Manager Oh Baek Ho, who had received the call, left the office to meet up with Team leader Lee Dae Hyung.
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung had said it was nothing urgent, but Manager Oh Baek Ho was feeling impatient.
Where Manager Oh Baek Ho and Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung met up was a café near the office.
“Department Manager Oh, over here!”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung, who had arrived first and was waiting for Manager Oh Baek Ho, waved.
Manager Oh Baek Ho had recently gotten promoted to Department Manager during a corporate restructuring. In terms of performance and profitability, HIT Entertainment already started surpassing the top three major agencies with KK alone, but they were still considered small in terms of organization size.
Therefore, internally, the promotion itself didn’t mean much. Among the managers, Oh Baek Ho was already working not on a manager level, but at department head level. No, even beyond that.
Still, the position came with more authority and responsibility, and there was a significant salary raise to match.
“Oh. Team Leader.”
Department Manager Oh Baek Ho spotted Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung and headed towards the seat with big strides.
As the saying goes, the position makes the man and once he got the title of Director, the extraordinary momentum people already felt from his large physique felt even more intense. It wasn’t as if Department Manager Oh Baek Ho was going to harm him, but Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung subconsciously flinched.
Even the title of ‘Department Manager’ didn’t feel like a title in a company, but a title in the underworld when attached to Oh Baek Ho.
“Haha, you got here quickly,”
Team leader Lee Dae Hyung, who quickly came to his senses, smiled and said to Department Manager Oh Baek Ho, who sat in front of him.
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung, of course, also got a pay raise.
However, his title was still Team Leader. That was because in Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung’s case, he might even get transferred to another department.
It was very likely that Team leader Lee Dae Hyung would take over Division Head Jo Anna’s position in the Planning and Operations Team. It would happen once Division Head Jo Anna became a Senior Vice President.
The date became a little delayed when they acquired Jam Music. Once Division Head Jo Anna completed the acquisition, they planned to have a complete reorganization of HIT Entertainment’s internal organization.
“Congratulations on your promotion to Department Manager.”
“You’ve already congratulated me. So, are you transferring to Ara Entertainment?”
Department Manager Oh Baek Ho asked bluntly as soon as he sat down.
They hadn’t even ordered their drinks yet. The employee, who was bringing them menus to take their order, groaned behind them, perhaps feeling Department Manager Oh Baek Ho’s menacing energy.
With a cold sweat, Team leader Lee Dae Hyung shook his head and called the employee over for the menu.
“Ah, no. Oh you. Let’s order first.”
“That’s not it? I’ll have an iced caramel macchiato.”
“Haha, yes. That’s not it. Excuse me! One iced americano and one iced caramel macchiato please.”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung ordered quickly and turned towards Department Manager Oh Baek Ho again.
When he was telling Do Wook over the phone about the offer that had come in for him, he told him that he had also received an offer from Ara Entertainment. Then he got a call from an impatient Department Manager Oh Baek Ho wanting to meet up immediately.
From Department Manager Oh Baek Ho’s perspective, he couldn’t help it.
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung was the only person other than himself who knew the story between Do Wook and Ara Entertainment, which even the members didn’t know.
Also, you could say that among the officials, he played the most critical role during the most crucial moments from KK’s early debut days until where they were now.
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung had a particularly massive role in them entering America. Division Head Jo Anna thought very highly of that fact and, of course, it was the same with Department Manager Oh Baek Ho.
They were in different teams and did different work, but as someone close to the group KK, he couldn’t let a person like Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung go to Ara Entertainment.
“Yes. I did receive an offer to take over for Strategic Planning Manager Jin Guk Sun, who used to work under Director Seo Joong won…”
“Ahhh…”
After all that happened to Director Seo Joong Won, Ara Entertainment was undergoing major changes. Those who had been on Director Seo Joong Won’s side were mostly getting dismissed. They were filling those positions internally, but it was true that there were still quite a few vacancies.
They were a company who maintained the top spot in the industry for a long time. As such, the positions that suddenly opened were creating fluctuations in the labor market in the entertainment industry.
Chungwul and other major agencies were also keen to not lose any personnel to Ara Entertainment.
There were also many small-medium sized agencies that were putting in a lot of effort to bring the people who were pushed out of Ara Entertainment on board because they at least had the know-how of Ara.
A member of the Album Production Team at HIT was already scouted from Ara.
Since KK was currently the top group, if one said that they played a part in ‘producing KK’, the experience would be acknowledged anywhere in the industry.
It was ok because employees moving companies happens all the time and it was not a big breach. Of course, it was a different story when talking about someone on Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung’s level.
‘As I expected, he received an offer for an important position.’
Department Manager Oh Baek Ho calmly nodded his head. Anyways, he was able to be calm because he already knew that Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung would choose HIT Entertainment.
“They said why don’t I get accustomed to Ara for 6 months and then take over Director Seo’s position…”
Department Manager Oh Baek Ho’s eyes grew wide.
In other words, the offer Team Leader Lee Day Hung received was for Director Seo Joong Won’s position. He could easily see being offered Strategic Planning Manager, but not the Director position.
Even if Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung became a Department Manager, there was quite a big difference between being a Department Manager at HIT Entertainment and a Director at Ara Entertainment.
“You mean you turned that down?”
Department Manager Oh Baek Ho’s voice got a little louder.
“Yes.”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung smiled pleasantly and responded determinedly.
“Well…it’d be good for the company and good for me, but…”
The reason he mentioned turning down the offer to Department Manager Oh Baek Ho was because Team Leader Lee Da Hyung himself wanted to put a wedge so that he would no longer falter.
From Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung’s perspective, it was a very tempting offer.
Undeniably, if he became the Director at Ara Entertainment, he would be able to do a lot of work both domestically and abroad with the company’s size and influence behind him.
However, part of him also wanted to continue to grow HIT Entertainment together.
The present and the future, there were lots of things to consider and lots of internal conflict.
“Within the next 10 years, HIT will become a bigger company than Ara. I saw that future.”
The drinks they had ordered were placed on the table. Wetting his throat, Department Manager Oh Baek Ho responded to what Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung said.
“I’d want for nothing if that happens. That’s what all the higher ups are dreaming of too… Actually, I just came from meeting with the Rookie Development Team Leader. They’re going to keep growing KK, but they have to grow their successor too.”
“That’s right…”
“You knew that Do Wook invested in Young Women, right? Do Wook will probably grow the next group HIT Entertainment plans on launching, just like with KK. If you stay on as well, don’t you think the chances of that happening will become significantly higher?”
Department Manager Oh Baek Ho asked with confidence.
“Of course.”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung was assured once again that his thinking was not wrong. He already firmly believed that the company that had the producer named Kang Do Wook would soon be at the top of the industry.
Someone like Do Wook was unprecedented, both as a star and as a producer.
Actually, when he got the offer from Ara, the very first person he told about the offer was Do Wook.
The reason that he stayed at HIT Entertainment when he was first scouted by Director Seo Joong Won was because of Do Wook in the end. He determined that Do Wook would have a huge influence on his decision this time too.
And it was just as he thought.
When he told Do Wook about the offer, Do Wook first congratulated him without hesitation.
“It’s already your second offer from Ara, isn’t it? Everyone in the industry probably has their eye on you.”
“It’s embarrassing if you praise me that much. Haha.”
“Knowing you, you’ll do very well even at Ara. Rather, you can take Ara to even bigger heights than Director Seo Joong Won…”
“Do Wook, are you hoping I’d go to Ara?”
“Isn’t it too good of an offer? I also want to see a Number 1 agency run by you. It’s just…”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung could feel from Do Wook’s words that Do Wook was treating him not just as an employee at his company but as a fellow person.
Even if it would only benefit Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung, Do Wook was the type of person to tell him without hesitation to make the better choice.
“That position is particularly…you know. Ara’s internal factions are severe, and you can hold power over broadcast stations there. I only hope that you won’t waver.”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung was silent for a moment.
Honestly, that was one of the points Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung was worried about. He was an ambitious person. Until now, with the healthy atmosphere at HIT Entertainment, the ambition was only radiating in a positive direction.
However, you can’t tell how the atmosphere might change a person. He was afraid that if he went to Ara Entertainment, he would become a dog to power like Director Seo Joong Won.
As expected, Do Wook accurately zeroed in on that part.
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung nodded his head.
He already came to know very well about the hard work, passion, and the pure joy of achievement that followed by being at HIT Entertainment.
There were many people at HIT Entertainment who would acknowledge that.
Furthermore, the idea that if you thought about not just immediately but 10 years into the future, staying with HIT Entertainment was the right thing remained strongly in Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung’s mind after meeting with Do Wook.
“Let’s do our best until the end.”
“Yes, sir. Also…”
“That’s right. What’s the offer that came in for Do Wook?”
“Do Wook is at a bunker21 event right now, isn’t he?”
Department Manager Oh Baek Ho checked the time and nodded his head. Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung was thinking of sending Do Wook a message, but had decided against it because he didn’t want to get him excited when he was about to perform. Of course, Do Wook wasn’t a newbie who would mess up a performance over something like that, but it was news that even Do Wook would get excited over.
“Does Do Wook…like General Comics?”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung’s question made Department Manager Oh Baek Ho make an indifferent expression, wondering why he was suddenly talking about comics. Soon after, he shook his head in disbelief.
***
The set of SVS ‘Life Song’ live broadcast.
“Ok! Bunker21, whom everyone has been curious about, is finally revealing his identity today!”
“Ok~ He’s also a nominee for first place today, isn’t he? Revealed for the first time on Life song! Please stay tuned!”
“Let me introduce! Bunker21!”
Oh Bin, the Life Song MC, and Young Women’s Da Hye, who became the special MC, introduced Bunker21.
Since Bunker21’s performance was a private pre-recorded performance with only a minimum number of people, even the MCs did not know who Bunker21 was yet.
Everybody looked at the monitor, their hearts pounding.
Soon, the silhouette of two men was revealed through the hazy dry ice smoke along with the acoustic guitar accompaniment of ‘Please Take a Listen’.
“Kyaaa!”
“Hurr!”
“What? What, what?!”
“Crazy! Look, on the stage!!!”
Do Wook and Suk Ji Hoon, whose faces people couldn’t NOT know, were singing on the VCR screen.
While the recorded part of the broadcast was playing on the screen, Do Wook and Suk Ji Hoon were coming onto the stage prepared for the live broadcast as part of fan service.
The people attending today were mostly fans of M2M and Chae Eun Ho, who was the other nominee for first place, or fans of other groups.
Despite that, the reactions of the fans when they saw Do Wook and Suk Ji Hoon was immense. Everyone was surprised to the point that they might faint.
“Kyaaa!”
Oh Bin and Da Hye in the MC seat were as surprised as the screaming audience. Da Hye, who was also a fan of Do Wook, was covering her mouth at the unexpected encounter.
Do Wook and Suk Ji Hoon waved to the audience with relaxed smiles.
Next chapter: Bunger21’s identity is revealed