Competition
At Jae-min’s words, my eyes went wide.
“Backstreet Police is airing in the same time slot as ours?”
“So I heard. Haven’t you gotten the notice yet?”
“No. This is the first I’m hearing of it.”
Lee Jae-min, acting team leader, started to grin, the corners of his mouth curling higher and higher.
“Hm~ Maybe they’re holding off on bad news to soften the blow?”
“?”
“Well, who’d want to go up against a 30 billion won drama in the same time slot? Looks like the network drama chief at MBN is sweating bullets, so word’s been slow to get around, Team Leader Kwon!”
A question mark practically floated over my face.
What the hell is this guy talking about?
So Jae-min thought Backstreet Police was going to beat The Wise Life of a Namhae Intern Doctor?
I let out a short, incredulous laugh.
“Team Leader Lee, you seem to think Backstreet Police will beat The Wise Life of a Namhae Intern Doctor.”
“Of course. The scale is different, the scale!”
Jae-min shrugged at me.
“So what if the lead actor’s a hallyu star? A drama isn’t carried by one actor alone. The budget and manpower going into that show and Backstreet Police aren’t even in the same league!”
I folded my arms.
“So you’re saying bigger budgets and bigger crews make a drama a hit?”
“Wow, it looks like the great Kwon Chan is nervous. You keep picking apart everything I say.”
“Not at all.”
“Really? Then how about we make a bet?”
I tilted my head.
“What kind of bet?”
“If we’re both confident in our projects, why don’t we make this interesting and bet on ratings?”
A ratings bet?
That gives me no reason to refuse.
I deliberately baited him. “So the side with the higher ratings wins?”
“Exactly.”
“There should be a reward for a bet.”
“What about a penalty instead?”
Acting team leader Lee Jae-min proposed it with total confidence.
“The loser gets on their knees. Nice and easy.”
My eyes widened.
“On their knees?”
“Why? You don’t have the guts?”
“...No, I do.”
I cocked my head.
“Team Leader Lee Jae-min, are you sure you’re okay with that?”
“Hey, are you going to keep calling me acting team leader?”
“You are the acting team leader.”
“Forget that! Are you in or not!”
Jae-min stared me down, all provocation.
“If you’re scared, go die! I’m all in!”
Wow.
If you’re scared, go die?
Why would I be scared?
I had no reason to be. None at all.
Because I already knew Backstreet Police’s ratings.
I smiled inwardly. “I’m in.”
“Okay. You accept?”
“Of course. Let’s settle this by ratings.”
Just then, the elevator stopped. Jae-min got off first and threw me a sidelong look.
“You’d better take a good picture.”
At his smug tone and expression, the corners of my mouth twitched.
“I’m going to make sure I get a great shot of the great Kwon Chan kneeling, then blast it all over our management office!”
***
Backstreet Police.
If not for the future text messages, it would have been a project with no reason to turn down. The production budget alone was 30 billion won, and SBC was pushing it hard as one of next year’s biggest first-quarter hits.
And the writer was Kang Na-yoon, one of the so-called “three-top” writers.
To be blunt, Backstreet Police was the kind of drama that should have been almost impossible to fail. And yet it was going to fail.
Not just fail, either. It would become one of those legendary disasters that barely scraped past the rating decimal point.
I didn’t know exactly why, but it no longer mattered.
Thinking back to my bet with Jae-min, I mused, Should I take a picture of him kneeling and circulate it through the office like he said?
Hm. Not bad.
Even for a shameless bastard like Lee Jae-min, if a photo of him on his knees spread through the office, he wouldn’t be able to stand it.
Wow. I’m starting to look forward to this.
When was the last time I’d felt anticipation for a drama airing instead of nervousness?
I was still grinning at the thought of Jae-min on his knees when Choi Go-eun, standing beside me, muttered, “Team Leader, do you know your face is really nasty right now?”
“...”
I quickly schooled my expression and coughed.
“You’re spying on my face now, Choi Go-eun?”
“I’m not spying on anything. I’m standing right next to you, so I can see it.”
“That’s spying.”
“You really do love nitpicking, don’t you?”
