Chapter 79
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 079
Chapter Title: Reaping What You Sow (2)
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It was the moment when the City of Sin empire came crashing down.
Except for one person.
Director Kim Hwa-wook himself.
The man at the center of it all still had no idea what was happening.
Kim Hwa-wook, who had spent the late hours of the night drowning in booze and drugs, finally dragged himself into the office in the late afternoon, reeking of something foul.
He gulped down ice-cold water to soothe his parched mouth.
Kuuh.
Wiping his mouth with his sleeve, Kim Hwa-wook plopped down into his chair with a satisfied grunt.
Yesterday was something else.
And today would be no different. Humming to himself, Kim Hwa-wook powered on his computer, buzzing with excitement.
He wanted to check the emails that had come in.
With the string of box-office hits, talks were underway for all the City of Sin movies to hit Newflix once this latest one wrapped.
He was set to head to Newflix's Korean branch in a couple of days to seal the deal.
The ultimate box-office king, Kim Hwa-wook special!
Isn't that just perfect?
Kuhaha! Unable to hold back his laughter, Kim Hwa-wook let it burst out loud.
And that was just the start.
Tomorrow, he'd lock in casting for Yu Nabi, the hottest actress around right now.
Just imagining the envy at the upcoming directors' gathering made his shoulders rise with pride.
Hey! Me! I'm this amazing!
The movie's quality was a given anyway. The assistant director would handle set management and editing, and all he'd have to do was show his face here and there.
That was when Kim Hwa-wook went to log into the internet.
"What the hell."
The assistant director was already in the office without a sound.
"No warning? Sneaking around like that?"
Kim Hwa-wook tilted his head.
Really.
"So, how'd it go?"
The moment he saw the assistant director, Shin Yi-han came to mind.
A few days back, hadn't he decided to sabotage that punk's next project?
The movie was called Tamra or something like that.
Remembering he'd ordered the staff pulled out first, Kim Hwa-wook jumped straight to the results.
"How many are coming? They all said yes, right?"
Of course, he figured it was obvious even without asking. Already plotting what else he could do to Shin Yi-han next, Kim Hwa-wook barely noticed.
After betraying their own staff.
"Their director's probably lost his mind by now?"
It was clear the director would be shaken too.
If he could poach their screenwriter on top of that?
The whole movie would go straight to hell!
Even if they somehow scraped it together for release, it didn't matter. He'd just stir up movie-buying scandals or personality controversies around that Shin Yi-han bastard, and it'd be done.
These days, fabricating scandals was a breeze.
School bullying rumors would work too.
If the chance came, he'd show them a real taste of the good stuff. They'd be his slaves in no time.
Kekeke. Kim Hwa-wook let out a sleazy chuckle.
But that scheming didn't last long.
?
The assistant director hadn't said a word since he'd arrived. Kim Hwa-wook started feeling off.
"Hey. What're you doing? Answer me!"
Scowling, Kim Hwa-wook raised his voice.
"None of the Tamra staff are coming."
The assistant director stared at him blankly and spat out the words.
"......?"
Kim Hwa-wook couldn't process it.
"What the hell does that mean?"
Even after seeing the name Kim Hwa-wook? This was City of Sin we're talking about!
Not a single one?!
Kim Hwa-wook was dumbfounded.
He had plenty more tricks up his sleeve, but failing at the first step pissed him off instantly.
Obviously that idiot assistant director had screwed up again.
Haa. He'd been too lenient lately, and the guy had gotten cocky.
"You dumb fuck."
After a short sigh, Kim Hwa-wook's temper flared. He hurled the glass he'd just drunk from.
Crash!
The glass shattered against the wall right next to the assistant director's face.
"You can't even do that right?!"
Time to beat some sense into him like a dog.
With that in mind, Kim Hwa-wook rolled up his sleeves and stood.
But the closer he got to the assistant director.
Something felt off today.
Uh, huh?
The guy who usually cowered and groveled...
Was just staring down at him silently.
Blood trickling down one cheek, but he didn't seem to care.
Not scared, not afraid. Just those blank eyes.
Why...?
Why?
A strange anxiety crept over Kim Hwa-wook.
Was the assistant director always this tall? Had something happened?
Then his phone started ringing.
Ding-ding! Ding! Ding!
Emails and texts flooded in suddenly.
"J-just let me check this. You're dead. Got it?!"
