Chapter 195
“How many episodes of the script are finished? We’ve only seen Episodes 1 and 2.”
Jessica asked almost impatiently.
I answered with a relaxed smile.
“All twelve episodes are already complete.”
“I’m thinking of splitting them into Seasons 1 and 2, six episodes each, and releasing them with some time between the two seasons.”
“Oh my, the entire script is already finished?”
Jessica laughed brightly, clearly pleased.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’d been preparing for this in advance. Hoho.”
Preparing for this? Of course I was.
But I obviously couldn’t tell her that I had even held a competition just to find stories like this for this exact day.
“Exactly.”
“We happened to have a project in development that seemed like a perfect fit for Network Flex.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
This time, Thomas spoke.
“Then what about the director?”
“Since the writer is a newcomer, it would be easier for us to persuade headquarters if the director has at least some recognition.”
“Of course.”
“We’re already in contact with someone.”
“Really?”
Everyone’s eyes brightened with anticipation.
I turned toward Ju Hanyoung.
As if he had been waiting, he spoke.
“We’re currently considering Director Heo Jinhyuk.”
“Director Heo Jinhyuk?”
Ju Hanyoung quickly pulled up Heo Jinhyuk’s profile on the tablet.
“In Korea, he already received strong results at both domestic and international film festivals with his film Rampage.”
“He’s especially known for his cinematography and mise-en-scène.”
“He hasn’t had a major commercial blockbuster yet, but we believe he’s the most suitable director for this project.”
The Network Flex staff looked through Heo Jinhyuk’s profile with interest.
“These are selected clips from some of his previous works.”
I showed them more of his filmography.
“Look at this visual sense and atmosphere.”
“Don’t you think it fits this drama perfectly?”
Jessica nodded as she watched the footage.
“There’s definitely a distinctive feeling.”
“It’s dark and eerie, but there’s also a dreamlike beauty to it.”
“Exactly.”
I nodded.
“If Director Heo handles it, he’ll be able to capture both the elegance of the Joseon era and the horror of zombies at the same time.”
Baek Seonghan immediately jumped in.
“You said you were already in contact with him....”
Daniel, who had been continuously checking things in his notebook, looked up.
“Yes.”
“In fact, Director Heo really liked the script.”
“He said he wants to do it.”
Ju Hanyoung paused and glanced toward me.
“But....”
He was silently asking whether he should mention the next part.
“Why?”
Jessica quickly noticed the exchange between us.
“Is there some kind of problem?”
“There is one condition Director Heo gave us.”
I answered in Ju Hanyoung’s place.
“And it’s something we need to discuss with Network Flex.”
“What condition?”
Daniel tilted his head.
“He wants full final-cut authority.”
The trend in Korea had already begun shifting final editing authority away from directors and toward production companies and investors.
In Hollywood, more than eighty percent of that authority had long since been controlled by the studio side.
“Ah....”
The Network Flex staff exchanged awkward looks at the unexpected demand.
After hesitating, Jessica spoke.
“I think we’ll have to discuss this with headquarters.”
“Final-cut authority is an important issue for us too.”
I remained silent for a moment, thinking.
Honestly, I didn’t believe Heo Jinhyuk would be rejected.
Because before my regression, Heo Jinhyuk had also directed Kingdom of Blood.
And he had almost certainly demanded the exact same condition back then as he was now.
That meant Network Flex had accepted it in the original timeline too.
Still, I couldn’t afford to relax.
I needed a backup plan in case something changed.
While I was briefly lost in thought, Thomas continued.
“Even so, I think the project itself should pass headquarters fairly easily.”
He spoke with a hint of pride, explaining that headquarters mostly received reports as a formality and that the actual decision-making authority over projects had already been delegated to them.
“That’s right.”
Daniel nodded along.
“The important thing is getting the project approved.”
“As for the director... well, to put it bluntly, directors can even be replaced midway through production if necessary.”
I immediately answered in a firm tone.
“I’m sorry, but if it isn’t Director Heo Jinhyuk, then we’ll withdraw this project from consideration.”
Everyone on the Network Flex side froze.
Even the people on our side turned toward one another in surprise.
“Director Min, isn’t that a little too one-sided?”
“I’m sorry.”
“But visual direction and mise-en-scène are absolutely essential to this project.”
“That’s why Director Heo Jinhyuk must direct it.”
I made it clear that if Heo Jinhyuk couldn’t direct Kingdom of Blood, I would rather propose another project entirely.
“Oh.”
“We also have a thriller about a serial killer among our projects.”
“It doesn’t have quite the same impact as Kingdom of Blood, but it’s still a very good story.”
Jessica, Daniel, and Thomas all looked visibly shaken.
That was understandable.
They had already been captivated by the intense premise and imagery of Kingdom of Blood.
At this point, no other story was going to feel as appealing.
“Director Min.”
Jessica spoke as politely as possible.
“We’ll discuss this carefully with headquarters again.”
“So please wait until then.”
“Of course.”
“But I’ll say it one more time.”
