Song Gwonsu was repeatedly amazed as he read Jinwoo's work.
'So this is a real genius.'
The joy of reading a video from sentences.
The imagination driven by a swirling sense of immersion.
The delicate visual beauty that emanated from the words.
'I was nothing but a frog in a well.'
Is this what a writer who has reached the level of fully implementing a video in the script is like?
He had thought he would never envy another's talent, at least in terms of skill.
And to think he would discover such a talent not in a fellow director, but in a writer.
The words "I want to work with you" rose to the tip of his throat.
For the first time since leaving SBC, he felt the emotion of 'regret.'
Because he had been deprived of the very qualification to direct such a wonderful work.
"Th-that regression scene, you've incorporated an incredible amount of directorial elements. Just like a movie."
"Ah, really?"
"What? You didn't intend to!?"
"No. It just sort of came out that way..."
A talent for drawing a video without even intending to.Isn't this what you'd call an insane talent?
"Hmm... it seems you had CG in mind..."
"...?"
"One helicam and three drones should be enough."
"Ah... is that so?"
"Yes. Writer-nim, have you ever studied directing?"
"Ah, no. I have not."
"You have considerable talent."
"Thank you. Haha."
The scenes were drawn out in his mind, one by one.
No, the expression "drawn out" was wrong. Because the drama had unfolded in its entirety.
"This scene... do you think you can film it?"
"Pardon?"
"It won't be easy with the skills of a mediocre director. You'll have to choose well."
Director Song barely managed to hold back the words "I want to direct it."
"Um, actually, I have a director's meeting for this project tomorrow."
"Ah, is that so?"
Pfft—
So this work already has an owner.Well, I was thinking it was impossible anyway.
"May I ask who it is?"
"It will probably be Director Cha from SBC."
"Wh-who?"
"Director Cha Choongheon."
"Ah..."
The same graduating class that had relentlessly tormented him until just before he quit.
They were dirty and petty people who led the bullying within the company.
Among them, Director Cha was not the ringleader, but at the very least an accomplice—or perhaps something more malicious.
"Yes. I hope the project goes well."
Scrape—
Director Song shot up from his seat and left without looking back.
'Hmm... so it's very lacking in the eyes of a genius.'
So the system wasn't omnipotent. Director Song-nim, who relentlessly pointed out the work's flaws and then promptly disappeared. I thought he would at least give me a chance to ask for his phone number.
"Should we get going too?"
Miryung, who was watching from the side, said cautiously.
"Excuse me, could you give me Director Song's number? I didn't get to ask earlier."
"Ah, yes. Of course."
"...While you're at it, could you give me your number too, Miryung-ssi?"
"Pardon?"
Was asking for a 1+1 deal on numbers too much?
"Why my number..."
The manager next to her also looked a little flustered.
I was hitting on her so openly, but since I was the writer, he couldn't stop me.
"You're appearing in my drama. As a minor role in 'Pure-hearted Macho'."
"Ah! Right. I should give it to you."
As soon as I got the number, I made a call.
"This is my number, so please save..."
-Hello.
"..."
Click.
Some man answered the phone, so I hung up in a panic.
"Ah, m-mistake! A real mistake!"
"Yes."
They said Semi was a very sharp and perfect leader.Seeing her flustered, it seems like it really was a mistake. Seeing the bitter smile on the manager's face next to her, it seemed he was used to this kind of situation.
'Is she a bit of a clumsy type?'
Soon, Miryung, embarrassed, changed the subject.
"Um, Writer-nim. Semi has been looking for you sometimes these days."
"Pardon?"
"I think she thought you would show up on the filming set at some point."
"Ah..."
To be honest, I had been too indifferent.
To become a writer and barely even show my face on set.
"I'll be sure to stop by."
"Yes. Thank you."
Miryung bowed her head, thanking me.
"I'm the one who should be thankful. There are many good actors at Rainbow Entertainment."
A company that raises idols has many good actors.
Though it's especially within Purple Girls that there is a lot of talent.
Soon after,
after they left, I returned once more to the seat I had been in.
The halo of light entered my mind as is, and I checked it.
"Miryung-ssi is a good actress."
Miryung was a perfect match for the role of the capable asset manager.
The lines and actions had changed so drastically that they overturned the low compatibility rate.
"...I have to rewrite it."
