I Saw It Coming
It might sound arrogant, but I knew it would turn out like this.
I'd told the division head at the marketing meeting not to get involved in the current public opinion war for this very reason.
If we'd responded back then, we still would've been trapped in the "terrestrial TV vs. OTT" frame even now.
That debate was never going to have a clear winner.
Viewership ratings and completion rates.
Ad revenue and new subscriber influx.
Viewing share and platform dominance.
Comparing those metrics fairly to declare one show superior was impossible.
Data interpretations vary wildly depending on who's looking at them anyway.
But since we stayed silent, SBX did too.
We focused solely on standard production marketing, so SBX stuck to marketing as well.
They could've picked a fight first, but that would've hurt their pride.
Pouring 19 billion into a drama and then raging at one that cost 3 billion? In crude terms, it'd be like getting played.
In this standoff, the ones with the strongest voice ended up being the Gongbeomche haters.
Those hoping it'd flop, and the ones blindly hating without reason.
Blocking their attacks is tough.
But steering the narrative? Easy.
Eum Sung-hyun's protagonist controversy.
The info about him being an idol.
All of it was coordinated with Eum Sung-hyun under my direction.
"But sending actors to variety shows still feels risky."
"Those people don't have reasons—they're just full of hate."
Taking the hint from Chae Seo-hee.
This might make it sound like I manufactured the drama out of nowhere, but that's not it.
I just pulled forward a controversy that was bound to erupt eventually, at the perfect timing.
Why?
Because Gongbeomche's Part 3 was the ideal point for a dramatic public opinion reversal.
And just like that...
Yeongperal's posture crumbled.
Gongbeomche was riding high.
Finally, people were starting to see our data as the "winner's" and Yeongperal's as the "loser's."
The ones who delivered that decisive blow to the now-unbalanced Yeongperal were So Jeong-hoon and Park Sung-won.
Thursday's Episode 4 centered on Jeong-hoon and Su-cheol, and their acting was unreal.
Over a tightly woven script and deep direction, the actors went wild like madmen.
Just like that, public interest shifted.
With the explosive reactions to Episodes 3 and 4, interest poured in for the cast.
Not just from the public, but industry insiders too.
"No way, so where'd Do Hyun-woo dig up a gem like Eum Sung-hyun?"
"Heard D.P's Ko team leader recommended him from a list."
"Still just an actor list, right? Why's a flop idol on there?"
"Yeah... and no prior projects."
"But how'd SSK greenlight that casting? Even for a contest script, that's 1.5 billion on the line."
"The writers intrigue me most. Weren't they worried about tanking their filmos?"
Gongbeomche had been abnormal from planning to production to launch.
"Hey, Hyun-woo. You descended, huh?"
"Descended?"
"You're a god."
Thanks to that, Ko team leader was worshipping me like a living deity.
I'd told them not to schedule actor appearances until Episodes 3 and 4 dropped.
In the end, they cashed in huge when their value peaked.
Mid-June, and already filling the quarterly sales— he was beaming.
"We're going on variety?"
"Real variety? Not just press interviews?"
So the actors dove into their first "broadcast schedules."
It started with MBY's flagship variety Elegant, Wow!.
MBY variety department conference room, pre-meeting in progress.
"Eum Sung-hyun-ssi?"
"Yes."
"You know the scene everyone's calling the 'mirror scene' lately?"
"Yes, I'm aware."
"I watched the drama too—it was incredible. Barely any lines, but you could feel exactly what Hyun-tae was conveying. Amazing."
"Thank you."
"How'd you prepare for that scene?"
Eum Sung-hyun paused thoughtfully at the head writer's question before speaking.
"Honestly, I wanted to run away back then."
"Run away?"
"Yeah. Felt like it was beyond me, like I was dragging the project down."
"Pressure, huh? But you weren't the only one thinking that—others might've been impressed."
"No. That was exactly when Director Jung Hee-soo decided there was a problem with my acting."
"Ah, so not baseless fear—actual issues."
"Yes."
The intrigued writer scooted her chair forward.
"But it got resolved in the end. What happened?"
"Director Do Hyun-woo..."
The smile tugging at the head writer's lips deepened.
"Yes, the director?"
"Right after the first Gangwon-do shoot wrapped, he came to the lodging..."
The head writer nodded along to Eum Sung-hyun's tale.
Fascinating stuff.
A director admitting his pity, then pushing the actor to the brink in the name of professionalism.
And the result? That "mirror scene" spawning endless shorts.
Perfect broadcast fodder.
She fired off more questions, and Eum Sung-hyun answered earnestly.
Next up: Park Sung-won.
"Park Sung-won-ssi, any tough moments or memorable episodes playing Su-cheol?"
"Ah, hearing that jogged my memory—I went through something similar to Sung-hyun."
"What kind?"
"Right after signing the contract, I told people around me..."
Similar story.
Overwhelmed by supporters' cheers and attention, until Director Do Hyun-woo saved Park Sung-won.
Listening, she pictured the two rehearsing in that underground theater practice room.
The head writer grinned wide, pressing on.
"You've all been unknowns for so long. Must've felt different when the show dropped."
"Yeah, it did."
"What were you all up to when it premiered? Eum Sung-hyun-ssi?"
"Um..."
"Embarrassing story?"
"Not really, but I was sleeping at Director Do Hyun-woo's place..."
"Pardon? Alone?"
"No, no, all of us together. So what happened was..."
As Eum Sung-hyun enthusiastically recounted premiere night...
"Aaaahhh!"
The head writer clawed her hair, screaming.
The startled actors jumped up in shock, but the PD and sub-writers wore "yup, there it is" faces.
They'd witnessed her smile darkening in real time.
Her nickname? Joker.
"What is this, Rome? All roads lead to Do Hyun-woo?!"
"S-sorry..."
"Struggle with acting! Wander! Challenge yourself! Make episodes worth airing! What am I supposed to do with constant Do Hyun-woo trips?!"
"S-sorry!"
"Is Do Hyun-woo your nanny? Parent? God?!"
"Do... director..."
"Aaaahhh! Don't need it!"
The head writer lunged at the PD, yelling.
"Why even do pre-interviews like this! If it's gonna be this way, scout Do Hyun-woo too! Or I'm out!"
"Ugh, no way! Absolutely not!"
"Director..."
"People already call me an attention whore! It's time to fade into history's back pages."
"Director..."
"You three have agencies, and the five are under D.P temporarily, right? Handle this through them!"
"Director..."
"No, I said no."
"Director..."
Then Eum Sung-hyun started bawling.
"Are you treating us like strangers now, kicking us to the curb...?"
Wait, that's my line to Ko team leader every time.
Did it just a few days ago.
"Where'd you learn that crap?"
"Ko team leader taught me."
"You're with M2M, Sung-hyun."
"Feels like D.P these days."
"Ugh, whatever—no."
"Just once, for real. Help with our first variety, then we'll get the hang and handle the rest."
"No means no!"
I seriously don't want to!
Top star Seo Jae-yeon, enjoying a rare chill day, chugged mineral water and flipped on the TV.
Then spat it out.
"Kuh, kuh."
On screen: Do Hyun-woo, flushed beet red with embarrassment.