Identity
Not long after he started waiting in the parking lot of the park near the officetel, a silver car pulled in through the entrance.
Whirr—.
"Congratulations on the award, Team Leader."
Yeon-woo let out a quiet snort of laughter at the sight of Han Hae-un rolling down the driver's window to offer his congratulations.
"What congratulations? Thanks, though."
He opened the passenger door, climbed in, and silently pointed at the dash cam.
Hae-un pulled the power cord free.
"From this moment on, don't write any of this down. Memorize everything I tell you."
"Yes, sir."
Watching Hae-un nod, Yeon-woo steadied his breathing and began relaying the intelligence he had obtained from the dark-information broker in Berlin.
"First of all, Baeksol is the name of a group. Or more accurately, a private organization inside a larger one."
"So it really is a secret organization inside the NIS?"
Yeon-woo nodded and continued.
"October 13, 1990."
"The day the Korean government declared war on crime and violence."
Late in 1990 the president had issued the October 13 Special Declaration, launching a massive crackdown on violent organizations. The event was so monumental that a film of the same name later became a box-office hit.
"Every domestic drug syndicate was wiped out then, but within a year the Chinese triads and Japanese yakuza-affiliated groups moved in to fill the vacuum and restart the drug trade."
"Of course they did. As long as there's demand, the drug business never disappears. Hmm… that would have been before I even started elementary school."
It was more than thirty years ago. Yeon-woo remembered Baek No-ya saying he had been caught up in those faction wars when he was young and had gone to prison for it.
"So the National Intelligence Service—back then it was still the Agency for National Security Planning, the infamous ANSP—started secretly controlling the drugs circulating inside the country themselves."
"If they couldn't eradicate it, they would keep it under their own management. Unthinkable by today's standards…"
"And that system has continued to this day."
Hae-un's eyes went round.
"What? Continued until now? So that was Baeksol? A secret organization that has survived inside the NIS for thirty years… Is that even possible? When the ANSP was dissolved and the NIS was founded, I heard they purged agents on a massive scale."
"That's true. I joined in 2001, and there were only two classes above me. Most of the senior posts were filled by outside appointees."
"Then how did those ghosts manage to hang on?"
Yeon-woo rubbed his chin, then spoke.
"If you control the entire domestic drug distribution network, the money that falls out of it is astronomical. At first they were just following orders from above. Then the military regime collapsed, and the people who had given those orders suddenly vanished."
"They would never have been willing to give that up."
Yeon-woo nodded and went on.
"Listen carefully, Hae-un. White 'baek' and 'sol' meaning to lead. Their only purpose is one thing: to share among themselves the enormous profits that come from controlling the white powder, and to keep that system alive."
"Then… what do we do from here?"
"They keep their numbers strictly at seven. Only when one of them dies do they select a successor, put him through thorough ideological training, and bring him in."
Hae-un's eyes lit up.
"Then the person we recently identified—the agent Ha Ju-ran who's posing as Assistant Deputy Minister of Culture Jeong Chan-suk—that woman is…"
"One of the seven. And there's another: a man named Kim Gye-sik whose personal details are known to foreign intelligence agencies because he mainly handles overseas suppliers."
Hae-un rolled the name around on his tongue.
"I feel like I've heard that name somewhere… Though it's a common enough name."
"You might have. On the surface he's still an NIS insider."
"So we've identified two of the seven."
Yeon-woo nodded.
"And above them all is someone called the Master. In the end we have to identify every last one of the seven and take them down in a single stroke. If official investigations start on the two we already know about, the rest will simply pull their tails in and wait quietly underwater for years."
Hae-un fell silent for a moment, then broke into a grin.
"Still, at least the direction is clear now. From here we just have to run."
"You quit smoking first. Those lungs of yours aren't going to make it."
"Ahem. I'm cutting back little by little."
"What? What do you mean there's no personnel to send to Korea?"
"Jake never liked using Asian actors in the first place. It's always like this."
