CK Agency (2) Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey. An actor who was currently as "hot" in America as Tom Cruise. The official announcement of his signing with CK Agency was, without a doubt, the most crucial piece of news to be delivered at today's press conference. Thus, the reporters, thoroughly falling for CK Agency's wicked (?) scheme of deliberately introducing the actor in such a dramatic fashion, began snapping their shutters frantically.
'Just as I expected.'
The mastermind behind it all smirked.
"It's you again, isn't it...?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Who else but you would think of a theatrical stunt like this?"
Elena Asimov, casting sidelong glances at Sion, spoke in a low ventriloquist's whisper, and Sion replied in kind. But her assessment was incredibly accurate. Having been close to him for over five years, Elena was confident that she understood the actor named Sion Lee—both as a performer and as a human being—better than anyone else.
With a gentle smile on his face next to her—as she sent him a look that was half-admiration and half-exasperation—Sion recalled the meeting he had to bring Jim Carrey to the agency. In truth, Jim had sent his resume first, but he had agonized over the decision until the very end. However, as the man himself would later admit, it was a decisive statement Sion made during their meeting that ultimately convinced him to choose CK Agency.
In 1994, after skyrocketing to global superstardom, Jim Carrey was still wandering in grief after losing his beloved father. He felt as though a son who lost his father would remain lost forever, deeply immersing himself in his complex inner world. Yet, completely separate from his personal pain, the world constantly demanded nothing but comedy from him.
He was an actor who harbored an unresolved sorrow in his private life, yet had to cackle and laugh more absurdly than anyone else the moment the cameras started rolling. He was a man of contradictions, believing that this very comedy had saved his life.
To persuade Jim, a single sentence that understood his state of mind was more than enough.
You don't have to do comedy. If you don't want to, you don't even have to act. This company is a place that can make that happen. Drawn by those very words, Jim Carrey decided to ease the burden on his heart and join CK Agency.
Charlie Kang, the CEO, stepped forward with a bright smile, sharing a lively handshake with Jim, who responded with expressive gestures. The reporters snapped their cameras continuously, instinctively knowing that this scene would be tomorrow's front-page scoop.
The others cleared the way, and Jim Carrey sat down next to Sion Lee. It was a moment where two of Hollywood's most watched stars, rising in completely different directions, sat side by side.
'Fantastic.'
'Damn, I want to run back to the office and write this article right now!'
But that wasn't the only scoop. The CK Agency press conference didn't end there.
"And finally... we have established a separate production entity that will work in close cooperation with our agency: CK Entertainment. This entity will operate completely separate from the agency's traditional roles, and our actors' freedom of choice and independence will remain fully guaranteed."
At that point, the reporters gasped, even more shocked than before. CK Agency was now stepping into forbidden territory. The realm of "production."
To put it simply, the statement itself was extremely delicate. And it had to be. CK Agency was already raising eyebrows in the industry, having suddenly bulked up by attracting various investors. And now, in this situation, they were aiming to become a production company as well. Naturally, those who stood to lose a slice of their pie wouldn't look upon this kindly.
That was why Charlie calmly drew the line.
"Over the past few years, our company has felt the need to go beyond simply connecting actors with production companies and take more responsibility from the early stages of project development. The launch of CK Entertainment serves a similar purpose, acting as a driver for the initial phases of production..."
His explanation was long, but the underlying meaning was simple. CK Agency was going to dip its toes into production. Of course, out of respect for those who already dominated the market, they wouldn't use the term "production company" just yet. And their "current" interest was not the entire production process, but rather the pre-production stage. It was a very cautious expression of a realistic goal: they wanted to co-produce the films and television programs their actors starred in.
When the announcements concluded and the floor opened for questions, dozens of reporters raised their hands at once.
"Is CK Entertainment a subsidiary of the agency, or is it an independent entity?"
"Can this be seen as a challenge to the traditional major agency model?"
"Are there any projects currently in development?"
"Will there be any changes in your relationships with the major studios?"
