027
“Getting off?”
Inside the office of Han Tae-sung, the representative of the film company ‘Big Picture.’
Park Dong-woon, the main producer of ‘Red Moon, Blue Sun,’ had finally announced that he would be stepping down from the project due to health reasons.
Because of this, Representative Han Tae-sung called a meeting with Kang Yeo-ok, who served as the General Affairs Director and Audit Committee member, along with Choi Moon-ho and Eom Ji-yeon, the heads of Production Teams 1 and 3.
“Is Producer Park’s condition much worse than we thought?”
Producer Eom Ji-yeon asked worriedly upon hearing the news of Producer Park Dong-woon’s departure.
“That’s not it.
They say the surgery went well.
It’s just that the side effects from the radiation treatment after the surgery are worse than expected.”
A brief silence fell over the meeting room at Han Tae-sung’s words.
After briefly observing the expressions of Choi Moon-ho and Eom Ji-yeon, Han Tae-sung continued.
“That’s why I want to hear your thoughts on who would be suitable to take over as the main producer of this project in place of Producer Park.”
At that moment, Choi Moon-ho’s eyes sharpened.
‘Wait... he wants to hear our thoughts?’
Normally, in a situation like this, it was customary for the production manager under the producer to inherit the producer’s position.
And there was no way Representative Han Tae-sung didn’t know that.
Yet the fact that he was asking Choi Moon-ho and Eom Ji-yeon for their opinions was essentially another way of saying, ‘I’ll give you two a chance as well.’
Choi Moon-ho slightly raised the corner of his mouth.
That was when General Affairs Director Kang Yeo-ok spoke first.
“Wouldn’t Manager Baek be the one who should take it?
He’s been working with Director Park since the early planning stages.
And, to be honest, it’s about time Manager Baek made his debut as a producer, isn’t it?”
Eom Ji-yeon, who had been subtly watching Choi Moon-ho’s reaction, opened her mouth.
“That’s true.
Ever since Producer Dong-woon went into surgery, Manager Baek has been handling everything from casting actors to taking care of Director Park.
So I suppose it might be better than bringing in someone new from outside.”
In truth, Eom Ji-yeon also understood what it meant for Han Tae-sung to ask them for their opinions.
But she thought there was no way she could beat Producer Choi Moon-ho in terms of experience or age.
Rather than giving the position to Choi Moon-ho, she seemed to think it would be better to give it to Manager Baek Sung-han, so she cast her vote in Baek Sung-han’s favor.
“So that’s how it is...
It seems Producer Eom isn’t as ambitious as I thought.
Hahaha.”
“I’m already overwhelmed with the projects I’m currently handling.
Besides, it doesn’t feel right to simply put my spoon on a table where everything has already been prepared.
Hohoho.”
Eom Ji-yeon deliberately said it as if she wanted Choi Moon-ho to hear.
As if he had understood the hidden meaning behind her words, Choi Moon-ho slightly furrowed his brow.
However, Choi Moon-ho seemed to have no intention of backing down.
He calmly, yet firmly, opened his mouth.
“Representative, would it be all right if I made a suggestion?”
“Why are we suddenly being called in the day before work?”
One day before my official first day at the film company ‘Big Picture,’ everyone in the production department, including me, gathered at a Chinese restaurant near the company after being summoned by Manager Baek Sung-han.
“I know, right?
What could be so urgent that he called everyone in for the evening...
Director Choi, do you know anything?”
Cha Seung-jun, who had no idea what was going on because of the sudden summons, cautiously tried to find out from Director Choi Sun-hwa.
“I don’t know either.
He just told me to come and find out.”
That was when it happened.
The door to the private room opened, and when I saw the familiar face entering together with Manager Baek, I frowned.
‘Choi Moon-ho?
Why the hell is that bastard here again...?’
Caught off guard by the unexpected appearance of Choi Moon-ho, we awkwardly stood up from our seats.
