Chapter 396: Han Hyun-Ho (3)

The question of whether to choose Han Hyun-Ho, the "Prince of Original Soundtracks," or Bang Seon-Woo, the chart-topping composer, was swiftly settled.

I knew Lee Yung-Seop wasn't one to hold a grudge or create factions within the company. Hence, I softened my tone and replied, "It's alright, Mr. Lee. I spoke too harshly as well."

Lee Yung-Seop who bowed his head slowly looked up at me.

"I can imagine how much Hyun-Ho hyung-nim must have hounded you. I understand."

The tension in Lee Yung-Seop's face relaxed slightly. "Thank you... for understanding."

Bang Sang-Yung chimed in. "Team Lead Jung has a point. We may have been indulging Han Hyun-Ho a bit too much."

The atmosphere in the room had entirely shifted in my favor, to the point where even Bang Sang-Yung couldn’t deny it.

Just then, Kang Ji-Yung cut in at the perfect moment. "Alright, it sounds like we have a conclusion. Mr. Lee, you go and try to calm Mr. Hyun-Ho down. If he insists on going to Ace Entertainment, we'll have to let him go."

"B-but Ms. Kang! Hyun-Ho hyung is still in his prime..."

"Well, that's why I said if he insists. Make it clear to him that if this happens again, it won’t just be about letting him go—it’ll be about showing him the door

Lee Yung-Seop looked deflated and nodded. "Yes, Ms. Kang..."

"Mr. Lee, please also update him on the outcome of the meeting and let us know his final decision."

"Understood."

Then Kang Ji-Yung turned to me. "And Mr. Jung, make sure you reassure Mr. Bang and keep him in good spirits. Let him know we won't interfere with the album and that he can work freely."

In recognition of Bang Seon-Woo's talent, Kang Ji-Yung started to address him as "Mr. Bang."

"Okay. I also spoke with Seon-Woo, and he's planning to reserve some tracks for the artists in Singer Division 1."

Han So-Yoo from Singer Division 1 let out a sigh of relief and looked at me. "Thank you so much, Mr. Jung."

"No problem. Just make sure to treat Seon-Woo to a meal sometime."

Han So-Yoo's position was precarious, having joined Hoop Entertainment through the recommendation of Kim Dong-Soo who was currently suspended from work.

Had her division been excluded from this major project, it would have been a serious setback for her. As such, Han So-Yoo couldn't hide her gratitude for my consideration.

I added, "Oh, and Ms. Han. Treviang's leader Oh Jin-Ah is also on the original soundtrack vocalist shortlist. Please prepare her for a vocal test later on."

"Jin-Ah?"

For a singer about to debut, joining the original soundtrack of a prime-time drama was an incredibly appealing opportunity.

Treviang had endured a long trainee period and even switched agencies mid-way to come to Hoop Entertainment. I knew they would be successful in the future, but right now, they must be feeling uncertain and daunted.

This original soundtrack opportunity could be life-changing for them. Moreover, this gesture would also lay the groundwork for bringing Han So-Yoo over to my side.

Kang Ji-Yung stood from her chair. "Well, everyone's busy, so let's wrap up the meeting here. I have matters to attend to as well."

Bang Sang-Yung nodded in agreement.

The meeting that was convened because of Han Hyun-Ho had ended in a decision to exclude him. Thanks to Han Hyun-Ho, everyone basically received a lecture from me.

I was confident now that even if his assault scandal broke, no one would stand by him as they did in my past life.

***

On our way back down to Singer Division 2 after the meeting, Lee Dong-Min asked, "So what's your next move?"

"First, I'll report the situation to Mr. Kang. Then, I'll go see Mr. Han Hyun-Ho's girlfriend," I answered.

"What are you hoping to accomplish? From what I hear, it seems like she's not going to listen to anybody."

"I'll have to try to persuade her."

It would be difficult, but it was the only solid approach for now.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Lee Dong-Min asked.

"Just keep me updated on Han Hyun-Ho's movements."

"Got it. Oh, and who are you thinking of recommending to Seon-Woo for the male vocalists? Excluding Jong-Hoon, of course."

"Yeon-Woo."

"Which Yeon-Woo?"

"Seo Yeon-Woo."

"The vocal trainer?"

"Yes."

Lee Dong-Min's expression hardened. "Yeon-Woo's got talent, sure. But he's not exactly the most distinctive vocalist..."

When Seo Yeon-Woo first joined the company, he had sung for the producers in Singer Division 2.

Lee Dong-Min had listened and shook his head back then, noting that Seo Yeon-Woo's singing was technically good but didn't have that pull to captivate an audience.

Nonetheless, that was in the past.

I quickly added, "Mr. Lee. You haven't heard Yeon-Woo sing lately, have you?"

