A Bit of Remodeling at the New Basement Office
The students in school uniforms, sipping their drinks together, kept stealing glances toward the counter.
“···I don’t know if she’s pretty, but I can’t stop looking. Whoa···”
“What’s that noona’s name? Someone give me her number?”
“Bing-shina. You don’t know Yoon Chae-gyeong? She gave her business card to the manager last time, remember?”
It wasn’t just them. Many of the café’s customers were constantly sneaking looks at the counter today as well.
Whether they did or not, the woman behind the counter—Yun Chae-gyeong—was fiddling with a business card in her hands.
‘Lee Hui-yeong…’
Lately, that woman named Lee Hui-yeong had been visiting the café far more often.
After she had rejected the offer through text, there had been no further pressure about trying to become an entertainer.
Yet the fact that she still dropped by every few days continued to weigh on her mind.
- She’s a second-year rookie manager at JMT. Famous there for being ridiculously stubborn.
- Said she’s only ever managed Kim Deok-su. No seniors, no nothing. She could get fired anytime.
└But if she lasted two years with Kim Deok-su, isn’t that insane?
└There’s a rumor at JMT that if you survive Kim Deok-su for two months, they’ll push you hard. Of course, no one’s ever lasted.
- Still, she’s basically an outcast among the managers. Just Kim Deok-su’s shadow···
- Rumor has it she even clashed with the JMT president···
- lolololol why does everyone hate Lee Hui-yeong so much? You guys are so petty for real lololol
When she visited the acting-specialized community site Actors, she learned quite a lot about the manager named Lee Hui-yeong.
In many ways, Lee Hui-yeong was a well-known figure.
The more she scrolled, the more confused Yun Chae-gyeong became.
Workaholic, rigid, disrespects seniors, Kim Deok-su’s shadow—every kind of comment imaginable was there.
‘If I work with this person… could I become an actor like Kim Deok-su?’
But she didn’t have long to dwell on it.
“Welcome. May I take your order?”
Before she knew it, another wave of customers had arrived.
L’Vyu to star in Ryu Haoran’s music video. Is this the start of his China breakthrough?
L’Vyu appears in music video of Chinese singer with 30 million fans.
L’Vyu shares passionate kiss scene with Chinese actress He Jiaqi… shedding his villain image.
“The articles are out. Once the music video drops, entering the Chinese market will be much smoother. Because of that stinky tofu thing… haa.”
Lee Hui-yeong sighed as she slipped her phone back into her bag.
Despite the absurd stinky tofu kiss incident, Deok-su’s schedule in China had been quite successful.
“Still, they didn’t run a story on the stinky tofu kiss?”
“That would’ve been pretty funny in its own way. But if we had, we’d never be able to set foot in that market again. They begged us to let it go… so we’re dropping it this time.”
“···The guy who tried to kiss her after eating that stuff is pretty bold, I’ll give him that.”
Deok-su shook his head vigorously.
The smell of stinky tofu that had come from He Jiaqi still made his head spin just thinking about it.
Though he spoke lightly, the kiss scene had nearly become a trauma-inducing nightmare.
“Hui-yeong, are you okay? You look really tired.”
At Deok-su’s concern, Lee Hui-yeong frowned instead.
“Who are you to worry about whom, Mr. Top Actor? Your eyes are bloodshot.”
“We both didn’t get much sleep. We got invited to dinner on top of everything…”
After the music video shoot wrapped, Ryu Haoran had invited both Deok-su and Lee Hui-yeong to dinner.
It was partly thanks for their hard work, but also an apology for the stinky tofu kiss.
True to his status as a national singer, he kept bringing out dish after dish, and both Deok-su and Lee Hui-yeong ended up stuffed.
Deok-su in particular kept clearing his plate, saying it would be rude to leave food behind.
Every time he did, Ryu Haoran brought out even more food, leading to the tragic(?) bloating of Deok-su’s stomach.
“I should’ve learned about the culture before the language… Who knew it was polite to deliberately leave food on your plate.”
“You learned it with your body. Still, we made a good connection, so let’s be satisfied with that. I heard Ryu Haoran has strong ties with Shanghai CITV as well.”
China was a country built on guanxi—personal connections and influence.
Without networks, nothing could be done.
