Let's Make a Contract!
The situation was neatly wrapped up by blocking the number. The next morning, Woo Dan-wol’s concerns about an agency had only grown heavier.
He was certain that once Flower Forest aired, his schedule would become overwhelmingly busy. From makeup to transportation, and all the way to schedule management.
In his previous life, he had been lucky enough that things ran smoothly without him needing to worry. But there was no reason for that same luck to follow him into this new life, was there? Therefore, he needed to carefully search for a good agency that would take proper care of him.
“Mmm…”
That said, there was one problem. Woo Dan-wol was not a veteran in the industry. If you only counted his active career, he was essentially a rookie actor with less than two years under his belt. How could he possibly know how to find a decent agency?
While he was squirming under the blanket, a single phone call pulled him out of his thoughts.
“Mister Dan-wol. The script is ready.”
“I’ll be right there.”
He couldn’t resist a new script! Woo Dan-wol immediately began preparing to head out. Because the aftermath of yesterday still lingered, he took a taxi to the production company today.
Upon arriving at the company, he contacted writer Ko A-rin and was guided inside. His mind and heart were both screaming for the script. That had been his original purpose, after all—his desire. But he wasn’t someone completely lacking in social awareness. He might be crazy about acting, but he wasn’t some tactless monster.
“This is the conference room.”
“I see…”
Of course, he still felt no particular excitement. He had gladly accepted the offer to be shown around the company, but he was starting to grow bored.
Only after being given a full tour of Dotori is Coming did he finally receive the script. At that moment, a familiar voice rang out from across the room.
“Oh? Mister Dan-wol!”
“Mister Dan-woool?!”
The voice cracked on the last syllable. In technical terms, it was a spectacular voice crack that echoed through the conference room. The owner of the voice poked her head out, then walked straight toward him. One face was the familiar Director Seo Yeon-soo. The other was a new one.
Long black hair that fell all the way to her waist, the ends styled in loose waves. Her voluminous locks somehow reminded him of a lion’s mane. Her eyes looked indifferent at first glance, yet burned with unmistakable passion. She was an ordinary woman who was anything but ordinary—an intensely passionate presence.
“And you are…?”
“My name is Lee Hye-ri. You’re Woo Dan-wol, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
He accepted the business card. Lee Hye-ri, CEO of Haesung Entertainment. It was a company name he had never heard before, but Director Seo Yeon-soo let out a hearty laugh.
“Hahaha! I was so shocked when I heard you’d gone independent!”
“It’s embarrassing.”
“Embarrassing? You built everything yourself, Hye-ri. You should be at least a little proud.”
“Yes…”
The two exchanged a few more words. Somehow, Woo Dan-wol and Lee Hye-ri ended up sitting together. She seemed hesitant, so he was the one who spoke first.
“We’ve met before, haven’t we?”
“Eh? Uh, um…?”
Lee Hye-ri’s eyes widened into perfect circles. She was so flustered she forgot what she was going to say and could only stammer. Did he actually know her? Anyone in the industry might have recognized her, but she never imagined a rookie actor would.
At most, if he had seen her on TV… but she had only been a team leader at a company.
“You came to see my play, right?”
“Y-yes! That’s right!!”
Her expectations were once again proven wrong. The word “shock” practically floated across Lee Hye-ri’s face.
It was natural for an audience member to remember an actor. But the reverse? That was truly unusual. Unless she had known who he was from the start, remembering her would have been the stranger outcome.
…The moment she saw Woo Dan-wol’s pure, innocent expression, her suspicion vanished. What reason would someone with a face like that have to lie? Of course, that was only how he looked in her eyes. To everyone else, Woo Dan-wol’s face was perfectly neutral.
“You cheered and clapped the loudest in the entire theater.”
“You have an impressive memory…”
“Thank you.”
At those words, Director Seo Yeon-soo and writer Ko A-rin chimed in as well. And so, after circling back around, Lee Hye-ri finally reached her main point.
“The reason I’m here is… do you currently have an agency?”
“No, I don’t, but…”
Rookie actors generally fell into two categories. Occasionally, the exceptionally talented oddballs who were confident in their skills would turn down agencies. Of course, that only happened in novels and comics. In reality, it was extremely rare.
The reason was simple: agencies often pushed their own actors or engaged in “bundling” deals. It was essentially a business transaction. The production company made money, and the agency gained the chance to introduce their rookie alongside a famous actor to the public.
Which category did Woo Dan-wol fall into? Lee Hye-ri’s eyes sparkled with determination. She wasn’t the type to shrink back in a situation like this. As Woo Dan-wol sat silently in thought, she decided to charge forward in true Lee Hye-ri fashion.
“I used to be a team leader at E-Doon Entertainment.”
“…?”
