Today, a single commercial became a huge issue on social media.
Honestly, considering the success of "Pure-hearted Macho," it was plausible that Im Jaejun's commercial would be a hit.
However, a commercial is, in the end, just a commercial.
Even a commercial filmed by a sparkling top star is ultimately just a promotion for profit.
Unless you're a die-hard fan, most fans don't pay attention to commercials.
However, this case far transcended the normal scope.
"Campus Couple Cider Ep. 1. Full Version. (feat. Oseong Cider)"
-23 hours ago -1.07 million views
"In just one day... 1 million views?"
Saerom had a dumbfounded expression as she watched Im Jaejun's 10-minute commercial video.
The comment section was mostly filled with fans' support, demanding the next episode immediately.
Oseong Cider was blatantly placed throughout the video.
The drink was mentioned in conversations, and the act of drinking it was frequently seen.
If it had been a real drama, it would have been PPL worthy of a frown.
"But this is just a real commercial!"
People were just shouting for the next episode as if they were waiting for a real drama.
The promotional effect is greatest when people are not aware that they are being exposed to an advertisement.
The presence of Oseong Cider naturally melted into the viewers' minds.
"No, they probably know it's a commercial and just don't care."
Because this short drama is that much fun.
Knock, knock—
Team Leader Byun opened the door after receiving Manager Jung's permission.
"Manager-nim, have you seen the commercial?"
"Of course."
The Tempest employees were the same.
They could not have predicted that the reaction would be this good.
"I think we need to re-evaluate actor Im Jaejun's guarantee for his next project."
"It's a relief that it's before he's signed the contract."
"Yes. If we had been just a little later, we would have suffered a huge loss."
Honestly, they wouldn't have suffered a loss.
They just wouldn't have gained 'more' profit.
Isn't Im Jaejun already on the same level as Ji Seongho?
"Manager-nim, has there ever been another star who has risen this quickly?"
"Among the ten-million-viewer actors... there was actor Lee Joongu who rose with 'The King's Man'."
What if the protagonist of "Pure-hearted Macho" hadn't been Im Jaejun?
Probably, whoever was in that position would have undoubtedly become a star.
However, the result would have inevitably been adjusted downwards compared to now.
Because he was an actor who suited "Pure-hearted Macho" in a way that couldn't be explained by just acting ability or looks.
In other words,
"As expected... is it the power of the script?"
Right, that was the reason Im Jaejun could become "Pure-hearted Macho."
Didn't any line he delivered feel as natural as if he were wearing his own clothes?
"Ah, did you know, Manager-nim? I came up to tell you."
"Pardon? What?"
"The script... I heard writer Kim Jinwoo wrote it..."
"???"
"The Oseong Cider commercial script. Writer Kim Jinwoo wrote it."
"Wh-what did you say?"
Saerom gulped and looked at the video.
Looking at it now, it strangely overlapped with his other works.
It wasn't that the atmosphere or development of the work was similar.
"There are no unnecessary frills."
From a commercial perspective, it was a spitting image in the sense that there was nothing to fault.
"What is all this."
Perhaps because unlike a drama, YouTube gets immediate feedback.
I had been reading the comments that were coming up in real-time all day.
Honestly, I couldn't help but be curious about others' opinions.
Although it was a commercial script, this was also a result born from my fingertips.
-If you don't want to die, release the next episode ㅡㅡ -Why is this 10 minutes? Why isn't it 1 hour? -I bought a box of Oseong Cider, so upload episode 2 right now ^^ -Take my money and remake it as 16 episodes fml -So when's the next part? ㅎㅎ
People were enraged after watching the tantalizingly short 10-minute drama.
"It's been 24 hours... why haven't they uploaded episode 2?"
From what I had heard, they were supposed to upload one part every day for four days.
It's a picture of them punching the calculator after seeing the current situation.
"They've gone crazy for money."
If they upload one part a week, the issue will last longer, and the promotional effect will increase.
Because this is a market that moves strictly by profit and loss.
Bzzzzt—
At that moment, a call came from Manager Jung Saerom.
"Yes."
-Writer-nim, I heard you wrote the commercial script.
"It just happened that way."
-Sponsorship offers are flooding in right now.
"Oh, it looks like we won't have to worry about money for this drama."
