NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor - Chapter 267

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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 267. Survival Island

The broadcasting station that would air the drama “Parabola” went through a tug-of-war between JNBC and TVM until the very end, ultimately choosing TVM.

 

Dramas distributed through pre-production are usually made with broadcasting companies supporting about 80% of the production costs, with the drama’s intellectual property (IP) rights belonging to the broadcaster.

 

‘We have follow-up variety shows and the goods shop is running successfully, so there’s no need to give up IP rights just to receive production funding.’

 

In fact, “Parabola” wasn’t a drama that would require a huge production budget.

 

Drama production budgets are mainly divided into fees for writers, directors, and actors, plus the actual production costs.

 

Among them, Writer Choi Mi-hyeon and Director Kim Han-su weren’t particularly expensive compared to the writer-director teams Yeon-woo had worked with so far.

 

‘They’re not as famous as Director Park Chan-hong or Writer Kim Jin-ju.’

 

But he knew well enough from working on his debut project with them that their abilities were outstanding.

 

And the actors’ fees were truly sweet.

 

‘All the lead actors are filled with actors from our entertainment company…’

 

Of course, each actor’s per-episode fee was guaranteed at the same rate they would receive for other projects, but in reality, the company’s share was offset, which was practically the same as reducing production costs.

 

Money going out from Saebyeol Media was coming into Saebyeol Entertainment.

 

Finally, the actual production costs for the work also didn’t have many elements that would require a lot of money.

 

There was no CG involved, and they didn’t need to build multiple sets.

 

Excluding staff salaries, the biggest expense would be renting the basketball gymnasium.

 

So they signed a final contract with TVM, which offered to partially support the drama’s per-episode production costs while keeping the IP entirely with Saebyeol Media.

 

 

Some time had passed since they began filming Parabola in earnest.

With filming completed up to episode 3, meetings about the drama’s scheduling were in full swing.

 

“So we’re expecting the broadcast to be in December. They said they’ll accommodate our preferred day and time slot as much as possible.”

“What if there’s a program already scheduled for the time slot we want?”

 

At Yeon-woo’s question, Director Yoon Mi-yeon shrugged and answered.

 

“Well? They seemed to be saying they’d move the original broadcast’s time slot if necessary to accommodate us.”

“Hmm, quite proactive of them.”

“They seem anxious since they haven’t had any notable hits recently.”

 

This was one of the advantages of airing dramas on cable broadcasting stations.

 

With terrestrial broadcasting, due to the tightly packed programming schedule, getting the desired day would require waiting for previous shows to end, making it likely impossible to broadcast the premiere at the desired timing.

 

If days were like that, specifying times was even more impossible.

 

They couldn’t suddenly move news or variety show time slots just to air a drama.

 

“Hmm, then I personally have a date and time slot I’d like to go with.”

 

At Yeon-woo’s words, Director Yoon Mi-yeon and the media staff looked at him with surprise.

 

“When would that be? Weekend nights at 10?”

“No. Wednesday-Thursday at 10. I’m thinking we could start around the second week of December.”

“Wednesday-Thursday? Hmm, second week of December Wednesday-Thursday… Min-jeong, are there any events overlapping with those broadcast dates?”

 

At Yoon Mi-yeon’s words, Gong Min-jeong, who was attending the meeting, checked the calendar and shook her head.

 

“We’re avoiding Christmas, holidays, and New Year’s Day, so there shouldn’t be any sudden broadcast cancellations or schedule delays.”

“Then that’s fine. The broadcasting station will accommodate whatever we say anyway.”

 

Yeon-woo nodded at Director Yoon’s words.

 

Actually, he hadn’t considered things like Christmas or New Year broadcast cancellations when setting that premiere date.

 

He had simply set it for exactly the same date after receiving a report two days ago that SBC’s Daytona was scheduled to premiere on the second Wednesday-Thursday of December.

 

‘Well, their production team and SBC’s programming department probably used their heads to pick dates that would allow continuous broadcasting without cancellations.’

 

In any case, Director Yoon Mi-yeon seemed unaware that Daytona’s premiere date was the same.

 

Well, since Lee Kyu-jin had discovered this by wiretapping internal conversations while monitoring Lake Film, TVM’s drama department wouldn’t know either.

 

“Then let’s fix it for that date.”

“Yes. I’ll convey that to the broadcasting station.”

 

If someone knew this fact, they might think of the competition between terrestrial vs. cable, blockbuster tentpole drama vs. low-budget youth sports drama as a fight between David and Goliath.

 

‘But they don’t know that David is hiding weapons and has already completed a strategy guide to bring down Goliath.’

 

***

 

A few days later, TVM Drama Department’s Director Shin Jae-kwon received a report with a gloomy expression from the morning.

 

He had heard that SBC’s major project “Daytona” would coincidentally premiere on the same date and time slot as “Parabola,” whose schedule had been fixed just days ago.

 

“So you’re saying it premieres on the second Wednesday of December?”

“Yes, that’s right. Wouldn’t it be better to avoid that time slot even now? If we contact Saebyeol, they’d probably agree to move to a different time slot.”

“Hmm…”

 

As Director Shin Jae-kwon stroked his chin in thought, the programming team leader added.

 

“They’re funding 80% of the production capital anyway, so there’s no way they’d want to go up against a major production using their own money, right?”

“…Right?”

“Of course.”

“Then let’s contact them and suggest changing to a different date. What programs do we have scheduled that we could move around?”

 

At Director Shin’s words, the programming team leader checked something on the tablet he was holding and nodded.

 

“You know that variety show ‘Only Pet’ with animals, right? Since that’s on Monday, we can adjust the time slot and move it back, and Tuesday is already the TV Special Lecture Show anyway, so I’ll propose Monday-Tuesday.”

