Episode 9: The Scenario Is Good, But Commercialization Feels Off
It was a day that didn’t feel like a day.
More like a month compressed into one.
I was sent to clean up after a fire, restored a filming disk,
Earned 100 million won, got reassigned as an errand manager for rookie actress Hwang Hyejin, and got promoted to a newly created position as a camera manager.
Seriously, it was one highly compressed day.
Oh, right.
I should finish reading the reactions to my black-and-white animation storyboard that I posted on the video community site.
Earlier, I couldn’t even glance at it for a full minute because of all the errands I had to run.
When I logged in,
Not only had the storyboard post blown up, but the “Unconstrained and Free Scenario” I’d posted earlier was also racking up views at an explosive rate.
The comments too.
I clicked on that first.
└ It’s widely believed that the animation director received a terrible script from a wannabe and, feeling too guilty to criticize them directly, posted it as if it were their own to gauge public reaction.
Ugh, why is the embarrassment always my burden to bear?
└ The animation director must’ve been so desperate to even pretend it was theirs just to get feedback.
└ This can’t be the work of just any wannabe. It’s clearly written by a complete novice with no industry knowledge at all.
└ Maybe the writer is someone close to the director?
└ Like a girlfriend?
└ Or a relative.
└ Definitely not a girlfriend. The whole thing reeks of someone fresh out of military service.
What the hell? How did they know?
This is why I can’t stand sharp-eyed people.
Reading the worshipful comments under my scenario feedback request made me suddenly self-conscious.
When people said things like “You have no talent,” “Is this even writing?” “Don’t you know the basics?” or “Just give up,” it didn’t bother me at all.
But when everyone reacted as if a professional veteran animation director was so frustrated they had to post it anonymously for opinions,
It made me feel ashamed and humiliated.
Should I just delete it?
“Yeah, let’s delete it.”
But I should save a copy first.
After all, it’s the first scenario I’ve ever written in my life.
【I’ve already archived it.】
【There’s no need to save it yourself.】
Oh, so my dark history is permanently recorded on a video app in real time.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Click.
The feedback request post was deleted.
Then, I checked the storyboard reactions.
This one had completely blown up too.
It was flooded with praise.
There were a few comments that cleverly disguised jealousy in twisted ways,
But every single one was being bombarded with downvotes and rebuttals.
Why are people so quick to criticize others?
The only “crime” I committed was a single click in accordance with the beautiful universal customs of the 30th century.
└ I’m curious which company you work for.
└ Are you perhaps the legendary ã…Žã……ã…Š? If so, please message me privately.
└ The short production time is astonishing, but what’s even more impressive is the visual talent and skillful execution of the storyboard.
Considering the storyboard was created in such a short amount of time, finishing the image concept in under an hour is genuinely genius-level work as a storyboard director.
The overwhelming praise was starting to make me feel embarrassed.
Honestly, all I did was nitpick and say, “Do this,” “That’s weird, make it more modern,” “Can’t you do better?”
Yet, now everyone was treating me like a veteran genius storyboard director, and I felt unbearable shame.
【This is how we do things in the 30th century.】
Sigh, fine.
Let’s calm down.
Since it’s come to this, I might as well use the Premium Cut 3000 to spread beautiful video content across this planet.
【That’s precisely why I was created.】
【However, users in the 30th century tend to lose interest in content creation too quickly.】
【Chronic apathy is a significant societal issue in the 30th century.】
Anyway, I meticulously read through all the hundreds of comments.
I was about to reply to some of them but gave up because it felt like too much effort.
There were quite a few private messages too.
Most of them were compliments or requests for personal contact.
They really seemed to think I was a professional storyboard director or something.
“Huh? Isn’t that the person who wrote the scenario?”
There was even a message from the person who wrote the scenario I had enjoyed reading.
I had been a bit disappointed that their comment wasn’t visible, but they’d sent me a private message instead.
[I’m the one who wrote the scenario. I was deeply moved to see a scene from my scenario turned into such a detailed and sincere storyboard.]
If you’re human, that’s the natural response.
[If you don’t mind, I’d like to request an honest critique of the full version of my scenario.
I’m desperate for advice on whether my scenario has the potential to be made into a film
And whether it holds any commercial investment value.]
At the bottom was the full-length version of the scenario.
I hesitated.
I’m not a professional, veteran animation director—just a total beginner who’s only recently stepped into this field.
I haven’t even completed the Premium Cut 3000 tutorial yet.
“To be honest, I did enjoy the scenario, but…”
I don’t think I’m in a position to evaluate its commercial viability.
