Chapter 498: The Beginning (1)

"I heard Hoop Entertainment gives team leads autonomy. So I'd like to have authority over my team'sproject selection as well."

Project selection was the core of an entertainment company's operations. Most companies only granted such authority to chiefs, not team leads. No matter how talented a celebrity was, they couldn't succeed without landing the right project. However, recognizing a project's potential for success required years of experience.

That's why even the company president handled project selection personally in small agencies. In my case, I had been given special autonomy as a team lead.

And now, Yeon So-Hee was asking for the same. Her request exceeded the usual scope of a team lead's authority and caused murmurs among the staff in the meeting room.

'

As expected of Team Lead Yeon So-Hee.

'

I understood why she was making this demand. At FNK Entertainment, she had never been properly respected simply because she was a woman. She had always read scripts, analyzed them, and assessed directors and writers before making recommendations.

Nevertheless, her superior, Chief Choi Taek-Hoon, had ignored all of her insights and chosen projects arbitrarily which ultimately ruined actors' filmographies.

Now, she wanted to build a team the right way. Her motivation wasn't personal success but it was to protect her actors.

Knowing she had no ill intent, I smiled as I answered. "You know my track record when it comes to selecting projects, don't you?"

Yeon So-Hee nodded. "Yes. I completely acknowledge and respect the results you achieved last year. But there's always a 'what if.' No offense, but if we rely solely on you and you make a mistake, my actors will be the ones who suffer. I want to prevent that before it happens."

At that moment, Park In-Ki, the future 1st Team Lead of Division Jung, interjected. "No way. Normally, I'd agree with Team Lead Yeon. After all, I actually used to think the same way. But our Chief Jung is on a completely different level. That's why it's right for him to handle project selection."

The others nodded in agreement.

However, Yeon So-Hee didn't back down. "Still. Right now, everything rests on Mr. Jung's shoulders. What happens if he gets sick? Everything would come to a standstill. Of course, I'm not saying I want that to happen."

Yeon So-Hee's concerns were valid. If everything depended on me, the entire division—not just a single team—could be paralyzed in my absence.

This time, even Park In-Ki had no counter argument as he knew this was the biggest vulnerability of Division Jung.

Nonetheless, I couldn't hand over project selection no matter what.

'

I'm sorry, Ms. So-Hee, but I'm a regressor. I already have all the right answers. How could I give that up?

'

I smiled and met Yeon So-Hee's gaze. "I understand your concerns. But I have no intention of giving up my authority over project selection."

Yeon So-Hee's expression faltered slightly. She must have expected the same level of autonomy I had.

Before she could dwell on her disappointment, I continued. "However, I will make sure to consider team leads' opinions as much as possible."

Yeon So-Hee hesitated before asking, "Then let me ask again. If there's a project I absolutely want to recommend for my actors, will you promise to consider it?"

"Yes. As long as there are no serious flaws in the project, I will take your recommendation into account."

Yeon So-Hee thought for a moment at the suggestion of a conditional approval, then nodded. "Understood. I look forward to working with you."

I could have just agreed and moved on, but trust had to be built through experience. To solidify my credibility with Yeon So-Hee, I came up with an idea that involved foreseeing the future.

Just before she was about to introduce herself to the team, I cut in. "Ms. Yeon, have you heard of the project

Ballerina of Time

?"

"Yes, I know it well. It's Director Na Hyung-Joon's project, and LT Entertainment is fully funding both production and distribution. Also, Yoo Eun-Ah from Cherry Blossom is set to appear in a supporting role."

As expected, she rattled off detailed information effortlessly. Yeon So-Hee was indeed a talent agent who relied on data and analysis rather than intuition.

I asked, "Then how many viewers do you think this film will attract?"

I already knew from my past life that

Ballerina of Time

would be a box office hit, reaching 4.85 million viewers. However, most industry professionals expected it to draw fewer than five hundred thousand.

Yeon So-Hee thought for a moment before answering. "The script follows some familiar tropes, but it's well-written. The cast isn't full of A-listers, but they're all skilled actors. That said, I'd say 1.5 million is the upper limit because of the genre. If LT Entertainment aggressively markets it, it could reach two million."

Unlike most talent agents, Yeon So-Hee's estimate was far more precise and her skill was undeniable.

Nonetheless, she was unfortunately up against the wrong person—me, a regressor.

Yeon So-Hee then turned the question back on me. "Then how many do you think it'll get, Mr. Jung?"

I grinned and spread out my right hand.

When she saw all five fingers extended, she frowned. "Five hundred thousand? You're saying it'll flop that badly?"

"No. At least five million."

Yeon So-Hee looked at me in sheer disbelief. "I'm sorry?"

For a moment, she was completely stunned. Yet she quickly regained her composure and said, "I have a lot to say, but... I'll hold back. The results will speak for themselves."