Ignoring her grumbling, I changed the subject. “How’s filming these days?”
“It’s good.”
“So overall, it’s going well?”
“Yeah. The other actors are all pulling their weight, and the shoot’s going smoothly.”
I studied her face for a moment.
That genius child actress was always pretending everything was fine, even when it wasn’t, just so she wouldn’t make my life harder.
But this time, she really did look happy.
So that on-set trouble I saw before must’ve been resolved.
My mouth curved faintly as I gave her shoulder a light pat.
“I’m going to keep an eye on whether you’re really filming well.”
“...So you’re a supervisor, not a manager?”
“Same difference. Go do good work.”
Go-eun stuck out her tongue at me and ran off to the center of the set.
I stood there with my arms folded, watching as her fellow actors gathered around her.
“Go-eun, I told you to follow me on Instagram yesterday.”
“Unnie, I told you, that account belongs to the company.”
“Huh? You’re a kid these days and you don’t even use social media?”
“Oh, come on! I don’t have to! Some famous director said social media is a waste of time!”
“That’s for soccer players. You’re an actress, so of course you need social media!”
The atmosphere was definitely different from before.
The cast of Love in May tossed one remark after another at Go-eun, and she snapped right back with that same feral temper of hers.
From the teasing smiles on the actors’ faces, it looked like they’d figured out how fun it was to provoke her.
I was watching with satisfaction when a familiar voice called my name.
“Team Leader Kwon.”
“Ah, Director Na Jun-hu.”
I dipped my head in greeting, and Director Na Jun-hu offered me an instant coffee.
“I made it myself. Not sure it’ll taste any good.”
“When Director Na Jun-hu makes it personally, there’s no way it can taste bad.”
“Haha, whenever you say things like that, Team Leader Kwon, I sometimes wonder if you’re really in your twenties.”
I was, in fact, in my twenties, Director.
Well, that wouldn’t last much longer either.
“But you do seem very busy lately?”
I tilted my head. “Not especially.”
“Oh? That’s not what I’ve been hearing.”
What kind of rumors had he heard about me? If Director Na Jun-hu had heard anything at all, then—
“Representative Baek’s pick, Team Leader Kwon.”
Damn it.
“People keep mentioning your name these days, and every time they do, that’s the line I hear too.”
I felt a little prickle of gooseflesh and answered at once, “That’s nonsense, Director Na.”
“Oh? Really?”
“Yes. I don’t know who started it, but it’s not true.”
Director Na burst out laughing.
“That sounds like a pretty good rumor to me, but you don’t seem to like it much.”
Did I dislike it?
Honestly, not really.
No, seriously. Who would dislike being called Baek Ji-won’s pick, and not by just anyone, but by the legendary Representative Baek herself?
What I didn’t like was the baggage that came attached to the rumor.
It gets weird when people start talking about me as Park Yu-hyeon’s successor while he’s still actively working.
That was why I couldn’t exactly take the rumor in a good light.
Seeing that, Director Na Jun-hu tactfully shifted the topic.
“Filming is progressing quite smoothly.”
I matched his tone. “Then we can submit it to the Busan International Film Festival as planned.”
“Exactly. But I’ve heard something else interesting too.”
“What kind of rumor?”
His eyes sparkled like stars.
“Do you know how noisy things have been in Chungmuro lately?”
“Chungmuro?”
“Yes. Apparently some new investment company that came out of nowhere has been signing independent film directors on absurd terms.”
“!”
I fought to keep my mouth under control.
Then, pretending I knew nothing, I asked, “It’s hard to find investors in this market these days, so that’s surprising.”
“Right? Commercial productions are wobbling, and investment in indie and short films underneath them has dried up. But in the middle of all that, this new company apparently signed contracts with ten independent directors.”
Director Na smiled with obvious pleasure.
“No matter who the investor is, that’s someone to be grateful to. Independent films need to survive if commercial films are going to survive, and theaters with them. Whatever the intention behind it, it’s nice to feel some life return to Chungmuro after so long. It’s put me in a good mood.”
At the words of the director of two 10-million-viewer films, I smiled to myself.
