Chapter 158: One by One (2)
Chapter 158: One by One (2)
PD Lee Min-hwa of Sky Garden was certain that everything was on the line with this drama.
The upcoming viewership ratings wouldn't just determine the drama's success; they would serve as a major turning point in the power struggle within the KMB Drama Department.
"That’s why this trailer is so important."
"But will it actually work? There’s no romance, after all."
At a staff member's comment, Lee Min-hwa narrowed her eyes.
It wasn't that the employee thought Sky Garden was boring. In fact, they quite enjoyed it. The concern was simply that the drama was incredibly experimental.
Even Dream Future, which claimed to be a youth drama, had romance.
Though it had its share of unintentional comedy, it had leaned heavily into romantic elements. Plus, the OST was so good that it became a massive commercial success despite the plot.
But Sky Garden has no romance.
It might work as a coming-of-age story, but...
When people get anxious, they naturally start comparing things to the status quo. If others have something and you don't, it breeds uncertainty.
Furthermore, a rough formula for a successful drama was etched into the minds of most broadcasting PDs and staff. Sky Garden essentially flew in the face of that formula.
No romance.
A high school protagonist.
Yet, it wasn't exactly a typical "youth drama" either.
It was a complex piece of work in many ways.
"Well, I can see why you'd feel that way."
Lee Min-hwa suppressed the urge to snap. She understood their anxiety.
"I believe that anxiety will vanish once this trailer is released."
At her words, everyone’s attention shifted. Was the trailer that good? Honestly, even if it was well-made, they couldn't quite picture the vibe.
However, there was one thing they all agreed was a positive.
The lead is solid.
With Ju Seo-yeon, at least we don't have to worry about the acting.
At the very least, the protagonist was a win. Not only was her acting top-tier, but Seo-yeon’s recent buzz was phenomenal. Among actors her age, she stood head and shoulders above the rest. The fact that she was being mentioned in the same breath as Jo Seo-hee said it all.
"At least our lead doesn't pale in comparison to PD Baek's drama, right?"
"Yes, that’s true. At least for now. Though that side has the advantage of established name value."
The drama by PD Baek Tae-soo that Sky Garden would be compared to was Grand Game. It was a production that had mobilized every available resource. Originally, the projected budget was double that of Sky Garden, but PD Baek had managed to slash it by half using his extensive personal network.
In terms of cost alone, they were now in the same weight class as Sky Garden.
It wasn't an ideal situation. Comparing their sheer scale, the opposition felt like they had a slight edge.
"Oh, but did you see that variety show?"
"Variety show?"
"The one that aired on the other channel recently. The one featuring Ju Seo-yeon."
To break the stiff atmosphere, one staff member spoke up with a smile. No one in the room was unaware of the variety show on the rival network, especially since it featured the lead of their own upcoming drama.
"Of course I saw it. It was hilarious."
"That was Ju Seo-yeon’s mother, right? That lady?"
"Yeah, that’s what they said."
"Wow, she looks so young. I mean, at her age, how does she look like that? My wife, on the other hand..."
The conversation flowed, though it didn't last long given the setting. It was just a brief topic to lighten the mood.
"That’s a good idea," PD Lee Min-hwa said with a smile after listening.
"Pardon?"
"I heard Ju Seo-yeon’s mother has become quite the hot topic. I saw it too."
"Ah, so you did see it, PD-nim. The buzz was quite significant."
"So, I think it would be a good idea to include her in a brief interview for our promotion."
"...What? Ju Seo-yeon’s mother?"
"Yes."
Sky Garden was a drama that dealt with the relationship between parents and children. Regardless of the current hype, Lee Min-hwa felt that including interviews with the actors' parents wouldn't be a bad move. It didn't have to be long—just a short segment.
"While we're at it, we should probably contact the mothers of the other young actors as well."
It felt like it would add a nice touch of personal history to the promotional video.
"I'll contact Ju Seo-yeon myself," PD Lee Min-hwa concluded.
And so.
"Mom, PD Lee asked if you'd be okay with doing an interview for the drama."
"..."
Sua, who had already rejected every single commercial offer, collapsed onto the floor the moment she heard those words. She felt like this was one request she couldn't possibly turn down.
*
Regardless, whether it was drama promotion or variety shows, nothing could be neglected. Above all, Seo-yeon’s image improvement project was still a work in progress.
But if Mom does an interview, won't my image get weird again?
