Chapter 129
Chapter 129
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: Compensation or Submission (1)
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From the moment he appeared in the doorway, the atmosphere had felt off.
“You must’ve been so thrilled to see me that you forgot to even say hello. That’s perfectly understandable. Or perhaps we’ve grown so close that greetings feel unnecessary now?”
What nonsense is this guy spouting?
Yeonwoo’s brow furrowed deeply.
“What are you doing here?”
His wary gaze turned toward Woo Do-gyeom.
Ji Director was already a lost cause, his soul seemingly fled. Even Assistant Director, who was supposed to play mediator, looked ready to bolt.
“Even Yeonwoo-ssi, whom I trusted…!”
Assistant Director’s eyes shook like Caesar betrayed by Brutus, pupils quaking.
He had no idea why Yeonwoo was so guarded around Woo Do-gyeom.
“No need to tell him.”
There was no point in spelling out how cold-blooded the man was—someone who’d exploit anything if it served his needs. Why shock them unnecessarily?
“I heard some rumors and came by. Thought it might be worth using to our advantage.”
“Hmm. Really. One of the investors brought over a proposal…”
Assistant Director jumped in to answer Yeonwoo’s skeptical look.
That guy? For real?
Woo Do-gyeom smirked, one corner of his mouth lifting at the distrustful stare.
“No need to be so on guard. It’s not something the director would dislike.”
“…What kind of proposal is it?”
Yeonwoo asked Assistant Director, but the answer came from Woo Do-gyeom.
“There’s a rumor floating around about the ending.”
“The ending? You mean that happy ending story?”
“You’ve heard it too? Then this’ll be quick.”
Woo Do-gyeom leaned forward.
“How about we use it for some proper clickbait?”
*
“What do you mean?”
“They’re already buzzing about it on their own. Isn’t it only right to capitalize on the attention?”
No. Since when did “common sense” mean that?
Yeonwoo’s expression soured, and Assistant Director, who’d been watching anxiously, stepped in again.
“Yeonwoo-ssi, we thought it was pretty plausible too.”
And so began Assistant Director’s explanation.
“The investor brought his kids to set once before. Looks like someone snapped photos, and they’re circulating.”
“What? They actually came here? Why?”
“Well, my kids threw a fit about wanting to see a handsome oppa, and as their dad with some pull, how could I say no?”
Woo Do-gyeom shrugged helplessly.
[Whoa… what a con artist.]
Child Spirit, who’d kept silent since entering the meeting room, finally spoke up.
Yeonwoo couldn’t agree more.
Woo Do-gyeom didn’t strike him as the type of guy who’d let anyone walk all over him. His aura, his chilling presence—none of it screamed “powerless family man.”
On the contrary, Woo Do-gyeom was the sort who could crush most people with his social status alone.
And yet? No power?
Child Spirit snorted in disbelief.
“So I brought them once, and of course they got photographed. My kids are so irresistibly adorable, they can’t help drawing cameras.”
[Truth]
It was oddly fascinating how a man like this doted on his own children.
“Well, that’s why I went through all that trouble to break the curse.”
Yeonwoo paused mid-thought.
“Wait. You’re not saying we use that happy ending rumor by baiting with your kids?”
“As expected of Yeonwoo. I haven’t even finished explaining, and you’ve already got it.”
Woo Do-gyeom laughed genuinely, clapping his hands.
“How about it? The bait for our ‘fishing’ expedition is my own kids—no need for you to worry.”
“…”
Fair enough. A doting father like Woo Do-gyeom wouldn’t resort to anything inhuman like before.
But something still nagged at him.
“Did the kids agree to…?”
“Of course. They thought it sounded fun once I explained.”
Woo Do-gyeom’s response cut off Yeonwoo’s concern.
“But aren’t they too young?”
“Yeonwoo, after seeing them that day, how can you call them young? They’re already master troublemakers, my kids.”
They’d seemed bright-eyed from the first meeting. Now healed, they were probably stirring up mischief with even sharper wits than their peers.
“I have no idea who they take after to be so clever. Besides, you need all sorts of experiences in childhood to figure out what you want, don’t you?”
It rang true.
Especially for Yeonwoo, who’d spent his youth rebelling against a fated path.
[Guy’s a bit psycho, but not entirely wrong.]
If his mother, Lady Kang Yeonhwa, hadn’t limited his choices back then…
Where would he be now? Would he have blindly rebelled against her words?
“Well, ‘what ifs’ about the past are pointless.”
Snapping out of his reverie, Yeonwoo eyed Woo Do-gyeom.
“But even if we bait them into thinking the ending changed, won’t it all unravel at release?”
