WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Potter

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◈ Why Do My Dramas Keep Becoming Hits!? ◈

Chapter 26: The Writer Who Wrote This Is Your Brother

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On Monday morning, after the weekend had ended, tvM's drama department was overflowing with energy.

The office should have been steeped in Monday fatigue, but there was not a trace of exhaustion. No, it felt less like an office and more like a festival.

"Great work, <Living with My Ex-Boyfriend Somehow> B Team! That ending yesterday was insane!"

"Wow, I knew it would do well, but I never thought it would smash through 15% in one shot. Isn't this completely crazy?"

"Ha ha ha! I told you! There was no way that script could fail!"

Employees gathered in groups all around the office, drinking coffee and chatting excitedly.

There was only one topic: <Living with My Ex-Boyfriend Somehow>, which had set the weekend nights ablaze.

"Social media and community reactions have totally turned around too. All those people shouting about nepotism and sponsorship at the start have gone completely quiet."

"Tell me about it. My friends' group chat is going wild too. They're saying Do Jae-hyun's acting is unbelievable."

"If it's like this from the first broadcast, what are we supposed to do going forward? This is a real hit."

"Oh? Director Woo is here!"

At someone's shout, everyone's attention turned toward the entrance.

There stood Director Woo Young-taek, with an aura that called to mind Grand Prince Suyang[1].

The moment he appeared, cheers and applause burst out from every corner as if everyone had planned it.

"Wow! Director Woo! Congratulations on taking first place in the ratings!"

"Let's keep going all the way to 25%! You've got to write a new chapter in cable history!"

Woo Young-taek could not hide the smile spreading across his face amid the flood of congratulations and cheers.

He cleared his throat and tried to act unfazed, but his twitching cheekbones looked ready to punch through the ceiling.

"Good grief. Why are you all making such a fuss this early in the morning? We've only aired the first week."

"That's why it's such a huge deal. A 15% first-broadcast rating! Wow!"

"Even major networks struggle to hit double digits with a first broadcast these days. You've made history!"

Woo Young-taek waved them off with an affectedly stern expression, but happily returned every congratulatory greeting.

As he headed deeper into the office in high spirits, his gaze suddenly stopped somewhere.

A large whiteboard in the hallway in front of the break room.

An unusually large group of employees had gathered there, surrounding the board as they murmured among themselves.

"What are they doing over there?"

Curious, Woo Young-taek crept closer and poked his head through the crowd.

The moment he saw the whiteboard, his eyes shook slightly.

It was covered in Post-its and magnets recording the ratings bet they had made as a joke last time.

"Would you look at this? PD Kim bet on 12%? You're already out of contention, ha ha ha."

"Hyun-seok picked 15%? Hey, hey, the first broadcast got 15%. You're out early too."

"Ah, damn. I should've just closed my eyes and picked 25%. At this rate, it feels completely possible."

The employees excitedly compared the numbers they had bet on with everyone else's.

As they cheerfully chatted over the ratings bet, their eyes gradually turned toward a single magnet at the very top of the whiteboard.

The name beside it, and one unbelievable number.

[God: 30%]

It belonged to Ji Yeon-woo, the writer currently hailed as a god at tvM.

"Wow, the writer's got some serious nerve picking 30%."

"Exactly. That confidence is incredible. Do you need that kind of ego to make it as a writer?"

"Come on, 30% is a little much. Even 25% isn't easy on cable when the major networks' share is shrinking."

"You never know. The writer wouldn't have just thrown out 30% for no reason."

A noisy debate broke out over the dream number of 30%.

Watching the scene in silence, Woo Young-taek swallowed a dry laugh.

"PD Woo! You came at the perfect time. What do you think?"

"About what?"

"The ratings! Do you think it'll really break 30% by the finale, just like the writer said?"

At the employee's sparkling eyes, Woo Young-taek snorted.

"Hey. Good vibes or not, 30% isn't some easy target."

He firmly shook his head.

No matter how strong the hit's momentum was, 30% was an unreasonable goal for a cable channel.

