Anyone Can Shine
While signing the contract, I was once again struck by just how monumental it was for a production company to hold the IP rights.
In most cases, when a production company sells broadcasting rights to an OTT platform, the contract is for three or five years.
Of course, there are all sorts of calculations involved.
They might include conditional revenue-sharing clauses, or sell domestic and overseas rights separately.
Sometimes they even hand over the full IP rights in exchange for about 120% of the total production budget.
In contrast, SSK had boldly offered the five-year broadcasting rights at a discount, securing instead a share of incentives based on platform viewership and subscriber growth.
Considering the revenue that could bring in, it felt like this was a fair deal.
I was mulling that over when the CEO's voice cut in.
"That's personal incentive. Team 4's incentive will be paid separately."
"So this entire amount is my personal incentive?"
"Yes. You pulled in 1.5 billion with your own skills— you deserve compensation like this."
Suddenly, I remembered Director Lim offering to invest about 500 million out of his own pocket.
I'd brushed it off as nonsense and just accepted his sentiment, but damn, I should've taken it.
The incentive would've been even higher then.
And Director Lim would've pocketed a nice chunk too.
Either way, knowing my hardworking colleagues would get proper rewards eased my mind.
"Thank you."
"Our company's CEs usually handle one project every two and a half years, right?"
"Yes. That's the company average, as far as I know."
It might sound long, but they weren't slacking off, of course.
Like Chae Seo-hee, Kwon Cheol, and No Jae-wook, they were supporting their team's projects while developing their own— that whole process took two and a half years.
Cases like mine, churning out two projects in just two years since joining, were rare.
"Team 4's been around for almost a year now, hasn't it?"
"Yes. Time flies."
"It feels like we've stabilized a bit, so I'd like to start team-specific productions. What do you think, Do CE?"
"I think it's the right timing."
Team 4's CEs were each securing projects of interest while supporting At Your Fingertips.
Chae Seo-hee was deep into developing a Goryeo-era historical drama, and Kwon Cheol had latched onto an undercover cop-gangster story.
Both had solid audiences and weren't overly polarizing genres.
I'd read the scripts, and they were decent.
No Jae-wook, though—influenced by At Your Fingertips, maybe?—had brought in some hockey sports drama.
Honestly, it didn't seem viable.
Not because it was sports, but the characters lacked appeal.
Still, I had no authority to meddle in No Jae-wook's work, so I kept quiet.
I was just the interim overall director for At Your Fingertips, not Team 4.
Which brought us to the real issue.
Who Han Sung-hoon had tapped as Team 4's senior CE.
It had been almost a year since Lee Dae-han CE flew the coop, so it was about time to appoint one.
"What do you think of the scripts the Team 4 CEs are holding?"
"Hm..."
I hesitated, and Han Sung-hoon chuckled.
"Speak freely. This stays between us."
"They need some revisions, but they're worth pursuing."
"All three?"
"Well, no. No Jae-wook CE's script might be tough to make work."
"Then you take on those two."
"Pardon?"
I wondered if he meant yanking the CEs' scripts and handing them to me.
But no.
"Time to drop the 'interim' label."
"You mean..."
"Team 4. Think you can lead it?"
"Ugh, damn. They're picky as hell."
"I figured it'd flop. I'd skip the interview too if my stomach hurt."
"No congrats for a colleague's success?"
"Bullshit."
Two entertainment reporters grumbled as they left MBY station, heading to the smoking area.
They'd struck out trying to snag interviews with the variety PDs about writer Yeom Jae-moon.
As they lit up, the one with the camera around his neck spoke up.
"Hey, but at this point, isn't Do Hyun-woo the real deal?"
"Obviously skilled. Thriller was one thing, but E-sports? Totally different ballgame."
"Not that. The casting."
"Oh, yeah. How does he do it? Pins rising stars like a ghost."
The horn-rimmed glasses reporter whistled in admiration, but Camera Guy shook his head.
"I don't think he's casting actors who are about to blow up."
"Then what?"
"He picks ones he likes and launches them."
"What kinda nonsense is that, said so seriously?"
"Hear me out. Originally, Jeong Ki-jun was up for Korean Hero, and Lee Min-seon for Sa Mo-yeon, right?"
