Poaching Talent and Theater Ties
The casting confirmation for Kim Ra-un dropped, and the internet lost its mind.
It was the expected reaction.
The article hit right after the White Horse Agency scandal died down.
If anything, the faint whiff of Tvic money kept it from blowing up worse—felt like some built-in defense.
Fewer articles than I'd predicted.
But on the flip side, some folks were buying what I was selling.
But I had no time to sweat public opinion.
I was too busy scrambling to lock in actor contracts.
Budget wasn't finalized yet, but the head of headquarters told me to proceed assuming 100 billion won.
Good thing Kim Ra-un's price tag dropped.
Back in his S-grade days, negotiations would've started at 400 million—Kim alone would've eaten 64 billion.
Should I thank Oh Ji-tae PD for that?
In the midst of all that hustle, I held onto some actors... and lost others.
Luckily, I kept Min Jae-yul for the irreplaceable Lee Young-han role.
Surfer Ent decided to bet on Oh Ha-eun.
But some roles slipped away.
Korean English roll: Jeong Ki-jun.
Samo-yeon roll: Lee Min-seon.
Pido-seon roll: Choi Ha-il.
All hurt.
Cold truth: Jeong Ki-jun and Lee Min-seon aren't irreplaceable.
Both 40s characters.
Tons of lead-level actors in that age group burning with passion after stepping down.
I worried about nailing the character vibe, but acting chops? No issue.
Choi Ha-il's Pido-seon was different.
Pido-seon: pro gamer raised by a mom treating him like a trophy kid. In-story age: 18.
Minor.
30s actor playing 20s vs. 20s actor playing teens? Different feel.
Pido-seon needed a young actor.
20-year-old Choi Ha-il this year was perfect...
Snatched by Joo Young-hoon.
The ridiculous part? In the Oxygen Alert I saw, no role fit Choi Ha-il.
Probably lowered some character's age or added a new one...
Hates me that much?
Or like Yoon CEO said, lost that much confidence?
Either way, not fun.
But I didn't just take hits.
I poached key talent.
Namely.
"Director, I love you."
"Ah, already regretting it. People shouldn't keep every drunk promise."
Jo Tae-seok, art director.
Strictly speaking, Jo Tae-seok wasn't SSK staff, so "poached" is a stretch.
But each CL team has long-built networks.
Jo Tae-seok art sense sat at the top of Team 3's pool.
Art directors are rare, but his connections? Vast.
Grab him, and freelance studios flock.
Chae Seo-hee nailed it back on Criminal Community.
Persuasion was simple.
Just kept showing up.
Begged, flirted, reminisced good times.
Even played videos of him drunk yelling about next projects together.
Still slim odds.
He admitted Criminal Community topped his career, but volume matters.
One masterpiece doesn't feed the art team.
"Director, I joined last year as assistant CE, now interim lead CE."
"Sales dip short-term, but Team 4 locations kick in, we'll catch up."
"Working with us was fun, right?"
What swung it? Not me—Joo Young-hoon.
Dunno details, but Joo waved Oxygen Alert to lure him.
Hit his pride.
One day he shows up, asks:
"Hey, you think that'll really work?"
"Yes."
"Better than Criminal Community?"
"Yes."
"Better than Oxygen Alert?"
"Yes."
"Fuck it, let's do it."
That was it.
Word spread Jo Tae-seok picked Team 4, Oh Jun-jae sound director jumped ship too.
"After Criminal Community, other sets felt like shit. Reverse aftertaste?"
"Actors can't act but make excuses, directors do jack but yap..."
"Ugh! Drink!"
Art and sound.
Directing aside, the two biggest pillars stood tall.
Next day: rumors Joo Young-hoon rage-threw files.
"CEO, you gonna let this slide? Teams 3 and 4 are a mess."
Han Sung-hoon set down his papers at Gong Seok-jun's words.
"Why? Picking sides?"
"Not sides, but mediate? Enforce the lines we drew."
"Hmm... Lines are ours to draw. Not CL teams'."
Gong Seok-jun sighed; Han Sung-hoon grinned.
"Surprising, right? Didn't think Do CE had it in him."
"Yeah. Thought he'd SOS quick, but here we are. Tough nut under that face."
"Good thing. CE career's not the endgame."
"True..."
"Let it ride till projects glitch. See how far he goes."
Han Sung-hoon tapped the Tvic exclusive supply contract stack.
"We do our jobs."
Amid At Your Fingertips production grind, I carved out a day.
Drinking promise.
Burst into the beer hall; group cheers from the table.
"You punk! Do Hyun-woo!"
"He actually came!"
I bowed laughing.
"Sorry. Traffic. Everyone good?"
Faces I hadn't seen forever.
Seniors from Gamtan theater troupe, pre-D.P days.
Yeah.
Today: honoring promise with Kang Min-sik sunbae from MBY.
"Whoa, sunbae. Always whining about hair loss, now full-on wig life?"
"Whoa, Hee-yeon sunbae. Still 20s vibe... Flattery, huh."
Not all sunshine in the troupe, not all saints.
But shared gaze bonded us.
Gathered for love of acting, not money.
So even after ages, no awkwardness.
"Alright, Hyun-woo's here—drink till we drop?"
"Troupe motto: Lose at acting, never at booze!"
"Never!"
Party kicked off.
I shuttled glasses and spoons—youngest here, others met occasionally.
Me? Near five years.
"Never knew spots like this."
"Don't ping actives. Might bum 'em out seeing us."
"Yeah, I'd fear that future too."
"Spot retirees en route to stations, make a seat."
Seniors chuckled over beers; subtle melancholy hit.
Quick reality-check quitters thrived more.
All saying, "Knew it—should've quit sooner."
Obvious.
Social status and stability take time.
But calling troupe days worthless? Kinda sad.
Snapped out—no need for nostalgia.
Later, slipped to production pros' table.
Kang Min-sik there.
"Sunaebaes, any good directors free?"
"Director?"
"Need one for directing."
At Your Fingertips lacked a director.
Not Joo's sabotage.
Directors aren't team-exclusive.
My network's thin.
Tons waiting, grab any hand.
But results? Meh.
No A-list connects either.
Jeong Hee-soo my only link—direction mismatch.
"Your company's got directing connects, no?"
"Yeah, but slightly off."
"Free directors are mid-tier. Should've networked ages ago."
Another sunbae chimed:
"Good director free? Either rich indulging art, or exposed as fraud."
"Word."
Famous names now? Pipe dream.
Best of reachables?
Kang Min-sik dropped surprise:
"Scout yourself."
"Huh?"
"You'd watch indies saying 'this one's blowing up' or 'flop'—spot-on."
Scout a director?
Thought scouting writers, actors—not this.
100 bil to a rookie?
Mulled the bombshell.
Saw tablemates rise—smoke break?
Kang tapped my shoulder.
"Hey, Hyun-woo."
"Yeah?"
Looked up: unfamiliar yet familiar face.
First meet, but seen tons.
Jeong Ki-jun, the actor.