Chapter 946: Choice (2)
Among the three terrestrial broadcasters, only three channels still aired daily dramas: KBC 1TV, KBC 2TV, and MBS. SBC had already stopped airing daily dramas altogether. And among them, the daily dramas airing on KBC 1TV stood at the very top. While competing channels averaged around 10% viewership ratings, KBC 1TV consistently pulled in averages of 20%, sometimes peaking at 30%.
And Writer Nam Jong-Ok, standing in front of me wearing sunglasses, was the flagship writer who had carried KBC 1TV for the past decade. At least when it came to current daily drama writers, people even said she was better than Writer Lee Ji-Yeon. Of course, people also called her the queen of trashy melodramas.
Either way, the drama she had written this time, Twice-Lived Life, had also been a massive hit before the regression, averaging 20% viewership ratings and peaking at 35%. That was why I had planned to push Jang So-Yeon into the female lead role. And yet the condition she suddenly threw at me was to cut ties with Lee Ji-Yeon.
Still, there was no way I could abandon Lee Ji-Yeon. Lee Ji-Yeon was the godmother of dramas whose class would never decline, no matter how much time passed.
More than anything, she was someone who had cared for Yoo-Jin and Miso as a family. I might have been a talent agent whose job was to make actors successful, but I couldn't sever ties with someone who genuinely cared about me just for the sake of success.
"Mrs. Nam. What authority would a talent agent like me even have to cut ties with Mrs. Lee Ji-Yeon? It's not like Mrs. Lee Ji-Yeon casts people based on what I say in the first place."
Nam Jong-Ok spoke in a sharp voice. "What's with you? You think I wouldn't know what kind of relationship you have with Writer Lee Ji-Yeon? Stop dodging the question and answer me straight. Are you going to work with me? Or Lee Ji-Yeon?"
Nam Jong-Ok had a selfish personality, but she wasn't normally the kind of person who forced absurd choices like this. There had to be some reason behind it.
Even so, there was only one answer I could give. "I'm sorry. You're asking me to choose something I don't even have the authority to choose, so I honestly don't know what to say."
Nam Jong-Ok wrinkled her nose and shouted, "Oh, really? Fine then. I'll do whatever I want too, so quit if you don't like it!"
After yelling angrily, Nam Jong-Ok tossed the mint-colored paper bag she was holding toward her assistant writer. The paper bag flipped upside down, and the coffee air freshener inside fell onto the floor.
"Goddammit. Why's nothing going right today? Hey. Throw it out on the way."
Nam Jong-Ok glanced at the fallen air freshener before sharply turning around. Assistant Writer Lee Ok-Mi bowed apologetically, hugged the paper bag to her chest, and hurried after her.
At that moment, AD Yoo Tae-Jin approached me with a sigh. "Mr. Jung, please just let it go. She saw one of those rumor articles about Mrs. Lee Ji-Yeon on the way here."
"What rumor article?"
"Apparently Mrs. Lee Ji-Yeon and Mrs. Nam Jong-Ok met yesterday, and I think they had a huge fight. It's up on Baro Star, so take a look. Anyway, I'm busy, so I'll get going first."
After giving a short explanation, Yoo Tae-Jin followed after Nam Jong-Ok. "Mrs. Nam, wait for me!"
Wondering what the hell had happened, I immediately checked the entertainment section on the portal site.
[Drama Godmother Mrs. L Assaults Daily Drama Queen Mrs. N?]
-Last night at Chinese restaurant N in Apgujeong, it has been reported that Mrs. L, known as the godmother of dramas, assaulted Mrs. N.
...
The rumor article claimed that Lee Ji-Yeon had hit Nam Jong-Ok. The one thing I couldn't understand was that Lee Ji-Yeon was the type who destroyed people with words, not with her fists. Still, I needed to confirm it. I had to know exactly what happened if I wanted to resolve this situation.
I immediately called Lee Ji-Yeon.
[The person you are calling is currently on another line, so you will be connected to voicemail...]
I couldn't get through to Lee Ji-Yeon because she was already on another call. I immediately tried calling Writer Kim Soll-Ip as well. However, Kim Soll-Ip was busy on another line too.
"They're probably talking to reporters... Damn..."
Since the audition was right around the corner, I had no choice but to leave a message on Kk Talk before running toward the KBC building.
My plan was to at least get Jang So-Yeon through the audition first, then figure out the rest afterward.
***
Inside the small meeting room on the seventh floor of KBC set up as the audition hall, Drama Department Director Pyo Eun-Jong, CP Jeon Doo-Hyun, and Park Eun-Hyo had already been sitting there for two hours.
Even though she was two hours late, Nam Jong-Ok shamelessly took her seat and answered casually. "I was writing, then ended up sleeping too deeply. Sorry."
