Chapter 99
On the chairs prepared onstage sat Director Choi Kyung-min, writer Hong Yeon-hee, and the cast members.
“Alright, then. We’ll take the next question.”
At the host’s words, dozens of reporters below the stage raised their hands at once.
The host pointed to one of them.
As the selected reporter stood up, an event staff member quickly handed him a microphone.
“I’m reporter Go Jun from Monthly Sports. I have a question for writer Hong Yeon-hee. This drama seems to have a somewhat different tone from the romantic comedies that have become your trademark. I’m curious whether the title ‘Queen of Romantic Comedy’ became a burden for you, or if you perhaps felt pressure to create a more serious and weighty drama.”
Laughter spread among the reporters.
Hong Yeon-hee, holding the microphone, smiled slightly before answering.
“Well, it’s true that the title ‘Queen of Romantic Comedy’ can be a burden. Romantic comedies can be very predictable, but because people call me the queen, I always have to make an even more entertaining romantic comedy.”
However, Hong Yeon-hee explained that she had not decided to write a different kind of drama simply because she felt burdened by the title.
She added that the idea for this story had first come to her several years ago, when she heard that one of her niece’s friends had taken their own life because of school violence.
“After hearing that story, I started paying attention to the issue of school violence. Since then, I’ve always thought that someday I wanted to create a story about school violence and private revenge. And to add a more dramatic element, I twisted my own specialty—romance—and added a tragic love story.”
When Hong Yeon-hee finished her explanation, the host took over again.
“Alright, we’ll take the next question.”
At his words, reporters throughout the room raised their hands almost simultaneously.
“Hello. I’m reporter Gu Yang-mo from Hanju Daily. I also have a question for writer Hong Yeon-hee. From what I understand, the director was changed midway through production. I heard that Director Won Se-chang was replaced by the current Director Choi Kyung-min because of rumors of a conflict between writer Hong and Director Won. Is that true?”
At the unexpected question, Hong Yeon-hee’s expression instantly froze.
Choi Kyung-min, sitting beside her, looked just as startled.
Damn it. Gu Yang-mo, that bastard?!
But it was already too late to change the situation.
The banquet hall immediately filled with murmuring.
Sensing that they might have found something worth writing about, the reporters began pressing their camera shutters toward Hong Yeon-hee one after another.
Her visibly flustered expression was being captured clearly by the cameras.
Even the host seemed troubled by the situation, repeatedly glancing in my direction.
Damn. What should I do? Should I cut this off for now?
Just as I was thinking that, Director Choi Kyung-min picked up his microphone.
“Ah, I think it would be better if I answered this question instead of writer Hong. It wasn’t quite a ‘conflict’ like you described. There was simply a misunderstanding between the two of them.”
Choi Kyung-min began explaining the situation while doing his best not to say anything that could hurt either Hong Yeon-hee or Won Se-chang.
“Writer Hong originally intended to make ‘That Woman’s Garden,’ but Director Won Se-chang wanted to make the story from an earlier proposal that writer Hong had written.”
“Ah... So from the beginning, the two of them were trying to make different stories? And that’s why the director was changed midway?”
“Yes, that’s right. It would have been better if things hadn’t reached the point where we needed to change directors, but after Director Won Se-chang became a freelancer, I think he had a very clear idea of the genre and kind of story he wanted to make.”
Only then did the reporters seem willing to dismiss the director change as nothing more than a minor incident.
I finally let out a sigh of relief.
However, perhaps because Gu Yang-mo had not received the kind of answer he had hoped for, he still wore an unsatisfied expression even after sitting down.
The Q&A continued under the host’s guidance, and soon the questions turned toward the male and female leads, Seo Ji-su and Jeong Se-won.
“I’m reporter Shin Won-mo from Tomorrow News. You two seemed to have great chemistry during the couple photo session earlier. I assume you’re also quite close in real life?”
There was a strangely suggestive tone hidden inside the reporter’s question.
Seo Ji-su smiled toward the reporter and answered.
“Yes, we became pretty close while filming. Se-won has a very playful personality, and he’s also the type who takes good care of people. So there’s never a boring day around him.”
The moment Seo Ji-su finished speaking, Jeong Se-won grabbed his microphone.
“When your co-star is this wonderful, it would be bad manners not to take care of her. Hahaha.”
Laughter burst from the reporters’ section.
But the strange looks mixed in with that laughter were anything but ordinary.
Several reporters repeatedly pressed their camera shutters, as though determined not to miss even the slightest change in the expressions of the two actors.
Ha... Jeong Se-won.
Why is that guy overdoing it so much today? I clearly told him not to go too far...
Worried that rumors of them dating or something similar might appear, I anxiously watched the situation.
And the real-time Twister comments absolutely exploded.
⤷ What? Aren’t those two actually dating?
⤷ No way! Seo Ji-su, get away from our Se-won oppa! She even looks like a fox!
⤷ Are you blind? Who’s the one making moves first? That bastard Jeong Se-won is clearly hitting on our Ji-su noona!
⤷ They look good together. Just start dating already.
⤷ Dating my ass! If those two are really dating, I’m going to curse this drama for the rest of my life!
— Team Leader, the reactions on Twitter are getting serious?!
Lee Hyun-woo’s worried voice came through the wireless earpiece.
I forced myself to remain calm and answered as though it was nothing serious.
“Don’t worry about it too much. Netizens get worked up quickly and calm down just as fast. For future promotions, I think we should focus only on connecting the chemistry they showed at today’s production presentation with the drama itself.”
With all kinds of issues left behind, the production presentation finally came to an end.
On the real-time portal search rankings, positions one through eight were completely filled with topics related to Seo Ji-su, Jeong Se-won, and our drama, That Woman’s Garden.
“Hey, Team Leader Min! There’s a staff and cast dinner after this, right? Where are you guys going?”
As I hurriedly finished cleaning up the presentation venue and was about to leave the banquet hall, Gu Yang-mo approached me.
Without realizing it, I frowned.
I had just remembered how his unexpected question about the director change had made me break out in a cold sweat.
I signaled Kang Joo-young and Lee Hyun-woo from the planning team to head down to the parking lot first.
