Chapter 244

“Team Leader Jung Sunwoo, just a moment!”

As soon as I returned from an external meeting, I was stopped in the company lobby.

It was a stranger. He glanced at the security team member watching us and quickly pulled a business card from his wallet with a charming smile.

“I’m Park Sungnam from SN Media. We sent you a few planning proposals and scripts before, titled ‘Return of the Hip Hop King.’ Do you remember?”

Ah, that. I almost burst into tears reading the first episode’s script.

“I wanted to discuss it with Team Leader Jung in person again, so I took the liberty of coming directly since scheduling an appointment has been so difficult…”

To think he wants to take my actor with such a scriptno way, not while I can still see.

You never know when it might rain from any cloud.

There might be a genuinely good project from that production company next time.

“Sorry, but Ji-Jun’s schedule makes it impossible,” I said.

“We can adjust everything. The broadcast schedule hasn’t been set yet, so there’s plenty of room for adjustment.”

It must be because they haven’t secured a broadcast slot yet.

If they do, I’d worry about the future of our cultural arts.

“If Ji-Jun is unavailable, how about Lim Joowon?”

“…This project doesn’t suit Ji-Jun or Joowon. Please contact me again when you have a good script next time. I’m currently,”

Just then, my phone vibrated.

“Too busy. Sorry.”

I smiled long as I bid him farewell and turned away.

I checked the caller ID; it was a journalist. They wanted an exclusive interview to discuss the prevalent superstitions in the Korean entertainment industry alongside my undefeated myth.

It must be the season for nonsense.

I sent a call rejection message stating I was in a meeting and ignored it.

As soon as I arrived on the fifth floor, I was cornered by the PR team.

“Team Leader, you’re still not considering appearing on TV, are you?”

“No. Are we still getting a lot of inquiries?”

“The ones just poking around because of the Jung Sunwoo list issue have decreased since we consistently denied any truth to it, but the general entertainment program invitations have increased.”

“Everyone knows Team Leader Jung’s reputation, but this incident really boosted your public recognition. The genres of the invitations have diversified. Travel shows, food programs, idol survival, parenting advice shows…”

“Please tell them I’m too busy to spare any time.”

I’m still rejecting all direct booking requests.

The PR team nodded but seemed disappointed.

“There’s a lot of missed opportunities. Can’t help it, though.”

“Team Leader Jung might as well maintain a mysterious image without going on variety shows. It might damage your current image if you did.”

“Right. If there’s anything else, please contact me.”

Just what you’d expect from the PR team, seriously considering how to manage my image as I headed to my office.

No sooner had I set down my bag than another employee brought in a hefty cardboard box.

“These are the new project proposals for team 4. Synopses and scenarios on the left, drama planning proposals and scripts on the right.”

“There’s so much?”

“There’s more. I’ll print out the ones we received digitally and give them to you. Also, I’ve noted the contact details of those who came in person wanting to speak with Team Leader Jung.”

“Thank you.”

After the employee left, I made coffee.

Sitting down, I injected caffeine into my system like it was a vitamin infusion, calming my mind.

This too shall pass. It has before and will again.

Snowfall… Snowfall…

Huh?

I found myself humming the refrain from Snowfall, as if on cue, when I received a call from Chief Sim of World Art Pictures.

Has there been contact from the Let It Snow team?

I was contemplating which approach to take if their response was negative when I picked up the phone.

“Team Leader Jung, are you by any chance acquainted with Margo Whistler’s agent?”

Margo Whistler?

The lead actress of Let It Snow?

“Not at all. Why?”

“That agent recommended Neptune’s song to the Let It Snow production team as soon as they heard it. They said it fits the movie well and recommended it to the soundtrack producer too. They’re close friends.”

This was unexpected news.

Margo Whistler’s agent?

But this has nothing to do with…

I opened the drawer and searched for my business card holder. Among a stack of cards from Cannes, I found Ren Emmerich’s card.

Is it evening in California now?

I tapped the card a few times, then left a message.

My brief info and asking to contact me when convenient.

