Return of the Genius PD

-JTVN President Jeon Nam-hoe.

-Term of office (2014-2022)

The main figure who devoured his second older brother and sparked the ‘War of Princes’ in TK Group.

However,

After ultimately losing to his eldest brother Jeon Nam-gi, CEO of TK Chemical, he suddenly chose to immigrate to America.

After that,

President Jeon Nam-hoe never set foot on Korean soil again. The breathtaking ‘War of Princes’ within TK Group. The inside story of those final 3 days remained veiled in mystery.

‘Even after I reached an executive position, I couldn’t find any related documents.’

There’s no way to know why he was pushed out by his older brother Jeon Nam-gi, CEO of TK Chemical. However, whether he believes it or not, I have abilities that could contribute to the succession struggle.

Results.

I was overflowing with confidence that I could deliver the dramatic business results he so desperately wanted.

“So.”

The beast opened his mouth again.

“You want me to send you to Production Team 4?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Why should I do that?”

“Because we’re perpetually in second place.”

Ji-won elaborated.

“Although we’ve been steadily growing, honestly, aren’t we still below the terrestrial networks and TVM?”

President Jeon Nam-hoe frowned. While the mention of being below terrestrial networks and TVM irked him somewhat, he quite liked the expression ‘we’.

“Where’s the guy who was begging to go to Production Team 4? At a time when you should only be saying pleasing things…”

Ji-won answered softly.

“Reality is reality. Isn’t Production Team 4 being established to catch up with the terrestrial networks and TVM?”

“Your tone of speech is quite irritating. Let me warn you, it’d be better to be careful from now on.”

President Jeon Nam-hoe’s eyes sank coldly.

“Do you have a way to catch up? It sounds like you definitely know the answer.”

Then he bared his teeth again.

“So, what exactly is your method for getting rid of these fat, arrogant pigs standing in front of me?”

If one becomes the target of those teeth, one must not let their guard down for even a moment. If a gap is shown, it’s clear as day that one’s neck will be bitten in an instant.

The problem is.

The fact that it hasn’t been decided whose neck those fierce teeth will aim for.

Gulp-.

Ji-won cleared his throat once. He could instinctively tell. That this was the decisive moment.

“Invest in me.”

A brief lull ensued.

“Did I just hear that wrong?”

President Jeon Nam-hoe stared at Ji-won with a blank expression.

“Invest? In what? Money?”

Ji-won answered, looking straight into his eyes.

“Just give me a chance. I’ll take the megaphone myself and produce consecutive hits of 20%, 30%. If I can make about three such hits in a row, the problem will be solved.”

A mischievous look mixed across President Jeon Nam-hoe’s face.

“Are you drunk?”

Ji-won ignored him and continued.

“It’s about overwhelming them with performance and challenging them to follow. Of course, this premise requires works of a level they can’t match.”

“Well, well, for a 4-year nobody who hasn’t even debuted yet, you sure talk smooth. Are you expecting me to believe this?”

Ji-won replied without backing down.

“You saw the impact that this mere 4-year employee had on ‘Doctor Ham In-ju’, didn’t you?”

“Know your place. How can you do anything if you can’t even objectively evaluate yourself?”

Ji-won only answered President Jeon Nam-hoe’s question with his eyes.

A moment of silence fell.

“…You’re an absurd fellow.”

President Jeon Nam-hoe started laughing.

“Hey, let’s say you’re right. Let’s say you’re an extraordinary genius with talent far beyond your years.”

A dangerous glint settled in his eyes again as his laughter subsided.

“If you’re so great, what have you been doing all this time? Shouldn’t you have shown your abilities prominently several times by now?”

This would probably be the final hurdle.

“Have you heard the saying that people never change?”

“Yes.”

“Conversely, isn’t it also true that people can change entirely with a moment’s decision?”

Then he continued without hesitation.

“I had an epiphany.”

“Are you in some kind of cult?”  

“I can do it.”

“You’re out of your mind.”

“But it’s the truth.”

“Are you mocking the terrestrial networks and TVM?”

“I can sweep them away.”

Realizing that words weren’t getting through, President Jeon Nam-hoe turned his head away.

“This guy’s really crazy.”

Was it an illusion? The corners of his mouth seemed to curl up slightly.

“Where on earth did a guy like this just ‘pop’ out from?”