So the rumor about Futures Investment has already spread this far?
It was another reminder of how small this industry really was.
That had its downsides, sure, but when the news was good, it also meant word traveled fast.
Then Director Na continued, “In that case, it’s competition.”
Pulled out of my thoughts, I asked, “Competition?”
“Isn’t it? All those independent directors are going to the Busan International Film Festival too...”
He trailed off and shrugged.
“So including me, everyone will be competing for the New Currents Award, won’t they?”
My eyes widened.
Wait.
...Come to think of it, I hadn’t thought of that.
The heart of independent film is the Busan International Film Festival. After all, the profit structure for indie films depends on winning awards at festivals.
But the indie films I invested in are all among this year’s biggest hits...
If that was the case, then the films I backed—
And the projects featuring the actors I cast—
Would sweep the Busan International Film Festival.
At that realization, my eyes widened again.
Huh? This is...
The field might be getting bigger than I’d expected.
***
The independent films that swept this year’s Busan International Film Festival.
And Futures Investment, which had invested in all of them.
If things kept going the way they were, my film investment company was about to pull off an unbelievable upset at Asia’s premier film festival this October.
When October came and the results from the Busan International Film Festival were announced, what kind of reaction would Chungmuro have?
I didn’t know for sure, but it would probably be explosive.
All the indie films I’d invested in were poised to succeed.
And maybe, just maybe, they’d sweep every major prize at the festival too.
Even aside from that, I felt the need to make the company a little more systematic in preparation.
No matter how little manpower a film investment company usually needed, having only one representative and one investor was a bit much, wasn’t it?
The next day, I held a contract meeting with writer Kang Seon-woo.
“Please take good care of me from here on out, Writer Kang Seon-woo.”
Kang Seon-woo took my hand and said, “I should be the one saying that.”
“I’ll support you as much as possible so you won’t regret this choice.”
“Just hearing that is reassuring.”
“Oh, and if you have time, would you like to stop by the office?”
“The office?”
“Yes. You should at least see the face of the head of the investment company, right?”
***
Futures Investment’s office in Chungmuro. Fresh from moving in a few days earlier, the clean white interior had that unmistakable smell of a new building.
Sitting in the representative’s office and clicking his mouse, Im Hyun-sung muttered, “Damn it, why does that stupid Electronics stock keep dropping every single day?”
Seriously, it was the national stock.
One of the world’s top ten IT companies!
So why the hell was it still refusing to climb out of 50,000 won Electronics?
Im Hyun-sung was staring at his stock account, which was deep in the red, and practically crying blood when the office door opened and a familiar figure barged in.
“Mr. Im.”
It was Kwon Chan, the real master of this office. Im Hyun-sung jumped to his feet.
“What the hell? You didn’t even call first?”
“Do I need to call before coming to my own office?”
At the words of Kwon Chan, an investor in Futures Investment, Hyun-sung’s expression turned odd.
“I don’t care about you, but who’s the guy next to you?”
Kwon Chan stepped aside slightly.
“Say hello. This is our Futures team’s first signed writer.”
With that, Kang Seon-woo, wearing round glasses, stepped forward.
“Hello.”
At the greeting, Hyun-sung’s face stiffened.
Small frame, strangely intelligent-looking face.
He had the unmistakable aura of someone from the arts.
Hyun-sung grabbed Kwon Chan by the arm.
“...What the hell is this?”
“What?”
“That guy’s a writer, right?”
“Yeah, he’s a writer.”
“You maniac! You just suddenly recruited a writer?”
Hyun-sung frowned.
“We haven’t even seen the investment results yet, and you’re hiring writers? Do we look like some Hollywood mega-investment firm?”
“Do you run a business based only on the present?”
“What?”
“You run it with the future in mind. Stop saying useless things and say hello to the writer.”
After giving him a sharp rebuke, Kwon Chan started showing Kang Seon-woo around the office. Watching that with utter disbelief, Hyun-sung heard Kwon Chan wave him over.
“Mr. Im, come over and introduce yourself.”
