Chapter 1064.2: Omen (1)

The joint mother-and-daughter interview with Yoo-Jin and Miso concluded successfully to enthusiastic applause from the reporters. The reporters, completely under the spell of Jung Yoon-Ho's magic, wrote articles that were even more overwhelmingly favorable than I had expected. As a result, public opinion swung completely in Hoop Entertainment's favor.

Then, after the reporters returned to their offices, they took things a step further. They even brought in economics professors to churn out articles analyzing the financial impact. Thanks to that, even the business section of the major news portals was soon flooded with articles about Hoop Entertainment.

[Professor Park Kyung-Je, Senior Economics Professor at H University: The economic impact generated by Hoop Entertainment's cultural exports reached 1 trillion won last year.]

[Hoop Entertainment Leads the Way in Korea's Cultural Exports!]

[Not No. 1 in Size, but No. 1 in Operating Profit?]

It was the first time I had ever seen entertainment reporters go this far, so even I couldn't help standing there with my jaw hanging open. At this rate, it wouldn't have been surprising if Hoop Entertainment's market capitalization jumped by hundreds of billions of won tomorrow.

Then something even more unbelievable happened. The reporters who had gathered today actually created a group chat including me.

[Entertainment Reporters Striving to Write Honest Articles]

[Participants: Reporter Yoo Han-Gyu, Reporter Baek Jong-Cheol... Jung Yoon-Ho (21 members)]

[Reporter Yoo Han-Gyu: Chief Jung. We really put some effort into today's articles. Not bad, right?]

The fact that they made a group chat meant they intended to keep this attitude going.

'What is this, the Jung Yoon-Ho fan club?'

As ridiculous as it was, it wasn't exactly a bad side effect of Jung Yoon-Ho's magic. So I sent a message thanking the reporters who had shaped today's public opinion.

[Chief Jung Yoon-Ho: I look forward to working with all of you from now on.]

Buzz. Buzz.

The reporters immediately flooded the chat, insisting it was nothing. The notifications came in so fast that I had no choice but to silence my phone.

A little later, President Kang Gam-Chan called a meeting of all the team leads, and I headed up to the meeting room on the sixth floor. Then I noticed something. Everyone was staring holes through me.

Just as I was wondering what was going on, Chief Gu Seong-Cheol, who was more on my side than anyone else, asked, "Chief Jung... did you bribe the reporters or something?"

Well, after witnessing trashporters magically transform into actual reporters, I couldn't blame him for wondering.

I shrugged. "Come on. You know better than anyone that I don't even send holiday gifts to reporters."

"Then why are they acting like that?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

A few of the other chiefs looked at me as though they suspected I had kidnapped the reporters and beaten them into submission.

'What do they take me for?'

Fortunately, Kang Gam-Chan interrupted before the conversation could continue. "Episode 17 of Land of Happiness got an incredible response today, and we also gave them the exclusive on Miso's comeback. That's probably why. Anyway, Chief Jung, you did excellent work today. Now, let me explain why I called everyone here so late."

Everyone reluctantly set aside their curiosity and turned toward Kang Gam-Chan. After I took my seat, he began.

"The people behind yesterday's attack on Miso were TK Entertainment. And behind TK Entertainment was Assemblyman Park Sang-Gon."

The atmosphere in the meeting room instantly turned tense. Everyone had expected some kind of clash with TK Entertainment since they were all competing for the industry's top spot. However, hearing that heavyweight politician Park Sang-Gon had joined forces with TK Entertainment was enough to shock everyone.

Vice President Kim Gwan-Woo exclaimed, "Why would Mr. Assemblyman target us?"

"Several of the organizations that funded Assemblyman Park's political campaign included TNT Entertainment, HK Inc., and the Jin Myung-Gyu siblings."

As the names of companies and people who had been ruined after crossing paths with Hoop Entertainment came up, Kim Gwan-Woo's face fell.

Then Baek Sang-Beom, chief of Actor Division 5, asked, "So that's why we started getting notices that our major corporate advertising contracts wouldn't be renewed today?"

"That's right. That's why I called everyone in—to assess the damage first. Division 5, how many advertising deals have you lost?"

Baek Sang-Beom sighed. "It looks like we'll lose about 30% of our major corporate advertising contracts. They're all refusing to renew, though the actual impact won't hit until about three months from now."

After that, the reports continued. Actor Division 1 estimated a 20% loss, and Actor Division 2 reported 15%. Most of the divisions expected around 20% of their advertising contracts to fail at renewal.

Kang Gam-Chan told everyone not to blame themselves since none of this was their fault before turning to me. "What about Integrated Division 4?"

"The total number of renewal cancellations for Actor Division 4 and Singer Division 4 combined... is zero."

I had secured advertising deals made up entirely of premium clients, including the ten major conglomerates, Jinseong, Daechon, LM Clothing, LT Entertainment, and Yetterang. As a result, I hadn't received a single inquiry about canceling an advertising contract renewal.

Kim Gwan-Woo spoke in an irritated voice. "Chief Jung, don't just sit there pleased that you're the only one who survived. Shouldn't you help the other divisions too? When you think about it, this is all because of you."

