Chapter 36

Jang Kyung-jun, the CEO of Rainbow Entertainment, had been enjoying happy days lately.

After all, he had gained the greatest benefit from a very small decision.

He wondered if this was what it meant to sit on a pile of money.

The synergy between the success of Pure Macho and the OST chart topper.

The sudden rise of Purple Girls immediately led to an increase in the company's value.

A new term, 'Purple Girls Coin,' even emerged online.

Suddenly, he recalled the day he met both Kim Jin-woo and Lee Min-ju.

"What would have happened if I had chosen Lee Min-ju that day?"

At the time, Lee Min-ju had proposed a supporting role.

Now, it was struggling to stay above 10%.

What if he had chosen Lee Min-ju?

He almost traded a goose that lays golden eggs for a second-rate lottery ticket.

Beep beep beep──

At that moment, the secretary's team called him on the landline.

"Hello? Why?"

-CEO, Mr. Kim has arrived.

"Mr. Kim? K, Kim Jin-woo?"

-Yes. But his attire...

"Tell him to come in quickly!"

-Yes, I understand.

A moment later, Jin-woo appeared in the CEO's office.

But his attire was as unusual as the secretary had said.

"Ah... Mr. Writer?"

"Yes."

He was wearing a backpack, a hiking hat, and socks that covered his calves.

He even wore combat boots.

"Mr. Writer... Where are you going today?"

"Yes. I'm going to Busan for research."

"Ah... Good luck."

The CEO was taken aback by Jin-woo's stern face.

'Did our kids do something wrong?'

It was rare to meet since Jin-woo was in Japan for a schedule.

"I'll get straight to the point."

"Yes, please speak."

Ah, finally, the inevitable has come.

He had been wondering if giving a bribe was polite or impolite.

Perhaps because he was young, he came straight to the point.

"I've been working on my next work for quite some time."

"Yes? Why do you suddenly say that...?"

"Let's work on the next work together."

It was already known to those who should know.

The fact that Writer Kim Jin-woo and Director Song Kwon-soo were collaborating.

The CEO swallowed hard and waited for the next words.

"Is Miss Miling busy these days?"

"Miss Miling?"

Immediately after, Kim Jin-woo called Director Song.

And as soon as Miling's casting was completed, he left for Busan.

* * *

One month later,

It had been a month since Writer Kim Jin-woo left for Busan.

Although he contacted occasionally, it was common for him to be out of touch for a week at a time.

"Is this how all writers are?"

Suddenly, he said he had to go to an island to write.

Or he said he would write at someone else's company and asked for help.

"Hmm…."

Saerom reviewed the script up to the 10th episode that Jin-woo had sent.

On the other hand, it was a clean and concise script without any unnecessary parts.

Knock, knock─

"Come in."

Manager Jung immediately asked the team leader Byun, who had responded to her call.

"Team Leader Byun, will there be any issues with the first broadcast of Pure Macho in Japan today?"

"Yes! It will be broadcast normally on Fuji TV."

Saerom chose Japan as the first country for overseas rights export.

She secured a contract directly with Fuji TV, which mainly broadcasts Korean dramas.

'When did Manager Jung establish connections in Japan...?'

Team Leader Byun looked at Saerom with admiration.

Since this kind of melodrama has always been popular in Japan.

She expected it to at least break even in Japan.

"Is Netflix still hesitating?"

"Yes. We keep in touch, but their conditions are a bit too high... It's at a standstill."

"Hmm, I see."

"... They keep bringing up the pre-contract with Japan."

"If it gets too difficult, let me know. I'll contact them myself."

Team Leader Byun paused for a moment before continuing.

"Actually, Disney+ might be a good option with very favorable conditions."

"That's too much of a gamble. Let's prioritize Netflix for now."

"Yes, Manager."

Beep beep beep─

At that moment, the PD of the KBC variety pilot program contacted Saerom.

"Yes. PD, this is Manager Jung Saerom."

-Actually, we've already started filming. I was wondering if there are any additional actors.

"Jang Jun, Kim Hyun-ji, and Miling, three in total."

