Chapter 140
Had Lee Min Ki really shown interest in their film?
In conclusion, the worries of Jin Joo Yeon and Shim Sung Bo were entirely meaningless.
“Hello.”
Five minutes after Lee Min Ki stepped into the office of Maillard Pictures and met the two young representatives.
“Yes, I was surprised when I received the proposal from the U.S. My manager insisted I read it, and well, it’s quite something.”
Three minutes were spent lightening the mood with some small talk.
Then he briefly handed the baton over to Manager Park Han Mo.
“I see. You’re considering OTT as a direction but haven’t yet finalized a specific distribution route?”
“Well, that’s something we’re taking time to think through, but we believe it’s best to keep our options open, haha...”
“Do you currently have any discussions or partnerships in mind?”
“...”
“I see. Then, if you don’t mind me asking, are there other actors you’re considering besides our actor?”
“...”
“Apologies for the question. Moving on.”
Another 30 minutes were spent in a conversation that felt almost like an interrogation.
‘This is doomed.’
‘We’re finished.’
The two representatives had plenty of time to share this sentiment, as they had spent the past seven years working together.
Their infrastructure was woefully insufficient.
Judging by supply and demand, their value wasn’t very high.
They also lacked business acumen.
‘Who should we send the next proposal to?’
‘Once these two leave, we’re dead.’
Just as the two were inwardly giving up.
Lee Min Ki smiled brightly and said something they couldn’t have even dreamed of.
“Sounds good. Let’s sign a contract.”
He had already made up his mind, so there was no need for further discussion.
The prior meeting was merely to verify that the details aligned with what he already knew.
The moment the words of a contract came out of Lee Min Ki’s mouth.
“What?”
Shim Sung Bo blurted out as if he had misheard something.
Oops.
He shouldn’t have responded like that—he should’ve said something else.
Act like a proper representative, Sung Bo.
Shim Sung Bo, who barely managed to steady his nervous heart, asked again.
“You meant it?”
It got worse.
No, this isn’t right.
This is not how it’s supposed to go.
‘Sung Bo, you fool! There are better times to make a mistake!’
His thoughts were so jumbled that he couldn’t form coherent words.
Actually, the problem lay even before that.
In his head.
It was as if his brain had reached the point of burnout after long overwork, and now no appropriate words were being assembled.
“Ah, it seems you misunderstood me.”
In front of such a flustered Shim Sung Bo, Lee Min Ki smiled faintly and said.
“I want to sign a contract. With Maillard Pictures, for The Struggle of All Against All.”
“...”
Oh no.
They heard that.
In Shim Sung Bo’s already frazzled mind, his fuse snapped.
Fizz—
It felt as though steam was about to pour out of his head like a kettle when Lee Min Ki reopened the synopsis and spoke again.
“I carefully read the synopsis and script several times. I found it so compelling that I also looked into your previous works, and they were truly good.”
“Excuse me. Did you just say you enjoyed our film?”
Jin Joo Yeon, the calmer of the two, opened her mouth in disbelief.
“You’re not lying?”
“Hey, Joo Yeon, how could you say that to the actor?”
“Hold on for a moment.”
It couldn’t be helped.
It was hard to believe that he had actually watched a film that had only attracted 300,000 viewers nationwide and had failed miserably at the box office.
Sure, he could have watched it.
After all, it would be odd not to view the works of a company you’re considering a contract with.
But.
‘He found it entertaining?’
This was a hard pill to swallow, even from the perspective of the creators.
As creators, they were well aware of the flaws and shortcomings that stemmed from their inexperience in the work.
“Thank you, sir, haha! My friend here is just naturally skeptical.”
“Yes, I truly did watch it.”
While Shim Sung Bo flustered, Lee Min Ki replied in a composed voice.
“It was One Above All, correct? The screenplay and direction were remarkably well-crafted. The theme of celebrating humanity was well portrayed. I nearly cried because of the protagonist.”
“...”
“The protagonist’s resilience and determination were truly inspiring. Films like this are so rare these days.”
The two of them were left with their mouths agape.
