TL: KSD
Baekhak Entertainnts Publishing Managent Division is a place for managing authors, but there werent many people with actual publishing industry experience.
At best, there were Lim Yang-wook, the departnt head, Baek Seol, the deputy head, and Kim Ga-ryung, the traitor from the Publishing Planning Departnt who Lim Yang-wook had recruited after using him to deal with Yang Sung-jun.
The rest were all dispatched to this departnt due to the CEOs sudden order for departntal transfer, and naturally, it was rare for anyone there to read more than two books a year.
These people unanimously said,
Its interesting?
Like, like, I dont know how to explain it. The first part was as bright as the second part was shocking, and as dark as the second part was, the ending was moving? I almost cried, actually.
I cried my eyes out.
too
Praises poured out from the mouths of the departnt employees gathered in the eting room.
Watching this, Lim Yang-wook gained one conviction.
This is going to work!
For whom? For people who dont read books.
Author Moons new work was providing fun and emotion even to those who usually dont read books. And most people usually dont read books.
In other words, this work had the potential to hit the entire market.
Of course, its still just a potential for now.
If every well-written book sold well, the groans about the Korean publishing industrys demise would have ceased long ago.
Is it just books? Artistic quality doesnt guarantee popularity. Its a rule that applies to all arts.
Therefore, we must maximize the chances of this book becoming a hit. In ways other than the work itself.
And that task now lay in the hands of Lim Yang-wook.
Lim Yang-wook closed his eyes for a mont to think.
Can I do it?
He was confident.
Having made his decision, Lim Yang-wook stood up and declared.
From now on, this book is a romance novel.
What?
Romance.
What do you an, departnt head?
Romance.
As the employees looked at Lim Yang-wook with puzzled eyes, the quickest-witted employee from the PR team gasped in horror.
Could it be!
How could they commit such a devilish act!
EP 5 A Love Story
Winter is cold. When its cold, people dont go outside. When people dont gather, events are scarce. Therefore, Min Hyo-chan had nothing to do.
Min Hyo-chan had enjoyed the feeling of becoming a celebrity by touring several college festivals in the fall as the youngest mber of the newly debuted boy group Rapid Boys.
And in winter, the season when all events ceased, Min Hyo-chan felt as if he had returned to his trainee days.
So boring
Of course, there are many idols who keep busy in winter. But thats because people seek them out.
However, Min Hyo-chans group was not at the level where people gathered to see them; they were at the level where they needed to go to where people were gathered to dance and sing to make their na known.
For this reason, Min Hyo-chans daily routine had entered an endless loop of hell: go to school co ho from school lesson go to school co ho from school lesson.
Soone hit Min Hyo-chan on the back of his head. Without looking, it was obvious who it was. It was the leader.
Ah, Lee Soo hyung!
Hyochan, you little brat, not even dying your hair during the off-season? Youre originally pink-haired, and everything else is just decoration, you know?
The leader of Rapid Boys flopped down next to Min Hyo-chan sprawled in the practice room.
Min Hyo-chan complained about the sweat sll, but the leader wasnt the type to care about such things.
Hyochan. Did you read it?
Read what?
A Love Story.
Min Hyo-chan made a smug face as if he knew all about it.
Ah~ In-seops book?
Look at this kid, is Author Moon your friend?
He is my friend.
Stop pretending to be close. So, did you read it? Or not?
Min Hyo-chan answered confidently.
Heroes dont do sothing like study!
I havent read it.
The leader looked at Min Hyo-chan with a aningful smile.
Go read it.
I dont really read books
You say youre friends with Author Moon? Pretending to be friends without even reading his books?
But! That guy didnt even buy our album!
The leader, with a bright smile, picked up a slipper rolling on the floor like a sword and pushed it against Min Hyo-chans neck.
Go read it.
Yes.
So, when the weekend arrived, Min Hyo-chan finally made his way to the bookstore.
