WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Potter

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Why Do My Dramas Keep Becoming Hits!? ◈

Chapter 35: You Can't Have This Script! (3)

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[Exclusive] SBC Drama Department power broker and CP Han Kang-hee exposed in casting-rigging scandal... The ugly truth behind Kang Min-hyuk's selection as lead of "Suspect X"

[Exclusive] Secret kickback and sponsorship deal with major production company, is this really acceptable?

[Exclusive] Recordings of SBC's Han Kang-hee habitually verbally abusing and throwing his weight around with staff and PDs released...

[Breaking] SBC CP Han Kang-hee placed on standby... Police preliminary inquiry begins

The entertainment news section looked like it had been devastated by a nuclear bomb.

Han Kang-hee, SBC's star PD and reigning power broker.

In a single day, every bit of corruption he had built up had been exposed to the world, complete with airtight evidence.

"Wow... I knew this guy was shady, but I had no idea it was this bad."

I clicked my tongue as I blankly scrolled through my phone.

The vile verbal abuse in the recordings and signs of collusion with sponsors were clear crimes with no room for excuses.

Forget returning to the industry. He would probably end up behind bars soon.

"Mm-hm. He brought it all on himself. Serves him right."

Feeling refreshed, I kept combing through the articles.

The more I looked, the more satisfying Han Kang-hee's downfall became.

Then another article caught my eye.

[Genius writer Yeon-woo achieves the miracle of 30% ratings! Broadcasting industry focuses on his next work]

["Living with My Ex" writes an unprecedented record, countless offers pour in for writer Yeon-woo]

["Living with My Ex" writes an unprecedented record with a debut work. Could it be beginner's luck? What will come from his pen next...]

Because of the insane success of Living with My Ex, embarrassing labels like "genius" and "monster" were piling up before my name.

Maybe it was understandable. An unknown newcomer had scored such a huge hit with his debut work.

Still, as the person who knew the full story, it was simply absurd.

"Even calling it beginner's luck, this really makes no sense."

I was happy the drama had done well, but it was also burdensome.

Just look at the articles. People had enormous expectations for my next project. How was I supposed to satisfy them when I had not even come up with a single premise for it?

"Ah, right. I had a meeting today."

That thought suddenly reminded me of an important appointment I had scheduled.

I was meeting Park Ho-seong, the department head from Studio Miracle.

More specifically, it was about formally signing a writing contract for the [Untitled] script I had scribbled out and handed over some time ago.

"Man, I can't even rest."

Of course, I had no intention of signing anything.

I was only going to the meeting out of courtesy because my little sister had been relentlessly begging me to go.

I still had no ideas for my next project, so I would have to turn them down gently.

With that decided, I opened my bedroom door and headed into the living room.

"Oh my! Our genius writer is awake~?"

My mother, who was cooking in the kitchen, greeted me in a sugary voice.

'That voice is still way too hard to get used to.'

Last night, I had come down to my parents' house to spend time with my family for the first time in a while.

It was Mother's birthday, and she had begged to see the face of the writer who had hit 30% ratings, so I had practically been dragged here.

"You could sleep more. I'll call you once the food is ready~"

"No, I'm done sleeping. I should get up now."

"Oh my~ You're up and about so early in the morning? Our son is so diligent~"

...Early morning? It was noon.

Was the clock wrong?

As I looked at the wall clock in the living room, I made eye contact with Father, who was scratching his stomach on the sofa.

"Hm...? Yeon-woo, when did you get here?"

"I stopped by yesterday, just because. Where did you go yesterday, Dad?"

"Hm. I had a drink with Manager Kim. Are you heading back today?"

"Yeah. I'll leave right after we eat. I have a meeting today."

Just then, the door across from us opened and my little sister walked out.

She was scratching her messy hair when she spotted me on the sofa. Then she suddenly dropped to one knee with a solemn expression.

"Ohhh! I greet the great writer of thirty-percent ratings!"

"..."

"O mighty and true great writer of thirty-percent ratings, I strongly demand that you gladly answer that you slept well last night, after favorably reviewing my plea for you to reconsider my asking whether you had a peaceful night's sleep!"

"Fuck, what are you even saying? Have you started day drinking?"

"Hehe. I asked if you slept well."

...This was driving me insane.

As I recoiled from my sister's pointless joke, Mother's cheerful voice came from the kitchen.

"Everyone, hurry up and eat! Breakfast is ready!"

Naturally, the whole family gathered around the table.

Today's breakfast was a steaming pot of sweet and spicy braised chicken.

Father, who had just gotten dressed, was the first to reach for a plump drumstick with his chopsticks.

Smack!

"What are you doing? Why are you eating something so precious?"

At the speed of light, Mother smacked away Father's chopsticks, snatched the drumstick, and gently placed it on top of my rice.

"Our son has been working his brain so hard. Eat lots and keep your strength up!"

"Ah, okay..."

"..."

Father stared sadly at the chopsticks frozen in midair, then cleared his throat and moved them toward the other drumstick.

"Ahem. Well, there are two drumsticks..."

But once again.

Smack!

"Hey. Why again?"

"Doesn't our Yeon-woo have two hands?! He should hold one in each hand and tear into them properly!"

"Still, as the head of the household, I should have one..."

"Stop whining and eat the breast meat!"