As expected, the system never betrayed me.
The next day, in the morning.
From the morning, the internet was buzzing with a certain topic.
The day of the showdown with MBS's 'Shoot the Sun'.
"An Underdog's Rebellion? Can 'Pure-hearted Macho' Truly Topple the Sun!"
The reporters were busy competing with each other to come up with the most provocative headlines.
It was obvious what the viewer's reactions would be without even looking.
They would probably divide into fan groups and fight like crazy.
"Let's just get going."
Two hours remained until the meeting with Director Cha.
Director Song, whom I had met yesterday, lingered in my mind.
My mood was already gloomy even before meeting Director Cha.
SBC Drama Production Department.
The department head and Director Cha Choongheon were waiting for the meeting with Tempest.
"Director Cha, when is writer Kim Jinwoo supposed to arrive?"
"There's about 30 minutes left until the appointment time. Back in my day, we would arrive an hour early. I guess a writer's mindset is different."
"Ahaha. Director Cha, you've become a real old-timer. You've read the script, right?"
"What can you tell from just one part?"
"Hmm, is that so...?"
Director Cha Choongheon pointed out the bad parts of the work rather than the good.
"Honestly, the writer knows nothing about directing."
"Really?"
"It's good that he described the regression scene tightly. But what is this, Hollywood? Is he trying to slather it in CG?"
"Ah... looking at it now, it does seem a bit like that."
"Yes. We're not going to spend 200 million won per episode on production costs, are we?"
"Ahem, that's ridiculous."
As he said, it was still too much to make a big investment in a rookie writer.
"Pure-hearted Macho" was cruising along now, but that was its limit.
In fact, dramas that start with 5% ratings on a public broadcast station are a dime a dozen every year.
To put it bluntly, no one knows if it will be brutally crushed when it goes head-to-head with MBS today.
"Hmm..."
The department head made a subtle expression and asked Director Cha.
"So... what are you going to do?"
"I will correct all his strange habits. Isn't he just a rookie writer?"
"Director Cha, still, 'Pure-hearted Macho' is hot these days. Go easy on him."
"Sigh, Director-nim. I'm an expert at handling rookie writers. Just leave it to me."
"Hmm..."
Soon after, Manager Jung Saerom and Writer Kim Jinwoo appeared, right on time for the appointment.
"You'll have to revise this part."
Wow, this guy starts with "fix this" the moment he sits down.
"And this part, the protagonist was too stupid."
"Pardon?"
"He regressed on a whim after the female lead's hit-and-run, didn't he? And that's why his family loses their memories."
"...So?"
"Revise the last part of Part 1."
"..."
Why don't you just tell me to change the protagonist?
"Just the asset manager. If we make that character the main female lead, we can produce a much more interesting video."
Is this for real?
"You're quiet. Are you the taciturn type? Hoho."
Hoho. The nerve of this guy. In the end, Saerom, who was watching my expression, intervened.
"Director-nim, no matter what, it's too hasty to suggest changing the female lead without even seeing Part 2."
"Hah... what is the production company doing right now?"
"Pardon?"
"Since when did production companies interfere when a writer and director are talking?"
"...I'm sorry."
Saerom's expression was stiff even as she apologized.
Seeing that expression, I made up my mind.
"And Writer-nim. The regression part."
"Hmm, is there more?"
"Yes. This is realistically impossible to film."
"Then... couldn't we use a drone? Someone said so."
"Ah, then we could probably manage it somehow."
"..."
"But is there a need to take such an unreasonable risk? When it can be solved by revising just one line of the script."
I think he's speaking informally to me.
"Right. In a crime thriller drama, what's so important about the scene where the villain first appears."
"Hah... Writer-nim, don't be sarcastic. I've been in this industry for 20 years."
So what.
"Ah! And you used a lot of rookie actors in 'Pure-hearted Macho,' didn't you?"
My goodness. He's even bringing up my previous work?
"Surely you're not planning to use rookies in this project as well? Just out of concern... hoho."
"Excuse me."
"...?"
"Director Cha."
Hearing the cold voice, Director Cha frowned.
Soon, the atmosphere in the director's office froze over.
"My, what is this now?"
"What are you doing, Director Cha? If you came to have a conversation, you should have a conversation! Do you even have any intention of having a conversation!?"