Of course, the first-broadcast rating had been an extraordinary record in its own right. But that had been possible because the drama had generated hype approaching a widespread craze. There was bound to be some hype in those numbers.

And over the course of sixteen episodes, that hype would most likely fade naturally.

"Come on, you never know what might happen. And it's not like the writer has bad instincts."

The person who had turned around this drama, despite all its trouble and controversy, was none other than Ji Yeon-woo.

His crazy foresight and judgment had made it seem as though he could see the future.

Since someone like that had guaranteed the impossible number of 30%, it was only natural for people to start hoping.

"So what if it happens? What if a debut work passes 30%?"

"Hmm...."

Woo Young-taek scratched his chin and glanced at the number "30%" written on the whiteboard.

Then a laugh-filled answer slipped from his lips.

"Then it'd be insane. I'd have to say he surpassed his mentor. And also...."

After pausing for a moment, he slowly continued.

"It'd become the greatest work of the writer's entire career."

A debut work, and the biggest hit of a writer's life.

No matter what scripts Ji Yeon-woo wrote in the future, it was impossible to imagine any glory greater than that.

#

At a franchise cafe in Sangam-dong, warm afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows.

Yoon Dong-woo chewed on the straw of his iced Americano and habitually checked the time.

"What kind of writer has her so worked up, anyway?"

Ji Seo-yoon was the younger sister of Ji Yeon-woo, one of his closest friends.

She rarely asked him for favors, so he was curious.

Ding!

At that moment, the cafe door opened and a familiar face rushed inside.

It was Ji Seo-yoon, her bobbed hair flying as she caught her breath.

"Seo-yoon, over here!"

"Huff, huff. Dong-woo, have you been waiting long?"

"No, I just got here too. Did you run all the way here? Was it that urgent?"

Ji Seo-yoon did not laugh at Yoon Dong-woo's teasing.

Instead, the moment she sat down, she hurriedly pulled out a tablet and placed it on the table.

"I'm sorry for calling you out when you're busy. But nobody I know has as many connections as you do."

"Ha ha. It's fine. If Yeon-woo won't look after you, I should. So? What kind of script is it?"

Ji Seo-yoon turned the tablet around and slid it toward Yoon Dong-woo.

The screen displayed a script file with neither a title nor a writer's name. It simply read [Untitled].

"Can you find out who wrote this?"

"Well, I'll read it first. But Seo-yoon, can't you think of any writers it might be?"

"I really can't.... The writing is definitely from an established writer, but it breaks every convention established writers usually follow."

"Really?"

"Yes. The tension is especially unbelievable. Where most writers would stop, this writer goes even further and has you holding your breath. And somehow, it works. Isn't that amazing?"

It was the first time he had seen the usually demanding Ji Seo-yoon this excited as she showered someone with praise.

"Now I'm even more curious. Give it here. I'll read it right away."

"Ah, yes! Please let me know immediately if anyone comes to mind."

Yoon Dong-woo took the tablet and slowly began scrolling.

Only a few minutes after turning the first page, his expression gradually changed.

The script began in a heavy, dry tone.

The setting was the Black Star Gang, the country's largest criminal organization, which controlled a massive drug distribution network.

The protagonist, Kim Tae-yeol, was the boss's ace and right-hand man, trusted absolutely within the organization.

Perhaps to establish Kim Tae-yeol's ruthless, unsentimental nature and clean work, several conflicts broke out from the very first episode, with Kim Tae-yeol stepping in to resolve every mess.

But why did it all seem so familiar?

'...What is this?'

It was definitely a script he had seen before.

And if he was right, then this was....

Pushing aside the sense of déjà vu, Yoon Dong-woo kept reading.

_________________________

S#11. Container Storage Yard at the Port (Night)

Kim Tae-yeol had been summoned by the boss.

Stopping work immediately, Kim Tae-yeol drove straight there.

Then, cutting through the silence, a burner phone rang.

[Caller ID Withheld]

Kim Tae-yeol tapped the steering wheel before answering.

"Yes, Captain."

But the unexpected word that came from Kim Tae-yeol's mouth was "Captain."