Right now, everything I see and experience in this industry is fascinating and exciting.
I’m like a newborn kitten, marveling at every little thing in the world.
“Even though I enjoyed it, most of the comments were pretty critical…”
I’m no good at critiquing anything.
But I do know that the people who left negative feedback didn’t mean any harm.
That much was clear.
└ It’s fresh and full of ideas, but its commercial viability seems doubtful.
└ If this were made into a movie, production costs alone—excluding cast fees—would likely exceed 10 billion won.
└ The scenario is fun, but I’m skeptical about its marketability in our country.
└ You have talent, but this work would struggle to get commercialized in our film industry.
It’s probably because of the high production costs.
After all, it’s a space opera set in outer space.
“Maybe I just shouldn’t reply.”
Anything I say as a rookie would likely do more harm than good to the person who wrote the scenario.
It’s better to keep my mouth shut.
***
I announced that I was accepting freelance work, but I haven’t received any solid proposals.
The few inquiries I did get were from empty accounts just testing the waters.
“I’ve earned 100 million won, so why haven’t I cleared the second stage of the tutorial yet?”
【Earnings from video production are required for recognition.】
So I don’t get credit because it was payment for restoring music video data? How unfair.
Anyway, while I’ve met the monetization conditions, my YouTube revenue is still at zero.
The first two videos don’t generate income because they’re derivative works,
And the third one is a non-commercial promotional video.
【View Points: 25,037,185】
I’m not making money, but I’m steadily accumulating view points.
Every view adds more points to the total.
I don’t have a use for them yet, but after completing the tutorial, I’ll be able to unlock various useful features.
Now that I think about it, I heard restoring that burnt data should’ve cost 10 million points, but they did it for free as a special favor.
└ Is it true this is a promotional trailer for Chae Seoyoon’s new work?
└ Is Chae Seoyoon already working on something new?
└ Can sci-fi films survive in our country?
Wouldn’t all the investors just throw themselves into the Han River?
└ The return of the sci-fi nightmare—stop it.
It’s not a promotional trailer!
What’s wrong with these people?
It’s obviously just a promotional video for polar bear conservation.
It’s fine to push memes and joke around, but from my perspective, it just looks like hundreds or even thousands of people making the same tiresome comments.
I tried creating a follow-up story to the polar bear video as an experiment.
【You must obtain Chae Seoyoon’s permission.】
Of course, it flagged a video ethics violation.
Apparently, using the likeness of a real person requires their explicit consent.
The 30th century seems surprisingly ethical and well-structured.
People kept predicting humanity would go extinct within 200 years, but it seems we’re surviving quite responsibly.
“Still, there’s always a workaround.”
I covered the character playing Chae Seoyoon with a full-body suit,
Completely concealing their face and skin.
This way, it wouldn’t violate portrait rights.
I uploaded the follow-up polar bear video to YouTube as my fourth upload.
[Incoming: Uncle]
Just then, my uncle called.
“Hello, Uncle.”
-“Do-young, I heard you got reassigned to Management Team 3?”
“Yeah, that’s what happened.”
-“Didn’t I tell you never to become a manager, no matter who tries to convince you?”
“I did something impressive today, and the Team 3 leader said I seem to have good vibes, so they wanted me to be around the artist for luck.”
-“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“I didn’t want to do it either, but actress Hwang Hyejin is so pretty. She smiled at me and asked if I was her new manager, and I couldn’t say no.”
-“Cha Do-young, you little punk.”
“When else would I get to see a celebrity up close? I’m just doing it for the experience, so don’t worry too much.”
-“…”
After a pause, my uncle softened his tone.
-“Well, if that’s the case. But remember this: the moment you feel even slightly drained, that’s when you need to walk away without looking back.”
“Got it.”
-“Mark my words. If you ignore that and keep pushing forward, you’ll eventually find yourself trapped.
You’ll think just a little more effort will help your artist shine, and before you realize it, you’ll be neck-deep, unable to get out.”
“You’re not speaking from personal experience, are you?”
-“You punk! Anyway, remember what I said. If you ever feel drained, drop everything and quit.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Strictly speaking, Team Leader Jo Un-seok of Team 3 assigned me as Hwang Hyejin’s dedicated cameraman, not her manager.
I was checking my inbox again for any freelance proposals when I noticed a message from Pine Tree Entertainment Team 1.
[Hello, this is Kim Kyung-wook, Manager of Pine Tree Entertainment’s Team 1.]
To cut through all the formalities and summarize the main point:
[Our artist, actress Chae Seoyoon, would like to meet you in person to express her gratitude. Would that be possible?]