Variety Annihilation
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"The era of dramas is over."
TVM PD Choi Dan-yong was a man bursting with pride as the longest-serving veteran in the variety department.
He had a habit of trash-talking drama PDs at every opportunity.
"Back in the day, the terrestrial networks would cram dramas into every slot no matter what. Weekdays at 7, 8, 8:30—they split 'em up, and at 10 came the heavy-hitters: Mon-Tue, Wed-Thu, and weekend dramas, with all three major stations duking it out. A single sageuk would run 50 episodes easy."
"......"
"Where's that now? Some days you flip through every channel and there's not a single drama on. Who's filling those gaps? Us!"
To the PD, this shift was an inevitable outcome.
While drama PDs churned out cookie-cutter makjang melodramas as usual, variety PDs relentlessly innovated with fresh, long-running formats.
When aging drama writers strutted around like they owned the place, variety writers fought tooth and nail for their spots.
Public opinion clashed over the recent drama slump—"it's dead" versus "it's gone highbrow"—but the PD saw the former masquerading as the latter.
"Look, everyone's yapping about our rival Black Forest blowing 30 billion or King and Sovereign this and that, but does it touch our Wine Talk ratings?"
"B-but last week, wasn't Kang Min something else?"
"Yeah, after that aired, we even dipped below 7%..."
"Aish, you idiots. That was a fluke."
The PD couldn't help clicking his tongue at his clueless underlings.
Lack of experience, maybe? How do they miss the trends so badly?
"People forget fast. I don't even think that Kang Min punk is all that special, but even if he is, what then? Viewers just think, 'Man, heavy dramas are tiring today. Off work, beat—need something light.'"
"Hmm..."
"Last week's dramas hit hard? Perfect for us! We ride the wave, you morons."
And he didn't stop at words.
The moment ratings dipped slightly last week, he'd scooped up a slew of comedians known for their quick wit and reliable chuckles.
As a classic variety talk show, Wine Talk's vibe shifted wildly with its guests, so he'd stacked the deck deliberately.
Of course, the script was primed for chaotic improv laughs.
"As expected from PD Jo—guy knows his stuff."
"Hitting dramas head-on with more drama is amateur hour. Defend with cheap-to-produce variety and shove the real firepower into the open field."
TVM's variety head and CV Media Contents' executive director—the de facto TVM boss—were thrilled.
With the higher-ups pleased, the PD's ego swelled even more.
"Watch and learn. I'll show you how predictable the masses are. We're hitting 10% for sure this time!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Awesome, PD!"
As always in office life, a few yes-men cheered while most staff read the room.
'Biting the hand that feeds us viewers...'
'Am I gonna end up like that someday...?'
Yet, bitter as they felt, no one doubted the PD's confidence. The boss had the track record.
Or, put another way—
Black Forest Episode 8 smacked everyone upside the head while they were off guard.
It hit right as PD Kim Dan-yong was strutting around, popping champagne like it was nothing.
"P-PD! Sorry, but you're needed upstairs!!"
"Huh? Why?"
"The, uh, ratings..."
"Aish, kid. I told you, right? Even if it tanks, 5% is fine—we catch up later!"
The PD waved him off irritably.
"That parachute CP's probably panicking over nothing. Who is he to boss us?"
"It's... the department head."
"Huh?"
"Department head's summons."
As the PD blinked, his underling added nervously.
"Our Wine Talk... ratings just cratered over 70%..."
".........What?"
#
Han Ye-seul, KBC Drama Department CP, had a dream.
To craft a drama as meticulously structured and elegantly perfect as her revered mentor's.
Unfortunately, she lacked raw production talent, but her management and oversight skills were top-tier, earning her the senior producer title at an unusually young age.
When the 30-billion-budget Black Forest landed in her lap, she saw it as destiny.
'I can do this! I can recreate KBC's last golden age from 10 years ago, unbeatable...!'
No need to spell out what followed.
Even KBC lifers were awed by her perfectionism.
Every prop, every costume underwent her rigorous review; she personally scouted locations, noting optimal timings; she'd pulled all-nighters persuading essential staff.
Black Forest was that kind of project for her.
Unfortunately, yes.
'An affair...'
After the drama head left, Han Ye-seul rested at home for the first time.
Her sleepless face was blank.
'An affair in Black Forest...'
Not unheard of in the industry.
If it was some low-expectation flop, fine—but with this budget, tanking meant screams to boost ratings.
Logical decision or not, the shock lingered.
Why me,
why like this,
why only me—
But Han Ye-seul wasn't one to fold.
After stewing a day, she gritted her teeth and called a production meeting.