Hollywood casting director Bernard Fenton slammed the papers in his hand onto the desk and pressed his fingers to his forehead.
"Even so, after we already sent a formal casting proposal, telling the actor to go all the way to China or Japan for the audition? Does that make any sense?"
Bernard Fenton had offered Ryu Yeon-woo, through LN Entertainment, an audition for a new Netflix project. But the Hollywood production environment still reacted lukewarmly to Asian actors; unless a project was specifically chasing "China money" and targeting the Chinese market, they simply didn't see the appeal.
"You saw the Ryu I had my eye on win the Golden Bear in Berlin. Why the hell is this damn Hollywood still stuck in its own little world, marching in place?"
Fenton shook his head with a bitter expression. He was thoroughly sick of the whitewashing that ran rampant through Hollywood—the practice of casting white actors even for characters of other races that appeared in original works or scripts, a habit that went beyond mere white supremacy.
"The role we were going to offer Actor Ryu this time was an Asian-American, and they can't even free up a single day in the schedule? Ha."
"Nothing we can do. They said if he doesn't want to participate, just pretend the whole thing never happened. Ever since Jake took over as CEO, he's been completely out of control."
Hearing his staffer's report, Fenton rose from his chair.
"Looks like I'll have to go apologize in person. This isn't about the contract—it's about the relationship going forward. Korean content is growing in real time. The center of the era is slowly tilting this way… Those idiots in LA, I swear."
"Hey, do you really think barging in like this will get us a meeting?"
"You saw the interview too. Actor Ryu Yeon-woo will understand our romance."
Unknown director Hwang Min-gwon's eyes burned with baseless confidence after watching the interview Yeon-woo had given at the airport upon his return. He punched LN Entertainment headquarters into the navigation and set off without a second thought.
Jeong Yo-han had no choice but to tag along after a friend who, once the switch flipped, could not be stopped—even though he knew perfectly well it would never work.
"Come on, even if we called ahead and tried to book a meeting it would be fifty-fifty, and you're just showing up unannounced? The only thing that's going to happen is the guards throwing us out."
"Let me borrow a little of your reputation. You were a hot CG director in Hollywood—they'll at least meet us, right?"
Jeong Yo-han stared at him with a look of pure disbelief.
"Dude. Who in Korea even knows who I am? Say something that makes sense."
"But LN does film production too. Someone might recognize you somehow."
Jeong Yo-han looked at the completely plan-free Hwang Min-gwon with exhausted eyes.
"Whatever. Do what you want. If it starts getting embarrassing, I'm running."
"Hey, brother. Is that all the passion you have for the movie we're going to make?"
"Bullshit. You only call me 'brother' at times like this."
And so Bernard Fenton, Hwang Min-gwon, and Jeong Yo-han were each heading toward LN Entertainment headquarters with their own thoughts and purposes.
Meanwhile, Yeon-woo—who had just finished meeting Hae-un—had gone home for a short nap and was now on his way to the company with manager Kim Min-su.
"Bernard Fenton suddenly wants to see you? There's still some time left before the audition schedule…"
"Hmm. Maybe he's fretting that your value will shoot up after the award and the box-office numbers for Master Plan?"
Yeon-woo tilted his head at Kim Min-su's suggestion.
"If that were the case, he wouldn't need to see me in person…"
Before long the car carrying Yeon-woo entered the underground parking garage of the entertainment building.
"Shall we go? They say he's waiting in the CEO's office."
Yeon-woo and Kim Min-su took the elevator to the top floor.
Ding—.
When the doors opened, the corridor was unexpectedly noisy.
"Please, I'm begging you. I'll wait quietly in a corner until he has time—just let me meet him once."
"I'm afraid it's difficult since you don't have an appointment. I'll pass the message along, though."
In front of the CEO's office stood a man pleading and a management team leader looking thoroughly put out.
"Hmm? What's going on?"
As they approached to enter the office, the pleading man spotted Yeon-woo and froze.
"Huk! Ryu Yeon-woo…?"
