An Offer You Can't Refuse (2)
“Is that possible?”
Jang Seung-won snapped to attention at the refined, gentle tone brimming with elegance and warmth.
“So, what you're saying, investor—"
“Just call me Professor. 'Investor' feels even more awkward.”
“Got it. Anyway, to sum up: you'd like a setting like an engineering lab, with Seo-hoon playing the professor role, and you want viewers to feel that romantic allure of a university campus. Everything else is up to us, right?”
“Exactly. That's all I need.”
“No restrictions on romance, social issue exposés, thrillers, sitcoms, or anything like that?”
“None.”
“And your budget thoughts...?”
“That's for management to handle. I've done my part by investing the capital. You wouldn't blow it, would you?”
Lee Se-jong added with an utterly serene expression.
“Once you've invested, you have to trust and wait. Stubbornly, until the harvest comes.”
“Ah...”
Beside them, Kim Sang-hee was furiously typing on her phone again, inspiration clearly surging.
Jang Seung-won quickly ran the numbers in his head.
'The concept's solid. If the script comes out right, this could sell big.'
This wasn't about churning out some niche flop to satisfy personal tastes.
It was a pitch that could thrive while sticking to the core idea.
'Jeong Seo-hoon as a professor?'
Jang Seung-won let his imagination wander.
A handsome, model-like young professor in a sleek lab coat, blessed with genius-level intellect.
Set his age mid-to-late twenties, and it'd fit perfectly.
The actor was only twenty-two, but he nailed that mature vibe—no jarring disconnect.
'Viewers are gonna lose their minds.'
The guy was a science high school grad who'd aced into Korea University's engineering program at seventeen—a living legend.
A few years from now, tenure was a given. Who could be more perfect for the role?
Viewers would dive headfirst into the protagonist.
'Throw in a few more hot, gorgeous professors...'
What if they roped in Cha Do-jin as a rival colleague professor?
Slot Lee Seo-hyeon between them as another professor.
Han Seo-hee, who'd played the general's wife, as an undergrad crushing on Jeong Seo-hoon?
Inspiration exploded in his mind like fireworks over the Han River on a summer night.
Jang Seung-won clenched his fist without realizing it.
'Suddenly, I wanna direct this myself.'
It had been over a decade since he'd helmed anything but sageuks.
He'd figured that was his future—sageuks forever.
But the images flooding his brain were screaming to be let out.
That's when Kim Sang-hee stopped typing and spoke up.
“Professor, actually, I have a pitch that fits perfectly. Needs tweaks, though.”
“Oh, really?”
“But it'll cost a pretty penny per episode. Lots of big-name actors for that bustling lab vibe.”
“Labs are always buzzing anyway.”
“The more high-paid stars you pack in, the more the budget skyrockets. Just their fees alone could hit nearly 2 billion per episode. Factor in top-tier props, casting, sets—could push 4 billion easy.”
Her brutally realistic math doused Jang Seung-won like ice water.
The fireworks in his head fizzled out with a pathetic pop.
'Right. Youth dramas crammed with A-listers aren't the trend anymore...'
“If it's needed, spend it. That's how you get results.”
The fireworks roared back to life in Jang Seung-won's mind.
“Could you consult on the tech side later, Professor? To nail the engineering lab atmosphere, we need real expert input.”
“Consult?”
Lee Se-jong let out a deflated chuckle, and Jang Seung-won glanced over, a bit uneasy.
“I mentioned KAIST's portrayal was a mess, right?”
“Yes, so we...”
“But if it'd been accurate, it'd have been boring. More docu than drama. Robot competitions barely happen once mid-broadcast as it is.”
“Ah...”
“I'll consult all you want, but no realism that kills the romantic lab vibe. This is a drama.”
Kim Sang-hee gazed at Lee Se-jong with the rapture of a girl in love.
“Professor, why'd you show up now? I've been waiting for someone like you forever.”
Kim Sang-hee and Lee Se-jong clicked instantly, bouncing ideas seamlessly.
She'd toss questions; he'd give grounded answers; she'd spin them into “romantic engineering” gold.
“Young, promising, handsome genius professor Jeong Seo-hoon! A jealous rival colleague with his own backstory—also handsome! And a stunning chaebol heiress professor caught between them! What do you think?”
“No way, Writer Kim? Great minds!”
“Basic drama formula. Grad students? Plaster the screen with young, pretty, hot, talented stars. Toss in a few wooden idols—no one'll notice. Flower garden, right? Flower garden!”
“Totally. Flower garden.”
“Your thoughts, Professor?”
Kim Sang-hee beamed; Lee Se-jong, flushed from booze, drained his glass quietly.
His voice stayed smooth and warm, sober as ever.
“Truth is, Seo-hoon isn't even the best-looking in our lab.”