That was right. Kim Tae-yeol, the ruthless ace of the organization, was actually Baek Jin-woo, a police officer from the Narcotics Unit who had concealed his identity and infiltrated the gang to bring it down.

"Jin-woo. How are things up top?"

"I've just been summoned, so I'm on my way. From the look of things, a major shipment may be coming in from China soon."

"Good. We have to secure this route no matter what. It might be our last chance."

"Don't worry. I'm almost there."

After ending the call, Kim Tae-yeol's car stopped in front of a massive container.

Opening the heavy metal door and stepping inside, Kim Tae-yeol found the boss, Cheon Mubeom, and the key executives sitting with grim expressions amid thick cigar smoke.

"Boss, you called for me?"

"Oh, you're here, Tae-yeol."

Kim Tae-yeol bowed respectfully.

Cheon Mubeom exhaled smoke for a long time before finally speaking in a heavy voice.

"Old Man Wang is dead."

"W-what?!"

Kim Tae-yeol's eyes trembled slightly.

Old Man Wang was the head of a massive Chinese triad that had been the Black Star Gang's sole drug supplier.

"Th-then what happens now...?!"

"Ha.... I don't know. That old man suddenly croaked without leaving a will, so the whole underworld on the mainland is on the verge of complete chaos."

That was exactly it.

With the absolute ruler gone, criminal organizations across China had begun a bloody civil war to seize the succession.

"And the ones expanding their power most rabidly over there are an organization called the Mantis. If this keeps up, those bastards will swallow even the distribution network coming our way."

It was an unexpected variable.

From Tae-yeol's perspective as a police officer, it was also a serious problem.

If the supplier was cut off and broken into scattered new cells, the entire investigation built over the past three years would be wasted.

No matter what, Tae-yeol had to establish a connection and learn the route.

As Kim Tae-yeol rapidly calculated the possibilities, Cheon Mubeom spoke.

"Tae-yeol."

"Yes, Boss."

"You need to go."

"...What do you mean?"

Cheon Mubeom's sharp gaze fixed on Tae-yeol.

"We've already laid all the groundwork. We just need the right person, and I've chosen you."

"......!"

"Go work under those Mantis drug-running bastards. Go make contacts and find out how they move their drugs and where they bring them in from."

_________________________

A police officer who had infiltrated a gang undercover was ordered by the gang's boss to infiltrate another criminal organization.

A police officer, a member of the Black Star Gang, and a member of the Mantis Society, a Chinese triad. Three identities had become tangled together.

The first episode ended by foreshadowing an unimaginable, insane development: an undercover agent going undercover again.

"...."

After finishing the first episode's script, Yoon Dong-woo sat there with a blank expression.

Ji Seo-yoon watched him for a moment before carefully speaking.

"Dong-woo, what's wrong? Do you know this writer?"

"...."

Yoon Dong-woo barely pulled himself out of his shock and looked at Ji Seo-yoon.

...Where was he even supposed to start so that she would believe him?

After a brief moment of thought, Yoon Dong-woo took out his own tablet.

He brought up the script his friend had sent him recently and handed it to Ji Seo-yoon.

"Seo-yoon. Look at this."

"...? Why are you suddenly showing me this?"

"Hurry."

At his continued urging, Ji Seo-yoon set aside her questions and began reading.

Less than a minute later, her eyes widened as she shouted.

"W-why do you have this? H-how?! Where did you get it?!"

"Ha ha.... I'm a little flustered too. The writer you're looking for is my friend."

"W-wait! You know this person?! Who is it? Tell me already, Dong-woo!"

Yoon Dong-woo dropped his smile and spoke seriously.

"Your brother."

"...? What? Who did you say?"

Even though she had heard him, Ji Seo-yoon blinked in denial.

Yoon Dong-woo spoke again with certainty.

"The writer who wrote this is Ji Yeon-woo."

Footnotes:

[1] Grand Prince Suyang: A fifteenth-century Korean prince who seized the throne, invoked as a figure of intimidating authority.

Grand Prince Suyang was a fifteenth-century Korean royal known for seizing the throne, making his name a shorthand for intimidating authority.

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