In the end, even the remaining drumstick failed to breach Mother's ironclad defense and was delivered intact to the plate in front of me.

Having suddenly monopolized two drumsticks first thing in the morning, I cautiously looked at Father, feeling a strange mix of embarrassment and pressure.

Chewing on dry chicken breast as he stared at me, Father suddenly nodded with a solemn, tragic expression.

[You boys should never get married....]

[Why not?]

[Just don't, punk.]

Even as the two men exchanged silent telepathy, the meal continued warmly.

"Our son has really done us proud. I told Young-cheol's mom next door yesterday, and she was so jealous she could barely hide it! Hohoho!"

"Ahem. Yes, Yeon-woo, you've worked hard. Still, as your father and senior in life, let me give you some advice..."

"Ah, right! Yeon-woo, what are you thinking of writing next? Rom-coms are nice, but chaebol dramas have been so fun lately~"

"Ahem, ahem. Anyway, what I'm saying is, men should always be careful when they're at their peak..."

"Honey, pass some of those potatoes over here. Yeon-woo needs some too."

"..."

Father kept looking for an opening to speak, but Mother chatted away without a care.

Eventually, he pressed his lips together as if he had given up and silently began shoveling food into his mouth without pause.

"Oh, honestly! Our child is home for the first time in ages! Instead of just stuffing your face, why don't you give your son some useful, nourishing advice?"

"...?"

"Forget it. Has your father only been quiet for a day or two?"

Father's spoon stopped in midair.

His eyes held a complicated mix of deep injustice, sorrow, and survival instinct as he carefully studied Mother's expression.

"Honey... Did I do something wrong last night...?"

"What are you talking about? What did you do wrong?"

"Haha. Right? Yesterday wasn't an important day or any..."

"Huh? Wasn't yesterday Mom's birthday? Isn't that why Oppa came home after so long?"

At Ji Seo-yoon's words, the fingers holding Father's spoon came to a complete stop.

The room instantly fell silent.

"..."

"..."

Only the clink... of dishes echoed through the quiet kitchen.

In that silence, I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer for Father's soul.

#

"Do you have any idea how many broadcast slots MBS has arranged and pushed for Studio Miracle? How can you do this if you have any decency?!"

In Studio Miracle's department head office, MBS CP Gong Myeong-ho shouted through the phone.

Department Head Park Ho-seong roughly loosened his tie and raised his voice right back.

"Ha! Anyone listening would think Miracle has done nothing but leech off MBS! Do you not remember two years ago, when the lead actor in MBS's weekend drama got busted for drunk driving and left a hole in the show? Where did you put the fact that we sent in one of our A-list actors and put you on life support?!"

"Is that how you're going to put it?! What about me? Me! I've done more for you, never less!"

"What, what? What else was there?!"

"Last year's second-half tentpole! I gave Miracle a production stake! And when you plastered the whole production with PPL because the budget came up short, I turned a blind eye to all of it even though I could have faced disciplinary action from the Korea Communications Commission! How can you have so little loyalty?"

"Listen to this guy! That was because you bastards gave us such a tight production budget! And loyalty?! Loyalty?!"

Park Ho-seong roared back.

"Hey, you! This Lunar New Year, you sent Korean beef gift sets to all those other outsourced production company heads, and even Manager Kim at our company! Me? You sent me one measly tin of Spam! And someone like you is always talking about loyalty!"

"Wow, you're still holding onto that? You're awfully petty!"

"What did you say?!"

A childish mudslinging match was underway, with each of them pouring out every favor they had done and every time the other had treated them like a sucker.

After several minutes of shouting and badmouthing each other, Gong Myeong-ho finally seemed to reach the limits of guilt-tripping and reluctantly took a step back.

"Fine, fine! Even if I have to cling to the department director's pant leg, I'll clear out the entire weekend prime-time slot for the second half! Let's wipe away all our hard feelings and work with us. Okay?"

"We haven't even signed a contract with the writer yet, so what are you talking about?"

"Huh? So once the contract is signed, you'll put it straight into MBS's broadcast slot? You just promised that yourself!"

When Gong Myeong-ho instantly pounced on his words, Park Ho-seong recoiled and hurriedly changed the subject.

"I don't know! I'm busy, so I'm hanging up!"

Click.

Park Ho-seong hung up unilaterally and flung his phone onto the desk.

Bzzzt! Bzzzt!

Before even a second had passed, Gong Myeong-ho's persistent missed calls made the screen light up again.

Park Ho-seong shuddered, flipped his phone facedown, and shouted outside.

"Ugh, that bastard is relentless! I should just turn the whole thing off! Hey, Planning Team!"

"Yes, sir!"

An employee hurried over at the call, and Park Ho-seong straightened his clothes as he asked.

"My meeting with the writer is at five this afternoon, right? No changes?"

"Yes! Five o'clock this afternoon."

"Phew, good. Very good."

As he neatly fixed the tie that the phone call had messed up, a deeply satisfied smile appeared on Park Ho-seong's lips.

"I'm heading out early, so call me right away if anything happens. Oh, and!"

Before hurrying out, he snapped his fingers.

"If Gong Myeong-ho comes storming into our office again to ask where I am, keep your mouths zipped no matter what! Stop them at the first-floor lobby. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!"

Finally seeming a little relieved, Park Ho-seong clutched the contract documents approved by the CEO and the script tightly to his chest.

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