Chapter 294: Vocal Trainer (1)

As soon as I sat down in the meeting room, Gu Seong-Cheol leaned over and whispered to me in a low voice. "You're getting a bonus today."

"A bonus?"

"Yeah, and it looks like it's going to be in the hundred millions."

The highest bonus ever given by Hoop Entertainment until now was 50 million won. But now, he was saying that my bonus might be in the hundred millions.

Gu Seong-Cheol was practically beaming as if he was the one receiving the bonus. "The exact amount hasn't been mentioned by Mr. Kang, but I figured you should know in advance."

I smiled and replied, "It looks like we're going to have an interesting meeting today."

As we whispered back and forth, other team leads from each division began to fill the empty seats.

Kim Dong-Soo was the last one to enter the meeting room.

He had been keeping a low profile for awhile now, but today he seemed confident as he held his head high.

The first item on the agenda was a report on the renewal of a partnership with a Japanese company that Kim Dong-Soo had secured.

"We've renewed the contract with Aris Entertainment on a 50-50 revenue split," Kim Dong-Soo reported confidently.

After he had finished his report, applause erupted from everyone regardless of which division they were from. Lee Gi-Cheol and Ju Ho-Sung from the Suhyaejong line, especially, clapped enthusiastically.

"I will work harder to make up for my past mistakes," Kim Dong-Soo added.

Hiding his true feelings, Kang Gam-Chan encouraged Kim Dong-Soo with a proud expression. "Well done, Dong-Soo. Keep up the good work."

"Of course. I'll make sure to turn things around in the second half of the year."

"Good. And your bonus has been set at 50 million won, so take note of that."

Receiving the highest bonus in the company's history, Kim Dong-Soo exclaimed excitedly, "Thank you, Mr. Kang!"

If I had to name the people whose fates had changed the most since I traveled back in time, it would be Miso, Yoo-Jin, Ju Yung-In, and Kim Dong-Soo. The various changes I had made to the timeline had significantly altered their records in the planner.

However, the incident with the hidden camera obtained through Nalsae and the actress Choi Sung-Ae flying to the U.S. to avoid Kim Dong-Soo had already happened. If I could settle those two issues involving Kim Dong-Soo, I could bring him down no matter how much the Suhyaejong line tried to protect him.

As I considered this, the chiefs began reporting their results one by one. Apart from Kim Dong-Soo, everyone else also showed significant improvements in their divisions' performances.

Although Actor Division 1's results had declined, Actor Division 2 more than made up for it with unprecedented growth by bringing in even more revenue.

Once every divisions' reports were finished, Kang Gam-Chan turned to me with a satisfied expression. "And next is Team Lead Jung."

"Yes, sir."

"A performance bonus of 300 million won will be deposited by the end of this week, so be prepared for that."

The highest bonus In the history of Hoop Entertainment, 50 million won, had just been announced for Kim Dong-Soo.

My eyes widened.

'But 300 million won for me?

'

The highest bonus in company history had just been shattered within minutes, causing a buzz in the meeting room.

That's when Lee Gi-Cheol cautiously voiced his concern. "Um, Mr. Kang. Isn’t that amount a bit excessive?"

Kang Gam-Chan turned to look at Lee Gi-Cheol. "What do you mean?"

"We’ve never given out bonuses of that magnitude before."

Kang Gam-Chan chuckled. "

Ha ha.

So you’re saying it might cause resentment?"

"Exactly. I’m worried it might demoralize the other employees."

However, Kang Gam-Chan was firm in his stance. "At Hoop Entertainment, we’ve always rewarded people based on their performance. Or have I been mistaken?"

Lee Gi-Cheol raised his voice slightly as he pointed to Kim Dong-Soo."Yes, but even Chief Kim here is only receiving 50 million won as a bonus when he has successfully renegotiated our partnership with Japan."

Kang Gam-Chan responded calmly, "And you think it’s not enough?"

"Of course, that amount alone is enough. But I don’t understand why there’s such a huge difference in the amounts."

Kang Gam-Chan chuckled as if he found this situation amusing. "

Ha ha ha.

Does anyone else here agree with Director Lee's point?"

No one responded to Kang Gam-Chan, but it was clear from their expressions that while they might not fully agree with Lee Gi-Cheol, they did think that my bonus was excessively large.

Kang Gam-Chan then turned to Kim Dong-Soo this time. "Chief Kim, do you also think this decision is unfair?"

Kim Dong-Soo raised his chin confidently. "To be honest, I think the difference in amounts is too large."

"Is that so? Then let me ask you one thing. Why did our Japanese partners agree to renew the contract?"

"Because Hoop Entertainment has been growing rapidly in Korea, and...

Oh!

" Kim Dong-Soo trailed off as he realized the implication of his own words.

"Exactly. The reason for this bonus is the very success of our company! And who was responsible for driving our company’s performance this year?"

Only then did realization dawn on the faces of everyone in the room.