Jeong Yo-han, who had been hanging his head in mortification, looked up at Hwang Min-gwon's words.
"Aaaagh. What the—it's actually him? Insane."
Yeon-woo tilted his head at the pair.
…Pretty fresh reaction for guys in their late thirties.
He found it interesting that a man with a bandit-like beard and a nerdish guy in glasses were reacting like teenage fangirls right in front of him.
"Hello. I have business this way—may I pass through?"
Yeon-woo spoke with a light smile. Hwang Min-gwon lunged forward as if ready to grab his pant leg.
"Hello! I'm film director Hwang Min-gwon. I saw your interview and the romance—urk!"
Manager Kim Min-su stepped in front of Yeon-woo faster than Hwang Min-gwon could close the distance and blocked him.
The commotion outside brought the CEO's office door open; Kim Ju-seong and Bernard Fenton emerged.
Taking in the sight of Kim Min-su restraining a man, Kim Ju-seong immediately grasped the situation.
"Hmm, Team Leader Im. Looks like we'll need the guards."
"Yes, sir."
With things having reached this point, Jeong Yo-han heaved a sigh that seemed to sink into the floor and stepped forward.
"I'm truly sorry about my friend. We never intended to cause any trouble—we just have a scenario we'd like to pitch for production…"
Bernard Fenton studied the man carefully, then clapped his hands as recognition dawned.
"Director Johan?"
"…Mr. Fenton?"
Kim Ju-seong cocked his head at Fenton.
"You know him?"
Yeon-woo, Kim Ju-seong, and Bernard Fenton took seats inside the CEO's office.
The two men who had caused the disturbance were told there was important business and asked to wait outside for a moment.
Of course, if not for the claim that they had a scenario they absolutely had to show and Bernard Fenton's personal guarantee, the guards would already have been called to throw them out.
"…And so that's how it happened. It's entirely my fault. I want to maintain good relations with both this company and Actor Ryu."
"Hmm. I understand what you're saying, Mr. Fenton. So in order to audition, he would have to match a schedule in Japan or China and take the audition there."
Bernard Fenton shook his head at Kim Ju-seong, who was professionally keeping his expression neutral even though he was clearly displeased.
"It is absolutely not my intention. The new CEO who just took over on that side is a bit…"
Kim Ju-seong nodded and turned to Yeon-woo.
"What would you like to do, Yeon-woo?"
Asked in Korean, Yeon-woo gave a small smile.
"CEO. I think my head has grown a bit. If they don't want me, is there any reason I have to go?"
"Hahaha. Grown head? You're still the actor with the smallest face in our entire agency."
Kim Ju-seong laughed and answered the playful remark in kind.
Yeon-woo had no intention of becoming arrogant as an actor, but he had even less intention of being treated like a fool. The provisional contract signed for the casting audition already needed major revisions; under treatment like this, declining was the only correct move.
He turned to Bernard Fenton with a gentle smile.
"Regrettably, it seems this particular matter was not meant to be our connection. Still, I am always grateful to you, Mr. Fenton, for recognizing my talent early and valuing it so highly. I trust your eye, so if good projects come up in the future, I hope you'll keep me in mind."
Bernard Fenton's eyes lit up; he extended his hand for a shake.
"If Ryu feels that way, I'm relieved. Going forward I handle many companies in LA besides this one, so I truly hope we can remain on good terms."
Watching the exchange between Yeon-woo and Fenton, Kim Ju-seong was privately astonished.
A company that had made first contact demanding the actor travel abroad for a casting audition had already crossed the line. He had expected Yeon-woo to show at least a flicker of emotion. Kim Ju-seong himself was angry right now.
Only three years since debut, barely twenty-one years old, and already this successful—he would have been entitled to a little arrogance, even if not outright insolence. Yet here was this thoroughly political, roundabout refusal.
I always feel like there's a cunning old snake living inside that kid.
Yeon-woo spoke again, glancing at Kim Ju-seong.
"Those people outside. I'm really curious about a scenario they're so desperate to deliver that they'd go this far."