Differing Gazes
I stared out the taxi window before pulling out my smartphone.
During Gongbeomche's run, I'd monitored public reactions several times a day, but lately, I'd slacked off a bit.
Tvic's weekly TOP 1 was still Gongbeomche.
Meanwhile, Youngperal—three weeks after its finale—was still a punchline.
Director O Ji-tae hadn't managed to salvage his overreach.
The forced thriller subplot got brushed off as the protagonist's delusion—a MacGuffin—but the immersion was shattered beyond repair.
The abrupt thriller segments stole screentime from the supporting couple's chemistry, diluting it badly.
The finale ratings clocked in at a dismal 7.7%.
Overseas, where it didn't clash with local issues, reactions were positive enough to break even... but domestically, 19 billion won down the drain was a loss no different.
But the real problem was bigger than that: Kim Ra-un.
It's common for a lead actor to take heat when a drama flops, but this was overkill.
Kim Ra-un's performance was solid—no real flaws—yet comments ripping his acting were popping up everywhere like weeds.
This wasn't solely because of me, though I couldn't deny I'd lit the fuse.
The real issue was Kim Ra-un's image.
Manager Jang had built him as a celebrity, not an actor.
With popularity rooted in "aspiration" rather than "acting," the moment he became unrelatable, the image crumbled—no fixing it.
Of course, few commenters truly hated him that much.
It was just entertainment.
But the public always got more thrill from a fall than a rise.
Turning this around wouldn't be easy for Kim Ra-un.
"……."
Bitter, I snapped my phone shut.
Not my business, but I felt a twinge of resentment toward PD O Ji-tae.
He could've just ridden out Gongbeomche until it wrapped...
As those thoughts swirled, the taxi pulled up to my destination.
MBY.
This unannounced MBY visit wasn't my idea.
The PD from Elegant, Wow!—the one I'd worked with before—had been calling for days, asking if I could drop by the station.
No matter how I pressed, he wouldn't spill why...
"Director Do Hyun-woo, right? Wow, you're even more handsome in person."
I hadn't expected the MBY Drama Department Head to summon me.
"Feel free to drop the formalities."
"Nah, can't do that... How about Hyun-woo-ssi?"
The slick, affable department head cut straight to it.
"Hyun-woo-ssi, ever thought about joining as a special-hire PD?"
"A PD?"
That was unexpected.
I'd gotten plenty of scouting offers, but CE and PD were totally different tracks.
If a CE was the all-seeing commander overseeing everything, a PD was a specialist honed for directing.
"No interest in making dramas at MBY? Sure, directors handle more as CEs, but you know how it is—when a director throws a tantrum, even a director's hands are tied."
True enough.
The thought of Director Jeong ignoring all my advice was nightmare fuel.
Curiosity piqued, honestly.
Sung Tae-hyung and I had talked about it—directing was my original dream, after all.
But I had zero directing instinct.
Directing was magic: same actor, same scene, wildly different results. No way I could ever match Director Jeong's touch.
"I appreciate it, but I truly lack directing talent. No exaggeration—directing was my first dream."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I've gotten scouting offers before... but this one's the most regrettable."
I chuckled awkwardly, but he dropped a curveball.
"I doubt that's true."
"Doubt it?"
"From what you've done, no way you lack directing sense. Even as an actor, they say you considered everything beyond the lens."
He'd researched my acting days?
Makes sense—hiring an unproven special-hire PD was rare.
"Some directing talent is innate, but it can bloom with age too. You only studied it young, right?"
"Pretty much."
"Get proper training later. You'll surprise yourself."
"Thanks for the advice. If I ever show directing promise, you'll be my first call."
"Haha, deal."
He grinned slyly and sipped his green tea.
"Remember I like you, Hyun-woo-ssi? This wasn't just hot air."
Definitely not empty words.
Hiring one special-hire PD cost peanuts for a broadcaster.
And they wouldn't hand me main director duties right away.
Start as AD, build experience.
Leverage my connections for Gongbeomche cast or Seo Jae-yeon.
Ah, maybe Seo Jae-yeon was the real target from the start.
Time to scout new projects.
I kept that read hidden, flashing a bright smile.
"Of course. I'll brag to the whole neighborhood—MBY's department head reached out personally."
"Public and OTT collab dramas are booming these days. Let's cook up something killer next time."
"You read my mind."
We filled the rest with pleasantries and smiles.
As things wound down, he shifted gears.
"Oh, right—is the rumor true? You're hooked on Yeom PD's script?"
"Not locked in. Just reviewing—its polish stands out."
"Weird. I read it too, and it didn't feel current."
"True, but I dig high-completion scripts."
"Fair enough. Take a good look. That guy's my college junior. We grabbed meals back in the day..."
Surprising.
I'd assumed Yeom PD was tangled in internal scandals or politics.
I hesitated, then spoke—framing it as "no worries, I'm on your side."