As Nam Jong-Ok greeted them without taking off her sunglasses, Park Eun-Hyo merely forced down his irritation and replied with an awkward smile. "No, not at all... Thank you for making the trip, Mrs. Nam. Once we finish the auditions quickly today, let's all go out for dinner since you're already here."
Nam Jong-Ok glanced sideways at Park Eun-Hyo and answered coolly. "Fine, PD Park. I'll wrap it up fast, so stop nagging."
"Ha. Ha. Ha. I'm not nagging. Though... why the sunglasses..."
"Oh, there's a reason. I'm keeping them on while I judge today. What, got a problem with that?"
"N-No, of course not. Please do whatever makes you comfortable."
Still wearing her sunglasses, Nam Jong-Ok began chatting with the other judges.
'Did she get hit by Writer Lee Ji-Yeon while they were fighting?'
The thought suddenly crossed my mind, but I quickly shook it off and headed toward the side of the audition hall to focus on Jang So-Yeon instead.
The actors and their talent agents were lined up along one wall of the room. At the far right sat Baek Ha-Yan from TK Entertainment. At twenty-six years old, she was a cute beauty standing around 160 centimeters tall.
A graduate of Seoul National University of the Art's film department, she had recently been steadily building up her filmography through minor drama roles and was known as a talented actress with solid acting skills.
Next to her sat Yang Ju-Yung from HK Entertainment, crossing her legs while dressed head to toe in luxury brands. Yang Ju-Yung, twenty-five years old, was also a graduate of Seoul National University of the Art's film department. She stood around 164 centimeters tall, with a slender figure shaped through horseback riding and dancing. With her elegant, expensive-looking appearance, she had recently gained recognition through several short films and was starting to be called Chungmuro's rising star.
And Yang Ju-Yung was the actress who had originally played Lee Ju-Mi in Twice-Lived Life before the regression.
The two actresses seemed irritated after waiting for two full hours, forcing smiles while trembling with annoyance.
Compared to them, Jang So-Yeon from our company stood quietly at the far left, leaning against the wall while concentrating on her script. Standing at 174 centimeters tall with captivating eyes, she drew everyone's attention effortlessly even while expressionlessly reading her script.
'She really has a completely different aura.'
Nam Jong-Ok might have been self-centered, but one reason she survived so long in the industry wasn't just because of her writing skills. It was because of her eye for actors. So even if she had fought with Lee Ji-Yeon, as long as Jang So-Yeon delivered a proper performance, her passing the audition was almost guaranteed.
Besides, no matter how much dramas revolved around writers, Pyo Eun-Jong, Jeon Doo-Hyun, and Park Eun-Hyo weren't going to indulge every tantrum Nam Jong-Ok threw. That was why I quietly approached Jang So-Yeon to check on how prepared she was.
"So-Yeon, is everything going okay?" I asked.
Jang So-Yeon, who had been reading the script expressionlessly, spotted me and immediately broke into a bright smile. "Oppa. You're here."
Ever since I learned about her past, she had started comfortably calling me oppa.
I nodded. "Yeah. They were two hours late. You holding up okay?"
"Waiting this long is nothing."
"That's good. How'd the university visit go?"
The role Jang So-Yeon was auditioning for today was the lead character Lee Ju-Mi in Twice-Lived Life. In the drama, Lee Ju-Mi was a university student who got hit in a hit-and-run accident after finishing her part-time job near campus.
The accident left her in a vegetative state, and after finally waking up five years later, Lee Ju-Mi began searching for the person responsible for the hit-and-run that destroyed her life. After discovering that the culprit was chaebol third-generation heir Um Sang-Baek, Lee Ju-Mi joined his company, climbed her way to the top, and ultimately took her revenge.
The problem was that Jang So-Yeon had spent her whole life working part-time jobs and had only earned her high school diploma through the qualification exam, so she had never attended university herself. That was why I had asked the president of Suhyaejong to let her tour the campus.
Jang So-Yeon smiled brightly, looking as excited as a child. "Thanks to you, oppa, I got to go inside a university, visit the library, all of it. I seriously feel like my life has completely turned around."
"It's nothing special. Though... Did any guys try handing you coffee and asking for your number on campus?"
Jang So-Yeon blushed slightly like any girl her age and smiled shyly. "A few times."
Jang So-Yeon was already becoming known as the advertising model for Louis Batton and Daechon Department Store. On top of that, she was an incredibly charismatic beauty, so there was no way people hadn't approached her.
Sure enough, Talent Agent Choi Dae-Gi, who was standing nearby, clicked his tongue and chimed in. "A few times? Every place we went, dozens of male students followed her around asking for her number. I thought I was gonna die trying to fend them off."
Jang So-Yeon stuck out her tongue playfully and smiled with her eyes.