This trip had created exactly that kind of network.
Lee Hui-yeong felt proud.
Thanks to Ryu Haoran’s consideration, both of them had flown business class on the way back.
“This is incredibly comfortable. Picture, picture…”
Watching Lee Hui-yeong beam like a child, Deok-su couldn’t help but smile.
As their short flight neared its end, Lee Hui-yeong spoke to Deok-su, who had just opened his eyes.
“You have the outfit ready, right?”
“Huh? Yeah. You said the coat was the most important, right?”
“Yes. Make sure the coat brand is slightly visible. And try not to wrinkle it…”
Deok-su took the clothes Lee Hui-yeong handed him.
They were the sponsored outfits they had agreed to showcase at the airport.
“By the way… you haven’t seen that person yet, have you?”
“That person is really persistent. They followed us all the way to China… You got all the photos, right?”
“Yeah. Send me the ones you took later too.”
After landing, inside the VIP lounge, Lee Hui-yeong applied light makeup to Deok-su’s face.
“Let’s go.”
Most of the arriving passengers had already poured out like a receding tide. Near the very end, Deok-su finally stepped into the arrival hall.
“Kyaaaaa—!”
People holding cameras swarmed forward, and security guards tightened the lines even more vigilantly.
Enduring the barrage of camera flashes and noise from all directions, Deok-su looked for his designated path.
‘They said to head for Gate D, right?’
In the chaos, Deok-su spotted Exit D.
It was where the pre-arranged reporters were waiting.
As he walked toward Exit D, Deok-su waved to the fans.
“Kyaa—!”
Until he reached Exit D, Deok-su continued waving to the fans while deliberately showcasing the sponsored brands.
Even after stepping out of Exit D, the area was still packed with people.
While Deok-su looked momentarily flustered, a man came running and grabbed him.
“Hyung—! Hurry and get in!”
Park Hyeon-woo quickly ushered Deok-su into the car.
Soon Lee Hui-yeong climbed in with the luggage, and the car sped away from the airport.
As they left the airport behind, the noise gradually faded into the distance.
Only then did Deok-su let out a sigh of relief and lean his head against the window.
Deok-su closed his eyes to rest, but for Lee Hui-yeong, the real work was just beginning.
“···Good. It’s climbing steadily.”
Lee Hui-yeong nodded as she looked at the uploaded photos of Deok-su’s airport fashion.
Deok-su had followed the exact route they had planned, and thanks to that, most of the airport photos turned out well.
They were also being tied together with the music video articles, so he was starting to trend on real-time search rankings.
“Hello. Ah, yes, yes. We moved exactly according to the route…? Pardon? Oh, we’re the ones who should be grateful.”
While Lee Hui-yeong was frantically taking calls, Park Hyeon-woo spoke to Deok-su, who had just opened his eyes.
“···Hyung, you’re renewing the contract this time too, right?”
“Huh? Ah, well…”
“The management team said they’re releasing an article today. That you’ll be renewing with our company within a few days. Nothing’s wrong, is it?”
If they were renewing, they were renewing—but Park Hyeon-woo found it strange that the management team was actively shaping public opinion.
It felt like they were unnecessarily dragging out what could have been summed up in a few lines: “We have renewed the contract.”
Deok-su’s eyes twitched.
“Where did you hear that?”
“When I have free time, I sometimes eat with the management team guys. They said Senior Hui-yeong does it too… Anyway, they asked me. Whether Deok-su hyung really intends to renew.”
Deok-su felt troubled.
He wasn’t sure whether he should tell Park Hyeon-woo or not.
Lee Hui-yeong seemed to be hesitating as well and stayed silent.
But a moment later, Deok-su, having made up his mind, opened his mouth.
“···I’m not renewing this time.”
“What?! Hyung. For real…”
“It’s actually for the best. Since the topic’s come up, better to say it now. It’s a difficult offer, so it’s okay to refuse. But if you… want to… would you come with us?”
“Yes.”
Unlike the difficult question, the answer came far too easily.
Deok-su was taken aback. But Park Hyeon-woo actually looked a little hurt.
“Of course I’m coming. Honestly, if you hadn’t said anything, I would’ve been really upset.”
Lee Hui-yeong, who had been listening quietly, cut in.