It was difficult to take Lee Min Ki’s praise at face value.
But.
‘I really enjoyed it. It was like rice—it revealed new flavors the more I watched it.’
These weren’t empty words.
Lee Min Ki genuinely remembered enjoying the previous work created by the two directors, One Above All.
‘Although it lacked polish, it was a refreshing piece.’
It was a survival film.
A story about a person stranded in the wild, surviving alone against the odds.
Although it was glaringly obvious that the budget was tight, the directors managed to cover for that entirely with their direction.
It was said that the film had served as the origin of The Struggle of All Against All.
They had supposedly poured all the experience gained from making One Above All into this new project.
However, Maillard Pictures’ career didn’t stop with that one film.
As a cinephile who consumed almost anything, Lee Min Ki knew one more thing.
“I also enjoyed your earlier work.”
“Pardon?”
“The Red Color. The one you made as university students.”
“...!”
The Red Color.
A work that gained renewed attention after the major success of The Struggle of All Against All.
A film about a terrorist holding hostages and staging a hostage crisis.
It had been so low-budget that it used only five sets throughout the entire film.
“I mean it sincerely.”
With his genuine feedback having silenced the two, Lee Min Ki neatly placed his hands together on the desk and spoke.
“I want to be part of the production for The Struggle of All Against All, the project you two are working on.”
At that moment, he metaphorically signed the verbal contract.
Shim Sung Bo asked in a trembling voice like a leaf in the wind.
“Are we really allowed to have you as our actor?”
“Hey! Shim Sung Bo!”
“Gasp, no, of course, we would love to film a project with you, Actor-nim. I mean, it would be an honor.”
The two seemed utterly restless.
Even though Lee Min Ki was the actor, and they were the directors, they appeared immensely intimidated.
Lee Min Ki understood why.
He had realized it long before hearing their words, precisely a few years ago.
‘They’ve been plagued by financial issues for years, haven’t they?’
It was because of the harsh conditions of their production environment.
[Manman Two] was undeniably a legendary hit.
But behind that success, there was a famous backstory.
‘They went around pitching their synopsis to secure funding but kept getting rejected, even by actors.’
Rejected, over and over again, endlessly.
At the brink of closing their studio, they proposed it as a last-ditch effort to NetPlay.
NetPlay, an OTT service company.
Being the world’s number one company, they hadn’t even dared to hope for acceptance.
[We want to sign a contract.]
NetPlay recognized their value and decided to invest.
Of course, under extremely modest terms.
Though their work’s success skyrocketed, they didn’t make much money but instead gained immense fame.
Naturally, netizens mocked the domestic film industry for this.
[A project like Manman Two should have been recognized immediately. Isn’t that common sense?]
[People making movies in Korea must all be blind, lol.]
[If it were in America, Hollywood would have snatched it up instantly.]
The memory was crystal clear.
On paper, actors are the subordinate party in contracts, but in reality, the company is the underdog.
So, Lee Min Ki decided to take the lead.
‘There’s something I can do only during this period.’
He understood the value of these two individuals.
He also knew NetPlay would recognize their value.
What was the best choice he could make amidst this situation?
How could he achieve a balance between philanthropy and a reasonable profit?
The solution was simple.
“Instead, I’d like to proceed under a co-production arrangement.”
It was an investment.
As soon as Lee Min Ki spoke, an unexpected autumn breeze swept through the office.
“Investment?”
While Shim Sung Bo barely managed to respond, Lee Min Ki smiled softly and continued.
“Yes, I’d like to proceed on the condition of acquiring a share or receiving a portion of the royalties from this project.”
There was no need to deliberate.
In the near future, the company’s stock value would soar endlessly.
NetPlay, the company that would gladly propose investments in the trillion-won range while clinging to their pants, was a rare opportunity.
‘The actor has clearly lost his mind.’
Of course, Manager Park Han Mo saw Lee Min Ki’s actions as eccentricity.
Naturally.
He didn’t have certainty of success.
Of course, it was normal to lack such certainty.
