Chapter 945: Choice (1)
"I'll let you choose whichever one you want from among the public service advertisements run by all affiliated organizations, including the Ministry of Culture," said Minister Han Yung-Bok.
There were countless institutions under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. And all of them produced public service advertisements every year. While the advertising budgets themselves weren't large, they were broadcast across all channels, making them one of the best ways to raise an entertainer's public recognition.
If that was the case, there was only one I wanted.
'2021 SUMMER IN KOREA.'
2021 SUMMER IN KOREA was a public campaign filmed every summer by the Korea Tourism Organization, featuring idols introducing Korea's beautiful summer travel destinations.
Before my regression, entertainers from TK Entertainment had taken it on. And thanks to the interest of Asian fans who wanted to visit Korea during their summer vacations, it had been a massive success. It reached over 20 million views on MeTube alone.
"Excuse me, then... may I make one request?" I asked.
Han Yung-Bok nodded. "Do you already have something in mind?"
"Yes. I'd like to take on the 2021 SUMMER IN KOREA campaign that films in June. Including distribution on MeTube."
Han Yung-Bok grinned. "Hahaha. Not bad at all for a young man. Picking the most lucrative one among all the public campaigns. You're planning to turn all those Asian fans into Hoop fans this summer, aren't you?"
Having once handled overseas distribution rather than being just a film producer, Han Yung-Bok fully understood its value.
I simply smiled in response, and he burst into hearty laughter before speaking to his secretary. "Secretary Lee. Assign that campaign to Chief Jung. And while you're at it, push a few more public campaigns his way for the latter half of the year as well."
Secretary Lee Chil-Sung nodded and recorded it on his tablet. "Yes, sir."
To me, this kind of opportunity was far more valuable than any medal, so I bowed with a bright smile. "Thank you."
Just then, Han Yung-Bok slipped his hand into his inner pocket and spoke again. "And there's one more thing."
'Another thing?'
As I tilted my head in curiosity, he handed me his business card. "If you're going to properly carry out Project I.O.A, you'll need a lot of support. If you ever need help, call this number directly."
It was an ordinary-looking card with his name printed neatly on a plain white background. For a moment, I wondered why this was being offered in place of a medal. Then I saw the bottom of the card, and my mind snapped into focus.
"Sir... this is... there's a mobile number on here."
Normally, high-ranking officials' business cards only listed office numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses. However, the card I had been given included Han Yung-Bok's personal mobile number.
"Since I canceled your medal, the least I can do is this."
In other words, as long as he remained in the Ministry of Culture, he was offering to be my backing.
"Thank you!"
I bowed deeply, folding at the waist, and Han Yung-Bok smiled in satisfaction. "By the way, aren't you going to give me your card?"
"Ah, my apologies."
Coming back to my senses, I quickly handed him my business card.
"Alright then, you should get going. You said you were busy, didn't you?"
The current time was 3:30 p.m. My phone had switched from vibrate to silent, but the notifications were still flashing nonstop.
"Yes, sir. Then I'll be on my way."
As I bowed and stepped out of the room, Han Yung-Bok spoke again. "Oh, and one more thing. Leave the boxing association matter to me. It's already too late, but I'll do what I can to ease whatever hurt still remains in your heart."
Public service campaigns, a direct hotline, and a reinvestigation into the corruption within the Boxing Association was a reward far greater than any medal.
"It was an honor to meet you today, Mr. Minister!"
I raised my voice and called out loudly as I wrapped up my first meeting with Han Yung-Bok.
***
Even on the drive to Seoul in Assemblyman Go Joon-Taek's car, articles about the Boxing Association scandal and the Ministry of Culture kept pouring in without pause. And Han Yung-Bok immediately kept his promise to me by announcing a full-scale audit of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in front of the press.
[Minister Han Yung-Bok of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Immediate suspension of Second Vice Minister Choi Si-Hoon and report to the Board of Audit and Inspection. Internal audit launched.]
[Minister Han Yung-Bok vows to root out corruption in the Boxing Association.]
[Severe disciplinary action to be taken against officials who colluded with NK Construction.]
[The government and ruling party are also closely monitoring the situation and are expected to announce a joint audit plan soon.]
