Shanghai Media & China Media Visit Korea (1)
A meeting was in full swing in the conference room of LK Electronics' Marketing Team, presided over by Manager Kim.
"Did you two Deputies finish organizing the supply audit documents? And Jin-man, how about you?"
"I finished organizing mine yesterday. Deputy Kim only had three cases, and I heard he wrapped them all up last Friday?"
"I think I'll be done by the end of today, sir."
Manager Kim pressed his fingers hard against the bridge of his nose, as if he had a headache, and got to the main point.
"Then what are we going to do about Deputy Hong's supply documents—the biggest pain in our team's neck? What do you two think, Deputy Kim and Deputy Park? Deputy Kim, you first."
"As you know, sir, I've been swamped with fieldwork lately. So I'd rather die than organize Deputy Hong's supply documents."
"Deputy Park, you?"
"Same here, I'm afraid."
"Then what do we do? Ah, forget it. Let him handle his own mess. Let's use this opportunity to fix Deputy Hong's bad habits once and for all. Jin-man, you absolutely must not help Deputy Hong either. Understood?"
"Yes, sir. Not that he'd ever ask me anyway. He tried to hand it to me yesterday, so I just pretended to be lost in my own work."
"Good. Then Jin-man, you head out, and you two deputies stay a moment. We need to talk."
At that, Jin-man hesitated, shuffling his feet and refusing to leave his seat. Manager Kim noticed.
"What is it? Something you want to say?"
"Yesterday at lunch, I saw the three of you leave together in Deputy Kim's car. It looks like something's being planned around Deputy Kim, and... I'd like to be included too. Please."
"What on earth are you talking about? There's nothing like that, so stop talking nonsense and get back to work. We'll be heading out soon too."
At Manager Kim's scolding, Jin-man fidgeted, then slunk out of the conference room. Deputy Park watched him go with a thoughtful look before speaking up, worried.
"Deputy Kim, I think Jin-man might have caught on."
"Nah. The kid's just jumping to conclusions. Besides, someone has to stay at the company. If we all run off, Deputy Hong would be left alone—that'd be a full team meltdown."
"That's true, but I can already see him suffering on his own."
"Hmm, I've wondered about that too... Let's keep it under wraps for now and think later about whether to bring him in."
"Fine. Who knows, though—if Team 3 gets dissolved and he transfers to Team 1 or 2, he might adapt just fine."
Once the company business seemed sufficiently wrapped up, Manager Kim called the two men to attention. It was time to discuss their outside schedule.
"CEO Kim, what's on the agenda for today?"
"Whoa, Manager Kim. Why the sudden formal speech...?"
"Because from here on, we're discussing Girin Entertainment business. And Deputy Park—you'll use formal speech in official settings too. Got it?"
"Aw, come on, Manager Kim. I know when to read the room."
"Manager Kim, since Jin-man seems to have caught on, let's go out separately on fieldwork and meet at my office in Gangnam. We can meet the international lawyer there. Deputy Park, notify the Director of the time and place."
"Okay. From now on, we'll each play it by ear. So, Manager Kim—is the meeting over?"
"Why, Deputy Park?"
"There's something I want to ask CEO Kim."
Deputy Park had gotten a strange feeling last night while drinking beer with PD Shin Hye-yoon. As a seasoned expert on women, he could tell with certainty that PD Shin had feelings for Young-hoon. Yet this country bumpkin from Gangwon Province seemed completely oblivious to it. So today, he wanted to probe Young-hoon's heart one more time.
"What is it? Out with it."
"What exactly is going on between you and PD Shin Hye-yoon?"
"Huh? What... what do you mean? We're just doing business together. Nothing else..."
"Really? Then why does it look so strange to me? PD Shin's got that certain look about her. What do you think, Manager Kim?"
"Hmm, hard to say. It did bother me a little how PD Shin keeps snapping at Deputy Kim here... but I couldn't tell you."
"Oh, I'm telling you—PD Shin definitely has feelings for Deputy Kim. And you, Deputy Kim, you don't dislike her either, do you? Detective Park here will investigate for you."
"Ah, cut the nonsense and let's get back to work, Deputy Park."
"Deputy Kim, don't you know the saying? When a woman sulks, it rains in December. If you can't read PD Shin's heart, you might have a rough time dating later—so get good at it now. Consider it advice from a romance senior."
A whirlwind was raging through the mansion of Chairman Wang Chenchen of Shanghai Media Group in China. He was locked in a heated argument with his youngest daughter, Wang Mimi.
"Dad, I need the private jet."
"No. It's a two-hour flight to Korea—why on earth do you need a private jet? Take a commercial flight like everyone else."
"You don't understand! I don't know how that wretch Xu Linhong found out, but she's heading to Korea too!"
"Hmph, she's probably just going shopping."
"That's what I'm telling you it's NOT. I've been monitoring her every move through Chief Secretary Shi Xuan, and her destination is the same as ours. We have to cross over as fast as possible and buy the rights. That's the only way we can build the foundation to beat China Music."
"Really? Then I'd better get ready to leave too."
"Why are you going, Dad? I can go alone."
"No. Xu must have planted spies on our side as well, so he already knows you're going. And I have a feeling he won't just send his daughter alone. My hunch says Xu himself will make a move. You said this contract is extremely important, didn't you? So I'm coming with you."
