The Grand Prince's Woman (1)
CV Cable had pledged an additional 20 billion won for production.
This brought Jang Seung-won's total investment to 80 billion won.
NetPrime wouldn't take a cut of broadcasting rights or any other revenue—just the exclusive rights to stream it on their OTT platform.
All profits would be split between CV Cable and Professor Lee Se-jong based on their contributions.
The drama department head praised the script until his mouth went dry.
"I only read the first part, but it hit me right away—this is it. No way it won't work. A historical drama genius like PD Jang Seung-won teamed up with star writer Kim Sang-hee, plus rising villain prodigy actor Jeong Seo-hoon? It's a surefire hit. Obviously."
"Thank you for the kind words, Director."
"This is a freelance directing contract, but how about joining us full-time after the drama wraps?"
"Oh, I'd love that. Thank you."
"Since you're handling this from outside, we had to go freelance, but I'll have them draw up the contract in advance. Guaranteed top-tier terms."
After exchanging pleasantries with a smile, the director cleared his throat and asked,
"By the way, who's this private investor? Never heard the name in this industry. Not in films either."
"Ah, he's not really connected to dramas. He's a friend of actor Jeong Seo-hoon, so he wanted to help out personally with the investment."
"Personally helping out with 30 billion won? Must be some major tycoon."
"Seemed like he had plenty of money. No, has plenty."
The director clicked his tongue in amazement and continued.
"The world's gone mad. Never seen a drama funded like this in my career. And it's not even a movie."
"People invest big for hobbies or favors sometimes. With our media market growing this big, it's a good sign, right?"
"Good, very good. Let's ride that momentum and make this drama a massive success. Haha!"
The director was in high spirits.
He'd just scored a mega-hit with Illegal, and now the same writer was back with another star PD and a whale of an investor.
How could he not be thrilled?
Kim Sang-hee looked up at the familiar broadcasting building, her heart heavy with mixed feelings.
"Round and round, back here again... I thought I'd break free this time."
It wasn't that she hated this cable network.
She'd just done several projects here in a row, and for a change of pace, she wanted to try somewhere else.
The same studios, waiting rooms, and meeting spaces every day had grown stale.
"I really wanted to do a historical drama at KBC for once. Guess I'm a total fool for nothing. Never looking their way again."
"Writer Kim, you here?"
The calm voice from behind made Kim Sang-hee freeze stiff for a moment before she turned with a nonchalant expression.
"Oh, PD Song. You're here too?"
"Yeah. Spotted you from afar—couldn't miss that backside. Guess we're soulmates after all. Knew it was you at a glance."
"Why make me feel burdened right off the bat."
"Huh? No way. Why would I burden you? Heard the script's coming along great. Congrats."
"You're doing it now. Total burden."
"Burden? I respect your decision, Writer Kim. No experience with historicals, so I get why you weren't confident. If I'd known it was a historical, I wouldn't have pushed so hard."
Was she sulking or not? Her expression was so mildly melancholic, impossible to read.
"I'm worse at historicals than PD Jang anyway. I understand you had no choice. Artists are like that. I'd have done the same."
"Quit it, you're making it worse. Should I just go to another network?"
"Why go elsewhere? I'm right here. Treat it like coming home and relax. Wait, this is your home, isn't it? Why leave your own house for someone else's?"
"Fine, sorry. Next project won't be a historical, so I'll come back to you, PD Song. Happy?"
"For real?"
Only then did Song Jeong-woo grin ear to ear, beaming with joy.
Kim Sang-hee sighed softly at the smile tugging at his ears.
Just then, Jang Seung-won spotted them from afar and approached with a delighted wave.
"Writer, there you are. Oh, PD Song Jeong-woo too? Right, you two are the soulmate duo."
If a third party had been there, they might have caught the faint, victorious smirk on Jang Seung-won's lips.
Whether Song Jeong-woo noticed or not, he said flatly to Jang Seung-won,
"PD Jang. About our Writer Kim."
"Yeah?"
"Never give her soju. Hates the aftertaste."
Song Jeong-woo's somewhat lonely expression laid over the scene like gentle background music.
"When the script's running late, don't nag. Just grab three super-sweet iced Americanos from any cafe—triple syrup and sugar. Don't freak if she downs them in one go."
"PD Song, please."
"And she's sensitive about 30% ratings, so even joking, don't get complacent at 20-something percent. She won't show it, but she'll be disappointed."
"Keep this up and I'm out."
"Sometimes at dinners, she'll get wasted out of nowhere and vanish. Don't worry too much. She's probably holed up somewhere, drunk-inspired, typing on her phone. Lastly..."
"PD Jang, let's go. Why embarrass me like this."
Kim Sang-hee grumbled, dragging Jang Seung-won away.
As she pulled him along, Jang Seung-won kept glancing back at the forlorn Song Jeong-woo and asked,
"Was PD Song just now... covering My Sassy Girl or something?"
"At least no music this time. Last time he even played a track on his phone—I nearly lost it. Ugh."