“Staying might be better. This is JMT. We’re only just getting started…”
“I’d rather be the head of a snake than the tail of a dragon. These days, startups are all the rage anyway.”
Lee Hui-yeong let out a hollow laugh.
All her worries suddenly felt incredibly foolish.
Deok-su said, “Startup. That has a nice ring to it. But we could still fail…”
“Looking at what you’ve been doing lately, hyung, I don’t think you’ll fail at all. Same with Hui-yeong noona. Alright then, please take good care of me.”
With Park Hyeon-woo’s cheerful attitude, both of them were completely won over.
But that wasn’t the end of it.
While looking at articles related to Deok-su, Lee Hui-yeong grabbed a fistful of her own hair.
“JMT’s fast…”
Deok-su opened his phone as well.
Signature’s L’Vyu leaning toward renewing with JMT? Unchanging agency support despite flood of love calls…
JMT to support L’Vyu’s singing activities as well. Following acting, singing too. The birth of a multi-entertainer?
We will support whatever choice L’Vyu makes… leaving the renewal decision in L’Vyu’s hands.
JMT insider: We are actively pushing L’Vyu. Confident we can handle rival love calls without blocking them…
The articles crafted by the management team had flooded the entire internet, shaping public opinion.
Deok-su let out a sigh.
“···If I don’t renew with JMT, I’ll look like the disloyal one.”
“This is underhanded. While you were in China for just a few days, they did all this…”
Deok-su clicked his tongue, and Park Hyeon-woo added his own complaint.
Lee Hui-yeong said, “It’s actually good timing. At this rate, other agencies won’t be able to do anything about it.”
“Good timing? Ah, wait a second.”
“Now we just need to settle things with the company. And… I’ll prepare something on my end too.”
At Lee Hui-yeong’s words, Deok-su’s eyes sparkled.
The three of them immediately turned the car toward the company.
When Deok-su entered the president’s office, Kang Sang-mi spread her arms as if she had been waiting.
“Tteok-su—! Aigoo. You worked so hard~?”
“You certainly made quite the spectacle. That’s why I’m here.”
“Spectacle? Come on, it’s not like the old Tteok-su. I only told the truth.”
Kang Sang-mi shrugged as if she had no idea what he meant.
‘…As expected. She has no intention of letting me go easily.’
When Deok-su stared at her calmly, Kang Sang-mi smiled and offered him a seat.
“Our Tteok-su’s drive is second to none. Same with me. I don’t want to see other bastards eyeing what’s mine anymore. Let’s sign quickly.”
On the table lay the renewal contract.
The format was the same as before, but the conditions had changed dramatically.
“No twenty-times penalty, no compensation nonsense. It’s about time we gave our Tteok-su something too.”
“How much are you offering?”
“Signing bonus of 700 million won, two-year exclusive contract. We’ll guarantee your acting activities too. The lead role we talked about before is also secured.”
“And I’ll have to do Signature activities no matter what, right?”
Kang Sang-mi’s lips stretched wide in a grin.
“Of course, of course. The entire Signature contract is around 4 billion won, right? Gang-hyeok’s probably a bit over 800 million? How’s that? Tempting, isn’t it?”
Deok-su shook his head.
He and the president were already thinking on completely different wavelengths.
“It’s not the signing bonus. It’s the Signature part that’s the problem. I don’t want to half-heartedly rejoin and burden Gang-hyeok.”
“Hey. Since when does Ryu Gang-hyeok’s opinion matter? You’re all going to be… what is this?”
Before she could finish, Deok-su showed her something he had photographed on his phone.
It was a picture of the reporter who had been stalking him relentlessly.
The man was captured not only in the car but at the airport and even at the lodging in China.
“···Who is this ugly guy? Anyway, back to what I was saying…”
“His name is Jeon Ung-gi. He’s the reporter who’s been following me around.”
“A reporter? What’s so special about a reporter tailing a celebrity?”
Deok-su stood up from his seat.
“This happened once before, so I looked into it this time. This person is quite interesting. Apparently he makes more money selling photos than from the articles he uploads online.”
“Kim Deok-su. Stop talking nonsense and…”
“I know this man is Director Kang Ha-seong’s informant. Why did you attach someone like this to me?”