Still, it was undeniable that Sua was the "it" person lately. Having her appear in the drama's promotion seemed like a good move. Since Sky Garden focused on the stories of parents and children, having the actual parents of the actors participate in the promotion felt right. Especially since most of the cast members weren't second-generation actors.
"Great, great! Cut!"
At the commercial director's shout, Seo-yeon finally let out a sigh and relaxed her posture. Today was the day for the Adiz commercial shoot, which had been pushed back.
As soon as Seo-yeon sighed, someone came scurrying over from a distance. It was Assistant Manager Jung from the Adiz marketing department. Apparently, the team leader was supposed to come, but his schedule had been scrambled due to recent events.
Recent events...
Seo-yeon had a rough idea of what that meant. The "Ju Seo-yeon Challenge," was it? She never imagined it would blow up like that.
That’s why everyone at the gym looked so expectant the other day.
She had gone there to film footage for the observational variety show. But since the Ju Seo-yeon Challenge was at its peak, all eyes were on her. She hadn't even done any heavy lifting that day, focusing instead on flexibility and exercises suitable for maintaining her image.
"Not hitting the weights?"
"Is Seo-yeon feeling under the weather today? The plates are looking a bit light."
"..."
Everyone from the gym trainers to her own manager was stealing glances at her. Even the actor Jung Hyun-woo, a gym regular who often asked her for advice, had boldly declared:
"I shall attempt the Ju Seo-yeon Challenge with Ju Seo-yeon herself!"
Right here!
Seo-yeon nearly fainted when an Adiz chair was dragged out. Why on earth was there an Adiz chair at the gym? The production team must have brought it in advance. Knowing they were filming, Jung Hyun-woo sat Seo-yeon in the chair and tried to lift it with all his might.
Well, the result was predictable.
"Ahem, cough."
It was funny, sure. But she worried that if it aired, she’d be stuck with another strange image. Then again, she had partially given up on that front. It was better than being a gorilla with a spear, she supposed.
"More importantly, did I come across as intellectual?"
"Pardon? Oh, absolutely! Definitely!"
Assistant Manager Jung gave her a thumbs-up. The footage for the commercial looked excellent.
"However, don't you think it would be better to include a scene where you lift the chair?"
"...Then I wouldn't look intellectual."
"Haha, just a joke!"
Regardless, Assistant Manager Jung was in high spirits. The commercial had turned out well in a conventional sense. Internally, there had been suggestions to incorporate the viral "Ju Seo-yeon Challenge" into the ad.
However, Kwak Hyun-woo, the marketing team leader, had shot that down.
"We are a chair company. I don't think it's a good idea to use such a meme in our advertising, no matter how popular it is."
He had been surprisingly firm in his refusal. Instead, he argued they should leverage the image Seo-yeon would portray in Sky Garden. Naturally, many had protested.
"But success is practically guaranteed! Why pass it up?"
"The Ju Seo-yeon Challenge is trending right now! We have to use it!"
Even one of the directors had pressured him, but Kwak Hyun-woo stood his ground. Of course, with a director involved, it was hard for him to reject everything on his own. Eventually, another director had stepped in to mediate.
"I think Team Leader Kwak is right. We're a chair company, not an exercise equipment company, right?"
So the idea was dropped, but internal dissatisfaction remained. Why take a gamble when there was an easy path to success? That was the general sentiment.
In that sense...
Assistant Manager Jung had framed it as a joke, but the commercial really did look great.
"Lee Yu-ju," was it? The name of Seo-yeon’s character in Sky Garden. While the current Seo-yeon was somewhat unapproachable, Lee Yu-ju was on a different level.
An image of 'rejecting humanity.'
It was an image that radiated a powerful sense of contempt and loathing for others. Of course, the commercial didn't portray that directly. It just showed a top student—a student studying with intense focus. But the underlying intensity reached Assistant Manager Jung with vivid clarity.
"You don't need to worry. I watched from the side, and it came out incredibly well. I honestly think it might be the best commercial we've ever produced!"
"I'm glad to hear that."
Seeing Seo-yeon’s polite smile, Assistant Manager Jung was genuinely curious about the commercial's impact.
I heard the ad will air to coincide with the premiere of Sky Garden.
Whether it would be during the second or third episode, it would be around then.
I wonder if the Team Leader's decision will be a gain or a loss...
