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Chapter 27: Decision

Deep down, I had already chosen Kim Soll-Ip’s drama—but I had to answer carefully to make sure I didn\'t hurt Lee Ji-Yeon’s feelings. If I spoke carelessly in front of Lee Ji-Yeon, she might think I was dismissing her and not contact me for her next drama.

After gathering my thoughts, I spoke cautiously.

“In my opinion as a talent agent, I think it would be best for the actor to choose the role they are passionate about!”

Kim Soll-Ip’s expression brightened, perhaps because I remained calm despite the intimidation from top-tier author Lee Ji-Yeon.

However, I was met with Lee Ji-Yeon’s intense gaze.

“Yoon-Ho. I don’t like that look in your eyes. Don’t you know how observant I am?”

‘Yikes. Did she realize I had already made up my mind about whose drama to go with?’

I quickly bowed my head to avoid Lee Ji-Yeon’s gaze.

“Hey, Ms. Lee. Stop tormenting him. Look at how pale his face has become because of you.”

“What do you mean, Mr. Kang? All I did was just look at him. Can’t I even look?”

‘She was just looking at me? Her eyes were blazing!’

After being scolded by Kang Gam-Chan, Lee Ji-Yeon playfully poked Kim Soll-Ip on her side after complaining.

“Eek! Ms. Lee!”

The startled Kim Soll-Ip rubbed her side.

“Soll-Ip~. What are you doing? You should tell them about your situation as well.”

Kim Soll-Ip sneaked a glance at Lee Ji-Yeon and began to share the progress of her drama.

“My drama Blue Sky is rapidly progressing under the control of the external production company, Blue Dragon. And...”

However, as she spoke of the process of her drama, an issue became evident.

“So, there aren’t many roles available for immediate casting through writer recommendations. Naturally, we’ll have to open an audition to cast the female lead. As for my personal favorite character, the second daughter Twilight, there\'s an actor who\'s being strongly endorsed by the production company. Perhaps we could consider the role of the third daughter, Autumn.”

The character that would gain the most popularity in Blue Sky was that of the second daughter Twilight. I had intended to recommend Yoo-Jin for this role, but it seemed the production company already had another actor in mind.

‘Should I give up on the role?’

This thought briefly crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. Given Yoo-Jin’s talent, she should be a strong contender in auditions, regardless of who the opponent is.

I asked Kim Soll-Ip directly.

“Ms. Kim. What if Yoo-Jin auditioned for the role of the second daughter, Twilight?”

After pondering for a moment, Kim Soll-Ip responded.

“Then it will come down to who’s the better actress.”

“And what if the production company insists on using the actress they’re pushing for?”

“Then I’ll insist on casting Miss Yoo-Jin. Simple!”

I was surprised by Kim Soll-Ip’s readiness to confront the production company while Lee Ji-Yeon seemed quite taken aback by her confident response.

“Wow, you aren’t afraid of anything, are you? Do you think the production company is easy to deal with?”

But Kim Soll-Ip simply smiled back.

“Shouldn’t I at least be this bold to compete against you, Ms. Lee?”

“Oh my goodness! Look at her audacity. You do realize I’m helping with the production of your drama, right?”

“I’m well aware that I’m debuting thanks to your help, Ms. Lee. But you did say to play fair, didn’t you?”

The corner of Lee Ji-Yeon’s mouth twitched upwards at Kim Soll-Ip’s provocation. Despite her words, she appeared more like a proud parent, admiring their accomplished child.

“Alright, then. Let’s do this.”

Kim Soll-Ip nodded, gladly accepting the challenge.

However, the tension in the room was palpable, as everyone from Hoop Entertainment knew that whichever decision we made would be a tough one.

At that moment, the startled Kim Soll-Ip spoke urgently after looking at her phone.

“Ms. Lee! We made a reservation at the Japanese restaurant at 12 o’clock, remember!?”

“After all, everything we do is to feed ourselves, so we shouldn’t be skipping meals. Right?”

The two writers stood up and laughed as if their squabble never happened.

Then, before leaving, Lee Ji-Yeon shared one more piece of information.

“Oh, our dramas will be broadcast at the same time. I’m on MBS and Soll-Ip is on SBC. A viewership ratings war between Lee Ji-Yeon and her protégé, Kim Soll-Ip. Sounds pretty exciting, doesn’t it?”

The realization that any drama we choose would garner significant attention made Kang Gam-Chan’s face light up.