The spotlight shifted heavily toward the "production declaration" rather than the actors. Occasionally, questions were directed at Jim Carrey and the other actors about their aspirations or their reasons for joining, but that was about it. As Charlie was diligently answering each question, a man raised his hand. It was Sion Lee.
"...?"
"W-what are you doing?"
"I want to ask a question too. There's no law saying a participant in a press conference can't ask a question, right?"
At his sudden remark, everyone thought:
'Well, that's true.'
'But is there anyone who actually does that?'
'He really is unpredictable.'
But when Sion gestured with his chin for them to lower their hands, the reporters fell silent one by one. Charlie let out a long sigh and asked Sion Lee.
"Mr. Lee, is there something you would like to say?"
"Hey, Mr. CEO. Why don't we just give everyone what they want and declare that we're challenging the existing majors?"
The atmosphere in the room instantly flipped at his single remark, after he had remained quiet the entire time.
"I mean, we're all doing this to make money anyway."
"The statement made by Sion Lee does not reflect the official position of our company."
"Honestly, it's the truth. Once this news breaks, industry insiders reading the articles will see right through whatever flowery language we use. So, let's make some money together! If you teach us the ropes, we'll bow down and learn!"
The reporters' brains began to sizzle with dopamine, sparked by Sion Lee—a superstar who had never existed in the original 1995.
Early the next morning. The offices of Warner Bros.
"Bwahahaha!"
Terry Semel burst into laughter as he read the news of yesterday's press conference in the paper. The newspaper article was highly refined compared to the actual remarks. Yet, the content was still fascinating. CK Agency had boldly thrown down the gauntlet to the industry. To put it simply, it was this: 'Now that we've grown in size with new investments, we're going to produce too.'
In today's Hollywood, which was stabilizing after its golden age, such a move could be seen as crossing the line. However, there were plenty of precedents in history.
If it had stopped there, industry insiders reading the news would have just shrugged and thought, Look at these guys. But because the article included the part where Sion Lee put a definitive "exclamation point" on it with a "joke" about bowing down, the situation became far more intriguing.
Now, numerous production companies in Hollywood stood at a crossroads. Should they completely freeze out CK Agency? Or should they run with them and mutually benefit? And as for Terry of Warner Bros....
"We have to run with them. Of course we do."
To him, as long as it lit a hot fire of conversation in the industry, that was all that mattered.
"This was definitely planned in advance. If only Charlie Kang, the CEO, had spoken, it wouldn't have received much coverage. But Sion Lee, the actor, wittily played off it and gave it flavor. Thanks to that, it got detailed coverage in the papers directly, yet in an inoffensive way."
"Is he really a guy who's easy to work with?"
"Oh, I'm telling you, he's not like that at all when you meet him in person. He's actually the type that's very easy to do business with."
Terry asserted to Joel Silver, who was sitting on the sofa.
"Let's move as fast as possible."
His eyes gleamed with a businessman's spark as he smirked.
"Wouldn't it be better to be 'first'?"
And that article sparked a completely different kind of reaction among the public.
An actor's star power usually manifested in such ways outside the silver screen, and everyone quickly began to remember the name of this suddenly massive company, CK Agency.
Various industry insiders who realized this through market research also concluded that they must keep a close eye on CK Agency's future moves.
Not long after, in mid-October, another article was published.
Every industry insider who saw the article, which leaked shortly after the launch, was bound to be shocked.
'No way, this fast?'
'They're already collaborating with one of the Big Three major studios?'
'I thought everyone was just testing the waters.'
Of course, reading the article, everyone immediately figured out the inside story. This information had been deliberately leaked through an agreement between Warner and CK. For Warner, it solidified the partnership and news of the new project, while cementing Sion Lee's current market value in the minds of the industry and the public. At the same time, it kept the buzz from CK's recent press conference alive.
Yet, the public was thrilled by this fresh breeze blowing through Hollywood, and the industry grew even more wary of the change. And regarding this situation, Sion said:
"Didn't I tell you? It's going to go well."
"..."
