Declining the Dream Duo
I was yawning off my post-lunch food coma when the intercom rang.
"Hey, Hyun-woo. Come up for a sec."
Lately, it felt like the only people above me were the rep and the department head.
They call me up whenever they're bored.
But thinking about it, once you hit senior, there really aren't many people above you, huh?
The CL team handling creative production is kinda detached from the company's regular hierarchy, but seniors are usually treated like department head level.
Promote past that, and you're exec territory.
The finance directors and such keep their distance from the CL team on purpose anyway...
Is that how it is?
So that's why they keep summoning me?
Musing like that, I arrived at the department head's office to find an unexpected guest waiting.
"Do Hyun-woo CE. Hope you've been well?"
Tvic's executive director.
The same guy I'd seen at the ethics committee.
But this was kinda funny.
Back then, he'd looked down at me from on high, but not anymore.
Sung Tae-chang's words suddenly came to mind.
The VP and exec director had caught hell from HQ after the SSK contract fell through.
Guess that's why his eyes had softened up.
"Hello, sir."
"Good to see you like this."
Acting like we were meeting for the first time was a bit amusing, but I played along.
He was still an exec from the OTT giant holding our first-look and matching rights, after all.
We shook hands and sat on the sofa.
Light chit-chat flowed between the three of us.
From how they'd enjoyed At Your Fingertips to Oxygen Alarm doing pretty well overseas.
Just your standard talk, aside from him awkwardly dodging any direct comparisons to At Your Fingertips when bringing up Oxygen Alarm's ratings.
But anyone could tell this wasn't the main point.
Sure enough, after finishing our coffee and wrapping up the small talk, the exec turned to me.
"Do CE, there's a project Tvic's been pouring a ton of effort into for years. Writer Moon Ah-young, director Kim Dae-hyun."
The department head jumped in.
"Those guys' next one's with Tvic?"
"Yeah. We've invested heavily."
Makes sense.
Moon Ah-young's scripts and Kim Dae-hyun's direction—the duo has never bombed.
Their name value is so high that even 10% ratings get called a flop.
"What if we handed it to Do Hyun-woo CE?"
"Me, sir?"
"Wouldn't it make a killer picture? Moon Ah-young and Kim Dae-hyun holding the center with their experience, and young director Do Hyun-woo backing them up with fresh sensibilities."
Sweet-talking words poured from the exec's mouth.
Budget: at least 250 billion won.
Top stars locked in for roles 1 through 3, no question.
Channeling on broadcast TV alongside.
"We'll drop special Blu-ray-style editions, exclusive to Tvic."
Their commitment to throwing money at it was palpable.
Broadcast TV greenlighting that meant Tvic was footing most of the bill.
I got the vibe right away.
This was Tvic extending an olive branch to SSK.
Let's bury the hatchet from before and move forward together—a clear signal.
SSK's been on a hot streak lately, too.
But why me?
Moon Ah-young and Kim Dae-hyun? That's break-even at worst.
Wouldn't tossing it to stable Team 1 make more sense?
Sure, I've had a recent hit, but I'm unproven on reliability.
Plus, like Chae Seo-hee said, I've got that image of only latching onto weird concepts.
Ah, maybe the material's quirky?
As that thought crossed my mind, the exec pulled out the pitch doc and handed it to me and the department head.
Curiosity piqued, I skimmed it eagerly. Nothing quirky at all.
Classic Moon Ah-young vibe: everyday everyman MC discovers he's heir to a chaebol, but to claim the inheritance, he has to contract-marry his childhood bestie of 20 years.
Looks like your standard romcom, but once it's a drama, you can't look away.
So seriously, why me?
I racked my brain for any ulterior motives, but nah, no way.
250 billion, plus Moon Ah-young and Kim Dae-hyun's clout? No games there.
Sensing the same doubt, the department head spoke up.
"Wouldn't Senior Ryu Hyun-seok or Senior Joo Young-hoon be better fits?"
"It was Moon Ah-young's request."
"The writer's?"
"Yeah. She's been at it since she was young, but she's pushing late 40s now. Wants some young energy to fill it out."
"Doesn't she have a bunch of assistant writers for that?"
"Assistants can't speak freely—they watch their backs. A director's different."
The exec turned to me.
"What do you think of the pitch, Director Do Hyun-woo?"
"Looks fun."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Feels like the kind of thing that's hard to screw up."
Not lip service.