-Ah... Director Song said a few more could be added.

"Let's start with the three main characters, and I'll let you know if we add more."

-Yes, I'll keep that in mind.

All preparations were complete.

Thanks to the involvement of two senior members of KBC, the production of the two-episode variety show was swift.

Jang Jun, a former child actor.

Kim Hyun-ji, a rookie actress with no experience.

Miling, the leader of Purple Girls and a four-year actress.

"Really, can a blockbuster come out of this combination?"

Saerom slowly answered Team Leader Byun's question.

"Originally, in this industry, success is attributed to the writer and director, and failure to the production company."

"Ah…."

"Focus on the pilot observation variety show for now."

"Yes! But there's one issue..."

"An issue?"

Team Leader Byun recounted the conversation with the SBC variety department staff without any omissions.

"The other actors are fine, but Jang Jun is a bit...?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Recently, Jang Jun spends all his time at acting school or the company."

"... There's nothing to film, right?"

"Even rookie actress Kim Hyun-ji meets various friends with good looks and has a lot to film."

"..."

The core of this drama is Jang Jun.

The title is about a regressive who erases memories, isn't it?

"Which acting school? The one Jang Jun attends."

"Ah! I believe it's one of our affiliated schools."

"Then..."

Jung Saerom thought deeply and then spoke.

"Let's rent the school for the whole day today."

"Yes? Ah..."

"Please get the students' understanding in advance."

"They're all aspiring actors, so they'll welcome it."

Appearing on a terrestrial TV is not an easy opportunity.

"Then I'll proceed with that..."

"I'll go there myself."

"Manager, you?"

Although it's an affiliated school, Manager Jung has never visited it.

"You've never been there. Let's take a look this time."

* * *

"Really, I've seen all kinds of crazy people in my life."

"You're used to it now."

Is there another lunatic who wants to write in the middle of the sea?

Especially, he was typing on his laptop while fighting nausea on the boat.

"The battery is 2% left."

"Ah, damn the battery!!!"

I almost finished it, and I have to wrap up the 11th episode today.

If they ask me to come out on the boat again tomorrow, I might really want to kill myself.

"Here, I brought it. A spare battery."

"Ooooh!!!"

"I don't want to come out again tomorrow either."

"Uncle, nice shot."

It was a two-week long-term mission.

Finding a 'workshop' that glows white in the dark and writing the journey.

Whoosh─

The boat swayed again with the waves.

"Ah, really."

A crime thriller drama from the 6th to the 11th episode.

By the end of this episode, the black organizations in Busan will be completely eradicated.

It took a little longer for a 24-hour regression ability, but.

Through foreshadowing, the limits of the ability were laid out in advance.

"Well, there is some progress in the romance."

The protagonist maintained a very close relationship with the female lead.

Most importantly, the female lead also fully understood the male lead's ability.

-Stop regressing now!

-No.

-What if you forget me too?

-... Thanks to you, I survived.

The final work on the 11th episode.

The male lead, disguised as the female lead's secretary, declares war on the chaebol family.

After all, in terms of assets, he was not inferior to the chaebol chairman.

Tap, tap─!

"I finished it!!!!"

Please send me back to the mainland quickly. Please.

Soon, the captain turned the boat towards the pier.

Thinking about the seasickness of the past few days.

"Ah, it's tiring. I feel like I'm going to die."

"Young guy, you're exaggerating."

"..."

Perhaps because he thought it was over, the return trip by boat was also a torment.

However, the uncle asked a question with a nonchalant expression.

"If you're a drama writer, you must have written some famous works?"

"Pure Macho is doing well these days."

"What's that? Write something like 'Sands of Time.'"

"..."

A little later, he handed over the gratuity and thanked the uncle.

"Mr. Writer, let me know if you come to Busan again."

"I'll think about it."

Please don't let that happen.

Swish─

He took out his smartphone from his pocket.

Messages that couldn't be received at sea flooded in.

"I finished the Busan organization arc in the 11th episode. Can I go back to Seoul now?"

If they ask me to come back here, I'll really kill someone.