...
Meanwhile, Go Joon-Taek continued a flurry of intense phone calls from the seat beside me as we headed to Seoul.
-Mr. Kim, if you try to cover this up, you'll go down with them. Read the room. This isn't the time to go easy on people tied to NK Construction.
-Assemblyman Choi, cut ties with NK immediately. If anything, check yourself into a hospital. Keep your aides quiet.
-Is this really the time to worry about ruling or opposition parties? Minister Han is launching a full-scale audit of the Ministry. If we push back, it won't look good for us!
The Boxing Association scandal that Han Dong-Hae had thrown out was spreading like wildfire, shaking the entire country.
Click.
After ending a long series of calls, Go Joon-Taek let out a sigh. "What a bunch of frustrating people. Politicians who can't even tell when to step in and when to stay out, tsk."
"I'm sorry, sir."
"What do you have to be sorry for, Chief Jung? You're the victim here. The ones involved should be apologizing to you."
Go Joon-Taek kept easing my burden, telling me not to worry because he would handle things on his end. By then, the car had passed Yangjae and was entering Gangnam.
"By the way, it's about dinner time. How about we grab a meal together?" offered Go Joon-Taek.
I shook my head. "I think I need to stop by KBC first because of an audition today."
"Hm? Didn't you say the audition started at five? It's already 6:10 now. Shouldn't it be over?"
"Writer Nam Jong-Ok just woke up and is getting ready to head to the audition venue."
"Hah. So she's still like that these days. Even back when my wife was active, I heard Writer Nam never once showed up on time because of her insomnia."
"Yes. She's still the same."
Because Writer Nam Jong-Ok suffered from insomnia, she would isolate herself completely in an underground space to fall asleep. She left her phone outside, locked herself in the room, and went to sleep, making it nearly impossible for anyone outside to wake her. On top of that, she lived in a luxury villa in Pyeongchang-dong, so outsiders couldn't even approach easily.
More than anything, if someone disturbed her rare sleep, she would become extremely hysterical. So neither family, staff, nor assistant writers would open the door unless it was a life-threatening situation. Especially now, with the manuscript for Twice-Lived Life running tight on schedule, no one could dare disturb her.
For this reason, nearly dozens of broadcast staff and actors had been waiting for almost two hours. At least she had woken up now. Otherwise, the audition might have been postponed until the next day.
Go Joon-Taek clicked his tongue. "They say drama writers are kings. Looks like nothing's changed, past or present."
"That's right."
"Come to think of it, that industry is pretty tough too. Abuse of power is basically the norm, isn't it?"
"No matter how bad it is, can it really compare to politicians like you?"
Go Joon-Taek shook his head. "No. For us, as long as we manage our constituencies well, it's a smooth road for life. But the entertainment industry you're in—there's never a quiet day." After laughing for a while, he looked at me with concern. "Anyway, make sure you take care of your health. There are a lot of people who care about you. I'm one of them."
Since his concern was genuine, I spoke with some worry as well. "But Mr. Assemblyman... Is it really okay for you to be seen with me like this?"
"What, because of Eun-Seo? Didn't we settle that already?"
"No, not that. You're in the same party as Mr. Park Sang-Gon, aren't you? And from what I understand, it's fairly well known in Yeouido that he and I are on bad terms..."
Assemblyman Park Sang-Gon had stepped down as leader of the ruling party, taking responsibility for the defeat in the April by-election. However, he was still the most likely candidate to become the next president.
But according to information from the Yeouido rumor agency I had helped, along with programmer Lee Doo-Oh, it seemed that the senior politicians were already aware that my relationship with Park Sang-Gon was not good. It was just as expected.
Go Joon-Taek nodded. "I know that you and Assemblyman Park have a bad history."
"And you're still fine with that?"
At that moment, Go Joon-Taek let out a faint chuckle and suddenly said something unexpected. "Chief Jung. When you stay in politics long enough, you end up meeting all kinds of people. And with enough experience, you start seeing things others can't."
"What do you mean?"
"Call it momentum... or maybe a person's aura. To put it simply, I can more or less tell who's going to make it and who isn't."