Kim Hwa-wook edged back and pulled out his phone.
Investors dying to fund City of Sin were blowing it up anyway.
Maybe more good news.
But then he saw the email subjects piling up on his lock screen.
'Huh.'
Director Kim Hwa-wook froze solid.
'...What the hell.'
The titles alone screamed bad news.
[Newflix: Inquiry regarding cancellation of City of Sin series contract.]
[CC Pictures: Please reply promptly regarding investment recovery.]
Newflix and the investors' ominous messages came first.
[POP Ent: Regarding the casting, we'll consider tomorrow's contract as never having existed.]
Yu Nabi's agency canceling the casting.
Kim Hwa-wook's face drained of color.
The other actors' agencies were no different.
The movie was collapsing in an instant.
You crazy bastard. Knew you'd pull something like this.
Don't show up to the meeting tomorrow. I don't want the fallout.
Or wait, you'll be too busy with investigations anyway?
Messages from director friends too.
His phone wouldn't stop buzzing.
Fallout? Investigations? What the fuck is this?!
In the midst of this madness, Kim Hwa-wook could only gape stupidly at the assistant director.
The assistant director let out a hollow laugh and spoke.
"Honestly, how long did you think the secret would hold?"
He looked at Kim Hwa-wook with utter disgust.
Even trembling in fear felt like too much effort now.
"It's over now."
Anyway.
"Everything."
"What?"
Why bother at this point.
The assistant director shrugged at the still-clueless Kim Hwa-wook and turned.
He flung open the office door.
"Come on in."
Police who'd been waiting behind the door, fearing Kim Hwa-wook might bolt.
"Looks like perfect timing for a test."
Kim Hwa-wook had been high on drugs even last night.
The assistant director had long since leaked all the evidence he'd gathered to the cops and press to end this.
The police nodded and poured in.
Beyond them, reporters camped out, ready to capture Kim Hwa-wook's final moments.
"Mr. Kim Hwa-wook. You're under emergency arrest for drug trafficking and assault."
Uh...?
Even as the Miranda rights spilled from the officer's mouth, Kim Hwa-wook wore a dazed expression.
He couldn't believe this was real.
No way, no fucking way.
After all the ways he'd silenced people.
Spiking drinks with drugs, threatening to ruin careers.
Told them they'd be destroyed if they talked. So why!
Who the hell snitched!
"We can talk at the station."
Click. Even if he denied it, handcuffs were already on his wrists.
And that's when the director finally realized.
"No way."
Betrayals always start closest to home.
"Assistant Director... you...?"
You!
As he was dragged away, Kim Hwa-wook kept calling out in disbelief.
He'd never imagined the timid assistant director, always watching his every move, capable of this.
But that calm demeanor left no doubt.
The assistant director had betrayed him.
"How could you do this to me!"
Kim Hwa-wook screamed until his voice broke.
"You think you'll get away with this?! Hey!"
Watching him go, the assistant director clenched his fist.
All those days of enduring felt so pointless now.
What an ugly sight.
He'd always known it'd come to this.
Assistant director in name only—punching bag, lackey, nothing more.
A relationship built on threats and false hopes from the start.
Even all those City of Sin films were practically his work alone.
Kim Hwa-wook just promised a directing debut after this series, full support—lies spat with a straight face.
When that stopped working, he shoved drugs at him, ramping up the pressure: join or get buried.
He really couldn't take it anymore.
No, he had no clue how to escape.
'So what he needed from a mess like me was probably...'
One single push.
Proof that all this was wrong.
A certain actor had timed it perfectly.
'He probably doesn't even know my name.'
The assistant director naturally thought of actor Shin Yi-han.
Right when he thought he couldn't endure anymore, that casting rejection arrived.
It let him finally drop the weight.
Though the guy himself had no idea.
It really had.
At first, Director Kim Hwa-wook had been thrilled about Shin Yi-han.
But after the rejection, he vented daily.
At him, at the staff—laying hands on everyone.
Barely advancing Tamra, holed up in his office high more often than not.
Even demanding staff poaching to sabotage that actor.
It was shameful.
He'd swallowed his pride and made the offer anyway.
"No. I don't want it."
"Aren't you embarrassed making an offer like this?"
"I really like our movie."
Faced with that firm rejection, the assistant director felt true shame.
This wasn't right anymore. That much was clear.
The director's constant nagging.
The inevitable violence after every failure.
The cycle was horrifying.
