Bedroom Genius Actor - Chapter 92
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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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Episode 92
“What should I do now….”
PD Seo Min-sik sat alone in the smoking area, continuously smoking cigarettes.
He had recently promised his wife to cut down on smoking, but today it was hard to resist.
Today was the day episode 4 of ‘You Are My Love’ was released.
The evaluation had been quite harsh from the first day, but this time it showed that it had truly failed.
0.9% viewership rating. Even if they aired anything during dawn hours, it probably wouldn’t be this low.
In other words, even the aunties and uncles who watch dramas out of habit were changing channels.
Since it was airing on terrestrial TV and still got this rating, it said everything.
‘Still, the Drama Department must be well-fed. They received a ton of sponsor money.’
With all the actor insertions and PPL stuffed with everything imaginable, the production costs probably weren’t high.
Of course, they’d get hate comments saying they’d never watch SBC dramas again.
‘At this rate, they really won’t make any more in-house productions. Well, I should worry about my own future first.’
This work was truly an unprecedented situation. It had probably reached the ears of SBC’s director general.
“Phew….”
PD Seo Min-sik let out a small sigh and put another cigarette in his mouth.
“PD, you’ll really get lung cancer at this rate. Stop smoking.”
PD Seo Min-sik looked to the side.
There stood Jo Gi-hyeok, his assistant director and right-hand man.
PD Seo Min-sik threw the cigarette from his mouth into the ashtray.
“Right, I can’t die when I haven’t even paid off my house loan.”
“…Ahaha.”
“What does Director Kim Deok-chil say?”
“He asks if the company is a smoking lounge… and wants you to come in quickly.”
“There’s nothing to do even if I go in, so what’s he trying to set up?”
Jo Gi-hyeok hesitantly opened his mouth.
“Well… it seems like some word came down from above….”
“From above?”
He thought what was coming had come.
Previously when he crashed a car while filming a drama, he got off with just a one-month salary cut, but this time Director Kim Deok-chil was thoroughly angry.
‘Three months… no, maybe even six months if it’s severe….’
Since the SBC Drama Online Forum was literally on fire, he was prepared to receive disciplinary action.
But it was actually a different story.
“Well… they decided to end the drama early…. So they want you to redo some editing….”
“…What?”
Early drama termination. It was an unprecedented situation that had only happened once or twice about 10 years ago.
Still, from PD Seo Min-sik’s perspective, he had struggled to salvage it as much as possible.
But since the decision for early termination had been made, it was truly a disaster.
PD Seo Min-sik held his head and let out a small breath.
“That, that’s why the director asked you to come to the director’s office for a moment.”
“…Got it, I’ll be right there. Go ahead first.”
“Understood, PD….”
Jo Gi-hyeok thought it was right to give him space here.
From PD Seo Min-sik’s perspective, this was something hard to endure.
***
‘Just two more days to endure…!’
It had been 1 week and 5 days since ‘Office Apocalypse’ took first place.
It was still continuing its consecutive first-place march.
Moreover, the ratings were actually soaring high, so it could practically be considered a done deal.
‘I still can’t let my guard down… but I can feel relieved….’
This mission also seemed to be going well.
But there was one thing that bothered him.
‘I wonder if PD Seo Min-sik is okay.’
Kim Ji-hu had been watching all the episodes that had aired so far.
Since all he could do was help raise the viewership ratings, he had at least done that.
But the content became increasingly disastrous.
The SBC Drama Online Forum was blazing with anger, and they didn’t hesitate to personally attack PD Seo Min-sik.
Of course, there were also comments defending PD Seo Min-sik on one side.
-But does it make sense for the PD who made ‘Trauma’ to mess up like this
-Isn’t there some other reason?
-Are you guys paid commenters?
-Are you people who left SBC?
Even though such defensive posts existed, they were all buried under criticism.
‘Should I post something on the Armchair Reviewer blog….’
But he soon abandoned that thought.
Forcing praise for a work he didn’t think highly of would only be poison.
It wouldn’t help either the blog or PD Seo Min-sik.
Then an article caught Kim Ji-hu’s eye.
-Breaking) SBC apologizes to viewers and announces early termination of ‘You Are My Love’.
“Huh…?”
Early termination.
Even Kim Ji-hu, who had watched countless works, had only seen this situation once or twice.
While stopping in the middle of filming was one thing, shortening something after filming and editing were complete meant discarding the hard work of actors and staff.
Moreover, thinking from the perspective of those who made the work, it was truly devastating.
‘The evaluation must have been that severely bad for this to happen.’
SBC had probably pulled out their last resort.
Then how would PD Seo Min-sik be feeling….
Just then, Kim Ji-hu’s phone rang.
It was a text from Oh Jin-woo.
-Things worked out well, so come to the company dinner.
-CEO Kang I-wook says he really wants you to come.
-Just come and show your face. It’ll be weird if the protagonist isn’t there on a good day.
It was the company dinner that had been planned a few days ago.
He had actually already said he wouldn’t attend, but seeing Oh Jin-woo contact him directly, it seemed like he should go.
‘Then let me just… show my face briefly and come back.’
***
“Today’s other protagonist has arrived!!! Ji-hu!!! Come this way!”
The bar was truly in party mode.
Since they’d been number one on Netflix for over a week, it was natural.
“Haha… it’s been a while, everyone.”
Kim Ji-hu greeted them awkwardly.
Then responses poured out.
“The number one contributor to our work has arrived!!!”
“If it’s number one, then Jin-woo is.”
“Joint first place, joint first place.”
“What are you talking about! Kim Ji-hu is the best!!! Oh Jin-woo is the best!!!”
The staff cheered loudly in response.
“Haha….”
Kim Ji-hu could only smile awkwardly. He wasn’t used to this atmosphere, and he was also thinking about PD Seo Min-sik.
