An Irresistible Offer (1)
Jeong Seo-hoon had decided to pursue graduate school, but he hadn't yet shared his intentions with Professor Lee Se-jong.
He was gauging the right moment to bring it up these days.
On a day off, his sister Jeong Su-ryeon burst into his room first thing in the morning, laptop in hand.
"Hey, get up. Time to tally the fandom reactions."
"Again?"
"This rookie punk. With all the scandal storms raging, don't you think it's worth checking on our precious fans who stuck with us to the end?"
"We did it a few days ago."
"You gotta check religiously the day after each episode airs. Here, I pulled out just the essentials for a quick scan—nice and tidy."
Jeong Su-ryeon had curated the highlights from the Villab fan community.
"Yesterday, the Villab community spent the whole day spinning theories off just this one scene. Nothing else came up. Tsk, back in the day you'd give me that exact look whenever I dangled my car keys. What's so chewable about it? Viewers are weirdos, I tell ya."
Jeong Su-ryeon clucked her tongue, lamenting the end times.
"Now that the Crown Prince is born, you'll show up with a beard starting next episode?"
"Yeah, time skip a bit. You work in production and don't know that?"
"Assistant directors don't have that kinda power, little bro. It's all running around, yelling, sweating—that's it."
"So when are you aiming to become a network prez?"
"If our Kim Hyun-tae AD grabs the megaphone soon, I can slide right into his spot. Otherwise, I'll be thirty-something and still just an associate PD."
Haegeuk was steadily pulling mid-30% ratings now.
"Sageuks are slow starters, but damn, that viewer base is solid. Villab reactions say even folks' parents are jumping on late. We hitting 40% for real? 40% on cable would be insane."
"No way it hits 40%, right? But it'd be nice."
"The second it crosses 40%, CV Cable should make it a company holiday. Your next drama, you could pull 200 million per episode? You're at 150 now, yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Extended to 32 eps—bam, 48 billion. Taxes though?"
"Roughly 22.5 billion gone. If we just expense Ha Tae-soo hyung's salary and calculate from there."
"22.5 billion? That much? Holy shit, taxman."
Jeong Su-ryeon stuck out her tongue, this time in disbelief at the government.
"No other expenses besides Tae-soo oppa's salary?"
"His salary's straight-up legal expense, so yeah. Anything else, nah."
"Why waste it? Meals, lodging, gas, vehicle depreciation while working with you and him—all deductible."
"They pick one celeb and pivot scandals whenever they need a distraction. Some idols zero out expenses entirely to avoid giving ammo. I don't want any hooks either."
Jeong Su-ryeon paused, then nodded in understanding.
"Fair. You're already a scandal factory. Better not tie your shoelaces in a melon patch."
"Pear orchard, not melon."
"Whatever. Engineers are so pedantic. You gonna date properly like this?"
"I'll handle it, don't worry. Yoo Jeong-ah says she likes my nitpicking. Fixes her misconceptions, makes her happy."
Jeong Su-ryeon covered her mouth in disbelief, glaring at her brother.
"Yoo Jeong-ah acts all haughty ice queen on TV... Dude, you still getting texts from her?"
Jeong Seo-hoon silently held up his phone, showing unread chat threads piled high.
They were from actresses he'd worked with or was working with.
"Chae Ji-hyun and Han Seo-hee, fine. But Yoo Jeong-ah sending twenty openers first? Real? And Lee Seo-hyeon with five stacked up. Why no replies?"
"One reply and they drag it out forever. Gotta time it right before lunch to cut it short."
"These actresses' fans need to know the truth. Ugh, wanna scream it from the rooftops. This must be how the hat-maker felt wailing by the king's ear in the bamboo grove."
His phone buzzed then.
Jeong Seo-hoon checked the screen.
"Prof says he's meeting Jang PD about investment returns today? Asking if I can come."
"Really? Investment?"
"You hear anything from the PD?"
"Nah? She hasn't spilled on investment stuff. But with the drama killing it, why bring up investments? Overseas rights alone have recouped the budget already."
Haegeuk had already earned more than its total production cost from rights sales in Japan, China, and three Southeast Asian markets.
US, Europe, and Russia were still in negotiations.
Plus, live broadcasts, reruns, and re-reruns were selling out pricey ad slots, raking in cash hand over fist.
