Beyond the phone, CEO Heo Gi-tae of Munhwa Seorap added supplementary explanations to the details negotiated with Netflix Japan, including the manuscript fee.
“The final negotiated amount from this meeting was thirty million won per episode, and as for the signing bonus······”
He could hear the briefing going on and on, but for Gang Ro-jun, who was blinking his eyes dazedly, none of it registered.
‘Th-thirty million per episode?! If it’s ten episodes, that’s three hundred million······ They’re talking about three hundred million, right?!’
He was excessively shocked by an amount he was hearing for the first time in his life. It felt like someone had struck the top of his head hard. Hundreds of millions. Thirty million was already enormous, but ten of those thirty millions? Three hundred million? Hundreds of millions?? His brain short-circuited at the sound of “hundreds of millions,” an amount he had never seen or even heard of, something he felt he could never touch until the day he died.
A brief system crash.
During the days when his face had been monstrous, he had lived hand-to-mouth doing manual labor. Now, just a few months after starting *Produce the 100*, he could earn hundreds of millions. And not even from his main job, but from a side job. Gang Ro-jun’s mouth fell open without him realizing it.
‘······Wow— damn, I almost cursed out loud.’
Whether he had sensed this or for whatever reason, CEO Heo Gi-tae of Munhwa Seorap called out to Ro-jun from beyond the phone.
“Writer Ro-jun??”
Snapping back to reality, Gang Ro-jun opened his mouth.
“I’m sorry.”
“Hahaha, it’s alright. Is the call difficult for you??”
“No. It’s just, the amount I heard······”
“You think it is somewhat insufficient, then.”
Insufficient? Not at all. Though CEO Heo Gi-tae wasn’t standing in front of him, Ro-jun shook his head quickly.
“It’s not that it’s insufficient. It’s bigger than I expected.”
“Oh! That’s a relief! I did my best in the negotiations, so I feel like I’m being praised?? Hahaha.”
Though Ro-jun had never met CEO Heo Gi-tae in person, Gang Ro-jun had realized he had a refreshingly straightforward personality. Then CEO Heo Gi-tae spoke again.
“For your reference, the thirty million per episode that Netflix Japan is offering for your *Like a Grotesque Mirror* is not purely an evaluation of ‘Writer Ro-jun’ alone. Please understand that it naturally reflects your current standing and popularity as an idol as well.”
In other words, it was an amount that would be difficult for an ordinary writer to command. It was already rare for Netflix Japan to come directly to Korea to strike a deal. It was only possible to get a mid-tier rate of thirty million per episode because he was Gang Ro-jun of *Produce the 100* and *Rental Lover*.
“Please think it over first, and once you are sure, reach out to us.”
“I will.”
“Excuse me?”
Ro-jun answered immediately, as if he didn’t even need to think.
“The terms you mentioned are fine. Please proceed.”
“Haha. Shall we, then?? Writer Ro-jun, you have a very bold personality! Excellent, understood! Then I will finalize everything with this negotiated proposal! The Netflix Japan team is currently waiting in Korea for an answer, but if we reply too quickly we might look too eager, so I will contact them in about a day.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Ah! And we can take care of the contract for *Like a Grotesque Mirror* ourselves, but Tom Kabil, the head of Netflix Japan, said he absolutely must meet you? He said there is something he wishes to discuss beyond the work contract.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Would you be willing to meet?”
Gang Ro-jun, thinking for a moment, nodded.
“If it is this weekend.”
“Then we will finalize the contract on our end at Munhwa Seorap first, and arrange a meeting between you and Netflix Japan! I will send a staff member to campus at the scheduled time!”
Afterward, CEO Heo Gi-tae set the date and time before ending the call. Ro-jun slowly lowered his phone, his eyes wide and the corners of his mouth curling up.
“···Three hundred million. Damn, three hundred million. This is insane, really.”
But he didn’t have long to enjoy the euphoria.
“Ro-jun!”
Because Si-hu, inside the break room, poked his face out into the hallway and shouted.
“*Rental Lover* episode 2 has started!!”
Back inside.
Gathered in the break room, Gang Ro-jun, Si-hu, Gang Min, and Do-gyeong began watching episode 2 of *Rental Lover*, which had surpassed a whopping 21 percent viewership rating. The beginning of episode 2 was.
-[“······”]
Gang Ro-jun. No, it began with the devastating visuals of “Lover No. 4.” Ro-jun gazing at Choe Ri-na, who played the female lead “Lee Da-eun,” with eyes full of infinite affection. The angle was directed to look up at Gang Ro-jun as if through Choe Ri-na’s eyes. On screen, a slow close-up from Ro-jun’s waist to his chest, then his face.
