The sudden question thrown out by Tom Cavil of Netflix Japan. Having roughly grasped what he was asking, Woo Hanseok turned his head toward Rojun. He whispered in a suitable tone.
“Well, I think you can be honest about this part.”
Be honest, huh—Kang Rojun slowly scratched his chin.
‘I’ll just tell it like it is.’
He answered Executive Director Tom Cavil in fluent Japanese.
“At present, that’s what I intend to do. My main job is being an idol, but I don’t plan to neglect my side jobs as a writer or actor either.”
Tom Cavil nodded slowly.
“I see. To be honest, I was surprised. No, shocked. The ability you showed as a singer on the fourth evaluation stage of ‘Geubaekpeu’ in Korea was remarkable, Writer Rojun. And yet, while also being both a writer and actor, I hear there’s even talk of you being a lyricist. I wondered how you manage to do so much, especially when the ‘Geubaekpeu’ schedule must be incredibly busy.”
It was true that he was busy, but Kang Rojun was happy.
“I like being frantically busy.”
“Haha, is that so? Mm—so you did intend to continue working as an actor after ‘Rental Lover.’ Well, with your visuals, Writer Rojun, it would be a waste for only Korea to see them. As an idol for your main job and as an actor for your side job, you ought to become widely known overseas as well.”
Tom Cavil fell silent for a moment.
‘Even if just one ability stands out, it can make it on the world stage. But this guy—starting with his face, everything he has is connected, and all of it shines.’
Executive Director Tom Cavil was currently in Japan, but in the past, he had been a fairly famous producer in Hollywood. Even to him, the young Korean man before his eyes was a type he had never seen before in his life.
‘He’s an absurd existence. If he grows just a little more than he has now, he won’t just stir up the ecosystem—he’ll become a monster that shatters it.’
Then he turned his gaze to Woo Hanseok.
“We have also properly understood the matters you mentioned, PD. We do not regard Writer Rojun as merely a rookie writer, and we intend to make our proposal after accurately judging everything.”
PD Woo Hanseok nodded.
“Thank you. Still, since I’ve spent quite a long time with Writer Rojun, I was worried, so I brought it up.”
“I understand.”
As soon as the atmosphere loosened a little, Tom Cavil asked Kang Rojun,
“Writer, did you happen to bring the scripts?”
“Yes.”
Rojun answered and placed the two scripts that had been on his knees onto the table. The moment Tom Cavil saw the thick scripts, his eyes sparkled, and Kang Rojun slid them toward him. As if unable to restrain himself, Executive Director Tom Cavil spoke.
“I’ll take a brief look.”
As he opened the script, his eyes suddenly widened. In that state, he looked at Rojun across from him.
“D-Don’t tell me—did you translate these scripts into Japanese for us?”
Kang Rojun chuckled inwardly.
‘How’s that for sincerity? Huh? What do you think?’
Outwardly, he answered calmly.
“Yes. I’m not certain whether I’ll be working with Netflix Japan, but I translated them as a matter of courtesy.”
“Thank… you.”
In truth, it would have been fine even if the scripts had been in Korean. Translating them into Japanese was Netflix Japan’s job. Tom Cavil was deeply moved that Kang Rojun had done it in advance. After that, they talked about the scripts for several minutes before Tom Cavil wrapped things up.
“We will review them thoroughly and carefully, then contact you.”
Woo Hanseok remembered PD Jeong Suryeong. Because there was a line she had told him he absolutely had to say.
“For your reference, those scripts were not given only to Netflix Japan.”
It was a tactic meant to make Netflix Japan restless.
Meanwhile.
Around the time Kang Rojun’s meeting with Netflix Japan was slowly coming to an end, news about ‘Geubaekpeu’ was pouring out in both Korea and Japan.
《[Issue Talk] The ‘Geubaekpeu’ Team Wraps Up Small Concert in Tokyo》
《Japanese Fans Fall for ‘Geubaekpeu’ Too; Interviews with Concertgoers… “I Almost Fainted!”》
In Korea especially, there was a lot of talk about the new theme song, ‘Survival 100.’
《‘Geubaekpeu’ Theme Song ‘Survival 100’ Hits No. 1 on Charts upon Release!》
《‘Survival 100’ Sweeps Various Music Platforms / Photo》
《Lyrics by Rojun, Composition by Sihu—‘Survival 100’ Goes Straight to No. 1 on Melon》
The viewership ratings for episode 13 of ‘Geubaekpeu,’ which aired yesterday, were also announced.
