Hapjungdong, Mapogu, in front of the Hye Sung Entertainment building.

Most agencies are concentrated in Gangnam, but recently, agencies have begun to appear one by one in Hapjungdong. Broadcast stations are concentrated in Sangamdong, a 10-minute drive away, and rent is relatively low.

For those reasons, many agencies, small ones in particular, are setting up in Hapjungdong.

Hye Sung Entertainment was also an agency that had only been in business for 3 years.

Jung Hye Sung was the Director of Chung Wuel, one of the few distinguished agencies on par with Ara, but went independent and established Hye Sung.

The only celebrity in their agency to make a name for themselves was Yoon Mi Jin, who was formerly a celebrity with Chung Wuel. She used to do group activities, but released a solo album with Hye Sung after the group disbanded. The album barely broke even.

With currently about a year left in her contract, she was about to get married so the contract was as good as over.

However, because they at least had her name associated with them, they were able to hold auditions and get some trainees.

Currently, Hye Sung Entertainment Entertainment was planning a girl idol group with a minimum number of trainees.

In the past, President Jung Hye Sung had created a successful female idol group while at Chung Wuel. It was the group that Yoon Mi Jin was a part of.

The goal of the first female idol group launched by Hye Sung Entertainment was to debut by the first half of next year. There were, of course, a lot of difficulties coming this far. Even though President Jung Hye Sung had strong business sense, he did not have enough capital.

President Jung Hye Sung had poured in all the money he had saved, but the amount was too small to run an entertainment business. He had to get an investor to continue, but it was a very risky business so it wasn’t easy getting an investor.

Therefore, the project was almost scrapped multiple times. It was also postponed indefinitely at one point. This seemingly impossible goal became achievable thanks to one investor.

One day, an investor had directly contacted President Jung Hye Sung.

The investment amount offered by the investor was a whopping 300 million Won*.
(TL Note: Roughly $209,000 USD)

The production cost of the idol group that President Jung Hye Sung was thinking of was about 600 million Won* up to their debut. That was the absolute minimum production cost. When he was contacted, he had already gathered about 500 million Won for production.
(TL Note: $418,000 and $384,000 respectively)

Part of it had already been spent, and part of it remained. He had no option left but to lower the quality of the album to make the debut possible. At the same time, if they were to postpone it, the cost to feed, dress, train, and house the trainees would rack up expenses.

Then the investor appeared like a savior.

Receiving an investment of 300 million Won would give them more than their expected minimum cost.

The investor was now walking into the Hye Sung Entertainment building.

It was Do Wook.

Do Wook headed to the 8th floor where the Hye Sung Entertainment’s President’s office was located. When he arrived, the secretary at the desk got up from her seat, surprised.

“Woah!”

It was unacceptable behavior as a secretary, but she couldn’t help but exclaim.

The only person who was expected to visit the President’s Office at this time was the investor who had invested a large amount of money into Hye Sung Entertainment a few months ago.

Instead of the investor appearing, a global star, KK’s Do Wook, appeared, so she couldn’t help but be surprised. Even if she had seen Do Wook passing by on the street instead of here, she still would have stopped in place and looked at Do Wook.

“Mr. Kang Do Wook?”

The secretary asked, completely dazed. Do Wook greeted the secretary, smiling,

“Hello.”

“What…What brings you…?”

“I’m scheduled to meet with the President at 3 pm today.”

“Ah, I see. This way…”

The secretary led Do Wook to the President’s Office. Even as she was guiding him, the secretary’s head was full of questions.

‘If it’s the 3 pm appointment, there was only the investor…Do the President and Kang Do Wook know each other?…’

When the secretary knocked, President Jung Hye Sung replied, “Come in.”

As the door opened, the secretary stepped to the side and said to the President,

“Mr. Kang Do Wook is here.”

President Jung Hye Sung, who was sitting on the hospitality sofa preparing to greet the investor, got up.

“What? Why is Kang Do Wook here…”

The question put even bigger questions into the secretary’s mind. President Jung Hye Sung, who made eye contact with Do Wook who was standing behind the secretary, was also stupefied.

“Hello. I heard you wanted to meet with me, so I came.”

Do Wook smiled softly, approached President Jung Hye Sun, who was looking at him with a dopey expression, and greeted him.

