Chapter 112: Winter After Spring? (1)
On April 30th, a special bonus was issued to all employees of Singer Division 2 in recognition of their contributions to the success of Cherry Blossom's latest album.
Of course, I was also selected to receive a bonus. But the amount deposited was significantly larger than expected.
[Bonus Deposit: 30 million won]
[Total Balance in Mr. Jung Yoon-Ho's Account: 57,382,320 won]
"What? One, two, three zeros...oh my goodness."
My account balance more than doubled in an instant. However, I eventually had to make a call to confirm, given the substantial amount of 30 million won after taxes. After all, the amount was several times more than any previous bonus I had received.
"Ms. Kang, it seems like the bonus amount deposited is excessively high. And I see that the taxes haven't been deducted either."
-No, your bonus has been deposited correctly. President Kang has specifically instructed us to handle the taxes in advance.
Kang Ji-Yung explained the substantial bonus and deduction of the taxes were all carried out under the directives of Kang Gam-Chan.
While working as a talent agent, there were occasions when one had to navigate activities that tread the line between legality and illegality. This could involve managing under-the-table payments or handling expenses related to entertainment that fall into a gray area.
Minor infractions could simply be covered with corporate cards or listed as operational expenses. However, the problem arose when the line was ambiguous and became blurred. Typically, cash was used during those times to avoid leaving a trail.
According to Kang Ji-Yung, Kang Gam-Chan had instructed her to reward me generously with a substantial bonus under the guise of helping Cherry Blossom with their album production and success.
-And there will be appropriate rewards for your performance in the future as well. So don't hesitate to use the funds for things you can't charge to the corporate card. If it's not enough, contact me directly.
At that moment, I felt truly supported, like I was part of Kang Gam-Chan’s inner circle.
"Thank you, Ms. Kang."
-Don’t mention it. It’s all thanks to you that Cherry Blossom managed to reach first place. Oh, and my dad wanted me to convey that he's proud of you.
My face flushed with Kang Ji-Yung's continuous praise and a part of my heart swelled with pride.
"By the way, how is President Kang doing? Can I call him?"
-He's already left the country.
Kang Gam-Chan was currently en route over the Pacific, heading to undergo surgery performed by one of the leading neurosurgeons in the United States.
"I see. Then I'll pray for a successful surgery."
-Thank you, Assistant Manager Jung.
It was almost 10 p.m. after hanging up the call.
As I packed up my belongings in the office before leaving, I gathered my thoughts. With Kang Gam-Chan, our protective barrier, gone, the employees with backgrounds from the Seoul National University of the Arts would likely become more aggressive.
But within ten minutes of gathering my thoughts, Team Lead Ju Ho-Sung from Actor Division 3 visited Division 2.
Wearing a hoodie and a sporty haircut, Ju Ho-Sung greeted everyone warmly with his characteristic kind smile. "Oh my, you're all working late."
Ju Ho-Sung handed out macaron sets and 1-liter coffee bottles to the employees working overtime.
"Thank you, Mr. Ju."
"Wow! Cheese macarons? Mr. Ju, you have great taste!"
Tired from working late, the staff warmly welcomed Ju Ho-Sung as they were grateful for the sweet treats he brought.
"Ha ha ha. It’s my pleasure. I'll bring more next time, so I hope we can keep a good relationship."
Unfortunately, I was the only person who knew that beneath Ju Ho-Sung's kind-looking face lay a devilish nature—he was a two-faced sociopath.
In my past life, Ju Ho-Sung's nickname was 'Mr. Troubleshooter,’ meaning that everything went smoothly when it went through Ju Ho-Sung. It implied he was skilled in both his work and social maneuvering.
Ju Ho-Sung made his rounds greeting everyone before coming over to my desk. With a grin, he extended his hand to me.
"Assistant Manager Jung, I heard that you are the ace of Actor Division 2. My chief said there's a lot I could learn from you. We didn't get to properly introduce ourselves last time in the president's office, did we?"
I managed to keep my composure and shook his hand. "Ace is an overwhelming title. I'm the one who should be seeking guidance from you, Mr. Ju."
Ju Ho-Sung laughed heartily. "I might be higher in rank, but you’re the sunbae here, Assistant Manager Jung. Anyway, let's get along well from now on."
Then, Ju Ho-Sung looked around the surroundings after shaking hands with me.
"Where might Mr. Gu be right now~? Ah, is that the chief's office over there?"
