Chapter 49: When I woke up, the world was… (5)
TL: emptycube
Sponsor: Beefcake
“What do you mean…”
Although it was the director who asked, everyone had the same expression.
An expression asking, ‘What nonsense are you saying?’
CEO Baek Hansung leaned against the sofa and leisurely clasped his hands together.
“Team Leader Park, you said the public’s opinion is currently divided, right?”
“Ah, yes. Although there are still more who are criticizing us, luckily, Neptune gained the image of a skilled idol group, and because Songha is so pretty, the number of people protecting
her is steadily increasing.”
After she answered, the team 3 leader added in with dry lips,
“There are a lot of people who are being quiet, saying that they’ll talk after seeing her act. Fortunately, if there was only bad public criticism, then she may have had to quit the drama. Since TVL wouldn’t keep Songha in that situation.”
“That’s that, but since both the criticizing side and protecting side are quite equal, there’s no hint the
controversy will die down soon. Since both sides are taking turns adding fuel to the fire,”
Added Kim Hyunjo. CEO Baek Hansung asked again,
“The first broadcast is in January, and the script reading is?”
“In four days, on the 24th.”
I answered this time. Since it was a day I was impatiently waiting for since I wrote it in my schedule, the answer came out immediately.
CEO Baek Hansung’s gaze momentarily fell on me before turning away.
“Good. Then let’s raise the stakes. Let’s see how high they go.”
“Pardon?”
“Get in contact with TVL and ask them about making a behind-the-scenes team… A team that keeps the
behind-the-scenes camera rolling during the script reading, poster photo shoot, the actual filming, then creates and releases teasers one after another… No, I’ll make a personal visit to TVL.”
The director cut in with a sour expression.
“A behind-the-scenes or teaser, at most, they’ll be 30-60 seconds. You probably won’t be able to tell if she’s good at acting with that? We won’t be able to put the controversy to rest like that…”
“People will continue to watch if they can’t tell. Since they are curious.”
CEO Baek Hansung’s eyes narrowed.
“Controversy is interest, and if we can drag this interest properly until January… I think the ratings for the first broadcast won’t lose to public networks. Also, if the project is good, then it’ll ride the flow from
there.”
I looked at CEO Baek Hansung with unblinking eyes.
I thought the same thing as well.
Yesterday, when Lee Songha’s name first started to rise in the rankings.
Cable channels were less accessible compared to public networks. Unlike public network dramas that are guaranteed at least 3% viewership ratings with no promotions, it was considered a success if cable dramas hit 3% viewership ratings after constantly promoting the drama a month before.
Dramas, that failed to become a hot topic but were good quality, hovered at around 1% and would only be acknowledged by those who watched them.
However, the situation would change if it could become a hot topic.
Since, as long as it became a hot topic and the content possessed sufficient mass appeal and quality, people would watch it regardless of whether it was on cable or not. As proof of this, there were dramas that surpassed 10%, which was considered to be a limit of cable channels, after becoming a craze on the internet and heated topics in forums and community sites.
That was why, since there already was a controversy, I thought that if we looked at this positively, this controversy, this hot topic, could become the driving force in making people anticipate and wait for Cat Guardian Ghost.
However, I didn’t tell others, who were worried, my thoughts.
It was because there were two reasons that made me think this.