Chapter 35: Blue Island Media
Blue Island Media was smack in the middle of Chungmuro's main drag. A glance at the directory by the elevator showed they rented out three whole floors in this massive building—a powerhouse production company boasting serious scale. And yet, the stunt they were pulling was plagiarizing an aspiring writer's manuscript. Not just skimping on a few quirky sources, but straight-up copying entire scripts. It was downright astonishing.
Sure, it happened all the time in broadcasting, but this crossed the line. Either they feared nothing, or they'd done it so often they'd gone numb to it. One or the other.
"Lawyer Cha."
Kang Minjae, waiting for the elevator, wore a face full of mischief.
"Wanna bet?"
"On what?"
"Dinner bet. Blue Island Media's gonna try to settle. You're on the hook if they don't. Opposite picks."
"Can I go first?"
"Be my guest."
"They're on the hook."
"Dammit. Guess that auto-loses me the settlement push."
Kang Minjae grumbled, robbed of his opener. Betting on a client's ordeal—especially one as grueling as Na Eun-seong's—wasn't exactly classy. But flip it around, and it meant the absurdity had reached betting-game levels.
"What brings you here?"
At the Blue Island Media lobby desk, a staffer stood and asked.
"From Cha Juhan Law Office," Kang Minjae said, handing over his card. The staffer led the way.
Well past quitting time, but plenty of employees lingered in the office. The sudden lawsuit announcement must've forced overtime on everyone.
"This way."
The seminar room already held Blue Island Media reps and Taegwang Law Firm folks. Suits pegged two as lawyers; the rest, staff.
"Hello."
A young woman with a lawyer badge approached for handshakes. I gripped and shook lightly. The phone call had been a man, so the young lawyer beside her must be the associate. Probably.
"Lawyer Cha Juhan. Nice to meet you—heard so much. Your exploits are legendary. And just as handsome as they say."
"First time meeting."
Quick card exchange, then seats opposite. Yoo Jeongwon, attorney. Copyright specialist, as expected. Age around mine or a bit younger. No recognition meant zero prior overlap. Judicial Research and Training Institute timing didn't match either.
"Kang. Long time."
"Hey, been well?"
Yoo Jeongwon greeted Kang Minjae too. Not surprising—he'd once been at Taegwang.
"Let's start with quick intros. This is Blue Island Media CEO Kim Hyeoncheol. And writer Jeong Hyejin."
"Cha Juhan. This is fellow counsel Kang Minjae on the case."
"Choi. Draw the blinds?"
Yoo Jeongwon said to her seated associate, who swiftly closed the seminar room's glass-wall blinds. Staff still around, headlines buzzing—no good airing lawyers parading in.
"Shall we get down to it?"
She seized conversational control effortlessly. Seemingly casual traits, but killer points for lawyers. Especially before clients: project dominance, make opponents look dragged along. Trust booster.
"Sure. First, a couple routine questions before we dive in?"
I eyed Kim Hyeoncheol and Jeong Hyejin.
"I'll field as your attorney."
"No, doesn't need legal expertise. Routine, as I said."
"Even without legal know-how, lawyers tag along for legal talks for a reason."
Yoo Jeongwon smiled back. I pressed on undeterred.
"Writer Jeong. Did you plagiarize our client Na Eun-seong's scenario, Between Us?"
Two reasons I'd greenlit this abrupt meet: two questions. Normally, I'd let the defendants sweat days first, but fact-checking trumped all.
"Writer Jeong, no need to answer. Lawyer Cha, it's as per our press release."
"I know, but it's the core issue. Routine question—answer freely."
Jeong Hyejin glanced at Yoo Jeongwon, then me.
"Never."
[LIE]
Hologram flickering above her head
Of course. Relief washed over me. The script screamed it, but miracles happen. Suspicion hardening to certainty—nothing more satisfying. The moment deciding if I'd take the case, or keep it. Fact-verified.
"One more. To both of you this time."
"Lawyer Cha."
"Routine again. Yes/no won't confirm much for me anyway."
I soothed her wariness. Truth was, yes/no revealed plenty—to me alone.
"Did Na Eun-seong's Between Us make it to round two?"
"Lawyer Cha? You know that's awfully rude?"
Yoo Jeongwon rapped the table. I ignored, eyes fixed.
These were their press release answers, scripted tight. Safe to field; Jeong Hyejin would snap irritably.
"Never made it. We even stated in the release I couldn't review it since it didn't advance."
[LIE]
Hologram flickering above her head
Jeong Hyejin spat stiffly, disgust etched on her face.
Round-two scripts went to print. At least Jang Taesik wasn't chasing ghosts.
"Questions done, Lawyer Cha?"
"Yes."
Yoo Jeongwon figured I was just ticking press-release boxes. No clue I'd scored enough to bail profitably. I tamped the urge to text Taesik: hunt print records ASAP.
"You're aware the broadcast injunction's pointless, right?"
Yoo Jeongwon asked leisurely. Not human rights on news—no weekly ban incoming.
Did she think me clueless enough to file it blind? Major underestimation.
"Continue."
"Trial too—cards on table. I've handled copyright disputes for a decade. Over 300 cases, big and small. No one thinks this holds water. Baffling why a sharp guy like you escalates so recklessly. Na Eun-seong's the one who'll hurt."
Yoo Jeongwon openly condescended to the rookie civil litigator. Fair; to her ten-year vet status, I was a joke.
"The Distance Between You and Me, produced by Blue Island Media, did not plagiarize Na Eun-seong's Between Us. Trial will clarify."
"So Blue Island Media denies the numerous similarities between Na Eun-seong's Between Us and The Distance Between You and Me?"
Yoo Jeongwon grinned at my question.
"Not all. Some overlaps, sure... but genre clichés and shared setups make them inevitable. Strip those, totally different works. I get a newbie like Na Eun-seong fixating on plagiarism—inexperience. Classic rookie overconfidence."
If Na Eun-seong were here, those words would've crushed her. Thank God I hadn't brought her.
"When did Na Eun-seong finalize her synopsis?"
"2006."
"As per the release, Jeong Hyejin first discussed The Distance Between You and Me with PDs in 2006 too. Did Na Eun-seong share the scenario externally in 2006?"
"No."
"Right. So... unless Jeong Hyejin hacked a no-connection aspiring writer's computer and dug up the Between Us synopsis, no plagiarism."
Yoo Jeongwon laughed pityingly. Snide, but tactical—I saw through, no sting.
...Kang Minjae, fists trembling? Different story.