Chapter 6 – I Don’t Want to Do This Again!

"Wh-What? H-Huh! K-Kang PD...!"

Shin Gyodae was shocked as if he had seen a ghost when he saw Kang Dongsoo.

Dongsoo frowned and said,

"Damn it! Even if you have to cry, you should do what needs to be done and then cry!"

"What do you mean by that all of a sudden?"

"I'm talking about the preview! The preview! You were in charge of it, right? But what? We can go without a preview? Is the PD going to half-ass it because the program is failing? Because this guy is slacking off! Should I roll out the old FM again?!"

"Ah!?"

Shin Gyodae's face turned pale.

He remembered the time when he was a newbie and got a severe scolding from Dongsoo.

Shin Gyodae, sweating coldly, thought,

'If this continues, I'm done for!'

He jumped up, stood at attention, and shouted,

"No! I did make the preview, but I stopped there!"

"Then why didn't you finish it?"

"Well...! PD Gong Socheol told me not to..."

"What? Gong Socheol...?"

At that moment, a sharp voice was heard.

"Hey, you bastard. Are you looking for my assistant director?"

Dongsoo frowned.

'This voice... '

He looked at where the voice came from and saw PD Gong Socheol, who was as thin as a grasshopper, glaring at him.

Dongsoo stood up and asked,

"Is Shin PD your assistant director? Did he go to 'Popular Music'?"

"Yeah, you bastard! Why are you poking around?"

"......"

Dongsoo thought the situation had become very messy.

He had asked Park Jihye to edit the preview, but he didn't have high hopes.

'I was planning to get Shin Gyodae to stay up all night and finish the preview... '

But he ended up on the 'Popular Music' team!

'Gong Socheol... He wouldn't allow Shin Gyodae to help my program.'

His plan had gone awry.

Gong Socheol sneered and said,

"You're in charge of directing 'Puppy and I,' right?"

"......"

"You're a mad dog. You don't even know if it's poop or soybean paste, and you just bite! You're just a mop-up pitcher! You don't want to take on the failed program, so you have no choice but to... "

At that moment, Dongsoo shouted loudly,

"Senior! "

"What, what...?"

"Stop right there!!!"

Gong Socheol swallowed hard and asked,

"W-What will you do if I continue!?"

Dongsoo bared his white teeth and smiled, then said,

"You'll be bitten by a mad dog. It will hurt a lot!"

"......"

"......"

"Mad bastard... If you approach our assistant director again, I'll deal with it! Hey! Shin Gyodae!"

"Yes!"

"Follow me!"

Shin Gyodae glanced at Dongsoo, bowed his head, and quickly followed Gong Socheol.

Dongsoo watched the two of them leave, scratching the back of his head and thinking,

'If this happens, I'll have to finish editing the preview... find a new writer... and edit the next episode... '

"Do I have to plan the remaining two episodes as well?"

Dongsoo chuckled and muttered,

"I'll have to work my ass off."

He looked at the convenience store.

'I should buy some snacks for the junior. What does he like?'

'Are you the junior?'

'Then eat what I eat!'

= = = = = = =

Dongsoo opened the door to the 'Puppy and I' editing room.

There, Park Jihye was focused on the screen, unaware of his arrival.

Dongsoo carefully placed the convenience store bag and looked at the screen she was editing.

Then...

'What? She said she's never done this before... but she's quite skilled?'

The screen wasn't a masterpiece, but she was making a clean and basic preview.

Dongsoo watched her edit quietly.

Then...

'Noise? Did she hear it from the headphones?'

Dongsoo thought for a moment and then said to Park Jihye,

"Junior, stop for a moment!"

"Ah! PD Kang!?"

She took off her headphones and asked awkwardly,

"When did you come in?"

"I just got here. More importantly, let me see the clip you just cut."

"Ah, this one?"

Dongsoo nodded and put on the headphones.

"Sure, play it. Turn up the volume!"

"Okay."

Dongsoo focused on the headphones.

Then...

He heard the noise!

'Wow, Gaon is impressive. How did she hear this?'

It was a cold voice, but it sounded quite arrogant.

Dongsoo chuckled and said to Park Jihye,

"Cut 3 seconds from the end of this scene."

"Why?"

Instead of answering, Dongsoo put the headphones on her and pressed play.

A moment later, Park Jihye was startled.

"Ah!"

Dongsoo smiled and said,

"From now on, edit with the sound turned up."

"Okay..."

Park Jihye lowered her head.

Then she looked puzzled.

'But PD Kang... How did he hear the noise? I was the only one wearing the headphones...'

At that moment, Dongsoo handed her the convenience store bag and said,

"I bought this without knowing what you like."

"Ah! Thank you."

"You're doing a good job with the editing. Is this really your first time?"

"Yes! It really is my first time!"

"Wow, you're a genius. A genius! Our junior is a genius!"

Park Jihye blushed and looked embarrassed.

"Genius? No, I'm not..."

"Haha, I'm serious. I really am!"

Dongsoo jumped up from his seat and shouted,

"Great. Since the junior is working hard, I have to work hard too!"

"Where are you going?"

"Where? I need to find a writer!"

After the next episode's video editing is done, he needs to decide on the subtitles and send them to the subtitle room.

And he needs to plan the remaining two episodes and write the scripts...