In front of Kim Hwa-wook's shameless filth, escape became the only thought.
'Especially knowing what kind of actor Shin Yi-han is.'
If you dreamed of directing.
How could you not see his talent?
Drama Brilliant Sky. Movies Murder's Delusion, Innocent Boy.
And Newflix's Hell of Others.
He'd watched Shin Yi-han shine in every one, quietly cheering.
An incredible actor.
Great eye for talent, loved watching him perform.
Who wouldn't get greedy in the face of that thrill?
But then.
Hearing Kim Hwa-wook order him to block Shin Yi-han's path—watching himself obey.
It looked so pathetic.
Reality hit hard.
Something like that clicked, pushing him to resolve to break free.
"Yeah."
In the end, Director Kim Hwa-wook stood before the reporters' cameras outside.
"You think a talent like that would work with you?"
The assistant director looked at him and said.
"You crazy psycho."
It never made sense to begin with.
The assistant director grabbed his laptop from the office and headed for the back door.
Investigations awaited, maybe even trial for him too.
Didn't matter.
His shoulders finally felt lighter.
Besides, a scumbag like Kim Hwa-wook would never return to this industry.
Rumors spread like wildfire here.
He had other crimes, but trying to sabotage Shin Yi-han's Tamra would spread instantly.
'Dare touch us?'
'Even a small company like us won't stand for this disrespect.'
'Our CEO Baek has connections everywhere.'
Kwak Hoon's Red Film, growing by the day, wouldn't forget Kim Hwa-wook's name.
'What?! He tried to poach Tamra staff?!'
'Shin Yi-han rejects casting once, and he pulls this petty shit?'
'Isn't he insane?'
Newflix pulling all Kim Hwa-wook projects.
SBC from two dramas, actors who'd worked with Shin Yi-han—they all remembered.
Each one a heavyweight with deep connections.
No matter how hard Kim Hwa-wook tried to comeback.
No one would take him.
Total blackout.
Kim Hwa-wook's drug scandal naturally set the internet ablaze for a while.
As actors and directors tied to him in the industry got dragged in, the fallout grew.
Is my City of Sin really gone like this?! You madman Kim Hwa-wook!!
What if he shoots City of Sin in real life lol
Legend status ;;;
Fans eagerly awaiting the series were turning away one by one.
Heard domestic violence blew up yesterday too?
Yeah ㅋㅋㅋ Claiming diminished capacity from booze lol
Gross.
Habitual threats, assaults on actors, drug dealing too.
Constantly in and out of hostess bars too;
Movie's rep ruined because of the director.
Kim Hwa-wook's the one who deserved the beatings.
The deeper they dug into Kim Hwa-wook, the worse it got—pure evil. Everyone was stunned.
Thought Yu Nabi was in City of Sin 4. Guess not?
Articles about it a few days ago are all gone.
All articles scrubbed ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Lightning-fast damage control ㅋㅋㅋ
Choi Man-cheol and other actors cut contracts quick too.
Get tangled in this and you're done for ;;
Contracts tied to City of Sin were getting axed left and right.
Yu Nabi search brings up this? Was City of Sin real or just Kim Hwa-wook's fantasy?
Wait, next project's a zombie flick?
Tamra?
Just Kim Hwa-wook leaking fake news. No way next project decides that fast.
Hold up. Choi Man-cheol joining Tamra too?
What's Tamra all about?
Interest naturally poured into the movie drawing City of Sin's actors.
One side crashing, the other booming.
Massive viral hype.
Big names Choi Man-cheol & rising star Yu Nabi join zombie film 'Tamra'!
People grew curious about Tamra.
Indie hit 'Innocent Boy' writer Shin Yi-han picks zombie 'Tamra' for next!
Wait what.
It even stuck.
Rising Star! Shin Yi-han's next: Tamra!
?!
Shin Yi-han.
Shin Yi-han?!
Chaos erupted at those three letters.
Movie 'Tamra'! Shin Yi-han confirmed lead! After pure evil in Newflix 'Hell of Others', what's next?!
Why tell us now?!
How long since Hell of Others? Next movie already? Insane!
This was the update everyone wanted on Shin Yi-han since Newflix's Hell of Others.
Guys, Shin Yi-han's the protagonist. Not villain, real lead.
?!?!?!
Shin Yi-han's fans lost their minds.
Finally! Lead in a commercial film?!
Insane!!!