“Good. Then Team Leader Han, please discuss that well.”

 

The programming team leader immediately called Saebyeol to convey their opinion.

But the response that came back was unexpectedly a refusal.

 

“What? They said they won’t move it and will go ahead as planned?”

“…That’s what they said.”

“No, what on earth is their reason? When a typhoon is coming, you should avoid it, so why are they trying to jump into it?”

 

At Director Shin’s words, the programming team leader scratched his head and spoke up.

 

“Well, they said if they move to Monday-Tuesday, episodes 5 and 6 would air during the Christmas holiday, and they don’t like that. And they said Actor Ryu Yeon-woo strongly wants to do it on that date…”

“Haah…”

 

Director Shin Jae-kwon let out a deep sigh.

 

Actually, it wasn’t incomprehensible content.

Episodes 5 and 6 are the timing when they need to maintain the viewers gathered in the early part of the drama while simultaneously spurring on viewership ratings through additional influx.

 

If they take a break or the ratings drop due to other channels’ special variety shows at that time, recovery would be difficult.

 

“But still, compared to going up against a masterpiece being produced with this year’s highest production budget…”

“Director. So Saebyeol made a proposal about that.”

“A proposal?”

“Honestly, I was quite tempted when I heard it.”

 

Seeing the programming team leader drawing it out, Shin Jae-kwon urged him on.

 

“So what is it? This tempting proposal.”

“Since it’s pre-produced, the drama filming will be almost finished before the first episode airs anyway, right? So while the schedule is relaxed, the cast members will directly appear on our channel’s variety shows and do proper promotional activities. Among them, the variety show that Ryu Yeon-woo said he’d appear on was quite unique.”

“Unique? What unique variety show do we have on our channel?”

 

***

 

Meanwhile, in Saebyeol Media’s meeting room, Director Yoon Mi-yeon was asking Yeon-woo with wide eyes.

 

“You’re really going to appear on this program?”

“Yes. I think we can definitely draw issues, don’t you think?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

 

The variety show proposal on Director Yoon Mi-yeon’s table was a planning proposal that Yeon-woo had personally selected from TVM’s existing variety shows and new variety shows scheduled for filming, saying he would appear on it.

 

– Survival Island

 

Planning Intent: Gathering only celebrities who would be offended if they weren’t considered second to none in terms of pride about their military service in the entertainment industry, to hold a survival game on an uninhabited island.

 

Special forces veterans, marine veterans, and even the red hat devil instructor from Nonsan Training Center.

They all claim their service location was the toughest.

 

And ten out of ten all claim they were expert marksmen who hit ten thousand shots, but what will reality be like?

 

 

Yoon Mi-yeon, who read the proposal again, looked back and forth between Yeon-woo’s face and the proposal.

 

“So Actor Ryu, who hasn’t served in the military, is going to a place where celebrities who have completed military service are gathered…?”

“That’s why it would be more interesting, don’t you think? Although I haven’t served, I think the concept could be something like a moderate military enthusiast. I’ve shot guns before, you know.”

“Actor Ryu has shot guns?”

“Yes. I went out with Actor Jin Yu-han on a day off and tried survival games. I have some talent for it.”

 

At Yeon-woo’s words, Director Yoon Mi-yeon stroked her chin.

 

Well, even if she tried to stop him, the decision-maker was Actor Ryu Yeon-woo himself, so worrying was a meaningless act anyway…

 

Certainly, just the news of his appearance would definitely turn the internet upside down.

 

The variety show was scheduled for Wednesday when the drama would air, so if the variety show hit big with Yeon-woo’s joining.

 

‘We could pull that entire viewership to the drama.’

 

Director Yoon Mi-yeon stared at Yeon-woo intently.

 

“What if you go out there and just show a ridiculous side? Reality variety shows have a lot of variables…”

“That probably won’t happen. I told you I’m pretty good at this stuff.”

 

When Yeon-woo answered with a smile, Yoon Mi-yeon shook her head.

 

“Anyway, I can never guess what Actor Ryu is thinking.”

 

At those words, Yeon-woo shrugged and turned his gaze to somewhere far outside the window.

 

***

 

PD Yoon Chang-jun, who planned “Survival Island” by borrowing ideas from famous foreign movies, was called to the director’s office first thing in the morning after arriving at work.

 

“Ah shit, they said they’d generously allocate the budget, and now what are they going to say?”

 

Last month, he spent quite a bit on construction costs to create ruins suitable for urban warfare on the uninhabited island.

Probably a report about those charges went up this month, and he thought that was the reason for summoning him.

 

“They didn’t say anything when I submitted it for approval, so why suddenly…”

 

Muttering as he opened the director’s office door, PD Yoon stepped back slightly upon seeing the director greeting him with a beaming face.

 

“Oh my! Our PD Yoon is here?”

“Oh, yes. You called for me…?”

 

The Director nodded his head vigorously and gestured for Yoon Chang-jun to take a seat.

 

“That’s right, that’s right. Let’s sit down and talk. You know, when the proposal first came up, I was honestly skeptical about it. Who would like this kind of thing? It would just cost a lot of budget. I thought a regular dating show where people just draw cupid arrows would be better.”

“Ah, yes…”

 

Looking at Yoon Chang-jun’s dejected expression, the Entertainment Director picked up his smartphone and waved it around.

 

“Well, I just got a call. There’s a major star who’s interested in your program and wants to appear on it.”

“Yes? A major star, you mean…?”

 

At PD Yoon Chang-jun’s words, the Entertainment Director grinned.

 

“Ryu Yeon-woo wants to appear on it. On ‘Survival Island.'”

“…”

 

Unable to determine if what he heard was real, Yoon Chang-jun tilted his head and asked again.

 

“I think I misheard. Who…?”

 

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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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