"Thank you for your business card."
Production Director So I-hyeon accepted the card and put it in her own card case.
Writer Woo Yeon-hee also carefully tucked it into the front of her planner.
Only CP Yang Do-hyeon frowned as he examined the front and back of the card as if checking a counterfeit bill.
"But how many years have you been working?"
"This is my third year."
"Three years at Wooju means...... you're a rookie?"
"Yes."
"Wow, what is this? Where does that nerve come from? Writer Woo, he says he's a rookie."
CP Yang Do-hyeon picked a fight as he dropped the business card onto the table.
They had sent a rookie manager who had only just joined the company to a meeting with Writer Woo Yeon-hee, who had already risen into the ranks of popular writers?
No matter how urgent things were, this was unacceptable.
Writer Woo Yeon-hee, however, showed no particular reaction.
That was because she liked Park Geon-ho, quite apart from Jo So-hee.
After watching the exchange, Production Director So I-hyeon defended Park Geon-ho too.
"Exactly. If they sent a third-year manager to a meeting like this, something truly urgent must have happened."
"Come on. Even so, a rookie is going too far."
"Doesn't that make it even more impressive? It means the company trusts him that much."
"Mr. Park Geon-ho, you tell us. Did I say anything wrong?"
CP Yang Do-hyeon spoke with a swagger, but Park Geon-ho brushed it off with a light laugh.
Only an amateur grabbed a man by the collar just because he came charging in looking for a fight.
"I was the one who received Jo So-hee's call. The situation was urgent, and I didn't think it would be right to pass the responsibility to someone else."
"The person in charge still should have come."
"That's enough. Why are you getting so worked up when you're not even directly involved?"
Unable to watch any longer, Production Director So I-hyeon spoke up.
CP Yang Do-hyeon bristled, slammed the table, and rose to his feet.
"Are you telling an uninvolved third party to stay out of this?"
"That's not what I said."
"Sigh, forget it. This is why I said Jo So-hee was a bad idea from the beginning."
Seizing the opportunity, CP Yang Do-hyeon stormed out.
But not one person tried to stop him or bring him back.
Writer Woo Yeon-hee's new drama <First Skin> was a joint production by Blue Media and Mountain Pictures.
SBX was indeed providing the broadcast slot, but the main production company, Blue Media, held the rudder that determined the production's direction.
"I'm sorry. I'll go out, apologize politely, and bring him back."
As Park Geon-ho started to rise, Production Director So I-hyeon hurriedly stopped him.
"No, it's all right. I'm the one who provoked him."
Her remark that he was not directly involved had carried two meanings.
One was that it was inappropriate to use Park Geon-ho as an outlet for his anger when Park Geon-ho was not Jo So-hee.
The other was a demand that he mind the line, since Blue Media, the principal company (main production company), was present.
It would have been fine if CP Yang Do-hyeon had failed to understand.
But since he had bristled and left, it would be difficult for him to claim it was a misunderstanding.
"More importantly...... did you see it?"
"If you mean the article, I did."
"We had it taken down on our way here, but honestly....... Did Jo So-hee see it too?"
"She probably did. Deputy Team Leader Ahn Hye-ju, who manages Jo So-hee, is extremely thorough."
"Then those unavoidable circumstances were......?"
"No. Jo So-hee personally chose Writer Woo Yeon-hee's drama."
"Jo So-hee did? The company didn't recommend it?"
"That's right. From what I heard, Jo So-hee read the script in one sitting."
"That's what he says?"
Production Director So I-hyeon looked at Writer Woo Yeon-hee beside her.
Writer Woo Yeon-hee opened her mouth.
"Geon-ho, are you close to So-hee?"
"We hardly know each other personally. She isn't an actress I manage."
"Then who told you that?"
"I heard it from Team 5 Leader Han Sang-woo and Deputy Team Leader Ahn Hye-ju."
"So-hee really chose my drama?"
"Yes, Writer Woo."
"Even though she knew I was the writer?"
"That's my understanding."
"Hmm......."
Writer Woo Yeon-hee let out a long hum.
To be honest, she had not been enthusiastic when Blue Media first pushed Jo So-hee for the female lead.
Personal feelings aside, she could not picture Jo So-hee playing Go Ha-neul.
Production Director So I-hyeon had said that Jo So-hee taking the lead role would generate buzz by itself, but Writer Woo was not so sure.
