3: Tragedy Queen Writer Madam Yoon

Dara has finally started her not so glamorous career as an assistant writer. She’s assigned to work under a drama writer as apprentice which in reality meant she will run errands for the said writer and not really do a lot of writing herself. Her new mentor did say she is free to write her own material during her free time. But that free time is pretty elusive. She was assigned to a very temperamental, messy, self-centered but brilliant writer. Dara have heard the name many times before since she’s a fan of watching Kdramas. She was excited to know the woman behind those well written tragic love stories she loved watching so much when she was growing up is her boss.

Dara didn’t expect to be working under a very frugal old woman who lives on eating ramyun, jjajangmyun and jjampong every day. She is hired by the broadcast station but technically her boss is the famous writer Yoon Yuh Jung the countries queen of love tragedies. All the actors who at some point became a part of her drama became A-list celebrities. It is definitely a dream come true for Dara if only her boss did not have the nickname of assistant-writer killer. Well of course it was not to be taken literally but for a couple of years now No assistant writer was able to work under Madam Yoon and lasted for more than a month.  Dara took it upon herself as a personal challenge to break the trend. She will not give up on this job. She has too many things on the line for her to give it up.

“Are you done day dreaming Dara-yah,” the booming voice of her boss/ mentor woke her from her reverie. She hurriedly turned off the stove and poured hot water in a cup with instant coffee. Her boss could possibly be one of the richest writers in the Korean drama industry but her two bedroom apartment was a clear reflection that she didn’t like luxury and would settle with a prudent way of living.

“I have your coffee ready,” she said as she hurriedly brought two steaming hot coffee mugs on a tray.

“I just need you to go and do some grocery shopping for me then you can stay here for a bit of writing until your shift ends. I’ll need you to send a copy of the script on my email then have copy on a USB drive as well and drop it off in the drama department just in case along with the printed copy,” her boss said.

Dara was handed the grocery list. She noticed that majority of the things on the list are instant noodles.

“Would you like me to add vegetables and some seafood or meat? I can actually cook for you if you want,” Dara offered. She was worried that all the instant noodles would make her boss sick.

“I won’t pay extra if you cook for me,” the old lady replied. “You’re here as an assistant writer and not a cook. The company is paying you to learn something from me and hopefully be a good enough writer so us old ones can retire,” the old lady added.

“Oh you don’t need to pay me. And I’m sure I will learn a lot from you. I just want you to eat more healthy food that’s all,” Dara replied earnestly. She was told by other assistant writers about her boss’s sharp tongue so she opted not to take the comment to heart.

“That won’t be necessary. Just buy the things on the grocery list. If there is some money left buy the food that you want to eat. Other people might think I’m actually starving you here,” said the old lady.

She was handed a really big amount. Dara has been managing her family’s budget since the day she learned how to do grocery shopping on her own and she has never handled that much money for grocery shopping.  She checked her computer for the nearest traditional market place but it was too far away so she opted to just go to the grocery store instead. She has to stick to her budget. The money she will get extra she’ll buy more healthy food and cook something for herself and her boss. She was genuinely worried. How can someone eat ramyun every day and not get sick. It brought back memories of bringing her little brothers to the hospital because they have been eating nothing but ramyun for weeks. So she asked the ajhummas in their village to teach her how to cook since her ailing grandmother can’t teach her how to anymore. Her father was a fisherman and would be out for days or weeks so she had to do all the chores by herself. Her family’s situation forced her to do all that at a very young age.

Despite all her hardships she was still a very positive girl when she was young. She didn’t care if she was poor or that she lost her mom at a very young age. She cared for her grandma and her siblings and still made sure she did well in school. She always thinks about what her mom said to her before she died. Life becomes easier when you smile.

After grocery shopping she stashed the ramyun and other groceries in their respective cabinets in the kitchen and in the refrigerator. She was already told that the cleaner ajhumma visits twice every week but Dara also did her best to make sure that the place isn’t as cluttered. She did get some fruits for them to eat as snack. She prepared some peaches and grapes and left it by her boss’ desk before she started on her own writing. She sat on the floor her laptop on top of the center table. It was her favorite spot it reminded her of home. She didn’t have a study table of her own. In fact their house had very minimal furniture. 

She’s actually fortunate to be staying in the apartment she’s sharing with Seung Hyun. The guy has been quite a mystery. He would give her a lift to work every morning in exchange for the breakfast she prepares for him  but like the first day he gave him a ride he would always drop her off a block away from the TV station. A few minutes of walking didn’t bother her anyway. She did notice that he often came home late and he would rummage the refrigerator for food so she decided to leave food for him to eat before she goes to bed or technically speaking before she falls asleep on the coach.

She felt