And within five seconds, the phone rang.

“Yes, Jung Sunwoo speaking.”

“Long time no talk. I’ve been waiting for your call.”

You were waiting for my call?

This has something to do with me, then.

I straightened up

 and asked.

“I heard about Let It Snow, but there’s something I don’t understand.”

“I recommended it myself. When I found out that song was from your side. One of my contracted actors is the lead in Let It Snow. Our company has invested a bit in the movie, so we have some say.”

But I still don’t understand.

I recommended it because I thought the song was good, and I’m somewhat a believer in such things.

“That thing?”

“People who are ‘lucky.’ It’s like the universe shines a spotlight just on them.”

East or west, invoking fate seems the same.

Well, it’s not entirely wrong.

Whether it’s a deity, a devil, radiation, or an alien life form, it’s a bit confusing to me.

“If I bring in such a person, maybe some of that luck will rub off on me? I hope this choice brings us good results. If the gods really do favor this movie, we’ll probably meet again soon.”

Ren Emmerich spoke slowly, almost jokingly.

“Like at the Oscars?”

After ending the call, I picked up my coffee cup.

It had gone lukewarm.

I drank the rest in one gulp and ran my fingers through my disheveled hair.

This too shall pass, I had been thinking.

But this might not pass after all.

Now, having replenished my caffeine, let’s think about this rationally.

What if the projects known as the Jung Sunwoo List start failing one by one?

Initially, there’ll be criticism that the list was incorrect, but later, suspicions will arise why I didn’t place any of my actors in these supposedly hit projects.

And if Accomplice does well,

And if Let It Snow succeeds,

Well, whether it’ll only succeed domestically or internationally is yet to be seen.

But if the projects I chose continue to perform well.

Then what about my life?

It’s as if I unknowingly boarded an elevator.

After returning from Cannes feeling a lot, I ambitiously planned to climb life’s ladder one rung at a time.

But it feels like I’ve suddenly risen about thirty floors in an elevator.

Everything is unfamiliar, and I’m not sure I can handle it,

That’s the floor I’ve arrived at.

Now what?

Do I say I boarded the wrong elevator and go down a few floors?

Or do I crush here and try to adapt to this unfamiliar floor?

Or since I’m on the elevator…

Should I just see how far it can go?

***

After work, I met separately with CEO Baek Hansung.

It was a dinner with the head of GTBN Media Division also in attendance.

This was already the third such gathering this month.

The last time we accompanied him to a members-only golf club in Gyeonggi Province, the CEO of Pine Tree Entertainment was seen eating bossam. I thought he was almost in seclusion after being summoned by the prosecution over tax issues last year.

Anyway, I’m increasingly getting the feeling that I’m being drawn into CEO Baek Hansung’s network. Whether he sees me as one of his people or is testing me, I’m not sure.

Not that he’s handing things over on a platter, but when something is spoon-fed, you gulp it down.

The meeting place was a Chinese restaurant room in a hotel.

GTBNs Chief Choi Gyo-won had the lean build of a mid-winter branch and a chilly demeanor; he seemed better suited for the financial sector than broadcasting.

“Ah, you’re here? You must be Chief Jung, right? It seems like this is the first time seeing you in person.”

Despite smiling, his expression seemed rough, somehow making me feel a kinship.

“I’m Jung Sunwoo.”

“I know, I’ve heard a lot about you, these days you’re so busy it’s hard to even schedule a meeting. I’ve been wanting to meet you, and here we are. Sit down, the wonton noodles are good here, and the dim sum is decent. Truly Hong Kong style.”

CEO Baek Hansung laughed as he took off his coat and sat down.

“Bringing in someone new and you have no interest in me.”

“Hey, old things are good and new people are better, right?”

“Isn’t it the other way around?”

“Is it?”

Were they close friends?

They seemed much closer than I expected.

While casually selecting from the recommended menu, I looked back and forth between CEO Baek Hansung and the GTBN Chief, and just then, our eyes met.

“What’s up, then?”

“What?”