At Kwon Chan’s words, Hyun-sung swallowed his simmering irritation and flashed a bright smile.
“Hello, Writer. I’m Im Hyun-sung, the CEO of Futures Investment.”
Kang Seon-woo dipped his head slightly. He was obviously uncomfortable with strangers.
Totally an indoor type.
Hyun-sung worked in an office too, but he wasn’t an indoor type. As someone who liked meeting people, this kind of person was already making him uneasy.
Then Kwon Chan lightened the mood with a joke.
“Why don’t we sit down and talk?”
The three of them gathered on the sofa and started talking over this and that. Strictly speaking, it was mostly Kwon Chan and Kang Seon-woo leading the conversation.
“So, what you want most is to debut as a drama writer, right?”
“Film is fine too.”
“Either way, you just need to debut?”
Kang Seon-woo nodded.
“Debuting is the hardest part, so that’s what I’m aiming for first.”
Kwon Chan scratched the side of his nose as if thinking it over. The other two naturally turned their attention to him.
“If debut is the goal, should we go with the easiest and fastest route?”
“The easiest and fastest route?”
“Yes. As you probably know, the quickest way for a rookie writer to debut is through a contest.”
Kang Seon-woo nodded immediately.
“Yes, I know. So should I prepare for contests?”
“For now, let’s take the approach of submitting your writing... You’re still writing web novels, right?”
Web novels? Hyun-sung, who’d been half left out of the conversation, tilted his head.
Why are web novels coming up?
His only hobby, the one and only thing he cared about outside the stock market, was web novels.
A topic he actually understood had suddenly appeared, and Hyun-sung’s ears perked up.
“Yes, I’m still writing them. Um, should I stop writing web novels if I prepare for contests?”
“No. Why would you stop writing a web novel that’s doing well? Keep writing those for now. I saw your current web novel is modern fantasy, so I’ll circulate it to a few production companies.”
Kang Seon-woo looked startled.
“You mean you’ll introduce my web novel to drama production companies?”
“Yes. The odds of immediate production are low even if the rights sell, but since you’ve joined our company, we should at least do this much for you, right?”
“...”
“So for now, keep writing your web novel, but prepare a separate piece for contests. I’ll also gather every contest opening scheduled for this year.”
Kang Seon-woo’s expression shifted.
“Uh... thank you, Team Leader.”
Kwon Chan smiled. “You’re a writer signed to our company, so this is just part of the job.”
As Kang Seon-woo stared at Kwon Chan, a ringtone suddenly rang out. It came from Kwon Chan’s smartphone.
“I need to take this for a second. Mr. Im?”
At Kwon Chan’s call, Hyun-sung, who had been listening to the two of them, jerked in surprise. “...Huh?”
“What are you spacing out for? While I’m gone, talk to Writer Kang Seon-woo.”
“...Me?”
“Then who else would do it? Me?”
With that, Kwon Chan rose and left the office. Watching his back in disbelief, Hyun-sung slowly turned his head.
“............”
A writer who looked at him warily, like a stray cat.
This is awkward.
Taking care of kids wasn’t really his thing... but what if the kid was a web novel writer?
Hyun-sung cautiously asked, “Writer?”
Kang Seon-woo answered while gauging his expression. “Yes, CEO.”
“Do you write web novels by any chance?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Then what pen name do you use?”
“My pen name?”
“Yes, your pen name.”
Kang Seon-woo blinked stupidly for a moment, then answered slowly.
“WriterS.”
“Holy shit!”
“?”
“So you’re the guy who wrote Investor With Maxed-Out Talent!”
“.......”
“I-I’m a fan! A real fan! Wow, forget this—could I get an autograph or something...!”
“............”
***
Leaving Kang Seon-woo and Im Hyun-sung behind, I stepped out of the office and answered my phone, my eyes widening.
“Are you serious? Team Leader Ma?”
-Yeah, it’s true!
At Ma team leader’s words, my throat bobbed hard.
“The article just dropped! It’s a Netflix drama worth a hundred billion won, and it’s the King’s Return series novel! The one that sold ten million copies! The whole office is in chaos right now, so get back here fast!”