Chapter 197
Chapter 197
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 197
Chapter Title: A New Kind of Deal
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-Are you serious? You really won't regret this?
“We have a bottom line, you know.”
-Ha, no, listen. No matter how you look at it, are you really planning to go with Break Burger?
The representative from King Patty Burger, who had initially approached us with a ‘we’re the ones doing you a favor’ attitude, was now clearly flustered.
“Is it so strange to go with the better offer?”
-I suppose JD Enter doesn't consider the image of its artists?
Look who’s talking about worrying.
It was even more distasteful to see the world’s largest fast-food company, which includes Korea, being so stingy. Instead of offering a bonus for the massive sales boost Answer had given them, they were trying to lowball us.
After the broadcast, King Patty Burger's search index had jumped nearly twentyfold, and it was certain they would make more than ten times their investment in profit.
“Of course, we consider it.”
-This makes no sense, logically.
He was dragging out the conversation, clearly not wanting to hang up. In that case, I, holding the upper hand, should be the one to end it.
“If you happen to decide on better terms, please let me know. But you’ll probably have to be quick about it.”
-Haha, I don’t think that’s going to happen. Please reconsider and give us a call.
“Understood. Well then, take care.”
-Yes, well. You too.
After hanging up, the Director stared at me with a blank expression.
“What are you planning to do?”
“We have to go with the more profitable option. They’re acting like they’re tossing us scraps we should be grateful for. It’s time we stood up for ourselves.”
“That’s not like you, Min-jun.”
I knew the Director was worried about the public perception of JD Enter and Answer, but I decided to tell her after the contract was signed.
“I’ll report back once things have developed.”
“Alright. But did you buy some personally, too?”
She was clearly referring to the 4.62% stake I had personally acquired from former CEO Gu. It was clear the Director was paying close attention to all aspects of the company’s management.
“Yes.”
“Where on earth do you get all that money?”
“I can see the future.”
“Okay.”
She nodded as if she believed me and went back to her work. I let out a dry laugh.
I might be living my second life, but I didn't rely solely on flimsy memories of the past, which came with their own risks.
I could proudly say that all of this was the result of my own considerable effort and deliberation.
Even now, before contacting Break Burger, I was gathering information on Blind—an anonymous community for professionals—and searching the web. I was even looking into the personal details of Lee Woon-young, the Executive Director of Marketing I was scheduled to meet.
It was only natural that knowing your opponent well gave you an advantage in negotiations.
“I acknowledge you, a cool guy who finds the future in information.”
The Director said, staring at her monitor with a deadpan expression. It was cute how she was so obviously trying to act chic.
After finishing my preliminary research, I called the competitor, Break Burger.
“This is JD Enter. I’d like to meet regarding the proposal you sent.”
-Please let us know what time works for you.
His voice was calm, but I could tell he was in a hurry.
“We’re available right now, if that works.”
-Where would be most convenient for you?
“How about the Break Burger headquarters branch?”
-You are welcome anytime.
“My schedule just opened up. Would it be alright if I brought four people with me?”
-Of course. Ten people would be fine. Since you’re coming all the way to our headquarters, if you’re okay with our menu, we’d be happy to treat you to anything you’d like.
The man, who had been composed, suddenly sounded cheerful.
“Then I’ll head over around 11 and give you a call.”
-Yes. We’ll be waiting.
As soon as I hung up, the Director asked with an intrigued expression.
“Who are the four people with a suddenly open schedule?”
“The idiots.”
“Huh? Doesn’t their contract start tomorrow?”
“They’re hungry, so I thought I’d get them some food.”
The Director let out a disbelieving chuckle.
“Heh. What’s the story there? But even if you want to stand out, isn’t ‘the idiots’ a bit much?”
“We’ll have to think of a good group name before their debut. I’ll be back.”
* * *
“Yes, yes. Producer Min-jun.”
-Is the packing going well?
“What kind of producer can’t even compose?”
As vocalist Jang Hyun-seung answered Min-jun’s call deferentially, guitarist So Joong-han grumbled.
Bassist Yoon Woo-sung, who was packing, spoke to So Joong-han.
“Still, our contract terms are amazing, aren’t they? Honestly, as rookies, we wouldn’t have a leg to stand on even with a 2-to-8 split.”
“We’re not rookies. We were scouted.”
“But we’re not stars either. Producer Min-jun might be young, but he seems capable.”
“Capable? Please. It’s probably just nepotism. If he can write even one decent song purely on his own, I’ll call him Hyung-nim.”