"Fine. If we have to, we will."
But.
"If we're doing it, we drag in real ratings."
"Yes!"
"Of course!"
By now, PDs and crew were fired up too.
Han Ye-seul was one thing, but they'd slaved too—only for some outsider's one-man show to steal the glory.
The meeting crackled with killing intent.
"A half-assed emotional arc won't cut it! Go all in!"
"The NIS lead getting the cold shoulder at home was prime sweet potato angst! Since we're here, flip to cider direction! Turns out the turd was a Benz!"
"Reverse that temp alliance where he saved the Russian agent Patricia. Make sparks fly there—real heat!"
"Blow up the couple fight during his forced return under US pressure! Then the lead agonizes: Why am I like this? What's glory for country and nation?—boom, Patricia appears!"
"How's a Russian black ops agent popping up domestically...?"
"Who cares about logic now?! Just make it happen!"
"You're all insane..."
Even Han Ye-seul, sunk in despair, got choked up seeing her team rage in solidarity.
She hid her reddening eyes and raised her voice.
"Alright! Let's blow it up proper!"
""""Yes!!!"""
If they were doing it, they'd do it right.
Instead of despair, the crew channeled venomous resolve.
Black Forest's steadfast noir focus made the sudden swerve explosive.
Pouring directorial firepower into it left viewers screaming past shock.
But of course,
far more reacted to the raw stimulus.
Industry's eternal dilemma.
The sudden affair plus lead's fate in chaos sparked wild reactions.
Black Forest's ratings graph rocketed terrifyingly.
One issue:
Most of those ratings didn't migrate from King and Sovereign.
"What the fuck, how'd this happen! Why are our Wine Talk ratings tanking like this!!"
"Black Forest is exploding. Sucking everything in like a black hole. They say the crew went full berserk."
"Drama's drama! How's it stealing fixed variety slots?!"
"What can we do, it's happening..."
"Damn it all...!"
"PD, exec director's calling."
"Gah......!"
TVM variety erupted in chaos; the cocky Wine Talk PD slunk out like a routed soldier. But it didn't stop there.
The entire industry flipped.
"Huh? Huh? What the hell with these ratings?!"
IBS, Meet Lovely House
Prior 3.5%, now 2.1%.
"What is going on!!"
Channel S, Ultimate Kitchen Today
Prior 3.1%, now 1.9%.
"Why the shitstorm on our big-push day..."
TBC, Travel King Kimbap House
Prior 4.1%, now 2.4%.
"Hic..."
OVS, Ottoman Empire Architecture Part 2
Prior 1.4%, now 0.6%.
And—
"......Fuuuck."
SBC, You with Many Secrets
Prior 5.6%, now 3.1%.
The perfect prestige drama's pivot unleashed devastation; shrapnel flew everywhere.
And Black Forest vacuumed up the screams and sighs.
Perfect outcome.
A beaming staffer dashed into main control.
"Results are in! Our Black Forest, 31.2%! King and Sovereign, 19.3%! Total victory!"
Hmm, as expected, couldn't sway many King and Sovereign diehards—
...too generous for cool analysis.
"?"
"...?"
Crew stared blankly. Numbers too dreamlike to process.
Didn't last.
They hugged, whooped.
"Double the gap! Nearly double!"
"Hahaha! Take that, MBS con artists!"
"Think you own crazy? We can too, bastards!"
"Great work everyone! You all killed it!"
Beyond ratings, the thrill of flipping the con after endless scams reddened eyes.
One actor's show couldn't match Black Forest's united might...!
Nearly manic for ten minutes, Han Ye-seul CP reined in emotions.
"Great work. Rest up today."
"Yes!"
"We've opened a gap like this—won't close easy. We veered hard this ep; next, lock it down clean."
"Yes!"
"Naturally, haha!"
KBC crew dispersed laughing heartily.
Meanwhile, shellshocked PDs across stations regained senses.
"Goddamn. Freak act of god."
"Black Forest was grinding teeth... but tarnishing rep like that?"
"Whew, pack up. Won't happen twice."
"Not our fault—cheer up. Just an accident."
All thought alike.
KBC went nuclear, self-sabotage included, for one ep. No matching impact coming.
Solid,
industry-consensus prediction.
"Ratings rebound tomorrow?"
"Not fully... ripple effects linger."
"Some recovery at least. Overtime tonight though."
"Think of it as getting hit by a car. Lightning won't strike twice."
And merely a day later.
As PDs swallowed bitterness, tinkering to recover typhoon-torn ratings, one man stepped up against the dinosaurs.
Shrimp Backs in Whale Fight Abound (4)