He needs to find a new writer.

Park Jihye asked worriedly,

"Can we find a new writer?"

Dongsoo chuckled and said,

"The world is wide and there are many writers! Wait, junior!"

Then he ran out of the editing room.

Park Jihye watched him with a tilted head.

'He seems completely different from what I heard about the senior...'

= = = = = = =

Dongsoo came out of the editing room and went to the meeting room.

He looked at the whiteboard where he had written down the tasks he needed to do and pondered.

'There are many writers, but I can't just pick anyone.'

If he picks the wrong writer, the show could be a mess.

'Well, the program is already a mess...'

Still, he wants to work with a proper... no, a passionate writer.

He wants to ask his friend Im Hyesook.

But...

'Is Im writer working on three programs now?'

Asking her for help is like asking her to work herself to death.

'Even if I do the subtitles for the next episode, I can't go without a script for the remaining two episodes!'

Dongsoo decided to post a job ad and try to find someone.

'I should ask CP Kim and Daechul, and ask Im writer to recommend someone.'

Then he noticed the Ensemble System icon floating beside him.

'This is for casting the cast, right?'

Then...

'I don't need it yet.'

'What do you mean?'

He thought it was strange, but then remembered that the Ensemble System had been updated.

Dongsoo touched the Ensemble System icon.

【Ensemble System (Ensemble system)】

【Update Summary: Variety shows are not just about the cast. The staff is equally important. This update adds a function for staff composition.】

Dongsoo's eyes widened.

'A function for staff composition?'

The Ensemble System started.

【Ensemble System (Ensemble system)】

【Please select the program to apply the system to.】

【After selecting the program, create a staff list and a cast list!】

【The system will inform you of the ensemble between the program, staff, and cast.】

【Number of times the system can be applied: 1】

Then Gaon said,

"Gaon, you... "

"......"

Dongsoo smiled and replied,

"OK!"

And...

"Apply the system! 'Puppy and I'."

【The Ensemble System has been applied to 'Puppy and I'.】

A new notification appeared.

【Press 1 to compose the staff, or 2 to compose the cast. '1' / '2'】

Dongsoo pressed 1.

【Which staff member's ensemble with the program would you like to check?】

'Writer.'

【No registered writers. Please register writer information.】

Dongsoo tilted his head.

"Writer information?"

"How do I register it?"

'Name...?'

Dongsoo thought for a moment and then said awkwardly,

"Im Hyesook... "

He mentioned a familiar name.

【Is it Im Hyesook (32 years old / July 13 / B type / Female)?】

【Yes / No】

Dongsoo touched 'Yes'.

【Im Hyesook has been registered in the writer list.】

【The hacking rate is 0%. Only basic information is registered.】

【The ensemble score error rate is ±1%.】

【To reduce the error, more information is needed.】

【Ensemble score: 84 points (B grade)】

"Gaon, is 84 points high?"

"How are the grades divided?"

-Ding

A notification appeared.

【Ensemble Grade Table】

【S grade: 95 points or more】

【A grade: 94 points to 85 points】

【B grade: 84 points to 75 points】

【C grade: 74 points to 55 points】

【D grade: 54 points to 35 points】

【F grade: 34 points or less】

Dongsoo looked at the grade table and thought,

'So it's divided like this.'

This made him want to work with Im Hyesook even more.

He knew she was working on three programs, but...

'Should I at least ask?'

After thinking for a moment...

Dongsoo made a decision.

"Great! Let's contact her!"

└Kang Dongsoo: Im writer, are you free tonight?

The reply came quickly.

└Im writer: Why?

└Kang Dongsoo: I want to buy you a meal as a thank you for the Vitamin 500! How about Chinese food?

└Im writer: Okay.

└Kang Dongsoo: 7 PM at Jinlongcheng, okay?

└Im writer: Okay.

Dongsoo made an appointment with Im Hyesook and stood up.

"I should also ask Daechul and CP to send me a list of writers."

He left the meeting room with a wry smile.

'If I had known... I should have kept the writers' numbers. I deleted them for no reason.'

'Well... There were various reasons, but to sum it up... I didn't plan to return to the variety department.'

'That was...'

"......"

To achieve his dream?

Dongsoo chuckled.

'No, I didn't return to achieve my dream.'

No matter how hard he tried, he might not achieve his dream.

Dongsoo knew this well.

But he returned to the variety department...

'Even if I fail, I want to try my hardest to achieve my dream!'

"Will it be okay? It's really frustrating."

"Still, at least... I won't regret it. I don't want to do this again!"

"......?"

Dongsoo chuckled and said,

"I'll handle it."

= = = = = = =

Dongsoo met CP Kim Minjae and PD Park Daechul and asked them to introduce him to some writers they knew.

CP Kim Minjae agreed.

But PD Park Daechul looked uncomfortable.

"Most of the writers I know are in the documentary field... Is that okay?"

Park Daechul had worked in the education department for nearly 10 years before moving to the variety department due to circumstances.

So most of the writers he knew were documentary or educational news program writers.

But Dongsoo couldn't be picky.

"Of course. I'll ask you!"

"Got it. I'll do my best to find someone. Oh! How about asking Im writer?"

Dongsoo smiled and said,

"I already made an appointment!"