The chiefs of Actor Divisions 3 and 5, along with the chief of Singer Division 3, also looked at me with dissatisfaction. After all, I was at the center of the conflict with Park Sang-Gon.

'I knew they'd react like this.'

I immediately began explaining the alternative Kang Gam-Chan and I had prepared. "I'm meeting the head of Korean content at N.FLIX this week to sign an official partnership agreement for Korea."

N.FLIX was the world's largest content streaming service. It had recently been investing in original Korean content and making a tidy profit selling it overseas. Now it was searching for partners among entertainment agencies as well as drama production companies.

I planned to join forces with N.FLIX and place actors from each division in its original dramas. Once they became globally successful stars, they could earn enormous appearance fees and reclaim the lost advertising deals at even higher rates.

"N.FLIX is making an entertainment agency its official partner?"

I nodded. "Yes. N.FLIX wants priority access to the actors' future projects as well."

Everyone looked excited by the huge news, but Kim Gwan-Woo still regarded me suspiciously. "You're not planning to fill every role with actors from Integrated Division 4 and leave the rest of us as window dressing, are you?"

The question was exactly what I had expected. So I answered calmly, "Until this situation settles down, I won't place a single actor or singer from Integrated Division 4. The other divisions that suffered losses will receive top priority."

Our advertising contracts were still intact, and the volume of advertising offers from the ten major conglomerates had actually increased. If Division 4 celebrities also landed roles in N.FLIX projects, it would only make the other chiefs feel deprived.

So I promised not to recommend a single celebrity from Integrated Division 4. Besides, I intended to begin Devoted's overseas expansion only after they reached the very top and foreign companies came bowing to us themselves.

"So... Come with me tomorrow."

"What? Me too?" asked Kim Gwan-Woo.

"Yes. And Mr. Jang-Bi as well."

To prevent resistance from the chiefs and team leads who had come from Gwan-Woo Entertainment, I invited Kim Gwan-Woo and Managing Director Kim Jang-Bi to join me.

A faint smile appeared on Kim Gwan-Woo's face. "Ahem... I didn't realize that was your plan. Sorry about that."

I accepted his apology and instantly shifted the atmosphere. By now, controlling the internal dynamics of Hoop Entertainment was child's play for me.

Then Kang Gam-Chan spoke. "Then we'll consider that matter settled. Oh, and Chief Jung. N.FLIX called earlier and said they were interested in investing in Director Choi Sung-Moon's next project, Hyeonjong: Great King Wonmun[1]. If LT Entertainment can't finalize its investment plan, I thought it might be worth connecting them with N.FLIX. What do you think?"

Hyeonjong: Great King Wonmun was Director Choi Sung-Moon's defining work, an enormous historical epic planned as a trilogy.

The story followed the life of King Hyeonjong of Goryeo and included massive battle scenes such as the Battle of Gwiju, so Choi Sung-Moon was asking for a production budget of 100 billion won.

In practice, however, productions often cost one and a half to twice the director's original estimate. Marketing expenses were separate, which meant the total production cost alone was expected to reach 300 billion won. That was why the project had never been made before my regression, and even now, raising the investment funds had proven extremely difficult.

Yet N.FLIX, true to its status as a global content service provider, had apparently offered to put up the enormous sum without hesitation.

I immediately shook my head. "Mr. Choi will never agree to it. Releasing it on N.FLIX would mean giving up theatrical revenue."

"Hmm. Is that so? Understood. Still, they'll probably bring it up during the meeting, so be prepared."

"Yes, sir."

At that moment, the screen of my silenced phone lit up.

Blink. Blink.

When I checked, it was an Everyday notification.

[Everyday V13]

[Alert: A new schedule entry concerning Lee Tae-Poong has been registered for June 24, 2021.]

"Mr. Kang, please excuse me while I check this message."

"Go ahead."

I immediately looked at my phone. The schedule entry for the afternoon after tomorrow contained something utterly absurd.

[Everyday V13]

[Date: June 24, 2021]

-02:00 p.m.: [NEW. Lee Tae-Poong]

[Entertainment Big News] Master Choi Sung-Moon Abruptly Announces the Cancellation of Lee Tae-Poong's Casting as the Lead Actor in the Hyeonjong: Great King Wonmun Trilogy, Set to Become the Most Expensive Production in Korean Film History!

'Choi Sung-Moon is dropping top star Lee Tae-Poong, who delivered two consecutive ten-million-admission films, from the lead role in his next project? Why?'

Just as I struggled to make sense of it, my phone lit up again.

Blink. Blink.

Choi Sung-Moon was calling.

[Caller ID: Director Choi Sung-Moon]

After asking for everyone's understanding, I hurriedly answered. However, Choi Sung-Moon's voice was filled with anger.

-Chief Jung, are you really doing this to me? I trusted you, and now you're stabbing me in the back?

'What on earth did he hear?'

1. This was originally translated as Hyeonjong: The King of the Original Text but looking at it again, it should've been a posthumous title and not broken down. The title suggests a ruler regarded as embodying the foundational virtues of civilized governance and learning ☜