Backstreet Police
At Kim Hae-chan’s words, Lee Jae-min, the head of Management Team 3, widened his eyes.
"...Are you talking about a job offer?"
"Yeah. Honestly, Baekhak isn’t the whole world, is it?"
"..."
"No matter how good Baekhak is as an entertainment agency, at the end of the day a salaried worker cares about money, so think it over carefully."
Kim Hae-chan smiled faintly.
It was his usual, kindly-looking smile.
"In the end, what remains isn’t the company, but your own life and your own money. It’s uncomfortable working for a company that doesn’t value you, isn’t it, Manager Lee?"
Lee Jae-min rolled his eyes.
"Team Leader Kim, are you thinking of changing jobs yourself by any chance?"
"Come on, do you think anyone would make that kind of offer to me? Besides, even if I got one, at my age it wouldn’t be easy to jump ship."
"..."
"But you’re young, aren’t you? I’m just giving you advice so you don’t end up regretting things like I did. That’s how much I care about you, Manager Lee."
Lee Jae-min grinned.
"Heh... I like you too, Team Leader Kim."
"So, are you thinking of leaving?"
"Ah, changing jobs..."
Lee Jae-min let the words trail off.
When Kim Hae-chan’s smile deepened at the sight, Lee Jae-min shrugged and answered.
"Not yet."
Kim Hae-chan’s eyes widened slightly.
Lee Jae-min tapped the Baekhak ID card hanging around his neck and said,
"Baekhak is the best, so why would I get the same kind of treatment anywhere else?"
"..."
"If you want to succeed in this business, you end up doing it through Baekhak. Am I wrong, Team Leader Kim?"
Kim Hae-chan’s expression soured.
"I didn’t realize Manager Lee was this loyal to the company."
Lee Jae-min thumped his own chest.
"I may not look it, but I started out at Baekhak. I’m a Baekhak man, through and through."
At that, the Team Leader’s eyes narrowed.
And then Manager Lee declared,
"I’ll be here for life! Heh-heh! Until I’m old and gray and painting the wall brown, that is."
***
We headed to Nowon District together with Manager Park Ho.
"Park Ho, you packed everything I asked for, right?"
"Yes, sir! The department store gift certificates, the red ginseng set, and Choi Go-eun’s contract, all packed!"
"Give the department store gift certificates to Choi Go-eun separately later. If I hand them over myself, she might feel pressured."
"Yes, sir!"
After parking the car, I grabbed the bags and said,
"We’ll walk the rest of the way."
At my words, Park Ho hurriedly started gathering the gifts we’d prepared. He checked once more to make sure nothing was missing, then headed toward Choi Go-eun’s house.
If I have the time, it’d be best to do these home visits in advance.
Thanks to the K-wave, it had been quite a while since celebrities had risen in status, but from the perspective of anyone not in the MZ generation, entertainers still weren’t far from old-fashioned showbiz types.
On top of that, there were the drunk-driving incidents and drug scandals that kept blowing up all the time.
And because income was unstable, parents with children often didn’t think very highly of the entertainment industry as a profession.
That’s why one of a manager’s most important jobs was to stay in close contact with an artist’s parents.
Especially when the artist is a minor like Choi Go-eun. Then you have to be even more careful.
That was the reason I’d come to visit Choi Go-eun’s home, but even at a glance her neighborhood didn’t seem particularly safe for a high school girl living alone with her grandmother.
We’ll probably need to move them when I get the chance.
Just then, I spotted Choi Go-eun in the distance, wearing a shabby tracksuit.
It looked like a school gym uniform, and the sight made her look every bit the high school girl she was.
"Manager!"
Holding back my laughter, I said,
"Choi Go-eun, is it really okay for an actress to walk around like that?"
"Why not? It’s my everyday clothes."
"Still, a school gym uniform is a bit much, isn’t it?"
"Hah, I came straight here after school!"
Choi Go-eun shot me a glare.
"Seriously, you only ever nag me!"
"It’s because your reactions are cute."
"..."
"Stop standing there and go say hello to Park Ho too."
She flinched, her shoulders twitching, and only then did Choi Go-eun turn her head to look at Park Ho.
"Hello, Manager Park... Huh? What are you holding?"
"A 300,000-won red ginseng set from CheongKwanJang."
"Ugh, I told you not to buy stuff like this."
