Chapter 801: LT Amusement Park (1)

"Excessive retaliation always backfires."

I knew all too well that Jung Jin-Ah had done something wrong. However, she had already knelt down and apologized. On top of that, her parents had apologized too. She was even transferring to a regular high school.

If we went as far as pressing charges and pushing this to the bitter end like Go Eun-Seo suggested, we might have to face consequences of our own. It was like the saying goes—when a mouse is cornered, it bites the cat.

Still, Go Eun-Seo tilted her head, not understanding. "Jung Jin-Ah was the one at fault, so why would we pay the price? Isn't it fair to give back what we got?"

"No. Filing a report with the police is as far as we go. Nothing beyond that."

"What? That makes no sense. Then you're saying we can't even expose online that Jung Jin-Ah was the hater?"

Go Eun-Seo's dad was an assemblyman and her mom a top actress. She had been raised with every privilege, and because of that, she had gone through life without knowing fear. When she got upset, she vented. When she was annoyed, she snapped.

Even after she became an idol before the regression, she would strike back hard if someone wronged her even slightly. With online haters, she would trample them through a law firm without hesitation.

As a result, she got labeled as 'the celebrity who sues every other day.' It was a deadly tag for a celebrity whose entire image mattered.

I didn't want Go Eun-Seo to become that kind of person in this life, so I calmly tried to reason with her. After all, her parents were never going to teach her these things.

"Then let me ask you the opposite. What if we did what you said and publicly exposed online that the hater was Jung Jin-Ah, a second-year at Hanil Arts High School? What would happen then?"

I purposely phrased it so Go Eun-Seo would think for herself.

Go Eun-Seo furrowed her brows and began to consider it. "Well... she'd get a lot of hate, wouldn't be able to show her face in school, and probably get bullied. The fans might go after her too. Maybe she'd even have to move...

Oh

!!"

That's when it finally hit Go Eun-Seo. What she thought was simple revenge could cause far worse damage to the other side.

In today's hyper-connected world through the media, once a name was revealed, it was only a matter of time before a celebrity's fans turned it into a witch hunt. And that, effectively, was a kind of social death sentence.

"Exactly. As future celebrities, everything you say or do can motivate your fans. And when they act, the punishment ends up being far harsher than you imagined. Even if each fan only lashes out once, that still adds up to hundreds of thousands of blows. That's why you have to be extra careful."

The app for

Project I.O.A

had over a million subscribers. If every one of them cursed out Jung Jin-Ah just once, the damage all together would be indescribable.

"And what if Jung Jin-Ah ended up making a terrible decision? Do you think we'd walk away unscathed just because we filed a report? No. In that case, people wouldn't target her anymore. They'd target Na-Ra for pushing it too far."

Before the regression, a similar thing had happened to Ahn Sung-Hyun, a singer from Ace Entertainment. When haters harassed him, he immediately filed a lawsuit through a major law firm. However, one of those haters turned out to be a middle schooler from a low-income family. That kid, realizing his mistake, wrote dozens of apology letters.

Still, Ahn Sung-Hyun refused to forgive him. He said people like that needed to learn how harsh the world could be. And then, unable to handle the settlement, the middle schooler took his own life.

At first, the public sided with Ahn Sung-Hyun and condemned the hater. Yet once the news of the suicide broke, the tide turned completely. People said he went too far and that he didn't need to push it that hard. Eventually, some even started calling Ahn Sung-Hyun a 'murderer.'

After that, Ahn Sung-Hyun was shunned by PDs, directors, and advertisers, and ended up being forced into retirement from the entertainment industry.

I gave Go Eun-Seo a lightly edited version of that story.

Go Eun-Seo stared at me, wide-eyed. "So that's why celebrities forgive their haters?"

"Yeah. Even when they file reports, they usually stop at accepting apology letters. Because if, by chance... something bad happens, the roles of victim and perpetrator flip."

Go Eun-Seo narrowed her eyes, organizing her thoughts. "

Mm

..."

It was a little funny that I was the one explaining something her parents should have taught her.

Just then, Go Eun-Seo widened her eyes and stared straight at me.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked.

"Then what about you, Mr. Jung? Didn't you say you never let it slide when something happens to a celebrity?"

'

Sharp, this one

.'

I nodded. "That's exactly why you need talent agents. Because talent agents aren't celebrities, the fallout isn't nearly as severe.

Oh

, and of course, even I don't cross the line unless the other party is a serious criminal. Otherwise, the damage might end up falling back on the celebrity."

"

Tch

. They shouldn't be leaving hateful comments in the first place."

"You're right about that, Eun-Seo. But life doesn't always go the way we want, does it? So when something happens, don't act on emotion. Talk to your talent agent. Especially you, Go Eun-Seo—come directly to me!"

