Chapter 26
Kang Minjae's mouth fell open at her words. I couldn't hide my own surprise either. It was the very drama we'd just been discussing with Lawyer Kang.
"……Is it too much?"
She asked, her eyes flicking anxiously toward Lawyer Kang as if gauging his reaction.
I let out a sigh. The Distance Between You and Me was such a massive hit that even I, who had zero interest in dramas, knew about it. Writer Jeong Hyejin was already famous beforehand, and this drama catapulted her to even greater stardom, kicking off a string of blockbusters afterward.
But putting all that aside, I'd never handled a civil case. Copyright infringement? That was completely outside my wheelhouse.
"Let's hear the details first."
I needed to get a sense of the case before anything else.
"Blue Island Media, the company producing The Distance Between You and Me, held a screenplay contest last year. I submitted my script. I didn't win, so I figured that was that and started prepping for the next one. But then……"
A drama called The Distance Between You and Me—identical to her script—started airing. Character backstories, dialogue, even character names were lifted verbatim in places. With each episode, the drama's hype grew, but for her, it was pure agony. Episode after episode poured out plots ripped straight from her script.
Unable to take it anymore, she contacted Blue Island Media, but got no response. She posted online too, but it sank without a trace, ignored by everyone. Convinced there was nothing more she could do alone, she came to us.
"……So, I want to sue."
"I see."
I glanced at the steady [Truth] hologram floating above her head.
LIE DETECTION
> [Truth]
Whether the similarities were enough for a winnable suit would require reviewing the materials, but one thing was clear: she was convinced it was plagiarism.
Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do to help.
"I'm sorry, but we don't handle copyright cases."
"Wait, just a second. Can we step out and discuss for a minute?"
Kang Minjae cut me off urgently and shot to his feet. I looked up at him, and he grabbed my arm, tugging me along. She nodded dazedly, and I let him drag me out to the balcony.
"What is this?"
"You're not taking this?"
"It's not my expertise."
"Come on, we can at least review the materials. If it looks solid, we take it."
"Why?"
He sighed in frustration.
"You know this drama's a mega-hit, right? The domestic earnings, overseas deals—it's insane money."
"And?"
"If we take this, our office blows up overnight. Fees would roll in."
"You're saying we take it just for the fame? If we're thinking of the client, we should send her to a firm with experience. Even they would struggle with this."
"I've done copyright cases."
I crossed my arms at Lawyer Kang's claim. A [False] hologram popped up above his head.
⚠ LIE DETECTED ⚠
[False]
"If you're going to keep lying, get out."
"……How did you know?"
"Even a big firm would find this tough against a drama producer. No telling how many years it'd drag on. For our brand-new office, it's way too much."
"Sure, Blue Island Media's big. Wooshin affiliate and all. But if the plagiarism evidence is clear, it's doable."
"What?"
"Huh?"
Kang Minjae blinked in surprise at my interruption.
"Blue Island Media is a Wooshin affiliate?"
"Yeah."
Wooshin Group. I couldn't go full throttle digging into their corruption outright, but handled right, this could splatter some mud on their face. I hadn't planned on poking them yet, but from their perspective, it'd be a minor blip—while nationally, it'd draw huge attention. Not a bad way to prod them.
"Alright, let's review the materials first. Then decide."
He stared at me, stunned by my sudden shift. Ignoring him, I headed back to the consultation table.
"Do you have any documents with you?"
"Yes. I have the summary post I put online, my contest script, per-episode synopses, everything."
She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a USB drive.
"It's all here. Including my 12-episode script."
"You wrote up to episode 12 for a contest submission?"
Kang Minjae took the USB and asked.
"Yes. Most just need four episodes, but Blue Island Media takes up to eight—unlike others. It draws flak for that, but the prize money's the biggest, and even runner-ups get produced within two years. Everyone grits their teeth and does it."
"You went four episodes beyond that."
"Yeah. Figured more volume might impress them, show diligence too. Now I regret it. Should've stopped at eight…… Well, they copied the synopses anyway, so episode 13 matches too."
She sighed softly.
"Did you register the copyright?"
Na Eun-seong nodded stiffly at my question.
"Yes, but late. I didn't know about it at first—total newbie. Heard where to do it and rushed."
"When?"
"Early this year…… The docs are on the USB too."
"Might be after the drama's."
"Sigh, yeah, probably."
"Got it. Episode 13 just aired, so reviewing will take time."
Kang Minjae fetched his laptop, searched quickly, and said.
Plugging in the USB revealed neatly organized folders. Beyond what she'd mentioned, there were submission email receipts with read confirmations, captures of the judges' list compared to the drama's production team. She must've prepped tirelessly before coming here.
"Okay, sure."