Of all things, a drama writer had hit it big in the advertising world.
There would be no need to worry about not getting sponsorships or PPL.
"Hmm, but you know I don't really put in PPL, right?"
-...I barely interfere either.
This is why I like Manager Jung Saerom.
Purely in the relationship between a production company and a writer.
-That's true, but Oseong Foods is trying to sponsor us in earnest.
"Pardon?"
-It's a proposal to become the main sponsor for your next project.
"...That's a good thing, right?"
-Of course.
Well, I don't know anything about that part.Isn't it best to just leave it to the expert?
"Please do so. I'll make sure to have a drink once in a while when writing the script."
-Thank you.
"Well, we have to make money."
That's how I can raise my tier again.
-I'll be in touch again then.
"Okay. Goodbye."
Click.
I did a good job today, so I should give myself a present.
"Heejung-ah! Want some chicken?"
What is she doing with the door closed?I was going to buy it for her specially, just for today.
Knock, knock—
"...What are you doing."
Today, the door wasn't locked like usual, so I flung it open.
"Hey, chicken...?"
She's wearing a headset and watching an Im Jaejun fan-cam video with a foolish grin on her face.
Just looking at that expression, you'd think she was watching porn or something.
"It's a relief. That I'm not into idols."
If I had gotten close to Semi just a little later, would I have been a fanboy like that?
Swish—
I took out my smartphone and opened the camera app.
-Look here~
"Huh? O-oppa, what are you doing right now..."
Beep—
At the sound from the smartphone, Heejung frowned.
"You, again with the photos... damn it."
"It's not a photo."
"Huh?"
"It's a video."
My sister looked at me with an expression of disbelief.
"It came out well. When you become a top star later, buy this too. I'll give you a generous price of 1 billion won."
"Wh-what are you doing. Hey, delete it. Aren't you going to delete it?"
"Oh my, you're going to have to earn a lot of money."
"Damn it... you wanna die!?"
It was then.
Bzzzzzt—
At that moment, a call came from an unknown number.
It was a new business phone, so only a few people knew the number.
"Hmm, who is this?"
"Hey, I told you to delete it!"
I held back the charging Heejung's forehead with one hand and answered the phone.
"Hello?"
-Is this writer Kim Jinwoo's number?
"It is. Who is this?"
It was the voice of a middle-aged man.
-This is CEO Jung Kitae.
"Wh-who?"
-This is CEO Jung of Tempest Entertainment. My greetings are late.
"Ah..."
At that moment, Heejung started looking for a weapon in her room.
She picked up a wooden stick that looked clearly threatening.
"That crazy..."
-Pardon?
"No. Not you, CEO-nim."
Tap-tap-tap-tap—
I quickly went into my room and locked the door, but Heejung was shouting at the top of her lungs from behind.
"Hey, Kim Jinwoo!!! Open the door!?"
CEO Jung Kitae paused for a moment and then answered.
-...Should I call back later?
"No. What can I do for you..."
Why would he call all of a sudden? Most of the work within Tempest is handled by Manager Jung. I thought the CEO was just slacking off and enjoying the chaebol life every day.
Soon after, CEO Jung Kitae proposed a meeting.
-Let's have a meal together next time.
"What? Just the two of us?"
-You can eat with Se... no, with Manager Jung Saerom.
"No, CEO-nim, I think it will be more comfortable with just the two of us."
There's no need to make Manager Jung uncomfortable just because of me.
-Let's set a date within this month. If you're not busy.
"...Even if I don't have time, I have to make it."
It's not a master-servant relationship, but we are tied by a contract.
And more than anything,
'He's a chaebol.'
Perhaps because I've written so many scripts about chaebols abusing their power for the past 6 years.
In my head, most chaebols have a screw loose.
Even more so than my crazy sister, who is pounding on the door behind my back.
A massive office, spanning 700 pyeong, without any partitions.
Countless people were busy working or walking around in the open space.
The atmosphere was one where everyone wore comfortable clothes and chatted freely while working.
Among them, a woman was engrossed in reading something in a comfortable posture.
A mixed-race beauty with both Eastern and Western charms.
A Korean-American with golden hair and blue eyes.
A large neon sign hung behind the woman.
『Diziney Play』
A certain man approached the woman, who was as beautiful as a Hollywood actress.
