Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

The morning after meeting with Choi Eun-Tae, I woke up with a clear sense of purpose. Before I could work on reconciling Kang Eun-Gi and Choi Eun-Tae, I had to focus on two key tasks.

First, I needed to expose the corruption of Representative Park Sang-Gon, Choi Man-Sik's future father-in-law.

Because of this reason, I opened my planner to confirm the date when Kang Myung-Gil would deliver the bribe.

[Everyday V10.1]

[Date: September 30, 2020]

-11:30 p.m.: Seoul Naksan Park parking lot. (Report: Instructions passed to Team Lead Kang Myung-Gil.)

Since it was clear that their influence had even reached the police, I realized that I had to take matters into my own hands.

The second task was securing the position of chief. The independence that came with that role would function as a shield to help protect my people from Choi Man-Sik's interference.

Smack!

I slapped my cheeks with both hands to get myself together. After a good night's sleep, the emptiness I felt from learning that Choi Eun-Tae wasn't my father had faded away.

"Alright, time to get started again," I uttered.

I threw off the blanket, got up, and headed to the kitchen while checking the articles.

[In the Name of God Episode 12 reaches 30.2% viewership ratings!]

[The highest viewership ratings in 10 years! Writer Lee Ji-Yeon's unstoppable streak!]

[In the Name of God already a strong contender for Drama of the Year, Best Lead Actor, and Best Newcomer awards?]

[Jung Yoo-Jin: A frontrunner for Best Newcomer awards at SBC and MBS?]

The 12th episode of In the Name of God which aired last night ended up surpassing 30% viewership ratings.

I saw 77 missed calls and 315 unread KkTalk messages from PDs and ADs from MBS, KBC, and SBC, all requesting appearances on various drama, variety, and cultural shows.

If I hadn't put my phone on silent mode, I probably wouldn't have gotten any sleep.

After drinking some cold water in the kitchen to clear my head, I headed to Haru's room. "Haru, it's time to get up for school."

Haru curled up under the blanket and struggled to open his eyes. Recently, Haru had been extremely busy as he was competing in the preliminaries for Master of Table following his appearance on Master of Mukbang.

Haru blinked a few times upon hearing my voice before sitting up suddenly in a panic. "H-hyung! What time is it right now?"

"7 a.m. There's still plenty of time, so don't worry and go wash up."

Haru folded up his blanket and got out of bed. He had grown at least 3 cm taller and was now even taller than Sae-Ri.

While Haru washed up, I opened the rice cooker to prepare breakfast. Today's menu was kimchi tuna fried rice. As I took out the sesame oil, kimchi, and tuna, my phone rang.

[Caller: MBS President Choi Sang-Byung]

"Is this a congratulatory call for the viewership ratings?" I muttered.

When I answered the phone, Choi Sang-Byung's urgent voice came through.

-Team Lead Jung! You need to come to the company right now!

"I'm sorry?"

-We need to finalize the contract! Remember?

"Oh..."

Come to think of it, we hadn't signed the contract with MBS for Hwaranjeon yet.

"I'll head over with the writer and the director later today."

-Good. And if possible, bring Miss Yoo-Jin along... Wait, does she have time, though?

"She has a tight schedule, but she can come after her afternoon shoot. I'll give you a call between 3 and 5 p.m. once we're done on set.

-Okay, see you later!

After hanging up, I fell into deep thought. Although we had planned to sign the contract with MBS, the KkTalk messages I received earlier made me reconsider.

[KBC CP Yang Joon-Soo: Our president says he can match the terms MBS offered! Please consider our proposal!]

[SBC CP Jung Sam-Ryong: Team Lead Jung, our president wants Miss Yoo-Jin and you at the company ASAP. Should I come to pick you up in the morning?]

After In the Name of God surpassed 30% viewership ratings, KBC and SBC quickly changed their attitudes.

"But still, MBS takes priority," I said to myself.

Even though the other broadcasting companies were offering more money, I wasn't going to abandon MBS who had reached out first.

Just then, Haru walked out of the shower while shaking his wet hair. Because he was growing it out to a bob, his hair now reached just over his ears, swaying as he moved.

I playfully teased Haru as he dried his hair with a towel. "Haru, should I get you a shampoo commercial?"

Haru smiled brightly, making me smile too. "I don't take ads under 50 million won anymore. You know that, right?"

I knew Haru was joking as he wasn't money-minded, so I decided to tease him further.

I said with an exaggerated voice, "Come on, just 50 million won? It should be at least 100 million!"

Haru's eyes widened in surprise. "N-no, hyung. I was just kidding!"

"I know. But I'm serious, though."

Last week, the 11th episode of Master of Mukbang had a viewership rating of 11.3%. Since it surpassed 10%, Yang Eun-Jung, the marketing director at CK Foods, increased the advertising fee by 50 million won.

As a result, the total fee for Haru's "Neat Day Curry" ad was now 120 million won. Nonetheless, what mattered more than the higher fee was seeing Haru so cheerful, unlike before.