If buzz were the measure of success, how could anyone explain all the productions that had cast a pile of top stars only to fail spectacularly?
When SBX happened to push Kim Hye-rin, Writer Woo Yeon-hee had pretended to give in and tried to change the female lead.
She had already worked on one drama with Kim Hye-rin, so she thought Kim would be better than the uncomfortable Jo So-hee.
But after listening to Park Geon-ho, her resolve began to waver.
'Jo So-hee chose my drama herself? Why? Did she like First Skin that much?'
While Writer Woo Yeon-hee sank into thought.
Park Geon-ho secretly sent Deputy Team Leader Ahn Hye-ju a KkaeTalk message.
> Deputy Team Leader, I'm meeting with Writer Woo Yeon-hee right now.
> I asked for her understanding by saying Jo So-hee had personal circumstances, and I told her that So-hee chose the drama herself.
Ordinarily, he should have reported the matter to Team 5 Leader Han Sang-woo.
But Deputy Team Leader Ahn Hye-ju handled Jo So-hee's schedule exclusively.
< How is Writer Woo Yeon-hee reacting?
> I think we'll need to explain the lateness separately. As for the casting, she appears to be considering it. Someone from SBX is trying to interfere, but I believe Writer Woo Yeon-hee also wants So-hee to appear in the drama.
< So what do you think, Geon-ho?
> If it were up to me, I'd go with Plan B.
During their earlier call, Deputy Team Leader Ahn Hye-ju had said this.
-The character So-hee likes is Lee Seo-woo. A second-generation chaebol heir who's arrogant and utterly self-centered. After her last drama, she's only been offered predictable roles lately, you know? She wants to broaden her range before her image becomes fixed.
A manager who thought Jo So-hee was merely a rising star with some acting talent would have scoffed.
She had only just risen to leading-lady status; it was far too early to be fretting about her image.
But Park Geon-ho, who knew Jo So-hee better than anyone, nodded.
Jo So-hee's MBTI was ENTP.
She was the inventive type who enjoyed trying new things.
Thanks to Deputy Team Leader Ahn Hye-ju, he also realized that the IF Report that had appeared in the notebook on its own was not entirely absurd.
So he gave them two options instead.
Plan A.
Demand the role of Go Ha-neul no matter what happened.
Plan B.
Give up the female lead in exchange for securing the role of Lee Seo-woo under the best possible terms.
< Are you confident you can persuade Writer Woo Yeon-hee?
The reply came about a minute later, perhaps after Ahn Hye-ju discussed it with Jo So-hee.
> I'll do my best to bring about a good result.
He sent his answer immediately, without hesitation.
Then the reply he wanted arrived.
< Then give it a try. So-hee says she's looking forward to it too.
< And we're scheduled to arrive in thirty minutes.
'Okay.'
Park Geon-ho took a long breath and steadied himself.
Until now, he had been playing the role of a third-year manager, something that had never been in his fate.
From this point on, it was time to display the skill he had built over thirteen years at top star Jo So-hee's side.
"I just checked, and it seems the article about Kim Hye-rin has been taken down."
"Of course. Like I said earlier, the article didn't come from us."
"Then may I understand that Blue Media still wants Jo So-hee?"
"Of course. She's the hottest actress around these days, isn't she?"
The main production company behind <First Skin> was Blue Media.
It held the casting authority and wanted Jo So-hee.
And Writer Woo Yeon-hee was under an exclusive contract with Blue Media.
'If I can persuade Writer Woo Yeon-hee, getting Jo So-hee into the drama won't be a problem.'
Park Geon-ho turned his head and looked at Writer Woo Yeon-hee.
At most, thirty minutes remained until Jo So-hee arrived.
He had to change Writer Woo Yeon-hee's mind before then.
"Writer Woo. Jo So-hee says she'll be here in about thirty minutes."
"Thirty minutes?"
"Yes. She says she's hurrying here as fast as she can."
"Ahh. Right."
"So, about that...... Before Jo So-hee arrives, could I ask you for an autograph?"
"An autograph?"
Writer Woo Yeon-hee, who had been lost in thought, froze as if she were buffering, and the quick-witted Production Director So I-hyeon took out a spare sheet of paper she carried with her.
