Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Pocari Aid
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KS Entertainment assigns dedicated beauty staff to celebrities who reach a certain level.
The kind of staff that joins what's commonly known as "so-and-so's crew."
They said they'd assign me some too if I wanted...
But I haven't earned that kind of income yet, and I'm not at that level.
Celebrities who find it inconvenient having too many staff tagging along when they move around, or those who are extremely picky about strangers,
or ones who haven't made enough money to afford their own staff yet—they all head to the beauty salons designated by KS.
I knew objectively that the TF team was assigned to me because of the Yoo Jun-seung incident, not because I'm some big shot.
You need to land around a dozen ads on the level of Pocari Aid, with drama and movie scripts pouring in nonstop,
and love calls flooding in from broadcasts and YouTube everywhere—that's when you finally become a mega-star.
Until you hit that point... I have no intention of adding more passengers to the Carnison Hi-Limousine.
"Heading to The Forest?"
"Memorize the route well. Even if Winter doesn't want to go, drag her there on scheduling days. Actress Gold Yuna gave the okay."
"Huh? Why does Gold Yuna get to approve our actress's work schedule?"
"The two of them are super close. In some ways, she might have more sway than the CEO himself."
"Whoa... no way. Our Winter and Gold Yuna are that tight?"
"...Why is a rumor about a rumor about a rumor coming out of my managers' mouths?"
"Whoops. My bad. Guess Winter didn't sleep?"
They knew damn well I hadn't slept, but tossed out the joke anyway.
Ever since the Yoo Jun-seung mess, they'd been deliberately upping the friendly vibes.
I was always grateful for it.
Having people who look out for my condition and feelings—it's a true blessing.
That's why I play along.
"...Actress Gold Yuna and Actress Jeong Gyeowol are lovers... I'll take this secret to my grave."
"That's not it...! Argh! Don't write it down!"
A new manager had jumped in, notebook open, hanging on Kim Gyu-jin's every word.
Seeing that clownish grin, it was obvious he was messing around on purpose.
This energy on day one? Total extrovert.
The car was filled with laughter and chatter.
Kim Gyu-jin in the driver's seat. Manager 1 in the passenger seat.
My back row had Manager 2 riding along.
Kim Gyu-jin would drive only through today; from tomorrow, the managers would rotate.
Two during the day, two at night, plus Executive Kim Gyu-jin—five managers in total.
Three managers in the car right now, but they'd switch out in the evening.
This is... intense.
The justification was solid.
Agencies sometimes pair rookies with celebrities who are easygoing, kind-hearted, and unbothered by staff changes to help the newbies adjust.
Assuming I'm that kind of actress, and under the pretext that Executive Kim Gyu-jin is an excellent trainer, they'd piled on four extra managers.
In reality, they were just lavishing attention on me to prevent another Yoo Jun-seung fiasco.
Kim Seul-ong was keeping his hospital promises one by one.
After already forming a TF team, did they really need to dress it up like this? I don't know much about the business world, so I just let it slide.
But it didn't end with more managers.
A bodyguard was sitting right next to me.
He was incredibly stoic.
Sharing the silence duty with Manager 2 in the back row.
After the initial greetings, not a single word since.
His name was Cha Se-rin or something.
Coldness seeped into his very name.
The Carnison, which had felt empty with all those vacant seats, was now buzzing with people.
"But don't broadcast stations do makeup too? Do we still have to go to the salon even then?"
"The quality drops off a cliff compared to the salon. Unless you're insanely busy or just need touch-ups, don't even consider it."
"Got it. Noted."
I wondered if heading to an advertiser meeting had to be this chaotic and crowded.
'Well... it's not boring. Nice.'
The Carnison, loaded with five, raced off to meet its lord.
Was it excited for the advertiser meeting? The van was bouncing along...
"...Why's the car shaking so much?"
"Ah... sorry. I was nervous and bouncing my leg."
"Whoa..."
Intense... so intense.
Suspiciously vigorous leg-bouncing.
I'd noticed it before, but the people around me always seemed more nervous and jittery than I was.
"Oh yeah, Winter. Happy with the contract terms? The CEO put a lot of thought into it."
"Yeah... it's amazing. If it goes through, I'll call to thank him."
100 million for six months.
The absurd number floated around in my head.
Back when Atelier paid me 100,000 won an hour, I'd thought that was living the dream.
Then Nomen contracted me for 2 million per episode.
The directing team projected 85 episodes total, with me shooting nearly half—40 episodes.
