Chapter 1063: Jung Yoon-Ho Magic

The moment I stepped out of the hospital room, one of the reporters spotted me beyond the line of security guards and shouted, "Hey, it's Chief Jung!"

The reporters shoved past the security guards and rushed toward me.

I immediately barked at them. "I came out here to do an interview. Should I just cancel it?"

The reporters froze. If they missed an interview about Jung Miso's suspension—the hottest entertainment story in the country—they all knew they'd be chewed out the moment they got back to their newsrooms.

"Alright. But you've got to answer every question we've got."

I nodded. "Fine. Just stop giving the security guards a hard time and let's move over there."

After apologizing to the security staff, I headed toward an empty area beside the parking lot. The reporters poured in after me, pulling out cameras, phones, and laptops before immediately firing off questions.

"Chief Jung! Is Miso really suspending her activities?"

"How's she doing now?"

"How's Ms. Jung Yoo-Jin taking it? Actually, forget that—we need to arrange a proper interview! Can we get Jung Yoo-Jin and Miso together?"

The reporters shouted over one another, each asking whatever they wanted. I deliberately let them wait. I was about to put on the kind of media performance people had once called 'Jung Yoon-Ho Magic.'

'Today, all of you are going to become my hands and feet.'

Looking at the reporters who would soon be moving exactly as I intended, I took a slow, steady breath.

"Chief Jung! Come on! Say something already! What's going to happen to Miso?"

The longer I stayed silent, the more anxious they became, and their voices grew louder.

Only then did I let out a long sigh and speak. "Miso suffered a far greater shock than any of us expected. Because of that, her mother, actress Miss Jung Yoo-Jin, wants her to leave the entertainment industry altogether."

Even though the social media attack had already been stopped, the mention of retirement left every reporter visibly stunned.

"W-Wait... Chief Jung. Then what happens to the dramas and films she's already working on?"

"Land of Happiness is soaring in the ratings, and so is Haze. If Miso leaves, what happens to those shows?"

Articles about Miso had been generating huge traffic for months. The possibility of losing her sent the entertainment reporters into a frenzy. As soon as I mentioned retirement, their questions gradually shifted into demands. It was as though Miso absolutely wasn't allowed to retire. No matter what they said, I kept the same exhausted expression, waiting for the one question I wanted.

Then, Reporter Yoo Han-Gyu from Entertainment All Times snapped impatiently, "Seriously, that kid's got no sense of responsibility! If she quits now, she's basically saying she doesn't care whether those dramas crash and burn!"

'There it is. Exactly what I'd been waiting for.'

I had been waiting for a heartless question that shoved all the responsibility onto Miso.

I immediately fixed Yoo Han-Gyu with a glare and fired back. "So you're saying it doesn't matter what happens to an eight-year-old child? Is that what you mean?"

The anguish in my voice stopped Yoo Han-Gyu cold. "I... I didn't mean..."

"And you call Miso irresponsible? Don't make me laugh. If she truly had no sense of responsibility, she never would've collapsed under the pressure in the first place. Let me ask all of you something instead. When Miso was being dragged through the mud over those ridiculous social media posts, where were all of you? Not one of you wrote a single article defending her. You just stood by and watched, wondering how she was doing. And now you want to lecture her about responsibility?"

None of them knew TK Entertainment was behind the attack. However, every one of them knew Miso had been targeted by a social media smear campaign. Even so, all they had done was publish sensational headlines about her collapse. Not one of them had shown even the smallest bit of concern for her well-being.

So I seized on that. I turned the tables and began pressing all twenty reporters at once. If I wanted them to move exactly as I intended, I first had to make them bow their heads.

Whoooosh.

Left with nothing to say, the reporters stood there in complete silence. Silence settled between the reporters and me. It was so quiet that I could hear dry leaves skittering across the asphalt in the wind. Each reporter fidgeted with the device in their hands, struggling to figure out how to break the silence.

Then Yoo Han-Gyu scratched the back of his head and spoke. "...I'm sorry, Chief Jung. I got carried away... I screwed up. I shouldn't have said something like that."

Sensing this was their chance to be forgiven, the other reporters began apologizing one after another.

"Come to think of it, we really acted like garbage."

"I'm sorry. We... stood by and did nothing this time. But it won't happen again."

Perhaps because they all realized they had been far too harsh toward an eight-year-old child, one by one, they offered sincere apologies.

'Perfect. Now you've all taken the bait.'

The reporters had become tangled in the emotional net I had cast over them.

