Chapter 617: Jiri Mountain Premier (2)

[Everyday V12.2]

[Date: February 7, 2021]

-8:30 p.m. [NEW. Lee Tae-Poong]

Jiri Mountain

premiere suspended. (Emergency meeting: Check the attendance list, send apology texts to reporters, and send apology gifts to VIP guests.)

When I saw the schedule entry indicating that the premiere of

Jiri Mountain

, a film we poured our hearts into, would be suspended, my palms began to sweat.

Tonight's premiere was the first event where all seven core members of Faithful would be gathered together. It was a very meaningful day for me in this second life after the regression, and now it looked like it was about to be ruined.

But that wasn't even the biggest problem. Except for Choi Duk-Bae and Park Sang-Gyu, all Faithful members were now top-tier stars. So LT Entertainment had gone all out to bring in as many reporters as possible.

If the premiere were to be halted today, the reporters would surely pounce on the chance to tear

Jiri Mountain

apart in their articles. And if that happened, it could significantly damage the box office numbers starting next week.

From experience, the difference in earnings could range from billions to hundreds of billions of won depending on the situation.

I couldn't believe that a crisis like this would strike

Jiri Mountain

, a project I had believed in without a doubt until now.

I moistened my dry lips and checked the schedule entry again. The VIP screening would start at 8 p.m., and the interruption was set for 8:30 p.m.. That meant the premier would be stopped right after the director and actors give their stage greetings and the film begins.

I recalled all the reasons a premiere might get suspended from my life before the regression.

First, a natural disaster like a blackout or earthquake hitting the theater. Second, one of the actors suddenly falling ill and being rushed to the ER. Third, an audience member causing a commotion and forcing the screening to stop.

I had experienced all three of these before, and any of them could easily happen again. However, I had no way of knowing which one it would be right now. That meant I had to get to the venue quickly and assess the situation myself.

As condensation started to form on the car windows, I took a deep breath and made up my mind. Just like always, I would stop it from happening.

I pressed the A/C button.

Click.

The fog on the windows cleared. I placed my phone in the glove box behind the gear stick and grabbed the steering wheel.

At that moment, the traffic light turned green.

Trying to soothe the three writers who each wanted Yoo-Jin and Miso for their own dramas, I pressed down on the accelerator.

***

After parking at the LT Cinema Samsung branch, I brought the three writers up to the 10th-floor screening room.

When we stepped off the elevator, a sea of reporters was gathered in front of the photo zone set up by LT Entertainment, waiting for the actors. With VIP guests arriving for the screening as well, the venue was packed.

Lee Ji-Yeon, who had followed behind me, gasped. "Yoon-Ho. There are

sooo

many people here today."

"I guess Mr. Shin really pulled strings with the press."

"Well, he does love flashy stuff."

'

Honestly, I like it too.

'

That's when the reporters all shouted at once.

"Lee Tae-Poong's here~~!"

"Oh? It's Go Jae-Soo!"

Lee Tae-Poong walked toward the

Jiri Mountain

photo zone, followed by Go Jae-Soo. The two of them were dressed to the nines in tailored tuxedos prepared by Jason Cho.

I couldn't help but admire Lee Tae-Poong, whose appearance reminded me of the David statue. But even with that, Go Jae-Soo didn't fall short next to Tae-Poong and looked quite impressive with proper styling.

"Mr. Tae-Poong, over here please!"

"Mr. Jae-Soo, look this way too!"

The reporters were all snapping photos as the two made their way to the photo zone. But once in front of the photo zone, Lee Tae-Poong and Go Jae-Soo didn't look at the reporters. They looked at each other.

They took a deep breath and began staring each other down, just like in the poster behind them. Suddenly, their expressions changed. Lee Tae-Poong wore the face of a father fighting a murderer to save his daughter, and Go Jae-Soo transformed into a psychopath driven by long-standing jealousy.

The two began performing a facial expression act in front of hundreds of reporters and premiere guests.

The crowd gasped in admiration.

"Wow... What... what is this?"

"This is insane..."

"Hey! Keep shooting!"

Click, click.

Stunned by this surprise event, the reporters kept their flashes going.

Watching the two gave me chills. Lee Tae-Poong; once burdened by dyslexia, and Go Jae-Soo; who used to nervously read the room, were now commanding the stage.

That's when Lee Ji-Yeon tapped me on the arm. "Yoon-Ho~ the one on the right is Go Jae-Soo, right?"

I turned my head and saw the look of desire in Lee Ji-Yeon's eyes. Preventing the screening from being canceled was important, but so was showcasing the charm of my actors to the writers.

"Yes, ma'am. Especially when it comes to character immersion, he's one of the best. I can vouch for that."

"

Hmm~

So he's chosen by Star Jung the Fortuneteller?"

"Yes. You can trust me."

At that moment, Kim Soll-Ip and Han Woo-Ju also gave off glimmering gazes. None of the actors I had ever recommended had disappointed them. And now, following Yoo-Jin and Miso, another actor was capturing the writers' interest.