“Ha ha ha. I’ll give you an answer within a week, Ms. Lee.”

But Lee Ji-Yeon shook her head.

“No, a week is too long. Please respond within three days.”

Lee Ji-Yeon was going to great lengths for her departing protégé. She secured a drama time slot and even offered production assistance to Kim Soll-Ip. Moreover, she was challenging her to a direct time-slot showtime to help her gain more prominence.

However, the result of this head-to-head battle would be Lee Ji-Yeon’s defeat.

As Kang Ji-Yung saw Lee Ji-Yeon off, I checked my planner to see if this meeting had changed the future.

But the event on the planner remained unchanged.

***

[Everyday V10]

[Date: April 1st, 2020]

-10:00 PM <In the Name of God> Monitoring. The viewership ratings started at 3.5% due to Choi Jun-Woo’s scandal.

-10:00 PM <Blue Sky> Monitoring. The viewership ratings started at 7.5%.

The stark difference in viewership ratings between the two dramas wouldn’t stem from differences in quality. It would be due to an revelation about the lead actor in "In the Name of God," Choi Jun-Woo, and his alleged mistreatment of female fans coming to light.

With dozens of victims coming forward, South Korea would be in an uproar for a while. Due to this, the drama would be halted after just four episodes.

I wondered how to help Lee Ji-Yeon, but I had a more pressing issue before me. After all, we were in the meeting room right now discussing which of the two dramas to cast Yoo-Jin in.

After seeing Lee Ji-Yeon off, Kang Ji-Yung returned to her seat.

“I escorted her to her car.”

“Good. Well done.”

Then, Kang Gam-Chan looked at us and beckoned us to share our thoughts. Kang Ji-Yung looked back and forth between Gu Seong-Cheol and I, before speaking.

“Let’s first hear from those directly involved. What do the both of you think?”

Gu Seong-Cheol spoke first.

“I’m inclined towards Ms. Lee Ji-Yeon. Both dramas are being released simultaneously, going head-to-head, right? Besides, the viewership ratings are guaranteed with Choi Jun-Woo’s appearance. The outcome is predictable and there’s not much more to say.”

It was only natural for Gu Seong-Cheol to make such a choice, as the prospect of a newbie like Yoo-Jin being in Lee Ji-Yeon’s new drama would be newsworthy. On top of that, Lee Ji-Yeon had even mentioned she would cast Yoo-Jin in a significant supporting role.

On the other hand, despite having Lee Ji-Yeon as her mentor, Kim Soll-Ip was only a debuting writer. Moreover, she hadn’t even confirmed the roles yet.

Then, Kang Ji-Yung asked for my opinion next.

“What do you think, Mr. Jung?”

“I think Yoo-Jin’s next drama should be with Ms. Kim Soll-Ip.”

Silence enveloped the meeting room as soon as I spoke.

A debut drama by a new writer was often a gamble that could either become a huge hit or a flop. Hence, everyone seemed perplexed and unconvinced.

At that moment, Gu Seong-Cheol posed a question carefully.

“Yoon-Ho, did Yoo-Jin by any chance become interested in Miss. Kim’s drama after reading the script?”

“No, sir. That’s not the case. She’s probably still in the midst of reading it.”

If an actor strongly insisted on a role, the agency couldn’t say much. But since that wasn’t the case, murmurs broke out everywhere.

Everyone looked puzzled, possibly wondering why I had pushed for Kim Soll-Ip’s drama over Lee Ji-Yeon’s.

Kang Gam-Chan raised his hand to quiet the commotion and asked me again.

“Have you read the script written by Ms. Kim?”

“Yes, Mr. Kang. I’ve read it thoroughly. It’s far from mundane, and the chemistry among the characters, set against a universally relatable backdrop, is exceptional. Plus, I believe the nostalgic touch, reminiscent of the hit series Reply!, is another positive factor.”

In reality, I hadn’t read the script for Blue Sky yet—I had just watched the drama multiple times in my past life.

‘It’s one of my all-time favorites.’

Gu Seong-Cheol nodded in agreement with my view.

“Yoon-Ho is right. As he said, the script for Blue Sky is certainly commendable. It can appeal not just to the younger generation but also to middle-aged viewers. Given that it’s set twenty years ago, it can evoke nostalgia.”

Following Gu Seong-Cheol, Kang Ji-Yung also added.

