Return of the Genius PD

Tension filled the filming set.

PD Kim Jong-su, dressed in a black suit, wore a solemn expression. His usual playful demeanor was nowhere to be seen.

Indeed.

had finally reached its last scene.

In the end, Ham In-ju’s team successfully operates on the foundation’s chairman. Afterwards, with the chairman’s full support, they settle their long-standing feud with Hospital Director Jo Gwang-il.

“I told you long ago you should’ve gone into politics.”

“That’s where you’ll end up someday, somewhere too high for the likes of you to reach.”

“No, the only place you’re headed is behind high walls.”

Ham In-ju scatters documents in front of Jo Gwang-il.

“You should’ve known when to stop.”

Illegal solicitation. Proxy surgeries. False employment, and more.

Jo Gwang-il’s eyes shook uncontrollably as he picked up one of the documents.

The hospital director, Jo Gwang-il, ends up behind bars as all his various corruptions come to light. Ham In-ju declines the chairman’s offer to become the next hospital director and returns to Daon Hospital.

The scene that puts the final period on the narrative that unfolded over 16 episodes.

A newly appointed surgeon urgently tries to dissuade Ham In-ju from attempting surgery.

“Surgery is impossible here! We need to move to a university hospital with the latest equipment!”

Ham In-ju responds in a calm tone.

“The patient won’t last long. They’ll die during transfer.”

“But we can’t guarantee success even if we operate here!”

“Are you too scared of maggots to salt your intestines?”

“Can you take responsibility if something goes wrong?”

Ham In-ju suddenly shouts.

“Can you save them!”

Then he adds.

“That’s what you should ask first.”

Having said his piece, Ham In-ju enters the operating room with a grin.

As the surgeon collapses into a chair with a defeated expression, the narration will begin in the final cut.

A person who acts outside the framework and common sense of the world. People agreed to call such a person eccentric. But that eccentric person insists to the very end.

Not eccentric. But a romantic.

As the narration ends, the camera slowly pans away from the surgeon. Where the angle stops, the “Surgery in Progress” light turns on.

“Cut!”

PD Kim Jong-su in his black suit shouted loudly.

“Great work, everyone!”

“It’s over!”

“Thank you for your hard work!”

The staff raised both hands and cheered. PD Kim Jong-su nodded to actor Han Se-gyu.

“Sunbae-nim, thank you for your hard work.”

“Our director worked harder. Thanks to you, I had fun for the first time in a while.”

Han Se-gyu’s gaze then turned to Ji-won. He gave a gentle smile.

“PD Do Ji-won, thank you for making me fall in love again.”

Ji-won returned a warm smile. It was an overwhelmingly joyous moment.

Production PD Lee Geon-woo called out.

“The wrap party location is set for the Korean beef restaurant. No spending limit, so eat, drink, and feel free to get crooked!”

* * *

As short as 3 months. As long as 6 months.

A drama that has been running towards a common goal for a long time. There’s one way to most accurately gauge the success or failure of that result. That is. The scale of the wrap party dinner.

If it recorded successful ratings, all sorts of people will come to congratulate in a highly excited atmosphere.

If it fell short of expectations, it will be held in a somewhat calm atmosphere, concluding modestly.

Of course.

was the former.

“Director Ko Dong-guk of JTVN Drama Department has arrived!”

“CEO Kim Gap-yong of SL Agency is here to congratulate!”

“CEO Seo Cheol-soo of TW Entertainment has arrived!”

“CEO Kim Seok-young of XR Studio is here! Please give them all a warm welcome!”

All the representatives involved in the production had gathered. This fact was proof of ’s current success. Of course, this includes the reporters camping outside the restaurant, hoping to catch even one shot.

That’s when it happened.

Someone whose mere presence drew everyone’s attention…

“President Jeon Nam-hoe of JTVN has arrived!”

The heads of all the production staff present whipped around.

“Really?”

“Is this for real?” 

“I guess our drama really did well.”

