A Genius Director Who Dominates OTT Platforms - Chapter 50
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Director Who Dominates OTT
Episode 50
* * *
Wednesday morning when the establishment of Team 4 was announced.
SSK became noisy.
It was because of the shocking news delivered as soon as they arrived at work.
“Did you see the personnel announcement? Lee Dae-han got fired.”
“Is he really fired? Since it’s voluntary resignation, it could be a job transfer.”
“He was causing all sorts of trouble about becoming a senior, would that be a job transfer? Just two days ago he was hassling Team 1 CEs asking if there were any applicants for Team 4.”
“I heard there’s talk that corruption was discovered during qualification verification for the senior appointment.”
“Someone said they saw CE Lee Dae-han meeting with a rookie actress privately before.”
“There was a rumor that they were going to discipline him originally, but the CEO let it slide worried about blocking his future.”
“Is there no problem with the handover?”
“He already handed over all Team 1 work since he was going to Team 4. Should be fine, right?”
The destination of rumors that snowballed in just a few hours was CL Team 4.
“So what happens to Team 4?”
“I don’t know. It’s strange to overturn the team now, and it’s also strange to go without a senior.”
“I heard the manager is joining the first meeting.”
“Who are the Team 4 CEs now?”
“Team 1’s Kwon Cheol, Team 2’s Noh Jae-uk. From Team 3, Chae Seo-hui and Dohyeon-u.”
“What about assistant CEs? Did they fill it with only new hires?”
“Yeah. They hired four new people for now, and they’re hiring four more next quarter.”
“Wow, they’re all young. Being Team 4 senior would be comfortable work.”
Employees expected Team 4’s senior vacancy to be filled quickly, but they also knew it couldn’t be filled overnight.
Lee Dae-han was personnel with no competition in terms of experience or seniority.
When it was decided that Lee Dae-han would be Team 4 senior, no one complained.
But the competition among CEs below Lee Dae-han’s level is fierce.
Moreover, there were many like Team 3’s CE Kang Mu-tae who couldn’t transfer teams immediately.
It was a case where they had a lot of work to handle, but no suitable successor for handover.
In the end, unless they recruited external personnel, the Team 4 senior position would be vacant for several months.
“Wow, shit. Team 4 is screwed. Aren’t they just playing around and getting paid?”
“Looking at them joining meetings, won’t the manager temporarily control things?”
“If I were a Team 4 CE, I’d just push forward with one project. When will I ever get to do my own work without senior interference?”
“I heard that guy Dohyeon-u is still holding onto that volleyball thing.”
“Didn’t the manager shoot that down? I heard he got called in last week and got totally ripped apart.”
“But he’s still looking into it at the office.”
“He was good at script revisions, but his foresight is shit. Seems like the type who only does well when the company gives him projects.”
“He’ll probably get chewed out today anyway, right? What production company would pour tens of billions into that kind of thing?”
* * *
“So? You’re really going to do that?”
“Yes.”
At my words, the manager pressed his forehead.
Since I had said ‘I haven’t found an answer yet’ just a few days ago, he seemed to believe I would give up.
“Let’s see the script first. How far along are the revisions?”
“I haven’t revised it yet. PD Yeom is still thinking about it.”
“What’s he thinking about? Didn’t you organize the revision direction and give it to him?”
“Whether to follow my opinion or not.”
“…Then what about the proposal?”
“I haven’t written it yet. I haven’t gotten the script writer’s permission.”
“Oh, my head.”
While I was talking with the manager, CE Kwon Cheol and CE Noh Jae-uk looked at me like I was crazy.
In contrast, Chae Seo-hui had a familiar expression.
The face that read ‘Excuse me, but you’re being crazy again today’ was annoying.
“The script content itself won’t change. I’m just changing the packaging. If the writer gives the okay, I’m confident I can proceed with revisions as quickly as possible.”
“You talk well.”
“I’m serious.”
It’s true.
Script possession activated two days ago, so I was confident I could proceed in an instant.
“Alright, I get it. Get the okay from PD Yeom first, then come to me. E-sports…. I can’t even get a feel for it.”
“Understood.”
“If you’re just changing the packaging, the male lead solo without romance stays the same?”
“Yes.”
“Then casting is important…. Do you have someone in mind?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Would I have asked about existence? I’m asking who it is.”
Do I not know that?
I was just giving the manager time to take a deep breath.
Because….
“Kim Ra-un.”
“What?”
“Actor Kim Ra-un is my first priority.”
Because Park Seong-hwa, whom my superpower recommended, was Kim Ra-un.
Manager Gong Seok-jun, who had widened his eyes, took his hand off his own forehead and pressed mine.
“Hyeon-u…. Are you sick somewhere?”
“Isn’t he crazy? Casting Kim Ra-un, who he destroyed with his own hands, for his next project?”
“Isn’t that too arrogant? It’s like showing that even with the same actor, it’s different when I use them.”
“Kim Ra-un has pride too, would he do that?”
“We’d be lucky if he doesn’t throw salt in our faces.”
My answer spread throughout SSK in an instant.
* * *
“Are you really fucking crazy?”
“I’ve heard that too many times today.”
“You deserve to hear it! No, think about it logically. Someone beat you up. But suddenly you want to work together. Would you do it?”
“When did I beat Ra-un? Strictly speaking, the one who beat him was PD Oh Ji-tae.”
Seong Tae, who had downed his soju in one shot, shook his head.
“That’s from our perspective, but would Kim Ra-un see you favorably?”