One could say that the decline of the Korean publishing industry is evident from the fact that these days, young people only step into a bookstore when threatened with a knife.
Wow
Astonishnt flowed from Min Hyo-chans lips, visiting the bookstore after a long ti.
In his mory, bookstores had an old and stale image, but the one he visited was surprisingly large, stylish, and gave off a vintage vibe.
The mont he entered, a sweet fragrance tickled his nose. It was probably because of the perfus displayed at the fancy stationery stand.
Like many others, Min Hyo-chan ca to buy books but was lured to the fancy stationery stand, picking up a squishy cat cushion and three intriguing pens.
Thus, Min Hyo-chan fell victim to the evil interior designers of Baekhak Publishings Book Distribution Headquarters, who ticulously designed a human brainwashing device. He belatedly ca to his senses and started looking for the book.
It was easy to find. It was already in the bestseller corner.
Wow
The first Wow was filled with admiration.
Seeing a book by an author he knew displayed in such a revered position naturally made him feel a bit proud, even though it wasnt his achievent.
Wow
The second Wow had a slightly lower tone than the first. If the first Wow was in a major key, the second was in a minor key.
This Wow contained the sorrow of seeing a younger sibling achieve comrcial success while he road around jobless, like a vagabond.
But as soone in the entertainnt industry, harboring a bit of inferiority complex is always kept close to the heart.
Min Hyo-chan had the talent to not dwell too long on negative emotions and quickly erged from them.
Is this it?
The book was pink. But there are types of pink. He rembered receiving a lecture about colors from the stylist unnie when dying his hair pink.
Of course, he had forgotten all of it.
So pinks are luxurious, and so are cheap, but anyway, the cover of A Love Story was a luxurious pink.
There was a picture that looked like modern art in the middle of the cover, and the title A Love Story was written in a neat font without any spaces.
Luckily, it wasnt wrapped in plastic, so it seed like he could start reading right away.
Min Hyo-chan headed to a reading space in the corner of the bookstore.
Comfortable chairs, desks, and bean bags were placed there.
And there, the avid readers crowded into the space were all holding a pink book.
The sa book that Min Hyo-chan was holding.
It really is popular
But their expressions were all different.
Whats this?
A woman who looked like an office worker was reading the book with a love-struck expression. Her hands turned each page gently, as if she wished this beautiful story would never end.
But a young man with headphones around his neck was bulging his eyes and clenching his teeth, making strange screams like Eek! Eeeeek! He looked insane.
So were even crying while reading the book. A middle-aged man who seed very dignified was crying as he read. At his age, he should be living and dying by his dignity, but he was sniffling and blowing his nose with a handkerchief as if he was alone in the bookstore.
What kind of book is this
Min Hyo-chan beca slightly scared.
What kind of book makes its readers react like this?
But the only thing written on the band around the book was this:
Hmm
What? Its just a common love story, right?
With that thought, Min Hyo-chan reassured himself and settled into a bean bag sofa to start reading.
* * *
Did you really have to feel satisfied only after doing it like that?
Between winter break and spring break, theres about a week of school days. Thats when the school year finally wraps up.
Gu Yu-na and I were becoming second-year middle school students, and Kim Byul was graduating from Baekhak Arts Middle School.
Even I, who skips school as if its a al, couldnt miss Kim Byuls graduation ceremony.
So, when I finally went to school after a while, Min
Min
Min
What was it again?
I couldnt rember the na of the pink-haired senior who grabbed by the collar, seeing him for the first ti in a month.
Did you have to completely destroy the first part to feel satisfied, you asshole!
Destroy it? I went all the way to the U.S. to write the first part. Its an important mont. It highlights the mont love falls apart.
So, you did destroy it!
Min Hyo-chan shook by the collar, and I flopped around like a deflated balloon doll.
Move.
Aargh!
Finally, after Gu Yu-na pinched Min Hyo-chans side, I was freed from his grasp.
Gu Yu-na looked at expressionlessly.