"Angela, what's the reason for giving such generous terms to Tempest Entertainment?"
As befitting a global corporation, it was a horizontal organization.
If there were any questions about a superior's decision, you could ask at any time.
"Angela...?"
Diziney Play, established in 2019 and expanding its business at a frightening pace.
It was a video platform that had quickly risen to the number two position after Nexflex.
The woman in charge of the Diziney Play Asia branch put down the script she was reading and slowly opened her mouth.
"Jayden."
"Yes."
"How many drama scripts do you think I've seen in my life?"
"Pardoon...?"
What was the reason Diziney could rise to the number two position in such a short time? Recently, Diziney Play had been innovating again and again to surpass the number one. If you had the ability, they were prepared to give the head position to anyone, regardless of age. A global platform that didn't even require a career or educational background befitting a high position. A ruthless company that evaluated solely on skill and cut 30% of its employees every year based on performance. To be in charge of the Asia branch in such a company at the young age of just her early 30s. There could be no one in this company who doubted Angela's skills. Because it was a structure where an inflexible person could not survive.
Soon, Angela took her eyes off the script and stared at her subordinate with her blue eyes.
"Gasp."
The man who received the cold gaze swallowed a groan.
"I asked how many scripts you think I've seen, but you're not answering."
"Ah, drama scripts... I'm not sure."
"Hmm, I've read one work every three or four days without fail for 15 years."
It was an amount that was hard to imagine even with a simple calculation.
"I've read almost everything, regardless of nationality, language, ideology, or genre."
"And... so?"
"The number of cases where I was certain of a hit can be counted on one hand."
"Th-that, I know that too."
Isn't she someone who gives a harsher score on scripts than any critic?
There were quite a few scenarios that perfectly matched her prediction of being moderately successful.
But the number of works she had been certain would be a mega-hit was less than 100 in all that time.
Among them was 'Outerstellar,' which had opened a new horizon for SF movies.
And there was also 'The Doctor,' which was praised as an innovation in the medical drama world in North America.
"This work is also included in my list of mega-hit projects."
Jayden, who received the script Angela handed him, widened his eyes.
However, since it was in a language he didn't know, it was not a script he could read even if he wanted to.
"Hah, it's in Korean, so I can't read..."
Angela answered with a smirk instead of words.
Soon after, after her subordinate disappeared, the text-addict revealed her true colors.
"Hah... this is so much fun."
A script of a total of two parts that Angela possessed.
On the cover of the script held in her hand, it was written like this.
「The Regressor Who Erases Memories, Part 1」
It was a script that Tempest had distributed to industry officials for casting supporting roles.
A few days later,
on the way home after working on the script at Tempest Entertainment.
"How much time is left until the appointment?"
The dinner appointment with CEO Jung.
Since he was a chaebol and a person shrouded in mystery, I couldn't help but feel burdened.
"The rumor is that he's a gentleman."
I opened the front door, thinking various thoughts to myself.
Beep-beep-beep, beep—
When I opened the door and returned home, Heejung couldn't take her eyes off the TV.
"Oppa! Come here, quick."
"What is it."
"You have to see this."
Just then, a pilot program was airing on TV.
Actress Kim Hyunji was walking around and shopping with her friends.
"Hey, all the Purple Girls members were on during Miryung's part just now. You missed it."
"So that's already airing. The pilot."
"Yeah. The highlight is coming up soon, so wait."
"The highlight? Wouldn't that be Miryung's part?"
Purple Girls are so popular these days, whether in Japan or Korea.
"No. Kang Jun's part is the real deal."
"...Have you switched from Im Jaejun to Kang Jun now?"
This is worse than a migratory bird.A video of her drooling is sleeping soundly in my phone.
"No, Kangjun is a true friend."
"???"
A moment later,
after Kim Hyunji's part, the broadcast naturally flowed to feature Kang Jun.
He showed a short acting performance along with some nostalgia-baiting about his child actor days when he was called an acting genius.
The problem was the scene where Kang Jun was shown taking a class at the academy.
A small, elite acting academy where only 4 people take a class at a time.
However, a familiar figure appeared on the screen.
"Why are you coming out of there!?"
My sister, Heejung, was depicted as Kang Jun's closest friend.
I want to pour water on my sister's face, who is grinning at me.