Competition
When I got back to headquarters, all the team leaders were already gathered.
Ma Team Leader spotted me and waved me over. "You're here, Team Leader Kwon?"
I nodded. "Have you contacted Netflix?"
"If we had, do you think Team Leader One would have that face right now?"
At Ma Team Leader's words, I glanced toward Team Leader One.
His face was clouded over in a way that was unlike him, and he looked terribly restless.
But now that I looked more closely, it wasn't just Team Leader One. The other team leaders all looked equally uneasy.
Well, that made sense.
One hundred billion won. A full one hundred billion won for the production budget of a single drama, according to Netflix's announcement.
With the film and drama markets already wobbling, had there been an investment this large lately?
No. There hadn't.
Given that fact, no manager would be able to keep their nerves steady.
Even setting management aside, anyone in this industry would have to fight tooth and nail for a project like this.
Then Team Leader One rose from his seat and said, "Since Team Leader Kwon is here too, let's try contacting the Netflix side one more time."
Team Leader Four raised a hand and replied, "We just called them a minute ago and they didn't pick up. Is it really going to mean anything if we try again now?"
"We still have to try. The article says it's a one-hundred-billion-won project. We can't just sit on our hands."
"The person making the announcement is a division head, so let's see if we can dig through that line."
The team leaders of Baekhak moved as they exchanged opinions.
Six team leaders from Baekhak. If you said the contact lists they held were basically the entire entertainment industry, that wouldn't be an exaggeration.
But even the connections and networks of Baekhak's team leaders yielded nothing in this situation.
The team leaders from Baekhak, myself included, were turned down one after another.
Team Leader Four muttered in disbelief. "...I've fed that bastard enough drinks to float a boat, and he still won't leak a single source?"
Team Leader Five clicked his tongue and answered, "Nothing from my end either."
"Even your side isn't picking up?"
"They do answer, but... they just flat-out say they don't know."
Team Leader Two spoke up carefully. "If they won't even answer Team Leader Five, then maybe it's something nobody can actually find out yet."
At that, Team Leader One set down the smartphone he'd been holding and said, "I think Team Leader Two is right."
A low sigh escaped Team Leader One.
"If we've dug this far and still haven't turned up anything, then it looks like Netflix has no intention of letting the source leak until their internal plan is fully sorted out."
***
A few days after the Netflix announcement, I headed to Baekhak's Sangam Training Center.
When I stepped into the familiar editing room, six women seemed to have been waiting for me and immediately surrounded me.
"Team Leader Kwon! Hurry up and pick!"
"Come on, this isn't an opportunity that comes around every day~"
"Quickly! You only get one shot at this!"
To.Any, Lee Ye-ji, and even Director Choi Jeong-eun had joined forces to hurry me along.
A bead of cold sweat slid down my back.
No, I'm not some shaman. What does it even mean for me to pick a song?
Nothing.
What did I, with my tin ear, even know about music?
But the six women surrounding me looked as if they had no intention of letting me leave until I chose a song.
Overwhelmed by the momentum, I finally picked up one of the six tracks.
"This one's the best."
Director Choi Jeong-eun brightened immediately. "Oh? That's a song Ga-eul wrote."
Ah. Good.
I had gone with my gut, and at least it didn't seem to be the wrong answer.
***
Director Choi Jeong-eun smiled with obvious satisfaction. "Team Leader Kwon, you're on a hot streak these days, aren't you? Black Bride hit ten million, and everything you touch turns into a smash, so we're just borrowing some of that luck~ Some agency CEOs in the next district reportedly hire a shaman and even hold a rite every time they put out an album, but with Team Leader Kwon here, how convenient is that? You just pick things out for us on the spot!"
This was a new pattern.
Had I now been promoted from Baek Ji-won's pick to a shaman?
At her words, I scratched my cheek awkwardly. "Director, my ears are terrible."
"Oh really?"
"Yes. So the song I picked doesn't actually mean all that much."
Director Choi Jeong-eun shrugged. "For something that doesn't mean much, you sure picked well."
She pointed at To.Any, who were devouring the kimbap ordered for lunch with frightening enthusiasm.
"The song you just picked, Team Leader Kwon, was the highest-scoring track in the A&R team's blind test too."
My eyes widened slightly.
"You said just now that it was a song Ga-eul wrote?"
"That's right. One written by Ga-eul. So right now we're a little... torn."
Director Choi Jeong-eun folded her arms. "What if we pushed this entire album as Ga-eul's self-composed work?"
My eyes widened at her suggestion. "All the songs on the album?"
"It's not finalized yet, but that's the basic idea."
"Does she have enough songs?"
Director Choi Jeong-eun pointed at Ga-eul, who was trying to stop Rei from stuffing more kimbap into her mouth.
"You may not know this, Team Leader Kwon, but Ga-eul probably has more than thirty songs in her hands right now. Even if we cherry-pick only the good ones, that's more than enough to fill an album."
