A Genius Director Who Dominates OTT Platforms - Chapter 99

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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 99

I don’t feel particularly wronged, nor particularly angry.

That’s just how it is.

Someone holds money, someone holds power, someone holds connections.

Am I any different?

I’m holding onto a superpower that no one else has.

This time, SBX just happens to hold the rights.

The problem is that they’re trying to shake me with it.

“I think there’s some misunderstanding, but I gave up on 【Push and Pull】 long ago. I’m shooting an original web drama because it’s a waste to abandon the setup I’ve prepared.”

The manager snorted.

“Director Do. I told you. It’s embarrassing when you pull such shallow tricks.”

“I’m curious what’s shallow about it.”

“You took writer Hong Hee-yeong and the original director, didn’t you?”

“Yes. I received the script and brought Director Lee Eun-su on board.”

“Go Eun-a, Ji Seok-u. You took the male and female leads of Push and Pull too?”

“Yes. Fortunately their schedules were free.”

“You also took Oh Ha-eun from Surfer Entertainment, and carefully cast several unknown actors?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

The manager doesn’t know any particularly amazing information.

I never moved cautiously to begin with.

“But you’re calling it an original drama? Aren’t you talking nonsense after eating such an expensive meal?”

“We can go Dutch if you want.”

“Haha, this guy. Your bravado is too excessive. I was trying to talk nicely.”

The manager continued, his smile fading.

“You must have given Hong Hee-yeong at least 250 million, and Lee Eun-su probably got 200 million too?”

“That’s a reasonable calculation.”

“Go Eun-a and Ji Seok-u probably took 50-60 million per episode, and Oh Ha-eun got more if anything, not less?”

“You’re like a ghost.”

“That alone is close to 700 million, but what about filming? OST? Supporting cast costs? Just a few location shoots will spike the budget… Should I list all the additional costs for you?”

“No. As you said, even shooting cheaply would cost 1.5 billion.”

In reality, I only gave writer Hong Hee-yeong equity, and D.P Studio also took equity instead of filming fees.

I even received 200 million in investment.

There’s a significant gap from what the manager thinks, but from an outside perspective, it was a reasonable price tag.

“You spent that much money to secure Push and Pull’s script, direction, and actors, but you’re calling it an original web drama? Do you think that makes sense?”

“Then does a 500 million rights fee make sense? Besides, a 1.5 billion drama balloons to 5 billion when SBX shoots it?”

The manager chuckled.

“I said earlier, right? Let’s be honest. Do you really think I was trying to get that money? Director Do spends our money freely while shooting to his heart’s content, and we hold the IP. Is that so difficult?”

“Since you’ve been honest, I’ll be honest too.”

I stood up and glared into the manager’s eyes.

“I feel too disgusted to work together.”

* * *

The manager, left alone in the Japanese restaurant, fell into deep thought.

Honestly, it was somewhat unexpected.

He didn’t expect Dohyeon-u to come out so aggressively, nor to show emotional dissatisfaction.

It’s confusing.

Was that really sincere?

‘Dohyeon-u…’

The current evaluation of Dohyeon-u in the drama industry was ‘talented but also lucky.’

You can’t deny he has talent, but is even the work setup really his own skill?

Aren’t Accomplice and Handtip Crawl too unique to think so?

This was the dominant assessment.

In other words, his production skills were acknowledged, but pre-production was considered luck.

But the manager’s thoughts were different.

He evaluated Dohyeon-u very highly.

Except for casting Jeon So-ra, everything from one to ten seemed to be planned by Dohyeon-u.

That’s why today’s behavior from Dohyeon-u seemed strange.

He seemed to have no Plan B at all, yet stormed out emotionally.

Did I overestimate Dohyeon-u too much?

Is he just a young director drunk on success, where pride matters more?

‘That’s a bit strange though…’

Let’s change perspective.

What would I do if I were Dohyeon-u?

What way is there to give a blow to cowardly SBX that holds rights and acts tyrannically?

A way to escape SBX’s influence while shooting Push and Pull Season 2…

That was the moment.

“Hahahaha!”

A burst of laughter so loud that Chef Im, who was bringing dessert, was startled.

“Uh, Manager? Shall I prepare dessert for you?”

“Ah, Chef Im. Give me that. Ah, this is interesting. This guy really has talent.”

While the chef was flustered watching Manager Park burst into laughter alone, the manager picked up his phone.

The recipient was CP Nam.

-Manager. What did Dohyeon-u say? Will he shoot with our money?

“No, he won’t do it.”

-What?

“He said it’s too shitty to work with. He stormed out saying he felt bad.”

-Really? He said that openly in front of you?

“Yeah.”

-Isn’t he crazy? Then what do we do now? Should we tell Oh Ji-tae to stop development and fold everything? That arrogant bastard finished team setup and…

“No, no. But that’s a lie.”

-What?

The manager, confirming the chef had left the room, gripped the phone properly.