To ease the tension, I pretended to calm down. "No... I think I unfairly took my anger out on all of you. You weren't the ones posting hateful comments on social media, yet I blamed you for not helping... I'm sorry."

As I lowered my head slightly, the reporters cleared their throats awkwardly. "No... we're the ones who should apologize."

The atmosphere softened, and a small sense of camaraderie formed between us.

I said, "I know you're all frustrated. Believe me, I feel the same way. Miss Jung Miso is an incredibly important star. If she can't continue working, the loss will be enormous."

The reporters all nodded in agreement.

"You're right. Miso's important to us too. Any article with her gets three times the usual traffic."

"Exactly. Right now she's hit three home runs in a row with Land of Happiness, Haze, and the movie Missing – The Lost Ones. Without Miso, the entertainment industry won't be the same."

"That's right. So, Chief Jung... is there any way to convince Ms. Yoo-Jin?"

The reporters looked at me almost pleadingly.

I hesitated before saying, "I do have one idea... but I'll need your help."

All at once, the reporters spoke up. "Then tell us! We'll do whatever we can."

Watching them fall deeper and deeper into my rhythm, I answered calmly, "There is one possible solution..."

"What is it?"

"If you publish articles highlighting how much the public wants Miso back, I think public opinion will begin demanding her return. If that happens, I might be able to persuade Ms. Jung Yoo-Jin."

The reporters exchanged glances, thinking it over.

Then Yoo Han-Gyu took the lead. "Fine. I'll write a proper article this time as an apology. Just accept it."

The others quickly agreed.

"Yeah. We've made plenty of money off Miso's articles. We owe her."

"I can't promise what the outcome will be, but we can at least do Chief Jung this one favor."

One after another, they agreed to help.

I smiled. "Thank you. Then if you can create public support for Miso's return, I'll personally convince Yoo-Jin and make sure Miso comes back."

"Really?"

"Yes. And if Miso decides to return, let's meet again tonight at eight o'clock in the small auditorium. I'll arrange a separate interview for all of you." I paused for a beat before smiling. "Just the twenty reporters who are here today."

The moment I dangled the promise of an exclusive interview, every pair of eyes lit up.

"Don't worry. You can count on us!"

"That's right, Chief Jung!"

Without realizing they were being guided exactly as I intended, they eagerly accepted the deal.

"Alright then. We'll start writing."

The reporters dropped onto the asphalt where they stood and immediately opened their laptops.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The corner of the parking lot that had been filled with their shouting was now silent except for the steady clatter of keyboards.

However, the media strategy people once called 'Jung Yoon-Ho Magic' had only just begun.

***

Before even a full hour had passed, the top headlines across every entertainment portal were filled with stories about Miso. Yet these no longer looked like the usual clickbait pieces churned out by entertainment reporters. Instead, they read as though they had been written by veteran journalists from major national newspapers.

[The Age of Information Overload: "We Were So Captivated by Child Actress Jung Miso's Talent That We Forgot She Was Only Eight Years Old."]

[The Endless Hate an Eight-Year-Old Had to Endure: "Are We Living in an Age of Hatred?"]

[Regulating Online Abuse Against Minors: National Assembly Begins Formal Discussions.]

[Viewers Are Kings vs. Viewers Are Simply Customers: An Exclusive Interview with Five Internet Trolls Who Claim They Have the Right to Insult Celebrities and Five Fans Who Disagree.]

[Jung Miso to Consider Returning Only When a More Mature Entertainment Culture Exists.]

...

Sitting on the sofa in the hospital room and scrolling through the articles on her phone, Writer Lee Ji-Yeon looked at me in disbelief. "Yoon-Ho... What kind of magic did you pull? Since when did those trashporter start writing like actual journalists?"

Yoo-Jin and the other writers wore equally bewildered expressions.

I shrugged and said, "Oh, I just talked them through it."

"And those stubborn vultures wrote articles like this just because you talked to them?"

There was no way I could admit I had deliberately shaken the reporters emotionally until they ended up on my side. So I simply smiled.

"It turns out they're all Miso fans."

Lee Ji-Yeon still looked unconvinced. "No. No way. You definitely did something."

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly and pretended not to know what she meant. "...Fine. I won't press you anymore. Anyway, what are you going to do now? The comments are going crazy."

She pointed at the number-one trending article on the portal. It was flooded with comments from people asking for Miso to come back.

[Jung Miso, the Eight-Year-Old Acting Prodigy, Stands Between Retirement and a Return.]