While grumbling under her breath, Choi Go-eun quickly took the ginseng set from Park Ho’s hands and asked me,
"...But Manager, you really came all the way to my house?"
"You think I’d come this far and just leave?"
"There’s really nothing to see at our house."
"I didn’t come to see the house. I came to meet your grandmother, Choi Go-eun. So stop complaining and show me in."
With a sigh, Choi Go-eun reluctantly led the way. After walking behind her for about ten minutes, we stopped in front of an old tiled-roof house with a small yard.
"Grandma, I’m home."
"Oh my, the managers are here?"
The gate opened, and Park Sun-hui, Choi Go-eun’s only guardian, came out.
She really does look a lot like her.
Especially around the catlike eyes. And I could see she was a little intimidated by the sight of two unfamiliar men.
I cleared my throat and greeted her as politely, but as warmly, as I could.
"Good afternoon, Grandma Park Sun-hui. I’m Kwon Chan, manager at Baekhak Management Team 5."
And so Choi Go-eun’s home visit began.
***
After we were shown into the house, I saw a bowl of apples and tangerines sitting on a small table in the yard.
"Please have some. They’re not in season, but they should still be good."
"Oh dear, you didn’t need to prepare anything like this, Grandma."
"You’re Go-eun’s managers. How could I not? Go ahead, have some."
I stopped refusing and picked up the fruit. Since she’d gone to the trouble of peeling them carefully, I thought it was better manners to enjoy them properly.
Fortunately, Park Sun-hui seemed pleased by my behavior.
"You eat with a hearty appetite. You’re Go-eun’s manager?"
"The manager is that friend there. I’m the manager overseeing actress Choi Go-eun."
"Oh, I see. Then are you the person Go-eun was talking about?"
Choi Go-eun, who had been watching from the side, let out a startled cry.
"G-Grandma! Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden!"
"Why are you yelling all of a sudden? Isn’t he the person you always talk about?"
"He is, but... why bring it up like that..."
I perked up immediately.
"What was she saying?"
"Go-eun kept going on and on about Manager Kwon, Manager Kwon..."
"Grandma!"
Choi Go-eun nearly died of embarrassment, and I didn’t get to hear any more.
After some light conversation on other topics, we took Park Sun-hui to the restaurant we’d reserved.
I’d wanted to bring her to a high-end hotel restaurant, but too much hospitality can feel burdensome. So I chose the best-rated grilled beef place nearby instead.
Handing tongs and scissors to Park Ho, I naturally steered the conversation.
"Go-eun really has a lot of talent for acting, Grandma."
"Our Go-eun has talent?"
"Of course. You know the Busan International Film Festival, right? If she’s won a New Actress Award there, calling her a genius wouldn’t be enough."
Park Sun-hui, who’d been a little tense around two big men, seemed to relax gradually at the praise for Choi Go-eun.
"Oh dear, I don’t know much about these things, so I worried a lot when she said she wanted to act instead of studying. But hearing you say that, I suppose she really does have talent."
"It’s not ordinary talent."
I spoke with certainty.
"Go-eun has the kind of talent that can make her truly big. You know Kang Ga-in, the top star from the 1990s? The actress from A Small Garden? She reminds me of her when she was young."
"Oh my, really? Our Go-eun resembles actress Kang Ga-in?"
"I’m not sure about her looks, but in terms of talent, she’s absolutely on par with Kang Ga-in."
"My goodness... that much?"
"Yes. If she won a New Actress Award at the Busan International Film Festival, then that’s no ordinary talent, Grandma."
As my praise kept coming, surprise and delight spread across Park Sun-hui’s face, while embarrassment colored Choi Go-eun’s.
With trembling hands, Choi Go-eun grabbed my sleeve.
"Manager... I was wrong..."
"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
"I-I think I’m going to die of embarrassment, so please stop..."
"Why be embarrassed by this? And explaining your situation to your guardian is part of my job too, so don’t interrupt me and just eat your meat quietly."
For the rest of the meal, I kept praising Choi Go-eun. At first Park Sun-hui had been doubtful, but as she heard my sincere compliments, she gradually brightened and smiled.
"Our Go-eun really did meet a wonderful manager."
We finished dinner in a warm, cheerful mood and returned to Choi Go-eun’s house. After eating a few more pieces of fruit that her grandmother had peeled for us, it was time to go, so I got up from my seat.
"Just a moment, managers."