"No, I've been too busy lately."

"You should hear him. His vocal style, power, and technique—everything's changed. You'll be surprised."

Lee Dong-Min's expression grew serious. "Is that so?"

I nodded. "Yes. He used to lack confidence and self-esteem which was what affected his voice. But after training other singers, he's regained confidence and his true potential is coming through."

"Hmm. It sounds like you have made up your mind."

"Pretty much. So let's ask him to do the guide vocals for this song and we can use it as a hidden audition."

"And the song?"

"I'll ask Seon-Woo to compose it in Yeon-Woo's range. Once we have the melody set, we can run the test. Ye-Bin will handle the lyrics."

After a moment of thought, Lee Dong-Min nodded. "Alright. I'll set him up as the guide vocalist for this track."

"Thank you, sir."

Next, I called Bang Seon-Woo to give an update of the situation. I could hear the excitement in Bang Seon-Woo's voice. After all, he and Yeon-Woo were the same age and had already become close friends.

-Really? Yeon-Woo's going to sing?

"That's right. You told me his voice had improved, didn't you? So go all out and help Yeon-Woo show his full potential.

-Absolutely, hyung. I'll compose two tracks by the end of today.

Although Bang Seon-Woo had also wanted to see Yeon-Woo debut as a singer, the early criticism from the talent agents had held him back from saying anything.

With Seo Yeon-Woo set for a test tomorrow, I called Kang Gam-Chan to explain everything that had happened including the situation with Han Hyun-Ho and his girlfriend.

Kang Gam-Chan was furious over Han Hyun-Ho's behavior.

-We don't need trash like that in our company. Do what you think is best.

"But... the press may come down hard on Hoop Entertainment."

-That's the price we pay for poor management of our celebrities. Just focus on protecting Ms. Yoon Myung-Hee from further harm. Call me if you need anything else.

"Thank you, Mr. Kang."

My confidence grew with Kang Gam-Chan's strong support. Though I already had some plans to handle the media, I still needed to prepare for contingencies.

The one person Yoon Myung-Hee might still listen to was Im Ha-Yeon, her agency's president. For this situation to be resolved more smoothly, I needed to bring Im Ha-Yeon to my side. An idea to do so came to my mind and I decided to call Oh Bok-Hee.

"Mrs. Oh, I have an actor I would like to recommend if that's alright."

-How about a role as Princess Yu-Hwa's bodyguard?

"That would be perfect."

-Got it. We'll hold a test from the PD department, so keep that in mind. And keep us updated on the original soundtrack progress, alright?

"Understood, ma'am."

Ending the call, I immediately contacted Im Ha-Yeon, president of Angel Productions, to share that a good role had just become available and asked if she would be interested.

***

Angel Productions was a small agency located near Exit 7 of Hongik University Station.

In my past life, I visited this place to manage the fallout of Han Hyun-Ho's assault scandal. Back then, it was to handle the serious injuries Yoon Myung-Hee had suffered. Nonetheless, I was confident I could prevent this incident from happening this time.

After parking, I called Im Ha-Yeon. "Ms. Im, I've arrived."

-Oh, really? I'll be right down.

Click.

Im Ha-Yeon came down shortly to greet me herself. "Welcome, Mr. Jung!"

The forty-three-year-old Im Ha-Yeon bounced toward me with a light blue suit and permed hair. Before I knew it, she had taken my hand in hers and was greeting me with a warm smile.

"So, there's a role for Myung-Hee?" she asked.

"Yes. I just spoke with Miss Han and Mrs. Oh Bok-Hee. She'll need to pass their final confirmation, but they seemed very positive."

"Oh my, how can I thank you?"

"There's no need to thank me. I'm just making the introduction."

"I still appreciate it a lot. Come on, let's go inside—it's cold out here."

Im Ha-Yeon led me to a tiny elevator, which could barely fit four people, up to their office. Inside their thirty-pyeong office were desks packed tightly in a single room and a separate office for the president.

"Our office is a bit cramped, isn't it?" Im Ha-Yeon remarked sheepishly.

I smiled. "The size of the office doesn't matter. People are the real assets in this industry, right?"

"

Haha

, I like that perspective."

Im Ha-Yeon led me to her office with a smile and sat down on the sofa. She revealed that Yoon Myung-Hee had actually auditioned for the role of Princess Do-Hwa in

Hwaranjeon

.

She explained, "I had heard some good things about you, Mr. Jung. So I pushed Myung-Hee for that role. But as expected, the competition was fierce and she didn't make it. Wasn't it Min Gyu-Ri who got the part? She was phenomenal in the audition."

"Ah, yes."

I bit my tongue, holding back the urge to mention that Min Gyu-Ri had fled the set during the script reading.