Kim Dong-Soo flinched and regretted his earlier words as he realized that his success was made possible largely due to my efforts.

Seizing the moment, Kang Gam-Chan began to press Kim Dong-Soo even further. "And one more thing! Who was it that saved the deal you almost lost with Director Zhang Xuan in China, Dong-Soo?"

'

That was also me,

' I remarked silently.

Kim Dong-Soo’s face turned white beyond pale.

Kang Gam-Chan continued. "And who ensured that we didn’t lose Sung Ho-Jun, and who’s been behind the success of every project that boosted every divisions' performance? It’s all thanks to Yoon-Ho. Have you all forgotten?"

The other chiefs who had forgotten about me picking their projects and been basking in the success of their own work blushed as they remembered that they owed much of their achievements to me.

Kang Gam-Chan continued to list my accomplishments while berating Kim Dong-Soo. "When a junior team lead does well, shouldn’t you be encouraging him instead of being envious of his bonus?"

Kang Gam-Chan’s stern voice echoed in the room, clearly intended for the other team leads as well. "The same goes for all of you! If you have time to be jealous, use that time to focus on delivering results! If you do, I’ll give you a billion won, not just 300 million won!"

The other team leads lowered their heads.

Kang Gam-Chan clicked his tongue and added, "And let me remind you, this bonus was personally decided by Mr. Choi, the major shareholder of Hoop Entertainment. So don’t question it any further."

In my past life, I hadn’t paid much attention to how Hoop Entertainment was run as I was too busy dealing with the business in Myeong-dong. Now, it seemed like even minor details like my bonus were being handled directly by Choi Eun-Tae.

'

Is it because he is considering me as a potential successor?

' I wondered.

I would be meeting with the president of Daeheung Savings Bank soon, and it seemed like I should find out more about Choi Eun-Tae then.

After the discussion about the bonus concluded, it was my turn to report my team's status.

Kang Gam-Chan turned to me. "Team Lead Jung, let’s hear about Yoo-Jin."

"Yes, sir."

I stood up and began reporting on Team Jung’s performance. "Due to the success of Manshin Wol-Ah, Yoo-Jin has received offers for her next project from all three major broadcasters. The best offer is from MBS. They’re willing to fund the entire production as long as she picks the script."

Bang Sang-Yung from Actor Division 1 asked in a trembling voice, "No way...MBS President gave you the authority to choose the writer and script?"

"Yes."

A murmur spread through the room again. After all, being able to choose the script and writer essentially meant having the powers of a producer.

"B-but how... That’s unbelievable..."

The fact that I had received a direct offer from the MBS President stunned everyone because if what I said was true, it wouldn’t be surprising if all the main cast members came from Hoop Entertainment.

Still in shock, Bang Sang-Yung asked once again, "I-is there any restriction on how many of our company’s actors can be cast?"

"No. We’ll need to coordinate with the drama department, but they promised to accommodate my preferences as much as possible."

The envious and resentful looks from earlier disappeared from the faces of the other team leads when they realized that being on my good side could mean getting their actors into a major production.

Bang Sang-Yung spoke up. "In that case, how about Lee Jung-Ah and Choi Tae-Jung from Actor Division 1? They’re both versatile actors who can handle everything from trendy dramas to traditional historical pieces."

When Bang Sang-Yung suggested his actors in a hurry, it sparked a wave of team leads to recommend their own actors to me.

"You know that Mr. Jin-Soo is the top choice for supporting roles no matter the genre, right?"

"How about a villain role? Mr. Jo Hong-Sik under my management is considering a switch to playing villains."

With all the team leads clamoring to promote their actors, I felt like I had suddenly become the president of a production company.

All the attention from the team leads had fully shifted in my direction.

Amidst this, I noticed that Kim Dong-Soo, who had regained his confidence after a long time, now wore a deeply troubled expression once again.

***

The commotion finally settled after I allocated roles, assigning one supporting role and two minor roles to each division.

"So, Team Lead Jung. Do you need any additional support?" Kang Gam-Chan asked, indicating that I could request anything I needed.

"I’d like to bring in a new vocal trainer."

Kang Gam-Chan raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Aren't Chief Lee and Seon-Woo already well-versed in vocal training? Why the need for someone new?"

"Ha-Na and Cherry Blossom members now need a dedicated professional vocal trainer."

Kang Gam-Chan seemed unconvinced by this reasoning because the company already had a specialized vocal trainer.

I continued explaining my plans. "Moreover, Shanghai New Media Inc. has agreed to fully fund the launch of a new girl group on the condition that we provide a dedicated vocal trainer for them."

My statement caused a stir in the room once again.

Launching an idol group at Hoop Entertainment typically required an investment of 1 to 1.5 billion won. And when marketing costs were added, even 2 to 3 billion won could be insufficient.

But now, we wouldn't need to spend any of that money as long as we found a vocal trainer.