Maybe it was because he had met so many people, but he claimed he could recognize those destined for success.
"Assemblyman Park Sang-Gon used to look like he could swallow the whole world with that confidence of his. But these days, he's like a deflated balloon. On the other hand, you feel like you're just getting started. Like... someone who will succeed no matter what."
'From me...He can see the aura of success?'
"That's why I chose you over Assemblyman Park."
Choosing a mere talent agent like me over someone closest to becoming the next president almost seemed unbelievable. Times really had changed.
Then, Go Joon-Taek asked, "So, about that... how about joining hands with me?"
"Wait. What do you mean, joining hands with you?"
"I'm planning to run for Incheon mayor in this June's local election—"
At that moment, Secretary Gu Yong-Gi, sitting in the passenger seat, urgently cut in. "Mr. Assemblyman! That's classified information."
"It's fine, Secretary Gu. Chief Jung knows how to keep things to himself."
"Even so..."
"Haha, don't worry. If Chief Jung had wanted to take me down, he could've already done it with that abuse-of-power issue."
Gu Yong-Gi glanced briefly at Secretary Lee Taek-Bong, who was driving, then eventually fell silent.
Go Joon-Taek smiled faintly and looked back at me. "Anyway, I'm planning to run for Incheon mayor this time. So, Chief Jung—can you help me out a bit?"
'What can I possibly do to help with a mayoral run? Is he expecting me to pull my entertainers into campaigning?'
That was absolutely out of the question.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Assemblyman. I have no intention of getting involved in politics. And I don't want my entertainers to get entangled in it either."
"I'm not trying to tie you down to politics. I'm just asking that when there's mutual benefit in the cultural industry, like now, you don't avoid it. For example, if Jinseong Resort and Incheon were to collaborate for the success of Project I.O.A, and you pulled out, nothing would work."
From what I remembered, Go Joon-Taek wasn't the type to lie. If anything, he was too arrogant and proud to feel the need to. Still, it was such an unexpected proposal that I found myself hesitating. Even in my past life, no politician had ever asked a mere manager like me for help. At most, they asked for campaign songs or for celebrities to accompany them for handshakes.
However, the Go Joon-Taek I met in this life was extending his hand as if proposing a partnership.
'What should I do...'
As my hesitation deepened, Go Joon-Taek spoke again. "Then how about this? If I become mayor of Incheon, I'll actively keep Assemblyman Park Sang-Gon in check. If I take on that level of risk, will you help me?"
'Go up against Assemblyman Park Sang-Gon? Someone who is practically the next president?'
I asked, "Are you serious?"
Go Joon-Taek nodded. "Of course. I'm already a three-term lawmaker now. Even within the same party, I have to aim higher."
'Wait a second. What?'
He was declaring he would run for Incheon mayor, and even take on Park Sang-Gon to aim higher. That meant, even if not immediately, he was setting his sights on party leader or something beyond that.
When I looked at Go Joon-Taek, his eyes were gleaming. And somehow, his previously narrow shoulders seemed broader. I felt like I could finally understand what he meant by "momentum."
After taking a deep breath, I carefully began to answer him. "A talent agent souldn't get involved in politics. If we take sides depending on the political tide, it can decide the fate of the entertainers."
"Hmm..."
"However, if the work I do and your work happen to align toward the same goal, I have no intention of opposing it."
Sensing my true meaning—that while I couldn't help directly, I could offer indirect support—Go Joon-Taek broke into a bright smile and grabbed my hand. "So that means you'll help me?"
"No. I'm helping my entertainers."
Go Joon-Taek's eyes sparkled. "My mistake. You're right. I'll take back what I said about asking for your help. Instead, I'll do my part to make Incheon the home of K-POP. So you focus on doing your job well."
"Yes, Mr. Mayor— I mean, Mr. Assemblyman."
At that, Go Joon-Taek burst into hearty laughter. "Hearing you say that makes it feel like I'll really become mayor. Hahaha."
I simply smiled without saying anything. After all, I already knew the future where he would become mayor of Incheon.