Here, the female lead Choe Ri-na’s inner thoughts were overlaid.
-[‘A-am I crazy?! Is he even human?! Y-you’re too handsome, it’s scary?!’]
Si-hu muttered as if in agreement.
“Right, I cursed inwardly too when I first saw Ro-jun.”
Do-gyeong chimed in with a dry tone.
“Everyone’s the same. The moment they see Ro-jun hyung, they scream ‘he’s freaking handsome’ inside.”
Gang Min, letting out a small exclamation, didn’t miss his turn either.
“Hyung being extremely handsome is a given, but in *Rental Lover*, doesn’t he feel different? Like, really kind of CGI-like.”
“It’s probably the makeup. Still, the camera couldn’t fully capture his real-life looks.”
Ro-jun gave a small cough at the shower of praise, and on screen, the frighteningly handsome “Lover No. 4” suddenly began spewing fluent English at Choe Ri-na.
-[“Are you alright? You look quite surprised. With this fine weather, our first meeting will be memorable. Your name is Lee Da-eun, correct?”]
A question mark appeared in the haggard Choe Ri-na’s eyes. That was right—among the requested lovers, “Lover No. 4,” whose visuals were god-tier, had the problem of being completely unable to communicate. But the viewers currently watching *Rental Lover* were in an atmosphere of not caring at all.
-Wow.......our Ro-jun is good at English too???????
-Crazy lololol he’s so damn cool lol Ro-jun speaking English
-That pronunciation....my ears are melting, melting
-If he’s that kind of lover!!! Who cares about English?? I’d love him even if he spoke an alien language!!!!
-For sure, Ro-jun’s acting is insane too lolol he seems like someone God created specifically to be a celebrity
*Rental Lover* episode 2 continued the story, with Lover No. 2 and Lover No. 3 appearing after Gang Ro-jun’s entrance. Of course, “Lover No. 4” Ro-jun’s screen time was greater than in episode 1. During the second meeting with the female lead, Ro-jun’s Japanese skills also hit the airwaves.
-[“I cherish you, though words fail us. I was sincere from the moment you called for me, though we could not communicate. The reason I was taciturn was because I believed our hearts were connected even without dialogue. Even now, you cannot understand my words.”]
The viewers went wild again. At any rate, episode 2 focused on the female lead’s growth and boasted a faster pace than episode 1. Thus ended *Rental Lover* episode 2.
-What?? It’s over??? It just started, how is it already over?
-Really lololol it ended in the blink of an eye lolol
-Time flew while I was watching Ro-jun
-Next episode!! Give us the next episode!!!!!
-Not a single acting hole, the plot is good too, and especially Ro-jun’s face is insanely handsome so there’s nothing to hate
-Isn’t this the finale next week??! Why!! Make it twenty thousand episodes!!!
The viewers were in an uproar, but.
-Now Produce the 100! Move move!!
They immediately flocked to *Produce the 100*. Episode 17 of *Produce the 100* started without even a brief intermission. Especially today, the firepower was fiercer than usual thanks to the bait that the final winners would be announced.
*Produce the 100*, having finished its ads and displayed the title.
-‘Produce the 100!’
It began airing from the final evaluation stage of last week’s episode 16. The appearances and interviews of the ten contestants who performed live on stage, the honest impressions of the five judges who watched that stage, and so on. Next, it aired each contestant’s break period.
In between, the ten entertainment agencies were introduced.
The nation’s big three entertainment agencies—GN Entertainment, Big Star, and EY Entertainment—as well as officials from other renowned agencies came out and stated their ambitions.
-[“The *Produce the 100* contestants, seriously! It’s tempting. Not just us, but the atmosphere at other agencies is fierce right now too.”]
Naturally, chaos erupted in the open chat where hundreds of thousands of fans were gathered.
-Ah, I hope the kids go to EY
-TBH the big three are six of one, half dozen of the other lolol lately EY or Big Star have better form
-Real talk GN is kinda meh these days lolololol
-But Big Star is kinda meh too, they don’t drop enough bait
-They’re all the same, nowhere is particularly better
-What are you talking about?? In the idol scene, how important is the agency?
-I’ve been an idol fan for a long time.... you can’t ignore the agency’s scale.....
-EY and Big Star are doing well these days, and GN is a sinking sun lolol
·
·
·
This place is good, that place is bad, that place is so-so, etc. Countless rumors were pouring out.
