An Extremely Global MBS (5)

MBS staffers were generally pretty apathetic toward celebrities.

Unexpected? Maybe. Or not. Celebrities were necessary to make shows.

Connections were a given.

But unlike viewers who only saw the polished package, the people wrapping it layer after layer had no choice but to inspect the contents up close, whether they liked it or not.

"Heard Choi Na-kyeong threw another tantrum. Apparently chucked stuff at her own manager."

"The Etherbit waiting room was a mess too, right? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Leader Yi Hwan-jae got into it with the members."

"Over there, the leader feeds 'em all, but the members complain about discrimination. What a shitshow."

"Think it'll blow up...?"

"Blow up my ass. Both agencies would bury anyone who lights the fuse."

Peel back the glamour, and they're all the same.

Especially in showbiz, where stress piled up inevitably. Sure, there were saints like actress Seo Bom—always mild-mannered, soft-spoken, kind even to staff—but they were the minority by far.

And once the rose-tinted glasses came off, apathy set in. That's just human nature.

They look great from afar, but up close? Not so much—that was the consensus among industry insiders.

...But hey, exceptions exist.

MBS had two.

"That Kang Min guy's something else."

"Tell me about it! Never seen an actor show up so diligently to production meetings."

"His career too. No cheesy commercials anywhere? He could swim in cash after that Emmy if he wanted..."

"And all the donations to facilities he's been in and random spots!"

First up: Kang Min.

The last part was circumstantial—he'd never have done a cola ad where the protagonist dies, obviously—but the staff didn't know that.

And his recent America-shaking exploits? Nothing to sneeze at. Even those who usually viewed actors through colored lenses felt a touch of awe toward him alone.

...Koreans had always been suckers for anything "international," after all.

The other one? The stunt actor Kang Min brought in.

First impressions weren't great.

"Kim Ho-jin caused that accident, right? And they let him off with a warning just 'cause he confessed? Makes no sense!"

"Suspended prosecution."

"Same difference! That sly fox."

"Bad rumors too. No smoke without fire, huh? And now he's joining our show, MBS's top project..."

"Jeez."

His flashy record and shady suspended prosecution deal made it hard to view him favorably, like the public did.

Showbiz meant watching these types don diligent masks and bask in applause. Staff clicked their tongues behind tinted glasses.

...Until they actually shot together.

"Hm."

"...Yeah."

Staff badmouthing Kim Ho-jin tapered off.

Volunteering for near-ten-hour shoots with Kang Min. Raw desperation that looked real. Professional grit against Justin Gilbreth and twenty beefy stuntmen—

Kim Ho-jin might be a sleaze.

But his respect for the craft? Undeniable.

"Not bad..."

"Yeah..."

Slow conversion. Grudging nods.

But no one voiced it outright. No need. Most acknowledged it inwardly while keeping up the sour faces.

No real change toward Kim Ho-jin.

"K-Kim Ho-jin! Don't chicken out!"

"?"

But that built-up goodwill shone in the clutch.

Kim Ho-jin blinked blankly. Soon, chaos erupted around him.

"Y-Yeah! We gotta see who's got the real length, right?!"

"I think Ho-jin-ssi is great too!"

"Kang Min-ssi specifically named Kim Ho-jin-ssi! Someone like Kang Min-ssi must have his reasons!"

"...?"

The cliché: mistreated hard worker wins hearts at the end.

Sappy enough to mist eyes for the sentimental. But reality? Different vibe.

Kim Ho-jin just blinked blankly.

What the hell?

Why are these idiots turning good rice into toxic sludge?!

He spoke up quick.

"S-Staff. No matter how you slice it, isn't that actor over there better? He's got the big-picture vibe—"

"Told you not to chicken!"

Shim Yoo-hyeon, early convert, thumped his chest. Face full of steely resolve to protect the rare diligent kid.

"In my eyes as Shim Yoo-hyeon, everything that Yankee brags about? I can cover it! No sweat!"

"Plus, even Kang Min-ssi said Must Die to Live was completed thanks to Kim Ho-jin-ssi!"

"Right! You might doubt your own eyes, but you'd trust Kang Min-ssi's!"

"Hm, yeah, come to think..."

Kang Min's clout sealed it.

Emmy, Broadway, Golden Globe—he'd flipped them all and come home casually dropping ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠"Kim Ho-jin-ssi is my soulmate" whenever bored. Influence like that?

Even Harry Gordon fans stroked chins, pondering: If Kang Min-ssi says so...

'Damn it all...!'

Kim Ho-jin was losing it.

'What the fuck?! Even without that monster here, he's screwing me to the end!!'

"Kuh...! That fencer bastard...!!"

'And why the hell are you glaring at me?! I don't want this!!'

Gut twisting under Harry Gordon's death-stare—like he'd chew a handkerchief—Kim Ho-jin barely calmed down.

Think rationally.

Kang Min wasn't even here, and this reaction? Huge.

Sure, Kang Min might back Gordon. Probably did.

But slim chance otherwise.

So push in this madhouse sans the maniac...!

"That expression acting just now? Insane! I'd never match it in my life!"

"You've got the screams, Kim Ho-jin! Gonzalez acknowledged it!"

"...B-But matching with someone like Gilbreth-sensei? Same country might sync better?"

"That guy praised you big last time."

"......Actually, I'm a Gordon fan—"

"Perfect! Go teach him his place!"

"......"

No dice.

Han Ye-seul ditching logic, Justin Gilbreth and nineteen hunks, Shim Yoo-hyeon—everything Kang Min built pinned Kim Ho-jin down.

Soon, split staff erupted in shouts. Yells filled the room.

Bedlam rivaling—or topping—that hospital room wrench standoff.

