Chapter 118
“I don’t plan on leaving you easily either, CEO Han.”
I smiled as I said it.
Kim Eunkyung laughed.
“CEO Han, you might want to be careful. It looks like Team Leader Min plans to squeeze every last bit of know-how out of you before he leaves. Hohoho.”
We all laughed off the words, which sounded half like a joke and half like the truth.
Then I added,
“Ah, and when you make the investment proposal to them, I think it would be better to include some sample work as well.”
“Send sample work together with the proposal?”
Kim Eunkyung immediately nodded.
“That sounds like a good idea.”
“Yes. There are plenty of companies over there with the best VFX technology in the world.”
I continued.
“And not long ago, I happened to see some of the work our VFX team had done. I thought the quality was quite high.”
Until Big Picture moved to Mapo, the VFX team had worked from a separate office.
Because of that, there had been almost no interaction between the VFX team and the other departments.
But after the VFX team moved into the Mapo headquarters, we at least became familiar enough to exchange greetings whenever we passed each other in the hallway.
Then, not long ago, I happened to see some footage the VFX team had worked on.
Even as a non-expert, I could tell that the quality was impressive.
“And even if those two companies reject us, if we keep approaching other Hollywood production companies with this same kind of technology-investment proposal, I think one of them will eventually respond.”
Han Taesung nodded in satisfaction.
“Good. Let’s move forward with it!”
“Me? Produce Director Song’s movie?”
Once Kingdom of Crime was officially confirmed as a co-production between Big Picture and New Wave, Song Jaehyun and I offered Baek Seonghan the position of main producer.
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“Director Song is comfortable working with you, and I think you’re someone we can trust with the project.”
“I mean, if it’s one of Director Song’s projects, I’m always interested, but...”
For some reason, Baek Seonghan trailed off cautiously.
I thought I knew why.
“If you’re worried about Seungjoon hyung, you don’t need to be.”
Baek Seonghan knew very well that Cha Seungjoon had been supporting Director Song from beside him in every way for a long time.
If Baek Seonghan suddenly became the main producer now, it might look as though he were pushing Cha Seungjoon aside.
So naturally, Baek Seonghan had to be careful.
“Then PD Cha knows about this too?”
This time, Song Jaehyun answered first.
“I talked to Seungjoon.”
“He said he’d be fine as a line producer, but he still feels it would be too much pressure for him to take on the main producer role.”
Since 2007, because of the industry downturn, Cha Seungjoon had been unable to work on films.
He had occasionally worked on dramas, but it seemed he still felt too much pressure to take full responsibility as the main producer of a movie.
“Really?”
Baek Seonghan relaxed.
“Then of course I should do it.”
He said the movie he was currently working on would soon finish editing, so he could join us immediately afterward.
And just like that, the main producer for Kingdom of Crime was decided.
The film finally began moving into full production.
Meanwhile, Writer Seo Kyunghee and Director Kang Daesun’s drama Remember Me came to an end.
Its final episode recorded a peak rating of 1.45 percent, the highest rating among general programming channel dramas at the time.
“This is all thanks to you, Team Leader Min.”
Inside a private annex of an upscale Korean restaurant, YTBS Division Director Jung Wonki raised his glass toward me across a table filled with luxurious dishes.
I instinctively picked up my own glass and clinked it against his.
“No. I’m the one who made it this far because of you, Division Director.”
“Thank you.”
Then Yoon Mooseul, Director of YTBS’s Drama Department, who had come with Jung Wonki, raised his own glass last.
“Well, at least you know that much.”
He grinned.
“Honestly, our Division Director covered for you a lot, Team Leader Min.”
“So you’d better treat him well from now on. Got it?”
Director Yoon kept joking around, clearly trying to please his superior, who was younger than him.
On the day our first drama began airing, Jung Wonki had said that if the drama ended successfully, he would arrange a separate meal for us.
And as though keeping that promise, he had invited only me to this Korean restaurant today, leaving out the other Big Picture employees.
Naturally, I assumed this dinner had been arranged to discuss another drama production offer for the next programming slot.
But strangely...
The meal was almost over, yet neither Jung Wonki nor Director Yoon had said a single word about producing another drama.
“By the way, the lineup for your next dramas looks pretty good too.”
“The next dramas?”
Director Yoon shook his head as though even thinking about it gave him a headache.
“Don’t even get me started.”
“We somehow filled the programming slots, but every production company is struggling to cast actors.”
“I was constantly worried one of the dramas might end up missing its broadcast date.”
I comforted him by saying that actors still had a poor image of general programming channels, but that things would gradually improve.
“Yeah. I really hope so.”
Then Director Yoon suddenly seemed to remember something.
“Oh, right.”
“I heard this recently too.”
He looked at me with bright eyes.
“Apparently, Team Leader Min is very close with Starlight?”
I smiled.
“Ah, yes.”
“I was involved with Starlight from the time it was established, so the actors there and I are all basically like family.”
“Really?”
Director Yoon looked impressed.
“As expected. A capable person really is different.”
He said that if he had known earlier, he would have asked me for help when they were struggling with casting.
“Of course.”
I smiled.
“From now on, if you need anything, feel free to contact me anytime.”
Then I subtly guided the conversation toward future programming.
“And if you continue working with Big Picture, you won’t have to lose sleep over actor-related issues.”
At that moment...
Jung Wonki, who had been silently listening to my conversation with Director Yoon the entire time, finally spoke.
