Chapter 62
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Soaring Ratings
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It felt like the booze from last night was bubbling back up. But she didn't mind it one bit. Last night had been great, and today was even better!
"Let's push ahead right now!"
Executive Director Yoo watched her practically singing with excitement, smacked his lips, and spoke up.
"You can't afford to be that optimistic. In business, you have to keep a close eye on things right up until the very end."
"I know! That's our family motto! I've heard it a million times!"
She grabbed her phone and immediately called the director.
"Director? You're working around the clock—great job. Everyone knows your skills are still sharp after that drama premiere last night. The editing was spot-on too!"
Polite chit-chat out of the way, now for the main point.
"Round up the cast for a quick meet-up. We need to strike while the iron's hot with some marketing. Just tell me the time and place, and I'll send over the press."
Executive Director Yoo had warned her not to count her chickens, but she was determined to break that 30% barrier somehow.
Even a peak rating in the moment would do. That number would be a massive weapon in her arsenal.
Just you wait.
She remembered how everyone had looked at her during the last family gathering. Her own brother had straight-up sneered, "You think content like that's gonna make any money?"
But she believed in the power of a good story. Manufacturing goods and exporting them overseas was a grind, but something fun? It spread like wildfire on its own.
I'll wipe those smug looks right off their faces!
For now, inquiries were only coming in from Japan and Thailand, but her ambitions ran much bigger. She planned to sell the drama to at least ten countries before the finale.
"Take a short break then. I'll have the secretarial pool bring you some honey water."
Executive Director Yoo shook his head with a tsk and left the room. Isara fired up her computer.
Leaning forward like some gaming addict, she searched for the drama.
It had only aired once, but The Youngest Son of the Gangster Family was blowing up beyond expectations, dragging the novel and webtoon along for the ride as people buzzed about them too.
"Oh!"
The novel and webtoon platforms had kicked off massive events. Sure, they were niche markets compared to TV drama, but online? It was a different story. Posts were multiplying like crazy.
-The casting nailed it.
-Is this any good?
-Folks upstairs, read the novel first. It's on another level.
"Exactly, exactly."
Isara nodded along, jumping into the fandom.
The Memento Mori fan cafe was flooded with posts—comparing novel characters to their drama counterparts, deep dives into analyses, even spotting scenes that weren't in the original.
-The adaptation turned out pretty solid.
-I thought the same!
-My husband, who never reads novels, watched the drama and lost his mind over how fun it was. Ordering chicken tonight to watch together!
DM had only popped up briefly in the second half of last night's episode, so no one mentioned her yet, but starting with tonight's, she'd get her face out there.
Isara checked reactions on other platforms too.
-Is this for real?
-Fiction has its limits.
-Typical time-killer drama.
There was some negativity, of course.
"So what? If it's fun, that's all that matters!"
Fired up, she clicked on one post.
【Reading Pop Culture: The Youngest Son of the Gangster Family and OSMU】
It was a column by some critic, and before she knew it, she was hooked.
"Spot on."
The goshiwon had been in an uproar all morning. The Youngest Son of the Gangster Family's ratings had smashed my expectations, and even Mom called to say she'd watched and loved it.
Everyone I ran into grabbed my hand, congratulating me profusely. Dazed, I finally escaped back to my room and faced reality.
That's when I followed the link from Isara and found the column.
"Seeing 'OSMU' pop up this early."
One Source Multi-Use.
Basically, taking one IP and spinning it into novels, webtoons, dramas—not to mention character merch, perfumes, and gadgets featuring those characters.
I had no idea who this columnist was, but they'd nailed the market analysis.
Should tell Ye-jin to reach out later.
She's more capable than me, after all.
Anyway, by around 2023, a 10% rating on network TV would be considered a smash hit as the landscape shifted—but right now, we were hitting 15% from episode one.
Word of mouth was spreading too, so my heart was racing over tonight's numbers.
If yesterday's viewers were disappointed, we're sunk. If not, jackpot.
Truth be told, I was clueless about ratings and revenue. No idea what thresholds meant what payouts or how the whole machine worked.
Guess I need to learn this side too. Could use it in my next work.
Occupational hazard... Fine, I admit it. I'm a writer.
Writers need broad experiences. Even knowledge not useful right away eventually pays off.
Bzzz.
Another call. At this rate, my phone might explode from overuse.
"Hello, PD."
It was Kim PD from I Live Alone.
-Congratulations, writer!
"Thanks."
Broadcast stations had the fastest grapevine, no doubt.
-That thing you mentioned before still on the table?
"We're working on it with President Isara."