Finally, he burst into the laughter he had been trying to hold back. It wasn’t just a chuckle leaking out like before, but full-blown laughter. After laughing for a while, he seemed to calm down and spoke.

“Ah, I’ve never seen such a crazy bastard.”

In an instant, the rough atmosphere surrounding President Jeon Nam-hoe disappeared.

“Thanks for the laugh.”

Then he nodded a few times as if satisfied.

“Okay, you pass the eccentricity test.”

He then stared intently at Ji-won with a sardonic smile.

“Hey, what exactly are you hiding behind those innocent eyes? Everyone in there is being fooled by you, aren’t they?”

“I haven’t particularly hidden anything.”

“My stomach hurts from laughing too much. I’m curious about your future moves, but I’ll need to consider the investment.”

He waved his hand dismissively.

“It was an enjoyable conversation, PD Do.”

At this somewhat forceful dismissal, Ji-won immediately got out of the car. A moment later, the closed window smoothly lowered. Through the narrow gap in the window, he spoke again while looking at Ji-won.

“Hey.”

“Yes.”  

Another brief moment of silence.

“From now on, whenever I call, come running to the president’s office immediately.”

With those final words, the black sedan carrying President Jeon Nam-hoe glided past Ji-won. Ji-won stood dazed, recalling the conversation they just had.

‘…Was I too much?’

It was true that he had unintentionally gotten excited while responding to match President Jeon Nam-hoe’s aura. However, wasn’t he a veteran who had been through thick and thin? He was different from a fresh social rookie who would be easily overwhelmed.

“Well, spilled milk…”

Although his mind was complicated, he decided not to dwell on it any further.

“What’s the use of worrying?”

As he turned his head, he could hear noisy voices coming from the barbecue restaurant inside. After that whirlwind, he had completely lost the desire to go back in.

‘…Suddenly feeling very tired.’

The alcohol was kicking in, and his head was throbbing, probably from thinking too hard. Ji-won immediately headed home.

For now, let’s go home and rest a bit. And think about it tomorrow.

* * *

The next day.

Sunlight pooled on Ji-won’s face as he lay sprawled on the bed. Ji-won opened his eyes groggily in the warm sunlight.

“Oh, my head…”

His head felt like it was about to split from the oncoming hangover. Ji-won barely managed to get up and head to the bathroom.

Brush brush-.

Then, with his eyes still closed, he put the toothbrush in his mouth and started brushing lazily. As he did so. His mind slowly started to clear, and last night’s events began to surface…

-”I can sweep them away.”

The conversation he had with President Jeon Nam-hoe last night came flooding back.

‘…There should be a bite soon.’

President Jeon Nam-hoe.

Although he was surprised by his unexpected true nature, it was only for a moment.

He acted according to his ‘inclination’.

He had encountered similar types of people several times throughout his past life.

There will be a bite.

After briefly mentioning what he wanted, he elaborated on what he could give. Dramatic results. From President Jeon Nam-hoe’s perspective, it was essentially a no-loss business.

A drama that would be produced anyway.

A drama that could succeed or fail regardless of who directs it. Might as well entrust it to someone who seems like they’d float even if they fell in water. If it fails, just kick him out immediately, and if it succeeds, keep him close and manage him.

Of course, there are risks.

There’s the quite significant risk of production costs in the hundreds of millions of won, but-.

‘That’s by normal standards.’

From President Jeon Nam-hoe’s perspective, it’s not really a level of risk to be concerned about. How many dramas have we produced at our station that cost much more and still failed spectacularly?

Splash-.

Ji-won slapped his cheeks a few times and stared wide-eyed at himself in the mirror. Despite looking haggard from the hangover, Ji-won could still see his thirty-year-old self full of vitality in his eyes.

‘The bite will come anyway.’

No foolish angler tries to reel in immediately after casting the line. Just do your job and wait. Then, inevitably, there will be a bite.

Ji-won was firmly convinced.

* * *

Ji-won tilted his head, holding a small potted plant. Then he checked the address he had been given.

‘Strange? This should be the right place?’

He looked at the sign again.

『 Cheongbaekri Bicycle Daeheung Branch 』

It’s the bicycle company run by Won-jae’s father. The exterior looked shabby, suggesting it was an old branch.

‘Let’s go in for now.’

Creeeeak-.

