The Korean Hollywood (2)
"What? You mean we can't manage the staff ourselves?" One of the directors asked, looking utterly shocked, but he quickly shut his mouth when he caught Choi Cheol-jun's gaze directed at him. Choi Cheol-jun’s cold, icy stare made it seem like he might toss someone into a steel drum at any moment. Those who knew him understood that Choi Cheol-jun was a man with a warm heart, but to those who didn't, he was a terrifying figure.
"Do you... have a complaint?" Thanks to the intensive, crash-course training he’d received from Ma Seok-il, Choi Cheol-jun had learned how to properly utilize his 'strengths.'
Gulp! Though it was just one sound, the directors in the conference room all swallowed hard, one after another.
Some of the directors groaned, lost in thought. In a way, it was expected. The film industries in Hollywood and Korea were mostly similar—except for the part regarding staff. That was why, in Hollywood, the director’s voice carried almost no weight. The director was merely someone who directed the filming based on materials provided from the outside. However, Korean directors were different. Unlike in Hollywood, they held the right to be involved in everything from hiring staff to every detail inside and outside the production, which, in some cases, led to terrible bad habits.
Even in the 2010s, the 'passion pay' prevalent in the film industry was rooted in this very authority.
That would be fine if they actually gave you a position. Most were swept up in sweet talk and sacrificed their youth, only for the desired position to be snatched up by some guy with solid connections who had been living comfortably all along. What could be more infuriating than that? However, MEV—or rather, Yoon-gi—wasn't introducing the Hollywood-style system primarily for the sake of welfare.
'You said we have to stop the directors from going rogue, right?' Looking around at the directors, Choi Cheol-jun recalled Yoon-gi’s words. Yoon-gi’s argument was that they had to prevent directors from arbitrarily going on strike and holding MEV hostage. Choi Cheol-jun agreed that it made perfect sense. Eradicating bad habits was just a bonus that followed. However, the directors in the conference room were mostly obsessed with that 'bonus.' Because wielding absolute, unchecked power as a director was the very flower of Korean cinema. It was the power of a Korean director that allowed them to feed a live earthworm to an actor as if it were spaghetti without facing any consequences.
"I'm done talking. When I return in one hour, only those who remain in their seats will be able to sign a contract with MEV."
There was no clock in the conference room, but Choi Cheol-jun placed a fairly large one-hour hourglass on the table before leaving the room.
And one hour later. Some directors left, unable to accept the terms, and MEV was able to sign contracts only with those directors who were truly motivated by the act of filmmaking itself.
Is it possible to produce a movie in two months? In conclusion, MEV Production, a subsidiary of MEV, proved it was possible. This was because they operated on a day and night shift system through the thorough division of labor among the staff. The day shift filmed, and the night shift edited the movie. Because the director had no say in the selection of staff, the crew didn't waste energy on useless tasks, and by rotating four shifts between day and night, there was no inefficiency in the work. In particular, thanks to Choi Cheol-jun, who would appear from time to time and look around with a murderous gaze, the staff couldn't afford to slack off.
Because Choi Cheol-jun would leave after saying this with just his eyes, MEV Production succeeded in making three Korean films on an impossibly fast schedule of two months. Of course, this was only possible because Son Min-gwan worked himself to death writing the scenarios and correcting the scripts.
The year was now 1985. In the meantime, Oh Jeong-su’s smear campaign against YK had been having a better effect than expected. Although there wasn't a major hit to revenue, eroding the brand image was a bigger problem than anticipated. However, tomorrow, a full-scale counterattack against the Oh Jeong-su division was set to begin.
"Chief Son, how is it?" At dawn, Yoon-gi and his close aides were seated in one of the MEV screening rooms.
"I'm nervous. To think my novel would be adapted into a film so quickly..."
There were broadly two types of movies that could be made under a military regime. One was a movie that praised the regime. The other was a movie that had nothing to do with the regime. Yoon-gi had absolutely no reason to shoot a movie like the former, and the directors felt the same. That left the latter. The safest bet for the latter was a 'love' story, but the movie to be screened tomorrow was based on Son Min-gwan’s novel, a historical drama.
Princess Seollok. The story of a princess solving a royal poisoning case was not difficult to film even with the movie technology of the 80s, so Yoon-gi even participated in the editing remotely.
"If the movie is a success, the book will be an even bigger success. You should buy me a meal later?"
"Oh, of course. How could I not?" With Son Min-gwan’s beaming expression, the movie began.
"By the honor of my royal father, I will surely solve this case!"
The greatest strength of Princess Seollok. It was the fact that it lacked the 'drawn-out tone' peculiar to 80s movies. Anyone who has watched movies from this era would know. The dialogue itself sounded very much like reading a textbook, and the tone was drawn out as if performing pansori. However, with Yoon-gi’s involvement, all these parts were revised. At first, everyone from the director to the actors was very reluctant, but after filming according to Yoon-gi’s suggestions, the immersion was so much better that it received nothing but praise internally. Of course, since Yoon-gi intervened remotely, this editing was carried out under Choi Cheol-jun’s instructions. Who would dare refuse when it felt like they’d be tossed into a steel drum if they didn't listen?
Although the editing was forced at first, the directors, who had encountered the new culture of modern film, gradually began to introduce modern techniques into 80s cinema without even realizing it. Of course, because Yoon-gi wasn't an expert, they couldn't incorporate it into the finer details, but at least in three areas—filming techniques, scene arrangement, and the actors' performances—they were able to see excellent effects. And this effect was proven by the reaction of Yoon-gi’s aides now that the movie had ended.