However, I did add one condition regarding casting. "Mr. Jae-Soo will do great in any role. But... just please exclude the murderer role he's playing today."

Go Jae-Soo may have played a killer this time, but I didn't want him stuck in such roles forever. Otherwise, he could end up typecast and trapped.

At my response, Lee Ji-Yeon crossed her arms and looked at me. "Yoon-Ho~ wouldn't it be easier to just go with the flow? Everyone's going to want Go Jae-Soo to keep playing killers. Honestly, I do too."

Kim Soll-Ip and Han Woo-Ju seemed to agree.

Had it been before my regression, I probably would've gone along with it. Skipping the risk of trying a new role meant securing better contracts in future projects. However, from a long-term perspective, especially with villains, it was a dangerous trap.

I shook my head. "If Mr. Jae-Soo plays another killer next, the odds of getting stuck in that image are high. Even if it means having him rest for a year, I intend to give him a different role. As his talent agent, I can't be the one to limit his potential."

At that, Lee Ji-Yeon smiled warmly. "This is exactly why I like you, Yoon-Ho. Only a few people in this industry are willing to speak up for their actor's future in front of me."

"I apologize."

"Don't apologize. I was the one who wasn't thinking. Fine. If I use Go Jae-Soo, I'll offer him a different role. Happy?"

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you very much."

Kim Soll-Ip nodded too. "Honestly, when I saw the

Jiri Mountain

trailer, I thought he'd be perfect for a villain role... but I hadn't thought about him getting stuck in it."

"Exactly. The roles we write can define an actor's whole career. Let's not forget that."

"Yes, Mrs. Lee."

Unlike her playful demeanor in the car, Lee Ji-Yeon now led like a true mentor, guiding the two writers. She could be sharp and intense, but to those serious about drama, she was a tree that gave without holding back.

Meanwhile, Lee Tae-Poong and Go Jae-Soo had straightened their posture and were continuing their interview, faces glowing with energy.

With the poise of someone who had won the Hwangryong Film Association's Grand Prize, Lee Tae-Poong joked with the reporters. "Please write a good review of the movie today. Otherwise, I might not do interviews next time!"

"

Hahaha,

who would dare write badly about our dear Mr. Tae-Poong?"

"You never know~"

With a grin, Lee Tae-Poong pointed at Go Jae-Soo beside him.

"And please write something nice about Jae-Soo hyung-nim here too. Thanks to him, I feel like I've finally opened my eyes to acting."

Go Jae-Soo waved off the praise with a modest gesture. "Not at all. Thanks to you, Mr. Lee Tae-Poong, I now understand why you won the Hwangryong Film Association's Grand Prize."

The two of them exchanged compliments and continued the interview with ease.

Just as the interview wrapped up, a reporter in the corner spotted us.

"Hey, that's Chief Jung!"

"Huh? And that's writer Han Woo-Ju!"

"Writer Lee Ji-Yeon and Kim Soll-Ip are here too!"

With Lee Ji-Yeon of last year's hit

In the Name of God

, Kim Soll-Ip of

Blue Sky

, and the current 25% viewership ratings writer of

Hwaranjeon

, the place quickly buzzed with excitement. Plus, the reporters were eager because I had avoided interviews even after saving someone during the

Jiri Mountain

shoot.

"Chief Jung! Give us a quick interview!"

"Come on! Bring the writers over and tell us what really happened during that avalanche. Let me get some of that Chief Jung magic, yeah?"

Though the screening was at risk of being interrupted, I couldn't ignore the chance for publicity. Stopping what needed to be stopped and boosting what needed to be boosted was the job of a talent agent.

With little time, I agreed to do a brief interview with the writers. For about five minutes, I focused on praising Lee Tae-Poong and Go Jae-Soo as much as possible before I excused myself from the interview.

Just then, my actors began arriving on-site. Yoo-Jin in a light blue dress and Miso in a yellow one caught everyone's attention, and whispers rippled through the press and VIP guests.

Following closely behind was Ju Yung-In. She wore a black suit and the thin gold heart necklace she was currently promoting.

"Whoa... Ju Yung-In and Jung Yoo-Jin are here too?"

"This is nuts. Why are there so many big names to shoot today?"

Reporters were itching to interview Yoo-Jin, Miso, and Ju Yung-In. However, they couldn't pull away from the writers just yet.

Meanwhile, Yoo-Jin came over to me. "Oppa, it's my first time seeing the writers do an interview."

"Yeah. They came out to support Tae-Poong today."

Miso grabbed Yoo-Jin's hand and bounced excitedly when she spotted her favorite writer, Lee Ji-Yeon.

"Uncle Yoon-Ho, Mrs. Lee is super good at interviews!"

"Right?"

Lee Ji-Yeon really was a pro at interviews. She even had the reporters wrapped around her finger, scolding them to write flattering articles about Lee Tae-Poong.

"Reporter Choi, I'll be keeping an eye on your article, got it? Don't forget I'm Lee Tae-Poong's fan."

"Yes, ma'am~"

"Don't just say yes. Let me see the article first when it's out."