Around early November, in the corridors of the Warner Bros. Company. Sion, who had come here for a production-related meeting, was walking accompanied by his new partner and CK Entertainment's "producer."
A Hollywood blockbuster movie built entirely around himself. And a franchise at that.
'Now that our size has grown, I can't just sit elegantly at a table set by others.'
To manage his career as a top star and climb even higher, and to enjoy the freedom as an actor who is never manipulated by anyone—which he so desperately desired—he had to step into production, whether he liked it or not.
'Just like Tom Cruise.'
Recently, Tom had also established a new production company and was filming Mission: Impossible.
'That too will become a massive franchise that stretches far into the future.'
At the same time, Sion would shoot a "killer" blockbuster from a completely different direction. And in the same way, he would keep climbing up.
Though he reaffirmed his goals in his heart, Sion maintained a lighthearted attitude on the outside.
"But are you okay? Transitioning to a producer so suddenly."
"I'm fine. It's work."
"It's completely different from what you used to do. Won't it be difficult?"
"It's just estimating budgets. For the rest, you've explained it well, Mr. Lee."
Chloe Arietta, a petite Spanish-American woman. Previously an agent at CK Agency, she was a highly capable employee who handled budgeting, scheduling, and contract reviews rather than talent scouting. She had transferred to CK Entertainment this time, taking charge of the tasks Sion wasn't good at, doubling as a producer and Sion's agent.
At first, Sion had tried to reject the idea, thinking, 'Ah, why Chloe?' But on second thought, he realized it wasn't a bad option and chose to work with her.
'She's completely blunt, and maybe because of what happened in my past life, dealing with her isn't exactly easy.'
She was the one who had taken over CK Agency after Charlie's death in his past life and grown it to a considerable size. Back then, her eye for projects was recognized as outstanding even within the industry.
'There's no reason to avoid her now.'
Though he couldn't figure out the exact circumstances of how things had turned out that way, she clearly had talent as a producer... Sion figured that if they complemented each other's shortcomings, they could make quite a decent partnership.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes. I have organized and prepared all the materials you mentioned."
"...No, I mean, mentally ready."
"The materials are solid, so I am fine."
There was a common perception that Spanish people were usually outgoing and expressive... but this beauty was the exact opposite.
'Well, it'll be fine.'
She had faithfully carried out her duties in both his past and present lives.
Reaching that conclusion, Sion opened the door to the meeting room they were guided to and stepped inside.
"Ah, you're here."
"Hello, Terry. How have you been?"
"Of course, of course. I've been great. How about our star?"
"I've been doing well too."
Terry Semel, sitting at the head of the table, welcomed him, and the waiting staff also stood up to greet him.
"This is our producer, Chloe Arietta."
"How do you do."
"Oh, my. To think such a beautiful lady would come as our producer."
Formal greetings were exchanged for a moment. Jon Peters, the executive in charge of development. And Joel Silver, the film's producer. Shaking their hands one by one, Sion couldn't help but smile.
'The lineup is pretty solid.'
In particular, Joel Silver was a famous producer who had achieved massive success in action blockbusters like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Predator, and Commando, and would later produce hits like The Matrix. This was their first meeting together. After a brief exchange, Joel, whom Sion had been looking forward to meeting, brought up the main topic first.
"First, we tried to develop a project that fits your 'tone,' Mr. Lee."
The fact that it had made the news meant that development was already underway to some extent. While Warner Bros. would handle the overall planning and production, it had already been discussed that CK Entertainment would participate by helping them, primarily involved in the early packaging stages to get the project off the ground.
"The title is tentatively confirmed as Bad Contract, which was the working title of the draft. The main synopsis centers around a veteran protagonist who has gone through various battlefields and acts as a mercenary. Since this is the first film in the series, I think it would be good to go in a direction that helps the audience understand the character with a tone that isn't too heavy."
And for a movie like this, a highly promising proposal was made.
"And we're planning to actively pursue overseas locations."
A blueprint of the movie began to draw itself step-by-step in Sion's mind.