An Uninvited Co-Director

It wasn’t a foreign language, yet he couldn’t understand a single word. What was this ‘co-direction,’ and what did Director Nam Yiwon have to do with it? His last drama had suffered from abysmal ratings, and the script he had painstakingly prepared, even participating in its writing, had become a headache to complete alone after the original writer quit. Believing it to be a cruel joke, Seungjun retorted irritably.

“People should know when to stop messing around.”

“Look at him! It was even in the news. Why are you feigning ignorance about something everyone knows? Are you worried people will say you’re riding on Nam Yiwon’s coattails?”

Eunseong chuckled, pressing her fingertip against Seungjun’s furrowed brow to smooth it out. Between the mention of the article and the persistent references to someone he wasn’t even close to, this was far too much to be a mere joke. A sense of ominous foreboding began to creep over him. Seungjun narrowed his eyes and asked.

“What article?”

“Your drama. The one you’re co-directing with Director Nam Yiwon.”

Had everyone gone mad, exhausted from endless overtime? Was smiling at such a mood-killing joke truly a part of navigating office life? A profound sense of futility, something he hadn’t experienced even during his arduous struggles in the desert, now washed over him. As Seungjun remained silent, Eunseong held out her phone before his eyes. A prominent news headline immediately caught his attention.

[Director Nam Yiwon of ‘The Unreasonable’ to Co-Direct for the First Time with HBN’s PD Baek Seungjun]

Seungjun’s gaze, which had been idly scanning the article, paused abruptly on his own name. Baek Seungjun. No matter how many times he reread it, it was undeniably his name.

“What is this?”

He had never heard such utter nonsense. He snatched the phone from Eunseong and immediately began to read the full article. It stated that Director Nam Yiwon, having successfully concluded the drama ‘The Unreasonable,’ was considering co-directing his next project with HBN’s PD Baek Seungjun, who had directed ‘Stars’… Even after reading the final line in one breath, he could find no evidence that this comedic situation stemmed from a mere misunderstanding.

Nam Yiwon. Baek Seungjun. The Baek Seungjun PD working at HBN was indeed him, and Nam Yiwon was ‘the’ Nam Yiwon. This wasn’t a case of mistaken identity, nor was it an article fabricated as a prank.

As Seungjun repeatedly reread the short article, Eunseong awkwardly spoke up.

“…What? You really didn’t know?”

‘Co-direction? By whose authority? He’s ‘considering’ this all on his own, without a single word to me? Is this some situation where I should be grateful, implying there’s no need to consult me beforehand?’

Seungjun ground his teeth. Considering Nam Yiwon’s track record as a star director who had helmed successive hit dramas, coupled with his reputation as an attention-seeker who dressed more flamboyantly than actors and appeared in the news more frequently, it wasn’t surprising that an article about his unconfirmed next project had surfaced. However, it was utterly illogical for his own unremarkable name to be featured alongside it. Unless Nam Yiwon himself had deliberately leaked his name…

The paper cup in his hand crumpled with a crunch. Just then, an elevator door slid open, and Seungjun stepped inside.

****

‘From the synopsis to the final script, how could someone who knew better than anyone how much passion and effort he had poured into this project betray him like this?’

His vision blurred with indignation. As he strode toward the Drama Department Head’s office, his rage intensified, and by the time he reached the door, a furious heat was rising in his throat. Seungjun flung the door open without bothering to knock. He knew he was being rude, yet he couldn’t stop himself from confronting them immediately. Even as he entered and met the Department Head’s gaze, his anger surged relentlessly, leaving him unable to choose his opening words.

The Department Head glanced at Seungjun out of the corner of her eye, then calmly averted her gaze. She spoke with composure, as if she had fully anticipated his visit.

“PD Baek, we have a guest right now. Let’s discuss this later.”

“No. We need to discuss this immediately. Did you also know about the article regarding Director Nam Yiwon and me, Department Head?”

“The article? I saw it this morning too. It seemed like a good opportunity. You wanted to do that drama, didn’t you?”

The Department Head answered nonchalantly, pushing the script that lay open on her desk to the side. Seungjun glared at the script, unsure of its content or its author. The stories piled high and pushed aside in the corner felt eerily familiar, not unlike his own.

“I don’t know why Director Nam Yiwon would suddenly step forward to co-direct with me, but I have no intention of doing so. Furthermore, if he truly wished to collaborate with me, the proper procedure would be to approach me directly, face-to-face, and discuss it—not to abruptly release an article.”

“I didn’t know about the article either.”

“Did you show Director Nam Yiwon my synopsis?”

“Does that matter? It’s not a losing venture. You’ll do it, won’t you?”

A ‘venture.’ It was a word only someone obsessed with ratings, rather than the emotions a drama conveyed, the various facets of life it depicted, or the messages it could impart, would use. The assumption that he would naturally accept this unilateral notification was clearly in the same vein.