Park Sun-hui hurriedly tried to pack something for us, and Park Ho panicked.
"Grandma, you really don’t have to give us anything!"
"Oh, just take it. I want to give it to you."
Under the grandmother’s persistent urging, cold sweat beaded on Park Ho’s face.
As I watched with satisfaction, Choi Go-eun cautiously approached me.
"Manager."
"Yeah?"
"...You’re leaving already?"
"It’s dinner time, so I should go. Was the meat good?"
"...Yes."
When I turned my head, there was regret written all over Choi Go-eun’s face.
She was making such a fuss about me not coming in the first place.
While laughter bubbled inside me, Choi Go-eun muttered softly,
"Thank you."
"What did you say?"
"I-I said thank you!"
Choi Go-eun snapped her head around and said,
"Thanks for being so good to Grandma today, Manager."
She turned her face away to hide her expression, but I could still see the tips of her ears turning red, so I answered playfully.
"If you’re thankful, do better."
"...Do better than this?"
"Hmm, then just keep doing what you’re doing now."
Choi Go-eun leaned lightly against my upper arm and said,
"No. I’ll do even better."
"Oh? All of a sudden?"
"Yes. I’ll do even better."
"I already like you as you are."
Choi Go-eun looked at me with serious eyes and said,
"No. I’ll do way, way better than I do now."
Watching her, I thought,
She really does have something about her.
Maybe it was the way she caught the eye.
Or maybe it was the kind of aura that drew people in.
Compared to when we first met, Choi Go-eun’s presence felt like it was growing denser by the day.
Just as I was studying that change, Park Ho appeared carrying the food Park Sun-hui had packed for us.
"Manager, I’m sorry..."
"No, it’s fine. Refusing this kind of kindness would actually be rude."
I stepped up to Park Sun-hui and took her hand. The roughness of her skin spoke of a difficult life.
"If you ever have any questions about Choi Go-eun, please feel free to contact Park Ho or me anytime, Grandma."
"Oh dear, won’t I just be bothering busy people?"
"Not at all. We’d actually feel more at ease if you contacted us often."
At my words, Park Sun-hui smiled warmly.
Seeing that smile, I thought,
How hard must it have been to raise a granddaughter on her own?
And yet her smile was so warm. As someone who knew how hard it was to carry responsibility for another person, I couldn’t help respecting people like her.
Now that responsibility will be mine.
Helping Choi Go-eun grow into an outstanding actress was my job now.
I spoke sincerely to Park Sun-hui.
"Thank you for trusting her to us."
Park Sun-hui held my hand tightly and said,
"I’m truly relieved that someone as good as you is Go-eun’s manager."
That brought Choi Go-eun’s home visit to an end. And then a new message arrived for me.
Reading that message, the corners of my mouth lifted.
"It finally blew up."
To.Any’s youngest member, Seol Chae-i.
The first commercial from the future queen of CFs had finally appeared in the world.
***
To.Any’s youngest member, Seol Chae-i’s Daon commercial was released in full.
Starting with TV commercials, Daon jewelry ads featuring To.Any’s Seol Chae-i wearing the brand’s accessories began appearing on Nuttube, social media, and online communities.
***
The day after Choi Go-eun’s home visit, I went into the company and watched the Daon commercial featuring Seol Chae-i with the head of the Public Relations Team.
On the screen, Seol Chae-i wore a pure white dress that softly revealed the line of her neck and collarbones.
Her sensual charm, one that didn’t seem to belong to her age, drew my eyes before I even realized it.
As the camera closed in, Daon’s jewelry appeared one by one, and finally Seol Chae-i turned toward the lens with a gentle look in her eyes.
When the final line ended, the PR Team Leader let out a cry of admiration.
"Wow, this feels more like a movie than a commercial."
I couldn’t quite hide my surprise either as I answered,
"It really does. It came out amazingly."
"Seol Chae-i is To.Any’s center visual, right?"
I nodded.
Sorry to the other members, but our youngest really was To.Any’s center visual.
"Idols are all pretty these days, but Seol Chae-i is the real deal."
"That’s why I want to push her in the advertising market."
"Oh! That’s good. With this kind of visual, advertisers would go crazy."
At the PR Team Leader’s positive reaction, a smile spread across my face before I could stop it.
"How’s the response to the Daon ad market?"
"I looked into it a bit too, and it’s blowing up on social media. Especially on TikTok, Seol Chae-i’s commercial already has nearly 100,000 likes."