"Yeah. Then the Oxygen Main PD snatched 'em."
Camera Guy exhaled a puff of smoke.
"Setting Jeon So-ra aside, right after Do Hyun-woo lost Jeong Ki-jun, he grabbed Kang Min-sik."
"And?"
"I dug a bit— timeline-wise, it all went down in two weeks."
Horn-rimmed's eyes widened.
"Two weeks? For real?"
"Yeah. Jeon So-ra took longer to lock in, but Kang Min-sik? Under two weeks."
"Whoa..."
"Does it make sense to cast a third lead in a hundred-billion-drama in two weeks? For an unknown with no footage?"
"...Maybe he knew the image already, since they were old theater buddies?"
"Nah. Turns out Do Hyun-woo and Kang Min-sik barely overlapped. Hadn't seen each other in years. Min-sik was just a shooting assistant at the station."
Horn-rimmed rubbed his arms, spooked.
"Some kinda magic?"
"Come on, journalists don't do magic. Nah, Do Hyun-woo's heart moved. Pitiful, right? A senior from theater days scraping by as crew."
"Sad."
"So he cast him."
Horn-rimmed finally caught on.
"...He can launch anyone?"
"Yeah. Sure, he checks image and acting chops— those don't fix overnight. But picking one out of hundreds in two weeks? Not pity— makes no sense otherwise."
"Then Gongbeomche..."
"Even more so. Eum Sung-hyun was a total mess, and the supporting cast? All unknowns. Must've overlapped with his own past."
"Fair. Probably just scouted indie films for matching images..."
Muttering, Horn-rimmed spoke up.
"Sounds plausible, but can't write it up as an article, right?"
"Why not?"
"Ruan."
"Oh."
"He swapped out Choi Hae-il quick too, like Jeong Ki-jun. With Ruan?"
"Yeah."
"That fandom's pissed lately. 'Using Ruan as a punching bag?' Article like that paints Ruan as the one who got screwed— can we handle the backlash?"
Camera Guy pondered.
"What if Ruan blows up big?"
"Doubt it. Ten episodes out already."
"Nah, there's gotta be a breakout moment. Why else drag out that frustrating character arc?"
"Content-wise, sure. But the acting? Curling up for episodes then exploding? Tough."
"If he nails that too?"
"Then we write it."
Horn-rimmed said,
"Proves he can launch anyone."
Kwon In-cheol, grinding real life for job hunting, finally logged into Enflicks after ages.
Burnout from overworking— today was for rest.
Top of the app: At Your Fingertips.
Jeon So-ra's comeback.
E-sports drama.
No escaping it, even plugging ears and eyes from drama news.
He'd logged in to watch it anyway.
'Already ten episodes.'
Water-Thurs open, so one more tonight.
Wednesday today.
About to hit play, Kwon In-cheol paused.
The overall director name in the playback tab looked familiar.
Do Hyun-woo.
"Ah! Gongbeomche guy?"
Right, he'd seen articles about Do Hyun-woo snagging Kim Ra-un before diving into job hunt hell.
Kim Ra-un as lead meant this was Do Hyun-woo's drama.
He knew logically, but Do Hyun-woo's Tvic well-made image clashed with E-sports— cognitive dissonance.
'Guy's still killing it. Feels like yesterday he got flak for dumping Kim Ra-un.'
Why's my life stagnant?
Shaking it off, Kwon In-cheol binged.
And got hooked hard.
Meant to watch a couple to unwind, save rest for real-life gaps.
Couldn't stop.
Delivery food, glued to PC all day.
After ten episodes, grateful it was Wednesday.
Episode 11 waiting.
Pi Do-seon's one-man show.
The frustrating buildup Kwon In-cheol felt even bingeing— shed like a shell.
Steps into the world.
"Yeah, man. That's it."
Awakened Pi Do-seon leads Seonghwa Empire against the league-top team backed by Sa Mo-yeon.
Ending OST hits.
Credits roll— curse slips out.
"Fuck. Shoulda waited for finale."
At least episode 12 tomorrow?
Still buzzing from the drama high, old habit kicked in— hit the net.
Like with Gongbeomche.
But At Your Fingertips's impact dwarfed it.
The whole internet was At Your Fingertips...
Ruan.