The First Thing to Be Crushed (1)
Jeong Seo-hoon spent most of his three-day break watching dramas and movies.
In between, he met up with Yoo Jeong-ah once, with Kim Sang-hee tagging along, and they had a drinking session.
Yoo Jeong-ah was intensely curious about the atmosphere on the set of Haegeuk. She especially grilled him about his chemistry with his co-stars Han Seo-hee and Lee Seo-hyeon.
"You've already swapped numbers with those two? Wow, you're quick... Took me weeks with them."
She let a hint of dejection slip out.
"So, between the two crown princesses, which one do you like more? The young one? Or the big, mature one?"
"They both have their own charms, so there's no ranking them."
"But Lee Seo-hyeon unnie is quite a bit older and taller—doesn't that intimidate you?"
Lee Seo-hyeon was 27, six years his senior, and stood at 173 cm tall.
As a top actress, her physique turned heads anywhere, but Jeong Seo-hoon was just too young.
"She seemed cute. I even thought a few times it'd be nice to have a little sister like Senior Lee Seo-hyeon."
"If Lee Seo-hyeon unnie feels like a little sister, then Han Seo-hee must feel like a daughter, huh?"
"Nephew vibes more often, actually."
"Why are you such an old soul?"
As he bantered back and forth with Yoo Jeong-ah, he could feel Kim Sang-hee's pleased gaze on them.
Kim Sang-hee seemed genuinely eager for him to spark some romantic tension with the actresses.
Lately, her impure intentions shone through more clearly than ever.
"When's the CF shoot with Ji-hyun?"
"Second round's coming up soon. Director said they'd contact me."
"Bummer. I could've nailed that coffee ad better."
Once Yoo Jeong-ah stepped away to the bathroom, he quietly asked Kim Sang-hee,
"Planning to set up a drinking session with Chae Ji-hyun next time?"
"How'd you know?"
"I've hung out with you long enough to pick up on it."
"Don't worry, though—no Lee Seo-hyeon. Her tolerance is a disaster. And Han Seo-hee? Underage, so total no-go."
"Feels like you're doing this 'cause you're short on inspiration or something. What is it?"
"You're flawless as a villain actor, but as a bad boy? Your emotions are still a bit lacking. If you wanna lead a romance drama as the bad guy someday, you need more experience with women."
Not dating, not even just meeting—but dealing with them. She chose her words carefully for a reason.
Kim Sang-hee was sensitive about that stuff.
"Writer-nim, you prepping a real romance on the side?"
"If I were cooking up a romance just for you, what genre do you think it'd be? What's the concept?"
Kim Sang-hee fired a question right back.
"Dunno... Feels like you'd stab the heroine in the gut midway."
"That's the kinda thing your fans would say. And?"
"Not Yoo Jeong-ah or Chae Ji-hyun—someone I haven't had chemistry with yet."
"Hmm, eyeing a newbie? Got it, I'll keep that in mind."
"That's not—"
He tried to clarify, but Kim Sang-hee cut him off with a grin.
"Not full rom-com, but maybe swap in a few spoonfuls of love story into something like Illegal's vibe. With you, it wouldn't ruin my script style."
"......"
"Not yet, though. Needs more prep. For you... and me."
Yoo Jeong-ah returned just then, eyeing their suddenly serious vibe. "Did you invite Ji-hyun?"
***
After the break, Haegeuk filming ramped up again, packed tighter than ever.
Jang Seung-won brought a schedule crammed even denser, as if making up for those three lost days.
The set staff withered under the brutal timetable, sliced down to the minute.
"March 2 premiere—that's set in stone now. Gotta stockpile as many episodes as possible before then."
"Weekly airing, right? At this pace, we should be fine."
"You think we can predict what curveballs hit once it airs live? We roll like we're finishing every last episode pre-premiere."
"PD-nim, that's impossible on this schedule. Thirty episodes? No way."
"That's the mindset. Can't trust the network. They might suddenly delay a week or two and smack us with 'let's start airing.'"
"You said March 2 was ironclad."
"Programming execs flip even those without batting an eye."
"Can't trust 'em at all."
Han Seo-hee's acting had sharpened, and the cast's chemistry soared.
NGs were rare; only PD-approved takes hit the camera.
The drama had fully shot through episode 3, with episode 4 and beyond steadily stacking up.
"Seo-hoon, eps 1 and 2 are edited. Wanna watch? Not a distributor screening—more like an audience preview."
"Already polished to air-ready?"
"Yep."
"Count me in. Honored."
"Honored? You're the lead and producer—it's your right. Haha."
Jang Seung-won chuckled lightly, then dropped his smile and murmured low,
"Tell Professor Lee Se-jong nice things about it later, yeah?"
"Of course."
"Ever think of starting your own production company?"
"A company?"
"Yeah, well. That 30 billion investment? If the drama hits big, it could return 40, 50 billion or more. Might spark interest in setting up shop..."
"I'll feel him out and float the idea."
