Union Berlin and the TV Shoot

***

With the World Cup coming up in Germany, broadcasters planning World Cup special programs checked to make sure their filming locations had been properly secured.

Because overseas shoots cost a lot, and if the filming location hadn't been secured properly, it would have been a total disaster.

And in that process, broadcasters who noticed Union Berlin tried everything they could to book them.

Union Berlin, based in Berlin, Germany's capital, was an attractive target, along with Frankfurt, where Cha Bum-kun had played.

Even though they were in the third division, a Korean head coach was working there. On top of that, Union Berlin's story last season had been fantastic.

'Heh.... Thinking about it now, that was CP-level judgment.'

Around the time other broadcasters' PDs were scrambling to book Union Berlin,

the main PD, who had secured Union Berlin one step ahead of everyone else, walked into the conference room with an easy expression.

A week before the variety show shoot.

It was to adjust Union Berlin's share of the filming.

"Why does our youngest PD look so down? Something wrong?"

Because the main PD was in such a good mood, even the youngest PD's expression, which normally wouldn't have been noticeable, stood out clearly.

Then the main PD was told that Union Berlin's appearance arrangement had been left out, and

the main PD, who had been flying high, was plunged into the mud in an instant.

"Then book them right now! You bastard! If you fail to secure them, I won't let you off!"

***

After Union Berlin confirmed its promotion to the third division, all kinds of offers poured in from Korea.

The first offer to arrive was a club sponsorship proposal.

With Union Berlin's league status having been raised from amateur to semi-pro,

unlike amateur matches, games at the semi-pro level had broadcasts scheduled for every match.

As if they knew that, sponsorship offers from Korea began flooding in.

But Union Berlin rejected most of the offers from Korea.

'The sponsorship money is stingier than I expected, huh?'

That was because very few companies made offers good enough to tempt Union Berlin.

'No, this is a loan-shark business. And isn't this the place that had the franchise-owner abuse controversy?'

And even the companies that made good offers often had problems of one sort or another.

In short, there was no merit at all in signing with them instead of the existing sponsor.

If they were desperate for money right now, maybe, but with the club's finances more stable than expected thanks to the large number of new members that joined last season,

[Union Berlin decides to stay with its existing sponsor despite good offers from Korea.]

We decided to honor the loyalty of the sponsor who had helped us in hard times, unless the amount was vastly different.

That seemed better for the club's image, too.

"Chanhyuk, you're appearing on the show, right? I even bought something to wear that day."

"Chanhyuk, what about this outfit? Doesn't it have the solemn dignity of a chairman?"

Anyway, the invitation to appear on the broadcast was just one of many offers.

In fact, I had planned to turn down the TV appearance. I was only the chief coach, not the manager, so it felt like I was showing off too much.

"Chanhyuk, why refuse such a great opportunity!"

"Then let's decide on the broadcast appearance by a democratic vote."

"Chairman, I'm in favor of the TV appearance!"

But all the club staff except me strongly supported the TV shoot.

"No, the offer came to me, so why are we voting...?"

"Ahem, we can't decide things in such an undemocratic way in Germany."

The appearance was decided by a democratic process. The surprising part was that Thomas Tuchel was also positive about the TV appearance.

'...No, fine if everyone else is like that, but why is Tuchel too?'

Although most people agreed to the TV shoot, I still wanted to turn down the appearance.

'What if they edit me into the villain for no reason?'

Because I didn't trust Korean broadcasts.

But.

"Sir, please save me."

For some reason, the PD there pleaded so desperately for my appearance that I agreed.

***

A few days later.

Filming for the variety show began.

Well. There was nothing special about it.

It was just a simple schedule to introduce Union Berlin as a team.

"We won the fourth division just a few days ago and were promoted to the third division."

There was a minor incident in the middle, when neo-Nazis made an eye-slit gesture toward the Asians gathered there,

"How dare you make that eye-slit gesture at our Chanhyuk?"

but the enraged Union Berlin fans took care of it by beating them up.

The main PD and the camera director were smiling brightly as they filmed the neo-Nazis getting beaten.

'Is that really something they can air?'

If this had been the future, it would definitely have been cut in editing, but I don't know the broadcast standards of this era.

Anyway, the footage shot today will apparently air as a teaser this Sunday.

'Wow. The filming schedule is really brutal.'

And then, a few days later again.

To match Germany's opening match schedule, Union Berlin held an event to open up the stadium.

Union Berlin's fans brought sofas from home and laid them out in the stadium.

Then, they looked on with curious eyes as a filming crew from Korea came to film the club they supported.

Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2 in the opening match, and the excited Union Berlin fans pulled out the red flares hidden under the sofas and set them off.

"Fire! Fire!"

There was a problem when the people from Korea panicked,

"They're flares."

