Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 286

286. The Importance of Foundation (1)

August 13, 2022

Song Jin-joo groaned, saying the answer came too quickly, even though she had expected it.

But for Yeon-woo, it was an offer not even worth considering.

“Wasn’t Kim Sun-woo’s appearance supposed to end with Season 2?”

In fact, Kim Sun-woo was supposed to retire in the middle of Season 2.

Going back even further, he should have ended as the main villain in Season 1.

But they kept extending it, and extending it again, until it reached Season 2.

“I don’t see any particular reason to go to Season 3.”

“Why not? He’s popular.”

“This isn’t a drama just for me.”

Yeon-woo replied quite coldly.

‘If we go to Season 3, the storyline itself will have to change again…….’

It didn’t seem very positive.

It’s pre-production, so there won’t be any last-minute script changes.

‘But that doesn’t mean we should overturn the foundation.’

Putting the cart before the horse.

The drama’s popularity is certainly important, but if you twist the core story or character relationships for the sake of popularity alone, can you really call it a proper drama?

Of course, Yeon-woo was aware of Song Jin-joo’s concerns.

-OMG;;; The trailer looks totally crazy, how am I supposed to wait until next week???

-lol My overseas friend asked me to spoil the last episode for them when it comes out. They can’t stand waiting even a day;

-I canceled my plans to watch the final episode. But no one complained, they were all happy to cancel;;;ㅋㅋ;; [Korean slang for ‘lol’]

The reaction to the currently airing Season 1 was tremendous.

It’s not just the fan clubs, but also the sheer number of articles being published.

They weren’t exactly distributing press releases, but the drama was such a hot topic and the click-through rates were so high that articles were overflowing.

Especially now, with the final episode just around the corner.

The reaction was intense not only domestically but also overseas.

‘But what can’t be done, can’t be done.’

If the reason Song Jin-joo brought up was plausible.

Or if there was a reason why it absolutely had to be done.

‘I might have accepted it…… but not now.’

If the reason wasn’t for the improvement of the story but simply to use one character a little longer, it would be absurd.

Unless that character is very important to the story’s development.

‘It’s right for Kim Sun-woo to retire at this point.’

He’s playing the character himself, but what can he do if the narrative has reached its limit?

Forcibly dragging it out will only make things worse.

Well…….

It’s not like there aren’t examples of that.

Overseas dramas that are already familiar with the season system are very accustomed to this.

If it’s popular, they’ll even forcibly extend the season somehow.

If it’s not popular, they’ll kill off a well-liked character in a very absurd way. That’s how it is over there.

Even if it’s popular, if the actor has circumstances or has trouble with the production company, they’ll coolly kill them off and end it.

“I’m really grateful that you see me in a positive light, but I’m also worried that it will be a disservice to the other actors…… and that it will obscure the writer’s intentions.”

Season 2 is definitely not centered around Kim Sun-woo.

The center is rather focused on Do Kang-hoon.

Do Kang-hoon, a prosecutor who is different on the inside and out, who would not hesitate to use even a murderer for his own desires.

The point is how the protagonist, Kang Seok, overcomes the spiderweb-like schemes that Do Kang-hoon unfolds.

“Kim Sun-woo should only be used as a means to strengthen Do Kang-hoon’s wickedness. It’s right for Kim Sun-woo to fall as Do Kang-hoon falls.”

“That’s true. I know, but.”

It’s not like Song Jin-joo doesn’t know that.

She knows, but there’s such a thing as unavoidable adult circumstances.

“The president of Onflix [streaming service] brought it up directly. Well, it’s not official. It was just a story that came out in a private conversation after a meeting…… I feel a bit sorry about it, so I brought it up even though I know.”

“The president of Onflix said that?”

“It seems like the talk about wanting to invest in us wasn’t just lip service. Well, according to him, he even said, ‘Why don’t we go for a long-term season and collaborate overseas?'”

As Dramatic Tempest gained explosive popularity.

Gil Sang-joon and Song Jin-joo had to scream with joy and embarrassment.

The recent meetings with Onflix were one of them.

‘Spin-off.’

It was quite early to talk about it for a drama that was only in its first season.

But the president of Onflix was serious.

“Only the brave get the beautiful woman, right?”

He joked that if they hesitated because it was only Season 1, they might go somewhere else.

OTT [Over-The-Top] service is not the exclusive property of Onflix.

Unlike the past, when it was difficult to watch programs serviced overseas.

With the increase in platforms that are serviced using the Internet, it has become easy to watch entertainment shows from other countries.

Content that previously could only be accessed by subscribing to cable and adding paid channels has had its barriers to entry lowered significantly.

“I hope you’ll think positively about it. I’m personally so interested in Dramatic Tempest that I’m greedy.”

He didn’t miss the story of how the organic chemistry between the characters was impressive, and he mentioned Kim Sun-woo as one of them.

“It’s not just a typical serial killer character, but a character who awakens the protagonist and eventually sacrifices himself for him. How charming is that? Humans are never simple. Sometimes we forget that. We get caught up in stimulating stories, and binary characters dominate. Good is always good, and evil can never escape evil. The most representative example is the very famous hero movies these days, isn’t it? Hahaha. Well, it’s not that I dislike the famous franchise movies these days, but what should I say? I can’t help but feel that the characters are a bit simplified, don’t you think?”