“Kingdom of Blood cannot be made without Director Heo Jinhyuk.”
The meeting ended there.
And one month later....
Despite the somewhat unreasonable demand that the director retain final-cut authority, Network Flex ultimately approved Heo Jinhyuk.
They simply couldn’t bring themselves to let go of a story as compelling as Kingdom of Blood.
“Director Heo Jinhyuk, congratulations on being selected to direct Network Flex’s first Korean original series, Kingdom of Blood.”
“Could you share your thoughts?”
Inside a book café in Gangnam, Director Heo Jinhyuk was giving an interview after officially being announced as the director of Network Flex’s first Korean original series.
Network Flex had suggested a formal press conference or media event.
But we had deliberately chosen a niche-marketing strategy that minimized information exposure.
We believed that an in-depth interview in a refined setting would create greater public curiosity about the project and elevate the prestige of a production still hidden behind a veil.
At the reporter’s question, Heo Jinhyuk slowly answered.
“First, I’d like to thank Network Flex and Big Picture for giving me such a great opportunity.”
“This project is a zombie thriller drama set during the Joseon era.”
“It will be a work where traditional Korean beauty meets modern horror.”
“Director, Network Flex is a platform available in more than 190 countries worldwide.”
“And this is also the first Korean original being produced for the platform.”
“Does that put pressure on you?”
Despite the reporter’s sharp question, Heo Jinhyuk answered with a relaxed smile.
“I’d be lying if I said there was no pressure.”
“But at the same time, I also saw it as an incredible opportunity.”
“I’m confident this can become a meaningful milestone that shows the world the strength of Korean content and Korean stories.”
His voice was filled with confidence.
“This question isn’t directly related to the project, but what do you think gives Korean content its competitive edge?”
“Hmm....”
Heo Jinhyuk thought briefly.
“I’d say storytelling.”
“Korea has thousands of years of history and culture.”
“Our strength lies in taking those deep stories and expressing them with a modern sensibility.”
“Kingdom of Blood will prove that.”
The industry reaction to the interview was intense.
“So Network Flex is finally making its first Korean original.”
“I heard it’s a zombie series.”
“And apparently it’s set in the Joseon era.”
Chungmuro, broadcasters, and investment firms all began buzzing.
“They chose smart.”
“You could never make a hardcore genre piece like that under the strict censorship standards of Korean terrestrial broadcasters or in a production environment stuffed with PPL.”
“They’re basically saying, ‘Come to our platform and you can watch things like this.’”
“And they’re going to pour an enormous budget into it just to mock the limitations of television.”
As the conversation continued, the energy in their voices gradually faded.
“Well, is there even a domestic channel that could handle something on that scale?”
“The level of expression is one thing, but the sheer production scale is completely different.”
“I am curious how it’ll turn out.”
“Tch, curious?”
“They’re about to steal our entire market.”
“I’m so jealous it physically hurts.”
“Anyway, I heard the whole idea came from Big Picture?”
“Ah, Director Min Kibaek?”
“Well, who else besides that guy would even dare attempt something that bold?”
Rumors about me had already been steadily growing throughout the industry ever since Song Jaehyun’s Kingdom of Crime.
Listening to the industry gossip, I couldn’t help but smirk.
Some people are just destined to succeed?
Anyone who had known me before my regression would never have said something like that.
Back then, the phrase that followed me everywhere had been the exact opposite.
The guy who fails no matter what he does.
Either way, public reaction was just as heated as the industry response.
Online communities and social media exploded with news about Kingdom of Blood.
[↳ Oh! This is insane. Hahaha. Zombies in the Joseon era?]
[↳ Damn, Director Heo Jinhyuk! I loved Rampage. I’m seriously looking forward to this.]
[↳ Network Flex is making a Korean drama? That’s wild. So is it going to be in English?]
[↳ Probably not dubbed in English, but it’ll definitely have English subtitles.]
[↳ Well, Americans are going to watch it too. LOL.]
Within moments, hundreds of comments filled the thread.
There were negative comments too, but the overwhelming response was excitement and anticipation.
Hanshin Media.
Head of the Content Business Division’s office.
After moving to Hanshin Media, I had been given a private office.
At first, working alone in such a large room felt strangely quiet.
But I decided to enjoy that too.
On my computer monitor were the real-time search rankings from various portal sites.
[Network Flex]
[Kingdom of Blood]
[Network Flex Korean Original]
[Director Heo Jinhyuk]
All of them were ranked near the top.
The start is good.
I turned away from the monitor and looked out the window.
Before my regression, Kingdom of Blood had become a massive worldwide success.
Only one month after Season 1 was released, it had reached tenth place on the global chart.
That success had elevated the standing of Korean dramas another level.
And it had opened a new chapter for the Korean Wave.
It’ll happen again this time.
No.
This time, it would go even further.
Because this time....
I had designed the entire board from the beginning.
And this was nothing more than the first stepping stone on the road Hanshin Media...
No.
On the road I intended to walk.
