A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 147

The New Recruit of the Baseball Team is Too Good – Episode 147

The New Recruit of the Baseball Team is Too Good Episode 147

Chapter 39: The World of Views (2)

PD [Production Director] Kim Somin didn’t know.

At first, there was no way she could have known.

Why Kwon Dae-woong’s face turned pale when she mentioned the ‘Operations Team Leader’.

Why all the employees in the office were surprised and stared at her.

“…I’m Kwon Dae-woong from the PR team.”

“Yes, come in.”

However, the moment she followed the very nervous Manager Kwon Dae-woong into the Operations Team Leader’s office.

The moment she experienced the chilling atmosphere, even though the air conditioner wasn’t turned up high.

PD Kim could sense that the reaction of the Cannons employees a little while ago was by no means an overreaction.

“Hello, Director.”

“Ah, hello.”

The way he stared at the two people who were cautiously entering.

The way he nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly.

And even the voice that was so firm, as if not to give an inch of leeway.

“No.”

KH Cannons’ Operations Team Leader, ‘Black Curtain Cha Cha’ [nickname alluding to her strict and secretive nature] Deputy Director Cha Yoon-jin’s first words to the two people that day.

“I did receive a call from Team Leader Park a little while ago… A new YouTube project? I don’t want to make exceptions to the rules for something like that.”

Deputy Director Cha said very firmly.

“I’m actually a bit taken aback? Manager Kwon, how many years has it been for you? How long have you been here to come to me with something like this?”

“…Excuse me?”

“Every rule has a reason for being made. The reason why our Cannons have restrictions on the YouTube channel… You don’t mean you don’t know, do you?”

“O-Of course!”

Manager Kwon replied hastily.

“I heard it’s to guarantee the players sufficient rest time. The players consume a lot of energy just from training, games, meetings, and traveling to the stadium…”

“Yes, even more so this year.”

Deputy Director Cha added.

“This season, our Cannons’ goal is to win the Korean Series [championship series in Korean baseball]. So the intensity of training has increased, and the coaching staff’s meeting times have also lengthened. The practice game schedule starting next week is also tighter than in previous years.”

“…”

“In this situation, what help can our front office give to the players? I don’t think there’s anything else. Not giving the players any stress other than baseball as much as possible.”

Having said this, Deputy Director Cha Yoon-jin suddenly turned her gaze to PD Kim.

“You said you were PD Kim Somin, right?”

“Ah, yes.”

“How about it, was that a sufficient answer? About why I can’t accept PD Kim’s proposal?”

On the surface, it seemed like she was nagging Manager Kwon, but in reality, it seemed like she was explaining to PD Kim next to her.

“I want to highly commend PD Kim Somin’s passion. You could just receive your salary, but you even created a plan like this first. I’m grateful, really grateful…”

Deputy Director Cha continued in a soft tone.

“PD Kim, think about it too. If you were lying down after work, and suddenly your boss came and gave you additional work… Wouldn’t it be hard for you from your perspective?”

“W-Well, that’s true.”

PD Kim Somin nodded slowly at Deputy Director Cha’s words.

‘I can think of it that way too.’

For the players, YouTube filming is like additional work.

For the Cannons aiming for victory, YouTube filming is a relatively low priority.

PD Kim nodded as if possessed, but soon felt her heart ‘drop’ again.

‘Then I… will have to keep filming and editing the players’ training videos from now on?’

Should I call it a kind of PTSD [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder]?

It felt like the nightmare switch in her head was turned ‘on’.

Filming the same training scenes every day, filming the same game scenes every day.

Uploading interviews with players who always say the same things, and then, exactly 24 hours later, looking at ‘967 views’ with a bitter expression.

‘Well, what can I do? There’s no one in the world who only does things that are easy to do.’

Not daring to sigh loudly in front of a high-ranking person, just waiting for permission to ‘leave now’ to be given, when.

Yes, it must have been at that moment.

“But… Director?”

There was a voice coming from the sofa in the corner of the office.

“I agree 100% with what the director said, but what if.”

“What if what?”

“If there are players who don’t consider YouTube filming as additional work, but rather feel it as a bit of a ‘vitality of life’… Wouldn’t it be okay to allow filming?”

“Vitality of life? No, are there players who think of YouTube filming that way?”

“Oh, come on! Didn’t the director say that before? That the MZ generation [Millennials and Generation Z] players these days are very different from the players of the past.”

That person is showing off a sly expression to the ‘Black Curtain Cha Cha’.

PD Kim learned about him a little later from this time.

The fact that he is Kim Ji-seop, the special advisor to the KH Cannons’ general manager.

And the ‘reliable backing’ that Manager Kwon Dae-woong had when he visited the Operations Team Leader’s office.

Of course, the thought that came to her mind at this time was just this.

‘MZ… is it?’

Usually, don’t they say ‘MZ’?

* * *

About 10 minutes later.

Ji-seop, who had left ‘Black Curtain Cha Cha’s’ room, was facing the bright expression of PR Team Manager Kwon Dae-woong.