“That’s where the director’s skill in steering the film comes in, no?”
Woo Do-gyeom released his clasped hands and leaned back deeply in his chair.
“You’re right—this approach has limits. But that’s exactly why we’re doing it: to maximize opening day turnout.”
Blunt as it was, the film had genre constraints. Yeonwoo had accepted the role to expand his acting range, not for box office success.
“We need to pull in as many as possible upfront for any shot at winning. Pull aggro to get them through the theater doors. Boost the raw numbers.”
“Say, like Woo Do-gyeom says, the bait works and projected audiences swell. How do you handle the backlash?”
The more eyes on it, the worse. Would audiences just forgive being tricked? Wouldn’t the backlash explode proportionally?
The backlash could tank the film harder.
But.
“Why handle it?”
Woo Do-gyeom’s reply threw him off.
“…?”
“After that, it’s the film’s job. Even if dragged in by force, if they leave satisfied, fake marketing or not, it won’t matter. Just make the movie compelling enough to shut down complaints.”
His tone bordered on firm.
Ji Director, who’d been dazed like his soul had fled, reacted.
“Isn’t that right, Director Ji?”
The provocative smile aimed at Ji Director.
[Whoa, Yeonwoo. That bear’s suddenly alive.]
As Child Spirit said, Ji Director’s downcast eyes now burned brightly.
“Yeonwoo’s so worried—must mean the movie’s pretty bad.”
“Don’t make baseless assumptions, Woo Do-gyeom.”
“But if the film’s charm outweighs the anger, like I said, it solves everything.”
No doubt—Woo Do-gyeom was provoking him outright.
“Not wrong, but…”
How does someone with that mindset say it to the guy’s face? Does he even have social skills?
“No, maybe he doesn’t need them…?”
If people bend to him anyway, a shattered personality makes sense.
“Woo Do-gyeom, enough…”
Yeonwoo sighed, opening his mouth to intervene.
“No problem.”
A heavy voice, unlike his usual, cut in.
“You sure? If my idea tanks the film, we don’t have to use it.”
Woo Do-gyeom replied cynically.
“Investment’s a shame, but I overexpected—that’s that. Of course.”
He paused, glancing at Yeonwoo.
“For Yeonwoo, I’ll find another role. With a surefire director and script this time.”
Woo Do-gyeom had that power.
Truth be told, he could force even this small-budget film onto the box office train if he wanted—using dirty tricks.
But success that way? Hardly satisfying.
How much real influence over those coerced crowds?
“It’d bruise the pride too.”
No need for his bulldozer push—this film could succeed on its own.
Not from predictive stats or auras like Kwon Sung-hyun’s sight.
His decades-honed aura sense already confirmed it.
“Why’s this guy acting like this?”
Psycho or not, zero social skills or not, he was always cautious around Yeonwoo.
[Doesn’t he feel off?]
Child Spirit chimed in.
[Even a madman wouldn’t flaunt it this blatantly.]
Agreed. It felt deliberate, like intentional provocation.
“A guy who knows what I don’t want.”
So why?
This outright “I don’t trust you” bait landed perfectly.
“I’ll make sure there’s no problem.”
The once-mild bear of a man was now ablaze.
“Thanks for the idea… I’ll take it.”
“Think it over. No blaming me for forcing it.”
“No such… intention.”
His drawl lingered, but his words rang clear, no mumbling.
Yeonwoo sensed it.
‘He flipped it on his own.’
Not swayed by Woo Do-gyeom—playing along deliberately.
‘Director Ji had this side?’
People really could transform.
“I absolutely… won’t disappoint.”
Ji Director’s eyes locked on Yeonwoo—self-vow or promise.
“Well, all settled then?”
Clap clap! Brisk applause lightened the mood.
“So, with that… my kids will join filming for the rest of the additional shoot.”
A smooth smile played on Woo Do-gyeom’s lips.
“With the director so confident, I feel secure. Baiting with my kids—this thorough ‘fishing’—I hope it succeeds as you say.”
Woo Do-gyeom stood.
Then nodded at Yeonwoo.
“Time to go. Schedule’s tight. Kids next time. Would be nice if Yeonwoo saw me out.”
Blunt as brass.
“Yeonwoo-ssi… please see him out…”
Assistant Director begged in a dying voice.
The sudden director-investor clash had drained his soul.
Beside him, Ji Director had reverted, as if burned out in that instant.
“Why pull that out there?”
Yeonwoo, escorting Woo Do-gyeom outside against his will, asked.
He pressed the elevator button; numbers climbed.
“That was incredibly rude, you know?”
“Cut me some slack.”
Not denial—an unexpected reply.
“I’m trying to make amends here.”