“I agree with Joong-han on that. To be called a producer, you should at least be able to compose, right? A producer is supposed to be a level above a composer, after all.”
Drummer Seo Bang-il, who had been packing in silence, sided with So Joong-han.
“Anyway, don’t say that in front of him anymore. It makes me uncomfortable. Honestly, I’m just grateful for the free room and board from now on.”
“That’s true. The terms are definitely good.”
“Seo Bang-il, you punk, stop flip-flopping.”
When drummer Seo Bang-il then sided with bassist Yoon Woo-sung, So Joong-han spoke with an incredulous tone.
Min-jun and Jang Hyun-seung’s call continued.
-I’m glad to hear your preparations are going well. Have you eaten?
“Ah, well. We were busy packing, so not yet.”
Jang Hyun-seung said, rubbing his stomach as it rumbled with hunger.
-Perfect. I’m on my way to the Break Burger headquarters. Would you like to join me? You can make an impression on the advertiser ahead of time.
“Oh, make an impression?!”
At Jang Hyun-seung’s words, the other Earl Grey members, who had been packing, all turned their attention to him.
-Even if it’s hard to sign a contract right away, making a good impression beforehand has a lot of advantages. Like eating a hamburger with gusto.
“Ah! Of course. We can do that very well!”
-It should take about 20 minutes.
“Yes, yes! We’ll be ready!”
As soon as he hung up, the members gathered around Jang Hyun-seung.
“What was that? What’s this about making an impression?”
“He asked us to go eat Break Burgers. To make an impression. Anyone not going?”
“You guys go ahead. For some measly hamburger? I’m out.”
Despite So Joong-han’s words, the other members put on their performance outfits: black pants and black leather jackets.
So Joong-han, who had expected at least one person to stay behind with him, quietly stood up, grabbed his guitar, and put on his jacket.
“I thought you weren’t going.”
“Damn it. I can’t trust you guys to go alone.”
“Then why are you bringing your guitar?”
“If I bring this, at least it looks like I was in the middle of something.”
“They already know we’re getting ready to move.”
“Ah, whatever.”
Exactly 20 minutes later, Min-jun arrived in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.
“Woah…”
“I’ve never seen one of these in person before.”
“Me neither…”
“Is this the car we’ll be using for our schedules?”
“No way. This is the kind of car only A-list celebrities ride in.”
The Earl Grey members piled into the van.
“Hello, PD-nim!”
“Good to see you. Are the preparations going well?”
“Yes, yes.”
Even So Joong-han couldn’t ignore Min-jun completely and gave a slight nod.
Min-jun glanced at So Joong-han’s guitar and started the van.
“There’s the matter of Answer’s hamburger contract.”
“Ah! That’s the hamburger from ‘Let’s Go Together,’ right?”
“You watched it too, Hyun-seung?”
At Min-jun’s words, Jang Hyun-seung—
“We all enjoyed watching it!”
Seo Bang-il—
“We’re one family now, after all.”
And Yoon Woo-sung said cheerfully.
“It looks like everyone really worked hard, so I’m happy it turned out well.”
Min-jun smiled warmly at the Earl Grey members, who seemed to be viewing Answer’s success as a glimpse into their own future.
“We did get an offer from that hamburger company, but the terms are a little unsatisfactory.”
“Oh, right! You said you were going to Break Burger, right? So you’re going with their competitor?”
At Jang Hyun-seung’s question, So Joong-han spoke up like an expert.
“As a manager, it’s natural to chase the bigger profit, but in a case like this, isn’t it common courtesy to work with the client who gave you the product placement? You’ll definitely get flak for working with a competitor, won’t you?”
“Wouldn’t it be best if Answer received praise while also getting paid more?”
“Eh? Pfft. If that’s possible, then of course it’s the best.”
Min-jun chuckled at So Joong-han’s laugh.
Min-jun and the Earl Grey members chatted about music as they arrived at the Break Burger headquarters.
On the first floor of the 10-story building was a massive Break Burger restaurant and a cafe from a sister brand.
Though it was still morning, a fair number of people were already seated in the restaurant. A few people recognized Min-jun, and Earl Grey’s leather jackets drew particular attention.
“Wow. There’s really a hamburger joint in the company building.”
“Do the employees here get free burgers?”
Yoon Woo-sung voiced his curiosity at Jang Hyun-seung’s comment.
“Nah, no way. They probably get like a 30% discount.”
Min-jun answered Jang Hyun-seung’s guess.
“It’s a 40% discount.”
“Ah, PD-nim, you know everything.”