Even Kang Gam-Chan was taken aback. "Are you saying that Shanghai New Media Inc. is covering all marketing costs as well?"

"Yes. And they want to maintain the 50-50 revenue split from our previous agreement."

Kang Gam-Chan burst out laughing in a loud voice that echoed throughout the meeting room. "

Ha ha ha!

Now I think even a 300 million won bonus isn’t enough for you, Team Lead Jung!"

Despite Kang Gam-Chan's loud laughter, the jealousy in the room had completely vanished. Everyone now understood that my success was like a massive wedding cake with plenty to share.

However, there was one potential issue: the vocal trainer I intended to bring in was someone who used a wheelchair.

There could be backlash about hiring someone with physical limitations when other capable trainers were available. For this reason, I requested full authority to hire the vocal trainer without any interference.

Kang Gam-Chan chuckled. "Shanghai New Media Inc. has entrusted everything to you, so it would be foolish of us to interfere. Sure, go ahead."

Having settled the matter of potential opposition, Kang Gam-Chan looked at Lee Dong-Min this time. "Chief Lee."

"Yes, sir."

"Work together with Team Lead Jung and make sure we create another group as successful as Cherry Blossom."

"You can count on us, Mr. Kang."

The meeting ended with that, and I immediately called Lee Soo-Chan as I left the meeting room.

It was time to locate Seo Yeon-Woo, the talent who would become Korea’s top vocal trainer.

Two days later, I received a call from Lee Soo-Chan who had moved faster than expected.

-I found Seo Yeon-Woo. He lives in Guro and is working as a day laborer at a construction site in Suwon today.

"Wait, a construction site? A day laborer?"

'

No way. Seo Yeon-Woo is doing manual labor!?

' I wondered in disbelief.

I asked if there might be some mistake but Lee Soo-Chan confirmed that it was indeed the same person who used to sing in the café.

-Yes, it's him. He quit singing at the café recently due to personal reasons and started working at the construction site.

"Are you sure he does not have any physical impairments?" I asked.

-I'm sure. That made it a bit harder to track him down. But when I found him, he looked perfectly healthy apart from being very thin.

My heart began to race upon hearing Lee Soo-Chan's words.

This meant that at this point in time, Seo Yeon-Woo hadn't had physical impairments yet.

***

"Hey! Move faster! It’s already hot, so don’t make me more pissed off!"

"Ah, I'm sorry."

"If you keep working like this, don’t expect to get paid today!"

At the construction site of a new villa in Suwon, a foreman with a rough demeanor kept berating Seo Yeon-Woo who had started working there just three days ago.

Seo Yeon-Woo had been assigned the simple task of carrying materials, a role known as "gom-bang," but he was so unskilled at it that he had been scolded every day since he started.

Struggling, Seo Yeon-Woo hefted a bag of cement onto his shoulder. It felt like his shoulders were about to give out, but he had no choice—he needed the day's wages.

"Damn it, why is my life like this..." he muttered bitterly under his breath.

Seo Yeon-Woo had dreamed of becoming a singer for nine years, ever since he started earning money by singing at live cafes when he was 15.

He wanted to take good care of the grandmother who had raised him after his parents abandoned him by becoming a successful singer and making lots of money.

Although the producers from entertainment companies were impressed by his voice, they hesitated when they met him in person.

And they all said the same thing.

-Have you thought about getting plastic surgery? I think it would only take about 20 million won.

They wanted Seo Yeon-Woo's voice, but they were disappointed in his appearance.

Some companies even offered to loan him the money for the plastic surgery, but Seo Yeon-Woo didn’t want to take on a 20 million won debt.

So he decided to try his luck on an audition program.

Unfortunately, on the day he passed the first round and was preparing for the second, his grandmother who had been supporting him all this time was diagnosed with dementia.

Crushed by despair, Seo Yeon-Woo decided to give up on being a singer and stopped going to the cafe to sing.

Instead, he started working at the construction site for a new villa.

With his legs trembling, Seo Yeon-Woo carried a bag of cement as his mind was consumed with anxious thoughts. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t see a way forward about how he would make ends meet or how he would care for his grandmother.

Lost in these thoughts, Seo Yeon-Woo suddenly found himself at the edge of the third floor where there was no railing.

Swoosh!

A hot wind mixed with the heat brushed against his face.

The breeze jolted Seo Yeon-Woo back to reality, and only then did he realize that he was standing on the brink of empty space.

"Wha... what...?"

Of all places, he was in an area where no safety net had been installed. He tried to hold on, but the weight of the cement bag made his body start to tilt forward.

Seo Yeon-Woo squeezed his eyes shut. He thought it might be better if his painful 23 years of life just ended right then.

Flinch!

At that moment, his tilting body suddenly stopped just as he was about to fall forward.

Startled, Seo Yeon-Woo opened his eyes and turned his head.

Behind him stood a handsome man in a suit, tightly holding onto his back.

The man’s expression was one of sheer determination as if he would never let go.