Chapter 88

Chapter 88

“Versatile, huh? Interesting. What makes you say that?”

“Well, variety-show writers basically have to do everything. We handle planning, budgets, casting actors, finding locations, and sometimes even securing PPL sponsorships ourselves. In my case, I can even work as a VJ and film things myself. There’s almost nothing I can’t do.”

Variety-show writers also had to design everything in detail, from the overall concept of a program to the flow of individual episodes, how the material would be organized, and even how viewers might react.

Because of that, Kang Joo-young explained that variety-show writers naturally developed strong planning and organizational skills.

Even under Han Tae-sung’s aggressive questioning, she remained relaxed and confident from beginning to end.

As expected of Kang Joo-young.

No... maybe because she was younger at this point, she seemed much brighter and more energetic than I remembered.

I was smiling at her with satisfaction when Baek Sung-han, who had looked unusually gloomy ever since Kang Joo-young entered the interview room, suddenly spoke.

“But it says here that you worked as a variety-show writer for eight years. With that much experience, production companies would probably be competing to hire you. Why did you apply to a drama planning team? If you move into drama production, you’ll practically be starting from the bottom again.”

It seemed like an unexpected question.

Kang Joo-young’s expression stiffened for a moment.

“Th-That’s... well... I’ve always been very interested in dramas...”

Despite her answer, she looked strangely uneasy.

What’s going on? Why is Noona suddenly acting like that?

Realizing something was wrong, I quickly wrapped up the interview.

“All right. Thank you for your time. That concludes the interview. We’ll contact the successful applicants individually next Monday using the phone numbers listed on your résumés.”

With that, all the interviews were finished.

Now we had to hold another meeting to select the final two successful applicants.

“So? Did anyone catch your eye?”

“Yes. I think Lee Hyun-woo, the first applicant, would be a good choice.”

“Ah, that guy who talked about being Jiang Taigong or whatever? He certainly was unusual.”

Han Tae-sung raised the corner of his mouth.

“Yes. Honestly, he was so unusual that I was confused throughout the interview. But before today’s interviews, I searched for some of the review videos he uploaded on YouTube.”

I explained that although Lee Hyun-woo was definitely eccentric, his ability to analyze works was surprisingly accurate and sharp.

I also thought we could use his skills for various promotional activities on YouTube in the future.

“Just like he said, it seems he wasn’t simply sitting around pretending to be Jiang Taigong.”

“Really? Well, he’ll be working under Team Leader Min anyway. If Team Leader Min likes him, that’s good enough for me. Then who should we choose for the other position?”

I already planned to choose Kang Joo-young.

However, answering too quickly might look suspicious, so I pretended to think about it.

But before I could say anything, Baek Sung-han spoke first.

“What about Im Hyun-ji, the third applicant? She worked in advertising, but she also has planning experience. And she’s the only applicant younger than Team Leader Min, so she might be easier for you to work with...”

“I’m not sure... Her experience and qualifications are definitely good, but she seems a little timid...”

When I subtly showed that I wasn’t interested, Han Tae-sung spoke.

“I liked the last applicant. What was her name? Kang Joo-young, the former variety-show writer. She called herself versatile, and from what I saw, she seemed sharp and capable. She looks like someone who knows how to get things done.”

“Actually, I also think Kang Joo-young is probably the best candidate among them...”

But before I could finish speaking, Baek Sung-han quickly interrupted.

“No. I don’t think Kang Joo-young is a good choice.”

His tone was unusually firm.

Han Tae-sung looked confused.

“Why? Is there some kind of problem with her?”

Just like when he first saw Kang Joo-young’s résumé, Baek Sung-han seemed reluctant to explain.

I looked at him.

“Producer Baek, is the reason you don’t like her related to that story you said you heard about Kang Joo-young during the first résumé screening?”

After hesitating for a moment, Baek Sung-han nodded instead of answering.

“You heard something about Kang Joo-young? What kind of story?”

Han Tae-sung tilted his head, clearly unaware of the situation.

“I don’t know the details either. During the first résumé screening, Producer Baek only mentioned that he had heard something about her from an acquaintance while drinking.”

“Really? Producer Baek, I don’t know what you heard, but if we’re going to reject Kang Joo-young because of it, I think the rest of us need to know too.”

Baek Sung-han thought for a moment.

Then, as though making up his mind, he told us the story.

It went like this.

Not long ago, Baek Sung-han had gone drinking with some old high school friends.

Coincidentally, one of his juniors, who worked as a producer in KBC’s variety department, happened to join them.

During the gathering, the junior talked about something ridiculous that had recently happened to him.

According to him, the first writer working on his variety show had wanted to become the main writer.

So she had supposedly tried to seduce him in order to get the position.

However, when the producer refused her advances, the first writer apparently reported to the company that he had sexually harassed her.

The incident put the junior through a difficult situation.

Fortunately for him, the company supposedly believed his side of the story instead of the writer’s.

As a result, the writer was fired from the company and practically driven out of the industry.

And the writer who had supposedly tried to seduce that producer...

was Kang Joo-young.

Baek Sung-han frowned.

“Honestly, I just feel uncomfortable with the idea of bringing someone like that into our company. It’s not like we have no other candidates. I don’t think there’s any reason for us to deliberately bring a potential time bomb onto the team.”

I couldn’t hide my shock.

No. Something is wrong here.