"Music would've tipped it off immediately, but without it, even I was second-guessing."
Meanwhile, the left-behind Song Jeong-woo...
"Wait, why no music? Damn it. Why's the volume all the way down? Ruined, totally ruined."
He blamed his innocent smartphone when Jeong Su-ryeon sneaked up from where she'd been watching.
"PD?"
"Oh, Su-ryeon. Yeah, Seo-hoon looks happy under PD Jang these days?"
"As if. He's sighing more at home lately. Probably missing your charisma, PD Song."
"Right? I've got some serious charisma."
Song Jeong-woo grinned wide again, then turned serious.
"Me, maybe challenge a historical next?"
"Historical?"
"They say convergence and evolution. Never done one, but what's the harm? Who knows? Might uncover my hidden directing talent in historicals."
"...That doesn't sound right."
"Hey, bring a good historical script if you find one."
CV Cable was peaceful as ever.
KBC Broadcasting Station, Drama Center.
Deputy Director Yang Jun-gyu checked the director's message and sighed with a sour face.
A subordinate nearby asked,
"Everything okay, Director? Your face just soured."
"Director wants me at the dakgalbi joint."
"Oof, rough. Good luck."
"Good luck."
Comforting words came from around the room.
When the director was in a foul mood—especially after a dressing-down from above—he always hit the dakgalbi place.
Yang Jun-gyu wrapped up work hastily, clocked out, and headed over.
The director had booked a private room, ordered five portions of dakgalbi, and was already devouring it.
"Ah, you made it? Eat up. This just finished cooking—super chewy."
"No thanks. Eat your fill."
"Ordered five for us to share, man. Dig in."
"Yes, sir."
He picked up his chopsticks but had no appetite.
Yang Jun-gyu silently watched the director massacre the stir-fried chicken and veggies.
"Got reamed bad?"
"Fucking hell. Called me right after hearing about CV Cable's production and chewed me out."
"They didn't really kick it to the curb, did they? These days?"
"..."
"I'll shut up, Director."
Seeing the darkening scowl, Yang Jun-gyu clamped his mouth shut.
'No wonder the director's pissed to the max...'
"Told him we had to snag it—historical or not, success was guaranteed—and all he harps on is budget, budget! Treated it like frozen spicy stew chunks he'd portioned out for his freezer."
'If he just saw it as secured meat, that'd be fine...'
Of course, his mouth said otherwise.
"Director, you're still kicking. Could debut as a scriptwriter. Flows perfectly."
"Delusional bullshit with a big fish dithering over which needle to swallow. Makes me sick, goddamn it."
"I get it."
"Yang, at my age and tenure, getting jointed like this? My shins creak every step—fucking hell."
"Why'd he do it? If budget was the issue, they could've co-produced with NetPrime."
Thanks to treating Kim Sang-hee's script like a hooked fish, it swam back to Cable—with NetPrime co-investing, no less.
KBC could've matched those terms easily.
"Variety's Oh Ji-eun PD."
"Oh Ji-eun?"
Yang Jun-gyu rifled his mental list at the unfamiliar name until it clicked.
"Ah, right. Pretty rookie PD? Debuted last year? But why her?"
"VP's niece."
"What's that got to do with killing Haegeuk?"
"Variety's prepping some big new show. Pushing resources there, so she fought tooth and nail against it."
"Doesn't add up. No money, yet they bid 50 billion for 30 episodes?"
"Bluff, since Kim Sang-hee wouldn't take 30 anyway. Real plan was probably 24 eps at 40 billion."
"Just typical office politics. Thought it was something more."
"Try getting jointed yourself. Still 'typical'?"
Yang Jun-gyu poured beer, feeling a bit lighter, and grumbled,
"What can we do? VP greedily chased big and small rice cakes, lost the big one. Not our fault—forget the gone cake, Director."
"Haegeuk will succeed, right? Feels like it will."
"Not cursing it, but what's in it for us if it does? Though I do root for Seung-won."
"Man, its success dents the VP's pride. If it flops? 'See, VP has vision—good thing we didn't throw big money blindly.' That's the vibe."
"True. Starting tonight, I'll pray every night with water out. Haegeuk over 30% mandatory."
"Feels like it'll smash it. Illegal hit 29.9% with Kim Sang-hee and Jeong Seo-hoon. His fandom's huge now—early firepower's gonna be insane."
"Come on, debuted months ago—how big can the fandom be?"
"My girl's a 'B-Rapper.' Never stanned anyone, but she's hooked. Not normal."
Yang Jun-gyu tilted his head at the odd term.
"What's a B-Rapper?"
"What Jeong Seo-hoon's fans call themselves. Fandom's 'B-Lab.'"
"B-Lab?"
"비 (non-) + Lab. Wishing he'd never go to grad school. 'That's not the path' vibe."
"..."
The director shoved a huge chunk of dakgalbi into his mouth, chugged beer, and muttered glumly.
"Please explode... so I can see the VP's face crumple."