Chapter 91
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: A Real-Life Meeting with Ji-ming
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Jin-seong opened the conference room door and guided the division head and Seok-il to their seats.
A brief silence fell, then Jin-seong smiled lightly and broke the ice first.
"Division Head, this is Choi Seok-il, who will be overseeing our MCN operations from now on."
The division head looked at Seok-il with a bright expression, speaking in admiration.
"Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you. You're much younger than I expected, and for someone taking on the role of president, your abilities must be truly impressive."
Caught off guard by the division head's unexpected words, Seok-il froze for a moment.
He rubbed his ears in disbelief, his eyes widening as he asked back.
"Pardon...? President?"
At Seok-il's flustered reaction, Jin-seong nodded with a relaxed smile.
"Yes, Seok-il will serve as the president of our MCN, overseeing all operations going forward."
In that instant, Seok-il's mind spun.
Truth be told, the position he'd hoped for was team leader at best, or managing director on the high end—he'd never even dreamed of becoming president.
The sudden immense pressure made his chest tighten.
"I... I had no idea you meant president. Honestly, I don't have much experience, so I'm not confident."
Seok-il spoke cautiously, and Jin-seong laughed heartily to reassure him.
"Haha, Seok-il. From what I looked into, you've got deep roots in the streaming world, and you handled mid-tier streamers at your previous job with rave reviews, right? We're not planning any aggressive sales push with our MCN. This is purely my hobby business, so no need to feel burdened."
At Jin-seong's casual reassurance, Seok-il still looked dazed but pulled himself together after a moment and asked in a serious tone.
"Whew... If you put it that way, I'll give it my all for now. So, how do you plan to staff up for company operations?"
Jin-seong pointed to the division head as he explained.
"Oh, you'll coordinate that with the division head here. Truth is, even if we build a headquarters in Seoul, I won't be going there much myself. I have no plans to live in Seoul. You'll be communicating a lot with the division head, Seok-il. We're operating as a J.S Asset affiliate, but you probably won't need to deal with me directly on operational matters."
Seok-il's expression soured a bit, but he nodded without pressing the already decided matter further.
"Got it."
Jin-seong checked his watch briefly, then suddenly stood up.
"Ah, I've got another appointment, so I need to head out first. Please discuss MCN business with the division head, and Seok-il and I can just chat occasionally over calls from here on."
With that, Jin-seong smiled and slipped out of the conference room lightly.
Left behind were the division head and Seok-il, who still wore a stunned expression like he couldn't believe it.
It took exactly one month to acquire the building and outfit the interior.
During that month, Choi Seok-il was run ragged without a moment's rest.
He'd been disoriented at first, but when he blinked, he was suddenly the president of an MCN headquartered in a four-story building right in the heart of Gangnam.
While the building was being prepared, Seok-il had personally recruited people from the industry whose talents he recognized and admired.
As a result, the MCN staff totaled seven, including Seok-il himself.
But the entire four-story building was far too spacious for just seven people.
Seok-il sometimes gazed at the empty spaces, wondering if they really needed such a massive headquarters.
But since it was what Jin-seong wanted, he proceeded without complaint.
As per Jin-seong's instructions, the first floor was decked out in flashy, pristine luxury to overwhelm any visiting streamer.
It was a bold investment to let streamers instantly sense the company's scale and credibility.
The spacious 60-pyeong area featured a cozy cafe and lounge for employee welfare, and one wall was set aside for photos of future affiliated streamers.
Security desks guarded the entrance, and a glamorous reception desk welcomed incoming guests right up front.
The second floor was dedicated entirely to streamers.
In the 60-pyeong space, five broadcasting rooms—each about 10 pyeong—were installed.
These rooms had perfect soundproofing, so streamers could drop in anytime and broadcast comfortably if issues arose at home.
Especially for music-related streamers, professional recording studios and mixing rooms were equipped with the latest gear.
The third floor was outfitted as office space for staff work.
Partitions clearly divided departments, creating an environment focused on productivity.
The clean, modern interior was designed to maximize employee efficiency.
The fourth floor, where the most money and effort went, was something else entirely.
It was filled with a motion capture studio packed with the latest VR tech that Jin-seong had specially ordered.
This space, primarily for virtual streamers, was designed to keep out regular staff and outsiders easily.
The elevator connected directly to the fourth floor without overlapping other levels, minimizing exposure of virtual streamers' real appearances—the so-called 'red pill' reveal.
The fourth floor also had dedicated workspaces for VR technicians, with all equipment ready for real-time operation and quick tech support.