Both President Jung Hye Sung and the secretary were surprised again. The investor they had arranged to meet with at 3 pm today was Do Wook.

“Uhh…ahhh….I wasn’t expecting you beyond my wildest imagination…I’m Jung Hye Sung.”

President Jung Hye Sung finally came to his senses and held out his hand. After formally shaking hands with President Jung Hye Sung, Do Wook sat down. Once he sat down, the secretary carefully asked.

“What kind of tea would you like?”

“Ah, do you have warm green tea?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll have that, please.”

President Jung Hye Sung asked for a glass of cold water. The secretary bowed her head, quietly closed the door, and left.

“I’m truly…very shocked right now, so…”

President Jung Hye Sung was someone with strong connections in the entertainment world. He was business savvy and had production skills. That’s why he left to establish his own agency and got so far. He was a competent person yet he was stunned.

Do Wook nodded his head understandingly.

“Yes, I imagine you were surprised. I should have given you a heads-up…”

The investment was done under his father Professor Kang Woong Chun’s name, so there was no possibility he could’ve made the connection with Do Wook.

When Do Wook said that, President Jung Hye Sung quickly waved his hand.

“No, no. I heard you’re busy with the overseas tour…I guess KK is back in Korea.”

As expected, the entertainment world had their eyes on the group KK. Even someone like President Jung Hye Sung was aware of their huge schedule.

“Yes. I got back a few days ago.”

“You must be tired. I also heard that you’re doing a comeback.”

“Soon. It definitely has been chaotic.”

Trying to calm down, President Jung Hye Sung led the conversation and eased the tension. The secretary placed the requested green tea and water that she prepared in front of them and left the office again.

“Uhh….Then, I’m sure you’re busy, so..”

President Jung Hye Sung started the discussion about the investment in a tone that did not hide his curiosity of, “Why did Do Wook invest here?”

Do Wook’s side and President Jung Hye Sung had coordinated to make today’s meeting possible.

With their debut coming up, it was natural practice to explain to an investor the direction and outline of the debut for the female idol group he was planning.

Formally, he would have to gather all the investors and give a presentation, but in Hye Sung Entertainment’s case, it was not a public company and it was a small investment he had received through an acquaintance, so he didn’t go to that extent.

It wasn’t a special presentation, but he still had to give a short briefing.

300 million Won was slightly more than the amount invested by President Jung He Sung himself. In terms of company shares, Do wook was the largest shareholder. Not to mention he was an outside investor, not an acquaintance.

The profit distribution had already been finalized in writing through an agent who streamlined the process, but the conditions included, of course, a report on the production process. As an investor, Do Wook had the right to discuss the direction of the group currently being created and impose some sanctions on that direction.

From the time he received the investment, President Jung Hye Sung, of course, wanted to meet with Do Wook. However, Do Wook postponed the meeting to a later date.

As a result, he entrusted the whole production plan to Hye Sung Entertainment and President Jung Hye Sung for the time being and told them that he wouldn’t step in unless they went in a completely wrong direction.

In other words, he was giving them money, but also guaranteeing their autonomy. From President Jung Hye Sung’s perspective, he couldn’t ask for a better investor.

Of course, it was possible because Do Wook knew what kind of group President Jung Hye Sung would create.

Hye Sung had emailed Do Wook a rough outline of their plan not too long ago. The email also added that it would be nice if they had an opportunity to meet face to face, and Do Wook finally agreed to talk in person.

That day was today.

“By the way, what made you decide to invest in our company?”

President Jung Hye Sung asked before going into a full-length explanation, genuinely curious.

“I was looking for a place to invest in, and….I heard about you, sir,”

Do Wook replied, unphased.

Rumors circulated all the time in the industry. Do Wook thought that he couldn’t even try to find out who the source of the rumor was. In reality, President Jung Hye Sung seemed to agree. There were a lot of industry people in Do Wook’s circle, so of course, he thought it made sense that Do Wook could have heard that he was producing a group.

“I should bow or something to the person who told you about me.”

“Haha.”

“Still, to think that a current idol would invest into producing an idol group,”

President Jung Hye Sung muttered, still in disbelief no matter how many times he thought about it.

This whole time he had thought it was a stock investor looking for something new to invest into.

“I started thinking that I actually knew this field well.”