Honestly, he wasn't sure. If it were up to him, he would have definitely used a commercial that fully utilized the "Ju Seo-yeon Challenge." Given Seo-yeon’s recent public appearances, he worried that a serious ad might be difficult for the audience to swallow. No matter how intellectual or serious she looked, if people only remembered her recent variety show antics...
This serious atmosphere might just end up being unintentionally funny. That was the nature of a celebrity's image.
He could only hope that the new image Seo-yeon would bring in Sky Garden would resonate well in the commercial.
*
The day before the second episode of Golden Duckling was set to air.
Seo-yeon was enjoying a rare moment of rest. Most of her recent busy work had been settled, so she felt like taking a breather.
"Hey. You... you didn't watch the VTuber broadcast, did you?"
"..."
Seo-yeon avoided Ji-yeon’s gaze. There was no point in lying; it was bound to be mentioned in tomorrow's broadcast or the third episode. Lee Ji-yeon sighed, having already guessed the answer from Seo-yeon’s reaction.
Sometimes, Seo-yeon lacked patience. She was surprisingly impulsive, likely because she often acted on her emotions. Still, Ji-yeon was relieved that she was better now than she had been in middle school.
Ji-yeon sighed at the thought. She had her own share of dark history from back then.
"I got in."
"Huh?"
"The audition for Gyeongseong Lady. They contacted me this morning to say I passed."
At those words, Seo-yeon reflexively bolted upright. When she realized everyone was staring at her, she realized she was in a cafe and slowly sat back down.
"Wait, isn't that Ju Seo-yeon?"
"Nah, no way."
"I can't tell for sure since she's wearing a mask..."
She couldn't stop the whispers from the surrounding tables. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Seo-yeon whispered to Ji-yeon.
"You should have told me over the phone if something like that happened."
"I figured I'd just tell you when we met."
Ji-yeon’s dismissive snort made her look so much like a delinquent that Seo-yeon wondered, How does she have so many friends?
"...But it seems there's a bit of a problem."
"A problem?"
"Didn't you hear from Jo Seo-hee? Well, I guess she might not have wanted to tell you."
She probably didn't want to give a bad impression in case Seo-yeon decided to back out. On the other hand, Ji-yeon had already passed the audition and knew how important this role was for her career, so she decided to speak up. But Ji-yeon knew. Once Seo-yeon made up her mind to do something, she never ran away.
"The casting got a bit messed up."
"Casting?"
"In Gyeongseong Lady, your character has a servant. Someone who manages your household."
Seo-yeon knew the role. It was a character with significant screen time, and that servant was actually the mastermind and the villain of the movie. Because it was such a crucial role, she knew Director Baek Min had been extremely careful in selecting the actor.
"But apparently, that actor backed out. Specifically, they left to film another movie."
"...What about the contract?"
"They probably just paid a penalty fee since filming hasn't started yet. Or maybe not even that."
She didn't know the exact details. The important thing was that the role was now vacant.
"So, they probably won't be able to start filming until they find a replacement."
One might think it would be easy to find someone for a Director Baek Min film, but it was actually quite difficult. First, it lacked commercial appeal and the pay was low, so big-name actors wouldn't join unless they were truly passionate about the project. Furthermore, the vacant role was a villain. Would a major actor want to play a villain for little money? Just for the sake of artistic merit?
I'm sure there are some.
They existed if you looked hard enough. But it would undoubtedly take a significant amount of time.
"...About that."
Seo-yeon hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Could you ask Jo Seo-hee if I can recommend an actor?"
"You can just tell her yourself."
"I'm currently sulking at Jo Seo-hee."
"Now what?"
Because Ji-yeon didn't tell her about passing, and because she did that acting with Ramiel. For various petty reasons, Seo-yeon was pretending to be upset with Jo Seo-hee. It was mostly a joke, though.
"Fine, I'll contact her."
Seo-yeon nodded. A villain, a villain... And someone with enough weight that Director Baek Min would approve.
If it was an actor like that...
There was only one person Seo-yeon knew.
"Oh, Miss Seo-yeon. It's been a while. You want to go fishing together? Ah, not fishing?"
A veteran actor who had been active for a long time. An actor whose skills were considered among the top five in South Korea. Someone who had tasted the bitter dregs of failure after attempting to break into the overseas market five years ago. Recently, he only appeared on Star Fisherman and occasionally kept in touch with Seo-yeon.
It was the actor Lee Sang-soo.