Go Eun-Seo nodded. "Okay, Mr. Jung!"

Before the regression, Go Eun-Seo used to call her parents at every opportunity to solve problems. But here, cut off from the outside world, she was slowly starting to change.

"Alright. Let's go back in. You need to work hard so you don't end up on this week's elimination list."

"Yes, sir!" After nodding, Go Eun-Seo turned to Sung Na-Ra beside her. "Na-Ra unnie. When Mr. Jung isn't around, can you help me out? I still only know how to smash people when they come at me."

Sung Na-Ra smiled gently. "Sure. Just like you helped me today, I'll help you too."

"Okay!"

"Then shall we go?"

Sung Na-Ra held out her hand. Go Eun-Seo hesitated a moment, then took it. And just like that, Sung Na-Ra, now free from the threat of a hater, walked toward the set holding Go Eun-Seo's hand.

Watching how much Go Eun-Seo had changed, I smiled with quiet satisfaction and followed behind with Woo Yeon-Hee.

Just then, my phone buzzed with a loud vibration.

[Caller ID Restricted]

I figured it was definitely a loan offer.

"No thanks, I'm rich~"

I rejected the call without hesitation.

Beep.

[Call has been declined.]

I shoved the phone back in my pocket and hurried after the girls.

"Hey guys~ wait for me~"

***

At Go Eun-Seo's house in Apgujeong, her mother, Han So-Ye, was pacing back and forth as she pestered her husband.

"Honey. Is Chief Jung still not answering?"

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Assemblyman Go Joon-Taek was holding his phone but set it down. "He's ignoring the call."

"Then can't we contact Eun-Seo somehow? And what about your aides who went to the school today? Why haven't they called back?"

"They did go. But apparently that lunatic Chief Jung was there, so they couldn't even get close to Eun-Seo. He might dock her points again or something."

Han So-Ye stomped her feet, upset that she couldn't see her daughter. "This is driving me crazy. What if our Eun-Seo ends up getting into that weird company...?"

"Weird company?"

"What if she loses her class, hanging around with low-level kids?"

The couple had originally planned to fund Ace Entertainment to create an idol team just for their daughter. However, when Go Eun-Seo insisted on joining

Project I.O.A

, they had no choice but to give in.

Listening to his wife's complaints, Go Joon-Taek shook his head. "Don't worry. You raised Eun-Seo to be the best from day one. There's no way she'll be influenced by ordinary kids."

"Then why am I so anxious? That apology she made in last week's performance still bothers me. It had to be that Chief Jung's doing. What if our girl actually starts to change?"

Go Joon-Taek let out a quiet laugh. "Do you not trust our daughter? Even if Chief Jung told her to do it, she must've apologized thinking about her image. And didn't you see that school violence rumor article just now? Eun-Seo cornering her sunbaes. Our girl's still got it!"

Han So-Ye looked a little more at ease. "That's true. In that photo, she didn't even blink at the older kids."

"Exactly. And no matter what that bastard Chief Jung says, there's no way our daughter would change. She's the daughter of Go Joon-Taek and Han So-Ye!"

Only then did Han So-Ye finally nod. "You're right."

Thanks to today's tabloid story, the couple let go of their worries about Go Eun-Seo—completely unaware that she had already started to change.

***

The

She Was Beautiful

press conference hosted by LT Entertainment had ended successfully on Saturday afternoon.

A little after 8 p.m., entertainment news headlines began flooding the portals.

[

She Was Beautiful

. A meeting between genius director Yeo Ik-Hwan and acting prodigy Jung Yoo-Jin!]

[Director Yeo Ik-Hwan. Will he show the same brilliance he did in

New Recruit

?]

[Choi Jin-Tae, who plays Jang Il-Sang in

New Recruit

: "The director's attention to detail and understanding of film scores is the best in Korea!"]

[Jung Yoo-Jin's first screen debut in

She Was Beautiful

. Director Yeo Ik-Hwan takes the helm.]

...

After a week of exhausting work to boost Director Yeo Ik-Hwan's image, there was no longer any sign of public doubt. Only then did I finally relax and stretch on the bed.

"

Mmm

~"

I had only gotten an hour of sleep because of the LT amusement park's late-night reservation, but that was enough to feel somewhat recharged.

Just then, the front door opened and Miso's cheerful voice echoed through the apartment.

Click.

-Uncle Yoon-Ho~~ Are you still sleeping~~?

I didn't respond, so the sound of hurried footsteps followed. Miso's steps, running across the living room, sounded extra energetic today. A moment later, Miso knocked on my door to a rhythm.

Knock knock knock.

Just as I was about to tell her to come in, Miso started singing.

-Do you wanna go to LT World~?

We had a late-night reservation at the LT amusement park at 10 tonight. Miso was trying to tempt me with a song, asking if I wanted to go. I chuckled instead of answering, and she knocked again.

