Chapter 23
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Casting Conditions
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The characters, events, and places in this story are fictional creations for the purpose of the novel and may differ from reality.
Scene 23
Casting Conditions.
'Lover in Malta,' which had almost been renamed 'Lover in Jeju' due to budget issues, was now rapidly moving forward thanks to the large-scale investment Seong-hui had secured.
At Seong-hui’s insistence that he fly to Malta immediately to sign the contract, Yu Han-seong didn't hesitate and boarded the first plane.
“Whoa—!”
Arriving at the pension, Yu Han-seong's jaw dropped.
“What do you think?”
“This place is insane.”
“It's great, right?”
“You're telling me. But they really agreed to let us use this place?”
“Don't you see this?”
Seong-hui pointed to her knees.
“I see them. I see them very well. Our Writer Kim must have knelt so much her cartilage is worn out. You really worked hard.”
“You should know, this isn't a place you can get just because you have money. I had to swallow my pride and practically grovel on the floor to get permission.”
“I know, I know. Burning 1.1 billion won on location sponsorship alone is unprecedented. And our Writer Kim's script! It's just... killer. When did you revise it so well?”
Yu Han-seong showered her with praise as he talked about the revised script.
“Other writers have tons of assistants and their quality is still crap, but our Writer Kim... Wow! To write such an incredible script all by yourself! We should change your nickname from the Queen of Romance to the Queen of Scripts.”
“...”
“I'm not kidding. I was blown away reading the revised version. It's a total masterpiece. Seriously, it was incredible.”
“Um, CP-nim. There's something I need to talk to you about regarding that.”
Seong-hui looked troubled.
“Separately? What is it?”
“The script.”
“...?”
“The first draft I sent was my own work. But for the second one, someone helped me with the revisions.”
“The original story is still yours, right, Writer Kim?”
“Of course.”
“Then that's fine. It looks like you got an assistant writer to help strengthen it. What's the big deal? If anything, it was strange that you were working all alone this whole time.”
Yu Han-seong wondered why she was being so cautious about it.
“Not an assistant... a co-writer.”
“A what-writer?”
“A co-writer.”
“.....Is this going to cause problems later on?”
“No, it's not like that.”
“Then it doesn't matter, right? We just sign the contract and put their name in the credits.”
“Right. Normally it wouldn't matter. But this time, it kind of does.”
As Seong-hui's expression remained troubled, Yu Han-seong's also stiffened.
“Is there going to be a copyright dispute...?”
“I told you, it's not like that!”
“Hey, why are you yelling! Just tell me. Stop making me anxious. If this is going to cause a problem with the shoot, you need to tell me now. I flew all the way here with my life on the line for this project. If it's really something serious...!”
Yu Han-seong looked at Seong-hui with anxious eyes.
“The investor who bought the broadcasting rights.”
“We were talking about the script, why are you suddenly bringing up the investor? What? Do they want us to bring the actresses to a drinking party? If it's something like that, I can't do this. What kind of world do they think we're living in!”
“Come on!”
“Ugh, this is frustrating. Just tell me already.”
“What I'm about to tell you, only you can know, CP-nim. If this gets out, not only the investment but the location sponsorship could disappear in an instant.”
“...”
“You know 'Urus Club,' the one that aired on MangoFlix.”
“Who doesn't?”
“The co-writer is the writer of Urus Club.”
“You've got to be kidding me.”
“And that person is also the investor who bought the broadcasting rights.”
“......”
Yu Han-seong stared at Seong-hui, his expression screaming, 'What on earth are you talking about?'
“For real?”
“Yes.”
“Not a joke?”
“I'm telling you, it's not.”
Yu Han-seong was speechless for a while, pacing around like a man who desperately needed the bathroom. He'd come back as if to say something, only to let out a series of 'Wow, wow, wow!'s before resuming his pacing.
“Writer Kim.”
“Yes.”
“If we advertise this...”
“We can't.”
“Why! If this gets out, our drama is guaranteed a 5% viewership rating right off the bat!”
“If it gets out, the investment is gone.”
“But why!”
“They don't want it.”
“I know! But why!”
“They have a main profession and don't want the hassle.”
“Main profession? I thought they were a writer.”
“They are a writer, but their main job is being a professor.”
“A professor? A university professor?”
“Yes.”
“Do professors write drama scripts in this neck of the woods? How unusual. But, people don't know? That this professor is the writer?”
“I don't think so. They wrote the original novel.”
“Wait. The original novel? 'The Urus Murder Case'?”
“Yes.”
“So you're saying. The original novel and the screenplay. One person did it all?”
“Apparently so.”
“Then there's no problem, is there? If other people already know.”
“No. It seems it's somewhat known that they're a novelist. But only they and their closest associates seem to know they also worked on the screenplay.”
“Did you try to talk to them about it?”
“They were the one who requested it first.”
“Is there no way around it?”
“You want to lose the investment?”
“Well. Hmm...”
Yu Han-seong let out a series of frustrated sighs.
A golden opportunity to promote the drama without spending a single won had appeared, and now he couldn't even touch it. He was burning up inside.
He then took out his smartphone and searched for 'Urus Club.'
“KM? The writer's name is just initials.”
“I told you. They hate the noise that comes with being known to the public.”
“Tsk. It's a shame, but what can you do.”
Yu Han-seong smacked his lips in disappointment, giving up on the publicity angle. If he foolishly tried to promote the drama and lost the investment, the entire production would go down the drain.
“So what's the problem then? We just have to do what they want.”
“Of course, that's not the problem.”
“Is there another problem besides that?”
“Yes. Casting.”
“Casting? Why's that a problem?”
“There are conditions.”
