Return of the Genius PD

On a park bench in front of a regular seolleongtang restaurant(1), Ji-won and PD Kim Jong-su sat side by side, staring blankly into space. 

It was as if by unspoken agreement, they maintained silence.

Especially on days like today—when there was no filming—they would often lock themselves in the editing room, losing track of whether it was day or night. 

These rare moments of zoning out were the only chances to give their brains a rest.

As the two continued their silent reverie, PD Kim Jong-su spoke up, fidgeting with a toothpick.

“Ji-won.”

“Yes, sunbae,” Ji-won replied, bringing a lukewarm coffee mix to his lips.

“Do you have any memories of the most ridiculous injury you’ve ever had?” Kim Jong-su suddenly asked. 

Then, as if boasting, he added, “For reference, I once tore a back muscle while brushing my teeth.”

“Come on, don’t lie,” Ji-won said, smirking.

Kim Jong-su pointed the toothpick in his mouth at Ji-won and continued, “When I was eleven, I almost lost an eye from a cola can lid my friend popped off.”

“…You’ve had quite an eventful life,” Ji-won remarked, raising an eyebrow.

“Am I the only one? Haven’t you had something like that happen?” Kim Jong-su prodded.

At those words, Ji-won looked up at the sky. Drifting clouds filled his view.

“A ridiculous accident…” he muttered absentmindedly. “How about getting hit by a truck in a taxi the moment you decide to live a different life?”

PD Kim Jong-su frowned. “Kid, the order’s all wrong. You should have decided to live a different life after getting hit by the truck! That’s what makes a story.”

Then he added with a chuckle, “You’re just like me. Don’t touch the script.(2)”

Ji-won chuckled back. “Hehe, is that so?”

Kim Jong-su, still eyeing Ji-won as if he were a bit strange, spoke again. “Anyway, what I’m trying to say is…” His brow furrowed slightly. “Something this ridiculous has happened to us.”

Kim Jong-su’s sigh echoed through the park.

“Choi, the music director, is out for two months,” he finally said.

Ji-won’s eyes widened. “Our music director? Suddenly?”

Choi Dae-heon, the music director Kim Jong-su had recruited for Eccentric Doctor Ham In-ju, was someone the PD had trusted for a long time.

“He was opening the bathroom door at dawn when suddenly the door fell off… He got hit by it and was taken to the hospital by ambulance,” Kim Jong-su explained with a dejected expression.

“…Pardon?” Ji-won asked, his disbelief evident.

“Can you believe it?” Kim Jong-su shook his head.

Ji-won, still in shock, asked again, “Are you sure you didn’t do something to upset Director Choi? Maybe during the last project?”

“No, you brat. It’s not a lie. I’ve already confirmed it with his friends. Apparently, he’s got a fracture and is scheduling surgery.”

“…Is there anyone else on Earth who’s been taken to the hospital after being hit by their own bathroom door?” Ji-won asked, still incredulous.

“That’s what I’m saying. They say you can even break your nose falling backward…” Kim Jong-su trailed off.

Ji-won glanced over at Kim Jong-su. The PD’s legs were trembling uncontrollably, likely reflecting his growing stress.

In his past life, Ji-won had been quite knowledgeable about music and had connections with famous musicians.

So even now, a few names came to mind, but…

Or perhaps…

At this moment, a slightly different name flashed through Ji-won’s mind.

“Sunbae, you need an OST that can be ready immediately, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then we need someone with lots of time and good stamina—someone with quick hands?”

Originally, Ji-won had planned to make contact with this person for his debut work later, but…

‘I’ll just use them early; why not? It’s not like they’ll wear out.’

“That’s right, isn’t it?”

“Indeed it is.”

The two made eye contact for a moment. Ji-won stood up first, gathering his coat. Kim Jong-su tilted his head and asked, “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to get an OST.”

“What?”

“I know someone who comes to mind.”

At those words, Kim Jong-su squinted his eyes. Suddenly, he was saying he’d bring a music director. Even he, with all his connections, was struggling to find one quickly, yet this rookie Ji-won claimed he could solve it.

However…

The one making this claim was Ji-won, who had recruited Han Se-gyu. From what he had observed, Ji-won wasn’t someone who spoke without a plan.

Kim Jong-su stared at Ji-won for a moment.

“…How many days do you need? Will three days be enough?”

Ji-won grinned and replied, “Give me just one day.”