Kang Sang-mi’s eyes narrowed sharply.
This was the first she had heard of it.
But she also knew Deok-su wasn’t the type to lie.
“If you’d go this far with someone from the same agency, how can I trust JMT?”
“I didn’t know about this. Really…”
“I’ll keep these photos quiet. JMT is like a hometown to me, after all. Thank you for nurturing me all this time, President.”
As Deok-su closed the door and left, a sharp voice chased after him from behind.
“Hey. Kim Deok-su. You think you can survive in this industry if you leave like this? Hey!”
Lee Hui-yeong was waiting in front of the president’s office with an anxious expression.
“Oppa. You really…”
“I showed her the photos, so she won’t be able to act recklessly. Now let’s just focus on our own path ahead.”
In the training room they would soon have to leave, the two put their heads together.
“The problem is public opinion. No matter what, it’s true that JMT waited for you until you made your comeback. We need to convince the public that this is a clean break.”
“Since we have the photos, the company won’t be able to push out more articles. Thanks to Director Kang… good grief.”
“For now, oppa wants to focus on acting, while the company wants him to sing…”
Bang.
The door suddenly flew open and Director Lee Gwang-yong entered.
His face was flushed red.
“Director Lee?”
“So this is where you two were plotting.”
Deok-su let out a sigh.
“Looks like you heard everything.”
“What’s there to hear? I expected it, but… ha. You think the president will let you off easily? She’ll try to block you at every turn. How do you plan to handle that?”
Unlike with President Kang Sang-mi, Deok-su remained silent.
The man was genuinely worried about them.
Director Lee Gwang-yong instinctively reached for a cigarette, then put it away and shook his head.
“···You’ll need at least a small network if you want to make a living.”
Director Lee Gwang-yong handed Lee Hui-yeong a single business card.
It read “Tax Accountant Woo Han-yul.”
“He’s a friend of mine. He has nothing to do with JMT, so you can trust him.”
“···Thank you.”
“I can’t cheer you on openly… but if you’re going to do it, do it right. Don’t half-ass it.”
Deok-su and Lee Hui-yeong stared blankly at his back as he left the training room with a bitter expression.
L’Vyu ends exclusive contract with JMT. New beginning with one-man agency…
L’Vyu, who had been flooded with love calls, chooses to go solo.
L’Vyu leaves the nest he grew up in. What will his next project be? Curiosity surges.
“···It’s shabby, but this is still our first office.”
A sign reading DH Entertainment was hung on a basement workshop in Hongdae.
It was their first office, named after Deok-su’s D and Hui-yeong’s H.
After remodeling, the interior looked quite neat.
Thanks to the tax accountant introduced by Director Lee Gwang-yong, they were able to complete the corporate registration without any issues.
“Seriously… oppa, you’re more amazing the more I see. You even know how to fix electrical outlets?”
Lee Hui-yeong watched in wonder as Deok-su repaired a broken socket.
Deok-su was surprisingly skilled with his hands.
Thanks to that, they had saved a considerable amount on remodeling costs.
Because the two of them worked diligently, the once-empty basement workshop was now filled with Deok-su’s personal practice room, a reception area, Lee Hui-yeong’s office, and more.
“Ugh, I’m exhausted.”
“You should rest too, oppa. Ah, but… we’re short one pair of hands. When is that errand kid supposed to get here?”
Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, the sound of someone running down the stairs reached them.
“Sorry I’m late—!”
“Hey, Park Hyeon-woo. You’re late.”
At Lee Hui-yeong’s scolding, Park Hyeon-woo stuck out his tongue and set the mixed coffee on the table.
There were two kinds—sweet and americano.
“···Being an actor is really tough.”
“Tell me about it. You should—huh?”
While Lee Hui-yeong was bickering with Park Hyeon-woo, Deok-su’s phone rang.
‘Cho Yu-ri? The assistant writer who worked under Writer Na Mi-yeong?’
She was the assistant writer he had met while filming his first drama, My Hwarang.
They had exchanged numbers after he read the script she planned to submit to a contest.
When Deok-su answered, he heard an extremely excited voice.
“D-Deok-su! I called because I wanted to keep that promise.”
“Yes? What promise…?”
“My script is getting produced this time. Please take the lead role in my work.”