I smirked. "The movie releases at the end of February next year. Let's check the numbers then."

"Alright, Mr. Jung."

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Yeon So-Hee then turned to the rest of the team.

"My name is Yeon So-Hee. I apologize for coming on so strong in our first meeting. But please don't misunderstand. I wasn't trying to disrespect Mr. Jung at all. I look forward to working with all of you."

Eun Ji-Yoo responded warmly. "Welcome, Ms. Yeon! But just so you know, Mr. Jung is going to win."

Lee Yung-Jin nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'd say this is a losing battle for you."

Yeon So-Hee tilted her head in confusion.

Then, Kim Mi-Hye chuckled. "There's no way to explain it. You'll just have to see for yourself... that things always turn out exactly as Mr. Jung predicts."

My team basically treated me like a fortune teller.

At that moment, Do Ran-Hee chimed in. "Loser buys Hanwoo. How about it? Deal?"

Do Ran-Hee never missed an opportunity.

'

Wait a minute. When did this turn into a bet between me and Yeon So-Hee?

'

Before I could say anything, Yeon So-Hee readily agreed. "Sounds good. If I lose, I'll treat everyone to Hanwoo as an apology."

'

Ah, another innocent soul ensnared by Do Ran-Hee's schemes.

'

As I shook my head with a look of sympathy, Do Ran-Hee shot up from her seat. "Alright, applause! Let's properly welcome Ms. Yeon! Everyone, let's give her a big round of applause!"

Do Ran-Hee was practically glowing with joy at the thought of securing a Hanwoo dinner. Sometimes, I wondered if Do Ran-Hee had been possessed by the spirit of a butcher's daughter who never got to eat any of her own meat.

Finally, it was Baek Hee-Yung's turn to introduce herself. At thirty-one-years-old, she was about 160 cm tall with golden blonde hair cut to her shoulders. Her round face made her look five or six years younger than she was.

Yet despite her youthful appearance, she was a seasoned professional. She had worked as a stylist and makeup artist since she was nineteen-years-old, all while taking on talent agent's duties. That meant she had 12 years of industry experience.

However, she had been stuck as an assistant talent agent for years before the regression. The reason was due to her lack of education. She had been bullied in school and ended up dropping out, later passing the high school equivalency exam. At her previous company where only college graduates were promoted to team lead, that meant she had been passed over for years.

However, academic backgrounds didn't matter to me. What mattered was skill.

Baek Hee-Yung, who would soon lead Singer Team 2 alongside Eun Ji-Yoo, stood up and bowed. "I'm Baek Hee-Yung. I still have a lot to learn, so please take good care of me!"

Do Ran-Hee made an incredulous face. "Come on~ Is there anyone in this industry who doesn't know how good you are? Let's do our best together!"

Baek Hee-Yung and Do Ran-Hee had already met frequently on the field and were as close as sisters.

Baek Hee-Yung said, "Assistant Manager Do, I'll be counting on you too."

Do Ran-Hee flinched. "Ms. Baek... Can you just call me by my name?"

"Why?"

"Assistant Manager Do sounds awkward. I don't like it."

"But it's so nice! Assistant Manager Do~ Assistant Manager Do~"

"

Argh

... You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"Yep, I am."

Baek Hee-Yung chuckled, while Do Ran-Hee grumbled as if she were having a meltdown. The atmosphere lightened up considerably.

I asked, "Ms. Baek, is there anything you want from me? Any special requests?"

Even though she looked young, Baek Hee-Yung was a veteran with twelve years of experience. That made me a little nervous, but Baek Hee-Yung simply grinned and shook her head.

"No complaints here. And honestly, getting to work with my role model is an absolute honor."

To her, seeing a high school graduate like me rise to the position of chief in just two years had been both surprising and inspiring. She said that just becoming a team lead already made her feel like she had the world in her hands.

'

That's a relief.

'

Then, Park In-Ki, who would soon lead Actor Team 1, stepped up like a drill sergeant. "Alright, now that introductions are done, let's hear from Mr. Jung."

I took a deep breath and spoke. "I will handle everything within the company. You all just focus on your actors. Once Division Jung is officially launched, I will make sure your salaries, bonuses, and working conditions are the best in the industry."

The mention of best treatment in the industry was all it took to excite a group of professionals.

The future members of Division Jung erupted in cheers.

"See? I told you all! Just stick with Mr. Jung!"

"Mr. Jung, please take us with you as you keep rising!"

"Yeah, Team Lead Jung! Count me in too!"

Then, Park In-Ki suddenly realized something and spoke up.

"Wait, shouldn't we start calling him 'Chief Jung' now?"

Lee Yung-Jin nodded. "Yeah, Mr. Park. Even if it's just among us, let's call him Chief."