His attention was due not only to being the president of JTVN, but also the mystique that came with the title of ‘youngest son of a chaebol family’ who moves the Korean economy. Also, it’s a habit of chaebol families to conduct themselves in a way that keeps them out of people’s gossip. That’s why President Jeon Nam-hoe rarely shows his face except at official events.

– And yet, this President Jeon Nam-hoe attended the unofficial wrap party.

That fact heated up the atmosphere of the wrap party even more.

The wrap party was in full swing. There was someone watching President Jeon Nam-hoe, who was constantly exchanging drinks with the representatives at the head table. Though no one expected it, he alone had been waiting for President Jeon Nam-hoe’s attendance. Ji-won fiddled with his glass as he organized his thoughts one last time.

The journey of was nearing its end. Being a contest task force team, they would be disbanded as soon as the drama ended. Of course. Ji-won had no such intention. For him, this was just the beginning.

‘Then…’

Ji-won picked up his glass and walked to the table where President Jeon Nam-hoe was sitting.

And then.

“I’m PD Do Ji-won, 4 years in the Drama Department. I’ve come to receive a drink from you, President.”

Ji-won bowed politely in front of President Jeon Nam-hoe. While keeping his eyes fixed on him.

President Jeon Nam-hoe’s eyes flickered with interest. He poured a drink into Ji-won’s glass with a sophisticated smile.

“PD Do Ji-won, you’ve worked hard. I heard your performance was remarkable.”

Ji-won spoke softly.

“I have something to discuss with you, it won’t be a waste of your time.”

Ji-won gazed steadily into his eyes. President Jeon Nam-hoe stared at Ji-won for a moment. Soon, a thin smile traced across his lips.

“After Senior Advisor Choi Jae-cheol, it’s my turn?”  

“Yes, I’m ‘requesting a private meeting’.”

At those words, President Jeon Nam-hoe chuckled.

He had expected this.

Senior Advisor Choi Jae-cheol was, before being the former president of JTVN, a loyal servant of TK Group. And that of President Jeon Nam-hoe’s faction-.

That’s why he judged he could have a private audience. President Jeon Nam-hoe must already know about me, so his curiosity would be piqued. Of course, he couldn’t be 100% certain. It was, after all, just Ji-won’s prediction.

The odds were fifty-fifty.

Finally, he opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry, I’ve had a bit to drink. Let’s talk another time when we have the chance.”

Ji-won retreated with a bitter smile.

Perhaps…

The ‘chance’ President Jeon Nam-hoe spoke of would never come.

Back at his seat, Ji-won reviewed what had just happened. The first attempt had failed, so he needed to think of his next move. So he started to recheck the information he knew from his past life. But.

‘…Why did it fail?’

Even thinking about it again, it seemed like an appropriate move, albeit a bit bold. From what Ji-won had heard, President Jeon Nam-hoe was originally…

‘A person who couldn’t resist his curiosity.’

That’s when a man in a black suit approached Ji-won. He spoke quietly.

“PD Do Ji-won?”

“Yes?”

“The President is asking for you for a moment.”

…He wasn’t wrong.

Soon, Ji-won followed the aide out of the restaurant. Outside, a black sedan was parked. The aide gestured towards it.

“Phew.”

He took a deep breath, partly to push away the effects of alcohol. This was as far as Ji-won had planned.

Just like with Senior Advisor Choi Jae-cheol…

At that time, Ji-won, still a regular employee, had no experience of meeting President Jeon Nam-hoe privately. This means he knew nothing about ‘Jeon Nam-hoe the person’ beyond his public appearances.

From now on, he had to navigate entirely live.

Ji-won opened the back door and got in. President Jeon Nam-hoe shifted his gaze from a tablet filled with numbers to Ji-won. Then he smiled and spoke.

“Did you expect this too? PD Do?”

His manner of speech had changed.

“No, I thought I had failed.”

Ji-won answered with a bitter smile. President Jeon Nam-hoe grinned, seemingly satisfied.