...

(Comments)

-Did every entertainment reporter lose their minds today? Why are these articles actually so well written?

-Seriously. It's like they all had a collective awakening. Anyway, this is the perfect chance to wipe out those online trolls.

-Agreed. Mocking an eight-year-old in the comments was way over the line.

-If that had been my family, I would've beaten them half to death.

-Miso, please come back! We'll do better this time!

-Watching Kkot-Nim in Land of Happiness is the highlight of my day. What am I supposed to do if she's gone? Miso, please come back!

-Wait... Miso's still going to be in episode 17 tonight, right?

-According to the schedule, it should air on time. Please tell me Miso still has plenty of screen time!

...

Still looking at her phone, Lee Ji-Yeon asked, "Everything's gone exactly the way you wanted. Everyone wants Miso back now. So what's next?"

I turned to Yoo-Jin, the one who had the final say. "What do you think, Yoo-Jin? Is it time to announce her return?"

Yoo-Jin fell silent for a moment. "...Will Miso really be alright? What if she freezes up again and can't act?"

From the bed, Miso suddenly shot her hand into the air. "I'm okay, Mom!"

"Really?"

"Yep!"

Yoo-Jin gently brushed Miso's wispy bangs aside. "Then promise me one thing. If things ever get too hard, you'll tell Mommy first. And if I'm not there, tell Uncle Yoon-Ho instead."

Miso smiled sweetly. "Okay. I promise."

At that moment, Yoo-Jin cupped Miso's cheeks and kissed her forehead.

Smack.

"Stay strong, sweetheart."

Miso beamed. Then she suddenly started waving both hands. "Mom, do it again."

"Do what?"

Without answering, Miso lay back on the bed, squeezed her eyes shut, and pulled the blanket all the way up under her chin. When we told her to play Snow White, she had apparently decided to become Sleeping Beauty—well, Sleeping Snow White.

Yoo-Jin, Lee Ji-Yeon, and the other writers all smiled warmly.

Laughing, Yoo-Jin leaned down and kissed Miso's forehead once more. "Our sleeping Snow White. All the bad things are over now, so it's time to wake up."

Smack.

Miso stretched with a big yawn. "Yaaawn~ I slept so well! Huh? Mom!"

Playing Snow White waking from her enchanted sleep, Miso looked every bit the born actress.

Just like that, Miso, who had suffered under poisonous social media attacks like they were a poisoned apple, returned to the entertainment industry with a radiant smile—just as Snow White awakened.

***

I was currently at the Hoop Entertainment Underground Auditorium. The clock had just passed eight o'clock in the evening.

The twenty entertainment reporters who had visited the hospital earlier filed into the auditorium, shouting excitedly.

"Heh! Did you see my article today? It was incredible, wasn't it?"

"Come on, mine was even better. I showed everyone what real journalism looks like today."

"Hey, losers, keep it down. My article got the most views."

Reporters who normally churned out rumor-filled stories about affairs and assaults were thrilled to discover that even properly written articles could draw huge traffic. Completely captivated by Jung Yoon-Ho Magic, they all waved enthusiastically the moment they saw me.

"Thanks to you, Chief Jung, I finally got to show up my editor today. Thanks."

I smiled and answered, "I'm glad to hear it."

As we chatted briefly about their articles, the clock in the auditorium reached 8:20 p.m.

"Everyone, let's watch the drama first, then we'll do the interview."

The reporters looked puzzled.

"We're not interviewing Yoo-Jin and Miso first?"

I shook my head. "No, they haven't arrived yet."

In reality, they had already arrived and were waiting backstage. I deliberately switched the order, because it was the final step in completing Jung Yoon-Ho Magic.

'Sorry, but for today... none of you are escaping the script I've written.'

"Alright. Let's do that."

As soon as the reporters agreed, I smiled and signaled Jung Sang-Bong in the auditorium's control room.

Click.

The lights went out, and the underground auditorium fell into darkness. On the giant screen, episode seventeen of Land of Happiness began.

***

The enormous screen replayed the final scene from the previous episode, where Lee Sol-Ji collapsed during the wheelchair race. Doctors and nurses rushed over to check her condition.

Watching her friend being carried away, Yoon Kkot-Nim broke down in tears.

『Sol-Ji!』

Yoon Kkot-Nim's anguished cry thundered through the auditorium's massive concert speakers. The sound echoed so powerfully that none of the reporters could take their eyes off the screen. They had completely forgotten about writing articles.