《[Issue Pick] ‘Geubaekpeu’ Ratings Hit Another New High! Episode 13 Records 32.1%》
《‘Geubaekpeu’ Hits 32.1% Ratings—How High Will It Climb?》
Around noon, with both Korea and Japan in an uproar like that, Kang Rojun and the ‘Geubaekpeu’ team boarded their flight back home.
《Bright Expressions of ‘Geubaekpeu’ Contestants Returning after Their Japan Mini-Concert / Photo》
It had been the same in Japan, but Gimpo Airport was packed with reporters and hundreds of fans. The attention was several times greater than when they had departed. Unlike when they left, the media and public had more or less been able to figure out their return schedule.
In any case, after making it out of the airport with difficulty, the ‘Geubaekpeu’ team headed straight to the campus.
They arrived around two o’clock.
Woo Hanseok announced a rest period to the exhausted contestants.
“Please get plenty of rest today and tomorrow. If you overdo it too much, you’ll get sick.”
The contestants cheered, and naturally, PD Woo Hanseok had to return to the broadcasting station right away. He had to edit the next episode, episode 14, and select footage from the Japan mini-concert. It was just as PD Woo Hanseok reached the broadcasting station, his main base.
—Bzzzz, bzzzz.
His cellphone vibrated for a long time. It was a call, and the caller was PD Jeong Suryeong.
“Yes, PD Jeong.”
“Is this a good time to talk?? No—I was just curious about how the Japan story went.”
“Haha, it ended well.”
Woo Hanseok gave Jeong Suryeong a rough explanation of the meeting between Rojun and Netflix Japan. Perhaps relieved, Jeong Suryeong’s reply carried a hint of laughter.
“Netflix Japan will drool even more once they see those scripts.”
“Are the scripts that good?”
“They’re killer. All three of them, including the ones handed over to Netflix Japan.”
“Now I’m curious—”
“Oh! Over the past few days, I got calls from several writers’ management agencies, but I thought it’d be smoother for them to contact you rather than me, PD Woo, so I passed them along. You’ll probably get calls soon, so please explain it to Writer Rojun.”
“I did think the bites would start coming in soon, but this is faster than expected. I’ve already explained to Rojun that he needs to have separate agencies for idol work and writing.”
“As expected—then all you need to do is set up meetings between the management agencies and the writer. Once the meetings are confirmed, just let me know which places they are. I’ll explain the management-related details to the writer.”
It was an hour later that calls from writers’ management agencies began coming in for PD Woo Hanseok. They ranged from small to mid-sized agencies, and the content was simple. They all desperately wanted to meet Writer Rojun. However, Woo Hanseok, who had already been briefed by Jeong Suryeong,
‘If he’s looking overseas as a writer too, it makes no sense to go with a management agency that lacks experience and power.’
cut off the small agencies at his own level.
In the entertainment industry, the influence held by agencies could not be ignored. Most of the current top-tier players in the idol market belonged to major corporate entertainment companies. There was no need to look far; financial power alone settled it.
Therefore, the minimum standard for meeting Kang Rojun was a mid-sized agency.
After taking calls from several mid-sized management agencies, by the time Woo Hanseok arrived at the editing room,
—Bzzzz, bzzzz.
his phone rang again. This time, too, it was a number that had not been saved, so it seemed likely to be related to Kang Rojun. When PD Woo Hanseok put the phone to his ear, his eyes abruptly widened.
“…Where? ‘Culture Drawer’??”
At the same time, on the ‘Geubaekpeu’ campus.
While the other contestants had either fallen asleep or were each taking their own rest, Kang Rojun, sitting in the lounge with his black hair slightly damp after a shower, was not resting.
—Tadadadadak!
He was typing quickly on his laptop. He was writing the film scenario he had been working on. On top of that, as soon as Rojun arrived at the campus, he had even completed the daily mission he had missed in Japan.
—[Coins Owned: 777]
The reason he immediately plunged into writing the scenario after that was because,
‘I can finish it today.’
the completion of the scenario was right before his eyes. Thanks to that, Kang Rojun sharpened his focus, regardless of whether some contestants passed by with their tongues out in disbelief.
At last, after several hours, Kang Rojun stretched out fully.
“Whew—I’m done.”
Having finished writing the film scenario, he looked at the completed work displayed on his laptop and scratched his chin.
‘This time, with all sorts of things going on, it took a little while. Still, well, the feel isn’t bad.’