Every detail catered to comfortable workflows for streamers and techs alike.
With the headquarters completed swiftly, all that remained in Seok-il's hands was signing the streamers Jin-seong wanted.
Most MCNs take about 25-30% commission from streamer revenue, handling taxes, legal issues, ads, and promotion in return.
It was convenient for streamers.
They just streamed, handed over a cut of earnings, and focused purely on content without real-world hassles.
Seok-il steeled himself for the new beginning at J.S Studio.
Above all, he was determined to deliver results for the company offering him a 100 million won salary—something he'd never find again.
While the headquarters was under construction, Seok-il meticulously reviewed the standard contracts from the law firm pre-contracted by the company.
They were legally airtight.
As Jin-seong directed, streamer contract terms matched industry standards, but for those specially chosen by Chairman Jin-seong, the commission was slashed 10% below average to a groundbreaking 15%.
No other MCN offered anything like it.
Leveraging his long experience in the streamer market, Seok-il was gradually reconnecting with contacts, building goodwill.
He avoided pitching contracts to those still bound by existing deals.
Instead, he kept in natural touch, positioning J.S Studio as their top choice when contracts ended.
Starting from scratch meant Seok-il's days were a whirlwind anyway.
Even amid it, he diligently sought partnerships with other firms for operational collab.
He first met with a hot VR tech specialist company, then sound experts, audio firms, and creative composers/lyricists.
Above all, Chairman Jin-seong's orders were concise and firm.
"Don't worry about money. Partner only with the absolute best in each field."
Seok-il followed without hesitation, contracting solely with top-tier industry leaders.
Thanks to Jin-seong's solid financial backing, negotiations went smoothly, establishing J.S Studio as a powerhouse with a robust network even before official launch.
One task remained.
Recruiting the streamers Chairman Jin-seong wanted.
Everything Seok-il had hustled for was now perfectly in place.
Top-tier VR/audio infrastructure, unbeatable contracts, powerhouse partners—the real leap for J.S Studio would begin the moment streamers joined.
While chatting lightly with Ye-ji, Jin-seong offhandedly mentioned setting up a company for Ji-ming's project.
"Oh, really? Ji-ming's lucky~ My oppa's putting in so much effort for her~"
Ye-ji's tone was sweet, but a hint of jealous envy tinged it.
She hadn't even guessed it was an MCN.
Given Ji-ming's music and virtual streaming, Ye-ji figured it was just an audio or VR firm at most.
Time passed, and the day Jin-seong headed to Seoul arrived.
As promised to Ji-ming, he'd go up in person for the contract signing.
He hit the road early morning, and it took just over four hours to reach the J.S Studio headquarters in Gangnam.
Upon arrival, Jin-seong got out, stretching lightly.
The long drive left him feeling stiff.
Entering the building, Seok-il, who had been waiting, approached to greet him.
"Chairman, you've arrived?"
Jin-seong grinned and shook Seok-il's hand.
"Seok-il, long time no see."
Seok-il humbly led him inside.
"Yes, Chairman. Must've been tough driving up from early morning. Come up to the president's office for some coffee first. Ji-ming should arrive soon."
Jin-seong nodded, rolling his shoulders tiredly.
"Whew, Seoul always feels so far. Next time, I should hire a driver."
In the president's office, Jin-seong looked around the well-appointed space.
It was sleek and sophisticated, luxurious enough to intimidate visiting streamers.
Jin-seong nodded approvingly as he surveyed it.
"Nice office. I've gotten reports, so I have a rough idea how things are going. Now the real work begins, right?"
Seok-il replied earnestly.
"Yes, Chairman. All preparations are perfectly complete. Now we recruit streamers and kick off for real. I'll give it my all, as you've entrusted me with so much."
Jin-seong chuckled at Seok-il's passion.
"Haha, no need to overdo it. Just keep us from losing money. I'm easy—breaking even is a win in my book."
Seok-il panicked at that.
"No, Chairman! You've trusted me with this—I swear I'll deliver top results."
Jin-seong laughed again, letting the enthusiasm slide.
"Alright, then run the company hard your way. I'll check in quarterly, call anytime if needed, and send company updates via email."
Seok-il bowed deeply.
"Yes, Chairman. I'll keep that in mind."
Right then, a staffer knocked from outside.
"The guest has arrived."
Seok-il and Jin-seong both turned to the door.
Ji-ming had finally arrived.
Today marked the reveal of virtual streamer Ji-ming's 'red pill'—and Jin-seong's first in-person encounter with her true appearance.