Chapter 189
Han Myunghee’s voice was low, but sharp.
I met her gaze without the slightest hesitation.
“Yes.”
“I’m confident.”
“Is that so?”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Then can you prove it?”
Her stare seemed determined to pierce straight through me.
Prove it?
I was caught off guard by the unexpected demand.
Prove what, exactly?
Just then, Han Taesung quickly cut in, as though asking what kind of scheme she was trying to pull.
“Chairwoman, this business is structured so that it’ll take at least two years after launch to reach our target break-even point.”
“So what exactly do you mean by ‘prove it’?”
“I’m not finished talking!”
Han Myunghee cut him off, her brow furrowing in irritation.
The chairman’s office instantly fell into a silence cold enough to feel like ice water had been poured over the room.
After taking a moment to compose herself, Han Myunghee continued in a calmer voice.
“Fine.”
“If this business succeeds the way you say it will, it could become a stepping stone for Hanshin Media to grow into a global company.”
“But isn’t that only possible after you prove that the content we create can actually succeed in the global market?”
Wait.
What she means is...
“You said it yourself just a moment ago.”
“You’re going to use Network Flex to test the potential of Korean content.”
“So prove it with that.”
“If you can’t even produce meaningful results on Network Flex, then wouldn’t this business already be as good as a failure?”
Han Myunghee gave a faint smile.
“So what you mean is that you want us to produce a visible result on Network Flex.”
“Exactly.”
“And some mediocre result won’t be enough.”
She leaned back slightly.
“At the very least... shouldn’t it rank within the top ten percent before you can claim Korean content works with audiences around the world?”
This was basically a wager.
I nearly let out a disbelieving laugh.
Ha.
How can siblings be so alike?
I suddenly remembered when I first joined Big Picture and Han Taesung had challenged me to a bet over a film’s box-office performance.
“Did you just laugh?”
Han Myunghee’s eyebrow twitched in displeasure.
“Ah, no.”
“Ahem.”
I lightly waved my hands, then immediately drove the point home.
“Fine.”
“I’ll prove it.”
Global top ten?
According to my memories from before the regression, Kingdom of Blood had entered Network Flex’s global top ten barely a month after streaming began.
And before even three months had passed, it had reached an astonishing fifth place worldwide.
“Network Flex compiles rankings by country as well as global rankings.”
“Would entering the global top ten be enough?”
From my perspective, I was almost grateful she had proposed a wager like this.
But Han Taesung had no way of knowing what I knew, and his complexion visibly changed.
When Kibaek first said he wanted to use Network Flex to test the potential of Korean content, Han Taesung had never imagined anything as specific as placing in the global top ten.
Among countless massive productions backed by capital from around the world, breaking into the top ten with Korean content alone....
That went beyond mere success.
It was practically a miracle.
And now Kibaek was betting with Han Myunghee over something close to a miracle.
Then Han Myunghee noticed the change in Han Taesung’s expression.
Judging by the atmosphere, she addressed him directly.
“CEO Han doesn’t seem to agree.”
“Don’t tell me that young man is just spouting nonsense on his own.”
It was a probing question.
Han Taesung hesitated.
She was forcing him to decide.
Would he dismiss this as nothing more than reckless bravado from an employee who didn’t know better?
Or would he, as CEO, put his own name behind this insane wager?
In that brief moment, Han Taesung’s eyes quickly turned toward me.
I didn’t avoid his gaze.
I stared back with absolute certainty.
Before long, resolve hardened on Han Taesung’s face.
“Yes.”
“I agree with him.”
“Director Min’s judgment has never been wrong even once until now.”
Han Myunghee’s eyebrow twitched at the unexpectedly firm response.
Then a strange smile appeared on her lips.
“Ha.”
“Judgment that has never been wrong even once.”
“Impressive.”
“Fine.”
“Then I’ll approve the initial investment of four hundred billion won.”
“But you will prove what you just said.”
Han Myunghee warned that if they failed, the price Han Taesung would pay would go far beyond merely surrendering his CEO position.
She continued pushing him right until the very end.
Yet there was also a strange hint of expectation and interest in her expression.
“Oh, and as for the two cable channels Hanshin Media wants to sell, I’ll speak to CEO Go at Hanshin Logistics.”
“You two can work out the details yourselves.”
“Yes.”
Han Taesung answered shortly.
“Tch.”
“Not even a thank-you?”
Han Taesung smirked.
“I’m increasing your wealth either way.”
“Am I really the one who should be thanking you?”
As we left the chairman’s office, Han Taesung patted me on the shoulder.
“Good work.”
“Now we can finally fasten the first button for real. Hahaha.”
“No.”
“Thank you for trusting me all the way to the end, CEO Han.”
Han Taesung stopped walking and turned toward me.
“But...”
“You really are confident, right?”
“Network Flex global top ten.”
I smiled.
“Honestly, I almost said top five instead.”
Han Taesung stared at me blankly for a second.
Then he burst out laughing.
“Hahaha.”
“Your confidence really is something else.”
“Though since that confidence keeps turning into reality, I suppose I can’t call it mere confidence anymore. Hahaha.”
Just then, the phone in my hand vibrated briefly.
A text message.
I opened it.
[How did it go? Did the Chairwoman approve it?]
“It’s Executive Director Baek.”
“He must be wondering what happened.”
“Ah.”
Han Taesung let out a short sigh as though his head was already beginning to hurt.
“We’ve got a lot to do starting now.”