-Already? Channel locked in?
"Not yet."
-Then let's grab a bite ASAP! I'll connect you with the station head!
Oh? Station head—the top brass?
"Sounds good. I'd like President Isara there too."
-Of course! That's the JJ Ent rep, right?
"Yep."
-I'll coordinate dates right away! Dinner work?
Through Isara, I'd learned that leaders of major outfits had schedules booked months out.
Not just "meeting so-and-so today," but every hour slotted.
So syncing up wasn't easy—but them reaching out meant the baton was now in my hands.
-I'll call back soon.
After Kim PD, calls came from Geulse and Page too.
Normally, strangers barging into my quiet space would've had me thinking, "Should I just turn off my phone?" But today? I was eating it up.
"Whew..."
No more calls coming. Drained, I slumped back in my chair.
A few of us were gathering for a low-key live watch party later, but until then, I had time. Still, no way was I slacking on my day job just because the drama popped.
So I straightened up.
I had writing to do. Now that my story had stepped into the spotlight, expectations were sky-high.
Up till now, I'd drawn from a decade of captivity to craft my work, polishing it to platform-topping quality. But from here on, I was venturing into uncharted territory.
Whatever.
The pressure of evolving from novels to mass-market content weighed heavy, but the upside? I wasn't some rookie who'd buckle.
Nothing's changed.
Every story still starts with me, after all.
Wednesday.
After 14.9% on premiere night and 19.2% on Tuesday, The Youngest Son of the Gangster Family was on everyone's lips—at schools, offices, streets alike.
Once the convo kicked off with "Did you catch it last night?", the drama was inescapable.
"Insane..."
Team Leader Min clicked her tongue. Even she hadn't dreamed of numbers like this.
"What is?"
Jin-seong asked from behind, but she brushed it off.
"Nothing. Keep sleeping."
She glanced at her phone instead.
DM was en route to a local event. Opening for a 15-year veteran singer's concert—not huge, but she'd landed it thanks to her rising profile.
"How much longer?"
"One hour twenty."
The driver replied instantly.
"Skip the rest stop. Head straight. Kids are sleeping anyway."
"Got it."
The new manager was a quick study. Light on experience, but pick up anything after one demo.
Not overly eager, but diligent, sticking to his post without complaint—that reliability was gold.
Woo-sung was President Jeong's pick too.
How does he have such uncanny people-sense? Like a fortune teller.
Scrolling gangster family drama articles—"Fresh take." "Shaking up the game." "Bold risks paid off."—Team Leader Min felt the surging interest and curiosity. This was huge.
Shifting an era's cultural flow, pushing public tastes forward? No small feat.
The underdog rising to mainstream.
She glanced back. DM looked wiped, her schedule brutal enough to drop anyone—but to claim a top spot, every step counted now.
Winning the masses meant sacrifices, no way around it.
Our kids aren't there yet, though.
The president must've seen something special in DM to bet big. His golden touch had lingered longest on her.
Team Leader Min tapped her phone. DM had a supporting role in last night's episode—not huge, but it introduced her kids to viewers. Wonder what folks thought.
-He's so handsome!
-Who's this actor?
-Not an actor! Singer, I heard?
Captured screenshots were circulating, sparking curiosity.
Star quality for sure. Underground idol more famous for webnovels now, but steady gigs and airtime? Meaningful results by album two, even if not one.
Acting was solid, so this is a win.
An idol in a supporting role who doesn't get trashed? Success. She closed her eyes briefly.
Kang Woo-sung murmured from beside her.
"What's the president like?"
"Why ask out of nowhere?"
"Just curious."
He'd only met the president once, at his interview.
"He's a novelist."
"I know that."
"No, you don't."
"Huh?"
"That man's the type who turns novels into reality."
"Haha, really?"
"..."
When Team Leader Min didn't laugh, Kang Woo-sung awkwardly straightened up, embarrassed. She continued.
"Watch closely. You're not gonna manager your whole life. If you ever wanna start your own shop someday, learn everything from the president."
"Like what, mainly?"
"Instinct."
"Isn't that innate? Don't think I've got it."
"Nah. You made it this far—you've got it. Where's our company based?"
"The goshiwon?"
"Yeah, a goshiwon for now. But look what the president's done in under a year. Monday's ratings had me skeptical too. Now I get it. If this drama tops 30%, the Korean entertainment landscape flips right then."
"30% is huge, right?"
"Not a sageuk, not romance, not melodrama—and still 30%..."
She had sharp instincts too.
"Means webnovels and webtoons are breaking the surface."