“Wow, you got Director Cha’s approval! This wave of emotion! Ji-seop, I feel like all the hairs on my body are standing on end right now!”

As expected, it’s Ji-seop!

As expected, it’s Special Agent Kim!

Manager Kwon started giving Ji-seop double thumbs up.

“Thank you, Ji-seop! Thanks to Ji-seop, I’ve taken a big load off my shoulders. Oh, what would have happened if I had gone in alone…”

“Hey, don’t mention it.”

Ji-seop waved his hand.

“What did I do? I just told you what the players usually think about the YouTube channel.”

That’s right. That was really all.

[Cannons TV] wasn’t getting much response from fans, but the players were still watching it without fail.

Not just watching blankly, but reacting quite sensitively to who gets a lot of views when they appear.

And some of the players are comparing it to other team’s YouTube channels, saying things like, ‘I wish we had some comments too,’ and ‘If I appeared, I’d turn everything upside down.’

“I think we should understand to some extent that Director Cha is negative about YouTube.”

Ji-seop continued.

“I’ve heard the story too… that it suddenly changed in the last few years? The players’ views on YouTube, I mean.”

“That’s true. In the past, the players would freak out just seeing a camera. I think it changed drastically from the time the 00s players joined the team. That’s how I feel.”

A baseball team where about 10 players who have just graduated from high school join every year.

Even after only 3-4 years, the entire atmosphere of the team was bound to change completely.

It was a change that front office employees belonging to the older generation could never easily catch up with.

Ji-seop nodded silently at Manager Kwon Dae-woong’s words and opened his mouth again.

“Anyway, it’s a hard-won opportunity. Good luck, Manager.”

Ji-seop clenched his fist slightly.

“If this opportunity gets a good response, Director Cha will think more proactively about the YouTube channel.”

“That’s right. We have to do well. Of course, more than me…”

Swish.

Manager Kwon turned his gaze.

“I think PD Kim Somin here will play a much bigger role… Ah, that’s right!”

Oh, my gosh.

Manager Kwon slapped his forehead.

“I haven’t even introduced the two of you yet? Ji-seop, this is PD Kim Somin from [Media Ball]. She’s in charge of our team’s YouTube channel as the main PD.”

“Hello.”

PD Kim Somin bowed lightly to Ji-seop.

Manager Kwon Dae-woong’s introduction continued.

“PD Kim, this is Kim Ji-seop… He’s my closest colleague in our team and the special advisor to the KH Cannons’ general manager.”

“The… closest?”

Of course, Ji-seop wasn’t going to miss this timing.

“Since when have Manager Kwon and I been such close friends? I don’t seem to remember?”

“Wow, are you going to be like this? I’m going to be sad if you do this? Ji-seop, don’t you remember me translating the English articles for you last year?”

Ji-seop teased Manager Kwon once again like this, then turned his gaze to PD Kim Somin with a smile full of smiles.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Kim Ji-seop.”

Ji-seop bowed his head.

“I’m watching [Cannons TV] without missing anything. It’s fun, isn’t it? Your subtitle sense is also very good.”

“Ah, yes, thank you.”

PD Kim Somin, who had stiffened up because of the overly grand title of ‘Special Advisor to the General Manager’.

Ji-seop continued with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“Manager Kwon will be in charge of supporting PD, but… If there’s anything you need my help with, please let me know. I’ll be better at casting the players than Manager Kwon.”

“C-Casting the players?!”

The ‘spark’ switch was turned on in PD Kim’s eyes, which had been creaking like a wooden doll.

“Ah, I wanted to ask the Special Agent about something anyway.”

“To me?”

“Yes, you said to the Operations Team Leader earlier? That one of the Cannons players said, ‘If I go out, I can turn everything upside down’…”.

“Ah, that’s right!”

Manager Kwon stepped in.

“Ji-seop, this PD Kim’s plan is like [Walking Into The World]. One player comes out as the main character and takes a look around our Florida camp.”

“Ah, so?”

It was only then that Ji-seop understood the context of the conversation.

“So you’re saying you need a player to play the main character?”

“Yes, we thought it would be better in many ways to ask someone who is usually interested in YouTube than to just push ahead.”

“Hmm, that’s right.”

Ji-seop nodded.

“There is one person. He’s interested in YouTube, he’s done live internet broadcasts, and above all, he’s an avid viewer of [Cannons TV]…”

“R-Really? There really was such a player in the Cannons?”

At this moment, PD Kim felt like she had caught a big fish in the vast ocean.

Is it called a ‘major shareholder’ in industry terms?

The best talent to lead the response of [Cannons TV] viewers in the future.

PD Kim was wearing an expression full of anticipation, but Ji-seop, who was facing this, was scratching his cheek with his finger.

“He’s a good friend, he’s really a good guy, but…”

And the following words.

“He’s not very good at Korean. Is that okay?”

“He’s not good at Korean?”

What is this all about?

PD Kim was blinking her eyes.