“We need to restructure both Hanshin Media and Big Picture.”
“And we have to form the Network Flex team quickly and finalize that contract.”
I replied to Baek Seonghan.
[There were a few conditions, but we got approval. I’ll explain everything when we get there. CEO Han and I are heading to Big Picture now.]
Big Picture, sixth floor.
When we entered the CEO’s office, Kim Eunkyung and Baek Seonghan greeted us as if they had been waiting.
“I heard from Executive Director Baek.”
“The Chairwoman approved it.”
“Congratulations, CEO Han.”
Kim Eunkyung greeted Han Taesung with congratulations as he entered.
“It’s too early to celebrate.”
“We only got through one hurdle.”
Han Taesung sank deep into the sofa and loosened his tie.
Kim Eunkyung and Baek Seonghan glanced toward me, wondering what he meant.
“The Chairwoman approved only the initial investment of four hundred billion won.”
“She said she’ll decide the rest depending on how things go.”
“So that’s what you meant in your text when you said there were conditions attached....”
Baek Seonghan muttered, remembering my message.
“What exactly are the conditions?”
Kim Eunkyung asked anxiously.
I explained in detail what had happened with Han Myunghee that day.
“So the decision on additional investment depends on the results we produce on Network Flex....”
Kim Eunkyung frowned with concern.
“Still, after already investing four hundred billion won, surely she wouldn’t shut the whole business down just because we fail to make the top ten?”
Baek Seonghan tried to sound optimistic.
“It’s probably just a condition meant to make us stake everything on the project.”
“I don’t think the Chairwoman imposed that condition because she intends to cancel the business either.”
Kim Eunkyung still looked uneasy.
“But knowing her personality... if we fail to meet the condition, she’ll definitely hold CEO Han heavily responsible.”
Baek Seonghan’s optimism did little to ease her anxiety.
“Director Min.”
He looked at me uncertainly.
“Is it really possible for our content to enter Network Flex’s global top ten?”
I smiled with complete confidence.
“Of course.”
“I accepted the condition because I believe we can do it.”
“Ha....”
Baek Seonghan grabbed his head and sighed, looking like he had no idea whether he should trust me or not.
Then Han Taesung, who had been quietly listening, spoke.
“Either way, what we have to do hasn’t changed.”
“Make good content.”
“That’s all.”
“If anything has changed, it’s that we need to approach it even more fiercely than before.”
Han Taesung said the condition could actually serve as good motivation.
“And what matters most right now is rebuilding the organization through restructuring.”
“Only then can we move on to the next step.”
All of us nodded.
“Then when are you planning to begin the restructuring?”
“As soon as we’re ready.”
Han Taesung answered firmly.
“I already scheduled a meeting with Director Song Jaehyun tomorrow.”
“I’m going to talk to him about becoming CEO of Big Picture.”
“Then should I come with you?”
Kim Eunkyung asked.
I shook my head.
“No.”
“I’ll bring it up with him first.”
“If I can’t convince him, then I’ll ask you to step in.”
“All right.”
“Let’s do that.”
From there, we reviewed everything required to bring Big Picture under Hanshin Media as a label.
The VFX Business Division’s conversion into an independent corporation.
Hanshin Media’s organizational restructuring.
The reorganization of each business division.
We kept meeting late into the night, working through the mountain of tasks one by one.
The following afternoon.
A café near Big Picture.
Since lunchtime had already passed, the café was quiet.
As soon as I entered, I spotted Director Song Jaehyun sitting by the window and quickly approached.
“Director, you got here early.”
“No.”
“I just arrived too.”
“Sorry for asking you to make time when you’re busy.”
Three months earlier, Song Jaehyun had finished the script for his next film, I Can See the Money.
He was now deep into casting, aiming to begin filming in September.
“It’s fine.”
“I’m not that busy yet.”
“Casting is almost finished, right?”
“Only the female lead is left.”
“But once they hear she’ll be acting opposite Moon Hyunbin, most people are pretty positive about it.”
As the next film from a Palme d’Or-winning director, casting had gone as smoothly as a ship sailing with the wind behind it.
“That’s good.”
“It’s such a highly anticipated project.”
Song Jaehyun took a sip of the coffee he had ordered, then looked at me curiously.
“So why did you insist on meeting outside instead of at the company?”
“Director, you’ve probably heard the general story already.”
“You know Big Picture was supposed to merge into Hanshin Media, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I heard something along those lines....”
I briefly explained what had happened between Hanshin Media and Big Picture.
“So Big Picture is staying independent as a label.”
“That’s a relief.”
Song Jaehyun nodded.
“But an OTT platform business?”
“Isn’t that something that costs a ridiculous amount of money?”
“The initial investment alone will be around four hundred to five hundred billion won.”
“And even after launch, we’re expecting to invest at least another one hundred billion won per year for at least two years.”
“Good lord.”
“So at minimum, it’s a seven-hundred-billion-won business....”
Song Jaehyun was left speechless by the enormous figure.
He sat there blankly for a moment.
Then he suddenly looked at me as though something didn’t add up.
“But why are you telling me all this...?”
“Director.”
I paused briefly.
“The reason I asked to meet today is because I have a proposal...”
“No.”
“A favor to ask.”
Song Jaehyun looked awkward at how serious I had suddenly become.
“What kind of favor has you looking that dramatic?”
I took a slow breath.
Then I spoke directly.
“I’d like you to become the CEO of Big Picture.”