Ring ring ring─

-Hello.

"Manager, it's me."

-Hmm... It's been a while since you contacted me.

"Indeed. The air in Busan is good."

Saerom paused for a moment before continuing.

-Wow, I want to live a day as Kim Jin-woo.

"O! Then I'm the only one who benefits...?"

-Want to die?

"No, no."

-No, there was a fly. I was talking to the fly.

".... In this weather?"

-Yes.

Could that fly be me?

"Anyway, I'll be heading back to Seoul soon."

-That's good. We're currently filming the pilot program.

"Pure Macho...?"

-It has long surpassed the ratings of MBS.

"Great. I'll see you when I get back."

-Yes, see you then.

Click.

As soon as she hung up, she accessed the Pure Macho community.

[(Notice) Event to Celebrate 15% Ratings Achievement!]

[(Notice) Fundraising for the Production Team's Meal Truck on the Last Day of Filming.]

[(Notice) Compilation of Still Cuts]

This isn't the D&C gallery I know.

"Ah... It's managed by the official fan club of Tempest."

A systematic system controlled by the fan club's dispatched staff.

Swear words or irrelevant posts were immediately deleted.

"Fans are even sending meal trucks as gifts."

In contrast, The Sun's Arrow barely maintained a 10% rating.

It was a natural progression since it had a rocky start.

A little later,

I boarded the KTX and headed to Seoul.

Beep beep beep─

I had been taking a nap for a while when I woke up to a phone call.

"Ugh, hello."

-Brother, are you busy?

Now that he's grown, Jae-jun calls him 'brother' instead of 'writer.'

"I was busy just now, but I'm not anymore."

-Yes?

"You woke me up."

-Ah... I'm sorry.

"No, what's up?"

Jae-jun apologized again and then continued.

-I have a commercial to shoot. It's in a short drama format.

"Oh, really? Congratulations."

-Ahaha, but I was wondering if you could write the script.

"Commercial script?"

-Yes! I thought it was proper to ask you directly.

It's been a long time since I wrote a script purely based on my own skills.

"How much is the pay?"

-It will be considerable!

"You're a good brother."

Let's stick together for life, you bastard.

* * *

"Hmm, what's with the camera?"

Hee-jung only noticed the KBC variety show production team when she arrived at the acting school.

The atmosphere of the school was unusually agitated today.

Soon, Jang Jun slowly approached Hee-jung and spoke.

"Hee-jung, what are you doing?"

"Hmm, is it a special day today?"

"Didn't you know?"

"Huh? What?"

"KBC is here to shoot a variety show today."

"Suddenly a variety show?"

"Not suddenly."

For some reason, people seemed to have put extra effort into their appearance today.

They wore accessories they never wore before for a chance to appear on terrestrial TV.

"Actually, they're here to film me. I'm doing a daily life variety show."

"Huh? Who are you?"

"That's... I'm going to star in a 16-episode drama on KBC."

"Really? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Um..."

Jang Jun looked in one direction and said.

"Do you see that person over there?"

"Who?"

"The person standing over there."

"Oh, an incredibly beautiful older sister!?"

But for some reason, her face seemed familiar.

I couldn't have forgotten such a beautiful person.

"That's our agency's manager. Tempest Entertainment."

"Wow, you're with Tempest? Why didn't you tell me?"

"You never asked."

Hee-jung stared intently at the woman talking to the production team.

A woman more beautiful than any actress, who looked great in a suit.

Clack, clack─

Soon, the goddess-like beautiful woman slowly walked over.

She opened her lips with a gentle smile.

"Actor Jang Jun, who is this...?"

Hee-jung was certain she had seen this person before.

'The person I saw in my brother's profile picture...'

She was too beautiful to fit in a small photo.

Just standing there, she exuded an aura that was untouchable.

"Um, Manager Jung Saerom...?"

"Yes? How do you know my name?"

"Well, my brother is quite close to... no, a little acquainted with you."

"Your brother... Who is he?"

Hee-jung, under the gaze of Saerom and Jang Jun, struggled to speak.

"Writer Kim Jin-woo."