No matter what expression Woo Dan-wol made, Lee Hye-ri continued speaking. Normally, scouting was a clear superior-subordinate interaction. In contracts, the company was the superior party, and the actor was the subordinate.
Yet her demeanor was more like a job applicant at an interview. With firm determination and burning passion, she delivered her speech.
“It was a company I spent ten years with. I started as a road manager at nineteen. Now, at twenty-nine, I’ve reached the position of team leader.”
“I see…”
“It might sound foolish, but I truly loved this industry. As a child, I admired it. In my early twenties, I wanted to conquer it. But… reality wasn’t like that.”
“It never is.”
In his previous life and even after entering this gender-reversed world, there were constant dark undercurrents plaguing the entertainment industry. Illegal activities, drugs, sexual favors. Things that could never be called bright occasionally made headlines.
From small incidents brushed off as personal mistakes to large-scale problems involving entire companies or idol groups. Woo Dan-wol fully agreed with her words.
“But after watching your performance, Mister Woo Dan-wol, I realized something. The passion that I thought had burned out and left only ashes… had simply been resting for a while.”
Whoosh. It almost felt like he could hear the sound effect. For a moment, he thought he saw flames blazing in her eyes.
It felt a little overwhelming, but Woo Dan-wol took it in a positive light. He listened with a faint smile.
“So I wanted to create the kind of art I had always envisioned.”
“What kind of art do you envision, CEO Lee Hye-ri?”
“Inspiration.”
Woo Dan-wol nodded. It reminded him of the first time he joined a theater club and watched his friend perform.
“If it gives inspiration to others and makes them think, isn’t that art? And I want to nurture people like that.”
“That’s wonderful.”
“Yes. So… I would like to invite you, Mister Woo Dan-wol, to be the first actor of Haesung Entertainment.”
He slowly closed his eyes. Haesung. It was a word that had followed him throughout his previous life. News articles had constantly described him as appearing like a comet. And like a comet, he had fallen to his death. Now living this new life, it was almost funny that he was once again being treated like a comet here. Haesung and Woo Dan-wol—they were inseparable symbols.
“Alright. Do you have the contract with you?”
“…!!”
Lee Hye-ri’s face brightened. Her smile was so purely happy that it was hard to believe she was four years older than him. It was the kind of smile a child might wear.
Seeing that, a smile also bloomed on Woo Dan-wol’s lips. They say laughter is contagious. This was exactly that.
“This feels like a drama.”
“It really does.”
Ko A-rin and Director Seo Yeon-soo whispered to each other, but they decided to simply enjoy the moment. They had stepped back a little to watch, but the sight of the two passionately discussing acting and the future was genuinely heartwarming. To these seasoned professionals in their thirties and beyond, Woo Dan-wol and Lee Hye-ri looked like pure youth.
“Please read it carefully. The split is…”
“It’s quite generous, isn’t it?”
“I wanted to give you more, but…”
“No, no. This is fine.”
Woo Dan-wol knew his own worth. Not out of personal arrogance, but from a social and objective standpoint.
The contract split was 8(Woo Dan-wol):2(Haesung Entertainment). For a rookie, it was an incredibly favorable ratio. Normally, even a 5:5 split would have been something to be grateful for.
“In my eyes, Mister Woo Dan-wol, you’re already a pro.”
“Thank you. It’s far too generous for a rookie. At this level…”
“It’s the value I see in you, so please don’t feel burdened.”
Generally, the settlement ratio for new actors was quite low. The reason was that the cost of raising them was enormous. Training expenses alone were significant, not to mention the costs associated with bundling deals. For that reason, most contracts ran for five years or longer.
“Thank you for viewing me so favorably.”
Woo Dan-wol had no choice but to express his gratitude. Not only was the settlement ratio on par with a veteran’s, but the contract length was only three years.
For a nameless rookie, the conditions were suspiciously good. He examined the clauses in detail, but all he could do was marvel.
“Let’s sign it.”
“I’ll be in your care, Actor Woo.”
“And I’ll be in yours, CEO.”
They both stood up. When Woo Dan-wol bowed at a perfect ninety degrees, Lee Hye-ri returned the gesture with equal respect.
Though both had grown weary of reality and been stained by society, it was precisely because of that that they could approach each other with such sincerity.
“Ah, right, CEO…”
It was the first request from her new signed actor. Lee Hye-ri perked up attentively. Woo Dan-wol pulled out his smartphone, showed her the messages, and began explaining what had happened yesterday.
Her expression shifted moment by moment. With a face caught somewhere between icy coldness and perfect neutrality, she spoke like a general drawing her sword.
“I will. Definitely. Handle this. Well. Do not worry. Actor Woo Dan-wol.”
“That puts my mind at ease.”
Her words came out in short, clipped bursts, as if she were gritting her teeth, but her determination was crystal clear. How reliable. A smile bloomed on Woo Dan-wol’s lips.