First Variety Blues
Bzzz—
The moment Seo Jae-yeon lit up my screen, I knew it was coming.
I really didn't want to pick up...
But if I didn't, she'd throw a fit.
Swallowing my irritation—no, not quite irritation. Fear? No. Resignation, maybe.
I steeled myself against the bitterness and answered.
"Hello?"
I braced for the teasing, but instead...
♪♬♪♬♪♪~
Live piano notes poured through the speaker.
Classic Seo Jae-yeon.
Not even starting easy.
The familiar Congratulations melody rolled out, followed by her singing along.
"Congrats~ Congrats~ On your variety~ show debut~"
Should I just hang up?
Stretching "variety" to the beat was already pissing me off.
"KYAAAH! Milky white skin tho...!"
Click.
I hung up.
But as if she'd anticipated it, my phone rang right back.
I picked up, and her voice came through, barely containing the laughter.
"Were you gonna threaten to hang up if I said anything stupid?"
"How'd you know?"
"Obvious. That's what you'd do, sunbae."
"So. You called just to mess with me?"
"Mess with you? I'm sincerely congratulating you on your landmark first variety appearance."
She wasn't wrong.
Absurdly enough, this was my variety debut.
Was it weird that I was doing something even as an actor I never had, now as a CE?
"You're busy—how'd you even catch it?"
"It was on the second I turned on the TV. Great teaser, by the way. Especially..."
"Stop. No details."
"Okay. But you should've told me about a big event like this. Why keep it secret?"
"What good would telling you do?"
"We could've co-starred, or at least I pop up in footage! Your first variety!"
What a clown.
There were probably truckloads of variety PDs dying to book Seo Jae-yeon.
"I'll let this one slide. Next time, do it with me."
"No thanks."
"Without even hearing what?"
"Doesn't matter. No variety for me."
"What if appearing bumps your drama per-episode fee from 500 million to a billion?"
"...Then yeah, I'd do it."
"What kind of shallow principles are those?"
"Shallow? That's 80 billion extra for a 16-episode run. I'd do a sexy dance in Gwanghwamun for that."
"Sunbae, you know that..."
"What."
"'Sexy dance in Gwanghwamun' sounds super dated and cringy?"
"...Please stop tormenting me."
"Okay, playtime over!"
"Sigh. You drain me."
After that, we chatted about this and that.
Come to think of it, we hadn't talked much since Gongbeomche premiered.
"Oh, teaser said it airs next Tuesday? Pre-recorded?"
"Nah, rushing it out before Gongbeomche ends."
Elegant, Wow usually airs three weeks after filming, but ours hits in just 11 days.
Tuesday slot, timed for the eve of Gongbeomche's episode 7 drop.
Word was, variety PDs were dropping like flies.
"Pushing it before drama finale means it's turning out great, right?"
"Please don't watch..."
"Gotta promo it on SNS."
"Don't..."
"I mentioned it, right?"
"No."
(I actually had.)
Actors let slip about her catering gift somehow.
"Liar. Watching live then."
She hung up abruptly.
I'd trained her out of most bad habits, made her almost human, but hanging up mid-sentence? Incorrigible.
Surely not just with me?
"Haa."
I sighed after hanging up, when Chae Seo-hee from the next desk spoke up.
"Hyun-woo."
"Yeah?"
"Isn't that personal call in the office a bit long?"
"Huh?"
Her out-of-nowhere remark threw me.
SSK, especially CL team offices, were super chill.
Even Joo Young-hoon, king of old-school vibes, didn't care if team members snacked or watched UFC at their desks.
What was this about?
I glanced at Chae Seo-hee, who flicked her eyes toward the partition nearby.
"Ah."
Got it.
CL Team 2—the source of my backtalk woes.
Team 1 had its own floor, but 2 and 3 shared.
Team 2's position was the most awkward.
Team 1: Founding senior, biggest production scale.
Team 3: Headhunted regional boss senior, smallest but highest ROI.
Team 2 sandwiched in between.