He hummed as if he owned the place. Ju Ho-Sung then entered the chief's office, and soon a burst of laughter came out of the office.
I couldn't hear their conversation, but it was clear that Ju Ho-Sung was someone to keep an eye on. Unlike Kim Dong-Soo who easily clashed with others, Ju Ho-Sung had the ability to quickly gain favor and become close to people, making him a more challenging opponent in some ways.
Ju Ho-Sung was also my rival in my previous life and we endlessly competed for the position of vice president at Top Entertainment.
Looking at the chief's office with the blinds drawn, I hardened my resolve.
‘I don’t know what you’re up to, but it won't be easy for you as long as I'm here, Ju Ho-Sung.'
The thought of exposing Ju Ho-Sung's true nature to the world made my heart race.
***
Choi Sung-Eun, the writer and the original creator of the show Moonlight Starpour, was currently causing a commotion in the drama department. She even brought along Attorney Lee Moon-Yung from KJ Law Firm, the top law firm in Korea.
"Enough! I have nothing more to say to the underlings, so hurry up and call the CP!"
"Ms. Choi! Your words are too harsh!"
"Harsh!? You think I’m being harsh right now? I'll show you what's really harsh today!"
Choi Sung-Eun was demanding a change in the director in charge, who was currently Kim Sung-Woon.
Kim Myung-Hak quickly rushed over and started to appease Choi Sung-Eun.
"Ms. Choi, what's the problem now? The drama is doing well, isn’t it!?"
"Doing well? My work is being outperformed by a competing show! How is that doing well?”
"Such things often happen in the world of drama production. It might turn around and we could be back on top before you know it."
Choi Sung-Eun shook her head."No. Remember what I said? If it's not number one, I'd rather not do it at all. Everything is bound to get worse if we leave the direction in PD Kim's hands!"
The drama Moonlight Starpour, which had been maintaining its position as the number one Wednesday-Thursday drama, had fallen to second place by a margin of 0.2% by episode 10.
At that moment, Attorney Lee Moon-Young, who was accompanying Choi Sung-Eun, reiterated her client's demand.
"As stated in the contract, the writer has the right to demand a change in the director if there's any degradation of the original work. Here are copies of the relevant documents, and the originals have been faxed to the legal department."
The inclusion of such a demanding clause was initially to secure the high-profile Choi Sung-Eun, but they never anticipated it would actually be invoked.
Lee Moon-Young handed over the two A4-sized documents to Kim Myung-Hak who simply frowned without even glancing at the documents.
Kim Sung-Woon's skills were acknowledged by everyone in the drama department as exceptional. He not only navigated the delicate balance of handling demanding writers but also adeptly managed the challenging production conditions.
However, appeasing the writer was Kim Myung-Hak’s immediate priority.
"Ms. Choi, I'll talk to PD Kim and make sure he pays more attention to your needs..."
But the frustrated Choi Sung-Eun cut off Kim Myung-Hak.
"I've said it from the start, haven't I? PD Kim doesn't have what it takes to adapt my novel into a drama! He skims over the emotions of the male and female leads as if he's just ticking boxes. I can't stand to watch him strut around like he's some kind of a genius director anymore!"
At this point, Kim Myung-Hak couldn't hold back his frustration and retorted, "Ms. Choi! You might be well-versed in the novel industry, but we're the experts in viewership ratings! Dragging out psychological descriptions can kill the entertainment value—that's common knowledge in this industry!"
"Entertainment? I know entertainment better than anyone! I'm the author who hit a million views on Cameo Page!" Choi Sung-Eun argued as she turned her head away.
With her arms crossed and a scowl on her face, Choi Sung-Eun continued to add, "Ah, this is so annoying. Let's just settle this using the law!"
"Mr. Kim Myung-Hak, please proceed according to the contract. We will seek damages for non-compliance," said Lee Moon-Young in a calm voice.
Kim Myung-Hak's expression twisted in annoyance.
Attorney Park Yung-Sik from MBS also shook his head and indicated that they had no ground to win with such a clear clause.
That's when the door to the meeting room opened abruptly and Kim Sung-Woon walked in.
Click!
Having spent the night in the editing room immersed in editing, Kim Sung-Woon rushed over as soon as he heard about the commotion in the drama department.
Kim Sung-Woon looked visibly unrested with his disheveled hair resembling a bird's nest and his dark circles reaching down to his jaw, giving the impression that he hadn't even had time for a shower.