They were implying he, who only produced low-rated dramas, wouldn’t dare to refuse an opportunity to work with a star director. Seungjun twisted his lips open.

“I won’t do it.”

“Why not? Just do it. Nam Yiwon isn’t even affiliated with us; he’s a freelancer, yet he specifically sought out PD Baek to work with him. Do you think opportunities like this come around often?”

“Has this already been settled by upper management? Is it expected that I’ll just accept it, even though it’s my own work, my own creation?”

Before he could even finish speaking, the Department Head sighed and removed her glasses. She slowly swiveled her chair to face Seungjun, her eyes now cold and unwavering.

“Is anyone forcing PD Baek? If you don’t want to do it, then don’t. But there’s no reason not to, is there? Director Nam Yiwon, whatever else he may be, is certainly good at delivering ratings.”

“Ratings? Of course, they’re good. But you know what Nam Yiwon’s dramas are like, don’t you?”

“……”

“They lack plausibility, their endings go completely off the rails, and writers reportedly tremble at how frequently he demands script changes. There were even articles about ‘The Unreasonable,’ calling its ending ‘unreasonable’ and a mockery of the audience.”

Nam Yiwon was notorious for working with rookie writers whom he could manipulate at will, tainting their fresh stories, distorting their messages, and ultimately producing ‘sensational dramas utterly devoid of plausibility.’ While his dramas might garner immediate ratings and buzz, Seungjun had no desire to create something that would only draw scathing criticism from those who saw it through to the end. Co-direction? What a joke! It was painfully obvious he would just tear everything apart and twist it into a chaotic mess.

Far from refuting him, the Department Head simply nodded. Her relaxed demeanor suggested she had anticipated such a response.

“It’s not that I don’t understand what you’re saying, but… despite all the talk, when Director Nam’s dramas are announced, people still watch them. Writers? They complain about script changes, but if the ratings are good, they eventually want to work with him again. Even a renowned writer who swore they’d never work with Director Nam changed their tune after seeing the popularity of ‘The Unreasonable.'”

“……”

“That’s just how this industry works, ultimately. You know that yourself, don’t you?”

His stomach churned at her gentle, chiding tone, as if he were a naive child unfamiliar with the ways of the world. The Department Head was merely feigning a recitation of harsh reality; in truth, she was simply boasting about her younger brother’s accomplishments. Seungjun ungritted his teeth and spoke.

“…You’re not saying this just because Nam Yiwon is your younger brother, are you, Department Head?”

“What?”

“I understand you’re proud of your youngest brother, but I refuse to let my work be ruined. You know how long I’ve prepared this, don’t you? This sudden notification of co-direction—don’t you think it’s unfair?”

“I know how long you’ve prepared that project. That’s precisely why I’m doing this.”

“You know, yet you’re doing this anyway?”

“How many years has that project been floating around? Isn’t it time you finally made it?”

“I can do it on my own. Without your brother’s help.”

“PD Baek Seungjun.”

The Department Head uttered his name stiffly, a corner of her mouth twitching upwards. Displeasure was evident in the irritable curve of her lips.

“Are you suggesting I’m doing this for PD Baek just to indulge my brother’s whims? Is a drama some kind of child’s game? Your paranoia seems to be getting out of hand.”

“Department Head.”

“I hadn’t intended to say this, but what were the ratings for your last drama, the one that ended prematurely?”

As Seungjun hesitated, about to retort, she swiftly pressed on.

“There were even whispers that other network dramas airing at the same time benefited from yours. We don’t engage in unprofitable ventures. While good content is ideal, ultimately, the numbers are what truly matter.”

“……”

“If you don’t want to do it, then don’t. That’s the nature of this business—if you lose your touch, you move on to another field. Your desert documentary got a good response this time. Even with a late-night slot, it seems to be doing better than your last drama. How about you switch to documentaries entirely with this opportunity?”

Seungjun clenched his fists, dropping his gaze to the floor. His insides churned, yet he knew her words weren’t false. They weren’t illogical either. It was precisely because he understood their position that he felt even more enraged.

The words he had heard all day floated through his mind. ‘A drama PD going to the South Pole to film a documentary.’ The jokes everyone threw around, even with smiles, carried a sting.

‘A PD lacking commercial sense, incompetent at his main job.’

A throbbing headache began to set in. The after-effects of his two-hour nap, curled up in the editing room, seemed to be catching up to him. The words that had threatened to burst forth were forgotten, replaced by a heavy sense of self-reproach. Seungjun stood staring at his toes, biting his lip. Even so, he refused to ruin his own work.

After observing Seungjun’s prolonged silence, the Department Head clicked her tongue.

“What does Director Nam think?”

‘Director Nam?’

The heat drained from his cheeks, leaving the back of his neck cold. Could the guest she mentioned possibly be… Seungjun tightened his jaw and slowly raised his head, turning towards the direction from which he sensed another presence.