They'd grumbled before, but Gongbeomche blew it up.
They figured its success was all-in Tvic/SSK backing.
And that I was Sung Tae-chang's parachute.
Unfair from my side.
Even if marketing rode his coattails, the show succeeded because it was good.
What were they doing when it floated without a CE?
Apparently toured Teams 1 through 3 like a roadshow.
The thought soured me suddenly.
Why did every org hate me?
Was it me?
Bad at office life?
"Oh, was that D.P.'s actress Seo Jae-yeon?"
What was with the fake-polite tone?
"Yeah."
"Pre-selling for next project's casting?"
"Not really..."
"Just say yes."
Her low, even voice made me comply, and she smiled kindly.
"Then it's work-related. I'll let it slide as your senior."
Her words barely landed when frantic keyboard clacks erupted from Team 2's side.
Probably something like 'Look at this flop actor name-dropping a top star' or 'Faking a call with Jae-yeon right now?'
As the typing grated, Chae Seo-hee whispered.
"Mood's off lately. Keep it low-key in the office."
"Eavesdropping at the cafeteria or lounge again?"
"Nah. Cafe this time. Lots of staff hit the one nearby."
"You'll end up at NIS at this rate."
"Better pay than here?"
Then she dropped a curveball.
"Anyway, you haven't heard yet?"
"Huh? Heard what?"
"From Seo Jae-yeon."
"Jae-yeon? What's she got to say?"
"Nm. Good news, so just wait."
"...?"
Normally I'd pry, but no energy.
I sighed again without realizing, and she tilted her head.
"That embarrassed about the variety? Sighing all day."
"Kinda."
"Other directors would kill for a slot. Perk for big successes only."
"Really?"
"Yup. Supporters rarely get spotlight."
True enough.
Audiences remember actors; at best, directors or writers.
"So what if they call you an attention whore? I'd kill for it."
I nodded with a chuckle.
But variety wasn't why I sighed.
Embarrassing at first, sure. But past is past.
I don't dwell.
The real reason...
"What's that on your desk?"
"Script."
The one titled Sonkkeut-eul Geollyeoneun (At Your Fingertips).
"Script, yeah. Ko Young-tae and Gil Sang-hoon's next?"
"No. PD from MBY gave it when I visited. Asked for a review."
"Ooh, fame means direct scripts now. Mind if I?"
"Go ahead."
I handed it over; she skipped the proposal and dove into episode 1.
"Volleyball sports drama?"
"Yep."
How much time passed?
She finished episode 1's last page with a weird look.
"Well?"
"You close with that PD?"
"Nah, met on set first time. Be honest."
"...Way too dated."
"Thought so."
"When'd they write it?"
"First pitch around 15 years ago. Tweaked for years."
"Ah, explains it. Solid polish, but outdated. Dozens of similar sports plots out there."
Same as me.
"Who gave it? MBY drama PD—might know 'em."
"Variety PD."
"Ah. Lots of variety folks eye dramas. Few succeed."
"Yeah."
She handed it back.
"Pity—shows the long haul. Who'd produce this now? Sports dramas are hell to shoot anyway."
That was it.
No more interest in Sonkkeut-eul Geollyeoneun.
"Chae CE. These numbers legit?"
"Hold on."
She stepped away at Kang Mu-tae's call, leaving me alone with the script.
Her take matched mine 100%.
15 years ago? Maybe. Now? Stale.
Well-crafted, sure: solid characters, tight bonds, precise plot points, clean structure.
But not like Gongbeomche.
That lured viewers to surprises on a tight board.
This? All predictable paths.
Episodes 1-2 telegraphed the full 16.
The issue...
Happened the instant I took the script.
ROARRR—!
A massive cheer, like from tens of thousands.
"Lose like this in the finals?!"
A voice thick with rage.
Sweat stench assaulted my nose.
I snapped back fast, but it was clear.
Sonkkeut-eul Geollyeoneun (At Your Fingertips).
This dated sports drama was the superpower's next pick.