Agency Horror Story (3)
Yu Ho-hyeon PD and Baek Chae-i writer were my benefactors.
If they hadn't come looking for me, I would've been perfectly content quitting acting altogether and becoming the king of seafood bibimbap mixing—which I'd actually passed the interview for as a part-timer.
That was why I had no choice but to throw myself fully into filming King and Sovereign, no matter how nightmarish the circumstances.
But Wi Min-jun PD is different...!
Time and again, I'd proven I was the perfect fit for Unbelievable more than anyone else.
Yet Wi PD kept ignoring my pleas with flimsy excuses, canceled my promised appearance, and lately, I'd even begged him, "Please, just give me a chance."
There was no loyalty owed to a guy like that.
Perfectly obvious, right?
Unbelievable... You bastards abandoned me...!
They'd soon regret ditching the actor they'd let slip away.
I smirked sinisterly as I sifted through my piled-up texts and emails, picking out names of entertainment agencies.
Too late to kiss the ground now.
These agencies would all hook me up with a new reenactment show.
I'll become the king of This Is Real...!
I fired off a reply to 'Miro Entertainment'—a name I'd at least heard of—and felt certain.
No doubt the first agency would welcome me with open arms!
"All four mid-tier agencies that were negotiating with actor Kang Min have backed out."
"...All of them fell through?"
"Yes."
"Hmm."
South Korea has what's known as the Big Five agencies.
YM.
Dreamliner.
KDS.
Wiztone.
And SGS Entertainment.
Once they hit that size, their asses naturally get too big to sit comfortably.
Meaning they get conservative about signing stars who haven't fully risen or are still unproven.
But today, the execs at those agencies were lost in unusually deep thought.
"Kang Min... Kang Min, huh."
"Normally, we'd just drop the bidding, but..."
Seven years as a nobody.
One drama skyrocketed his fame, but it's only aired three episodes—still unfinished and unproven.
Not "unproven" so much as "completely untested."
Plus, will he keep up that form? Even if he does, is death acting his only trick? What's his personality like? Clean personal life? No scandals? Factor it all in, and the risks outweigh the rewards.
A situation they'd normally dismiss outright.
But big agencies are hypersensitive to info,
and what had them pondering was some fresh intel.
"That Kang Min guy seems like a natural-born actor. Word is he's obsessed with acting—tried to go right up to the brink of death just to nail a death scene?"
"...You expect me to buy that crazy talk?"
"It's second-hand source."
"What?"
Nth-hand source is the standard reliability gauge in the industry.
0th: Straight from the horse's mouth.
1st: Close associate.
2nd: Associate of the associate.
Normally not trustworthy, but things were different now.
"Hold up—if it's first-hand on Kang Min, that'd only be Hong Ji-ho or Seo Bom, right?"
"Circumstantially, it leaked from Seo Bom's circle."
"...Yeah, that we can trust."
Actors' associates might exaggerate, but Seo Bom's fresh image and soft voice command surprising public trust. She topped preference polls because she seems "honest and genuine."
Even the Big Four execs (minus Wiztone, her agency) couldn't fully ignore it.
They started seriously considering him worth pursuing.
"Obsessed with acting to that degree..."
"Then why'd he waste seven years as an aspiring nobody?"
"Yeah, what was he hiding for?"
"Health issues?"
"Wasn't satisfied with his own level...?"
The reason? His acting hadn't improved a lick in seven years.
The Big Four's intel nets snagged those testimonies too, but they were quickly scrapped.
"With skills like that? Rumors he bombed auditions three months ago 'cause he sucked? Come on."
"Malicious, right?"
"Totally absurd. Jealous fans, probably."
The truth got buried, and the agencies stewed.
Ultimately: Why'd this guy lay low for seven years? Why'd mid-tiers all freak and bail—
And yeah, the world loves speculation that feels true over actual truth.
The one who uncovered it? A young staffer in SGS Entertainment's A&R team.