For a newbie, an unimaginable 80 million deal. I'd thought that was my peak.
Samegg paid 1 million per episode, less than Nomen, but...
Appearances in other actors' flashbacks or voice-only parts still earned fees.
Reruns paid too, so it wasn't chump change.
Honestly, even Samegg felt like too much for me.
During my extra days, I'd bow till my back broke just for a 100,000-won daily wage.
100 million for one ad?
For six months, no less?
Considering standard ad contracts run a year...
Am I really rookie actress Jeong Gyeowol, or "superstar" Jeong Gyeowol?
Or maybe I'll sweep awards this year? Or has Hollywood scouted me?
'Cut the delusions...'
It seemed like academic consensus that Kim Seul-ong had strong-armed the Pocari Aid company into it.
"Just to be sure—are we really not walking into a scam?"
"...I told you no. We're literally heading to Oriental Otsuka HQ right now."
"100 million for six months? That's way too much for a newbie."
"Everyone acts hush-hush, but one phone call reveals contract and appearance fees. Does what you got from Samegg and Nomen sound like newbie rates?"
"...No way. That's A-list supporting actor level."
"See? You know it too."
As money talk lit up Managers 1 and 2's eyes in the rearview, Kim Gyu-jin smirked and mimed zipping his lips.
Industry folks know everything a bridge or two away, but leaks to the outside are another story.
Confirming the managers' nods, Kim Gyu-jin continued.
Truth be told, my pay rates were something any manager could dig up if they tried, so this was partly for show.
See no evil, hear no evil—that's manager rule number one.
"Know how much Atelier's sales jumped? When you re-sign, how much do you think your modeling fee will rise?"
"Haven't been in touch much lately..."
"Just the first half of the year? Up 600%. Ever since you went exclusive, it's been skyrocketing like crypto. By renewal, they'll be quoting you in the hundreds of millions at least."
...No wonder the Atelier group chat had lost all its life lately.
No one suggesting meetups... no plans... no drinks.
I'd thought they were drifting away from me, but they just couldn't afford it.
Seeing our wide-eyed stares, Kim Gyu-jin shrugged.
"They're a big corp. Not some blind rich schmucks throwing cash around. It means your value's there now—don't stress."
Telling me not to stress just made it worse.
From what he'd said... it was basically picking me off the 600% growth miracle.
'What if shooting Pocari only hits 60%? What then?'
If that happened, I'd be blacklisted from ads forever...
Anyway, we arrived at The Forest Gangnam branch, the salon under contract with KS.
It was chaos—screams, shrieks, unimaginable fuss.
Guess The Forest throws grand welcomes for first-timers.
We barely calmed the staff, I bowed hellos to the senior stylists inside, finally sat down, and...
Passed out in no time.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Thud-thud-
Sneakers echoing down the Oriental Otsuka PR team hallway.
The everyday sneaker sound, but this one had a strangely rhythmic bounce.
Zombie-like workers perked up their ears.
But everyone was at their desks working.
No one out on field duty.
Whose lively steps were these? Eyes started turning.
"Hello!"
"...Whoa..."
Bootcut jeans with a crop top, matched with a denim jacket—clean, stylish double-denim.
Hands clasped modestly over her exposed midriff.
Unmistakably, a woman of otherworldly beauty, the kind that could bewitch anyone she'd ever met.
Bowing with a fresh, radiant smile that could steal souls on the spot.
"I'm actress Jeong Gyeowol! Nice to meet you!"
"...Uh... y-yeah... hello..."
Then it hit them: afternoon meeting today with a rookie actress for the ad gig.
Some had handled the outreach themselves.
The rest had at least researched Jeong Gyeowol.
Elegant and refined.
Glamorous and alluring.
Cool, sophisticated, aloof, chic.
Dr. Helena herself.
Some who'd seen her as Helena swore she wasn't even human.
Which was exactly why she seemed like a total mismatch for Pocari.
She hadn't even made the model shortlist in their minds.
But upper management fast-tracked her like it was nothing.
She ended up a finalist, and they reached out.
They figured she'd flop at the meeting—they just wanted a look at her face.
"...Is this... for real?"
"Dude, we said she was just pretty... that she doesn't fit our image..."
"...She's pretty."
"Pretty?! You call that pretty?! Gah!"
All past Pocari models looked downright shabby now.
'Why's she so refreshing?'
'So pure... bright and cheerful...'
'How does that face match Pocari Aid vibes...? Why does it...?'