'Don't fuck with me...!'

Kim Ho-jin ground his teeth.

Desperate eyes on Harry Gordon.

'Damn it, convince 'em somehow! No money needed! I'll yield! Yielding!!'

"......"

'Got it? You get it, right?!'

Luckily, eye-contact landed. Amid market-like bickering, Harry Gordon frowned, stroking his chin.

Pondered long.

Then spoke, conclusion reached.

"Hm, I still think I'm far better suited."

'Yes! That's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it!!'

"But I must concede. Evidence wasn't enough."

'Huh...?'

"Guess we need the crowd's judgment."

Gordon looked up.

Serious face at blinking Kim Ho-jin.

"Just now, Fencer-man and I agreed."

'When the fuck did I, you bastard!!!'

But as always, no choice for screaming Kim Ho-jin. Meeting devolved till the section chief intervened.

...And soon, it wasn't just them two.

The hospital "pleasant" meetup ended fruitless.

Seo Bom trembled with rage; startled Kang Min regretted stressing the poor girl, dragging all visitors out.

Thoughtful, but since he left too, debatable.

Choo Yeon-ji manager looked like she eyed a pre-landslide mountain...

"Seo-Bom? What the— Aislinn? That photo from last time was this actress?"

Whatever. Manager gawked at the pic, whistling.

Post-stare-down two-shot of Aislinn and Seo Bom? 'Awkwardest Photo on Earth.JPG' worthy. But subjects too stellar to rank, lending a philosophical air.

Shut up the manager nagging why slum it in Korea, at least.

Soft whistle.

"Thought profiles were edited. Raw like this? Insane. No wonder she sees you as cow vs. chicken."

"Shut up."

"......"

Manager did. Aislinn, usually gloomy, had brightened lately.

Exactly two minutes later, grumbling resumed.

"But shouldn't you tone down that personality?"

"More bullshit?"

"Look, she's sweet-faced and nice. Learn a bit. That's why my setups flop."

"......"

Sealed lips. Manager winced inwardly.

Aislinn grew up scorned—not abused, but dismissed.

Stepped into dream theater stage? Cousin already entrenched, tormenting slyly; idiot bro funneled cash from her shack.

Raged to Hollywood, scraped debt—bro died screaming, hyena press spewed rumors for a year+.

Even angels turn venomous.

'Oops, fucked up...'

Manager eyed apology.

But Aislinn's mind wandered elsewhere.

She scoffed, incredulous.

"Sweet? Her?"

"Huh?"

"Does she look sweet?"

"Well... yeah?"

"If I'd grabbed anything, I wouldn't let her off. Without Min, might've cracked her skull."

"...?"

"She's nuts."

No one else clocked it.

But malice-honed Aislinn sensed it.

That one's a psycho.

Cousin Megan'd flee barefoot.

Manager bit back snark like "Says the pot" or "Self-intro?"

Silence.

Aislinn broke it casually.

"Anyway, that thing from last time. Think I should go?"

"Huh? Where?"

"Broadway."

"...!"

Manager nearly braked.

Snapped casual: "Huh? Sure." But senses screamed, locked on her.

Swallowed, holding breath.

'For real...?'

Aislinn Lewis once Broadway-promising. Agency pushed return now she was hot.

90% win shot: stardom beyond dreams, no-loss gamble. Her stubborn lip-biting stalled it.

But she mentioned it first.

Manager's mind raced turning wheel.

'What? What sparked this?'

'William White? No vibe lately.'

'That Bom actress? Nah...'

'Fuck reasons! Dream come true!'

Yeah. Prime opportunity. Bonus rain if sealed.

Just seal it—

Aislinn shrugged at gulping manager, all-knowing.

"But one must-have for it."

"Any—! Ahem, let's hear. If too much..."

"Dunno if too much, but essential."

Grinning at composed manager.

Crocodile smile.

"Hook me up with that guy first?"

"Huh? Who?"

"Y'know, from last time. The one barely clinging to life."

"...?"

Exactly one day later, VP office.

MBS VP felt Kang Min's return viscerally, like his subordinate.

"......"

"......"

Head in hands, staring at sports rag bundle. Beside: Kim Kang-hyun section chief, head bowed, gauging mood.

Headlines screamed huge, gleeful.

"......"

"......"

"...Th-there's reasons."

"Excuses are sin, Kim Kang-hyun."

Chief shrugged; VP massaged throbbing brow.

Worse: leak to other outlets over the story itself.

VP snapped.

"Can't you control your people?!"

"S-sorry. Told mine firm, but Gonzalez, S&W..."

"......"

"They found it wild too, rumors spread; Harry Gordon got asked and yay-verified..."

Bait lit as usual.

VP gazed ceiling blankly. Post-Kang Min return: nonstop bangs. Kid dragged explosions?

Familiar now.

This seemed minor amid endless bullshit.

Sigh. Orders:

"Harry Gordon's a nobody sans Chun-sik. Spin and contain. Say internal role-bump talk ballooned needlessly."

"Yes."

"Cameo as planned. Communication mix-up, mere hiccup."

"...S-sure that'll work?"

"Why not? No more fuel, they'll read the room."

Solid.

Gordon linked to Kang Min, but name-value too low for blaze. Ember too weak.

Chief brightened.

"As expected, VP!"

"No flattery. Handle clean."

"Of course!"

Rare tidy close. Chief exiting to fix—

Boom, as always.

CP contacts in frenzy.

"......"

"......"

-What do we do?!

"......"

"......"

VP and chief muted amid "Decide FAST!" shriek.

Chief's glance back: VP's eyes squeezed shut.

'Back for real, Kang Min...!'

But none matched one stunt actor's bafflement.

'......???'

What?