So Joong-han let out a smirk and spoke.
“Still, it’s a benefit. Shouldn’t it be at least 50%? They’re pretty cheap.”
“Their profit margin is 60%, so they can’t go higher than 40%.”
“It’s for employee welfare. They can’t even do that?”
Min-jun let out a small sigh and began to explain.
“The number of employees in their affiliates is in the tens of thousands. Let’s say each person causes a loss of 50,000 won per month. If 30,000 people cause a loss of 600,000 won per year?”
“1.8 billion?”
So Joong-han answered confidently.
“No. 18 billion. This company’s annual operating profit is 39 billion, so you can do the math, right?”
“Ah.”
The Earl Grey members let out small gasps of understanding, and a red-faced So Joong-han nodded as if he understood.
“My, my, you have as sharp an eye as I’ve heard.”
The voice came from behind them. Min-jun turned to see a neatly dressed woman in her 40s approaching and stood up from his seat.
“I’ve heard a lot about you from Joo-won. He said you’re the most capable person at JD Enter.”
Min-jun hadn’t expected Executive Director Lee Woon-young to reveal she was General Manager Lee Joo-won’s sister right from the start. He had only found out through his own research and had never met her before.
Min-jun warmly shook the hand Lee Woon-young offered.
“I just worked hard and got lucky. The real talent seems to belong to you, Executive Director Lee.”
“Haha. A compliment from a celebrity really feels good, you know?”
The Earl Grey members were surprised once by the high praise for Min-jun, and again by the fact that it came from a high-ranking executive of a large corporation. They exchanged glances, having a silent conversation.
Min-jun introduced the Earl Grey members, who were standing awkwardly.
“These are the artists who will be joining JD Enter starting tomorrow. They’re going to be a fantastic band.”
“Haha. I can see that. They’re very handsome. I think they’ll be as successful as Answer.”
“Thank you.”
The Earl Grey members bowed their heads reflexively.
“Just pick your burgers. I’ll get the full set for everything else.”
“Uh, I’ll have whatever you’re having.”
“Me too, anything is fine…”
“Then shall I recommend our new product? How about the Deep Cheese in Steak?”
“Sounds great.”
She placed the order herself at the kiosk, and soon the table was filled with hamburger sets, chicken, cheese sticks, and other side dishes.
“Thank you for the food.”
The Earl Grey members took a bite of the thick hamburgers, from which hot cheese oozed out.
“Huuuh.”
The freshly made, hot hamburgers were undoubtedly the best they had ever tasted.
Executive Director Lee Woon-young smiled faintly as she watched the Earl Grey members eat.
Min-jun and Lee Woon-young also took large bites of the new hamburger, as if it were a ritual. A rich flavor, the kind you could only find at a gourmet handmade burger joint, filled Min-jun’s mouth, and he wore a satisfied expression.
“The crisp lettuce, grilled tomatoes, and the thick, flame-broiled patty go incredibly well with the rich Emmental cheese. There’s almost no ketchup, but the grilled tomatoes enhance the flavor even more.”
“Oh my. I’m glad you noticed. I had a hand in that combination, you know.”
“It was an excellent choice. Mozzarella can actually diminish the texture of the meat patty. And it’s amazing how you managed to extract only the unique nutty flavor from the Emmental cheese, which can sometimes taste bitter.”
“My. How did you know that? That was a key project for us.”
“I believe it’s basic courtesy to know about an advertiser’s new product lineup.”
“Aha. So you studied up on us?”
Executive Director Lee Woon-young responded cheerfully to Min-jun’s assessment, then looked at the Earl Grey members, who had been eating their hamburgers deliciously but were now staring at Min-jun with wide eyes. Their surprise at Min-jun’s extensive knowledge was quite amusing.
“If their contract starts tomorrow, does that mean you’ll be in charge of them, Producer Min-jun?”
“Yes. We’re aiming for them to start activities after Answer’s break. Until then, they’ll be training.”
The Earl Grey members were bewildered by Min-jun’s words, as if a plan for them had already been set in stone.
“Then I suppose we should see them as people who are destined for success?”
At the Executive Director’s words, Min-jun smiled faintly and opened his mouth.
“Separate from Answer’s contract, this is your chance for a pre-emptive investment in your next models. Right now, you can get them for a mere 20 million. Of course, that’s on the condition that we shoot in advance, while we have the time.”
At the sudden contract proposal involving them, the Earl Grey members’ eyes went wide.
For the first time in their years of band activity, an official opportunity to earn money had arrived.