Time to Leap to the Next Step (7): JS Entertainment Reorganized... Unfinished Business Remains
Strictly speaking, my dream was never to become a total scumbag—it was always to be an idol producer.
If I had to name one thing I truly wanted to do, it was to produce an idol group just once.
Of course, not some swarthy boy idols—fresh, cute girl idols...
That was the ambition I declared when I first joined this company.
And the reason I had grown Si-a this far was precisely so I could do that.
Well... I can't exactly give up the scumbag stuff either.
I cleared my throat with a couple of fake coughs, then spoke my true feelings to CEO Lee Jong-seok.
"I've been saying it ever since I joined, but I want to try producing a girl idol group."
At my words about wanting to make girl idols, a bright smile bloomed across CEO Lee Jong-seok's face...
"Right? See, my eye for talent wasn't wrong after all~ You're definitely more suited for that side than the actor side!"
"Does that mean... you're giving me permission, sir?"
"Of course, you punk! Then of course our Minhyuk has to make idols!"
This hyung-nim believing in me this much...
Isn't there that saying?
A man only needs one person who truly recognizes him...
Honestly, isn't that true...
In this life, the bond I'd built with him wasn't even that deep, yet he trusted me this far...
And at a time when the company's situation had gotten extremely difficult due to Crack's failure, no less...
But the wave of emotion surging over me stopped right there.
Really, right there...
At the voice that followed, I felt so betrayed I wanted to just punch Lee Jong-seok square in the jaw.
"So, once we just make Crack a success, then the girl idols... let's do that!"
".."
"Isn't that great! Make Crack succeed~ and make the girl idols you want...
Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"
CEO Lee Jong-seok, all excited with a cheerful smile.
I'd forgotten for a moment...
Just how stubborn this guy was.
Once he gets fixated on something, he has to see it through no matter what... a total hardass...
No wonder this crazy bastard got hooked on gopchang hot pot and ate nothing but that for months...
But when it came to Crack, I had no intention of yielding even an inch either.
"Ah, I think there's a misunderstanding—right now I need to focus on Si-a."
"K-khm, you said you wanted to make idols!"
"I do want to make idols~ Girl idols."
"So, you punk, once our Crack succeeds first...!"
I didn't want to go this far, but...
If that hyung-nim kept clinging to Crack, I'd have no choice but to hit him with the cold hard facts.
"So, CEO... to make Crack's next album, we'll need money, right?"
"W-well, yeah..."
"Then who has to go out and earn that money right now...?"
"..Khm."
Having committed the sin, CEO Lee Jong-seok had nothing to say...
Here's an inconvenient truth...
Right now, if Si-a doesn't earn money, Crack can't produce their next album.
It's extremely hard to find a crazy investor who'll put money into a failed idol group, after all.
She's shooting commercials like crazy even at this very moment for Crack's next album...
"Well, that's how it is... I only said it because you asked me to make a wish—I don't have any intention of producing right away."
Crack's second album success was as clear as day, but...
By winter, those guys would be so busy with overseas schedules they could barely stay in Korea.
Of course, the North American market was still tough, but Southeast Asia, Japan, and South America were already in a K-POP frenzy...
In other words, if I took on Crack right now, my plans would completely fall apart.
No way... Why the hell would I have to roam overseas with those swarthy bastards for someone else's benefit...!
That program starts around the end of this year.
Meaning the gem named Seo Minji will fall into my hands by the end of this year.
By then, Si-a will also be at the perfect timing to enter a rest period, so I can start slowly from then.
Until then, I'll just snuggle and cuddle with Si-a, then snatch her up when the time comes~
By then, with all the talent flooding out, make one idol group and enjoy my happy harem life...
No, no—enjoy the life of a happy idol producer...
And since those Crack guys will be raking in money hand over fist,
I can just produce without any funding worries—this sweet plan was something I could never give up.
"So, CEO... leave Crack to Chief Oh..."
"Fine, but from now on your team merges with the singer division. If you're going to produce idols, you need to learn a thing or two by watching over their shoulders!"
"..Hmm."
If I rejected even this, it would clearly backfire.
Give and take... Since the CEO gave up on exclusive care, I had to accept this.
Well, if it weren't for this hyung-nim, I would've had to do whatever he said anyway...
Though then I might not have even entered this company.
Actually, merging the team with the singer division wasn't entirely a bad thing.
The Crack guys weren't bad guys, and it was good to build a little rapport with them for the future...
Chief Oh who cares for them is also a solid guy at heart, so that much is OK.
However, there was absolutely no way I'd act as a helper or participate in their schedules.
Our Min-gu needs to start building some experience too...