"Working with Yeom PD won't cause issues, right? I've heard rumors, nothing solid."
"Oh, like internal corruption or staff harassment?"
"……Yeah."
"That stuff reaches outsiders? Nah, not him. He just sucks at his job. Er, sorry—really sucks."
"He sucks?"
"Hyun-woo-ssi. Yeom PD's in Variety, not Drama. No talent for variety. But he's a perfectionist."
"Ah……."
"He aimed for Drama PD, got blacklisted by a higher-up, ended up in Variety. But that guy's long gone. Happened over 20 years ago, when I was directing."
Truly unexpected.
Life's MacGuffin?
Was O Ji-tae actually the pragmatist?
"Anyway, no big deal. Don't sweat it."
His nonchalant face sparked a question.
"Does Yeom PD see it that way?"
I lingered at the station entrance.
With 4 Team's launch three days away, the urge to meet PD Yeom Jae-mun was strong.
But I didn't want to torment him with false hope, and after 15 years clinging to one script, expecting fresh eyes felt unrealistic...
I'm here already—maybe just say hi?
Plus, the department head chat sparked an idea: gaze.
He dismissed Yeom PD's misfortune as trivial.
Blacklisted by a superior 20+ years ago.
Dreamed of Drama PD, exiled to Variety.
Sucked at the job.
No talent for variety.
Perfectionist mismatched to his role.
No malice there.
Truly trivial to him.
But from Yeom PD's view?
Were those 20 years of "trivial" misfortunes just that?
Same events, different gazes.
I knew this well.
And suddenly, instinct flashed: this was the fix for At Your Fingertips.
So, which gaze to focus on?
Coach vs. player? Too cliché.
Gaze on volleyball as a sport? Cliché too.
Heck, there's even a drama about badminton—national sport sans pro league—with similar vibes.
Deep in thought, someone smacked my shoulder—hard.
I rarely snapped, but the sting made me bristle.
"Hey, you punk! Do Hyun-woo!"
One look, and my irritation melted away.
"Reporter Moon!"
"What brings you here?!"
"Just some Drama Dept business."
"Whoa, Director! Drama blows up, and no call?"
"What? I rang you recently—you didn't pick up."
"Huh? Must've been overseas."
We bantered happily at the entrance, then headed to the smoking area.
I'm not a smoker, but Reporter Moon was a chain-smoker.
"Been ages since we caught up, right?"
"Yeah, how long?"
"Two years?"
"Already?"
He'd known us since our D.P rookie quartet days.
Not some dramatic backstory—just familiarity from his frequent visits.
Still, we all liked him: a true adult, genuine journalist.
Never belittled rookies, allergic to gossip rags.
Hence, no promotions.
Especially tight with Seo Jae-yeon.
"Seo Jae-yeon's still the same, huh?"
"Jae-yeon? Why?"
"Outta nowhere, she calls, wants me to run a story on her sending a catering truck to you."
"Ah……!"
"No big actors on set—no hook for a story. We don't even get passing reporters."
"Don't sweat it. I already fed the source to Reporter Moon."
Right—we'd talked about that with Seo Jae-yeon.
Belatedly remembered.
"But it never ran."
"Dude! I'm Sports now!"
"Still, you could've passed it to a colleague..."
"Did. But he went off about her 'pink-tinted feelings' bullshit, so I binned it."
"Ah."
Makes sense—top star like her, even fluff gets hyped.
"And she hounds me why no article... Kids these days got no discipline?"
"When did I ever enforce discipline?"
"Saw her cry during your practice sessions plenty."
"……Tear scenes, probably."
Wait, was I the bad guy?
We practiced a ton—why no memory?
"What sports you covering? Soccer? Volleyball?"
"Volleyball? After soccer's baseball, duh. You into volleyball?"
"Nah, random thought."
"E-sports now."
"E-sports? Gaming?"
"Yep."
"Doesn't suit you at all."
He cackled, stubbed his cig, lit another.
"First thought the same. Keyboard tapping—what sport is that?"
"Not anymore, from the sound of it."
"Nah. Stories, emotion, competition. Tears over wins/losses, grinding like hell to win."
"Wild. You as E-sports reporter..."
Total macho guy.
"Right? Still weird watching them mash keys sometimes... But if it resonates in the grind, it's sports."
"Maybe I'll check it out next—"
Then it hit.
A flash.
E-sports? E-sports?!
Perfect for clashing gaze temperatures.
Same act, worlds apart in eyes.
Plus, something that'd bugged me: the prodrome cheers.
Unreal volume—like tens of thousands roaring.
But Korean men's volleyball finals draw under 3,000.
My brain spun.
"Reporter! How many at E-sports finals?"
"Varies by game."
"Biggest one!"
"You'll freak—last year in North America, 20,000..."
That instant.
Whoosh—
Script Possession