“The truth is…”
Do Wook carefully started to speak.
“We have privately met with Reporter Choi Sung Joon before.”
“Huh? Privately?”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung asked back, not having expected that at all. Manager Oh Baek Ho nodded his head and added,
“He had privately reached out, because he wanted to apologize to Do Wook. We weren’t satisfied with just the correction article either, so…we were upset and decided to meet him.”
“I see.”
“When we got there, he explained why he couldn’t help but have a prejudice against idols.”
“Ah…he may have gone through stuff, but publishing that kind of article about Do Wook when he’s innocent is…”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung said as he shook his head.
Before they knew it, an employee had cleared their empty bowls and cleaned the table. Cinnamon punch was served as dessert. The restaurant was still fairly empty.
“So, what was the explanation?”
Do Wook replied to Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung’s question.
“He said his younger brother suffered severe school violence. It was a tragic story…”
Do Wook’s expression briefly darkened as he talked. It was because Choi Sung Joon’s younger brother came to mind. At least now he went out for a walk once a week and regularly went to the hospital for treatment.
“He said the perpetrator of the violence was Seo Kang Jun, no, Seo Jun…and whenever he turned on the television, he saw Seo Jun laughing with an angelic face, so it made Reporter Choi filled with anger.”
“Ah…”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung let out a groan-like sigh.
Do Wook took a sip of the cinnamon punch because his throat was burning. He had a sweet but bitter taste in his mouth.
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung, who recalled a series of events related to Seo Kang Jun not long ago, nodded his head. It seemed like he had a rough idea of what happened.
“By any chance, is the person who wrote the hand written complaint online…”
“Yes. It was Reporter Choi Sung Joon’s younger brother.”
“I see.”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung muttered as if saying it was a pity.
“We were with Reporter Choi…when telling him to post his story online. I had a friend who was a victim of school violence…and he was an idol loved by many people despite the kind of person he is. I just couldn’t forgive that.”
Do Wook didn’t mention that he had also leaked the college incident to Reporter Choi Sung Joon. He thought his explanation would be enough.
Team leader Lee Dae Hyung’s expression became serious at Do Wook’s words.
He tried to think from Director Seo Joong Won’s perspective.
‘Reporter Choi Sung Joon, who was behind the incidents that dragged Seo Jun down. That person and HIT Entertainment’s relationship.’ Director Seo Joong Won probably drew his own conclusions about it.
‘If there’s someone blocking your goal, get rid of them,’ was Director Seo Joong Won’s mentality. So he probably thought that if there was someone behind Reporter Choi Sung Joon, it would probably be HIT Entertainment’s KK who used to be M2M’s rival group.
If he had found out that Reporter Choi Sung Joon and Do Wook had been in contact, he wouldn’t have just been fishing for information from Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung. He might already know.
His thoughts were making him feel suffocated.
Director Seo Joong Won was a person you shouldn’t mess with. It wasn’t just rumors that he wasn’t above doing anything when it came to getting things done, it was true.
Rationally, Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung thought Do Wook’s conclusion was wrong.
The reason Director Seo Joong Wan had just watched from the sidelines as KK succeeded was because he thought little of them. He had thought that even if they succeed at a powerless small-to-mid-sized agency like HIT Entertainment, it wouldn’t amount to much.
While he wasn’t paying them attention, KK rose all the way to the top and M2M became a second-place group.
While all that was going on, Director Seo Joon Won was given additional bait to keep an eye on and take notice of KK and Do Wook.
They shouldn’t have helped Reporter Choi Sung Joon at all. However, that was Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung’s opinion.
Considering what Do Wook is like, he had made the most rational judgment he could. A straight and narrow person like Do Wook wouldn’t be able to forgive someone like Seo Kang Jun.
“I see.”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung spoke after organizing his thoughts.
“Well…if that’s the extent, I don’t think there’s anything even Director Seo can pick on. Now that KK has become Director Seo’s goal, we have no way of knowing how he’ll come at us. Manager Oh, you’re aware too, but…he’ll do whatever it takes to get what he wants.”
Manager Oh Baek Ho nodded his head as if saying he was well aware. Do Wook was aware too.
“Then….”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung was trying to get them to see that it would be better if they didn’t get involved anymore. Totally out of character, Do Wook didn’t let him finish and said,
“So.”
“Huh?”
“So I don’t plan on becoming Director Seo Joong Won’s victim.”
“Ah. Yes. Absolutely. Of course.”
“I’m going to become the person who can shake Director Seo Joong Won.”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung’s eyes widened at Do Wook’s words. Surprised, his jaw dropped as well.
“What good has he done with that ‘whatever it takes’ attitude? Probably only evil things. That’s also why you’re worried. I’m not going to let evil people like Director Seo Joong Won continue using his authority for evil.”
“How…”
“First, I’ll have to gain that kind of power.”
Do Wook took his time continuing his thought.
“It’d be even better if I can find his weakness.”
Director Seo Joong Won was trying to use Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung. Then Do Wook would do the same.
Moreover, Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung had completely and firmly decided to get in the same boat as KK. Even from his position, he clearly had to keep Director Seo Joon Won, who could try to hurt KK at any moment, in check.