Choi Moon-ho waved his hand at us.
“Sit down.
Just sit.”
Then he himself went over and sat in an empty seat.
“You were all surprised when I suddenly called you here, right?”
Choi Sun-hwa seemed to exchange a brief glance with Baek Sung-han before speaking first.
“No, it’s fine.”
“Should we order first?
As for alcohol... tomorrow is your first day at work, so I don’t want you suffering from a hangover.
Let’s just have one simple glass of beer each.”
Without even asking, Choi Moon-ho ordered several dishes, including sweet-and-sour pork and assorted cold dishes, along with a few bottles of beer.
While Choi Moon-ho was placing the order with the waiter, we exchanged glances with one another without anyone taking the initiative to speak.
“Now, you’re probably all wondering why I’m here, so I’ll get straight to the point.
I’ve become the main producer of Director Park Jun-beom’s movie.”
For a moment, I doubted my own ears.
‘What?
This bastard Choi Moon-ho is the main producer of this movie?!’
Through Choi Moon-ho, we heard the news that Producer Park Dong-woon had ultimately stepped down from the project due to health problems.
We also learned that after much consideration, Representative Han Tae-sung had eventually appointed Choi Moon-ho as the main producer of the movie.
“I wish the decision had been made a little earlier, but it was only decided this morning.
Still, I thought we should introduce ourselves to each other before work officially begins tomorrow.”
Everyone seemed confused by the sudden situation.
However, although the main producer had been replaced, there was no one who would particularly be affected by it except Production Manager Baek Sung-han, because none of us had actually worked with the previous Producer Park Dong-woon.
“As for the actual work, our Manager Baek Sung-han will handle things well, so just follow Manager Baek’s instructions.”
“Yes, understood.”
While Choi Moon-ho was talking with the production staff, I desperately tried to hide my confusion and thought.
‘Why...
Why did it have to be Choi Moon-ho?!’
The first time I met Choi Moon-ho was one day in April 2012.
At the time, Cha Seung-jun was looking for an opportunity to make his debut as the main producer of a commercial movie.
He went to an interview at a newly established film company where Choi Moon-ho was the representative.
Among the candidates who had either already worked as producers on commercial movies or had at least two experiences as production managers on commercial films, Choi Moon-ho chose Cha Seung-jun as the main producer.
Cha Seung-jun had only worked as a production manager on a commercial movie and as a producer on an independent feature film.
And when Cha Seung-jun looked puzzled, Choi Moon-ho said this.
“To be honest, I don’t really trust guys who have only worked on commercial movies.
Those guys don’t know what hardship is.
Whenever there’s something difficult, they try to solve everything with money.”
Cha Seung-jun didn’t think Choi Moon-ho’s words were entirely wrong, so he decided to listen a little longer.
“I mean, sure, we live in an age where even an elementary school student can make a movie if they have enough money.
But even so, they have absolutely no hungry spirit.
You know, all art in this world begins with deprivation.
A hungry spirit.
Movies are art, after all.”
The point that made Cha Seung-jun fall for Choi Moon-ho’s words was precisely the idea that movies were art.
“But our Producer Cha...
We hadn’t even talked for more than a few minutes, yet I thought, ‘Ah... this person is really sincere.’
It just felt that way.
Think about it.
You know how difficult it is to make a low-budget independent movie.
And yet you managed to finish one of those independent films all the way to the end.
With that hungry spirit!
Because you believe movies are art, you pushed forward with nothing but persistence and determination.”
Cha Seung-jun said he became emotional without even realizing it.
He said that because someone was sincerely acknowledging the hardships he had endured, hardships even his own family didn’t understand, he felt as though he was being comforted.
“To be honest, our movie is a typical commercial film.
It’s even a tentpole movie designed around a specific target audience from the planning and development stage.
But putting that aside, I want a producer with the same mindset as Producer Seung-jun to become the producer of our movie.
So, what do you say?
Would you like to work with me?”