“I heard you recently went rounding with Director Bae, and you’ve been taking him around. Song Moon asked if he was planning to retire and hand over the company to Chief Jung after a few years.”

CEO Baek Hansung paused drinking water and chuckled lightly.

“Why, isn’t that it?”

“All sorts of stories are floating around.”

“Right, it’s not that? At our age, retirement is what, I even said I need to make a big splash at a press conference in front of the prosecutor’s office before I can step down.”

The chief chuckled and glanced at me before asking again.

“Can I ask you something I’m really curious about?”

“Don’t bring up the list. I’m already tired of that.”

CEO Baek Hansung said, shaking his head.

“Not that. The two of you…”

He pointed back and forth between me and CEO Baek Hansung with his hand and coughed subtly, then asked in a low voice.

“Is he your son?”

I almost choked on my drink.

Rather talk about the list.

The old gossip about the CEO’s hidden son that used to circulate within the company is now spreading to the industry.

“It’s not that?”

“No.”

The chief waved his hand.

“Just asking, just in case. In case you caused trouble when you were in school.”

He really seems like someone from broadcasting. Sitting down, he spins out soap opera-level birth secret stories.

“You never liked taking someone to personal gatherings, didn’t introduce a girlfriend to a friend once, but now you’ve changed your behavior, so I was curious if something was on your mind.”

“Why are you all so interested in other people’s family matters?”

CEO Baek Hansung faintly smiled and cut off the conversation.

“Let’s start with work.”

“Sure, why not. The atmosphere here is nice. It seems like we could proceed with a collaboration.”

A collaboration?

What kind of work would we have that involves collaborating with GTBN?

Before I could think further, CEO Baek Hansung looked my way and said.

“If we’re making content, having skilled directors and staff is the most important. GTBN has production experts, and we have leading actors. If the collaboration goes well, we can even sort out the scheduling issues later.”

Ah.

That kind of collaboration.

“It’s not confirmed yet.”

“If we’ve talked this far, it’s almost certain.”

The chief’s eyes narrowed.

“Let’s see. Anyway, if the discussion concludes well, then Chief Jung will have a lot of work to do on our side in the future.”

“Ah… really?”

This time, the chief’s eyes widened in real surprise.

He stared at me and then smiled, lifting one corner of his mouth.

“Of course. With a name like Chief Jung, he’s reliable enough to work with.”

After dinner.

I parted ways with the chief and went down to the parking lot with CEO Baek Hansung

.

In the silence of the elevator, I asked.

“You seem close.”

“Who, Choi Gyo-won?”

“Yes.”

“We’ve known each other for about 20 years since he was a PD. It’s funny that a 20-year relationship can end in two minutes, but until something like that happens, we’ll be close.”

Is there a need to put it so sharply?

As I was choosing my words, CEO Baek Hansung asked.

“Does having a reputation feel a bit burdensome?”

“Well, a bit.”

“Hold on as long as you can. This is a place where numerous projects are planned and then fall through. Just because Jung Sunwoo touches it, investors come on board, casting gets easier, good directors follow, scheduling is secured, and production goes smoothly… The power to hold and move all that starts with that reputation.”

That reputation.

The power to hold and move everything…

As the elevator arrived at the parking lot, CEO Baek Hansung spoke again.

“If you really can’t stand it, talk to me. I’ll sort it out.”

Then he glanced back at me and added.

“I don’t think Chief Jung would normally do that though.”

As we walked through the parking lot, I brought up a topic to CEO Baek Hansung.

“The film ‘Accomplice.’ It’s about to be shot by Seo Ji-joon and Lim Joowon. It might be good for the company to invest in the production.”

CEO Baek Hansung stopped walking.

Then, with a more delighted face than usual, he said.

“Of course. It’s a project Chief Jung has been interested in for a long time, and it’s one you took the initiative to retrieve from someone else’s hands. Right, Lim Joowon needs to audition, doesn’t he?”

I nodded in response.

“He’ll make it.”

Absolutely.

Because I’ll make sure of it.

—————

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