Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Again, Writer
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Jo Jin-gu muttered with a bitter expression.
Having met countless writers, he fully understood their feelings.
But precisely because he understood so well, it hurt his heart.
It felt like the writers didn't understand him the way he understood them.
‘But this is reality, too.’
He'd known it, but experiencing it firsthand was a different feeling.
Even after going through it multiple times, the disillusionment and sense of loss never got easier to adapt to.
“Cheer up, President. Those writers will regret it someday. Life is what you make of it, after all. And honestly, this isn't a huge blow to our company.”
“Even so, losing so many reliable writers puts us in a risky spot. The rookies are stepping up, but rookies are rookies, and veterans are veterans. We absolutely need those mid-tier writers to bridge the gap.”
Jo Jin-gu quickly shook off the shock.
Of course, he hadn't fully processed it yet.
He was just prioritizing the tasks at hand.
Work came first right now.
“Should we go with an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth? Honestly, if we dangle some name-brand appeal, plenty of writers would jump ship. I've heard quite a few are already interested in our company.”
“The issue is the terms. We're good at sales, but money is what ultimately moves writers. This mess is no different—they left because the other side offered better deals.”
“In my view, some flipped out of sheer jealousy, too.”
“That's just how the market works these days—a mix of factors.”
Most writers thought they had given Woo Ji-hyun 'special' support.
They never considered that he'd turned his work into a webtoon on his own merit or secured export requests from Taiwan.
Even with identical support, results would differ.
Because no two works are the same.
They'd inevitably split based on what the public wanted—or didn't.
In the end, the problem wasn't the support; it was the quality of the work.
‘If they can't admit that, nothing will change. No—it'll only get worse.’
Just looking at Woo-ju, Jo Jin-gu could see his future.
Woo-ju was undoubtedly a reliable writer.
He wasn't the type to go on hiatus, drop a series, or jump to new projects.
But if asked whether he was worth handing over 100 million won upfront, Jo Jin-gu would shake his head firmly.
‘Sure, it'd feel great getting that cash, but filling that hole won't be easy. No income until they've earned it back—can he even survive?’
A 100 million advance was exactly that—an advance on royalties.
With a 70:30 settlement split, total sales needed to hit at least 143 million won after platform fees.
So for a writer like Woo-ju, 100 million was a double-edged sword.
‘Of course, if it blows up, he'd recover it in a flash and rake in a fortune. But if everyone could hit it big, we wouldn't dream of it.’
Take Woo Ji-hyun as a recent example—he'd made a killing off just God of Martial Arts, Return.
Pure profit-wise, few writers could compare.
But cases like that were exceedingly rare.
That's why there were only one or two benchmarks.
“Knowing your place is the most important thing.”
“Which is why Woo Ji-hyun is such an unbelievable writer for his age. Success hasn't changed his personality, either. Most people would go wild spending at that level, but surprisingly, Woo Ji-hyun barely spends. The car makes sense if you factor in taxes.”
“That's why he's such a catch.”
“Know it, then don't let him slip away.”
Min A-rang's face flushed red in an instant.
Jo Jin-gu's out-of-the-blue advice had caught her off guard.
“W-what are you talking about?”
“No one in the company doesn't know. We're just pretending not to.”
“I-I have work to do, so I'll get going!”
Stammering, Min A-rang bolted from the president's office.
She fanned her burning face with her hand as she fled.
Jo Jin-gu watched her go with a fond smile.
He'd felt it when she first joined Linus Publishing, but to him, Min A-rang was like a little sister.
“I'm rooting for you, so give it your all, A-rang.”
Grinning, he stared at her retreating figure before turning back to his monitor.
The mess had happened; now he needed to clean it up fast.
The departures weren't critical yet, but thinking ahead, he had to recruit new writers ASAP.
Reliable ones, without any baggage.
Tick. Tick-tick!
That's why Jo Jin-gu browsed various sites while quickly scanning his smartphone contacts.
Even from rival agencies, there were writers he coveted.
Besides, they'd started it.
“Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. Good words to live by.”
He preferred a mild-mannered, gentlemanly life, but Jo Jin-gu wasn't above getting his hands dirty.
He'd just avoided it until now.
But when push came to shove, he had no intention of backing down.
* * *
On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Woo Ji-hyun arrived at the Apple Entertainment headquarters in Seoul's Mapo-gu.