NetPrime shelled out 30 billion just for OTT rights—no revenue share.
Total profits split 6:4 between Lee Se-jong and CV Cable.
"Ah, PD's been stressed about going independent lately. Maybe that's it?"
"Independent..."
"She hasn't mentioned it to you? Didn't wanna burden her actor with off-script talk?"
"Gotta see at lunch."
Jeong Seo-hoon sent a polite text asking for exact time and place.
***
The spot was a cozy restaurant in Gwanak-gu.
Small but neat interior, few other patrons.
Jang Seung-won and Kim Sang-hee were already there, waiting.
"Ah, Seo-hoon-ssi. Come on in. Prof called you too?"
"Yes. Writer-nim's here too?"
"Felt like I should be. Can't send our PD alone—Prof might sweet-talk him into kidnapping you to grad school."
"Haha, drama's a hit now—Prof can't leverage repayments for threats anymore."
As they chatted lightly, Professor Lee Se-jong arrived.
Like a regular, he bantered easily with the owner and placed orders.
"Old haunt of mine—food's solid. Near campus, but students don't crowd it, so relaxing."
"Or maybe students avoid it 'cause it's Prof's spot?"
"My students love me. Confident on that."
Kim Sang-hee fell silent at the gentle rebuff.
Food arrived; they picked up chopsticks in slight tension.
"Here, Jeong—have a drink. Finally sharing a glass here."
"Seo-hoon-ssi first time here too?"
"Yes."
"Couldn't bring him pre-enlistment—minor back then."
"Ah, that..."
Jang Seung-won shook his head anew at how young Jeong Seo-hoon had entered university.
"Jeong, post-Haegeuk—next gig lined up?"
"..."
Jeong Seo-hoon pondered dropping his grad school plans here.
Would've been easy without the PD and writer.
"Nothing set?"
"Scenarios and scripts keep coming, but nothing clicks. Minimal break if possible."
"Ambitious. More than your undergrad days."
A flicker of odd regret crossed Lee Se-jong's face.
Jeong Seo-hoon caught it but couldn't read the source.
"You two post-Haegeuk?"
"Mostly sageuks, so probably a break. No good scripts, and ideas need time to brew."
"If Seo-hoon-ssi wants, straight to next. Laptop's screaming with piled scripts."
"Heard the drama's smashing—separate incentives for you two?"
PD and writer exchanged glances, answering in unison.
"Writer fee's it for me."
"Directing bonus from CV Cable. Peanuts next to Prof's ROI though..."
"Hm."
Lee Se-jong downed his drink, deep in thought.
PD and writer held breath, waiting.
"Jeong, you hinted before—use drama profits to start a prod co?"
"Yes, asked that."
Jang tensed, eyes flicking between them.
The offhand favor he'd asked Jeong Seo-hoon via backchannel was surfacing.
"Knew Jang PD floated it through you."
"Prof, that..."
"Not offended. Wouldn't be here otherwise. I invest plenty; learned dramas pay this time."
Jang brightened; Lee refilled his glass.
Small cheers; Jang downed it.
"New prod co—Jang PD as CEO?"
"Me plus pro manager as co-CEO for biz side. I focus total PD."
"Candidates?"
"Yes. Biz majors passionate about film/drama."
Suddenly an investor interview.
Jang swallowed nerves, answering steadily.
"Full investment including principal into setup."
"Prof!"
Jang clenched fist. Huge capital to start.
"Conditions though. Jeong as founder/board member first."
"Investor asks—obvious."
"Prof, grad school..."
Jeong Seo-hoon opened to declare his plans.
He'd decided; with this generosity, gratitude demanded it.
But Lee cut in.
"Jeong, no need to force grad talk. Profiting, so investing. No debt—skip school chat now."
"Prof, but I..."
"Aigoo. Say it now, looks like I'm baiting with prod co for grad school."
"..."
Jang and Kim mentally thumbs-upped.
"PD-ssi, key condition."
"Yes, Prof—er, Investor-nim."
"First project—Jeong lead."
"Duh, obvious."
"University or lab backdrop ideal."
"Pardon?"
"Jeong as prof even better."
"..."
"Make viewers envy eng grad life's romance. Liked old Kaist. History iffy, but."
Awkward silence; Kim thought quietly,
Prof ain't for just anyone...