Oh Se-young's first official day at Aura Management felt like the arrival of a foreign dignitary. There was a low, curious buzz in the office, a mixture of awe and nervous energy. The core music team—Jin, Da-eun, Chae-rin, and the others—had only known her as a legendary, almost mythical name from the history of Korean cinema. Now, she was here, walking through their halls, a ghost of the past stepping into their vibrant, chaotic present. She, in turn, observed the youthful, energetic environment with the cautious, analytical gaze of a seasoned professional entering unfamiliar territory. This world of multi-platinum albums and global streaming numbers was as alien to her as the dark, intimate film sets she once commanded were to them.
Yoo-jin had convened a company-wide meeting in the main lounge, a rare event reserved for momentous occasions. He stood before his assembled team: the musicians and producers on one side, a small, newly hired group of sharp, ambitious film and television executives on the other. In the middle, an honored guest and the lynchpin of his new vision, was Director Oh Se-young.
"Good morning," Yoo-jin began, his voice resonating with a calm, powerful purpose. "For the past year, Aura has become synonymous with one thing: music. We have fought, and we have won, a battle for the soul of that industry. But today, that changes. Today, Aura is no longer a music label that is starting a film division."
He paused, letting his words sink in, his gaze sweeping across the two distinct groups in the room. "Today, we become a story company. We have two engines now: Aura Music and the newly formed Aura Pictures. But I want to be very clear. These are not separate entities operating under the same roof. They are two different, powerful engines that will be mounted to the same vessel, working in harmony to propel us forward."
He began to lay out his grand, synergistic vision, a concept that was almost unheard of in the highly siloed Korean entertainment industry. "Director Oh and Writer Lee are about to create a masterful television series. That series will need a score, a musical soul. Who better to compose it than the most brilliant and innovative composer in Korea, Kang Ji-won?"
He gestured toward Ji-won, who, for once, looked intrigued rather than cynical.
"The series will need an original soundtrack, songs that capture its emotional core and can travel across the world. Who better to create that soundtrack than our own globally recognized artists, Aura Chimera?"
He looked at Jin, Da-eun, and Chae-rin, who were beginning to grasp the scale of his ambition.
"And when our actors, the stars of our new stories, need to be known and loved around the world, who better to introduce them than our musicians, performing with them on global stages, collaborating with them on projects that blur the lines between music and film? We will not just create content. We will create a universe."
As he spoke, a quiet confidence radiating from him, Yoo-jin activated his Producer's Eye. He needed to see if his vision was just a hopeful speech, or if it had the real potential to take root. He scanned the entire room, analyzing the new, complex company-wide dynamic.
[Analyzing Inter-departmental Synergy: 'Aura Music' <-> 'Aura Pictures']
[Initial Synergy Level: 45% (State: Cautious / Curious)]
[Analysis: Both divisions currently view each other with professional respect but a lack of true understanding. The potential for friction over resources and creative control is moderate.]
He then focused on the two most important figures in the room, the creative pillars of his two engines.
[Key Personality Analysis: Director Oh Se-young]
[Current Emotional State: Skeptical Professionalism (LV 8). Subject is intrigued by the resources and creative freedom offered, but is wary of the corporate structure and the untested leadership of Han Yoo-jin. She is reserving judgment.]
[Key Personality Analysis: Kang Ji-won]
[Current Emotional State: Artistic Curiosity (LV 7). The challenge of scoring a narrative film, a medium with different rules and emotional demands than pop music, is highly stimulating to his 'Architectural Composition' trait.]
The potential was there, but it was fragile. He knew the first meeting between his two star creators would be the critical test.
Later that day, the first official pre-production meeting for The Gyeongseong Alchemist convened in the main conference room. It was a small, select group: Yoo-jin, a visibly nervous but brilliant Writer Lee Eun-seo, a still-skeptical Director Oh, and a quietly focused Kang Ji-won.
Director Oh began, and the years of forced silence seemed to melt away from her. She spoke about the script with a fierce, burning passion that captivated the room. "This is not a glossy, romanticized historical piece for tourists," she said, her voice low and intense. "The Gyeongseong of the 1930s was a city of ghosts and spies, of terrible oppression and desperate, vibrant life. The series must feel real. It must feel grimy. It should smell like coal smoke and medicinal herbs and fear."
She continued, her vision for the series pouring out of her. "The 'alchemy' in the title is not just the fantasy element, the magic. It is the science, the art, the hope of a people trying to survive, trying to forge a new identity under the heel of a colonial power. The entire soundscape of the series must reflect that struggle. I don't want a grand, sweeping, Hollywood-style orchestra. I want something more intimate, more textural, more dangerous."
She finished, her passionate declaration hanging in the air. She looked at Kang Ji-won, her expression a clear challenge, as if to say, "Can you, the pop music genius, even begin to understand what I'm talking about?"
Kang Ji-won, who had been listening with his eyes closed, his head tilted slightly, finally spoke. His response was not defensive or arrogant. It was the thoughtful, immediate reaction of one true artist recognizing another.
"The score should be a clash of cultures," he said, his voice quiet but resonant. "The sound of a tradition fighting to survive in a new, violent, industrial age." He opened his eyes, and they were burning with a new idea. "We use traditional Korean instruments—the mournful sound of the gayageum, the sharp cry of the taepyeongso—but we don't record them cleanly. We process them through modern, distorted synthesizers. We sample them, chop them up, run them through guitar amps. We make them fight for space against a bed of cold, industrial percussion and dark, ambient electronics. The music itself should be at war."
A stunned silence fell over the room. Writer Lee Eun-seo looked at him with wide, appreciative eyes. He had perfectly articulated the story's central theme in the language of music.
Director Oh stared at Kang Ji-won, her skepticism visibly melting away, replaced by a dawning, profound respect. He hadn't just understood her vision; he had elevated it.
Yoo-jin watched them, his Eye active, and saw the data confirm the victory.
[Synergy Level: Oh Se-young <-> Kang Ji-won]
[Status: 50% -> 75% (Rapid Climb)]
[New Trait Detected: Mutual Artistic Respect (A-Rank)]
His audacious vision of a truly integrated company was beginning to take root. The two powerful engines of Aura were not just running; for the first time, they were beginning to fire in perfect, harmonious synchrony. The story company was being born.