The dice have been cast, and I must win.
So, in this situation, what should I do first?
The first thing is to gauge the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.
Until now, I haven’t cared much about ratings, but the situation has changed now.
There’s a saying: “Movies are the director’s art, dramas are the writer’s art.”
The actors probably don’t like this statement much.
Because it feels like the success of a drama is solely credited to the writer.
But realistically, the key factor determining the success or failure of a drama is the writer’s ability.
No matter how brilliant the actors are, if the script is a mess, there’s no way out.
KTD (Kill the Drug)’s writer, Han Sang-jo, isn’t a very experienced writer.
I checked his previous works, and there’s only one miniseries.
Han Sang-jo’s previous work was a detective drama aired by TVA with mediocre ratings but decent performance on OTT platforms.
It seems this writer specializes in detective dramas.
Han Sang-jo’s previous drama had a feel similar to American detective dramas.
Not every episode was an independent episode as in American detective dramas, but 3 to 4 episodes formed a single episode, with the final episode concluding all loose ends.
Given the positive reviews for tight pacing and maintaining tension, it seems this writer indeed has talent.
Young detective drama enthusiasts liked this aspect, and the decent OTT performance can largely be attributed to this.
Moreover, Han Sang-jo’s drama didn’t include any romance elements, like American detective dramas.
This is why I believe that Han Sang-jo is a writer specializing in detective dramas.
Writers who specialize in this genre often struggle with incorporating romance in the middle.
“So, if Han Sang-jo can’t suddenly change his style, this work will also have a similar vibe. With Yoon Ju-won and Heavenly Yuah, and no romance? This is quite remarkable indeed.”
Among the actresses, Heavenly Yuah is almost top-tier.
An actor’s value increases the younger they are and the more depth they bring to their acting.
Heavenly Yuah, at merely 23 years old, has 9 years of experience, and her impressive record makes her an untouchable powerhouse.
Most actresses around Heavenly Yuah’s age are either rookies or 2-3 year veterans.
Heavenly Yuah is such an exceptional figure that comparing her to others is almost laughable.
Of course, there are a few actresses in their late 20s who are on par with Heavenly Yuah, but most people acknowledge that Heavenly Yuah is a step above them.
Although they themselves may never admit it.
On the male actors’ side, however, the top-tier consists of several actors of similar standing.
And Yoon Ju-won is one of them, with his solid acting skills and good looks, resulting in a strong fanbase.
His fee is even higher than Heavenly Yuah’s, which is quite remarkable.
In media business, where the primary customer base is typically female, male actors usually have higher fees than female actors.
But even so, there are very few male actors whose fees surpass Heavenly Yuah’s.
In any case, Yoon Ju-won is a top actor recognized in the industry, ranking perhaps two levels higher than Nam Hyun-ho.
In fact, his acting skills are so impressive that he appeared in the same work as Heavenly Yuah early in his career.
He didn’t lose out much to Heavenly Yuah, known as a “superstar meter.”
If I keep working at this pace for another 2-3 years, maybe I could reach the level of Yoon Ju-won.
“Does this sound too narcissistic?”
Anyway.
Based on the author’s tendencies, this work will likely be a traditional detective drama.
Tightly paced and thrilling, with actors delivering strong performances.
It seems pretty clear that romance won’t be part of it, but fans of this genre may appreciate its absence.
Lovers of this genre tend to avoid dramas where romance is added.
But whether this kind of TV drama will entice mid-to-late-aged female viewers, whose preferences are crucial in shaping ratings, is somewhat questionable.
There’s a reason why Korean dramas try to incorporate romance even into medical and war themes.
Mid-age women love romance.
In the end, this show is likely targeted at the younger set.
“But with Heavenly Yuah and Ju-won Yoon, the show could still perform well even with these limitations. After all, the depth of a detective drama depends on who is performing.”
Ultimately, the performance of this show hinges on to what extent the names Heavenly Yuah and Yoon Ju-won carry weight on the small screen.
With these two popular actors involved, the media is likely to give significant support as well.
Fortunately, without romance, if this were a Korean-style detective drama full of romance, it might not even stand a chance.
“And as for Su-yeon’s side…”
Yang Yuli’s and Moon Suyeon’s ‘Mother’s Song’ is about an unmarried mother overcoming difficult circumstances and succeeding as a trot singer.
The lead characters are an unmarried mother played by Moon Suyeon and the young actor portraying her daughter.
Moon Suyeon’s male counterpart in the drama is a new actor, with a strong emphasis on the mother-daughter bond rather than romance.
“Is this relationship so important that it needs to be repeatedly emphasized, Suyeon?”
Moon Suyeon’s daughter role is played by Yang Miju from our company.
To be more precise, this script was commissioned due to Yang Miju.
Yang Yuli wrote this script specifically for the young girl, which then drew Moon Suyeon into the project.
“An entire script written for a child star? Yang Yuli, you’re an unusual one yourself.”
The overall tone of the work, as explained, leans somewhat sentimental.
With an unmarried mother and a daughter, along with difficult family situations, it’s almost inevitable for sentimentality to arise.
Though this sentimentality might feel trite to younger audiences, it’s an element that appeals to mid-to-late aged female viewers, who form the core demographic for such dramas.
Especially because the universal bond between parents and children transcends any era, sentimentality can have a strong emotional pull.