Do you have anything to say?
Not really.
Did you enjoy the book?
Yeah.
Can you share your thoughts?
I dont have any, really.
Gu Yu-na, who praised my book by saying there was nothing to criticize, quickly turned around and headed to the auditorium.
With a pleased heart, I followed Gu Yu-na to the auditorium.
Min, the senior who followed belatedly, slapped on the shoulder and made a fuss, saying it was a joke earlier and that he enjoyed the book.
What awaited us in the auditorium were students and parents waiting for the graduation ceremony, among them, was Kim Byul.
Hi, guys. Long ti no see.
Gu Yu-na ran towards Kim Byul and hugged her.
However, as soon as Kim Byul happily stroked Gu Yu-nas head, Gu Yu-na ran away, telling her not to touch her hair.
I greeted Kim Byul, who looked bemusedly at Gu Yu-na.
Long ti no see, Kim sunbae. Did you finish shooting well?
Yeah. The shooting is done, and its in the editing stage now.
I felt calluses slightly in the grip of Kim Byuls handshake.
Looking closely at Kim Byuls face, it seed slightly tanned.
Did you have a hard ti in Manchuria?
Ah.
Kim Byul cleared her throat with a lowered voice. A determined spirit started to shine in her eyes.
Then, in front of , a warrior roaming the snowfields on a horse appeared.
I learned the laws of the grasslands
What law?
I wonder if my horse is doing well. It must be roaming the fields freely. We may never et again. But its okay. Soday, well all return to the sky, beco the flesh and blood of eagles, and et again
This was a dubious thing for a middle school girl (soon to be high school girl) to say. It seed like she hadnt fully shed her actors skin.
Soon after, Kim Byul, like a nimble hunter, grabbed Gu Yu-na and hugged her, and Gu Yu-na, unable to overco the evolved strength of Kim Byul, quietly beca a plush doll sitting on Kim Byuls lap.
Where are you going, Min sunbae?
Im staying here. Second years are on the first floor of the auditorium. First years are on the second floor, so you should go up there.
Thank you. See you next ti.
After saying goodbye to senior Min and taking Gu Yu-na from Kim Byul, I went up to the second floor of the auditorium, where the literary departnt kids were gathering in small groups, preparing to watch the graduation ceremony.
The literary departnt kids looked at and were about to swarm over, but soone beat them to it, striding up the stairs quickly.
Aigoo, has our Moon In arrived!
Park Chang-woon, the veteran novelist who teaches at a middle school as a hobby.
Wearing a brown modernized hanbok, he was charging at with his white beard fluttering.
As soon as I made eye contact with him, who was longing for with bloodshot eyes, I couldnt withstand his madness and ended up throwing Gu Yu-na at him and running away.
* * *
The novel A Love Story swept through the industry upon its publication.
The marketing disguised as a romance novel was effective.
To be precise, it wasnt just misleading people into thinking this was a simple romance novel.
The marketing focused on the fact that although this book appears to be a romance novel, it actually isnt, and theres a twist to it.
Twists are, one way or another, sothing people enjoy. Even knowing theres a twist, people still love twists.
The sa goes for love. Love appears almost universally across content, yet, stories about love still manage to be hits.
So, no matter how much movie buffs bleed out saying, Dont advertise a movie with a twist as having a twist, or Please dont shove romance into a perfectly fine movie, its all in vain.
Of course, such marketing doesnt just happen on its own.
Departnt Head Lim! This isnt right! Where do you see spending this much money on marketing a single book?!
Ah, its because Im confident well make even more than this.
But still, this amount is not reasonable!
If you really have a complaint, I can arrange a eting with our operational staff.
Yes! If youre going to scale up to this size, you should consult with us too!
Baek Seol, Deputy Head? Could you co here for a mont?
Upon reconsideration, it seems like the budget could be managed at the discretion of the release departnt.
