Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: 37 Cain
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Jo Jin-gu straightened his clothes in front of the upscale Japanese restaurant near Naver's headquarters in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do.
He might be the president of a hot management company these days, but compared to the person he was meeting today, he was little more than the owner of a neighborhood hole-in-the-wall shop.
That was why Jo Jin-gu adjusted his outfit and expression before pushing open the door of the Japanese restaurant.
"Welcome. Do you have a reservation?"
"Yes, it should be under Gu Jin-mo."
Jo Jin-gu spoke politely to the neatly dressed female staff member.
As he did, he checked the time on his wristwatch once more.
He had hurried over, but he worried he might still be late.
'Good, I'm not late.'
It had become a habit by now, but he had no intention of changing it.
Punctuality was an ironclad rule that had to be observed in any field.
"This way, please."
The staff member confirmed the reservation and gestured to Jo Jin-gu.
Soon, he was led to a private room deep inside.
"Hello."
"You beat me here."
"Of course. It's right in front of the office. Haha."
Sliding open the door and stepping inside, Jo Jin-gu saw Gu Jin-mo, who had been sitting comfortably, rise from his seat with a bright smile.
He extended his hand for a handshake with a welcoming expression.
"Still, sorry for making you wait."
"Not at all. It's not like I'm late for our appointment. I just got here early because it's close. Please, have a seat."
"Yes."
Jo Jin-gu sat across the table from him.
Then, he carefully observed Gu Jin-mo.
He had heard plenty about him since he headed Naver's web novel division, but this was their first face-to-face meeting.
That was why Jo Jin-gu watched him closely, a hint of tension in his posture.
"I've ordered the best course here. I figured it was better than sitting around waiting. Any seafood allergies?"
"No, I eat everything. No allergies."
"You've got a sturdy constitution."
"I'm grateful to my parents every day. Haha."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the sliding door opened, and dishes began to arrive one by one on the table.
As expected from an expensive place, not only was the freshness top-notch, but the presentation was exquisite.
True to Japanese cuisine, where you eat with your eyes, it was a visual feast as well.
"Go ahead and dig in. The food here is really good."
"I'll enjoy it. Thank you."
No one had decided yet who would pick up the bill, but Jo Jin-gu picked up his chopsticks anyway.
He took a piece of sashimi from the nearest plate.
"How is it?"
"Delicious. Perfectly aged."
"Haha. Glad it suits your taste. I was worried since you came all this way."
"I can eat just about anything, so no need to worry."
Gu Jin-mo's smile deepened at Jo Jin-gu's response.
He instantly grasped the implication behind Jo Jin-gu's words.
But he didn't let his guard down yet.
Anyone could say empty pleasantries like that.
"Have a drink too. This sake pairs perfectly with the sashimi."
"Thank you."
Gu Jin-mo poured sake for Jo Jin-gu from the bottle chilling on finely crushed ice.
As he did, he opened with chit-chat about industry gossip.
He was laying the groundwork with light topics before diving into the main point, warming up the atmosphere.
"Lots of buzz about Frontier Management lately. All good, of course. I hear it's one of the top agencies writers want to join."
"We're still a long way off."
"You're leading the pack among management companies, aren't you? From what I see, you have no real rivals. Big Hit is the closest comparison, maybe."
"We're still much smaller in scale."
Jo Jin-gu replied humbly.
He knew from over a decade of experience that humility was far more advantageous in business than arrogance.
Moreover, not knowing why Gu Jin-mo wanted to meet made him even more cautious.
"Positions differ a bit, but if we're talking revenue, I think Frontier Management is the more solid one. Just my personal opinion, of course."
"On the other hand, with our strong roster of writers, we'll show our true power soon. We're pushing hard into China too."
"True. But China involves a lot of risk. Of course, if it pays off, it couldn't be better."
Jo Jin-gu's expression stiffened slightly.
The nuance suggested Gu Jin-mo knew something.
But with his seasoned demeanor, it was hard to read his thoughts from his face alone.
"Do you know something?"
"It's just hearsay, so I hesitate to say. Unconfirmed info."
"I see."
"By the way, I heard you're prepping for webtoons. And you turned down Kakao Page's support."
Gu Jin-mo casually lifted his small, ornate sake cup and tossed out the comment.
As if it were no big deal.
"It wasn't a rejection. Just a matter of choice. Long-term, I think handling it ourselves is the way to go."