At the regular meeting, he stood with youthful bravado.
"I think we need to flip the chessboard."
"What?"
"Everyone's guessing why a guy with that talent sat out seven years, right?"
"Spot on. If it's a major risk, we gotta weigh signing him."
"I see it differently. A mad actor like that? His motives are on another level."
He spouted confident bullshit.
"I think he deliberately waited seven years for his moment."
"Ho ho?"
Two days later, a coffee shop.
SGS Entertainment Management Team 2 Leader Jeong Min-yong nursed his coffee with a grumpy face.
Flipping through the profile while waiting, but it was meh.
Just a single sheet, slapped together by their side—not even from the actor himself.
Jeong Min-yong grumbled inwardly.
No matter how I look at it, this doesn't seem worth my time...>
Not quite Team 1 Leader level, but Team 2 Leader Jeong had his share of tenure.
For solid-name actors, he went personally; for nobodies, he sent a manager.
That's Big Five team leader status—and he'd planned the same here.
His senior, Team 1 Leader, shut that down.
— ...Head saying he's taking it seriously?
— Yeah. No hard evidence, so he won't say it outright, but you should go yourself.
— Come on, just a guy with two fresh dramas? Promising sure, but unproven.
Jeong had watched King and Sovereign and been impressed.
But that was it.
From caring for A-listers who moved billions with their name alone, Kang Min was just an untested seed—not bad to nurture, but...
Lots of actors flame out after one hit. Even more crash from personality bombs after rising.
Team 1 shook his head at the griping Team 2 Leader.
— You missed the last meeting?
— Yeah, tied up.
— Believe it or not, some compelling theory came up. If it's right, that Kang Min guy's no ordinary punk.
— Ha, a rookie actor being extraordinary...
— Think about it, Team 2. Seven years.
Team 1 was uncharacteristically grave.
— Prime itch-scratching age, and he hunkered down with that talent for seven years. Why?
— Well...
— Doesn't strike me as coincidence.
Ding-a-ling.
Cafe door opened.
Here he comes, Jeong turned—and swallowed hard.
"Welcome." The part-timer reflexively greeted, then clamped her mouth.
Silence blanketed the quiet shop.
Not that they recognized actor Kang Min. Just instinctive tension.
Team 2 sensed it on instinct.
Kang Min scanned around, spotted him, strode over, and bowed.
"You're SGS Team Leader Jeong Min-yong, right? I'm Kang Min."
"...Jeong Min-yong."
Polite demeanor, sure.
But shaking hands, Jeong clenched his teeth to fight the overwhelming pressure.
King and Sovereign.
Hui-yul's weary eyes and icy gaze—he'd chalked it up to acting, amplified by camera.
No...>
Dead wrong.
Kang Min exuded overwhelming presence just standing there.
Nay, the onscreen version paled.
This guy looked like a survivor who'd brushed death dozens of times.
Damn, gonna die...
Spot on, actually.
Kang Min had died seventy-three times in his dream thanks to those hopeless idol duo combo from the last shoot. He dragged himself here on promise alone, barely upright.
Clueless Team 2 just felt crushed.
Brain flashed every actor he'd met—none compared. Obviously; none had been dragon or squid chow.
Then, yesterday's senior's earnest plea surfaced.
— You know? An actor's image gets locked by their debut role. That's why we obsess over character fit for rookies over director or pay—even wait months or a year.
— Yeah. Ambition to climb. All makes sense.
— But then.
"I, uh, heard King and Sovereign is your career debut, actor Kang Min."
"Yes."
"...Nothing before that? Really?"
"Nope."
— Then.
— What kind of ambition waits seven years?
Team 2 swallowed dryly.
Back then, he'd sighed, Senior's finally losing it.
But facing this actor, instinct screamed truth.
Before a Big Five team leader, no tension or wariness in those eyes—just weary calm.
Something Team 2 had never seen...
"Uh, sorry if it's rude, but any contract terms in mind...?"