"A face that plays well with teenagers?"
"Seems like it. TikTok is mostly a teenage platform, after all."
The PR Team Leader tapped my shoulder.
"Heh... this commercial really hit big, didn’t it, Manager Kwon?"
At his words, I fell briefly into thought.
Of course it’ll hit big.
She was the future queen of CFs.
From my perspective, Daon’s commercial had to be a hit.
The problem is that the reaction is far hotter than I expected...
This momentum felt too good to just let pass by.
While I was trying to figure out how to make the most of the opportunity, I heard a familiar voice.
"Knock, knock. Is Manager Kwon in here?"
Snapping out of my thoughts, I turned my head.
The road manager from Team 5 was standing awkwardly at the PR Team’s door.
"What brings you to the PR Team?"
"Ah, Manager Kwon! The Director wants to see you right away."
"The Director?"
"Yes, I think you need to go now!"
I tilted my head and got to my feet.
What’s the Director calling me for at this hour?
As I stood, I asked the PR Team Leader,
"PR Team Leader, if you have time, could you organize the reactions to Seol Chae-i’s ad on social media and the communities and send them to me?"
"You want to make free use of the PR Team Leader?"
"I’ll buy you coffee next time."
"Not Mega Coffee, Starbucks, got it!"
After humoring the PR Team Leader’s complaint, I headed straight up to the Director’s office.
"Director, this is Kwon Chan."
"Come in, Manager Kwon."
I opened the door carefully and stepped inside, only to find someone already there.
"Ah, Manager Kwon."
It was Kim Hae-chan from Management Team 3.
Why did the Director call both Kim and me in at the same time?
Just as that thought crossed my mind, the Director spoke.
"Team 3 Leader."
"Yes, Director."
"Would you mind stepping out for a moment? Let’s finish talking about Manager Kwon first, then we can discuss Team 3."
"Yes, understood."
Kim Hae-chan stood up with his pleasant, easy smile.
After bowing his head once to me, he left the Director’s office.
I was just about to bow in return when Director Park Yu-hyeon called my name in a relaxed voice.
"Manager Kwon."
"Yes, Director."
Anticipation practically overflowed from Park Yu-hyeon’s voice.
"What did the actor Kwon Hyeon-bin say about Backstreet Police?"
My eyes widened at that.
He called me in because of Backstreet Police?
I stole a glance at Park Yu-hyeon’s expression. Just like his voice, his face was full of expectation.
The Director thinks actor Kwon Hyeon-bin will naturally accept Backstreet Police.
I couldn’t help a faint snort inside.
Unfortunately for Park Yu-hyeon, Backstreet Police was not Kwon Hyeon-bin’s next project.
I answered as calmly as I could.
"As you said, Director, I asked actor Kwon Hyeon-bin for his opinion. But..."
Park Yu-hyeon’s gaze locked onto me.
"Judging by the atmosphere so far, it seems actor Kwon Hyeon-bin is inclined to turn down the role in Backstreet Police."
Park Yu-hyeon looked shocked and called my name.
"Is that true, Manager Kwon?"
"Yes, it is, Director."
"...Actor Kwon Hyeon-bin is turning down the role in Backstreet Police?"
"Yes. I confirmed it more than once, but it seems actor Kwon Hyeon-bin has no intention of taking the lead in Backstreet Police."
Park Yu-hyeon’s eyes widened.
So Director Park can make that kind of face too?
It seemed that much of a shock to him that Kwon Hyeon-bin had refused the offer for Backstreet Police.
Well, it is a lead role in a 40-billion-won drama project.
After wandering in thought for a while, Park Yu-hyeon finally collected himself and muttered,
"A project like Backstreet Police is by no means small in scale... Strange."
"..."
"Manager Kwon. Why did actor Kwon Hyeon-bin refuse Backstreet Police?"
At Park Yu-hyeon’s question, I began explaining slowly.
"I think the excessive attention surrounding the drama was a burden to him."
"For an actor like Kwon Hyeon-bin, that kind of attention should be helpful, shouldn’t it?"
"That’s true. But he’s already under a lot of scrutiny himself."
"Because this would be his first project after transferring to Baekhak."
"Yes. On top of that, the project itself carries a lot of buzz, so I think he felt overwhelmed."
At my words, Park Yu-hyeon stroked his chin.