***
Go Joon-Taek's car dropped me off at KBC's parking lot and drove away. Holding a mint-colored paper bag containing drip coffee packs, a cookie set, and an air freshener I had picked up from Cafe Beautiful earlier, I checked my phone.
[Assistant Manager Lee Yung-Jin: We are still waiting for the writer.]
I had heard that Nam Jong-Ok had left for the station when we passed through Gangnam, but apparently, she still hadn't arrived.
'Then she must be nearby by now.'
Sure enough, a luxury Ventley carrying Nam Jong-Ok appeared on one side of the parking lot. Since I was already here, I decided to greet her and waited with the mint-colored gift bag in hand.
Screech.
As the car stopped, AD Yoo Tae-Jin hurried out from the passenger seat and opened the back door.
Thunk.
With a heavy sound, the Ventley's rear door opened, and Nam Jong-Ok stepped out.
"Mrs. Nam, we're here."
"Seriously, why are you barking in my ear like that? My head hurts, so tone it down!"
"Sorry, Mrs. Nam."
With her signature sharp voice, Nam Jong-Ok snapped as she got out of the car. Her hair dyed khaki, wearing dark sunglasses, and dressed in a white suit, she stepped out with an air of authority. Having produced so many successful works that she was known as the queen of daily dramas, even Yoo Tae-Jin couldn't move freely in front of her.
The moment Nam Jong-Ok stepped out, she looked up at the sky through her sunglasses and grumbled. "Seriously, why is the weather so damn nice?"
Still groggy from sleep, she was complaining about the beautiful April sunset sky for no apparent reason.
To calm her down, I first opened the cap of the air freshener inside the mint bag. A rich coffee aroma spread through the air.
At the same time, I approached her and bowed at a perfect ninety degrees. "Hello, Mrs. Nam Jong-Ok!"
Nam Jong-Ok lowered her head and looked at me. "Chief Jung?"
"Yes, Mrs. Nam. I happened to think of you on my way here, so I brought this. Before the final audition, how about stopping by the lobby for a warm cup of coffee?"
As the scent of coffee wafted out from the bag, Nam Jong-Ok instinctively sniffed the air. "This is..."
As if I had been waiting for that moment, I replied, "I knew you'd recognize it. That's right—it's the coffee air freshener from Cafe Beautiful. Not many people can identify this, but as expected, your sense of smell is incredible."
In truth, unlike Writer Lee Ji-Yeon, who was a true coffee enthusiast, Nam Jong-Ok couldn't really distinguish coffee scents or flavors. But because of her inferiority complex toward Lee Ji-Yeon, she often put on airs as if she were just as much of a coffee connoisseur.
"Right... it did feel familiar. That cafe's scent, huh?"
"And I also brought some premium cookies you like. Please, take them."
After receiving the mint-colored bag, Nam Jong-Ok shouted at her assistant writer and Yoo Tae-Jin. "Hey! If you guys were even half as considerate as Chief Jung, would I be this pissed?"
After venting her anger, Nam Jong-Ok looked at me with warm eyes. "If everyone were like you, Chief Jung, I'd have nothing to get mad about."
"You're too kind."
Then, she curled her lips into a sly smile. "Hey, Chief Jung. The weather's crap anyway. Do we really need to hold auditions? I'll just cast So-Yeon as the lead and fill all 120 episodes with Hoop Entertainment actors. So how about doing me one favor?"
The actors had already waited two hours for this audition. If it ended just like this, we would be the ones blamed. Even if we secured the role, going through the audition process was necessary to avoid backlash.
So I gently refused her offer. "There are other participants as well, so I think it's best to proceed with the audition. However, I'll do my best to fulfill your request."
At that, Nam Jong-Ok's eyes lit up. "My request is simple. Cut ties with Lee Ji-Yeon. Do that, and I'll keep casting only Hoop Entertainment actors from now on, including So-Yeon. You know me, right? I'm the queen of daily dramas. If you side with me instead of Ji-Yeon, Hoop Entertainment's lifeline will be several times stronger."
In other words, she was offering massive future benefits in daily dramas in exchange for cutting ties with Lee Ji-Yeon.
At that moment, only one thought filled my mind.
'Have you completely lost your mind, Mrs. Nam?'
