The Mad Casting Call
Wednesday morning, with the establishment of Team 4 on the horizon.
SSK was buzzing.
It was because of the shocking news that had spread the moment everyone arrived at work.
"You see the personnel announcement? Lee Dae-han got the boot."
"He really got fired? It says voluntary resignation, so maybe he jumped ship."
"After all that fuss about becoming a senior, you think he'd jump? Just two days ago, he was hounding Team 1 CEs about no one applying for Team 4."
"I heard they were vetting him for the senior spot and uncovered some irregularities."
"Someone said they saw him meeting a rookie actress off the books a while back."
"Rumor has it they were gonna discipline him but the rep let it slide so it wouldn't ruin his career."
"Handover going okay?"
"He handed off all his Team 1 stuff since he was heading to Team 4. Should be fine."
In just a few hours, the snowballing rumors had converged on CL Team 4.
"So what happens to Team 4 now?"
"No idea. Scrapping it now would be weird, and running without a senior is odd too."
"Heard the headquarters manager's sitting in for the first meeting."
"Who's on Team 4 right now?"
"Kwon Cheol from Team 1, No Jae-wook from Team 2. From Team 3, Chae Seo-hee and Do Hyun-woo."
"Assistant CEs? Just new hires?"
"Yeah. They hired four rookies for now, planning four more next quarter."
"Damn, everyone's so young. Bet it'll be easy working under whoever becomes Team 4 senior."
The staff figured Team 4's senior vacancy would fill quickly, but they knew it couldn't happen overnight.
Lee Dae-han had been a shoo-in in terms of experience and tenure.
No one had complained when he was tapped for Team 4 senior.
But the CEs below him faced fierce competition.
Plus, there were folks like Team 3's Kang Mu-tae who couldn't switch teams right away.
They had too much on their plates with no juniors ready for handover.
In the end, without pulling in outsiders, Team 4 would be without a senior for months.
"Fuck, Team 4's screwed. Just collecting paychecks while chilling?"
"They'll probably have the headquarters manager overseeing meetings temporarily."
"If I were on Team 4, I'd push a project. When do I get to make my own without senior meddling?"
"Heard Do Hyun-woo's still clinging to that volleyball thing."
"Didn't the headquarters manager shoot it down? Rumor is he got reamed last week."
"But they say he's still poring over it in his office."
"He's good at revisions but his eye for hits sucks. Probably the type who shines when the company hands him a sure thing."
"He's getting called out today anyway. What production company's dumping tens of billions on crap like that?"
"So? You're really doing it?"
"Yes."
The headquarters manager pressed his forehead at my response.
Just days ago, I'd said I hadn't found an answer yet, so he must've thought I'd given up.
"Let's see the script first. How far along are the revisions?"
"Haven't started yet. Yeom PD's still mulling it over."
"Mulling what? Didn't you give him the revision direction?"
"Whether to go with my opinion or not."
"...Then the proposal?"
"Haven't written it. Waiting on the writer's okay."
"Aigoo, headache."
As I chatted with the headquarters manager, Kwon Cheol CE and No Jae-wook CE stared at me like I was insane.
Chae Seo-hee, on the other hand, wore her familiar look.
The one that said, 'Pardon me, but you're crazy again today.' Not a pleasant expression.
"The script's core won't change. Just repackaging. If the writer gives the go-ahead, I can revise it fast."
"Talk is cheap."
"I'm serious."
I really was.
If Script Possession hadn't triggered two days ago, I'd have no confidence in speeding through it.
"Fine, got it. Get Yeom PD's okay first, then come to me. E-sports... I just can't picture it."
"Understood."
"Just repackaging means no romance, solo male lead intact?"
"Yes."
"Casting's key then... Got anyone in mind?"
"Yes."
"Wasn't asking if— who is it?"
Like I'd miss that.
I was just giving the headquarters manager time to breathe.
Because...
"Kim Ra-un."
"What?"
"Actor Kim Ra-un is my top pick."
Superpower had pegged Park Seong-hwa as Kim Ra-un.
Gong Seok-jun, eyes wide, dropped his hand from his own forehead and grabbed mine.
"Hyun-woo... you feeling okay?"
My answer spread through all of SSK in an instant.
"You really fucking crazy?"
"Heard that too much today."