"Write your name and contact here. We'll review and let you know if we take the case. Call if anything else comes up."
I handed her my business card and a notepad.
Meanwhile, Kang Minjae started printing her script and synopses.
"Here you go. Can I head out now?"
"Yes. We'll cover key terms when we take it."
"Any consultation fee……?"
"We're new, so free event ongoing, ma'am! Fees we'll discuss if we proceed. Haha, right, Lawyer?"
Kang Minjae chimed in from the copier, laughing heartily. No idea when consultation became free, but better play along. I nodded as if it were always so.
"Exactly."
"Ah, got it. Thank you. I came hearing about Lawyer Cha Juhan's reputation…… Really counting on you."
She bowed and left the office.
Kang Minjae tidied the table, the copier still churning behind him, and glanced at me casually.
"But Lawyer."
"What."
"You said no copyright expertise, then suddenly changed your mind?"
His eyes brimmed with curiosity.
"Felt like a review was worth doing."
"No other reason?"
"Other reason?"
Of course there was. Blue Island Media being a Wooshin affiliate. In my past life, by the time I seriously targeted Wooshin, it'd been absorbed into WS E&M and vanished. Without Kang Minjae pointing it out, I'd have overlooked it.
"Nope? Fine then."
He shrugged it off and approached with two copies of the printed script bundle and her docs. Stapling them episode by episode, his Taegwang-honed efficiency shone through. Good to exploit—er, partner with.
"Split them half-half, Lawyer?"
"Our views might differ anyway, so each review fully."
"Hm. How about getting a TV? VOD for the drama. You'll want news too. I have a spare at home……"
"Buy one—expense it."
"……Yes, sir."
As he shopped for an office TV, I scanned her comparison docs. Remembering her story of the buried blog post, I typed in the URL.
"Hmm."
Beyond the initial comparison, new sections added per episode. Similarities kept emerging with each airing.
📝 Blog Post: Script Comparison
Comparing similarities between SBC drama The Distance Between You and Me (hereinafter Distance) and my script Between Us (hereinafter Between).
Parts Emphasized Throughout the Work
Contrasts the heroine's slum hillside neighborhood in OO-gu with the hero's wealthy enclave down the hill to emphasize their divide—while revealing both in the same district to highlight how close they could be.
Protagonists' Similarities
Heroine
1. Job-seeking grad living in a hillside slum in OO-gu, Seoul.
2. Hobby: Drinking beer while gazing at luxury high-rises in the rich neighborhood below; pities her lot, envies them.
3. Top student; attended elite university via low-income quota, full scholarship.
4. Currently interning at hero's conglomerate.
5. Single-parent family with backstory trauma; she lost memories from the shock.
6. Surviving parent is an alcoholic.
7. Ironclad defenses against hero due to class gap.
Hero
1. Chaebol third-gen in OO-gu's wealthy hillside-view enclave.
2. Rumored playboy, but faking it for hidden reasons.
3. Executive at heroine's internship firm.
4. Same university as heroine.
5. Persistently courts and cares for her.
Supporting Characters' Similarities
Heroine's Brother
1. Ignores studies, wants arts/sports path; resorts to extortion for gear since broke.
2. Idolizes/fears heroine like a parent.
Hero's Secretary: College senior/junior to leads, comic relief. Highly trusted by hero's parents.
Hero's Parents: Unlike typical chaebols, want earnest, kind heroine as daughter-in-law regardless of background.
Common tropes, sure—but the details match Distance and Between down to the finest points. Even titles: same meaning, swapped words. Side characters like heroine's brother/hero's secretary? Just gender-swapped identicals.
Next: Episode similarities……
Even skimming the setup screamed similarities. But I'd need to watch the drama against the script to confirm visuals. Only then could I check if her summary was biased.
"Lawyer Kang."
"Yeah?"
"Read the client's comparison?"
"On the episodes now."
"Thoughts?"
"Pretty blatant? Lots of overlapping dialogue."
Dependence—a key in copyright disputes—was proven by her contest submission and overlapping judges/production staff.
"If we take this……"
"We're taking it?!"
"If. Hypothetical."
"……Yes."
"Injunction to halt broadcasts—good or bad for public opinion?"
Two paths. If the public bought the similarities, they'd cheer it on. Otherwise? A jealous ploy to tank a hit drama.
"Tough call. Float the similarities first, gauge reaction, then decide."
Agreed. Against a conglomerate, no public backing means no court win.
"Sounds like you're leaning toward taking it?"
I closed the post without answering. Just ten comments, half hers. Even clickbait sites ignored it.
"Cut the chatter. When's the TV coming?"
"Tomorrow."
Truth was, like he said, I was leaning yes. Because it was Wooshin.