Yeom’s misfortune as no big deal.

 

Getting on a superior’s bad side over 20 years ago.

 

Wanting to be a drama PD but being kicked out to variety shows.

 

Being bad at work.

 

Having no talent for variety shows.

 

Being a perfectionist despite lacking the capability.

 

There was no malice in any of this.

 

Because he really treated it as no big deal.

 

But what about from PD Yeom’s perspective?

 

Were the misfortunes that filled the past 20 years really just a series of trivial matters?

 

Even when looking at the same situation, differences in perspective exist.

 

It was something I knew well.

 

But I had a flash of intuition that this could be the direction for revising 【Caught at Fingertips】.

 

‘Then which perspective should I focus on?’

 

The difference in perspective between coach and player?

 

That’s too cliché.

 

Then what about different perspectives on the sport of volleyball?

 

This is also cliché.

 

There was even a drama that told a similar story using badminton, which is a national sport despite having no professional league.

 

While I was pondering like this for a while, someone hit my shoulder with a thud!

 

I rarely get annoyed, but I got annoyed at the touch that was painful enough to feel.

 

“Hey! Dohyeon-u!”

 

The moment I saw the face, my annoyance melted away.

 

“Reporter Moon!”

 

“Hey! What brings you here!”

 

“I came because I had some business at the Drama Department.”

 

“Wow, director! Your drama was successful but you didn’t even contact me?”

 

“What are you talking about. I called you recently but you didn’t answer.”

 

“Huh? Did you? Was that when I was overseas?”

 

We chatted at the broadcasting station entrance with happy smiles, then headed to the smoking area.

 

I’m not a smoker, but Reporter Moon is really a heavy smoker.

 

“It’s really been a long time since we saw each other face to face, right?”

 

“That’s right. How long has it been?”

 

“Hasn’t it been about 2 years?”

 

“Has it already been that long?”

 

Reporter Moon was someone I’d known since my days as one of D.P’s rookie quartet.

 

We didn’t become close through any particular story, but became acquainted as Reporter Moon frequently came to D.P for interviews.

 

Nevertheless, the four of us liked Reporter Moon because he was truly an adult and a genuine journalist.

 

He never looked down on rookie actors, and he couldn’t write tabloid stuff because it gave him hives.

 

That’s why he couldn’t get promoted though.

 

He was especially close with Seo Jae-yeon.

 

“By the way, is Seo Jae-yeon still the same?”

 

“Jae-yeon? Why?”

 

“No, he called me out of the blue asking me to write an article about the catering truck he sent you?”

 

“Ah…!”

 

“There are no famous actors on set, so I don’t know if it’ll become an article. We don’t even have reporters coming and going.”

 

“Don’t worry. I already spread the source to Reporter Moon.”

 

Right, I had that conversation with Seo Jae-yeon.

 

I remembered belatedly.

 

“But that didn’t become an article, did it?”

 

“Hey! I’m a sports reporter now!”

 

“Still, if you tossed it to a colleague reporter….”

 

“I did! But he started going on about Seo Jae-yeon’s pink heart, so I threw it away.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Well, Seo Jae-yeon is a top star whose even light news gets sensationalized.

 

“But Seo Jae-yeon kept nagging about why the article didn’t come out…. Don’t you keep him in line these days?”

 

“When did I ever keep him in line.”

 

“I saw Seo Jae-yeon crying several times while practicing with you?”

 

“…It must have been a crying scene.”

 

No, was I really a bad guy?

 

We practiced acting together many times, but why don’t I remember?

 

“By the way, what sports do you cover? Soccer? Volleyball?”

 

“Volleyball? After soccer, isn’t it obviously baseball? Did you like volleyball?”

 

“Ah, I just suddenly thought of it.”

 

“I do E-sports now.”

 

“E-sports? Games?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“What? That really doesn’t suit you at all?”

 

Reporter Moon chuckled, put away his finished cigarette, and lit another one.

 

“At first I wondered what this was too. I thought what kind of sport is clicking away in front of a computer.”

 

“From what you’re saying, it seems like you don’t think that now?”

 

“Yeah, no. There are stories here too, emotions, competition. People cry and laugh over wins and losses, and work like they’re dying to win.”

 

“That’s really unexpected. Reporter Moon being an E-sports reporter….”

 

You’re totally a macho man though.

 

“Right? Even now when I see them tapping keyboards, I sometimes wonder what this is…. But if it moves people in the process of achieving something, it’s a sport.”

 

“I should also next time,”

 

That was the moment.

 

I suddenly snapped to attention.

 

E-sports? E-sports?

 

Is there anything better to show the temperature difference in perspectives?

 

People would look at the same action with completely different eyes.

 

Moreover, there was something I had always found strange.

 

The cheering I heard in the premonition.

 

That cheering was ridiculously massive.

 

As if tens of thousands of people were shouting.

 

But the Korean men’s volleyball league finals don’t even have 3,000 spectators.

 

My mind started spinning rapidly.

 

“Reporter! How many people gather for E-sports finals?”

 

“It depends on the event, right?”

 

“For the most famous one!”

 

“Then you’ll be surprised? Last year in North America, 20,000 people…”

 

At that moment.

 

Whoosh, my supernatural ability activated.

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