Action 4. What's More Fun?
Post-production is the process of turning raw footage into a finished drama.
Everything from video editing and sound design to music, color grading, VFX/CG, subtitles, and mastering.
Once you hit this stage, the CE's role shrinks dramatically.
You can chime in on the editing, but after that, it's all in the hands of the technicians.
Which meant, for the first time in ages, I was starting to feel some actual leisure.
Or, to be honest, a bit bored.
This should've been prime time for marketing prep, but the company had issued a directive.
No marketing strategy until after the internal screening.
Since shooting wrapped three weeks early, they wanted to hold off on everything until we saw the results.
So lately, I'd been killing time playing salaryman Lupin.
Pretending to work hard, faking field trips to duck out early, "researching" by bingeing overdue dramas...
But hey, I'd been salaryman Holmes up until now, right?
Time to balance the scales—gotta play thief to match the company cop.
And today's Lupin scheme?
"God, please let me be a righteous corporate card thief again today."
"You nuts? In front of the boss?"
I was out drinking with Sung Tae-chang hyung for the first time in a while.
He wasn't the only one there, though.
"Seeing an employee swing the company card so wildly makes me think we need tighter controls at our place too."
"Wildly? Come on."
"So this is an extension of work duties?"
"Of course. Why else would I be meeting the CEO if it wasn't business?"
"...Ouch, that hurts."
It had been a while since my first paycheck, but D.P's Yoon Dae-ri was joining us too.
And yeah, today's drinks were an extension of work.
Out of the eight child actors needed for Gongbeomche, we'd cast four from D.P.
As chief director, buying a round for the agency reps of my cast was par for the course, right?
Even if the team lead was too busy and the CEO had to step in instead.
Sung Tae-chang hyung was in the same boat.
SSK was producing a Tvic contest entry.
Wouldn't it make sense to lobby Tvic brass for headquarters-level marketing support?
Problem was, Sung Tae-chang hyung was the top dog at Tvic Korea.
Sure, on paper there were branch managers and directors above him, but they weren't hands-on.
"In other words, this is totally work-related."
"Fine, I'll turn a blind eye to this scandal. Calm down."
"It's not a scandal."
"This do it? Now I'm an accomplice, right?"
"Not a crime."
"Accomplice lol!"
"Not funny."
Of course, deep down I didn't see it as work at all.
"You two quit bickering and listen to me for a sec."
"What's up?"
"How old do I look to you guys?"
"Out of nowhere?"
"Nah, I met Surfer Ent's CEO last time, and he calls me 'sunbae-nim' on first meeting. Guy's mid-50s."
"Probably 'cause you're a industry vet, CEO."
"Nah, he's been in longer than me."
How old was she again?
Late 40s? Turning 50 soon?
"You look late 30s, CEO. Early 40s if you're tired?"
"Aww, look at Hyun-woo. You've got a good eye—that's why you pick such great projects."
"Can I call you noona?"
"Hell yeah."
Sung Tae-chang jumped in.
"CEO, 'hell yeah' feels a bit... off for your age."
"Wanna die?"
"Even if I did..."
"Look at this punk, nitpicking everything. A traitor who sucked up all our industry know-how and bolted."
"Hey, people think I'm a D.P spy! I push hard for you guys every time!"
"Even after trashing Kim Ra-un?"
"That was Hyun-woo!"
"He said you manipulated him. Dirty office politics."
"Hey! Do guy!"
We laughed and bantered for a good while before Yoon Dae-ri shifted gears.
"Hyun-woo, word is your project's shaping up great."
"Yeah? How so?"
"Box office might be tough with the competition slate, but thriller fans are raving. Oh, and the no-name leads and supports are turning heads."
Sounded like rumors leaking from Director Jung Hee-soo's network.
Not wrong, though.
The actors were solid—no need to hype it anymore—and yeah, the lineup sucked.
SBX had top star Kim Ra-un's 0% Algorithm.
KBX had the romcom High Teen in the 30s from a webtoon with a loyal fanbase.
MBY had First Pick, a rookie writer's script helmed by a PD famous for spotting hits.
OTT didn't clash head-on with broadcast channels, of course.
Lots of folks believed the audiences didn't overlap.
But I saw it differently.
Audience time is finite.
To read one book, you give up another. Content consumption is the same limited resource.
Sure, bookworms devour stacks, but most people aren't.