* * *

Gaeguk University.

Cafeteria inside the Engineering College building.

Ji-won looked at the young college student sitting across from him. He was a typical college student in his mid-twenties, still with a hint of youthfulness.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. At this time, having a precise expert who’s at the top of their game is important, but…

However, he…

Knew who would become the king of OSTs in the future.

The very person looking at him quizzically right now. Engineering student Kim Jin-young asked with wide eyes:

“OST? From us?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Pardon?”

Kim Jin-young, the leader of the unknown indie band ‘Hollins,’ was suspicious of this person who had suddenly barged in. The business card read:

[JTVN Production Team 3 PD Do Ji-won.]

Something smells fishy. No matter how he tried to understand it, the current situation was abnormal.

Unless they’re a scammer…

The reason was that his band ‘Hollins’ was a newly formed rookie band. They only had six songs uploaded to their streaming cloud account. 

Due to being uploaded recently, the ‘likes’ were only around a hundred.

For someone to ask such a band to take charge of an OST for a drama with huge capital investment…

While he wanted to believe it was like ‘winning the lottery,’ the idea of a massive ‘Ponzi scheme(2)’ came to mind first for Kim Jin-young.

Of course, it’s not that he didn’t have ambitions when forming the band. The dazzling lights of a large stadium and enthusiastic fans… Their music playing everywhere on the streets… It’s the bright future that anyone walking this path would hope for.

But…

Kim Jin-young was also well aware of the harsh reality faced by indie musicians. The reality that successful cases are just a handful in a sea of sand.

Isn’t that how the world works?

Everyone wants to be that special 1%, but… In fact, isn’t the world made up of 99% ordinary people?

It was more rational to consider the probability of being in the 99% rather than the 1%.

Because he loved music so much…

He started music because he was so happy when writing songs, but… reality was too harsh to live on dreams alone. 

As a poor indie band youth, he had no intention of spending his years lamenting, “Why don’t they recognize us?”

Let’s just release one album.

No more, no less. Just release one album, and if there’s no response, give up cleanly.

After that, he planned to live ordinarily like others. Work hard, and if luck was on his side, meet a loving partner and form a happy family like his parents. 

That would be a sufficiently happy life too.

That’s what Kim Jin-young had decided.

But…

This well-groomed ‘self-proclaimed PD’ in front of him says he wants to use his music.

As an OST for an upcoming drama from a famous broadcasting station. To be inserted at the climax of the drama, no less.

As Kim Jin-young silently trembled, Ji-won asked with a dark expression:

“Is it too much to ask?”

At Ji-won’s question, Kim Jin-young’s trembling stopped. Then he asked himself inwardly:

‘Is this the time to be picky?’

“Not at all!”

So what if it’s a scam? This might be the opportunity of a lifetime. 

After thinking for a while, he realized he didn’t really have anything to lose anyway.

‘I’ll do it! Whatever they say, unconditionally, I’ll do it all!’

Having made up his mind, Kim Jin-young stood up abruptly.

“You’ve come to the right place, sir.”

“What? Sir?”

“Just tell me what to do. I’ll serve with all my loyalty.”

Then he bowed so low his crown was visible. Ji-won could only stare at Kim Jin-young, who was pledging his allegiance. Although he had expected it, he was quite different from the Kim Jin-young he knew.

In the previous life Ji-won knew…

Kim Jin-young’s band, ‘Hollins,’ becomes a huge success.

However, there’s one tiny problem…

Their success is scheduled for ten years from now.

The upcoming debut album of Hollins, ‘Something,’ receives surprisingly little attention. As a result, the band disbands like magic. 

After that, it takes a whole decade for them to regroup and succeed. Behind that success story…

This very person showing me his crown right now is the main character.

At the center of it all is the ‘once-in-a-century genius composer,’ Kim Jin-young.

Kim Jin-young, a 36-year-old office worker exhausted from overwork, suddenly quits his job and jumps back into the music industry.

In a future documentary about Hollins, he revealed the reason for his resignation:

-”After not being able to go home for four days straight, I thought I was going to die. I was wondering if a missile would fall somewhere.”

-”That’s when it hit me.”

-”Whether I die working or die making music, if I’m going to die anyway, I might as well leave behind some songs like a tiger leaves its skin…!”

-”Because you never know when a missile might fall!”