It wasn't a big problem.

Anyway, the TV crew I had expected to be arrogant turned out to be more polite than I thought, and the filming atmosphere wasn't bad.

'Maybe because they saw Union Berlin fans beating up neo-Nazis in the street?'

***

Union Berlin's event and the variety show shoot both wrapped up more smoothly than expected.

Before I knew it, I had become close enough with the main PD to call him a brother.

And a few days before we parted ways.

A good idea suddenly came to me.

'Wouldn't it be fine to hold preseason in Korea?'

I'd have to discuss it with manager Thomas Tuchel, but Tuchel probably wouldn't object.

Even if it was a pro league on the fringes of football, matches against professional players would definitely be helpful.

And while we were at it, we could hold a training camp in Korea to build team chemistry too.

I immediately made the proposal to the main PD.

"I'll have to get approval from above, but I'll do my best to make sure it gets through."

The main PD added a condition, but he responded positively.

I carefully broached it with that main PD.

"Hyung, but..."

"Yeah?"

"Could we get at least a small appearance fee?"

"..."

"If that's not possible, then at least the plane ticket money...."

It was the sorrow of a poor club.

***

A few days after I casually put forward the suggestion.

I got a call from the main PD.

It seemed I'd succeeded in persuading the higher-ups.

'Oh. Chanhyuk, Oseong, the sponsor of the Korean league, has decided to invite Union Berlin. And the variety show shoot plan has also passed.'

I took the broadcast station's offer and headed to the club.

Chairman Dirk Zingler gave a thumbs-up. For a third-division club, facing a pro team was a valuable experience.

"If there are any promising prospects, it might not be a bad idea to try signing them."

It didn't seem like a bad idea to recruit promising prospects from Korea as well.

The FIFA ban on youth transfers would be a problem, but if it was handled through the football association as an overseas football study program, it could be solved.

'So that's why FIFA later banned football study-abroad programs.'

Anyway, the chairman and the director agreed to the shoot.

Now all that was left was Thomas Tuchel.

Maybe he was the highest mountain to climb.

In his head, there was nothing but football—not even the club's interests.

"So, where are we going?"

"To a place where we can reform our team's rotten mentality."

But after I told him the secret location, Thomas Tuchel gave the go-ahead much more easily than expected.

Only the players were left, but persuading them was overwhelmingly easy.

"Oh...! I'm going to be on TV?"

"Am I becoming a celebrity now?"

They just heard that they were going to be on TV and said okay without even listening to the details.

***

Once Union Berlin's invitation was confirmed and a match was scheduled between a Korean league pro team and Union Berlin,

articles about the invitational match poured out in Korea.

Naturally, fans of the Korean league voiced their displeasure.

Union Berlin's objective strength put them among the weaker teams even within the third division.

[How far has the Korean league's level fallen?]

Park Chanhyuk nodded as he watched the public opinion in Korea.

'As expected, the reaction isn't good.'

Predicting that things would turn out this way, Park Chanhyuk pulled out his trump card.

"...Is this Cha Bum-kun's country? I've wanted to come here so badly."

"Oh! I love you! Entertainment Relay!"

"Korea's scientific power is number one in the world─!"

"Do you know Cha Bum-kun and Park Chan-ho?"

"Kimchi, so delicious."

Surprisingly, public opinion flipped easily.

***

After entering Korea, Union Berlin headed straight to the training camp site. The players looked at the cameras installed in the bus with curiosity.

After building teamwork with the newly joined players at the training camp site, they were scheduled to head up to Seoul for preseason.

For the record, it didn't take me long at all to think of this place for improving team chemistry.

'Did Klopp say he took the squad to a deserted island to build unity?'

That was because I remembered the anecdote about Jürgen Klopp going to a deserted island.

'Then we should go to the army.'

As the bus carrying Union Berlin's players pulled in, the players' eyes filled with confusion.

"Heh heh. You've been kidnapped."

I tried to create a sense of fear in the players like that.

'The army is definitely where team unity gets built.'

Once the broadcast cameras came into view on the drill field, the players finally felt relieved.

"Hurry up and get off!"

I naturally received a black cap from the drill instructor and began leading the players.

Just as Thomas Tuchel, nodding with a satisfied expression at how brisk the players had become, was about to leave his spot.

"Where do you think you're going, Trainee No. 2!"

I shouted at Thomas Tuchel.

"...?"

Looking at the flustered Tuchel, I barked at him once more.

"There are no exceptions except for the sick!"

Tuchel's glare was a little intimidating, though.

Still, it's fine.

The one who has to take the karmic hit is future me, not me right now.

"Heh-heh. You're all going to have a rough time."

"Trainee No. 1, where do you think you're going?!"

"Uh... me too?"

Of course, even the chairman wasn't exempt.