"You deserve it! Think about it logically. He beat the shit out of you. Now you wanna work together? Would you?"
"When did I ever hit Ra-un? Technically, it was Oh Ji-tae PD who did."
Sung Tae-chang hyung, downing his soju in one go, shook his head.
"From our side, sure. But you think Kim Ra-un sees you in a good light?"
"If he doesn't, he should work with me more. I'll fix his trashed image."
"Ah, got it."
"What?"
"You've got Gongbeomche fever."
"Gongbeomche fever?"
"Hot new incurable disease in drama land. Obsessing over a money-pit script and disaster actors, begging 'trust me just once.'"
"Sounds like me a year ago."
"Exactly. You're patient zero."
I shrugged and chased hyung's soju with my own.
Been a while since we drank together.
Not my fault—he'd been swamped.
Tvic Korea was pulling out all stops to retain new subs from Gongbeomche.
Word was they were all-in on in-house variety shows.
"But hyung, setting casting aside, the material's solid, right?"
"No, you maniac."
"Why? Looks pretty popular online."
"Popularity doesn't mean drama-worthy."
"What's the difference?"
"Say it follows classic sports tropes? Zero dynamism. Not enough spectacle."
"Hm..."
"Ditch sports tropes? Then it's just office or workplace drama... What's E-sports' unique edge? Beats a doctor's nobility? A lawyer's justice?"
Sung Tae-chang indeed.
Wasn't regional chief by luck.
He rattled off my days-long script analysis on the spot.
"Sure, overseas E-sports dramas have succeeded. Especially China."
"Yeah."
"But mostly rom-coms. Girl disguises as guy to join team, that vibe."
"Or zeroing in on game details?"
"Yep. Ignores mass appeal, goes nuts for game fans."
5% of China's 1.4 billion is 70 million.
Viable market there.
Impossible in Korean drama world.
K-dramas aim global, so must think global.
Gongbeomche crushed domestically but flopped overseas.
Hard to relate to Korea's school system or those subtle student emotions.
"But yours is neither. No rom-com, no game deep-dive."
"Nope."
"Still think it'll work?"
"Yeah."
"Fine... do you."
His reaction puzzled me.
"Not talking me out of it?"
"Knew you would anyway."
"Huh?"
"If you'd brought some cookie-cutter drama swearing to nail it, that would've shocked me. Patient zero wouldn't."
What was that—praise or insult?
"And... kinda looking forward to it. Something fresh."
"Then hook us up with budget, Chief."
"Funny. Can't even convince the writer yet."
"Meeting tomorrow. Gotta seal the deal."
The next day.
I met Yeom Jae-moon PD in MBY's conference room.
Chose MBY deliberately—my visit doubles as a production meeting.
Meeting outside wastes his leave; better I come.
As I thought that, Yeom PD spoke up.
His vibe unchanged.
Despair and resignation flaking off his skin like dead cells.
"Thought about what Director said. E-sports... might actually work."
"I'm convinced it will."
"Then why me?"
"Pardon?"
"I know zilch about games, out of touch with trends. If it's viable, wouldn't another writer fixing my draft be better?"
Honestly, surprised.
Clinging to this script 15 years, yet ready to let go for the project's sake.
Even if it succeeds, no applause for him.
Just "See? Let go and it works."
He'd pocket meager original fees.
But...
That's why I was sure.
Answer to the nagging doubt from reading the script.
Park Seong-hwa was Yeom PD himself.
"Yeom PD."
"Yes?"
"Park Seong-hwa's you projected, right?"
"..."
Not because I'd heard he divorced ages ago.
The vibe from our first meeting.
It permeated Park Seong-hwa.
After a long hesitation, Yeom Jae-moon PD exhaled like a sigh.
"Didn't start that way... but it became me somehow."
"Can't accept failure, tormenting others by his standards... Doesn't know how to treat cheerleaders..."
"..."
"Regrets hurting them but clueless how to fix it, so obsesses more. Park to coaching, you to dramas."
Fail that, nothing left.
"I want to throw that Park Seong-hwa into an unfamiliar world."
"Unfamiliar world..."
"He'll fear it like you now, panic. Might wanna quit."
"..."
"But overcoming all that, if Park thrives..."
Yeom PD slowly raised his head.
Like Park Seong-hwa lifting his before a mirror.
"You can too, right?"