“Geez, they're picky. What are they? Let's hear it.”
“Well, it's...”
-No casting anyone who has caused a social controversy.
-No casting anyone with a history of power abuse.
-No casting anyone with a twisted personality.
“.......”
Yu Han-seong looked at Seong-hui as if to say, 'What kind of bullshit is that?'
“They said they don't care who we cast, as long as the person doesn't fall into any of those three categories.”
Coincidentally, this was a demand made by both father and son.
“What kind of ridiculous...”
“The conditions are a bit strange, but honestly, it's better than casting those kinds of people and having issues come up later.”
“That may be true, but you know how it is, Writer Kim. You know what the popular ones in this industry are like. I don't want anyone who's caused a social controversy either. But power abuse or personality... that's hard to screen for.”
“Still, we have to try.”
“But, to try to...”
“4.4 billion won is on the line.”
“Then, of course, we have to do it. How dare any rotten-hearted bastard show their face in my drama! Right?”
“That was a quick change of tune.”
“The conditions are strange, but I can't give up the investment. And it would be nice to shoot a drama with decent people, wouldn't it?”
“I know. The problem is how many people like that even exist.”
“Writer Kim. I have to make this drama. No matter what!”
"Me too! Isn't there some way? We can't let 4.4 billion won just fly away.”
“Hmm.”
Yu Han-seong seemed to ponder for a moment before looking at Seong-hui and saying, 'Well, there is one way.'
“There's a way?”
“We can just cast a bunch of rookies. There might be some weird ones among them, but for the most part, that pool is still a clean zone.”
“Our drama... you want to shoot it with a cast of rookies? Are you crazy, CP-nim?”
“Well, you come up with a better idea then, Writer Kim.”
“Hah, I don't know right now. First, let's sign the contract and go back to Korea. Instead of just the two of us stressing, if we put our heads together with others, we might come up with something, right?”
“Yeah. Let's do that. Maybe we're just prejudiced. There might be more decent actors out there than we think.”
“By the way, are you getting any bites?”
“Bites?”
“You said you sent out the script.”
“The bites are good. We're getting a lot from all over.”
“Just bites?”
Seong-hui looked slightly disappointed.
On the phone, he'd said many were coveting the roles, but it seemed that wasn't really the case.
“Are you an amateur? They're all just testing the waters.”
“Damn them and their 'testing.' Don't they get sick of sampling everything everywhere? At this rate, their kidneys won't last.”
“Once we send out the revised script, the atmosphere will change immediately. They have eyes, they'll see. Then they'll be the ones desperate, not us. Don't worry.”
“If only I hadn't bombed my last project.”
“That's enough. Don't get hung up on the past. Just focus on this project. Now, where do we need to go? We have to finalize the contract.”
“Let's go. It's that building.”
“That one looks a bit different.”
“That's not part of the pension. It's the main house. Where the owner lives.”
“Nice. We can film here too, right?”
“Yes. I've already gotten permission for everything. You can put your worries to rest.”
Entering the building to sign the contract, Seong-hui immediately looked for Kang Man-dong.
“Owner-nim. I'm here. The CP-nim from Korea has arrived.”
“Ah, Writer-nim, you're here? Come this way.”
Kang Man-dong's voice drifted from inside.
“Looks like he's in his office. Let's go.”
Stepping into Kang Man-dong's office, Seong-hui let out a small 'Huh?'
It was because quite a few people were gathered inside the office.
“Come on in. You must be the CP-nim from Korea?”
“Yes. My name is Yu Han-seong. It's a pleasure to meet you.”
“You must be tired from your long journey. I'm Kang Man-dong. Please, have a seat over here.”
Seong-hui and Yu Han-seong took the seats Kang Man-dong offered.
“Owner-nim, who are these people?”
“Locals who will be helping with the drama.”
“Pardon?”
While Seong-hui looked bewildered, as if asking what he meant, Yu Han-seong immediately grasped the situation.
“Is this a sponsorship, or will we be paying actual costs?”
“Actual costs, of course. This is their livelihood. But we won't be charging the full amount. We'll provide their services at a 20% discount. There will be no price gouging or anything of the sort. You can trust me on this—I stake my name and the pride of Malta on it.”
Yu Han-seong decided to hear him out.
They would need local help to film here anyway. Usually, they would go through an event agency or an outsourcing company for introductions and contracts, but this was a first.
“This is Alain, who will be in charge of transportation during the shoot. You've met him before, right, Writer Kim?”
“Ah. Yes. The taxi driver from before...”
"He knows every nook and cranny, even the back alleys, so if you leave location scouting to him, everything will be solved in a flash. And this is the owner of the light aircraft company who will assist with aerial shots.”
“Aerial shots?”
Seong-hui looked startled.
"Why? Were you just planning to film the vineyard? The scenery in Camu is great, but that can't be all. You've come all the way overseas to film; you should do it properly, don't you think?"
"Uh. Well... that's true, but."
“And this is the person in charge of airline tickets. The owner of the travel agency who will get you tickets at a 30% discount. Not one-way, but round-trip. Keep that in mind.”
At the mention of a 30% discount on round-trip tickets, Yu Han-seong's eyes lit up. This wasn't Southeast Asia; flying to Europe was expensive. A 30% discount, on round-trip tickets no less, was an offer he absolutely had to take.
“And this person is...”
Unlike the flustered Seong-hui, Yu Han-seong, who seemed experienced in these matters, meticulously went over every detail.
He made calls to check prices and even got quotes from local companies through his contacts before finally picking up a pen.
No matter how you looked at it, this was a setup designed to help them, to make filming more convenient.
“Owner-nim, where do I sign?”