“I haven’t come across a script as good as this in recent times. It’s no wonder Ms. Lee recommended it. However...”

“However?”

“The dialogue is so detailed that if they cast an actor who can’t do it justice, it might ruin the essence of the drama.”

“A detailed dialogue, huh...if they cast someone with subpar expressive skills, they might not be able to bring out the essence of the drama.”

Kang Gam-Chan seemed lost in thought.

After a short moment, he posed a sharp question.

“Does Ms. Kim’s drama have something that Ms. Lee’s drama doesn’t?”

‘Wow, he is definitely a man with experience.’

As Kang Gam-Chan pointed out, vivid characters and crisp dialogues were Lee Ji-Yeon’s trademark. While her drama had the typical characteristics of Korean dramas, including a certain predictability, it also had stability.

“No, sir. While their styles are different, Ms. Lee’s drama isn’t lacking in any aspect.”

“Then why should our company choose the drama of an untested Ms. Kim? Answer me.”

The meeting room fell silent once more. I knew that missing this chance could mean the end of everything. Having the opportunity to voice my opinion in front of high-ranking members of the company was a rare privilege. The fact that both writers wanted Yoo-Jin had miraculously granted me this chance.

In the end, I decided to share information concerning the future that only I was privy to.

“The truth is that there’s a significant issue with the lead actor, Choi Jun-Woo, in Ms. Lee’s drama.”

‘Drugs and women.’

There was a brief moment of silence following my short and direct revelation.

Soon after, Kang Gam-Chan asked with a look of disbelief on his face.

“But Choi Jun-Woo is known to be a gentleman. Are you sure about this? Who told you?”

Given that Choi Jun-Woo from Ace Entertainment had a gentlemanly image, everyone looked shocked. A month from now, Reporter Jang Moon-Ki would release an article about Choi Jun-Woo’s scandal.

[Everyday V10]

[Date: January 15th, 2020]

11:05 PM (Report): Weekly Star News Flash. Choi Jun-Woo causes a ruckus, intoxicated by drugs at the entrance of club BLUE. Arrested on the spot.

However, I couldn’t reveal this planner.

‘What do I do?’

While I was contemplating, Kang Gam-Chan’s impatience grew.

“Ah! This is so frustrating! Give me a proper explanation!”

As Kang Gam-Chan’s voice resonated loudly throughout the meeting room, Kang Ji-Yung stepped in.

“Mr. Kang. Um...”

“What is it?”

“If you pressure him like that, how can he answer?”

“I’m not pressuring him. I’m just...anxious. Ugh.”

After calming Kang Gam-Chan down, she questioned me in a composed manner.

“Just tell us about the source of the information.”

After a brief hesitation, I fabricated the story.

“I heard this from a reporter who was covering my gas leak incident. He mentioned that apart from him, a few other entertainment reporters were digging into Choi Jun-Woo, coordinating when to release the article.”

The room’s atmosphere instantly turned tense after hearing a rather plausible story.

When Kang Gam-Chan gulped, Gu Seong-Cheol intervened.

“Mr. Kang, although half of what entertainment reporters say is often exaggerated, a scandal involving the main lead can be a huge burden. It might not be a bad idea to verify this.”

“I agree with him, Mr. Kang.”

Kang Gam-Chan nodded in acknowledgement.

“Then I’ll personally assign someone to look into this matter separately. Everyone, make sure to keep quiet about it until then.”

Kang Gam-Chan decided to verify the authenticity of the information I provided before making a decision.

‘Thank goodness.’

I felt relieved. With Kang Gam-Chan’s capabilities, I was certain he would find out the truth.

However, another thought crossed my mind.

‘What if...he fails to find any evidence?’

I sneaked a glance at the planner, but there were no changes in the schedule as expected.

After all, Choi Jun-Woo had perfectly fooled everyone with his gentlemanly act until the news broke out.

A chill ran down my spine but I couldn’t let my thoughts wander any longer. I had other matters to attend to today, and before I knew it, the conversation had shifted to the next topic.

“Oh, and Team Lead Sung. Let’s hear about the advertising deal now. Sorry for making you wait so long.”

“No problem at all, Mr. Kang. Currently, a major fast-food company Burger Queen has approached Yoo-Jin for an advertisement. The amount they’ve offered in exchange for Yoo-Jin to be their model is...”

However, the amount Sung Min-Suk mentioned for Yoo-Jin’s advertising fee was absurdly low.

‘Wait. That’s all?’