"Attention as a burden..."
"..."
"Then if he turns down Backstreet Police, is there another role he can take?"
I pulled out the answer I’d prepared in advance.
"At the moment, actor Kwon Hyeon-bin is viewing a role in a project called The Wise Life of a Namhae Intern Doctor quite positively."
"The Wise Life of a Namhae Intern Doctor, you say..."
"It’s an MBN drama. A work written by Kim Han-gyeol."
Park Yu-hyeon rested his chin on both hands.
"Kim Han-gyeol... if I remember correctly, he’s a mid-career writer who used to work as an assistant under Chae Sun-woo."
"Yes, that’s right. But he had experience writing long-form dramas, so the script was solid."
"Who’s the lead PD?"
"I believe it’s Ho Seon-nam PD."
Park Yu-hyeon let out a deep sigh.
"Compared to Backstreet Police, the scale is disappointing."
"..."
"Manager Kwon."
"Yes, Director."
"What do you think?"
Park Yu-hyeon looked at me steadily.
"Do you think it’s right for actor Kwon Hyeon-bin to refuse Backstreet Police and choose The Wise Life of a Namhae Intern Doctor instead?"
Did I think it was right?
Of course it was right.
How could you compare a Japanese national drama candidate with a show that would be lucky to scrape up a single-digit rating?
Of course, I couldn’t explain that directly.
As I thought about how to convince Park Yu-hyeon, I decided to emphasize The Wise Life of a Namhae Intern Doctor instead.
"Since actor Kwon Hyeon-bin is choosing his first project after transferring, I think his own wishes should matter most. And..."
I paused briefly, then put a little more force into my explanation.
"From my perspective after reading the script for The Wise Life of a Namhae Intern Doctor, it may be smaller in scale than Backstreet Police, but I think it’s a good project."
"Is that your intuition, Manager Kwon?"
"Rather than intuition, I think the overall tone of the work suits actor Kwon Hyeon-bin."
Meeting Park Yu-hyeon’s eyes, I went on.
"I believe The Wise Life of a Namhae Intern Doctor is, in another sense, a role that suits actor Kwon Hyeon-bin very well."
Park Yu-hyeon stroked his chin again.
"It’s been a while since I’ve seen Manager Kwon speak with that much conviction."
"..."
"Maybe that’s why. You don’t seem the least bit regretful that actor Kwon Hyeon-bin turned down Backstreet Police."
"!"
At Park Yu-hyeon’s words, my shoulders gave a small start.
What, did my face really give that much away?
Fortunately, Park Yu-hyeon didn’t press any further.
"All right. Understood. You can go now, Manager Kwon."
"Yes, Director."
"...Wait, Manager Kwon."
At Park Yu-hyeon’s call, I stopped and turned back. The Director was looking at me with a different expression than before.
"If, hypothetically, Manager Kwon."
"..."
"If actor Kwon Hyeon-bin ends up taking the lead in The Wise Life of a Namhae Intern Doctor, do you think it can deliver better results than Backstreet Police?"
At Park Yu-hyeon’s question, I fell briefly into thought.
Can it deliver results?
Of course.
Not just results. I was planning to create a Hallyu drama here.
The combination of a Hallyu star and a Japanese national drama...
Yes.
Like the second coming of Yong-sama and Winter Sonata.
I said exactly that without holding anything back.
"If you give me the chance, I’ll definitely bring back results, Director."
Park Yu-hyeon stared at me for a long moment, then nodded.
"Understood. Good work, Manager Kwon."
I bowed and left the Director’s office.
As I walked out, the last thing I saw was a faint smile on Park Yu-hyeon’s face.
And a faint smile appeared on mine as well.
Director Park is wavering.
It felt like I’d climbed over the mountain that was Director Park.
A massive stage was being set.
The stage where a Hallyu star and a Hallyu drama would come together.
***
After Manager Kwon left, Director Park Yu-hyeon folded his arms and looked at Kim Hae-chan.
"Hmm... so,"
Park Yu-hyeon’s black eyes gleamed with interest.
"Team 3 is going to take on Backstreet Police, the project Manager Kwon and Kwon Hyeon-bin turned down, is that what you’re saying, Team Leader Kim?"
Kim Hae-chan, Team Leader of Team 3, answered with his pleasant smile.
"Yes, Director. If you trust us and leave Team 3 with this project, we’ll definitely bring back results."