His words are long, but to summarize, this is what he means.

He’s saying that it’s interesting that Kim Sun-woo, who commits the evil act of motiveless murder, is not defined only as evil but shows various aspects and actually performs that role.

That means he’s sorry to end Kim Sun-woo with just Season 2.

In the end, he wants to keep using him.

“It seems like they really want to have Sun-woo appear in the spin-off. Sigh…… It’s a really good condition, but…….”

“Then Kim Sun-woo will be glorified. Isn’t that far from what Song writer-nim [term of respect for the writer] intended?”

“That’s right. Sigh. That’s right.”

Kim Sun-woo, who was moved by Baek Ha-yan from the second half of Season 1, appears, but that was all part of Song Jin-joo’s intention.

It is true that she got the idea after seeing Yeon-woo at the audition and went into overall revisions.

But the result was stronger and more reinforced than before, so there was no problem.

“Kim Sun-woo must pay for his sins.”

The direction of Kim Sun-woo’s ending at the end of Season 2 has already been decided.

Based on that, the synopsis for Seasons 3 and 4 had already been conceived.

It was an already predicted sad ending.

‘Based on that, Baek Ha-yan is also more awakened.’

The protagonist, Kang Seok, also overcomes the difficulties he faces.

Kang Seok, who has matured even more, grows to the point where he is not swayed by anyone’s words.

If Season 1 was an introduction to the characters, it was a perfect development for the core content of Season 2, which is growth-oriented.

The grown-up Kang Seok begins to solve problems for others with sincerity rather than solving cases for promotion.

His unique goodness, which listens to the cases of the wronged and the weak, is further maximized.

‘Anyway, the premise of all these stories is Kim Sun-woo’s downfall.’

Kim Sun-woo must fall for Do Kang-hoon to fall.

That means Kang Seok can be free and grow.

‘That’s the cleanest way to finish it.’

Although Kim Sun-woo has come to feel emotions like ordinary people thanks to Baek Ha-yan.

Yeon-woo basically thought that the end of a psychopath serial killer was predetermined.

Think about it.

Would it be normal for a criminal who just went around killing someone to suddenly atone, repent, and live as a new person just because they felt some emotions?

That kind of glorification should not exist.

Yeon-woo originally captured the character interpretation that way.

He said that he is a person to study, but he is absolutely not suitable for things like repentance or reflection.

Throughout Season 2, Kim Sun-woo loves Baek Ha-yan, but he doesn’t realize it.

He knows that something has changed, but he doesn’t realize exactly what kind of property it is.

‘It suits a type like Kim Sun-woo not to realize what has changed until the end.’

That’s because he judged that the destruction of the ending would be further maximized.

Song Jin-joo also knew very well how Yeon-woo was playing Kim Sun-woo.

A complete and unforced ending.

That was the tacit agreement between the two.

“I think Season 2 should end that way. I think that’s exactly what Song writer-nim intended.”

“Sigh. I was hoping, but as expected, it didn’t work at all.”

It didn’t seem like she had come with much expectation in the first place.

Song Jin-joo would know, unless she was a fool.

That forcibly increasing the amount of content just because it is popular will lead to everyone’s ruin.

“I don’t think Song writer-nim, whom I know, would make such an unreasonable move.”

At those words, Song Jin-joo clicked her tongue, saying she was sorry.

“There’s also a saying that you should leave when people are applauding.”

“That’s true, too. Ah, then what are you going to do for your next project? If you don’t have anything under contract yet, would you like to work with me again?”

Season 3 is out of the question, but a new project is another story.

Song Jin-joo asked with shining eyes.

It’s a proposal from a star writer.

The fact that this work was successful can be seen from just Season 1.

Song Jin-joo’s next work was sure to receive even more attention than Dramatic Tempest.

However.

“Thank you for your offer, but I don’t have any particular thoughts yet.”

“No, why? Did someone else take you? How much did they call per episode? We can give you running guarantees, too!”

“No. It’s not that…… I have something else I want to do.”

“Not going into a project?”

“Yes.”

“Can you tell me what it is?”

“Nothing has been decided yet. But I’m going to take a break and think slowly about what I should do.”

“Ah…… So you’re going to take a break. Well. You’ve been on a schedule almost continuously until now, so…….”

He only refrained from unnecessary entertainment shows or advertising appearances.

Come to think of it, it’s not like Yeon-woo didn’t do any commercials or entertainment shows at all.

At the same time, as soon as one work ended, he almost immediately started filming the next work.

He had almost no rest.

‘Of course, I didn’t reject the offer to rest…….’

Yeon-woo recalled the memory of Jerry contacting him a while ago.

The beginning was a sniffling, whimpering voice.

“Hyung-nim [term for older brother or close male friend]! It’s me! Hmph…… I didn’t want to contact you like this……! I know you’re having a hard time because of the drama……! But now it’s too much for me to handle on my own……!”

“What?”

“So, YouTube is……!”