Then Kim Jin-young swept all the OST awards that year. His subsequent moves were also unstoppable. 

Was it because he had confirmed his talent? 

Kim Jin-young brought together the original members to revive Hollins and once again dominated the charts.

Then here’s one question:

Was Kim Jin-young’s musicality different ten years ago compared to ten years later?

Even the songs released before the disbandment were all praised as masterpieces. In fact, all the tracks from the debut album climbed back up the charts. 

Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that Kim Jin-young’s musicality was ‘always’ outstanding.

One critic evaluated it as ‘a debut album that was too ahead of its time,’ but… well, from Ji-won’s perspective, having been worn down at the forefront of the content industry, it’s more like, ‘well, I’m not so sure.’

It was just hidden.

In an industry where the saying “a talented person will eventually be recognized” doesn’t apply, people just didn’t listen, so they didn’t know.

That’s why Ji-won looked at this genius composer right in front of him: a 26-year-old engineering student with many worries who would only realize his talent ten years later.

It means he’s an unscratched lottery ticket.

When no one knows about this lottery ticket yet, it’s best to claim it first.

And…

‘Can’t I just bring forward the winning time with my own hands?’

Recalling the blueprint once again, Ji-won spoke with a firm tone:

“Jin-young, you will definitely make it big with your band.”

“Pardon?”

Ji-won held Kim Jin-young’s hands and closed his eyes as if foreseeing the future.

“I can feel it… the feeling that Korea will be shaken by Jin-young’s songs… My intuition has never been wrong…”

A chill ran down Kim Jin-young’s back as he sensed something off.

‘…Is it not? Is he really a scammer?’

Kim Jin-young smiled awkwardly as he slowly pulled his hands away.

“Come on, no way.”
“Then…”

Ji-won smiled slyly, and his eyes sparkled.

“Would you like to make a bet with me?”
“A bet?”

Ji-won looked at Jin-young, who was just blinking at his proposal, with a meaningful smile.

* * *

“Wait a moment!”

Ji-won, who barely made it onto the elevator that was about to close, repeatedly said “Thank you” while catching his breath.

‘With this, the OST issue is cleanly resolved.’

It wasn’t just cleanly resolved; he had picked up another lucky charm.

He couldn’t help but smile. Bringing Eccentric Doctor Ham In-ju this far hadn’t always been smooth sailing. 

Crises had arisen from time to time, but he had always turned them into opportunities. Turning misfortune into blessing, you could say? He felt the flow wasn’t bad. 

Somehow, he felt like everything would go well from now on.

-Ding!-.

As employees poured out on the 3rd floor, his gaze fell on the remaining floor buttons. The lights for the 6th floor he had pressed and the 7th floor were on.

‘Oh? It’s the 7th floor.’

It brought back memories. Because of the department located on that floor. 7th floor. 

That’s where the Management Support Team and… none other than the ‘Strategic Planning Headquarters’ were located.

The place where he had spent his entire life in his past life. 

Therefore, if it was the 7th floor, there was a high chance he would see familiar faces.

Just as he was about to turn around in excitement, a voice came from behind him.

“PD Do Ji-won.”

The moment he heard the voice, his entire body froze. 

Fear ingrained in his brain. 

That voice he had heard so much in his past life. 

That voice, which had disappeared into the recesses of his memory for a while, was heard again.

“I’ve reviewed the proposal you submitted.”

He slowly turned his head to look up at the owner of the voice. 

A middle-aged man with a cold gaze behind rimless glasses was staring at him. 

His cold voice echoed softly inside the elevator.

“I regret that you rejected my offer. Did you dislike the Strategic Planning Team that much?”

Those snake-like eyes. He knew the owner of those eyes all too well.

Strategic Planning Director Shin Young-jin.

The person who had tried to bring him into the Strategic Planning Team and…

In his past life, his supervisor.

T/N Notes:

(1) Seolleongtang restaurant:  is a traditional Korean dish. It’s a type of beef bone soup that is typically made by boiling ox bones, brisket, and other cuts of beef for several hours until the broth becomes milky white. The soup is usually served with rice and is known for its rich, hearty flavor.

A seolleongtang restaurant is an establishment that specializes in serving this dish. 

(2) Ponzi scheme: A Ponzi scheme is an investment fraud that pays existing investors with funds collected from new investors. Ponzi scheme organizers often promise to invest your money and generate high returns with little or no risk.