"What conditions would a flash-in-the-pan nobody have?"
"...Like signing bonus."
"Don't need it. Just hook me up with a decent show."
"......."
Sweat beaded on Team 2's forehead.
Seeing beats hearing a hundred times—but this was another league.
Aura rippled off him just standing there.
What decent show did a guy like this mean...!
These past seven years, he ignored bit parts and supporting roles entirely...!
Not leads either—no shot at debut lead.
So he waited.
For roles outshining leads in impact,
where mere presence gripped the drama's vibe and viewers,
with raw talent to wrangle novice writers rewriting scripts for him, and desperate no-name PDs betting their all.
Team 1 called it speculation; Team 2 was convinced it was gospel.
Thus,
Kang Min's "decent show" meant better than that.
Kuh...
Team 2 gripped his fist.
Want him.
Snag this actor, and he'd leap from hotshot leader to next head.
But no cards.
Jeong Min-yong Team 2 had come way too casually.
Regret gnawing, he ventured carefully.
"For shows, director Han Cheong-un's planning a new film. Already 5 billion in funding, needs one solid actor..."
"...I see."
"Or a drama—writer Choi Hae-eun and PD Ha Byeong-gi team-up. Sub-male lead's not cutting it..."
"......Indeed."
"Or straight-up..."
The more Team 2 pitched, the tighter Kang Min's brows furrowed.
Anyone could see he wasn't thrilled.
Damn, what now— Team 2 clamped shut; Kang Min spoke.
Dead serious.
"All solid projects, but I'm after something else."
"Speak freely. We'll negotiate if possible."
"Set me up with This Is Real."
"...Pardon?"
"This Is Real. Or One Thousand and One Nights, Crime Uncovered."
"......."
Absurd. All low-rated reenactments.
And absurd asks at negotiations usually mean one thing.
Team 2 squeezed eyes shut.
Kuh, 'Not interested, buzz off.' Too casual...!
Kang Min squeezed eyes shut too.
Damn, why do they all react the same when I say this...!
Seventh negotiation tanked.
Two hours later,
Back at HQ, Team 2 Leader Jeong Min-yong bowed, shamefaced.
"Sorry. Couldn't convince him, Head."
"Hmm, he uninterested?"
"Well..."
Normal Jeong would've excused himself while bashing the guy. Talented, but ego bigger.
Instead, deeper bow.
"No. My prep sucked."
"...Ho ho."
Head valued Team 2, knew his flaws.
Expression shifting, Head leaned back.
"What kinda guy? That actor Kang Min."
"...Can't say for sure."
Team 2 uncharacteristically cautious.
But conviction rang.
"Definite monster. With ambition."
"Ambition?"
"Sink or conquer. Bulldozer vibe."
"...I see."
Spot-on assessment.
But tragedy stems from mismatched definitions of "desire."
Head drummed fingers.
Then spilled MBS-exclusive intel few knew.
"Word is MBS offering him lead in next project. Working title Chaebol Hunter or somesuch. Sign him, slot him in a friendly agency."
"Figures..."
"Why chase so hard? But if you saw that much..."
Head pondered more.
Then:
"Probe director Yi Han-ul's new flick in Chungmuro. See if he takes actor recs."
"Yes?! That's billions in funding alone...!"
"Not immediate. Watch and wait. You saw something, MBS did too. Worth a poke."
"...Got it."
And yeah, no secrets in this biz.
News spread like fire.
"Bidding high!"
"Means he's worth it."
"What can we counter..."
Rivals schemed; mid-small agencies eyeing Kang Min realized untouchable prize, reeled in lines.
They clinked glasses bitterly.
"Big Five snagged him."
"Yeah."
"I actually met This Is Real's PD and landed a spot... Thought maybe show him, lure to ours?"
"Talk sense, man."
"Hahaha!"
Kang Min's dream felt distant.
And unfortunately, something was making it farther.