There’s no way the Joo-young Noona I know would have done something like that.

After thinking for a moment, I spoke.

“Of course, if what Producer Baek said is true, then naturally we shouldn’t hire someone like that either.”

However, I explained that this was only the story told by Baek Sung-han’s junior.

Especially with something this serious, we needed to hear both sides before deciding anything.

“Both sides? Are you saying you’re going to ask Kang Joo-young directly? Even if you ask her, there’s no way she’ll admit that she tried to seduce a man to get the main writer position.”

Han Tae-sung spoke as though my suggestion made no sense.

“Of course. But I just remembered someone who should be able to tell us what actually happened without having any personal interest in either side.”

At those words, Han Tae-sung and Baek Sung-han both turned toward me.

“Really? Who?”

I immediately called my college classmate, Park Jung-bae.

“Hey, Jung-bae. You doing well? How’s work?”

“No. It’s boring as hell. It’s basically manual labor. I should’ve gone into movies...”

Park Jung-bae was one of my college classmates.

His uncle, who worked as a producer at KBC, had persuaded him to take the broadcasting-company entrance exam.

He passed and joined KBC last summer.

The first department he had been assigned to was the variety department.

“Anyway, why are you calling?”

“I wanted to ask you something. Do you know a writer named Kang Joo-young? She might not have worked on your program, but she worked in the same variety department.”

“Yeah. How do you know Writer Kang?”

Through Park Jung-bae, I finally heard another version of Kang Joo-young’s story.

According to him, a producer working on the variety program where Kang Joo-young was the first writer had sexually harassed her.

Kang Joo-young reported the incident to the company.

But instead of believing her, the company accused her of trying to seduce the producer in order to become the main writer.

“Wait. You’re saying she was falsely accused? Are you sure?”

“I can’t say for sure. But you know how these things are. You can tell from the atmosphere. The writers and staff don’t openly talk about it, but apparently that producer was already known as a complete piece of trash.”

Park Jung-bae had only been working there for seven months.

He didn’t personally know much about either the producer or Kang Joo-young.

However, that was what the rumors inside the company said.

“I heard from some of the female writers that the producer constantly touched female writers whenever he got the chance. He’d also promise to bring them onto his next project and then ask them to sleep with him. Apparently, the guy was a complete pervert.”

According to Park Jung-bae, there had been more than one female writer who suffered because of him.

But because everyone was afraid of losing their jobs, none of them had dared to fight back.

Kang Joo-young eventually decided that she could no longer ignore what was happening.

She stepped forward and reported him to the company.

However, between Kang Joo-young, who was merely a contract writer, and the producer, who was a permanent employee, the company chose to believe the producer.

In the end, Kang Joo-young was the only one who got kicked out.

“From what I heard, there isn’t anywhere in this industry willing to hire Writer Kang anymore. They’re probably afraid they’ll suffer some kind of backlash if they take her in.”

Ha... I knew it.

I remembered Kang Joo-young from before my regression.

She had once told me that she didn’t regret her decision to quit being a variety-show writer.

And I remembered the look in her eyes when she said it.

Someone with eyes like that...

There was no way she had regretted standing up for what she believed was right.

More importantly, meeting Kang Joo-young at this exact moment almost felt like fate.

Because right now...

there was one connection in Kang Joo-young’s network that I desperately needed.

My call with Park Jung-bae ended.

A heavy silence filled the meeting room.

“Ha... seriously. I don’t even know what to say... Ahem...”

Baek Sung-han looked awkward.

He had misunderstood Kang Joo-young after hearing only his junior’s side of the story.

I smiled at him.

“It isn’t your fault, Producer Baek. The problem is the person who told you the story that way.”

“Anyway, does that mean these two are our final choices?”

Han Tae-sung placed Lee Hyun-woo and Kang Joo-young’s résumés in front of him.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing what the ‘Big Picture’ drama team will become. Hahaha.”

“Introduce yourselves. This is Min Ki-baek, the planning team leader for ‘Big Picture’ and the producer in charge of this drama. And this is our AD, Choi Kyung-min.”

At Won Se-chang’s introduction, Choi Kyung-min, who was standing beside him, greeted me with a faint smile.

“Hello. I’m Choi Kyung-min. I look forward to working with you.”

What the hell?

He looks ridiculously young... and he’s handsome too.

I had only heard his voice in the underground parking lot and hadn’t seen his face.

So I was secretly surprised by Choi Kyung-min’s youthful, almost pretty-boy appearance.

He definitely didn’t look like someone in his mid-thirties.

“Ah, likewise. I look forward to working with you. And these are members of our planning team, Lee Hyun-woo and Kang Joo-young.”

At my introduction, Lee Hyun-woo and Kang Joo-young stepped forward from behind me and exchanged greetings with Choi Kyung-min.

Anyway... I guess he ultimately couldn’t confront the department director and ended up working under Won Se-chang.

Once Writer Hong Yeon-hee completed the scripts for Episodes 1 and 2, Won Se-chang quickly started assembling the production staff.

Today was Choi Kyung-min’s first day working on Big Picture as the assistant director who would become Won Se-chang’s right-hand man.

It was also our first time officially meeting him.

“All right, all right. I’ve got an appointment this afternoon, so let’s stop standing around and start the meeting.”

At Won Se-chang’s urging, we moved into the conference room.

And with that, the meeting officially began.