At her explanation, my expression turned complicated.
Filling this album entirely with Ga-eul's self-written songs...
It was still only a hypothetical, but as long as the quality held up, wasn't this the best possible scenario?
It had only been three months since K-Singer-Songwriter ended, but Ga-eul's popularity was still tremendous.
The dramatic triumph of the underdog. It was one of the stories the public loved most.
Park Ga-eul had reaped the full benefit of that story.
From a contestant nobody had paid attention to, she had risen all the way to victory on a competitive variety show, and now an uncountable number of event appearances and CF offers were flooding in.
That alone was enough to say she'd more than made back the money for winning a competition program, but with this victory she could gain something even bigger.
Genius singer-songwriter.
Right. The phrase Baekhak had only pushed through public relations had finally become reality.
The image the public now had of Park Ga-eul was that of a singer-songwriter more than an idol.
And if we filled this album with self-composed songs?
And if an album built that way performed as well as the first one had...
Wasn't that the best scenario possible for To.Any's second album?
I asked Director Choi Jeong-eun quietly, "How long would it take to finish about three songs, including the title track?"
Director Choi Jeong-eun answered with a smile. "Since the guides are already there, maybe about two weeks if we add lyrics and cut demos?"
"I'll prepare for the division head's blind test."
"...Heh, this is why I like our Team Leader Kwon. We just think so well together!"
Director Choi Jeong-eun gave my shoulder a light pat.
I gave a faint laugh and turned my head.
Just then, Ga-eul was looking this way.
A smile curved at the corner of her mouth.
It had once been only a faint smile, but now there was a quiet confidence woven through it.
Taking that change in, I stood up.
"Then let's have another meeting in two weeks."
The direction of To.Any's second album had been decided.
"The goal is to pass Director Park's blind test. Let's set the schedule like this for now and move the project forward."
***
The next day.
As soon as I arrived at headquarters, I requested a meeting with Division Head Park Yu-hyeon.
Division Head Park Yu-hyeon adjusted his glasses and set down the documents I had handed him before folding his arms.
"So you mean you want this second album filled with Park Ga-eul's own songs?"
I nodded.
"After speaking with Director Choi Jeong-eun, I was told that Park Ga-eul's self-composed songs scored the highest in the blind test conducted by the A&R team."
"Who wrote and composed the songs that were included in the blind test?"
"Here they are, Division Head."
I handed over the documents I'd prepared in advance.
Division Head Park stroked his chin and murmured, "Kim Bear, Ireeni Han... these are composers with some real weight behind them, aren't they?"
"Yes. If among them the song written and composed by Park Ga-eul came in first, I think that's meaningful data."
Park Yu-hyeon gave a firm nod.
"Good. Once the songs are complete, prepare another blind test."
I clenched both fists and answered, "Thank you, Division Head."
After the meeting, I left the division head's office.
It happened to be lunchtime, so I headed to a nearby seolleongtang restaurant with Team Leader Ma Seok-du.
Team Leader Ma Seok-du bit deeply into a delicious-looking cubed radish kimchi and asked, "Any source come in?"
"What source?"
"The source for King's Return, obviously."
"Not a thing. What about you, hyung?"
"Nothing here either. Haa... Those bastards really decided to lock the information down tight, didn't they?"
Ma Team Leader pouted and grumbled.
"Still, if the production budget is really 100 billion won, they've got reason to strut."
"If any information comes in, make sure to share it."
"I'd love to ask you for the same, damn it... If we can get our hands on this, we have to take it no matter what!"
Ma Team Leader shouted as he crunched into some napa cabbage kimchi.
"If it's a one-hundred-billion-won project, you have to grab it, right?"
I took a swallow of barley tea instead of cold water and thought it over.
A project that absolutely had to be taken if possible...
Yes.
If we could get it, it was absolutely the kind of project we had to secure.
But how the hell are we supposed to get it?
In truth, I had known about this project before the article broke.
Because I'd gotten the source from Daniel first.
But I hadn't managed to uncover anything beyond the fact that the project existed, let alone its real identity.
My phone records had been flooded with Netflix contacts for a while after I got that source, so it wasn't as if I hadn't tried.
At this point, then...
Like Ma Team Leader said, Netflix had clearly locked the information down on purpose.
Even after the article broke and all six Baekhak team leaders gathered, we still hadn't managed to pry loose a single useful detail.
Clicking my tongue lightly, I asked, "At this point, we'll just have to wait until they open the information, right?"
"Probably."
"Who do you think takes it? The King's Return project?"
"Well... I don't know. Rumors about King's Return are already spreading, and how many agencies are going after those roles? It's not just one or two."
Ma Team Leader said with complete confidence, "Whoever lands the King's Return project will probably claim the drama throne for the second half of next year. A one-hundred-billion-won project means it's the biggest production in the history of our country's dramas."