"By the way, hyung, is today's breakfast kimchi fried rice?" Haru asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. We got some sesame oil from Sae-Ri's family as a gift. I'll use that."

"Awesome! Should we invite Yoo-Jin noona, Miso, and Mrs. Jung too?"

"Invite them all! I'll show off my cooking skills today."

I wanted to repay everyone who had comforted me last night when I was feeling down.

I opened the cupboard and pulled out a can of Spam, upgrading the menu from kimchi tuna fried rice to Spam kimchi fried rice. As the savory aroma began to fill the kitchen, I couldn't help but hum to myself. "Kimchi~ Kimchi~ So good for you and so tasty too~"

Before I knew it, I was singing along to the kimchi song like Miso.

***

At the Yangpyeong set, we were filming the 17th episode of In the Name of God.

With viewership ratings surpassing 30%, the staff had an extra spring in their step as they worked on the latter part of the series.

"Alright, let's move on to the next scene quickly!"

"Yung-Cheol, run to Set 2 right after this cut! Okay?"

"Yes, sir!"

Everyone was smiling, but there was no avoiding the sweat of exhaustion on their faces. Seeing this, I called three nearby coffee shops and ordered 300 cups of coffee and 300 sandwiches.

A short while later, the deliveries from the three coffee shops arrived.

"Why don't we take a break and grab a snack, everyone?" I said to the crew.

The atmosphere on set instantly became more lively.

"Wow. Mr. Jung, thank you!"

"Miss Yoo-Jin, thanks for the treat!"

The talent agents of other lead actors looked at me as if they made a mistake. After all, these "bribes" could change how the staff treated the actors significantly.

Filming resumed after the bustling snack break. While Yoo-Jin was busy on set, I tidied up the waiting chairs.

That's when Cha Soo-Yeon approached me and said, "Mr. Jung, thank you so much. You really gave everyone a boost."

I smiled. "No problem. After breaking 30%, it was only right to treat everyone."

Cha Soo-Yeon smiled warmly but then cautiously asked, "So, is it confirmed that your next project will be with MBS?"

Due to the bankruptcy of the drama production company Red Moon, Cha Soo-Yeon's company, Blue Dragon, had risen to the top of the industry. She saw this as a golden opportunity to widen the gap between her company and the second-ranked production house by securing Hwaranjeon.

I shook my head. "No, it's not finalized yet. I'm heading to MBS this afternoon to sign the contract."

"Then could you possibly delay that contract a bit?"

"Are you planning to produce Hwaranjeon?"

"If I get the chance, yes. You know that independent production companies have more budget flexibility, right? I can pull in some hefty investments."

"I'm not sure... I've already discussed it with the president of MBS…" I replied hesitantly.

Cha Soo-Yeon grabbed my arm and pleaded, "Come on~ If you haven't signed the contract yet, at least hear our offer. I'll get back to you within three hours, okay?"

"I'll think about it."

I realized it never hurts to have more options, so I asked Cha Soo-Yeon to send the terms via KkTalk once they were decided.

***

After passionately portraying the character Manshin Wol-Ah, Yoo-Jin returned to her waiting seat. Since this was the last scene involving Manshin Wol-Ah, I was about to help her remove the costume.

Just then, Kim Soo-Hee, the veteran actress who had just finished filming, approached us.

Yoo-Jin quickly stood up and greeted her warmly. "Mrs. Kim, you did such a great job today."

"Don't be so formal—you and I are getting older together, you know?" Kim Soo-Hee teased.

Yoo-Jin winked playfully and gave a witty reply. "Should I start talking to you like Mrs. Jin Yoo-Jung then?"

"Come on, everyone knows who you are now and that would just be weird. Do you want to get on people's bad side?"

Yoo-Jin scratched her head. "I guess you're right."

Kim Soo-Hee glanced at both of us with a smile.

"Thanks to you two, I'm really grateful to have been part of a drama that hit 30% viewership ratings. I just wanted to say thank you."

Yoo-Jin responded quickly. "No, we should be the ones to thank you, Mrs. Kim!"

"Not at all. Anyway Yoo-Jin, I heard you've already picked your next project. Is that true?"

"Yes, I'm about to sign the contract."

"Then maybe I should audition for a role in your next drama."

"For real?"

Kim Soo-Hee looked at me with a knowing glance. "Everyone's saying that success is guaranteed if they stick with Team Lead Jung."

In Hwaranjeon, the only roles suitable for veteran actors like Kim Soo-Hee were villainous ones. While these roles could be impactful, they also came with risks. Audiences would often associate the characters with the actors, which could harm their public image.

I said, "I'm not sure there's a suitable role for you in this one."

But Kim Soo-Hee smiled mischievously. "Is that so? I heard the writer has crafted some excellent villains this time."

"I also heard that you missed out on some ad opportunities after playing a villain in In the Name of God. Maybe it's time to take on a role that brings in more positive attention."

Advertisers were usually hesitant to hire actors who portrayed villains, because the better the actor was at the role, the more disliked they became.