“But still…”
Shim Sung Bo, ever timid, was fidgeting, unable to give a clear response.
“I’ll make it clear.”
Jin Joo Yeon interrupted Shim Sung Bo and joined the conversation.
“Even if we discuss the investment itself, we may not be able to fully reflect all your opinions on directing.”
“That’s correct.”
“If you thought you could do as you pleased because we’re a small studio, then you’ve misjudged.”
The seemingly confrontational words made Shim Sung Bo hastily try to intervene.
“Hey, hey, watch your words.”
“What do you mean, watch my words? At a contract negotiation, these things need to be addressed properly. It’s not just about acting; this is an investment proposal.”
What she pointed out was valid.
It could indeed come across as unpleasant.
However, Lee Min Ki wasn’t particularly offended.
‘Well, directors should have strong opinions in these areas.’
He actually preferred it that way.
Rather than having someone waver just because an actor was involved, it was better for a person with firm principles to take charge of the megaphone.
It was a hundred times better than ruining the work by being overly cautious.
‘Director Shim Sung Bo handles the filmmaking, and Director Jin Joo Yeon keeps everything disciplined?’
He had been curious about how Maillard Pictures managed with two directors, and it seemed the combination wasn’t bad.
At the awards ceremony, they had seemed completely opposite.
Back in the day, he wouldn’t have dared to hold a conversation with these two.
Finding their unexpectedly human sides amusing, Lee Min Ki smiled faintly and said.
“That’s fine. I don’t intend to interfere anyway. What I want lies elsewhere.”
“Elsewhere? What do you mean?”
“You said you plan to hire a lot of actors for this project, didn’t you?”
“Oh, yes, that’s correct.”
Shim Sung Bo nodded as he replied.
“We’re considering at least 40 to 50 actors for supporting and minor roles.”
That was the nature of [Manman Two].
Since it was a survival battle taking place on an island, the number of participants was diverse.
Of course, over half of them would be wiped out within the first 30 minutes.
‘The characters the audience rooted for would end up dying within minutes.’
Recalling the shocking plot, Lee Min Ki spoke.
“I’d like to select two of the supporting actors.”
“If it’s just two, that shouldn’t be a problem, but who do you have in mind?”
“Two of my colleagues who recently debuted under JC.”
“Oh!”
Shim Sung Bo exclaimed with wide eyes.
“Actor Kim Tak and Actress Yoo Seon Ah!”
“Yes, including them in the cast is my first condition.”
It was a guaranteed blockbuster.
At such a time, it was wise to secure one, no, two spots for them.
Besides, they weren’t lacking in skills.
Knowing their talents well, Lee Min Ki simply intended to provide them with an opportunity.
“And there’s one more thing.”
Raising a finger, Lee Min Ki added.
“I’d like the distribution to be through an OTT platform.”
This was the final condition.
Rather than theatrical release, it would be exclusive to OTT.
At his words, Shim Sung Bo cautiously asked.
“OTT? Is it connected to JC by any chance?”
“No.”
Shaking his head, Lee Min Ki replied.
“It’s exclusive to NetPlay!”
“…!”
NetPlay exclusivity.
At that bold statement, Shim Sung Bo widened his eyes, while Lee Min Ki smiled and made his final move.
“I hope we can propose an exclusive deal to them. From what I observed in the U.S., NetPlay is undoubtedly the trend. Theaters are great, but…”
Everything he needed to say had been said.
From acquiring production shares to suggesting the inclusion of two actors and a distribution service.
‘NetPlay, huh.’
Shim Sung Bo, with his fragile heart, gulped.
Would a small studio’s work even be accepted there?
Weren’t the conditions too difficult?
Yet rejecting the conditions of a star like Lee Min Ki because of a single clause was unthinkable—the bait was too sweet.
“Sigh.”
Finally reaching a conclusion, Shim Sung Bo sighed and said.
“If it fails, then it’s beyond our control.”
At that, Lee Min Ki smiled faintly and replied.
“Yes, of course.”
Of course, failure wasn’t an option.
Not even a slim chance.