"This... has he gone mad? A mere rookie...!"
Director Cha Choongheon, finally spewing vulgar words.
This old man is losing his temper over something so small. The more I talked with him, the more one person came to mind. Along with the six years I had spent being cursed at and pushed around under 'that' writer.
"Manager Jung... I'm truly sorry. I can't work with Director Cha."
"Yes. Let's get up."
Scrape—
Director Cha Choongheon, shouting at the top of his lungs.
The drama department head, glaring fiercely.
I left the SBC broadcasting station, leaving them behind.
Saerom didn't say a word until the moment we left the building.
"Manager-nim, you must be very angry. I'm sorry..."
"No. I was also against revising the script."
Saerom stood in the middle of the street and turned to look at me.
"Writer-nim, thank you. You got angry for me, right?"
"What? Ah..."
"I don't know how long it's been since someone fought on my behalf."
"Well..."
No, that's not it. I fought because he insulted my work.Hmm, I should just go with that.
"That's about right."
"You seem like a good person, Jinwoo-ssi."
It was the first time she had called me Jinwoo-ssi instead of writer.
Feeling a little embarrassed, I quickly changed the subject.
"Um, still, I'm sorry. Our opponent is the SBC drama department..."
"Hey, who is the president of our company?"
"What? Ah..."
The younger brother of the Cheonseong Group's vice-chairman.
He was too big of a wall for a broadcasting station to mess with.
However, one question remained.
'That's the CEO... isn't Manager Jung going to get chewed out by the president?'
It was puzzling that she still had a smile on her lips.
Anyone would think she was a chaebol's daughter herself.
"Manager-nim, maybe this was for the best."
"Pardon?"
Saerom asked back at my words.
"Actually, there was a director I wanted to work with on this project."
"Really? Who?"
Soon after, I paused for a moment and then continued.
"Let's work with our Director Song. Director Song Gwonsu."
"Wh-who?"
"The one who stormed out of SBC. The director who directed 'To Draw a Star,' Director Song Gwonsu."
"..."
Soon, I explained in detail about meeting Director Song Gwonsu yesterday.
"We just have to make the drama a success. Then the broadcasting stations will be fighting to get us. You know how it is."
If the drama hits it big, the station execs will have to swallow their pride, what else can they do?All the stations that were late to ride the Purple Girls coin are regretting it now.
'I'll make my next work a success just to see those people kneel.'
Putting Director Song in my debt was by no means a loss.
There was no freelance PD with his skills.
"Honestly... we've already burned our bridges with SBC."
"Just meet him once. Director Song Gwonsu."
"Yes. Give me his contact information. I'll negotiate his guarantee."
A freelance PD receives a per-episode appearance fee, unlike a station PD.
When a star director goes freelance, their price is usually very high.
But Director Song would probably be a special case, so we could sign him for a cheap price.
'Can we get him for around 10 million won per episode?'
Compared to his ability and career, it was practically free.
Except for the fatal flaw of having picked a fight with a broadcasting station, he was the king of cost-effectiveness.
"I'll meet him first. Director Song."
"Yes. Thank you."
Soon, Saerom returned to her usual expressionless face.
Just before getting into her car, she turned around and asked me.
"Writer-nim, I'm going to watch the drama broadcast with Jaejun and Seongho today. Would you like to watch with us?"
"Ah... today? The 3rd episode's air date."
"Yes. The day we go up against MBS."
"...Where did you say you're watching?"
Meanwhile, Semi was shocked after receiving a call from Jaejun.
"W-with who?"
-With the writer.
Semi suddenly felt an explosion of sorrow.
It was like two of the three lead actors were ostracizing the remaining one.
And the production company and the writer were all in on it!
"Why am I the only one left out!?"
-Besides you, we're all from the same company. The writer also signed a contract...
"Then I'll move companies too."
-Are you kidding?
"I'm not kidding."
Her manager, who was driving, broke out in a sweat but didn't add a word.
Soon, as soon as she hung up the phone, Semi said to her manager.
"Oppa, let's go to Tempest right now."
"Even if we go now, we'll probably only arrive around the time the drama is almost over."
"Then we have to go even faster!"
"U-uh. But what you said about moving companies..."
"Later!"
"Ah, okay."
It was a point in time with one hour left until the flagship dramas of MBS and JTBS clashed.