As the episode neared its climax, trying to find a nurse to save the gasping Lee Sol-Ji, Yoon Kkot-Nim suddenly collapsed to the floor herself. Thrown from her wheelchair, she crawled desperately down the hallway on her hands, screaming,

『Someone! Please! Sol-Ji's hurting!!』

The child actors playing Yoon Kkot-Nim and Lee Sol-Ji delivered such painfully convincing performances that the reporters sat there, completely spellbound.

"...It's heartbreaking... absolutely heartbreaking..."

"Did she get hurt? She fell so hard."

"She doesn't hold anything back. She's a born actress."

"...Wow... seriously... wow..."

"Holy crap... Are you crying? You, of all people? I thought poison ran through your veins instead of blood."

"C-Crying? Me? Look who's talking. What's running down your face then? Sweat?"

"Yeah. Sweat."

"Yeah, right. Bullshit."

"Quiet. Just watch."

At the moment, the reporters had become nothing more than an audience.

A few moments later, Yoon Kkot-Nim's adoptive mother rushed into the hospital room, gasping in shock as she helped Yoon Kkot-Nim back into her wheelchair. She immediately ran off to find a nurse.

Meanwhile, Lee Sol-Ji's breathing continued growing weaker.

『Huff, huff, huff...』

『Sol-Ji! Take a deep breath!』

Yoon Kkot-Nim called out desperately, but Lee Sol-Ji's face remained twisted in pain. Then, Yoon Kkot-Nim gripped the wheelchair handles with both hands and struggled to stand.

『Nngh...! Sol-Ji, look at me! Look! Can you see my legs? They're moving!』

She said her legs, but only the big toe on her right foot trembled ever so slightly. Even as Lee Sol-Ji struggled for breath, she looked down at Yoon Kkot-Nim's foot before forcing a weak smile.

『I... I... can really... see it moving... Kkot-Nim's foot...』

『That's right! Just like you told me not to give up, I never gave up either! So don't you give up! We promised we'd go to the amusement park together!』

Supporting herself with both arms, Yoon Kkot-Nim's entire body shook violently. Sweat poured down her forehead.

At that moment, Lee Sol-Ji curled herself up, clenched her teeth, and cried out.

『O... Okay... I'll... keep fighting too...』

Just then, Yoon Kkot-Nim's adoptive mother came running back with the nurses and doctors.

Thud, thud, thud.

『Sol-Ji!』

Only then, finally reassured, did Yoon Kkot-Nim collapse back into her wheelchair. As Yoon Kkot-Nim panted, drenched from head to toe in sweat, the doctors crowded around Lee Sol-Ji and began treating her.

The child actors' breathtaking performances left the reporters swallowing hard, completely absorbed in the drama.

***

At the end of Episode 17, thanks to the help of Yoon Kkot-Nim's adoptive parents, Lee Sol-Ji finally received proper treatment. She came all the way to the hospital entrance to see Yoon Kkot-Nim off.

An IV still hung from one arm, and she wore the fuzzy winter hat Yoon Kkot-Nim had given her.

『I... I'll definitely get better! Thank you, Kkot-Nim!』

As Lee Sol-Ji called out with all the strength she had left, Yoon Kkot-Nim smiled back.

『You will, Sol-Ji! Get better soon, and let's see each other again!』

Watching the two girls wave goodbye to each other, several reporters found themselves clutching their chests.

The scene changed. The heroine, Yoon Na-Ra, was shown working part-time while searching for the younger siblings she had been separated from at the orphanage. With that, the episode came to an end.

-To be continued.

Episode 17 of Land of Happiness was over.

Click.

The lights in the auditorium came back on.

Just as I had expected, the reporters' faces were flushed with emotion after witnessing the remarkable performances from the two child actresses. None of them had even opened their laptops yet, but their fingers twitched impatiently, itching to write.

'It begins.'

This morning, the first stage of Jung Yoon-Ho Magic had been to steer the reporters exactly where I wanted them to go. However, the second stage was the complete opposite. It was to create a situation where the reporters genuinely wanted to write the articles themselves.

Watching the reporters completely spellbound by Jung Yoon-Ho Magic, I smiled to myself. Back before my regression, whenever something like this happened, the reporters never stopped at simply writing the articles I wanted. They usually caused a massive sensation for all the right reasons.

'Just for today... be real reporters instead of trashporters.'

Wondering what kind of articles they would write, I watched the reporters finally open their laptops.

Then I invited Yoo-Jin and Miso onto the stage.