“I was curious, but it didn’t suit my temperament to agree right away, so I played a little trick.”

Only President Jeon Nam-hoe would know how far that trick might go.

“Not even the main PD, just a mere employee, and yet the retired Senior Advisor Choi Jae-cheol exerted his influence…”

President Jeon Nam-hoe slightly loosened his tie and asked.

“When that mere PD, for whom such influence was used, finally turned around the heart of the reclusive Han Se-gyu… honestly, I was a bit surprised.”

He continued, resting his chin on his hand.

“I can’t resist my curiosity, you see.”

Then he glanced at Ji-won.

“I think I’m quite good at reading people. Looking closely at your face…”

That gaze was strikingly peculiar.

“To my eyes, I see a monster coiled inside PD Do.”

The light in those eyes was ambiguous even to Ji-won. A light that seemed like boredom, or perhaps desire, an indecipherable hue. The man with such eyes spoke.

“A monster called ambition.”

Ambition… 

Quite an accurate description. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to call Ji-won the ‘incarnation of ambition’. After all, in his past life, he had ruthlessly discarded his dreams and pursued success.

…Then what about this life?

He needed to carefully ask himself this question over time. The direction of this life would be determined by the answer to that question.

Seeing Ji-won seeming to fall into thought, President Jeon Nam-hoe added.

“Ambition isn’t a bad thing, is it? Honestly, I prefer someone with even a twisted ambition over someone without any.”

The smile on his lips twisted slightly.

“I prefer an employee who stands out, whether in a good way or bad, over those who just suck their salary without making waves. At least the former is worth the money.”

This was an extremely chaebol-like mindset. Treating the company, a legal entity, as if he personally owned it.

He elaborated further.

“So… I’m curious about the size of your ambition.”

As the conversation progressed, President Jeon Nam-hoe’s bored gaze gradually took on a different light.

“Let’s talk candidly for once.”

The ‘inside of a car’ is an extremely private, personal space. Perhaps… That’s why it might be a suitable place to reveal one’s true self, existing behind the social mask.

“Hey, Do Ji-won.”

It was a rough tone he hadn’t heard before.

“How high do you want to climb?”

His eyes began to take on a ferocious quality. Even though they were just making eye contact, suddenly it became difficult to breathe.

Now he could understand. The essence of President Jeon Nam-hoe that Ji-won had grasped was…

A beast.

His usual composed and calm public demeanor was nowhere to be seen. Next to Ji-won sat a predator looking for prey to bite into. An arrogant atmosphere that placed no one above himself.

President Jeon Nam-hoe smiled meaningfully.  

“Prove it to me. Whether I’ve discovered a raw gem, or just a pebble that’s been rolled around and polished a bit.”

There was no hesitation in his expression as he assessed human value. Is this almost maniacal personality also a result of growing up in a chaebol family?

‘No, it’s the opposite.’

What this person learned from the chaebol family was rather caution. It’s probably because he grew up as a ‘potential heir’ where not even one mistake was tolerated. Thanks to that, he just became a predator with added caution. President Jeon Nam-hoe was likely born a beast from the start.

And.

A beast doesn’t exercise caution in front of herbivores. Because they pose not even a speck of threat. That’s why President Jeon Nam-hoe was now revealing his true nature without reservation. As if asking if Ji-won could handle it.

It was appalling.

To think that such a person is publicly known as the black sheep of the chaebol family, unbounded by worldly ties…

At that moment, an alarm went off in Ji-won’s head.

‘Get a grip, Do Ji-won!’

This is no time to be making observations while being overwhelmed by the other party’s aura. If you falter here, you’ll be torn apart.

“Thank you for viewing me so impressively.”

Riding the tiger! 

It means a situation where falling off means certain death, like being on top of a running tiger.

“I’ll speak frankly.” 

At such times, one must hold their head high and look straight ahead to where they’re going-. This too was one of the life lessons learned at a high price in his past life.

Ji-won spoke in a firm tone. It was time to make his move.

“Please send me to the newly established Production Team 4.”