CH14

The DROP OUT leader, Si-Do, scanned the crew and spoke up.

"What should we do?"

Honestly, if it wasn't for NOP, he would not have even given this song a second thought.

Long story short, BVB's A&R team leader wanted DROP OUT to reject the song.

However, the composer insisted on playing it and asked for a concession, saying he wanted to use it as NOP's title track.

This was Team Leader Seo Seung-Hyun's masterstroke, preying on the same envious feeling you get when your neighbor wins the lottery.

And now, DROP OUT, falling for the trick, was in a pickle.

"<Selfish >, if we don't snag it, NOP will. And NOP's been killing it lately…"

"But hey, don't you wanna belt it out?"

"Double title track, anyone?"

"It's worth mulling over."

"The composer said he didn't want it as a B-side track, right?"

"The guy's got some serious nerve."

"Truth is, the song slaps. It'd be a shame to relegate it to a B-side status."

DROP OUT chewed on '<Selfish >' several times, but at some point, they could not help but admit it.

Their worries did not end.

But soon enough, those worries made '<Selfish >' shine even brighter.

Because no matter how many additional points were given to the song they had produced themselves because of the jinx, the scales did not tip in their favor.

Eventually, Sido, the leader, made the call.

"<Selfish >, let's sing it as a single title track."

"Seriously?"

"Think about it. We're all about self-production because we want to crush it, right?"

"True."

"But if there's a banger out there better than what we whipped up, we have to go for it. No changing the order of things, right?"

The members slowly nodded their heads at the words of the leader, Si-Do, who had the most stake in the song's production.

Once the decision was made, clarity set in, and they eyed <Selfish > with a more objective perspective.

<Selfish > is a really good song.

With the right polish, it could even climb the Billboard.

"But who's the composer again?"

"Zion."

"If it's Z, I, O, N, isn't it read as /ˈzaɪ.ən/?"

"Does it really matter? Let's get a meeting set up with the company first. Figure out if we're keeping the guide vocal or ditching it for just the instrumental."

"The sound quality is bad, but the guide track's really good, right?"

Maybe because they secured such a good song, DROP OUT's comeback was getting bumped up in the schedule.

***

During the break, I dug around for info on PD Kang Seok-Woo.

I wasn't very familiar with the Korean broadcasting industry, so I was worried that I wouldn't be able to interpret the info even if I looked it up…

What's this?

He's a bigger shot than I thought.

[MBN's Ratings Maestro Kang Seok-Woo, will he join M Show?]

[What will be the next project of PD Kang Seok-Woo collaborating with M Show?]

I had a peek into Kang Seok-Woo's background, and damn, he's not quite just a Ratings Maestro.

About four years back, he directed a program that was a huge hit, which significantly raised his profile.

Thanks to that, he became known as MBN's signature PD, regardless of his actual career.

So when such a person moved to a cable channel, there were quite a few articles about it.

I checked if he had beef with MBN over the move, but that wasn't the case either.

M Show and MBN collaborated on some educational gigs for wannabe PDs, and he was on board as an instructor.

In other words, it meant that he had a lot of connections in the entertainment industry.

If that's the case…

"Building connections is better than leeching off people."

With that thought in mind, I spotted PD Kang Seok-Woo pacing like a dog that's about to do the deed.

He's been like that since I said I would consider releasing a single.

First, I wondered why a big-shot PD like him was so antsy, but after a bit of digging, it clicked.

<Coming Up Next> is the first work that PD Kang Seok-Woo took on after coming to M Show.

He must want to prove his ability.

Basically, internal idol survival shows are watched by a niche audience dedicated to them.

Good ratings mean advertisements are sure to sell out, especially the ones targeting teens and people in their 20s.

For Kang Seok-Woo to flex, music streaming revenue is where it's at.

'I don't know much about the Korean broadcasting industry, but this probably isn't much different from the States.'

As I pondered, I locked eyes with PD Kang Seok-Woo, who gave me a weak smile.

"Hmm."

After diving deep into the regression game, I've learned a thing or two about people.

That's acting.

There's no way a guy who's a main PD would be so sheepish.

He's aiming for that soft spot in a college kid's heart.

If I were really in my twenties, I'd feel uneasy with a big wig PD acting like that.

But I didn't really feel like he was 'trying to trick me' or anything.

Everyone's got to act a bit to get what they want in society.

After roughly organizing my stance, I decided to chat up PD Kang Seok-Woo before the break ended.

"Hello, Mr. Kang."

"Oh, hey. Have you got your thoughts sorted?"

Barely half an hour passed since I said I'd think about it, so what's with the "sorted"?

"I was scared earlier and didn't have any manners. I'm sorry."

"No, no. You weren't being rude. But why are you scared…"

Beating around the bush much?

He glanced around like he was about to spill some hot gossip.

Because he could see contestants resting, practicing, or talking to writers.

"I was worried that if I release my single, it might be seen in a negative light…"

It doesn't matter to the other participants, but it shouldn't appear that way to the viewers.

Being labeled selfish isn't a good look. It will stick around for ages.

"Ah, don't sweat it. When I asked around, everyone was itching to hear the chorus."