However, Kim Soo-Hee burst into laughter. "Listen, Team Lead Jung. At my age, public opinion doesn't mean much. I've made enough money and won enough awards. At this point... all that's left is to challenge myself before I die. I want to try roles I've never done before. For an actor, there's nothing more thrilling than that."

Only then did I realize that Kim Soo-Hee hadn't come to me on a whim.

"If that's what you want…I'll try my best to find you a good role."

"Thank you, Team Lead Jung."

Kim Soo-Hee then looked at me with a meaningful expression. "Oh, and remember what I said before?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You know, when I told you to reach for the stars and go global."

In the past, Kim Soo-Hee had suggested that Yoo-Jin and I join her agency, urging us not to be confined by Hoop Entertainment if we wanted to go global.

"I remember."

"Well, I was wrong. You were right."

I stayed silent, letting her continue.

"In my younger days, I used to envy those glamorous foreign actors I saw in Japanese magazines. I wanted to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them... But times have changed, haven't they? Now, they're the ones looking for Yoo-Jin overseas."

I nodded. Yoo-Jin's popularity was indeed rising not only in Asia but also internationally with fans asking for English subtitles for her work.

"So keep doing what you're doing. You two should dream even bigger than I ever did. You don't have to go overseas to make it big—make sure the whole world knows Yoo-Jin's name even if she stays in Korea. What do you say? Can you do it?"

Kim Soo-Hee offered us her heartfelt encouragement, suggesting that Yoo-Jin and I aim even higher than she ever had.

After exchanging a glance with Yoo-Jin, we both answered her in unison. "Yes, ma'am!"

Kim Soo-Hee nodded and gave a warm smile.

***

After wrapping up the on-site filming, Yoo-Jin and I headed to the MBS headquarters.

We were greeted by Kang Gam-Chan, Kwak Moo-Hyuk, and the writers Lee Ji-Yeon, Kim Soll-Ip, and Han Woo-Ju.

After exchanging pleasantries, we quickly made our way to the president's office.

Inside the president's office, we found Choi Sang-Byung sitting with Drama Department Head Kim Gyuk-Shik.

"Welcome, Ms. Lee Ji-Yeon! Please, have a seat. Ah, and Miss Yoo-Jin is here too!"

With In the Name of God surpassing 30% viewership ratings, Choi Sang-Byung was eager to pay special attention to Lee Ji-Yeon and Yoo-Jin.

However, Lee Ji-Yeon snorted and quickly put him in his place. "Mr. Choi! We're here to discuss Hwaranjeon today, so shouldn't you greet the main writer first?"

Realizing his mistake, Choi Sang-Byung hurriedly corrected himself. "Oh dear! Ms. Han, I apologize for my oversight."

When Choi Sang-Byung bowed politely to Han Woo-Ju, she began to blush. "Th-there's no need to be so formal, sir. Please, just speak comfortably..."

At that moment, Lee Ji-Yeon interjected playfully, "Hey, Writer Han. if you're being so meek as the main writer, how are Soll-Ip and I supposed to carry ourselves as the assistant writers?"

Kim Soll-Ip joined in and agreed with Lee Ji-Yeon. "Exactly! If our main writer is so humble, we'll get walked all over by the broadcasting station. You need to carry yourself with confidence!"

In truth, a rookie writer acting too assertively could face criticism. However, it was an entirely different situation when handling a major project like Hwaranjeon. A lead writer of a big drama held the livelihoods of dozens, if not hundreds, of people in their hands.

Hence, it was better to present oneself with confidence and assertiveness.

Taking the advice to heart, Han Woo-Ju nodded in understanding.

Choi Sang-Byung guided the writers to their seats first. "Please, Ms. Han. Have a seat here."

After they were seated, Kang Gam-Chan, Kwak Moo-Hyuk, and I took our places on the sofas.

The conversation then quickly turned to the contract details. Everything was as agreed upon with no changes. Yoo-Jin's appearance fee was confirmed at 100 million won, securing her status as an S-grade celebrity.

However, one issue arose.

"We're thinking of appointing CP Choi Tae-Joong as the main CP and PD Yang Hyun-Seop as the director. What do you think, Ms. Han?"

'Yang Hyun-Seop as the PD? That's a terrible idea,' I thought.

While Choi Tae-Joong had plenty of experience with historical dramas, Yang Hyun-Seop had built his reputation on trendy dramas and had no experience with historical settings. Moreover, in a year, he would disastrously fail with At the Edge of the Sword, a fusion historical drama he directed.

Hence, I cautiously suggested PD Oh Bok-Hee who had handled Hwaranjeon in my past life.

"Mr. Choi. I'm sorry, but could we have Mrs. Oh Bok-Hee direct this instead?"

Kim Gyuk-Shik was taken aback by my suggestion and exclaimed, "What? You want to entrust this major project to the worst troublemaker in the drama department?"

Indeed, PD Oh Bok-Hee had a notorious reputation.

She was a ten-year veteran PD who was currently under disciplinary action for assaulting a lead actor on her latest project.

Ristretto's Thoughts

Woah, okay. Maybe that IS a bit problematic…

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