“If that’s the case, he should work with me even more. I’m going to turn his ruined image into something good.”
“Ah, I get it.”
“What?”
“You caught the Accomplice disease, didn’t you?”
“Accomplice disease?”
“There’s an incurable disease trending in the drama industry lately. Taking scripts that seem like money losers no matter how you look at them, bringing in actors who seem like disasters for casting, and begging people to trust you just once.”
“Sounds like me from a year ago.”
“That’s why it’s Accomplice disease. You’re patient zero.”
I shrugged and followed Seong Tae in downing the soju.
It’s been a while since we drank together.
Not because of me, but because Sung Tae-chang has been busy.
Recently, Tivic Korea has been making all sorts of efforts to retain new subscribers who flowed in thanks to Accomplice.
I heard they’re going all-in on self-produced variety shows.
“But hyung. Setting aside casting, isn’t the subject matter okay?”
“It’s not okay, you crazy bastard.”
“Why? I looked it up and it seems pretty popular.”
“Being popular and being worth making into a drama are two different things.”
“What do you think is different?”
“Let’s say that drama follows traditional sports storytelling conventions? Then it lacks too much dynamism. There’s not enough to see.”
“Hmm….”
“On the flip side, if it avoids sports genre conventions? Then it becomes an office drama or workplace drama…. What unique advantages can E-sports have? Can it beat the nobility of doctors? Can it beat the righteousness of lawyers?”
As expected of Sung Tae-chang.
He didn’t become regional director by playing ddakji.
Seeing him instantly recall things I spent days and nights analyzing scripts for.
“Of course, there are E-sports dramas that did well overseas. Especially in China.”
“That’s true.”
“But most of them are romcoms. Stories where female players disguise themselves as men to join teams.”
“Or they deal with games in great detail.”
“Yeah. They completely ignore mass appeal and drive fans of that game crazy with excitement.”
Even if just 5% of China’s 1.4 billion population enjoys that game, that’s 70 million people.
That’s a sufficient market to attempt production.
But it’s impossible in the Korean drama industry.
K-dramas are expanding worldwide, but precisely because of that, they need to consider global audiences.
In fact, even Accomplice recorded tremendous success domestically but couldn’t exert much influence globally.
Because they couldn’t relate to Korea’s educational system or the subtle emotional dynamics of students during their school years.
“But the drama you’re making isn’t either of those. Not a romcom, not game-specific.”
“That’s right.”
“You still think it’ll do well?”
“Yes.”
“Well then…. Do whatever you want.”
I was puzzled by Seong Tae’s reaction.
“You’re not trying to stop me?”
“Actually, I kind of expected this.”
“Expected what?”
“If you had come with some obvious drama saying you’d make it well, I would have been more surprised. Someone infected with the Accomplice disease wouldn’t do that.”
What’s this.
Is that a compliment or an insult.
“And…. I’m actually a bit excited. Since it’s a drama that’s never existed before.”
“Then please be generous with the production budget, Director.”
“You’re being ridiculous. You said you haven’t even convinced the writer yet.”
“I’m meeting him tomorrow. I need to get a definitive answer.”
* * *
The next day.
I met with Director Yeom Jae-mun in MBY’s meeting room.
I deliberately chose MBY as the meeting place because if I came to MBY, it would count as a production company meeting.
If we met outside, PD Yeom would have to use his vacation days, so it’s better for me to come, right?
While I was thinking about this, PD Yeom opened his mouth.
The same atmosphere as always.
Depression and resignation clinging to him like dead skin cells.
“I thought about what you said, Director. E-sports…. It seems like it could work.”
“I’m confident it will work.”
“Then is there a reason for me to do it?”
“Pardon?”
“I don’t know about games, and I’m someone far removed from trends. If it’s really viable material, wouldn’t it be better to find another writer to revise my manuscript?”
I was honestly a bit surprised.
By his willingness to let go of a script he’d held onto for 15 years, for the sake of the work’s completion.
If this happened, even if the drama succeeded, there wouldn’t be any applause for PD Yeom.
Instead, he’d probably hear things like ‘See, it worked out well once you let it go.’
All that would remain in PD Yeom’s hands would be the meager original work usage fee.
But….
That’s precisely why I could be certain.
The answer to the question I’d had while reading the script.
Park Seong-hwa is probably PD Yeom himself.
“PD Yeom.”
“Go ahead.”
“Park Seong-hwa is a character that projects your own image, isn’t he?”
“….”
It’s not because I heard that PD Yeom got divorced a long time ago.
The feeling I got when I first met Director Yeom Jae-mun.
That’s deeply embedded in Park Seong-hwa.
After hesitating for a long while, Director Yeom Jae-mun spoke like a sigh.
“I don’t think it was like that at first…. But somehow it became that way.”
“Unable to accept failure, tormenting people around you because of your own standards…. Not knowing how to treat people who support you….”
“….”
“You regret hurting them but don’t know how to undo it, so you became more obsessed. Park Seong-hwa with his director position, and you with dramas.”
Because if you can’t even achieve that, there’d really be nothing left.
“I want to throw that Park Seong-hwa into an unfamiliar world.”
“An unfamiliar world….”
“He’ll be afraid like you are now, PD, and he’ll be confused. Sometimes he’ll want to give up too.”
“….”
“But if Park Seong-hwa overcomes all those trials and lives well….”
PD Yeom slowly raised his head.
He looked just like Park Seong-hwa slowly raising his head in front of the mirror.
“Couldn’t you also navigate through this well, PD?”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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