However, it’s crucial to craft the story well.
The actors must also deliver stellar performances.
Otherwise, sentimentality can become too overused, which is one of its downsides.
With Moon Suyeon, Yang Miju, and Yang Yuli’s collaboration on board, this is not to be underestimated.
The script by Yang Yuli is already a given, and both Moon Suyeon and Yang Miju are more than adequate.
Even the yet unnamed male supporting actor will likely not let down given Phoenix Studios’ reputation.
“Maybe Suyeon poses more of a threat than Yuah.”
If this drama creates an overwhelming sentimental storm, capturing the hearts of mid-to-late aged female viewers, then our genre-targeted drama may be swept away like a flimsy boat in rough waves.
After all, Moon Suyeon has a reasonable fan base among younger audiences as well.
“Whatever the outcome, our drama is at a clear disadvantage.”
Compared to the other two works, our drama lacks standout features.
Both Yoon Yeon-hee and Lee Hyerin are fine actors, but they can’t compete with the impact of Heavenly Yuah and Moon Suyeon.
And this applies to Oh Kyuyoung the author as well.
While Oh Kyuyoung is adept at steady storytelling, he lacks the solid foundation of Han Sang-jo or the ingenious creativity of Yang Yuli.
“In a situation like this, I can’t just chant fight and focus on my acting alone. After all, the victory is determined by ratings. I need something unexpected.”
The arrival of the two works doesn’t mean our drama is bound to crash.
After all, both the two actresses and author Oh have fan bases.
Moreover, since the other two works have somewhat extreme natures, our offering may be the “gentle flavor” that attracts some viewers.
There are certainly those who prefer such mild dramas.
“But as it stands, a loss seems inevitable. Giving up so easily isn’t the mindset of New Religion.”
While members of the Orthodoxy crew might say “good acting brings good results” and move on happily, we New Religion believers strive for victory in any way possible.
Even Heavenly Yuah exemplifies this.
How plausible is it to have someone of her caliber paired with Yoon Ju-won?
That’s clearly due to the large financial commitment from Thousand Financial.
As she entered, the scale of the work expanded, and with the extra budget, Yoon Ju-won was brought in.
Since even Heavenly Yuah, who isn’t even a true New Religion believer, is doing this, I, the sole true New Religion believer left in this world, cannot sit on my hands.
Now is the time to make a decisive move toward victory.
“Anyway, our drama isn’t about to fall apart just because these two arrive.”
Both actresses and the writer, Ok, have fans to rely on.
And since both other works push extremes, our mild drama might stand out favorably.
There are certainly viewers who prefer a less intense flavor.
“But if this is it, defeat seems inevitable. I can’t just do my job and settle for that—it’s not the New Religion way.”
While the Orthodoxy members may say that good performances result in good outcomes, we New Religion believers aim to squeeze out victories.
Heavenly Yuah is a prime example.
How reasonable is it to pair her with Yoon Ju-won?
That’s clearly due to Thousand Financial investing heavily.
As she entered, the work’s scale increased, and with extra budget, they brought Yoon Ju-won in.
Since even Heavenly Yuah, who isn’t even a true New Religion follower, does this, I, as the only true believer, can’t just sit back and do nothing.
Now is the time to take decisive moves for victory.
“Ah, Actor Baek. Please come.”
“Hi, Writer.”
After pondering for a moment, I went to see Writer Ok.
I had a few things to discuss with Writer Ok who was busy writing the script.
I had learned from talks with other actors that our Writer Ok is notoriously easy to sway.
Especially in a situation like this, with fierce competition on the horizon, that trait becomes more pronounced.
It’s not common for actors to meddle in the script, but if the writer is swaying, suggesting a few words might be doable.
That’s why I went to visit Writer Ok.
Strangely enough, both Heavenly Yuah and Nam Hyun-ho, who were also competing, kindly informed me about Writer Ok’s traits.
Are they encouraging me to dive in fully?
While namby-pamby Nam Hyun-ho is one thing, modern-day New Religion disciple Heavenly Yuah is doing the same, which is a bit shocking.
Are they too kind for their own good?
To enlighten the overly confident Heavenly Yuah, I must win this race.
“Anyway, why did you call me?”
“Ah, please take this first.”
“What’s this?”
“It’s fried chicken.”
“Fried chicken? What fried chicken?”
“This is my dad’s recipe. He wanted you to try it.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. My dad is a huge fan of you. When I told him I’d be working on your project, he was thrilled.”
“Ho ho, was he?”
Right as I thought this wasn’t anything serious, suddenly Yoon Ju-won and Heavenly Yuah emerged as competition.
And then the blockbuster with Yang Yuli came through—complete with Luna.
From Writer Ok’s perspective, this might be overwhelming.
With Yang Yuli’s massive hit ‘Gold Rush, Joseon,’ people began calling her a genius. That has to weigh on Writer Ok.
Considering Yang Yuli’s age, she may be a genius, but at Writer Ok’s level, such comparisons must be daunting.
Especially since Writer Ok is easily influenced and sensitive to others’ feedback.
Because of a few setbacks, Writer Ok’s expression was off.
But upon hearing my dad was a fan, and sending fried chicken as a gesture, Writer Ok’s mood brightened significantly.
Winning someone over starts with treats.
It was time to ease Writer Ok’s worries before moving on to main concerns.