“That’s true. When it comes to production, there’s no better expert than you. You are KK’s producer after all. I was wondering who the investor is. Money aside, I feel like I’ve gained a thousand armies.”

“You’re too kind.”

Do Wook’s words made President Jung Hye Sung laugh. Then, he asked cautiously,

“But from HIT Entertainment’s perspective…”

“Ah, you don’t have to worry about that aspect.”

Do Wook had already come to an agreement with Department Head Jo Anna.

If he hadn’t been able to convince Department Head Jo Anna, he would have continued to stay in the shadows and have it under his father Professor Kang Woong Chun’s name until the end.

As an agency, it definitely would not be desirable if their agency’s singer was helping out another agency.

However, Department Head Jo Anna was definitely someone with extraordinary aspirations.

She was well aware that Do Wook had ambitions as an entertainment business investor and producer, and was also aware that in exchange for giving Do Wook freedom as an investor, they got him as a producer for their company.

The group Do Wook was currently investing in and wanted to pursue was a girl group. If it followed HIT Entertainment’s timeline, it would not enter production for another 3 years.

Department Head Jo Anna approved Do Wook getting involved as the investor for ‘Young Women’ under the condition that he wouldn’t participate in the production. If Do Wook were going to be a producer for a singer in earnest, there was an unspoken condition that it be for a HIT Entertainment singer.

Of course, that was what Do Wook planned on doing too.

Honestly, he had two reasons for investing into ‘Young Women’.*
(TL Note: For those, like me, who are wondering what those two reasons are, it was not directly stated)

“Though, there is something we need to make clear.”

“Please go on.”

“I’d like to keep it from the media that I’m the investor. Although there’s not much we can do if it gets found out.”

“Ah…it’s understandable that you’re worried. However, I am one of the people who want to see the group I produce succeed based on my own planning skills. Of course, I might accept help to an appropriate extent…”

Do Wook nodded his head. In that case, he didn’t have anything more to say.

“Yes. I don’t plan on giving any input on the production moving forward either. I’m truly just investing. I hope there won’t be any misunderstandings.

“Of course.”

President Jung Hye Sung responded matter-of-factly. Do Wook had planned on getting that part in writing, but he already felt that he could trust him. The President was someone who had great pride in his production skills.

‘President Jung Hye Sung…he has the skills to back it up. It’s true for anyone, but if he had had a little more robust funds…he would have been able to make the group even more successful…’

Do Wook had regrets about ‘Young Women’, the group President Jung Hye Sung previously produced.

They were a female idol group that came from a no-name agency. Everyone saw them as just one of the many girl groups that sprung up and debuted during a time where the idol business was facing a resurgence. However, ‘Young Women’ exceeded all expectations and gained huge popularity through their outstanding songs and talent.

Each member’s talent shone, but what shone above all else was the planning skills that made ‘Young Women’ into a success.

Unlike other agencies, which tried all sorts of things to demonstrate femininity and sexiness and seeing what sticks, they caught the public’s eye with a clear and fresh concept.

Furthermore, the members’ fighting spirit that got them through the hardships of being trainees at a newly established agency also set them apart from other groups.

However, even popularity gained through those methods inevitably have their limits.

There’s a reason capital is important in the entertainment business. Without continuous investment and media exposure, the public was quickly forced to find another high-quality group. There were too many alternative groups.

Original groups had to be successful past their debut albums and release at least a 2nd album to start turning a profit.

‘If they had the capital to push through a 2nd or even 3rd album…’

In that regard, there was no place more fitting for Do Wook to invest in.

They needed Do Wook’s help, and it was a group that could be very successful if they received a bit of investment. A return on the investment was guaranteed.

Above all else, the timing was perfect.

‘The girl group Seo Joong Won is going to release…they’ll be a significant competition for that girl group. Ara Entertainment won’t be able to monopolize the broadcast industry ever again.’

Do Wook thought as he placidly grit his teeth.

—

Next chapter: Do Wook meets the mmebers of Young Women

Translator’s comments: Hello everyone!!!!!! Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Thank you so much for your support of Superstar all these years. With about 40 episodes left in the series, THIS IS THE LAST YEAR OF SUPERSTAR!!!!! Can’t believe we’re in the home stretch now! Thank you all once again and special, huuuge thanks to White Rabbit for being an absolutely rockstar of a PR! Many blessings to you all in 2026!!

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