As he opened the stiff sliding door and entered, a middle-aged man was watching a small TV hanging from the ceiling. Upon noticing Ji-won, he greeted him in a leisurely manner.

“Welcome, are you here to buy a bicycle?”

“Ah, no. I’m looking for Won Management.”

The middle-aged man smiled warmly.

“You must be Ji-won? I’ve heard a lot about you. Won-jae is over there.”

The middle-aged man gestured towards a corner. Under the bicycles densely hanging from the ceiling, Won-jae could be seen crouching down.

“You’re here?”

Won-jae said, glancing up.

A small nameplate was placed on a small desk.

『 Won Management CEO Choi Won-jae 』

Ji-won lowered his voice, afraid it might be overheard.

“I thought you said you got an office.”

“It’s right here.”

“This looks like a bicycle shop to anyone.”

Won-jae pointed to a makeshift sign hanging on the wall.

『 Won Management Cheongbaekri Branch 』

“We need to save every penny, there’s no need for rent when it’s just a one-man company with only the CEO.”

“They say rich kids are worse… You’re ruthless.”

“Am I not the son of a man who named his company ‘Cheongbaekri’ for a reason?”

Then he grinned and said.

“This place has a long history, you know. It’s the historic first direct store of Cheongbaekri Bicycles.”

“Really?”

Cheongbaekri Bicycles has hundreds of branches nationwide. If this was where it all started, it would indeed be a symbolic space as Won-jae said. Suddenly, the face of the shop owner, who was grinning while watching TV, looked different. Won-jae added with a smile.

“The old man, despite appearances, is a hidden powerhouse. He was the vice chairman of Cheongbaekri Bicycles before retirement.”  

“A former vice chairman?”

“Yeah, now he’s enjoying his retirement life here at the first shop full of memories, as a sort of pastime.”

Ji-won nodded and asked.

“You seem to know a lot? You must be close.”

“I’ve known him since I was little. I thought he might be lonely being here alone, so when I asked to rent just one pyeong of space, he was delighted.”

Won-jae spread his arms proudly.

“Let’s consider this the first secret base of Won Management that will shake the world.”

Then he tapped the makeshift nameplate on the desk.

“Just wait and see. This paper nameplate will transform into a premium crystal mother-of-pearl nameplate someday.”

Won-jae’s thin lips drew a long arc. Looking at that smile, it felt like things might unfold exactly as he boasted. It was a unique charm that only Won-jae possessed. That’s probably why he eventually succeeded in his past life too.

“By the way.”

The future star CEO, Choi Won-jae, opened his mouth again.

“‘Eccentric Doctor Ham In-ju’ is still in the late 10% range for ratings… do you think it can reach 20%?”

With only 2 weeks left until the final episode. Given that the last filming went better than expected, according to Ji-won’s prediction…

“Yeah, it’ll probably achieve that in the final episode.”

Won-jae nodded as if he understood.

“If you say it will, then it will.”

Then, while cleaning his glasses, he said.

“I should start preparing too. I still have to negotiate with Director Ko Dong-guk.”

He meant it was time to enforce the special clause they had conditionally added when contracting ‘Eccentric Doctor Ham In-ju’.

Ji-won spun a bicycle wheel hanging from the ceiling and said.

“Well, I’m sure the CEO will negotiate well.”

Won-jae chuckled at those words.

“Heh heh, it seems like you’d be disappointed if I couldn’t bring it back?”

“How could a mere PD mock CEO Choi?”

“The CEO’s salary comes from that mere PD, which is a fatal weakness.”

After exchanging light jokes a few times. Soon, Won-jae’s eyes lit up.

“You’re going straight into the next project, right?”

“Of course.”  

“That means you’ve already finished planning?”

Won-jae asked while imagining what was about to unfold.

“When is the first episode of Kyukyu writer’s next work expected to be out?”

“Well, she can’t start writing until ‘Ham In-ju’ ends, so in about 2 weeks?”

Won-jae’s eyes curved into crescents behind his glasses.

“The next work of the monster rookie writer Kyukyu who appeared like a comet…”

“Hey, that’s embarrassing.”

“Those broadcasting station guys must be getting all hot and bothered.”

Won-jae asked again.

“What’s the genre?”

Ji-won paused for a moment, then.

“This time…”

He answered with a grin.

“I’m thinking of telling a different kind of story.”