“Ooh.”
“The kids just don't wash or groom. Clean 'em up, and they're all studs. Visit the lab sometime. Guys like him? A dime a dozen.”
“Korea University Engineering—the best!”
“Seo-hoon, is the professor right?”
Jang Seung-won asked, drunk but incredulous.
Jeong Seo-hoon, battle-hardened vet, knew the play.
“I started hearing I was hot during Illegal.”
“Knew it!”
“Surrounded by swans like himself, he didn't know his worth! Poor swans.”
Jang Seung-won clapped and laughed.
“Good genes accumulate over generations. Rich get richer, poor get poorer—even in DNA. Look at celebs: smart, loaded families galore.”
“But packing Korea University with flower boys and girls might feel too real—docu vibes?”
“Nah, Professor. Flavorful realism is the writer's turf. It's fine.”
Jeong Seo-hoon slipped away from the trio's buzzed glee, sipping alone.
* * *
After daytime drinks, Professor Lee Se-jong headed back to campus—not home.
The PD and writer gaped.
“Shouldn't you rest at home?”
“Project kicks off at dawn anyway. Easier crashing at school.”
“Man... Professoring ain't for just anyone.”
“These days, seems anyone can. Some tenured profs know less than fresh PhDs.”
“See you at company setup, then, Professor.”
“I won't flake—take your time. Focus on Haegeuk now, right?”
“Thanks for understanding.”
A disheveled grad student pulled up to drive; Lee Se-jong took the back seat.
Watching the car fade, Kim Sang-hee cooed drunkenly.
“Our professor's ride—a Rolls-Royce Phantom.”
“Trillionaire vibes? Daily driver for him. Gotta be trillions, right?”
“Lee Se-jong feels like the ideal professor. Wait—why's a grad student his chauffeur?”
“Professor perk you can't quit?”
With Haegeuk's full cast off today, and lunch boozed up, Jang Seung-won decided.
“Round two. My treat.”
“My bar?”
“Perfect! Let's go!”
“Gonna text 'em to open early.”
Early, pre-rush hour, but off to Kim Sang-hee's cocktail bar they went.
“PD-nim, you hold your liquor—why so strict before?”
“Not against drinking. Hate it messing work. One late hangover snowballs the pace.”
“Song PD's too loose; you're too tight. Mix 'em half-half?”
PD and writer bonded hard, downing drinks freely.
Jeong Seo-hoon noted Jang Seung-won cutting loose like never before.
Investor greenlight had him flying high.
“Lee Se-jong and Jeong Tae-hyeon alone nail professor chars. Seo-hoon, just be you.”
“Show my real self, and it turns war drama.”
They brushed it off as random banter.
“Youth campus romance needs a villain, though. Who?”
“Seo-hoon as villain, duh.”
“For real, Writer-nim?”
“Who else? Villain prof lead in engineering drama—thoughts?”
“Huh... Kinda works?”
“Handsome, young, brilliant, beloved prof. But dark backstory no one knows—drives him mad scientist.”
“Feelin' it now?”
“Campus romance with colleagues, grad crushes admiring villain prof. Mad seeds bloom gradually.”
“You've mulled this long, huh?”
Jang Seung-won mulled her pitch, rolling it around.
She fired up her laptop, pulled a Word doc, slid it over.
“Check it. Imagine hot actors everywhere, early romantic campus. A Prof as villain-lead, mid-20s hottie.”
“Got it—reading with tweaks in mind.”
He devoured it silently for nearly an hour.
Kim Sang-hee sipped contentedly; Jeong Seo-hoon multitalked actresses for the first time that long.
Click. Click.
The touchpad fell silent.
Jang Seung-won, flushed, turned to Kim Sang-hee.
“Pictured Seo-hoon as A Prof—your vision popped in my head crystal clear.”
“Not bad, right?”
“More than good? Starts with un-Kim-Sang-hee sitcom vibes, then bam—spicy immersion.”
“Needs more tweaks. Haegeuk's done—chill and refine this.”
“You doing this without me, with Song PD?”
“What? You're exec producer. Professor's company produces.”
“So megaphone to Song PD?”
As company head, Jang Seung-won would oversee production—like drama chief at a broadcaster.
“Coveting it? You're a sageuk guy—said modern bores you.”
“Was. But I need this. Planned Haegeuk break—poof, gone.”
“You'll run the company—no real rest anyway.”
Laughter masked their subtle tug-of-war.
Jeong Seo-hoon watched, stone-faced.
His phone hand typed casually.
Jeong Seo-hoon eyed Jang Seung-won with director's cold gaze, then the incoming Song Jeong-woo.
Who deserved the megaphone's weight?
'Professor's money on the line—experiment, er, project. Gotta be careful.'