"Really?"

As a regressor, ideal connections are those whose behavior patterns I can accurately predict.

What's PD Kang Seok-Woo's deal?

Maybe I'll test the waters.

Just enough so that he doesn't hate me.

"Then, may I ask you for one favor?"

"You mean as a condition for releasing the single?"

"No, not as a condition. Even if you can't grant my request, I will still release it."

"Alright. What is it?"

"Can we air the part where I'm pondering about releasing the single?"

PD Kang Seok-Woo's face twisted in surprise and asked me back.

"So you want to be involved in the outcome of the shoot?"

"No, I just want that one scene included, nothing else."

"So you were more worried about the viewers' reaction than your colleagues'?"

"Well, my colleagues will obviously see the broadcast too, so…"

With a chuckle, he nodded.

"Sure thing. Mind if I ask you a bit more about the release?"

"Go for it."

"You'll roll with our schedule for recording and releasing, right?"

"Of course."

PD Kang Seok-Woo nods and leaves, saying some good luck words for the shoot.

But he comes back in no time.

"Han Si-On, didn't you say just one favor?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Does what you just asked really count as just one favor?"

Is he curious? Or is he trying to confirm something?

Either way, Kang Seok-Woo's not the type to let things slide without clearing it up.

So, I played along.

I smiled and answered smoothly.

"Weren't we talking about three?"

"…Now, that's interesting."

PD Kang Seok-Woo, who had been staring at me intently, left with his last real compliment.

"Let's rock it in the future."

PD Kang Seok-Woo, who had instructed the main writer to conduct an additional interview with Han Si-On, scratched his head.

"What kind of person is that?"

As a PD preparing for the media examination, there is a famous saying one often hears.

[There can be strokes of genius, but no genius works as a whole.]

It was not an overstatement.

As far as Kang Seok-Woo knew, he thought this saying was originally taken from another saying.

'Was it said that a genius might pen a line but not an entire book?'

Anyway, that was not important.

What that saying was trying to convey was simple.

A genius could create good scenes with their innate sense.

But they could not put those scenes together to create a masterpiece.

That was because that work was a realm of insight that captured humans.

Insight was not something you were born with.

It could only be honed through time and experience.

Kang Seok-Woo mostly agreed with that saying.

But he was not convinced.

After all, there were some rare geniuses out there.

But such outliers were few and far between.

"Can we air the part where I'm pondering about releasing the single?"

From a PD's viewpoint, what Han Si-On was asking for was not just 'one favor.'

Broadcasts have a flow.

The pre-mission was in progress, and then with Han Si-On's stage coming up, could such content come out of nowhere?

It was possible to do it forcibly, but it would not keep the broadcast flowing smoothly.

Not to mention, this was meant for the crucial, first episode.

If you include the dilemma over the recording release, you would also need to show the troubles and conflicts surrounding that decision.

Which means introducing antagonistic forces.

'Who would be the biggest antagonist here?'

Antagonists are necessary for protagonists to act against them.

And crucially, for the protagonists to carry any real dramatic weight, you would need to set them up and build them from the very start.

In other words, they need to become the central focus.

Han Si-on was attempting to naturally resolve all these aspects with just one sentence.

Initially, it was thought not to be a calculated move, but rather a request made out of discomfort with standing out.

However, Han Si-on's demeanor raised some questions.

When asked, "Does what you just asked for really count as just one favor?"

"Weren't we talking about three?"

Kim Seok-Woo never expected to get an answer like that from Si-On.

Frankly, he had no initial plan to cast Han Si-On in the role of the good guy.

Based on the footage, it seemed more fitting to position him as a genius who looked down on everyone else.

Not necessarily disliked, but not entirely likable either.

He was considering placing him at the center of the broadcast as a source of controversy that would ignite the viewer ratings.

"But now that it had come to this…"

It seemed necessary to proceed as Han Si-On requested.

Not because his request was burdensome or that the promise was precious.

The reason was more straightforward.

It would benefit the ratings.

If someone as intelligent as him was at the center, the program was unlikely to falter.

And if the timing and luck were right, it felt like he would pull out a few more contents like <Under the Streetlight>.

"Geez."

To think a conversation like this was happening with a twenty-year-old aspiring singer.

While true, it was a story hard to believe if told to others.

Yet, there was curiosity.

Did Han Si-On see the entire picture clearly when he made that request?

Or was it an intuitive shot in the dark?

PD Kang Seok-Woo pondered this as he approached the main writer.

"Ms. Choi, you know, that guy earlier. What's his name?"

"How am I supposed to know if you just say 'that guy'?"

"You know, the one asking participants about their song choices."

"Ah, Kim Seong-Woo?"

"Yeah, that's right. Kim Seong-Woo. Give him a gentle nudge. Ask him how he feels about Han Si-On releasing a song. You know what I mean without having me to say anything more, right?"

The main writer smirked and nodded.

***

Break's over.

Sure, we 'took a break.' It involved repeated interview filming.

They are probably going to have a chock-full of questions about me.

That's probably why the expressions of the participants around me seemed to have changed.

TL/n - 

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