"Oh~ Jang So-Yeon. You're alive and thriving now, huh?" I teased.
Jang So-Yeon burst into giggles. "Well... I guess maybe I am these days."
Back when she had run away from her stepfather, Jang So-Yeon had been gloomy and withdrawn. But after living together with her younger siblings in a stable environment, she had brightened up quickly.
"Good. Let's do our best today, okay?"
"Yes, oppa!"
Even though this was her very first drama audition, thankfully she didn't seem overly nervous.
Right then, after finishing his greetings with Nam Jong-Ok, Park Eun-Hyo spoke up. "All right, we'll begin the auditions now. We'll start with Ms. Baek Ha-Yan, then Ms. Yang Ju-Yung, and finally Ms. Jang So-Yeon."
Originally, Jang So-Yeon had been scheduled to go first. Now she had been pushed all the way to the end. I could see Nam Jong-Ok glaring at me behind her sunglasses.
'She deliberately moved her to the back.'
I responded to the look on her face, which practically screamed let's see what happens, with a smile of my own. Once she saw Jang So-Yeon's real acting skills, she would end up taking back her demand to cut ties with Lee Ji-Yeon herself.
***
Rookie actress Baek Ha-Yan delivered an intense performance for ten minutes.
The scenes she auditioned with were two key moments. One was Scene 20, where twenty-four-year-old Lee Ju-Mi worked cheerfully at her part-time job. The other was Scene 40, where she awakened from her vegetative state, discovered the identity of the culprit, and vowed revenge.
With her naturally cute voice, Baek Ha-Yan portrayed the lively university student perfectly and received praise from everyone. Yet, in Scene 40 which was the revenge scene, her performance seemed to lose a bit of force.
Nam Jong-Ok wore an indifferent expression and barely looked interested enough to even give an evaluation. Seeing the writer's reaction, Baek Ha-Yan stepped aside looking disappointed.
Next came Yang Ju-Yung's audition. As expected from someone called Chungmuro's rising star, Yang Ju-Yung immediately showed off a very distinctive style of acting.
In Scene 20, she grabbed everyone's attention by portraying a university student who had clearly never worked a part-time job before. And in Scene 40, she widened the gap between herself and Baek Ha-Yan by delivering a hysterical outburst of rage.
Clap clap clap.
Park Eun-Hyo applauded after watching the audition. "Not bad at all. So the talk about Chungmuro's rising star wasn't just hype, huh?"
Yang Ju-Yung wiped away her sweat and bowed her head. "Thank you."
Pyo Eun-Jong and Jeon Doo-Hyun also nodded approvingly and offered words of praise.
At that moment, Nam Jong-Ok spun her pen in her fingers and asked, "You're good. Yang Ju-Yung, right?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"A daily drama runs over a hundred episodes minimum. Are you confident in your stamina? You were already gasping for breath after just a few minutes of auditioning. What's going to happen later?"
Yang Ju-Yung's frame was so thin it almost looked frail, so Nam Jong-Ok seemed genuinely concerned.
Still, Yang Ju-Yung answered confidently. "I did dance and horseback riding, so my stamina's better than it looks."
"Hmm. I've seen plenty of people say that and then collapse halfway through filming. Fine, whatever. Anyway... wait there."
"Yes, ma'am."
Leaving the two actresses who had already auditioned standing off to the side, Nam Jong-Ok finally called Jang So-Yeon forward. At the same time, I pulled out my phone and started recording Jang So-Yeon.
"Next, Jang So-Yeon."
Jang So-Yeon answered, "Yes, ma'am."
"Can you do Scene 12?"
At that moment, the atmosphere in the audition hall shifted. The university student scenes Baek Ha-Yan and Yang Ju-Yung had just performed were from Scene 20, the pre-announced pub part-time job scene near the university. However, Jang So-Yeon was suddenly being told to perform Scene 12 instead, which had never been discussed beforehand.
"Scene 12?"
Scene 12 was the library scene where female lead Lee Ju-Mi politely rejected coffee from Um Sang-Baek.
"What? Is it hard because you didn't practice it?"
"N-No, it's not that..."
Nam Jong-Ok sneered. "Oh right~ You got your diploma through the qualification exam, didn't you? Since you've never actually gone to university, I guess it'd be hard for you to connect with the emotions."
The moment she said that, my fists clenched on their own.
'Who the hell does she think she? How dare she talk about my actress like that?'
They say people get slapped in Jongno and take it out elsewhere, and this was exactly that situation. I was just about to step in and tell her to take her anger out on me instead.
Just then, Jang So-Yeon calmly answered. "I may not have attended one, but I have visited a university before and gotten coffee from someone there. I was only asking because I didn't expect the scene to change."
I honestly wanted to applaud Jang So-Yeon for not shrinking back.