Not one of the Big Three agencies, but always in the top five, and their building reflected it—sleek and luxurious.
“Where are you from?”
They strictly controlled access to manage sasaeng fans, but the security guard's tone turned polite at the sight of Woo Ji-hyun's car.
It wasn't a top-tier luxury sports car, but far from everyday wheels.
“I have a meeting with Manager Park Eun-su.”
“Ah, we've been notified. Go on in.”
“Thank you.”
Confirming the barrier lift, Woo Ji-hyun drove in.
He headed straight to the underground parking.
They'd asked over the phone to use underground since surface spots were for staff.
“Looks newly built. Even the basement parking is spotless.”
It matched the modern exterior—well-maintained and surprisingly spacious.
Woo Ji-hyun parked in a quiet corner, admiring it, then headed to the third-floor meeting room.
Ding-dong!
The elevator doors opened with a cheerful chime.
But as he stepped out, Woo Ji-hyun jumped.
“Oppa!”
“Whoa!”
A long-haired figure in a beanie appeared like a ghost, startling him.
He'd stepped out absentmindedly and froze at the sight of Bini.
“Eek eek!”
Laughter erupted from all around as he flailed like he was having a fit.
PriOs members, following Bini, giggled at his reaction.
“You scared me!”
“Hehe! I was just so excited you came all this way. I know you're busy, Oppa.”
Bini glanced cautiously at Woo Ji-hyun while speaking.
She also checked on her members.
She was caught right in the middle.
“You know what you did, right?”
“……Of course. But please, just hear me out on this—I did my absolute best to keep it secret.”
“Excuses are excuses.”
“I'm sorryyy.”
As Woo Ji-hyun said, excuses were just that.
Bini bowed her head flat, face full of shame.
“But I still don't get it. Two hit songs are great, but you're still rookies here.”
“I'll explain that. Being rookies isn't a big deal for us. What matters is whether you hit it big or not. By that standard, Cain is crucial. Not only did he write back-to-back hits, he proved it works across genres.”
“Manager Park Eun-su?”
“That's right. You remember my voice.”
A mid-thirties career woman through and through, Park Eun-su beamed and extended her hand.
Not a stunning beauty, but her smile was radiant.
“I have sharp ears. Nice to meet you, Manager. I'm Cain.”
“Park Eun-su from the Management Division. Thank you so much for coming.”
Artist names were common, so she didn't blink at Woo Ji-hyun introducing himself as Cain.
She'd met her share of eccentrics.
This was downright gentlemanly.
“Hello! We're—”
“PriOs!”
They skipped their signature line now that they had some experience, greeting naturally.
Only Bini smiled awkwardly, lip-syncing.
No need for formal intros with someone they knew.
They'd already done it.
“Honored to meet you. Never thought I'd get to meet idols up close like this. Wild.”
“You're really a fan?”
“I like them all.”
“It's true. No single group, but he knows most pretty well.”
“Girl groups are love. And love should be as vast as the sea.”
“So basically, pretty and cute is all it takes?”
Bini snorted.
She saw right through the implication.
Park Eun-su and the PriOs members' eyes sparkled at the easy rapport.
“You can't fight nature—man's instinct.”
“But seriously, is this okay? You're swamped lately.”
“Yeah. Taiwan next month, and shooting next week.”
“Taiwan? Shooting?”
Yoon Mi-rae poked her head in, having overheard.
Woo Ji-hyun and Bini—who'd leaned in to listen—both flinched.
“Shall we move somewhere else?”
“Yeah.”
Still in the elevator hallway, Woo Ji-hyun nodded.
Lost in chatting with PriOs, he'd forgotten they were blocking the corridor.
“This way.”
“Yes.”
Park Eun-su exuded manager authority, silencing the PriOs members with a glance.
She tamed all five effortlessly.
Thanks to her, Woo Ji-hyun comfortably followed to the meeting room at the far end of the third floor.
“Feels totally different from other offices.”
“Better, right?”
“Guess that's what big capital does.”
“You make decent money too, Oppa.”
“Not like this.”
Bini grinned at Woo Ji-hyun's shrug.
His words said one thing, but his expression showed no intimidation.
“What would you like to drink? We've got pretty much everything. Alcohol too.”
“Ice Americano's fine.”
“We have other options—sticking to that?”
“It's the safest. Diet's a lifestyle.”
PriOs members grimaced at his words.
They heard it daily.
Even Bini shuddered.