"Perfect. That's all I ask. Gotta nail 30%+ ratings first, though."
Jang Seung-won beamed, ushering Jeong Seo-hoon to the screening room.
"Eps 1 and 2 turned out killer. Wish we could air 'em this week. Mouth's watering to show viewers."
Jeong Seo-hoon's first impression of Jang Seung-won was sharper than Song Jeong-woo's easy vibe.
But the longer they worked together, the more alike they seemed.
Or maybe PDs just loosen up when schedules go smooth.
"Can't wait to show my Grand Prince to the audience."
Truth be told, he wasn't that desperate.
His acting itch got scratched mostly on camera.
Even back when he stood before lenses just to sate battlefield nostalgia.
Now that he took acting seriously, not much had changed.
Audience viewing post-shoot? Nice bonus, but optional.
"Mid-30s ratings this time? Fingers crossed."
"Mid? Maybe not, but over 30%? Totally doable. Illegal missed by 0.1%. It's possible."
"Heard lots hate historicals outright."
"That's why you and Seo-hee matter. Gotta hook 'em first."
Jang Seung-won bustled about, even setting out snacks.
"Beer'd be perfect, but network rules. Soda it is—cola?"
"Sure. Hit play."
"Here we go."
The drama began.
Gentle OST swelled as Grand Prince-clad Jeong Seo-hoon and Han Seo-hee appeared first.
Then aged-up Jeong Seo-hoon with Lee Seo-hyeon, followed by the king, young prince, chief state councillor—cast lineup paraded in sequence.
"Epic intro visuals, but chill BGM."
"Pump the music too hard, and it screams stuffy historical. Young folks tune out before it starts."
"Ah, got it."
Episode 1 kicked off.
Young Grand Prince's illness arc, ending with time-jumped playboy wastrel vibes.
Han Seo-hee's visuals filled the screen, dazzling like a siren call for episode 2.
Even her diehard fans would gawk at that live.
So that's how I look to the PD.
Common feeling, first time facing the finished product.
What the director spotted in his acting, what he cut, what he amplified.
Direction was the director's wordless reply to the actor's performance.
Through broadcast or screen, actor and director conversed sans words.
Episode 2 zipped by.
"What'd you think? Good?"
Jang Seung-won asked, face flushed with odd fervor.
The guy who always critiqued and directed actors now craved feedback.
"Who am I to judge your work, PD-nim? Just... good."
"You're my first viewer now, not actor. Be brutal. Anything."
"Alright, a few things then..."
Overall, flawless.
Jeong Seo-hoon nitpicked shadows the PD missed, extras' glances, framing glitches in transitions—minor stuff.
Jang Seung-won rewatched intently, amazed.
"You clocked all that on first pass? Impressive."
"Only nitpicks I spotted. Sorry."
"Nah, love it. Tweakable in edit. Details make the drama breathe."
Jang Seung-won jotted runtime notes and fixes right there.
"When's the writer seeing it?"
"Live on air. Says pre-views spoil it."
"Don't you get spoiled first reading scripts?"
"True. But she says previewing's like spoiling herself visually. Fair point."
Jang Seung-won picked Jeong Seo-hoon's brain on production planning, shooting—questions a vet PD wouldn't ask a debut-year rookie.
Some lacked his experience, but he pondered sincerely where he could.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
The door opened; a drama department staffer entered with an awkward smile.
Trailing him, the department head strode in, beaming brightly.
Jeong Seo-hoon instantly read the unease beneath the smile.
Here with bad news.
Like a superior's face post-major op, ordering thrust back into hot zone.
"Jang PD, here? Oh, and our Jeong Seo-hoon too."
"Yes, welcome, Director."
Jang Seung-won sensed it too, responding gravely as he offered a seat.
The director sat, dragging time with chit-chat.
Heard the set's buzzing great, how far along, more network support needed? Etc.
"Thirty eps—can't stretch it? We'd cover extra costs at 2.5 billion per."
"Read the full script—no need. It's lean muscle, fat trimmed just right. Forcing bulk ruins it."
"Fair. Balance matters. I'll shut down upstairs on that."
"Thanks, Director."
Thirty eps was locked in the contract. No upstairs chatter expected.
Grandstanding on the obvious now?
"March 2 airdate—finale when?"
"September 28, Thursday."
"September 28..."
Silent sigh; eyes darted.
Real agenda incoming.
Not production issues, at least.
"June finale possible?"
"Not asking to cut to 16 eps now, right? No way..."
"What about twice-weekly, Wed-Thurs? Not just Thursdays."
"Director, that'd be murderous schedule. Trouble with 'Oracle Company'?"
Jang Seung-won referenced next March 1 Wednesday drama.
Haegeuk slotted weekly for quality, not Wed-Thu.
Oracle Company rushed in to fill Wednesdays.
The director sighed deeply.
"Writer and PD had a massive blowout..."
"Blowout?"
"Writer ghosted. Number's disconnected."