Either way, he was happy nonetheless.
It was a result obtained after going through countless hardships of all kinds.
CEO Kang I-wook got up from his seat and came over to Kim Ji-hu’s side.
“Ji-hu, thank you so much. Without you, the work wouldn’t have turned out this well.”
“Th-that’s only because everyone worked hard… It would have turned out well even without me…”
His social skills had improved enough that he could at least speak the words.
Though it was maximum social skills drawn up from his core.
CEO Kang I-wook shook his head upon hearing those words.
“No, your contribution was tremendously significant. Here, would you like a drink? Oh, do you not drink alcohol?”
Kim Ji-hu waved his hands at CEO Kang I-wook.
“I-I’ll drink.”
“Thank you. Please take a glass.”
CEO Kang I-wook seemed to already be slightly tipsy.
Kim Ji-hu, having received a glass, stood bewildered in the center.
CEO Kang I-wook said.
“Ji-hu, you lead the toast and everyone else follow along?”
“Yes!!!”
Kim Ji-hu’s eyes wavered for a moment before he spoke.
“Ch-cheers?”
“Cheers!!!!!!!!”
The staff’s voices filled the bar resoundingly.
After making the toast, Kim Ji-hu finally sat down. Oh Jin-woo was beside him.
“I learned a lot thanks to you. Really.”
Oh Jin-woo also seemed slightly drunk, his cheeks flushed red.
“I also learned a lot from Jin-woo.”
At those words, Oh Jin-woo glared at Kim Ji-hu.
“Jin-woo?”
“Uh… Oh Jin-woo?”
“Oh Jin-woo?”
Why on earth was this person acting like this?
Then he suddenly remembered Oh Jin-woo’s delighted expression when he said it was okay to speak casually.
Kim Ji-hu carefully said.
“Jin-woo… hyung?”
“That’s it! Cheers. Take a drink!”
“Y-yes…!”
Oh Jin-woo’s expression looked extremely pleased. He didn’t seem this happy even when he delivered excellent acting in the work.
While Kim Ji-hu was suffering from Oh Jin-woo’s drunken antics.
“Doesn’t Ji-hu look like he’s in a bad mood somehow?”
“Really? He looks like his usual self to me.”
“No, something… Usually his eyebrows are raised but now they’re lowered, should I say…?”
“…You observe such details?”
“I’m a complete fan of Ji-hu~.”
Then Director Cheon Yeong-hu, who had been quietly drinking beside them, spoke up.
“I think so too.”
“Right! You think so too, Director! You definitely have good insight~.”
“He’s probably not satisfied.”
At those words, all the staff looked puzzled.
“What? Not satisfied?”
“We came in first place. It’s not like there’s anything above first place.”
Director Cheon Yeong-hu smiled and quietly shook his head.
“I’ve seen that type once or twice before. As a director and as an actor.”
“Really? Then he’s really in a bad mood?”
“Half of it is like that. That type has their own standards they want to meet.”
Director Cheon Yeong-hu finished speaking and got up from his seat.
Then he headed toward where Kim Ji-hu was.
“Say it one more time. Who am I?”
“J-Jin-woo hyung.”
“That’s right, you bastard! Hehe…”
Director Cheon Yeong-hu stood there holding his glass and asked.
“Ji-hu, may I sit here for a moment?”
“Oh! Of course! Please sit!”
Kim Ji-hu brightened up.
At least Director Cheon Yeong-hu was in the same field as him.
Maybe he could get some relief from being tormented by this drunkard beside him.
“This work… what part didn’t you like?”
“…Excuse me?”
However, reality was different from his thoughts.
“I know. You’re not satisfied with this work.”
“What do you mean…”
“I’d like to learn a bit from you, Ji-hu. Which part is it? Is it perhaps the action scene editing around 20 minutes into episode 3?”
“No, no… I’m satisfied with… the work…”
“You can speak comfortably. I’m asking because I’m too curious.”
“I-I’m really satisfied though?”
“Ji-hu… it’s really okay…”
“…”
He had simply gained a second drunkard.
***
While Kim Ji-hu was being misunderstood as a perfectionist genius.
“Should we start getting some scripts for Ji-hu now?”
Baek Do-kyung said.
Some time had passed since filming ‘Office Apocalypse’ ended, and the work had been released, so it was time to look for the next project.
Choi Tae-geon asked with some concern.
“But would that be okay? I think it wouldn’t be bad to have a little rest period…”
Hadn’t Kim Ji-hu been through various incidents? Having witnessed a chase scene right before his eyes, Choi Tae-geon thought a little rest period might be necessary.
“That’s also a valid point, but I think Ji-hu would like to at least look at some scripts.”
“Ah, just scripts, not immediately taking on a project?”
“That’s right. Just because he receives scripts doesn’t mean he has to appear in them. Especially since Ji-hu’s status has risen with this work, he needs to be selective about projects.”
Choi Tae-geon nodded as if he agreed with those words.
“I’d like to see Ji-hu take on a lead role now… He’s done many supporting roles but hasn’t played a protagonist yet.”
“I agree. But Ji-hu always knows clearly what he wants. Even if he doesn’t get a lead role, he’ll choose a work that appeals to him.”
When he joined ‘Trauma’, they didn’t know much about Kim Ji-hu, but in the case of ‘My Little House’, he had personally sought it out and said he wanted to do it, and for ‘Office Apocalypse’, he signed the contract without hesitation after seeing it.
Of course, all those choices were the best decisions for Kim Ji-hu at those times.
Even Baek Do-kyung, who had managed in the entertainment industry for a long time, acknowledged this.
“Let’s just pass him the scripts and wait patiently. So Ji-hu can do the work he wants.”
“Understood!”
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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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