So today, Do Wook was certain that Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung would help him.
‘A huge help too…’
Do Wook had a feeling.
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung saw on Do Wook’s face determination like he hadn’t seen from him before. Do Wook’s black eyes were burning with resolve.
***
Album Production Team Leader Shim Jun asked to meet privately with Do Wook, who was at the rehearsal hall practicing the choreography.
It was about Do Wook asking the other day if he knew of the production company ‘Hwa En Su’.
When Team Leader Shim Jun asked about his reasoning, Do Wook expressed his desire to be involved in a drama’s OST to avoid KK having a music gap.
When he heard about a drama OST, Team Leader Shim Jun welcomed it, saying it was a good idea.
However, there were two issues: which drama OST and how.
First, it was important which drama it was. How well a drama does directly translates to how well the drama OST does. There are rare occasions where only the OST becomes popular, but it’s almost a given that how well the drama and the music does is correlated.
Furthermore, if they did the OST for a drama that got low ratings and didn’t catch the public’s interest, it would only be a loss to KK.
Of course, even if the ratings aren’t high, an OST song is guaranteed a certain amount of success, so even obscure so-called ‘unknown’ singers try to do an OST so they can ride on the coattails of the drama.
However, renowned singers like KK didn’t just need some success, it had to be a major hit. If the song didn’t do well, regardless of the drama, it would reflect badly on KK.
It was because if KK does an OST, KK’s name will definitely be used to promote the drama.
Also, ‘how’ was another problem. You had to get approval from numerous people.
Not only is it guaranteed to get you on the music charts, but you also receive a substantial amount of money from royalties even if it doesn’t do well, since the song plays every time the drama airs. If the drama does better than average, you would receive additional profits. Expanding overseas is automatically possible too.
Therefore, regardless of how popular KK was, it had to be approved by numerous people including the drama production companies, broadcast stations, investment companies, etc. so it wasn’t guaranteed that KK would be able to do the OST.
Moreover, KK wasn’t a ballad singer that the OST market acknowledges as, ‘If he/she sings it, it’s guaranteed to be a hit!’
As if reading Team Leader Shim Jun’s mind, Do Wook mentioned a specific drama production company and project.
“Don’t they have a new drama airing right now?”
Team Leader Shim Jun looked into it a little bit and immediately came across the drama ‘Successors’.
It was a drama written by star writer Jung Eun Soo. The star power of the main cast was also huge. All the young stars in their 20s were gathered. Therefore, the drama board was already expecting it to be a hit, and each and every one of the companies had put in a substantial amount of PPL*.
(PR note: PPL = abbreviation of Product Placement)
They had already started filming and there was about two weeks until it aired.
“Oh, you’re right. I guess you’re well informed about this stuff because you’re also an actor.”
“Well…that’s not quite true.”
“But it’s such a big project…we don’t usually do OSTs. I’m not sure if we can squeeze in there. Though, I think if we say that you want to do it they’ll at least contact us back.”
It was as Team Leader Shim Jun said.
Even among the supporting actors there was an idol-turned actor, so the main OST was most likely going to be done by that agency.
“I’ve at least reached out to them. That we’d like a meeting.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Do Wook also wasn’t acting on 100% confidence.
In fact, everything was like that.
‘Just because I know that it’s going to do well doesn’t mean it’ll go well for me too…’
Still, he thought it was the fastest and strongest way to establish their presence while not getting forgotten by the public at the same time.
Team Leader Shim Jun, who said to wait for them to get back to them, asked Do Wook with a very serious expression,
“But…”
“Yes, is there a problem?”
“But…what if you get a casting offer? What if they say they’ll replace the main actor?”
“Haha, oh you.”
Do Wook, who had briefly tensed up at what Team Leader Shim Jun said, relaxed and burst into laughter.
“How could I take Ju Min Ho’s place!”
Do Wook said as he laughed. Team Leader Shim Jun hit him and joked that he should have confidence. Do Wook could only laugh at how absurd it was.
Ahn Hyung Seo, who had been at the rehearsal hall practicing the choreography, noticed Team Leader Shim Jun while coming to the water dispenser for a drink and greeted him.
“Are you feeling ok?”
“Yes…I’m really all better now. I’m sorry.”
Ahn Hyung Seo had been in that state ever since he got sick. He wouldn’t listen even when people told him he had nothing to apologize for so the members called him ‘apology bot’, but he kept saying ‘sorry’ and ‘my apologies’.
“It was probably the hardest on you. Try not to use your voice too much yet.”
“Ok.”
Ahn Hyung Seo looked glum as he drank water after replying. Team Leader Shim Jun looked at him concernedly.
However, Do Wook didn’t worry too much about Ahn Hyung Seo. Right now he was very sorry that the comeback was postponed, but once he fully recovered and they did the comeback, Ahn Hyung Seo would be able to let go of the burden.
‘It’d be nice if we can do the OST, if only to lighten Ahn Hyung Seo’s burden quickly…’
Do Wook thought.
***
A few days later, an unfamiliar number popped up on Team Leader Shim Jun’s cellphone. It was from the production company ‘Hwa En Su’.
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