"I'd do the same. Webtoons are the future, after all. The market's at least double the size."
"Exactly."
Other companies might think Frontier Management was rushing in too hastily now, but eventually, everyone would follow suit.
That was the overall trend.
Kakao Page wasn't diving into webtoons for nothing.
And starting when everyone else jumped in would be too late.
'Maybe now's the perfect timing.'
Jo Jin-gu downed the sake from his cup, his eyes gleaming.
Others might call it reckless from behind, but he saw it differently.
Besides, it wasn't like they were overextending.
Of course, without Woo Ji-hyun anchoring things as the main draw, he wouldn't even attempt this.
'If I could, I'd lock him into an exclusive contract...'
Deep down, he wanted to tie him down with an exclusive for three—no, five years.
Like Naver with Gu Jin-mo.
But he thought it was premature for an exclusive deal.
They weren't fully systematized yet.
"That's why I think Naver can help Frontier Management."
"Help?"
"Yes. We're experts in webtoons. We've got tons of know-how accumulated."
Gu Jin-mo's eyes sparkled.
If you named the two giants of domestic webtoons, Naver was undoubtedly one.
To overstate it, Naver was at the top.
Daum started first, but Naver was now the undisputed leader, so Gu Jin-mo spoke confidently.
"I know that well. And I'm envious."
"Hahaha. Not to that extent. We just know a bit more than others. But you know, President, that this gap is huge."
"True. I'm feeling the pain right now."
Hiring artists and producing wasn't the end of webtoons.
Beyond prep time, there were countless details.
Plus, the pacing differed from novels, so Jo Jin-gu was under so much stress he wondered if his hair was turning white.
"We can cut down the trial-and-error Frontier Management is going through right now. And show you shortcuts too."
"Hmm!"
Gu Jin-mo refilled Jo Jin-gu's empty cup with sake, speaking with resolute conviction.
As if he was 100% certain.
And he was right.
Naver's position in webtoons was rock-solid.
'The issue is, they won't do it for free.'
That was why Jo Jin-gu didn't answer rashly.
Give and take.
It was a fundamental rule in business.
So Jo Jin-gu held his tongue.
"I think we can be great business partners with Frontier Management."
"I have no doubt about that. But we have our company's position to consider. Also, webtoons and genre novels involve very different contracts."
Gu Jin-mo nodded.
He was aware of the differences too.
And he instantly understood Jo Jin-gu's point.
A partnership between Naver and Frontier Management could happen anytime.
But this partnership hid a crucial key, and Jo Jin-gu was probing for it.
Was it just the partnership they wanted, or "him"—the one contracted to Frontier Management?
"I'll be straightforward. As you probably guessed, I asked to see you today because of Writer Woo Ji-hyun."
"I had a feeling."
The call came right after Naver's web novels lost ground to Kakao Page, especially when Kakao Page announced their big webtoon push. Guessing the reason wasn't hard.
A busy person like Gu Jin-mo wouldn't meet him for no reason.
"I hear he hasn't signed a next-work contract with Kakao Page yet."
"Correct. But discussions are ongoing."
"Do it with us instead. We promise full support. Web novels and webtoons alike."
Gu Jin-mo dangled the tempting bait with his proposal.
He had placed exactly what Frontier Management needed most on the negotiation table.
"......"
But even with Gu Jin-mo's bold assurance, Jo Jin-gu didn't reply immediately.
Why grab Naver's hand when they were already established at Kakao Page?
Weighing the pros and cons, the gains didn't seem that big.
'Their webtoon expertise is tempting, but it's just a matter of time. In one or two years, we can catch up. And it's not like we'd gain something worth more than that.'
He hadn't heard the details yet, but Jo Jin-gu leaned toward refusal.
He saw no need to switch to Naver.
Worse, he could end up caught in the middle, getting nothing.
There was the risk of being discarded like a spent hunting dog.
'They could tackle us now and toss us aside later. Cook the dog once the rabbit's dead, as they say.'
Jo Jin-gu's mind raced.
Objectively, the cons outweighed the pros.
"Anything else you want? Feel free to say it outright. We'll negotiate anyway."
Gu Jin-mo couldn't stand the growing silence and spoke up again.
His experience and instincts warned him things were heading south.
"Nothing yet. But since we're contracted with Kakao Page, I'm considering that."
"If you come to us, we'll offer better terms than Kakao Page. Ah, should we move spots first? There's a place in Gangnam I know well."