"What's going on?" Kim Sung-Woon asked.
Choi Sung-Eun scoffed and replied, "I don't want to work with a subpar director like you, so I'm requesting a change in PD."
Kim Sung-Woon wore a dumbfounded expression, clearly flabbergasted by her words.
He had put in so much effort to preserve the essence of the original work, spent time pacifying assistant writers who couldn't stand Choi Sung-Eun's tyranny, and ensured smooth production amidst difficult circumstances.
He hadn't expected praise, but a sudden demand for his replacement was utterly unreasonable.
Nonetheless, even after Kim Sung-Woon earnest pleas, Choi Sung-Eun's stance remained unchanged.
"You think I'll tolerate you removing lines from my script and changing the direction as you please?"
Kim Myung-Hak's face turned beet red at Choi Sung-Eun’s sharp words. It was unheard of for a novice author to throw such a tantrum, even if they held the upper hand.
Just as Kim Myung-Hak was about to burst into anger, Kim Sung-Woon held him back. He was furious as well, but preventing the derailment of a drama fluctuating around 15% viewership was the priority at the moment.
After all, a failed drama would only tarnish the network's reputation, not the writer.
Kim Sung-Woon stammered and continued.
"I'll... step down."
"PD Kim!" Kim Myung-Hak shouted.
"I’m okay. Please choose a director you prefer and ensure a smooth conclusion, Ms. Choi."
Kim Sung-Woon bowed to Kim Myung-Hak and Choi Sung-Eun. Though seething with frustration internally, he felt powerless. He then left Choi Sung-Eun behind and exited the meeting room.
"PD Kim! Wait a moment!"
Despite Kim Myung-Hak's urgent call from behind, Kim Sung-Woon didn't stop.
The drama department's ADs and staff in the hallway were also visibly upset because firing the director of a drama cruising at 15% viewership ratings was unprecedented for them too. Although everyone knew writers could be unreasonable at times, this was too much.
Kim Sung-Woon forced a smile to assure everyone he was fine and trudged toward the emergency stairs.
Click, click!
Trying to soothe his sour mood, he struggled to light a cigarette with his nearly empty lighter.
"Phew."
The white smoke swirled and dispersed into the air. As a gust of cold wind swept away the cigarette smoke, a sense of emptiness overcame him. Being fired from his debut work was something he never anticipated.
"Damn it. This sucks."
Kim Sung-Woon cursed his misfortune and directed his anger toward the innocent night sky. Then, an idea struck him which prompted him to pull out his phone.
Click.
As always, the person on the other end answered with a bright voice.
-Hello? Mr. Kim?
"Yes, Assistant Manager Jung. Do you remember our promise to meet up again? Is it possible to meet today?"
Jung Yoon-Ho readily agreed.
***
After receiving the call from Kim Sung-Woon, I asked Jung Sang-Bong to look after Yoo-Jin and headed to the meeting venue.
When I entered a makgeolli bar near MBS, I found Kim Sung-Woon waiting and drinking alone. The table was set with makgeolli, seafood pancakes, and steaming beef pancakes.
After a brief greeting, Kim Sung-Woon shared his current plight with a hollow laugh.
"I've been fired."
"Pardon? What do you mean? This is so sudden."
Kim Sung-Woon explained that his clash with the writer led to his removal from Moonlight Starpour and downed a bowl of makgeolli in one shot.
"It's embarrassing to tell you what happened, but honestly, I feel relieved. Writer Choi Sung-Eun was truly unbearable," Kim Sung-Woon ranted.
I nodded since it was indeed impressive that he had managed to work with Choi Sung-Eun, who was known for her difficult personality and staunchly author-centric views, until now.
"How far did you manage to edit?"
"Up to episode 10. The drama department will handle the rest, I suppose."
This meant Blue Sky could potentially dominate from episode 11 onwards. With Choi Sung-Eun at the helm, a messy outcome was almost guaranteed.
As we continued to drink, Kim Sung-Woon revealed the reason for wanting to meet.
"You're aware of the drama, In the Name of God, which is scheduled for July, right?"
"Yes. That’s Yoo-Jin’s next drama to appear on, and...wait...no way. Don't tell me...?"
"Yes. I've just been confirmed as the main PD. I was having a drink while waiting for you to arrive when the company called me."
‘Kim Sung-Woon has been appointed as the main PD for Yoo-Jin's upcoming drama, In the Name of God?’
The future had changed once again.
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