He had written it, but the evaluation of this scenario would be done not by Rojun, but by others. Soon, after rolling his neck from side to side, Kang Rojun tried to move on to the next order of business.
This time, studying composition and lyric writing.
Then,
“Ah.”
As if something had come to mind, he took out his phone and accessed the ‘AI Simulation’ app. He had remembered the item waiting for him in his inventory.
—[Inventory]
—[1] 10-Point Stat Enhancement Coupon
It was an item he had received when the title ‘Recognition Monster’ had been enhanced to +4. Kang Rojun smiled faintly and immediately used the item.
‘My vocal ability has hit 40 points—so let’s go with choreography.’
Along with a tingling in his wrist and several lines of text appearing, the screen of his phone displayed his further-grown stats.
(Updated)
—[Appearance (100/100)│Vocal Ability (40.1/100)│Rap (44/100)│Choreography (36.3/100)│Talk Skills (17.5/100)│Acting (20.1/100)│Lyric Writing (100/100)│Composition (19.8/100)│Arrangement (0/100)]
Rojun, now deeply satisfied, immediately—
—Swoosh.
began studying lyric writing and composition.
The next morning, Sunday.
The ‘Geubaekpeu’ team was off until today. However, Kang Rojun could be found at a sound studio from the morning. Wearing a cap pulled low, though it still failed to hide his shining visuals, Rojun was sitting on the sofa. This was a sound studio he had visited before.
And today was—
‘Recording an OST, huh—this is my first OST, but the process should be the same, right??’
—the day he was recording ‘Lovers,’ the OST for ‘Rental Lover,’ for which Kang Rojun was in charge of both lyrics and vocals. It was already October 18, and ‘Rental Lover,’ whose first broadcast was on November 6, was just as pressed for time.
Around then, PD Jeong Suryeong, who had finished a brief meeting with the sound staff, approached Rojun.
“Writer.”
Her appearance was rather pitiful. Not only had she lost weight, but her already messy hair had grown even rougher, and dark circles lay thick beneath her eyes. Rojun worried first.
“PD, are you okay? It wouldn’t be strange if you collapsed right now.”
“Me? No way—if I collapsed from this much, I couldn’t direct dramas. This is common, common.”
That appearance was common? Just how merciless was the drama industry? As Rojun felt a slight chill, PD Jeong Suryeong threw him a question.
“You’ve never recorded an OST before, right?”
“No.”
“It’s not very different from what you did on ‘Geubaekpeu,’ so don’t feel any pressure at all. Just do it comfortably.”
“I am comfortable, for now. Though I’m a little nervous too.”
“Mm-hm. And as for the news that you’re handling the OST… we’ll probably announce it around the time the first teaser for ‘Rental Lover’ goes out. If we say you handled the writing, acting, and even the OST, well, the reporters will be drooling again.”
Writing, acting, and the OST—the triple crown achieved. For ‘Rental Lover,’ which was already highly topical, it was perfect as a final hook. Then Jeong Suryeong continued explaining matters related to recording the OST, and near the end, Kang Rojun brought up another subject.
“I understand. Ah—and PD. I finished writing the film scenario I mentioned to you before.”
“…Do you have a motor attached to your hands? How can you already be done with that?”
“I thought it took me a while.”
Jeong Suryeong shook her head as if fed up, then became somewhat serious.
“Mm… Writer, I heard from PD Woo Hanseok that he told you about writers’ management agencies?”
“Yes, I heard.”
“Did you set up meetings?”
“Around tomorrow.”
If meetings with management agencies on the writing side were imminent, it meant Jeong Suryeong did not particularly need to step in regarding the film scenario Rojun had completed.
‘If we wait a little and he signs with a management agency, they can circulate it.’
However, three things weighed on PD Jeong Suryeong’s mind. First was the promise she had made to personally move Kang Rojun’s scenario around.
Second was,
‘I’m seriously dying to know what kind of film scenario this monster writer wrote.’
the pure curiosity she had as a director.
And lastly, the matter of management.
‘For works the writer proceeded with before signing a contract, doesn’t the management usually handle them without commission?’
Projects a writer had handled alone before signing were generally taken over by the management agency and wrapped up for free. In short, it was part of the service. Since the writer had already done the work in advance, it was only natural.
In other words,
“If I move a little, then even that film scenario will be free.”
“Pardon??”
“Nothing.”
PD Jeong Suryeong chuckled and waved her phone at Kang Rojun.
“Okay, send the scenario to my phone.”