And so, Cha Seung-jun began working with Representative Choi Moon-ho.
At that time, I was only thirty years old, and my entire career consisted of having participated in one commercial movie as part of the production department.
Yet Cha Seung-jun accepted me as the head of the production department.
However, it took less than three months after joining the movie for Cha Seung-jun and me to realize that something was wrong.
Even though the entire production budget of 10 billion won had already been secured, Choi Moon-ho remained busy traveling around the provinces trying to attract more investments.
Furthermore, even though the production budget had already been secured, he never signed proper contracts with us beyond our salary agreements.
“Um, Representative...
We’re only two weeks away from filming, but none of the actors or staff have signed contracts yet.
When exactly are you planning to sign them...?”
“What’s wrong with you, Producer Cha?
Don’t act like an amateur.
Do I not have money?
The entire production budget has already been deposited into the account.
So what difference does delaying the signing of the contracts by a few days make?”
“No...
That’s not what I mean...
The actors and staff are all getting anxious...”
“This is driving me crazy!
Hey, Cha Seung-jun!
That’s because you failed to give the actors and staff faith and trust!
What is your job as a producer?!
Your job is to persuade and comfort people.
But don’t you realize that what you’re doing is basically admitting that you’re incompetent?!
Do you want me to show the staff the 10 billion won sitting in the bank account?!”
Cha Seung-jun didn’t even realize that he was being gaslighted.
Instead, he was too busy blaming himself for his own incompetence.
Then, on the day filming was supposed to begin, Choi Moon-ho fled overseas with the entire 10 billion won investment and disappeared.
The director, Cha Seung-jun, and I were all investigated by the police as possible accomplices in Representative Choi Moon-ho’s fraud.
But eventually, it was revealed that we were victims as well, and we were released.
According to the police investigation, Choi Moon-ho had not only attracted investments by using the names of famous actors appearing in the movie, but had also lured investors by promising high-interest returns of more than 10 percent per month.
That was how he obtained the investment money.
We also discovered that Choi Moon-ho had caused various problems at the companies he had worked for in the past, including embezzling company funds, and had eventually been fired.
‘Something feels wrong...
There’s no way Choi Moon-ho becoming the main producer of this project was simply a stroke of luck...
What the hell is going on...?’
While I was lost in my thoughts, Cha Seung-jun poked me in the side.
“What are you thinking about so seriously, Gibaek?”
Choi Moon-ho was looking at me with his brows slightly furrowed.
I desperately suppressed my anger and spoke.
For now, I knew that I had no choice but to keep my head down and go along with things.
“Ah, I’m sorry.
What did you say?”
“It’s nothing important...
Just think of me as an easygoing older brother and feel free to discuss anything with me whenever you want.
Guys, I’m not such a strict person.
Really.”
Choi Moon-ho continued giving a speech for more than ten minutes, repeatedly emphasizing how broad-minded and generous he was.
‘Tsk, just listening to that scammer bastard makes my stomach turn.
How many people were hurt because of him?!’
I silently gnashed my teeth at Choi Moon-ho.
That was when Choi Moon-ho, having finally finished his lengthy speech, turned toward me with a benevolent expression.
“Ah, Gibaek, I heard you’re in charge of production accounting?”
“Ah, yes...”
“Right...
Anyway, you know that the producer and production accountant have to communicate with each other the most, right?
I look forward to working with you.”
Choi Moon-ho raised the corners of his mouth and smiled.
I hadn’t decided to take charge of production accounting specifically to keep Choi Moon-ho in check.
But in a way, this had worked out even better than I expected.
Yes.
From now on, I would carefully observe every single movement of the production funds that passed through Choi Moon-ho’s hands.
“Yes, of course.
I look forward to working with you too.”
I also raised the corners of my mouth and smiled at Choi Moon-ho.
‘Yeah, go ahead and try me!
This time, I absolutely won’t let myself get taken advantage of so easily!’