"You know this is borderline press suppression, right?"

"What? Are you planning something shady already? If you mess this up, I won't deal with you anymore."

"

Ah!

My mistake. I'll write it properly.

Hahaha

."

At that moment, Ju Yung-In finished greeting her fans and walked over to me. "Yoon-Ho oppa, there are so many people here today! I've never seen this many at a VIP screening."

With all the Faithful members gathered, it naturally became a top-tier celebrity event.

"Mr. Shin shelled out some cash."

"Wow~ I heard he likes you, but I didn't know it was this much!"

That was news to me. Apparently, Ju Yung-In knew industry gossip I didn't. I wanted to ask where she gets all the tea from.

Ju Yung-In smiled, clearly enjoying the crowd. Then she turned to Miso and said, "Miso, let's ask Uncle Yoon-Ho to do the same for our movie too, okay?"

Missing - The Lost Ones

, directed by Ahn Jung-Hae and starring Ju Yung-In and Miso, had been delayed due to location issues but was set to start filming next week.

Miso nodded eagerly. "Yes, I'll definitely ask Uncle!"

"Alright, You got this, Miso!"

"Yay!"

'

That's something the production company handles, so what do you expect me to do, Miso?

'

But looking into Miso's excited eyes, I couldn't bring myself to say no. "You can count on me, Miso."

Miso gave a double thumbs-up and winked. "Uncle Yoon-Ho, you're the best!"

Soon after, Wang Long, Lily, Kang Ha-Na, Haru, and even Cherry Blossom and Treviang arrived. Then came Duk-Bae and Park Sang-Gyu, followed by Seo Yeon-Woo and the boy group Extension.

People who had once parted ways before the regression were now gathered again, and it made my heart swell. Thanks to the flood of stars, the atmosphere was electrified.

Now, it was time to make sure that heat didn't fizzle out by stopping the screening from being canceled.

***

The current time was 7:50 p.m. In ten minutes, it would be time to enter the premier hall.

However, I was still circling the venue, trying to figure out what would cause the premier to be interrupted.

First, I entrusted the writers, the Faithful members, Wang Long, and Lily to my staff, then headed to Lee Dae-Ho. I needed to check the condition of the two lead actors.

I asked, "How are Mr. Tae-Poong and Mr. Jae-Soo feeling today?"

"They're in top shape. We've been managing their condition specifically for this premiere."

As Lee Dae-Ho said, both were fully focused on preparing the VIP ticketing and looked energetic. It didn't seem like the premier would be interrupted due to any issue with the actors.

I checked the planner again, but there was no mention of any natural disasters like an earthquake. That left potential issues with the theater's facilities or outside interference.

That's when LT Entertainment's President Shin Jong-Ki approached with a smile. "Chief Jung. Everything going smoothly?"

"Yes, sir. The interviews went off without a hitch."

Since I was the only one who knew about the premier being halted, I had no choice but to answer like that.

Then, the elevator doors opened and five people stepped out.

Ding.

But one of them was someone I recognized.

'

Ryu Shin, what the hell are you doing here?'

A few days ago, he was injured by Zhou Shishi. Judging by the casts on both arms, something serious had happened. Four bodyguards were surrounding him.

Then, Shin Jong-Ki raised his hand and called out. "Chief Ryu! Over here."

Ryu Shin nodded and began moving through the crowd toward us.

I asked, "Mr. Shin, did you invite that man?"

"Yes, I did. He's the chief secretary of Hwayeon Media Inc. He contacted us about a possible joint venture for a 100 billion won project launching in Korea. I figured I'd introduce him tonight. Might as well have you say hello too."

Currently, Jiang Wei's funds were frozen in China. That meant Ryu Shin could only access about one-tenth of that amount.

When setting up Hwayeon Media Korea, he said the 100 billion investment wouldn't come until the end of the year. So the idea of launching a joint project worth 100 billion soon was impossible. And the fact that he came for business talks with both arms in casts made no sense.

Right then, I knew instinctively that Ryu Shin was the reason the premier would be interrupted tonight.

To remove him from the venue, I immediately told Shin Jong-Ki, "Sir, it was one of my people who broke Ryu Shin's arms."

Shin Jong-Ki's expression turned stiff in an instant. "What? Someone from your side did that to Ryu Shin? Why?"

"Chairman Jiang Wei, whom Ryu Shin works for, asked me to arrange a meeting with Yoo-Jin. When I refused, he tried to ruin me. When that failed, he tried to recruit me. I kept rejecting him. Then a few days ago, there was a conflict with one of my people, and... well, his arms ended up like that."

I gave a brief rundown of what happened after the meeting with Jiang Wei.

Shin Jong-Ki's face stiffened even more. "Damn... so that's the kind of people they are?"

"Yes, sir."

But then Shin Jong-Ki's expression turned conflicted. With a 100 billion won project potentially on the line, he was clearly hesitant. It seemed I needed to share more of what I knew.

But before I could say anything, Shin Jong-Ki blurted out something I didn't expect.

"

Then.

.."