[[[[[OOOOOHHHHHH!!]]]]]
Thunderous applause erupted at the same time as the ending credits. This was not applause that broke out because Yoon-gi was there, but applause that broke out because the movie was genuinely fun.
"Congratulations, Director!"
"Congratulations, Chief!"
As congratulations for the director and the chief were heard here and there, the director and Son Min-gwan were literally grinning from ear to ear as they walked out to the back of the audience and reached out to each other. A director who had learned the techniques of modern film, even if he hadn't written his own scenario. Son Min-gwan, who had become a bestselling author and achieved the film adaptation of his work, even if he had some help from Yoon-gi. The synergy between the two promised a fantastic explosion tomorrow.
The initiative of producers who usually held grudges against YK and MEV. The anti-YK protest participants that Oh Jeong-su had increased by pouring in money. Citizens who had been influenced by their 'buy local' movement and started watching Korean movies. With this triple threat, the top 10 theaters in Seoul were able to do business at almost the same level as before. However, the biggest misjudgment Oh Jeong-su made was that the film production capabilities of those who monopolized the mainstream film industry were truly shallow.
Could people who were already raking in infinite honey thanks to the screen quota suddenly make good movies just because they had competitors? Would they make good movies just because the subsidies increased? No. They just mass-produced movies at the level they had been making, and only these movies were shown in the 10 theaters. Citizens who had initially watched Korean movies inspired by patriotism were starting to get tired. Just then, Princess Seollok was released at MEV. And it was mobilized in 10 out of their 20 screens.
Before the release, they ran advertisements through newspapers and TV, and MEV also conducted internal advertising, so at the first screening time, the seats showed an occupancy rate of over 90 percent, and the screening started successfully. And two hours later, the faces of the director and Son Min-gwan, who had been watching the progress from outside the screening room with nervous faces, brightened up. It was a massive success.
Now, there was no need for Yoon-gi to spend money to promote Princess Seollok. Newspapers and TV were busy reporting on Princess Seollok themselves, and citizens were busy lining up day after day to watch it. It was to the point where they even reduced the screens for foreign films that had been selling well and increased the screens for Princess Seollok to 15. Furthermore, that wasn't the end. Non-Seoul theaters requested to screen Princess Seollok, and MEV rented out the film to theaters at a very high daily price. Of course, some theaters illegally copied the film and screened it, but they quietly received visits from soldiers or police and had to pay the price for their crimes.
MEV’s Princess Seollok was on such a roll. Seeing this, Oh Jeong-su was literally going out of his mind.
'Damn it!'
Oh Jeong-su’s goal was very simple. It was to break YK’s stronghold. That was why he had contacted the group that was currently most dissatisfied with YK but was also the largest in number, and he didn't spare any smear campaigns through them. However, YK’s stronghold was higher and thicker than he had thought. No matter how much he knocked on it, it only ended in cracks, and even the cracked parts were restored perfectly at some point. Of course, he still had plenty of money. But if he spent money, he had to produce results and report them, and since those results weren't coming, Oh Jeong-su was also starting to hit his limit.
'What do I do? If this continues, I’ll be in danger...'
His original task was to seize control of Korean Steel. However, he hadn't been able to take over Shin-sang Steel, which was his first task, and to solve this, he had decided to take down YK first. But looking at it now, it seemed almost all his operations had failed. After going to MEV himself and watching Princess Seollok, the directors he had recruited looked like trash, so how could he not be anxious? In this situation filled with anxiety, when he received a request for a visit from his secretary, Oh Jeong-su hid his nervousness and asked.
"What is it?"
"YK has made a proposal."
A TV debate. Oh Jeong-su and Yoon-gi were to appear as each other’s opponents in a debate that would even be broadcast live.
In fact, Oh Jeong-su wanted to change the debate topic. However, the problem was that he couldn't think of a sharp way to change it. This debate, arranged through JSD’s mediation, was effectively a real sword fight. It was obvious that the side that lost this debate would fall behind in the subsequent public opinion war. That was what Oh Jeong-su thought. That was why Oh Jeong-su was grinding his teeth. He ground his teeth while looking at Yoon-gi, who was standing on the podium opposite him and remained relaxed throughout.
'Damn it, that young brat...'
Still, thanks to that, Oh Jeong-su gained confidence. He thought he could handle someone like the young Choi Yoon-gi, not the seasoned Choi Ki-hyun of Samwoo or YK’s working-level manager Ryu Geun-tae. He had attended this debate in the first place because his opponent was a child. It was the perfect move to reverse the current situation. That was why Oh Jeong-su clenched both fists and steeled himself for battle.
"Well then. We will now begin the debate! Chairman Oh Jeong-su, please begin your remarks first."
Following the MC’s quite cheerful progression, Oh Jeong-su began to speak in a sturdy voice, glancing at the paper he had prepared in advance.
"These days, society is experiencing great difficulties due to the use of foreign products. The use of foreign products—what does this mean? It means the outflow of foreign currency. What does the outflow of foreign currency mean? It is an act that brings danger to the national economy. And the one that is growing this danger the most is none other than YK Department Store. Don't you think so yourself, Choi Yoon-gi?"
Yoon-gi, who had received the floor, answered briefly with a look of great bewilderment.
"Are you saying that the President's current policies are wrong?"