“He’s acting emotional to buy time until we have no choice but to sell the rights.”

-A situation where we have no choice but to sell the rights? Where is such a situation? If we don’t sell, that’s the end.

“There is. Netflix.”

The manager added explanation with a cheerful attitude.

What if Dohyeon-u shoots Push and Pull Season 2 brilliantly?

Netflix would be the most eager for that IP.

Since they hold the original’s SVOD, if Season 2 explodes, Netflix would feel like they hit the jackpot.

Dohyeon-u, having completed the work, can take it and tell Netflix.

I made something like this, but SBX won’t sell the rights so I can’t launch it.

Morally, Dohyeon-u has the advantage too.

Since SBX pushed an unreasonable rights fee.

What happens when Netflix, indignant about this, becomes a white knight and storms into SBX?

A mere manager-level person like himself would be screwed.

They can’t antagonize a global OTT company, so the rights would be settled after receiving an appropriate beating.

-No, does that make sense…

“It doesn’t make sense. Only a real crazy person could think of this.”

The major premise of Dohyeon-u’s plan is just one thing.

My work will really be interesting.

In other words, it’s something you can’t even attempt without tremendous confidence in your own work.

To put it bluntly, if Push and Pull Season 2 were just mediocre, Netflix wouldn’t step forward, and Dohyeon-u would become an idiot who threw over 1.5 billion won into thin air.

This one shot could completely destroy the trust built up through Accomplice and Handtip Crawl.

But….

“I really like how he works.”

If you’re going to call yourself a director, you should have at least that much confidence in your work.

The project becomes even more appealing.

What would happen if we schedule that as a prime-time drama and reschedule Push and Pull?

At minimum, it would make much more money than a drama with 2-3% viewership ratings.

If luck follows, viewers nostalgic for the past might gather.

Or what if we cut it up as a short drama and distribute it on rerun channels?

Couldn’t we even aim for an executive promotion?

-But does Dohyeon-u have any reason to get angry in front of the Manager?

“He does. I’m going to disrespect Dohyeon-u and click my tongue about his pride, so he won’t just do nothing, right?”

-Is there anything we can do?

“There is. Why wouldn’t there be?”

The Manager made his decision.

While he liked how Dohyeon-u worked, if he was going to abuse his power, he should do it properly.

“CP. Prepare a press release.”

-What kind?

“That we’re officially producing Push and Pull Season 2. No need to release the article right away, spread it when Dohyeon-u has filmed enough that he can’t back out.”

CP also understood the Manager’s words.

-We shouldn’t include detailed content about production, right? Keep it vague?

“Right. Fill it only with content that won’t feel out of place even if Dohyeon-u’s drama comes into our hands.”

This was building justification that Netflix couldn’t overcome.

Why did we set the licensing fee so excessively high?

Because we were really going to make it!

We weren’t really asking for 500 million, we were indirectly refusing!

Even if you’re a global OTT, isn’t demanding the rights to a work we’re going to produce going too far?

This was the logic they were creating.

Eventually, even Dohyeon-u would have no choice but to knock on SBX’s door after finishing the work.

He’d have to recoup the production costs, wouldn’t he?

‘Pay him about 105% of production costs and brush it off over drinks.’

The Manager smiled contentedly.

* * *

When Dohyeon-u entered the Bulgogi Restaurant, Team 4 members who were having Kwon Cheol’s celebration dinner cheered enthusiastically.

“Hyeon-u!”

“You came quickly?”

“The SBX Director was simple. He just delivered the main point quickly.”

“We haven’t been here long either. Boss! Please give us a glass here!”

As Dohyeon-u sat down and started eating bulgogi, Chae Seo-hui next to him tilted her head.

“Didn’t you eat expensive food with the Manager? Are you hungry?”

“Oh, that’s right. Why does it go down so well?”

“But your face is glowing? Things went well, right?”

“Does it show?”

“Yes.”

Dohyeon-u smiled slightly.

“My acting skills haven’t gotten rusty yet. Even though I haven’t done it for a while.”

“What do you mean you haven’t done it for a while? You appeared in Accomplice and Handtip Crawl too.”

“Ah, I really didn’t want to do Handtip Crawl.”

“That’s different from what I heard? Wasn’t your aspiration to become Korea’s Stan Lee?”

Stan Lee, the father of Marvel and ancestor (or final evolution) of the CE profession, was famous for witty cameo appearances in Marvel-based movies.

Directors like Hitchcock and Peter Jackson also enjoyed appearing in their own works, so it wasn’t particularly unusual.

“…Who said such nonsense?”

“Coach Jo Tae-seok.”

“No, I was forced to appear because of Coach Jo!”

“For something forced, you gave quite a passionate performance. Were you a League 1st place team’s strategic analyst?”

“Shut up and eat your bulgogi.”

“How do I eat with my mouth shut?”

“That’s plagiarism.”

Today was another peaceful day for Team 4.

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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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