"Anyway, thank you for coming to see me in person. I had been hoping to meet you for a while now."

"By the way, isn't Ms. Yoon Myung-Hee here today?" I asked.

"No. She doesn't have a schedule today, so she's resting."

"Could she come here for a quick conversation?"

"Of course! I'll tell her to come now. She lives just five minutes away."

The excited Im Ha-Yeon called Yoon Myung-Hee. Thanks to the offer of a role, our discussion was progressing smoothly.

Click.

-Hello...?

Yoon Myung-Hee's voice sounded faint through the speakerphone.

"Myung-Hee, were you sleeping? You sound a bit off."

-Ah, yes... I'm not feeling well.

"I'm sorry to bother you on your day off. But you know about

Hwaranjeon

, right?"

-Of course. I auditioned for Princess Do-Hwa last time... but I didn't get it.

"Well, they'd like to offer you the role of Princess Yu-Hwa's bodyguard. You have a Taekwondo certificate, so this would suit you well. Oh, and Mr. Jung from Hoop Entertainment is here as well."

-Of course, I'm interested... but I'm really not feeling well today. Could we talk tomorrow instead?

Something was clearly wrong. Her voice was strained as if she were forcing herself to speak through pain.

Concerned, I quickly checked my planner.

[Everyday V11]

[Date: December 15, 2020]

-10:00 p.m.: General meeting (Meeting Agenda: Han Hyun-Ho arrested for assaulting his girlfriend, actress Yoon Myung-Hee. Decision pending on whether to compensate her agency, Angel Productions.)

The scheduled event remained unchanged, meaning history was repeating itself. It seemed like I would need to see for myself what was happening.

At that moment, Im Ha-Yeon glanced at me. "Um, Mr. Jung. Maybe it would be better if you and I talked about this matter. Myung-Hee sounds like she's really not feeling well."

However, I replied firmly, "I'm sorry, but I can't guarantee that the role will still be available once I leave. As you know, it's a highly sought-after drama."

After a brief hesitation, Im Ha-Yeon made her decision. "Myung-Hee, we'll just come to your place. You really can't miss out on this opportunity."

A quiver of anxiety echoed in Yoon Myung-Hee's reply.

-O-okay... I'll be waiting.

***

Yoon Myung-Hee lived alone in a small, ten-pyeong studio apartment located in Hongdae just a five-minute walk from her agency.

Beep, beep, beep, beep—beep.

Click.

Im Ha-Yeon punched in the door lock code, but the door didn't open. Instead, it seemed to hit some kind of safety latch. "Huh? Why isn't it opening?"

-One moment~

As Yoon Myung-Hee replied, we heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching from inside.

Im Ha-Yeon turned to me. "She must still be tidying up. I'm sorry, Mr. Jung."

"That's fine."

Soon, we heard the sound of the latch unlocking and the door slowly opened.

"P-please come on in..." Yoon Myung-Hee stammered.

Yoon Myung-Hee, who had captivated even the womanizing Han Hyun-Ho, looked alluring even now. However, it was clear she was struggling as she leaned against the wall by the front door, barely able to stand.

What caught my attention more than her beauty was the pain she seemed to be enduring. Sweat beaded on her forehead and neck with hair clinging to her face.

On top of that, there were signs of a hurried cleanup—a blanket hastily thrown over something beside the bed and stains on the floor from something spilled.

No matter how much she tried to cover it up, traces of a visitor were still evident.

'

Could Han Hyun-Ho have been here today?

' I wondered.

Earlier, Han Hyun-Ho had been told he wouldn't be included in the original soundtrack album lineup. I figured he must have come here to take out his anger.

'

That miserable bastard,'

I cursed silently.

I knew I had to immediately get Yoon Myung-Hee out of this toxic relationship with a foregone conclusion.

Yoon Myung-Hee gestured for us to come in.

I wanted to take her straight to the hospital, but I couldn't drag her there against her will. After all, Yoon Myung-Hee had defended Han Hyun-Ho to the end in my past life.

If I tried to force her now, she would likely stay silent. So as much as it pained me, persuading her had to come first.

I took off my shoes and stepped into the living room with Im Ha-Yeon close behind me.

Im Ha-Yeon gently wiped the sweat from Yoon Myung-Hee's forehead and whispered, "You don't look well at all. Shall we go to the hospital first?"

"N-no, I'm... I'm f-fine..."

"Oh..."

Though the two spoke in a near-whisper, I could hear them clearly because I was paying my full attention to them.

My anger surged to the surface, but I fought it down and took a seat.

As I thought of ways to convince Yoon Myung-Hee, I also began planning how Han Hyun-Ho would pay for what he had done.