Caught off guard by how firmly the rookie actress responded, Nam Jong-Ok flinched before speaking again. "T-Then let's see it!"
"Okay."
After taking a deep breath, Jang So-Yeon immediately began acting. At that moment, she suddenly curled her shoulders inward slightly and spoke softly while glancing to the side.
『Ah, is this for me? But... What should I do? I appreciate it, but I already have a boyfriend.』
Since Scene 12 took place inside a library, Jang So-Yeon acted out politely refusing the coffee while trying not to embarrass the other person. And instantly, the expressions on the judges' faces changed to surprise.
-She's pretty good. Nobody told her to lower her voice, but she instinctively understands the setting.
-Seriously. She completely understands the flow of the dialogue too.
-Hmm. More than that, I like her diction. Even with a soft voice, every word comes through clearly.
-She must've grown up without any hardships. She's perfect for Lee Ju-Mi.
Jang So-Yeon's acting was so natural that they were mistaking her for someone who had lived a smooth, carefree life herself—Except for one person. Behind her sunglasses, Nam Jong-Ok's face had twisted horribly.
I smiled to myself.
'You messed up, didn't you? Made a mistake, didn't you?'
***
Then came Jang So-Yeon's performance for Scene 40, the anger scene.
『That bastard... you're saying he's the hit-and-run driver?』
Jang So-Yeon glared directly at Nam Jong-Ok and Park Eun-Hyo seated on the platform. Her performance felt so intense it was as if she could tear someone apart alive, leaving the judges visibly trembling.
Nevertheless, Nam Jong-Ok clearly didn't want to admit it and kept extending the audition endlessly.
"Next! Scene 45!"
"Yes, ma'am."
Once the audition passed the fifteen-minute mark, people around the room finally started murmuring among themselves.
-At this point, isn't this enough already?
-Mrs. Nam was always picky, but she's being especially harsh today.
-Anyone can see So-Yeon is the best one here...
After hearing the staff whispering among themselves, Park Eun-Hyo cautiously spoke up. "Mrs. Nam. I think this is enough, don't you?"
Nam Jong-Ok shook her head. "No. We're not done yet!"
For another five minutes, Nam Jong-Ok continued focusing solely on trying to find flaws in Jang So-Yeon's performance.
'Should I just flip the whole place over?'
I was reaching the limit of my patience. Besides, if the writer kept acting this twisted, problems could still happen even if Jang So-Yeon passed the audition. I was just wondering what to do.
Buzz.
At that moment, my Kk Talk notification went off. I checked it and saw it was from Lee Ji-Yeon.
[Writer Lee Ji-Yeon: Yoon-Ho. Sorry. I saw your message late. Is this because of that false article Baro Star posted?]
'False article?'
I knew it. There was no way Lee Ji-Yeon would have hit someone. I immediately sent a reply.
[Chief Jung Yoon-Ho: Did something happen yesterday, Mrs. Lee?]
[Writer Lee Ji-Yeon: I told Jong-Ok she should start paying her assistant writers properly if she's making that much money, but I guess she was drunk because she suddenly started swinging at me. I tried to dodge her, and her face accidentally bumped into my elbow a little.]
[Chief Jung Yoon-Ho: Are you okay?]
[Writer Lee Ji-Yeon: Yeah. I just got hit lightly on the head. Why?]
After hesitating briefly, I explained the situation honestly.
[Chief Jung Yoon-Ho: Actually... we're at an audition right now, and Mrs. Nam Jong-Ok told me to cut ties with you. I refused, so I think she's taking it out on us by making So-Yeon keep acting for over twenty minutes.]
[Writer Lee Ji-Yeon: Yoon-Ho. Don't put up with this kind of crap and just leave. I'll take care of you!]
Lee Ji-Yeon was offering to back me up. If that was the case, there was only one thing I needed to do right now.
'So-Yeon. I'll find you another project.'
No matter how good the drama was, in a situation like this, it was obvious Nam Jong-Ok would keep tormenting Jang So-Yeon even after she got cast. Especially since Nam Jong-Ok was infamous as the queen of outrageous melodramas. Even if Jang So-Yeon got cast as Lee Ju-Mi, the writer could suddenly decide to shave her head and send her off to a temple, or dunk her into a toilet bowl for shock value.
And now that Lee Ji-Yeon had guaranteed us another project, there was no reason to keep risking everything over this audition.
I immediately shouted toward Nam Jong-Ok, who was still running the audition. "That's enough, Mrs. Nam. We'll withdraw from this role just like you wanted!"
'Did she think only writers could cause chaos? Not a chance.'
From this point on, I was going to show her exactly what kind of chaos a talent agent could create.
'Writer Nam Jong-Ok. A talent agent—no, a regressed talent agent—will show you exactly how far he can go.'