After all, as a manager, shouldn't you get harassed a bit by boy idol fans?
In many ways, this would be helpful for Min-gu as well.
I also needed to start keeping an eye on the parts where my sense was a bit shaky...
"Yes, I'll do that, CEO."
"Good. I don't ask for much. Just if you notice something in passing, give a little hint.
That Hyun-pil guy... even if he doesn't say it, he's probably dying inside alone."
As expected, this hyung-nim hadn't made this proposal just for Crack and the company's success.
Chief Oh Hyun-pil, whom I'd personally advised him to make his own man...
He'd clearly mixed our team with the singer team for the sake of that guy who'd been cowed by Crack's failure.
What he'd wanted from the start wasn't care for Crack, but care for Chief Oh Hyun-pil.
So, get friendly and open up with your own people in advance...?
If that was the reason, I actually welcomed it.
It's hard to meet good colleagues anywhere, but especially in this industry.
Chief Oh Hyun-pil was a thoroughly reliable man.
Let's get along well as family from now on, Chief Oh Hyun-pil.
And so, as we officially joined the singer team, JS Entertainment underwent an unexpected departmental reorganization.
First, JS Division 1 under Director Jeong Man-sik.
Lee Sa-rang, still the undisputed face of our company, and a few supporting actors belonged here.
Next, JS Division 2 led by Park Tae-ho.
This place had several elderly veteran actors we'd recently recruited, along with supporting actors.
Finally, JS Division 3 with Oh Hyun-pil as chief.
The structure here was a bit unique.
The Kim Si-a team caring for Kim Si-a, and the Crack team caring for Crack.
And two chiefs—Oh Hyun-pil and me.
At first, the title of chief had been attached to me like a joke.
But with Kim Si-a's success, now no one could pick a fight about it.
This society was a survival-of-the-fittest world where the power of the celebrity you managed was the power of the manager...
"So this is goodbye to this place, Chief."
"Our team succeeded too... now we should move to a slightly bigger office, right?"
"That's true, but... still, after getting attached over a few months, it's a bit bittersweet."
Our office that had been like a small warehouse attached next to the singer division.
We were now merging with the singer division and relocating to the larger office they'd been using.
Of course, we had no need to feel intimidated by the previous owners there.
At this moment, we were the winners and they were the losers.
If they wanted to produce the next album, those guys had no choice but to lean on our backs.
"Then let's go!"
"Yes, Chief, let's go!"
My, Min-gu, and Min-seok's confident steps toward the singer division began to fill with an aura of confidence.
Given how much expectation had been placed on Crack's success, the singer division...
Now turned into JS Division 3, this office was the largest and widest among all the offices.
Even with our team coming in, it was spacious enough to use comfortably.
"Long time no see, Chief Kang. Everyone, introduce yourselves—these are people you'll be seeing often from now on."
From the Crack guys to several familiar managers, the producer team, the coordinator team...
Quite a few people were gathered, but...
The people who mainly used this office would just be our team's Min-seok and a few managers anyway.
They won't particularly try to establish dominance...
The defeated soldiers who'd tasted failure once weren't in a position to pick on our successful team, and...
Chief Oh Hyun-pil wasn't the type to stand by and watch that either.
Decisively, our team has Min-gu...
Unless they were out of their minds, they wouldn't even think of bullying after seeing that face.
Just like those Crack guys making horrified expressions.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kim Min-gu. I look forward to your guidance and advice going forward."
Min-gu, putting on a smile with all his might, thinking it would make a good impression...
But the Crack guys facing Min-gu's smile head-on found that dizzying smile so terrifying.
"I-I'm sorry... I was wrong... I'm sorry."
A face with an overwhelming violence that somehow made you feel like you had to apologize...
"I'll practice hard from now on and definitely make the next album a success... so please..."
To the Crack guys who had somehow gotten the misunderstanding that they might be sold off somewhere,
Min-gu's violent face became another source of motivation.
If we fail this time too... if we fail! Next time our lives will really be in danger...!
And so, around the time the Crack members were feeling a threat to their lives from Min-gu's face,
Chief Oh Hyun-pil quietly approached my side and opened his mouth.
"Chief Kang, got a moment?"
"Ah... yes, Chief Oh."
Chief Oh Hyun-pil... this man and I had quite a few things to sort out.
Now that we were family, shouldn't we clear things up a bit?
About our hierarchy and the paths each of us should take.
"Do you like coffee?"
"I can't get enough of it."
"I hear the rooftop coffee is killer—what do you think?"
"Let's head to the rooftop, and have a cigarette while we're at it."
Leaving the employees exchanging greetings and introductions behind, we headed toward the rooftop.