***
Division Head Kim Chan-woo of Netflix Korea's headquarters, located in Gangnam, Seoul, adjusted his tie and said, "Have the VIPs arrived yet?"
Team Leader Park, standing beside him, answered quickly, "Yes. They've arrived and are waiting now."
"Honestly, why are the people who're usually late suddenly showing up so early today?"
Team Leader Park casually opened the door for him. "Even for people with heavy behinds, a one-hundred-billion-won project is enough to make them hurry."
"Fair enough."
"Are you going in alone, Division Head?"
"Looks like I have to. They're the kind of people who care about appearances. Stay outside and wait, Team Leader Park."
"Understood, Division Head."
After letting out a light sigh, Division Head Kim Chan-woo carefully opened the meeting room door.
The first thing he saw was a broad table that could seat twenty people.
His gaze then moved to the man and woman seated at opposite ends of the table.
"Hey, Division Head Kim."
With the self-assured expression that was uniquely his, CEO Park Su-chan of SAG waved at Division Head Kim Chan-woo.
"Ah, it's been a while, CEO Park."
"Call me more often. You're making me feel neglected here."
"I figured you must be busy, CEO Park. How have you been, anyway?"
"I've been fine. Why wouldn't I be?"
After exchanging light pleasantries with CEO Park Su-chan, Kim Chan-woo turned his head.
"CEO Baek."
At his call, Baek Ji-won, dressed in a white suit, slowly turned her head.
"It's been a while, Division Head Kim Chan-woo."
"Haha, this is our first time meeting since the movie wrap party three years ago, isn't it?"
Instead of replying, CEO Baek simply offered a faint smile.
Division Head Kim Chan-woo murmured in admiration.
Who would look at this person and think she was in her forties?
Even for a celebrity, maintaining this level of condition wouldn't be easy, and it was no wonder Baek Ji-won had earned the nickname of a witch.
At that moment, CEO Park Su-chan spoke up. "All right, enough with the greetings. Let's get straight to the point."
Leaning back in his chair with lazy ease, he said, "We've already taken our seats, so there's no reason to drag this out, is there? Go ahead and show your hand, Division Head Kim."
At CEO Park's urging, Division Head Kim Chan-woo smiled as if he knew nothing.
"Come now, what hand are you talking about, CEO Park? I just called you all in so we could see each other after so long."
At his dry joking, CEO Park let out a contemptuous snort, as if it were amusing nonsense.
But Division Head Kim Chan-woo didn't waver.
After all, the initiative was on their side today, and before the real conversation began, he needed to press down the momentum of the two CEOs a little...
Then CEO Baek Ji-won casually dropped a single line.
"The King's Return project. It's the one-hundred-billion-won project, isn't it, Division Head?"
At her words, Division Head Kim Chan-woo's shoulder gave a small jolt.
CEO Park Su-chan burst into a series of chuckles. "Wow, look at that. Our CEO Baek goes straight for the throat."
That oddly unpleasant laugh of his tickled at Division Head Kim Chan-woo's ears.
Rolling his eyes and gauging the two CEOs, he let out a light sigh.
"...Honestly, having both of you here really does make this difficult."
At Division Head Kim Chan-woo's words, both CEOs turned their attention to him.
"To get to the point, yes. Netflix headquarters has decided to produce the popular original novel King's Return."
CEO Park Su-chan leaned forward.
"CEO Baek, what's your answer? Is it true that this is a one-hundred-billion-won project?"
"Yes. It is."
"!"
"But it's not being planned as a one-off project. We're considering it as a long-term project."
CEO Baek Ji-won cut into the conversation.
"Meaning you're planning to turn it into a series, just like the source novel?"
"Exactly. Depending on its performance, we intend to continue it as a series. If it clears a certain threshold, then at minimum it is a project guaranteed through season two."
Season two.
That carried enormous weight.
For a drama with a one-hundred-billion-won budget, a second season meant actor contracts could balloon to twice their original size.
What's more, Netflix paid lead actors 1.5 times the market rate.
The moment those words changed the look in the eyes of both CEOs, Division Head Kim Chan-woo declared, "Since this is our top project, we'll be selecting the cast from the very best in the country. And which entertainment companies have the country's top-tier actors?"
A slight curve appeared at the corner of Kim Chan-woo's mouth.
"Baekhak and SAG. The companies led by the two of you, aren't they?"
With that, Division Head Kim Chan-woo distributed the materials he'd prepared in advance.
It was the list of actors the King's Return production team wanted.
Taking the documents, the two CEOs slowly began checking the list of actors inside.
As Kim Chan-woo quietly watched them, CEO Baek Ji-won was the first to speak.
"That's an interesting list."
With a short laugh, CEO Baek Ji-won lifted her head.
"I don't know if the division head intended it that way, but the shape of this list looks a lot like..."
Baek Ji-won's brown eyes turned to Kim Chan-woo.
"You want Baekhak and SAG to compete, don't you?"