And so the moment was set: Chairman Wang Chenchen of Shanghai Media Group and Wang Mimi, CEO of Shanghai Music, would both travel to Korea.
Meanwhile, Chairman Xu Jiayin of China Media Group and Xu Linhong were in the middle of their own fierce argument.
"Dad, that enemy Wang Mimi is going to Korea. We need to get there a moment sooner than she does, so get me the private jet."
"What does Wang Chenchen's daughter going to Korea have to do with you?"
"My spy just reported that Wang Mimi's destination is the same as ours."
"Really? Then I'm coming too. The Wangs must have planted spies on our side as well, which means they know you're going. And knowing that old fox, he'll likely move at the same time. You said this contract is important, didn't you? We're going together."
In that instant, China Media Group and the CEO of China Music both decided to travel to Korea—simultaneously.
Meanwhile, the wingbeats of China's two largest media companies were bearing down on Korea's Sinabro Production like a storm. CEO Joo Young-ki called an emergency meeting with his executives and was sweating buckets.
"Shanghai Media Group AND China Media Group are arriving at the same time? No, what is wrong with everyone? The original plan was Shanghai Media at 3 PM and China Media at 5 PM, wasn't it?"
The Executive Vice President in charge of hospitality had no answers either, and replied helplessly.
"Well, you see, sir, we just got a call... and it turns out both group chairmen will be accompanying them."
"What kind of nonsense is that now? Weren't only the heads of each music company supposed to come?"
"That's what we were told, but they suddenly sent a change of notice... And they're both arriving at almost the same time, around 3 PM—one at Gimpo Airport, the other at Incheon Airport. Nobody knows how to handle the protocol. Everyone's in complete meltdown."
"What did you say? Then which one am I supposed to go to first? And what about the hotel reservations?"
Just then, PD Shin Hye-yoon calmly offered her opinion.
"Sir, getting worked up like that won't solve anything. Please calm down."
"Oh? Does PD Shin have some brilliant solution, then?"
"Allow me to state my position first. The original schedule had us meeting Shanghai Media Group first, with the China Media Group meeting set for two hours later. But since it was China Media Group that moved their time up, the natural order is for you, sir, to go to Gimpo Airport, and for the Vice President to go to Incheon."
"PD Shin's right, I suppose. Then what do we do about the hotels?"
"There's still time before they depart China, so we should simply ask them. Surely a reply will come—and their party has grown larger, after all."
"Ah, that's good. All right, let's organize this. We'll handle the protocol exactly as PD Shin suggested, and consult with the Chinese side about the hotel upgrades. And we'll get China Media Group's understanding in advance that the Vice President will be greeting them. After that, the rest of the schedule proceeds as planned."
"Understood. I'll relay this to Girin Entertainment right away."
The moment Young-hoon returned to his seat after wrapping up the meeting, KakaoTalk messages started flying in.
Now that he had decided to quit the company, the work had become all the more unbearable. And it seemed he wasn't the only one who felt that way. Manager Kim was ordinarily the type to constantly hunt down work and get it done, but today he seemed to have completely let go of the reins. Time drifted by aimlessly until lunchtime arrived.
Lee Ji-young headed out to lunch with the other female employees, and Young-hoon had no choice but to go eat with Jin-man. The usually boisterous Jin-man was unusually quiet today. He'd probably have to bring this one into the fold too—but then Team 3 would fall apart completely, so it was a delicate matter. There was still time before he quit the company; better to watch how things played out a little longer.
After lunch, Young-hoon glanced around furtively, then quietly moved to his own office in Gangnam. About twenty minutes later, calls came in from Deputy Park and Manager Kim saying they had arrived at the lobby on the first floor. Young-hoon went down to the lobby and brought the two men up to his office.
Deputy Park looked around the office and let out an admiring whistle.
"Whoa, CEO Kim, this office is killer!"
"Save the flattery and take a seat. I'll pour the coffee."
The three of them were just settling into their fragrant cups of coffee when Chairman Jang walked into the office.
"I heard CEO Kim was here? Oh, and the two friends I met yesterday are here too."
"It's good to see you, Chairman."
"So what brings you here? Is something happening at your office today?"
"Yes, sir. I'm scheduled to meet an international lawyer here today. If Five Girls is going to expand into China, I needed someone who could handle the contractual matters and the like."
"Good thinking. Well, you could have just asked me for an introduction, but forging your own connections is no bad thing. So, who are you meeting?"
"The managing partner of Kim & Park."
"Then that would be Attorney Kim Sang-joong."
"You know him?"
"I do. What time is he coming?"
"Around two o'clock."
"Then he'll be here soon. Might as well wait together until he arrives."
Just then, Deputy Park's phone rang. It was most likely a call from CEO Kim Gi-hyun. Deputy Park took the call and stepped outside, and shortly returned to the office leading a middle-aged gentleman, a man who looked to be in his late thirties, and CEO Kim Gi-hyun himself.
The middle-aged man, upon entering the office, seemed to startle at the sight of Chairman Jang.
"Oh? Chairman, what are you doing here?"
"My friend, is it suddenly forbidden for me to be here?"
"But your office isn't here, Chairman?"
From their very first meeting, the middle-aged man was already flustered and out of his depth.