While I appreciated the sentiment, I raised my hand. "I appreciate it, but let's not draw unnecessary attention."

With Ace Entertainment preparing for a showdown and Baek Se-Gi now inside Hoop Entertainment, I just needed to hold out for a few more days. I couldn't afford to show even the smallest weakness.

Park In-Ki nodded. "Understood. But at the very least, we'll speak to you with respect."

Even without the title, he was already treating me as a chief.

And with that, Team Jung was fully prepared to evolve into Division Jung.

***

Inside the president's office in Ace Entertainment sat President Im Sung-Hak, Vice President Jang Sung-Min, Director Park Chan-Hyuk, and Chief Lee Chan-Dong. The real power players of Ace Entertainment had gathered for an emergency meeting after receiving a call from Baek Se-Gi, who was now inside Hoop Entertainment.

"Fucking hell. What the hell is Jung Yoon-Ho? Is he just lucky or is he actually sharp?"

Im Sung-Hak was seething at the thought of missing the chance to plant Baek Se-Gi in Jung Yoon-Ho's team.

Jang Sung-Min, who was well aware of the situation, furrowed his brows and spoke. "Sir, that's not our biggest issue right now. The National Tax Service is about to raid our company. We should focus on that first."

Ace Entertainment's Ahn Yoo-Hyun had been double-dipping sponsorship deals between Jin Myung-Gyu, Vice Chairman of Jinseong Inc, and Assemblyman Lee Dae-Boong. That had enraged Lee Dae-Boong, and now, they had just one week to track Ahn Yoo-Hyun down and make her kneel before him.

However, with Ahn Yoo-Hyun still missing, Jang Sung-Min suggested preparing for the inevitable tax investigation instead.

Im Sung-Hak scowled. "Are you really that short-sighted for a vice president?"

"Pardon me?"

"Don't just look at the outcome but analyze the cause. Who do you think started all this?"

"A-are you saying... Jung Yoon-Ho is the reason?"

"That's right, you clueless fool! I can't share the same sky with that bastard anymore. We need to crush him first. And that's why I already set up a backup plan!"

Im Sung-Hak's "backup" was none other than Assemblyman Cha Sang-Tae—father of Cha Do-Hee, leader of Girlfriends 7. Although only a first-term lawmaker, he had JH Media backing him which gave him more influence and power than most veteran politicians. After all, JH Media was an organization that had grown its financial and political clout by orchestrating secret gatherings for conglomerates and politicians.

"Mr. Cha said he'll calm down Lee Dae-Boong. And since it's the end of the year, there won't be an immediate tax investigation. So this is the perfect time to take down Jung Yoon-Ho!"

Jang Sung-Min finally nodded. "I understand."

At that moment, Park Chan-Hyuk, the real power player at Ace Entertainment, spoke up. "Then let's crush Jung Yoon-Ho within the month."

"Exactly. Dragging this out only hurts us."

Then, Lee Chan-Dong slyly proposed an idea. "Why don't we start with the easiest move?"

"Huh? What's that?"

"For the January issue of Womans, Ace Entertainment's actors and singers have several interview spreads. We can use that as leverage to demand a cover model change. That should hurt Jung Yoon-Ho's credibility."

"Will that even work? President Jang Ji-Hye is from a royal family."

"I know. But President Jang is known for keeping her family ties out of editorial decisions. We may not be able to influence her indefinitely, but temporarily severing ties should be possible. If we pull our interviews, the January issue won't be publishable."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Just leave it to me."

"Alright. Go for it."

Lee Chan-Dong smirked as he stood up.

***

After finalizing the operational strategy for Division Jung, I gave an instruction to Park In-Ki. "Mr. Park, please introduce the company to our new team leads. I need to discuss a few things with the president."

"Understood."

As I was about to leave, my phone suddenly rang.

[Caller ID: Womans' Team Lead Lee Jae-Hee]

Womans had recently fired its editor-in-chief due to ties with Chairman Jiang Wei, and now Jang Ji-Hye was handling editorial duties herself. Since most of the team leads who had supported the former editor were also dismissed, Lee Jae-Hee had been newly promoted.

I had grown quite close to her through Jang Ji-Hye's introduction, but a call from her at this time was suspicious. Especially since Womans was scheduled to interview all of Team Jung's actors and singers, including Yoo-Jin, in three days.

'

What's going on?

'

Sensing something was off, I answered right away.

A panicked voice came through the line.

-Mr. Jung, you need to come to the office right away. Ace Entertainment is threatening to pull all their actors from future interviews unless we replace the January cover model with one of their celebrities!

The January Womans cover was already set to feature Yoo-Jin and other Team Jung's celebrities.

Ace Entertainment was launching its attack from the outside. If they wanted war, I would use every connection I had to win this battle. I would make sure Im Sung-Hak could never set foot in this industry again.

The war has begun.