"Of course. That's possible. Writer Woo, here's some paper. But you really must be a fan of Writer Woo Yeon-hee?"
"Yes. I enjoyed Becoming an Adult too, but I still rewatch Where Your Season Lingers whenever it comes to mind."
"Really?"
SCRITCH. SCRIITCH. SCRIIITCH.
Writer Woo Yeon-hee drew a large autograph across the white paper.
Then she held the signed sheet out to Park Geon-ho and spoke.
"People were rather divided over that drama."
Writer Woo Yeon-hee's first hit, <Where Your Season Lingers>, told the story of Jeong Ha-jin's work, dreams, and love as she ran a small publishing house.
She became entangled with two men during the drama, but her male friend Seo Jae-yoon proved more popular than the male lead, Yoon Tae-oh, leading to controversy near the end over her having one foot in each camp.
Ordinarily, the romantic entanglements would be resolved in the latter half of a drama when the male and female leads confirmed their love.
Perhaps Writer Woo Yeon-hee had been swayed by viewer feedback, but she had added a scene in which Seo Jae-yoon confessed, earning a torrent of abuse.
That was why even Writer Woo Yeon-hee described the drama as divisive.
Yet Jo So-hee actually named it as her favorite of all Writer Woo Yeon-hee's works.
"They promised to date each other if they were both still single at thirty. Imagine that, with one year left, your female friend is about to get a boyfriend. Of course you'd get desperate."
It was possible that she had drawn inspiration from this drama when she wrote that absurd contract.
Park Geon-ho also sympathized with Jo So-hee's position to some extent.
"I would have confessed too if I were Jae-yoon. You can't let the woman you love be taken away without even trying, can you?"
"Taken away?"
"You pushed Tae-oh as the male lead, but honestly, I didn't like him much. It felt as if he didn't really suit Ha-jin. With apologies to Actor Oh Jin-seok, you know that scene where he eats pasta? That completely broke my immersion. It felt as though his character suddenly fell apart."
When Park Geon-ho suddenly launched into an impassioned speech, Production Director So I-hyeon was startled and studied Writer Woo Yeon-hee's expression.
There was not a writer in the world who enjoyed hearing someone ramble about their characters to their face.
But Writer Woo Yeon-hee burst out laughing instead.
"You really did watch that drama."
"Of course! If I weren't a manager at Wooju Entertainment, I probably would've posted on the viewer message board."
"What would you have said?"
"That they should go with the Jeong-Seo couple. Even looking back now, Tae-oh was wrong for her, Writer Woo."
"Sigh. I wish I could record what you just said and show it to the producer."
Production Director So I-hyeon's heart must have been in her mouth because she did not know the background.
But <Where Your Season Lingers> was the reason Writer Woo Yeon-hee had signed with Blue Media.
While also serving as a director at SH Entertainment, Park Geon-ho had heard every kind of outdated behind-the-scenes story.
He had heard that Writer Woo Yeon-hee developed stress-induced hair loss while writing <Where Your Season Lingers>.
It had begun when the network abruptly moved up the broadcast schedule.
Then forced in the male lead of its choice.
It had even demanded changes to the character to suit that male lead.
SBX had been openly trying to break in a rookie writer.
In the process, Seo Jae-yoon, the male friend who had originally been the male lead, was pushed down to second male lead.
As the script was revised to suit the actor who had been cast, it produced Yoon Tae-oh, a character who made no sense in context.
Naturally, it would have been difficult for the writer to feel any affection for Yoon Tae-oh.
Perhaps Seo Jae-yoon's expanded role late in the drama had been the result of Writer Woo Yeon-hee's dissatisfaction bleeding into the work.
"So you prefer Jae-yoon to Tae-oh, Geon-ho?"
"Of course. Tae-oh is, how should I put it, like a stone that rolled in from somewhere. Could it be that Ha-jin spent her life doing nothing but work, even with Jae-yoon beside her, and then latched onto someone unusual? Besides, wasn't Jae-yoon the one who helped her every time the female lead was in trouble?"
"Ha-jin always came before work for Jae-yoon."
"That's what I wanted to say, Writer Woo. I'm a man too, but I don't think I could do that unless I truly loved a woman."
Writer Woo Yeon-hee smiled faintly.
At first, she had thought he was merely being polite.
But as she listened to Park Geon-ho, she felt as if she had met a genuine fan.