Around this point in episode 17, the meeting between the ten agencies and PD Woo Han-seok, and the games played for self-PR were aired. This was followed by scenes where the agencies did their self-PR according to the time they earned. On site, it was done for the four final winners, but in the live broadcast, it was edited to feel like it was being done for the viewers.
Before long.
-[“The final vote results are in my hands.”]
The moment had come for the four final winners of *Produce the 100* to be announced. Thanks to this, the broadcasting industry, countless entertainment agencies, the press, and everyone who had crossed paths with Gang Ro-jun held their breath watching the broadcast. Not only online viewers, but also the offline public watching *Produce the 100* on their phones had their eyes fixed on the screen.
“Who will it be?”
“Ro-jun is basically confirmed. It makes no sense for him to be eliminated, so what’s important is who will become members with Ro-jun?”
“You never know. There might be a twist.”
“Come on— Ro-jun is on another level, there’s no twist.”
On screen, the stage where the final winners would stand appeared, then showed the faces of all ten contestants in a row. The tension-filled sound effects were a bonus.
Soon.
-[“I will begin the announcement.”]
The first winner spilled from PD Woo Han-seok’s mouth.
-[“The first final winner!! Si-hu!! Congratulations!!!”]
The chat window exploded.
-Si-hu!!!! Si-huuu TT TT
-Congrats Si-hu!!
-Ha TT TT TT he’s been my true bias, I’m so happy...
-I found him a bit ambiguous though;;
-Ah, piss off
-Extremely cute Si-hu!!! This granny cherishes you!!!
Si-hu’s eyes widened as he bowed here and there, exploding confetti, sound effects that seemed to send praise, and Si-hu’s face displayed on the giant screen behind him. Then, Si-hu’s journey from the beginning of *Produce the 100* until now appeared, and by the time the screen switched, Si-hu was standing on an enormous stage.
And next.
-[“The second final winner! Do-gyeong!!!”]
The viewers went wild again.
-Ha... I freaking love Do-gyeong!!
-Hooha hooha!!! Congrats Do-gyeong!!!
-I knew Do-gyeong would make it!!
-TTT Do-gyeong made it!!
-I like his delinquent vibe lolololol
Do-gyeong’s segment was produced the same as Si-hu’s. Before they knew it, Si-hu and Do-gyeong were standing on stage, and from Woo Han-seok’s mouth came the announcement of the third winner.
-[“The third final winner!!! Gang Min!! Congratulations!!”]
The viewers’ fervor heated up more and more. The open chat strangely coexisted with joy and curses.
-Aaack!! Gang Min!! Congrats TT TT
-This is right!!! Si-hu, Do-gyeong, Gang Min!!
-Ha... I was worried because Gang Min had less presence in the latter half TTT I’m so glad!!!
-No, what do you mean Gang Min.... it’s overdone
-What overdone? The members seem picked well according to popularity
-Jeong-u is definitely better than Gang Min
-Nnn Jeong-u had zero presence
-Gang Min, congrats!!!!
Because their bias had been picked, or because their name hadn’t been called yet. No, rather, it wouldn’t be wrong to see those not yet called as eliminated.
-Si-hu, Do-gyeong, Gang Min! Now for the last!! There’s still one left!!
-? What, Ro-jun is still left, what do you mean one left
-Ack!! No!!
-The last one is definitely Ro-jun
-Ha... Ro-jun was saved for the finale... Jeong-u.... goodbye
-Wow the producers are so mean lolol calling Ro-jun last??
-The remaining kids TTT look at their expressions... they already look resigned
-Ro-jun, Si-hu, Gang Min, Do-gyeong confirmed, yes yes
Because Gang Ro-jun’s name hadn’t been called yet.
Soon.
-[“The last final winner!!!”]
As if declaring it to the entire nation.
-[“Ro-jun!! Congratulations!!!”]
The final winners of *Produce the 100* were complete.
The next morning.
Now, after episode 17 of *Produce the 100*, which had included the final winner announcement, had aired the previous day.
《Ro-jun·Si-hu·Gang Min·Do-gyeong *Produce the 100* Final Winners!》
《*Produce the 100* Final Survivors Confirmed as Ro-jun·Si-hu·Gang Min·Do-gyeong!》
The entire nation was completely.
《[Star Pick] The Final 4 Produced by Viewers are Ro-jun·Si-hu·Gang Min·Do-gyeong/ Photo》
《Flood of Congratulations on SNS for Final Winners Ro-jun·Si-hu·Gang Min·Do-gyeong》
Filled to the brim with Ro-jun, Si-hu, Gang Min, and Do-gyeong.