Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Fan Gifts and Drama Blues
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“President Kwon.”
“Ah! Author-nim, you’re in?”
“Yes, but what’s all this?”
“Gifts from fans, sent to the office for you, Author-nim.”
“Gifts?”
“Yeah, sometimes readers who love the novels send presents to authors. But authors’ personal info is private, so it’s tough to track down or share. Most just ship them to the publisher.”
Tae-seong nodded.
“We got a few before, but after the drama wrapped, the volume exploded. Couldn’t keep them in the office anymore, so I hauled it all here.”
“All of this from readers?”
“Yep. And some from the new fans you picked up from the drama.”
“Keeps me in your debt.”
“No way!”
President Kwon answered with utter sincerity.
How much help having author Jeong Tae-seong at the publisher was went without saying.
If it meant keeping him, he’d gladly do this grunt work ten times over.
“And Author-nim, I’ve got something to discuss. You free this morning?”
“Sure. Let’s sort these packages first, then talk.”
“Got it!”
* * *
“A collector’s edition?”
“Exactly. With Grape Books footing production costs and pulling bookstore strings, sales should be solid.”
Tae-seong knew full well.
How tough it was for a regular publisher to crack bookstore lines.
Bookstores ran their own distribution networks.
Getting your books on shelves wasn’t hard.
The real battle was promotion.
Hundreds of titles dropped daily.
Promo was king, and shelf placement made or broke sales.
Ads especially.
No one dropped tens of millions on online or print spots for kicks.
They recouped more than they spent.
“I’d have no reason to object to a collector’s edition. I’d welcome it with open arms.”
“But... Grape Books attached a condition.”
“A condition?”
“Yeah. In exchange for support, they want you to host a fan signing.”
“A fan signing...”
Grape Books knew promo inside out.
Businesses always aimed to claw back their investments.
A signing from him would boost sales, no question.
“Got it. That’s no big deal.”
“Seriously?! Alright, then I’ll negotiate the best terms with Grape Books!”
“Please do.”
“Oh... and Author-nim.”
“Yeah?”
“Sorry about this... but my wife saw you in the drama and turned into a fan. Mind signing something for her?”
Tae-seong smiled at President Kwon scratching his head in embarrassment.
“Of course.”
* * *
Grape Books moved fast.
They posted a collector’s edition sales notice on the Black Knight’s Her serialization page.
Banners went up on the main page too, hyping the release.
Reservations came with special extras; in-store sales included signings at three major Seoul bookstores.
Word spread like wildfire.
Mom cafes lit up fastest.
[Hul-i Mom: Black Knight’s Her collector’s edition up for pre-order!]
[Si-woo Mom: Heard about it. Author’s doing signings too? The guy who played Chae Woo-min in episode 5.]
[Yeon-woo Mom: No way! He’s really the author? Saw the article... how’s an author that handsome?]
[Tae-jun Mom: Gotta grab one. No group buys through the cafe?]
Housewives adored Black Knight’s Her.
Naturally, they drove purchases.
Buzz in their mom cafe playgrounds juiced sales big time.
Some cafes even hit up Grape Books for group buys.
“Looks like we might need to print way more than expected.”
Manager Choi Hyeong-su stared, dazed, at the skyrocketing reservations.
Initial plan: 5,000 copies, tops 10,000.
Collector’s editions cost more upfront, boasted rarity and value.
Sales rarely exploded.
But pre-orders alone topped 10,000.
In just two days.
“Could be a smash hit.”
Grape Books had run collector’s editions before.
Decent results, but no blockbusters.
This one felt different from the jump.
No major hiccups? Could shatter records.
“Alright! Let’s grind!”
Manager Choi fired up like never before.
* * *
Everything clicked.
Novel sales shattered records daily.
Webtoon serialized to rave reviews.
Even SSS-Class Hunter’s Return in China dipped slightly but sold strong.
Black Knight’s Her crossed episode 10, smashing past 30% ratings.
Smooth sailing.
‘Trouble is, smooth spells incoming storm.’
Tae-seong had lived many lives.
He knew life ran in cycles.
Good begat bad.
He’d wondered once.
Asked God.
‘Why the cycles? Can’t good just roll on?’
[Who knows. Maybe you humans invent your own cycles? I don’t meddle in your lives. Just watch.]
Cryptic.
But clear: Humans chose their paths.
After, no blaming others.
Especially not gods or higher powers. Foolish.
Just braced for fate.
Variables? No sweat.
[Son, you feeling off lately?]
Mom’s text hit post-lunch.
Short, but loaded.
‘My routine’s steady.’
So why?
Drama.
Mom skipped novels, webtoons.
Peeked at his work sometimes, never discussed.
Lately? Drama.
Inferred she watched, sent this.
‘Content off?’
Replied fine, hit the net.
Black Knight’s Her viewer board.
Found it quick.
[LeeSeHaFan: Ep 12 a misstep?]
[SeHaLover: Sweet potato plot dragging. Diff from novel too.]
[HunkSeongwoo: Ugh—where’s that crisp early pace? Total mess now.]
Ep 12 drowned in hate.
‘Something went down.’
Drama based on source, but pro writers scripted.
Tae-seong uninvolved.
Post-ep 7, barely watched.
Stuck to his cycle post-regression.
Drama airtime fell outside.
Caught reruns early; work piled up lately.
But backlash this bad? Couldn’t ignore.
‘Pinpoint the issue first.’
Started from ep 8.
* * *
MBY’s hottest ticket: PD Kim.
Comeback smash brightened her future.
Onlookers envied.
But PD Kim barely slept lately.
“Sigh...”
Viewer board crushed her.
“Called it.”
Hate surged post-ep 12.
Mom cafes, communities flooded with Black Knight’s Her gripes.
Expected, somewhat.
No choice.
“Gotta loop in the author.”
More notice than consult.
Had to broach it.
Dialed Jeong Tae-seong—
Her phone buzzed.
[Author Jeong Tae-seong]
The man himself.
She steadied her nerves, picked up.
“Oh! Author-nim, was just about to call you.”
-That so? You first?
“No, you called. Your business.”
-Got it. Watched Black Knight’s Her ep 12.
Her heart dropped.
-Shifted style. Prepping to stretch episodes?
‘How’d he...?’
Her exact words, from his mouth.
* * *
Drama cash flowed from ads.
Pre- and post-air ads fetched top dollar.
“Sold-out ads” born here.
Ratings spiked fees.
30%+? Astronomical.
Fees paid over run.
Stations craved long hauls on hits.
“So Black Knight’s Her slates 22 eps end, but the network wants 25. Right?”
“Yeah...”
Guessed pre-explain.
Knew the system best.
PD Kim’s glum face screamed her opposition.
‘Gets the story beats.’
PD Kim grasped drama machine.
Crafted tight, paced for hooks.
Issue: Extension greenlit past ep 9.
Fought tooth and nail.
Mid-arc, reactions soaring.
Crisis-climax perfect close.
Brass didn’t care.
Revenue ruled.
Her clout big, not enough.
Caved.
“Sorry... should’ve told you sooner.”
“Yeah, skipping that stung a bit.”
Words failed her.
“Could’ve helped if I’d known.”
“Huh? Helped how?”