Dramas are no different.
Plus, Gongbeomche was high viewer-fatigue material—if it didn't hook early, it could wear thin.
"Tae-chang hyung, no other June originals on Enflicks besides movies, right?"
"Yeah. OTT side's clear except films. Guaranteed."
Recapping what we already knew, Yoon Dae-ri chimed in.
"You guys feel it too? Marketing war incoming?"
"Probably."
The big three broadcasters wouldn't see us as rivals.
But we'd have to treat their shows as competition in our strategy.
"What if D.P backs you? Our kids are pros—you know that best."
Random as hell, but Sung Tae-chang hyung and I got it instantly.
"Who caught your eye?"
"Not specifics yet. Gotta see the acting."
"Then?"
"I trust your eye, Hyun-woo."
Her subtext was simple: Hook her up with Gongbeomche actors who were free agents or nearing contract ends.
Sign them to D.P, and their promo team would mobilize for the drama.
Generous offer, honestly.
She was betting solely on my judgment for actors the market undervalued.
We'd gain a powerhouse ally for free.
Pure goodwill.
But...
"Can't do it."
"What? Why?"
She looked shocked, eyes wide—clearly not expecting rejection.
"Tough to gauge their real value right now."
"Look at this kid, calling me a cheapskate? You think I'd lowball actors you scouted?"
"Nah, never crossed my mind."
Yoon Dae-ri could be ice-cold in business, but she wasn't petty over small change.
More the type to overpay unknowns and build loyalty debts.
"Then why?"
"Our perspectives will differ big time."
"How so?"
"Your top-dollar number would be my baseline."
"...That much?"
"That's how I see it. Even you can't bet arbitrarily, CEO."
The gap closes only once Gongbeomche hits the world.
"Hmm..."
"But one thing's sure—if the actors are shopping agencies, I'll vouch D.P's the best."
D.P really was top-tier.
Sure, growth brought in folks like Manager Jang out of sync with her philosophy, but the goodness stuck.
Not my call who they signed with, anyway.
Just wanted them to thrive.
If I could help, I would.
"Fair enough. Better to wait and approach later."
"You'll be blown away once you see it."
"You'll snag me a zero-priority ticket, right?"
"Duh. If number one shows, I'll drag 'em by the collar."
"Nice. That's the face of someone confident who gave it their all."
As casting talk wrapped, the silent Sung Tae-chang hyung piped up.
"CEO, this guy's insane. Even as chief and on-site backup, he shadowed every shoot."
"Not every."
"Missed a week?"
"Five days?"
"Psycho. When I offered him the job..."
"Oh yeah!"
"What?"
"Hyung, you blabbed to Ko Young-tae and Gil Sang-hoon? About me retiring and jumping straight to SSK?"
"You asked, I answered. Why hide it?"
"Always the loose-lipped Stat-chang."
"...What?"
"What?"
"What'd you just call me? Stat-chang?"
"Sung Tae-chang."
"No, no. Not quite. Felt more like 'stat window' than status."
"..."
"No way... You got another system message?"
"..."
"Who? What window?"
"...Overhear."
"Spill the name."
"Chae Seo-hee... assistant CE..."
"Ah, so Stat-chang it is?"
"..."
"Explains why you kept 'hyung'-ing me all proper today..."
"Sorry, I must've lost it! Wait, just curious about the other system message—!"
"Drop it. Disconnect."
"Please...!"
We were deep in the improv when the room door flew open.
"Do Hyun-woo!"
It was Ko Sang-wook team lead, fresh off urgent business.
"Team lead!"
The old D.P quartet from Mapo-gu days reunited at last.
"To Gongbeomche's success!"
"Hold up—Ko team lead, shouldn't you root for 0% Algorithm? Company first?"
"To success!"
"To success!"
Good times.
The rough cut for Gongbeomche's internal screening was done.
No music or final sound mix yet, but the visuals were complete.
SSK execs gathered in screening room one to finally judge the much-talked project.
Mood was split.
"Heard the polish is top-notch."
"Even field vibes reached my ears."
"Actor-turned-CE isn't bad to work with? Where'd Do Hyun-woo go to school?"
Half curious.
"That cast gonna fly?"
"Like they held a flop ritual."
"Since he trashed Kim Ra-un..."
Half skeptical.
But post-screening, every face matched perfectly.
"What the..."
They all looked possessed.