The pitch was way more detailed than average—full character arcs, key events all mapped out.
They hadn't nailed down the assembly or presentation yet, but the ingredients were top-shelf.
With Moon Ah-young's writing chops, the floor was sky-high.
"So, you free tonight?"
"Tonight?"
"Meeting Moon Ah-young. Might as well come along since we're doing this."
What, treating me like the director's already locked in?
"Uh, mind if I see the script first?"
"The script?"
"Yeah. Gotta know what I can contribute to sync with the writer."
The exec cleared his throat awkwardly at my words.
"Can't you figure that out talking to her?"
"Come on, writers are smooth talkers. I'd get swept away on the spot. Better to check objectively first."
"Fine, I'll send it over. Review it, then dinner together."
"How many episodes? If it's a lot, it'll take time."
"Argh, seriously? Is meeting the writer once that big a deal?"
The department head cut in sharply.
"Exec Director, Do CE isn't even on Tvic's payroll."
"Well, that's not..."
"And calling young folks 'the kids' right in front of him? Kinda rude, no?"
"Did I say that? Sorry."
"It's fine."
I got where the exec was coming from.
Most production labels are subsidiaries or affiliates.
Feels like subordinates.
Even before At Your Fingertips, I'd introduce myself as "Tvic's Do Hyun-woo" at external meetings.
Just convention.
"Tvic" lands quicker than "SSK affiliate, but all our stuff goes through Tvic."
So I understood—but understanding didn't mean complying.
No reason to go along, right?
Especially since I had zero intention of taking it.
"Exec Director, it's a big project, so I don't want to step on toes. I'll review the script and get back to you."
"Fine, whatever."
The exec nodded reluctantly.
The exec left, and the department head's tone shifted instantly.
"Well done."
"For what?"
"They still act like we're their label. Been grating on me, but you gave 'em a piece of my mind."
No wonder he'd jumped in so quick.
He'd been waiting for it.
"But Hyun-woo, you got beef with the company?"
"Beef?"
"If something's bugging you, just say it. Why smash the parking arm?"
"Wait, that reached your ears too? I told the guard I'd cover it personally."
"You're hilarious. This building ours? We're just tenants."
"For real?"
News to me.
Not SSK HQ?
"So why'd you do it? Pitch no good?"
"Nah, pitch was solid."
"Then?"
"Got something I wanna do."
"Something you wanna do? Dissing Moon Ah-young and Kim Dae-hyun?"
"Kinda embarrassing when you put it so bluntly."
"Good you're embarrassed. Folks without shame ain't human."
The department head tossed the light jab, then got serious.
"Hyun-woo."
"Yeah."
"At Your Fingertips crushed so hard, I've got expectations now? Curious what you've grabbed next."
"Yeah."
"You gonna keep picking by the same standards?"
Heavy question.
"The more you succeed, the better options you'll get. Perk of winning. You gonna chase whims every time?"
I'd pondered it seriously, but no snap answer.
Still...
"Department Head."
"Yeah."
"CE's such an awkward role, right? Gotta check scripts, direction, casting. Even art, sound, music."
"Yep. Multiplayer if you're nice; if not, it's the money-grubbing content distributor sticking noses everywhere."
That's the job that's taken root in production companies after 15 years of OTT era.
Too close to the work for investor, too close to money for creator.
Too far for director, too close for overseer.
Honestly, sometimes you wonder if the role's even necessary.
"So at minimum, shouldn't we pour our souls into loving our projects?"
Moon Ah-young's project? I could do it.
No real reason I couldn't.
But it wouldn't ignite like the inspiration that hit me while smashing that parking arm.
The department head smirked at my words.
"Love my ass. Dude who can't even date. Heard you're dodging that tall marketing girl straight-up crushing on you."
"...You got CCTV? That's labor law violation."
"CCTV, my foot. So what's up? Heart set on some flower field, ditching Moon Ah-young?"
"You're cool with it?"
"Spit it out already."
Afraid he'd change his mind, I rushed into it.
The plan that had sparked while driving in with the parking arm yesterday.
The department head's face twisted in horror the instant he heard.
"You a perv?"
"Huh?"
"Get off on hearing 'crazy bastard,' huh?"
"No one's like that."
"You! You mad bastard!"
"Why yell...?"
"You think that's sane? How do you even dream up that fresh nonsense...!"
Seeing his throbbing temple, I got worried.
Blood pressure okay?