Through smooth communication and consultation between departnts, Lim Yang-wook managed to pull in an enormous marketing budget.
However, the initial sales did not rise significantly.
If throwing marketing money at it guaranteed increased book sales, then the groans about the downfall of the Korean publishing industry would have ceased long ago.
Korean literature is already being sustained by a handful of avid readers, and those within this small group who match the taste are already buying Moons books.
So, it was like advertising to people who were already going to buy the product, a waste of money.
Just when questions about Lim Yang-wooks capabilities started to arise within Baekhak Entertainnt, Lim Yang-wook began to manipulate public opinion with reckless spending.
Spoiler) Did anyone else feel like they got hit in the head with a hamr when transitioning from part 1 to part 2 of A Love Story??
LOL, you too?
I thought I was the only one.
222
3333333
I recomnded A Love Story to a close friend. Of course, as a romance ^^
You evil devil
I cant be the only one to suffer lolololol
Such a book shouldnt exist. But if it does, I shouldnt be the only one to see it.
Isnt A Love Story a masterpiece? Why are there so many people hating on it,,, Am I the weird one?
Dont worry, teacher, theyre all just playing around.
Ah, I see. You scared for a mont. ^^
A famous YouTuber did a book review in such a codic tone, and many are following suit. Yes.
TikTok and Shorts have already been taken over. Please stop showing it.
Youre still watching that stuff??
If the ending was a little less moving, Moon would have been buried already.
Reason: Because I would have buried him.
Officer, this person right here
I wanted to stalk the author after moving from part 1 to part 2, but after searching, found out hes just a kid. Too cute, so I let it be.
?
????
-Hells Mouthpiece-
No matter how fragnted public opinion has beco in this era, a mainstream trend still exists, albeit weakly.
And trends, one way or another, are driven by the younger generation, whose directions are set on the internet.
Lim Yang-wook attempted groundbreaking marketing by entrusting book advertisents to YouTubers who had never reviewed a book in their life, deployed part-tirs across video platforms and community sites,
And finally succeeded in establishing the image of A Love Story as a novel thought to be an ordinary romance but actually contains a twist.
At that mont, the ga was over.
Now, people enjoyed recomnding this book as if playing a ga of hot potato, and with each spread of this act, A Love Story was steadily exposed to the public.
Eventually, as the pinnacle achievent, A Love Story made its way into the news.
Baekhak Cultural Broadcasting, having received the advertising paynt, opened the floodgates.
[Our next story. A novel that has beco a topic of conversation among the younger generation recently]
News broadcasts do not casually advertise books. Ti is a resource.
The news is fundantally a dium for delivering information, and how that information is delivered can change the thoughts of many.
Thus, a segnt in the news could potentially destroy a business, sway the outco of an election, or even save or end a life.
Using such a powerful segnt of the news for sothing as trivial as a book advertisent is a trendous waste of resources. Unfortunately, books do not hold the cultural, hobbyist, or dia value to justify such use.
A book appears in the news for advertising when a great author with the influence comparable to a corporation releases a new work, and the corporation backing the author pays the necessary amount.
Or if the novel itself contains information worthy of news coverage.
In this case, Lim Yang-wook artificially created the latter situation. A trend of a novel spreading among the younger generation. Thats newsworthy.
Lim Yang-wook used this situation as a basis to approach Baekhak Cultural Broadcasting, and fortunately, Author Moon was a family mber of Baekhak Entertainnt and a regular guest on BMBs variety shows.
Gathering these various reasons, Author Moons news barely made it through the editorial departnt and succeeded in informing the public in front of the TV about the book A Love Story.
For the first ti, not only the younger generation but all generations were made aware of its existence.
What followed was straightforward.
From there on, it was by the book.
Lim Yang-wook launched advertisents for A Love Story across all major search platforms.
Just as one would typically do when a popular authors book is published.
However, the impact of such advertising, after going through this buildup, was on another level.
Eventually, a massive wave swept through public opinion.
*****
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