Knock knock knock.

-Do you wanna go to LT World~?

This time, I cleared my throat and sang back.

"O~kay~"

Bang!

Wearing blue overalls and a yellow Powertuff Girls T-shirt, Miso burst through the door. She dashed forward and jumped onto my bed.

Wham.

Snuggling into my arms, Miso tilted her head back and grinned. "Uncle Yoon-Ho~ you have to go away first! Then I can say okay, bye~"

Perhaps planning to break into Hollywood in the future, Miso had been practicing English a lot lately.

"

Hmm

~ but go away means get lost. Are you saying you don't want to go to LT World, Miso?"

Miso's eyes grew round. "

Oh

, right! That's what it meant!

Hehehe

."

She giggled at her mistake. That tiny face held enough happiness to fill the whole world.

I held Miso close and sat up in bed. "Alright~ So you're not saying you don't want to go?"

"Nope! I'm going to ride everything all night!"

"You took a nap?"

"Yup!"

"You had dinner?"

"Yes!"

Since we had the park reserved from 10 p.m., I had made Miso take a long nap in the afternoon. Thanks to that, she was full of energy even though we still had two hours before departure.

"I'm gonna wash up, and then we'll head out at nine. Okay?"

"Okay. Hurry down. I'll hold your hand."

Miso slipped out of my arms and grabbed my hand as I got out of bed. Then, with surprising gentleness, she escorted me all the way to the bathroom.

Just then, Haru came out of the room next door and tilted his head at the sight. "Miso, what are you doing?"

"Haru oppa! You better hurry and wash up too!"

"

Oh

, yeah. I will."

With Miso urging us along, it finally started to feel real that we were going to the amusement park.

***

The current time was 9:30 p.m.

The noise of the crowd that had gathered at the entrance of LT Amusement Park thirty minutes early before the admission was already spilling through the gates.

-When do we get in?

-They said entry starts right at ten.

-Wow, there are so many people.

-I heard they invited eight thousand today.

-Really? No wonder the parking lot was packed...

-Hey, is food free inside too?

-They said everything's provided by the company, but I bet it's just some boxed meals.

-

Aww

~ I wanted soft serve, churros, and cheesy chicken skewers...

-Come on, don't get your hopes up. They're already being generous.

I was standing just inside the amusement park less than ten meters away, and I could hear every word the fans were saying.

"Alright. Once they start coming in, we've got to stay on our toes. Okay?" Chief Gu Sung-Cheol addressed the talent agents.

All of Hoop Entertainment's talent agents, except the few preparing tomorrow's

Project I.O.A

event in Ilsan, were gathered here today to help manage the event.

To make it easier for fans to ask for help, each talent agent wore a glowing pink LED headband that read [♡Cherry Blossom_Talent Agent♡].

Just then, Director Kang Ji-Yung approached with a group of LT staff. "Everyone, the LT Amusement Park staff will be supporting us for the full night shift. So feel free to enjoy the rides, eat good food, and have fun. Don't overwork yourselves with directions."

Cheers erupted from the staff at the unexpected bonus.

"Thank you!!"

Kang Ji-Yung smiled and waved for them to settle down. "Also, Cherry Blossom has the first celebration performance, so be ready."

Sae-Ri, Eun-Ah, Woo Yeon-Hee, and Yang Eun-Bi all answered in unison. "Okay~~"

Though the event was for Cherry Blossom's fan club, Blooming, it had become a festival that the talent agents could enjoy too. Next to me, Yoo-Jin, Miso, and Ju Yung-In were all buzzing with excitement.

Then, Miso suddenly grabbed Ju Yung-In's hand. "Auntie Yung-In, what are you gonna ride first?"

"Well, I..."

I already knew the answer.

"Carousel?"

Ju Yung-In acted all fearless, but when it came to rides, she was a scaredy-cat. Still, she had insisted on coming because she had never been to an amusement park outside of filming.

At that moment, Miso shook her head seriously. "No way! Carousels are for little kids! So let's ride Sinbad's Adventure first with Mom!"

I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

'

Miso, you're the little kid here.

'

Even Yoo-Jin chimed in, egging Ju Yung-In on. "Yeah, Yung-In. Let's do that first. Maybe three times?"

Ju Yung-In's face twitched ever so slightly. "Sinbad? Isn't that like... a Viking ride?"

"Yep, it's right over there~"

As soon as she saw the giant pirate ship, Ju Yung-In gave me a desperate look for help. Since Yoo-Jin and Miso weren't directing their persuasion at me, I decided to tease her instead.

"Didn't you say this was your first time at an amusement park aside from shoots? Suck it up and go for it~ You won't get another chance like this, you know?"

Ju Yung-In glared at me with mock indignation. I grinned, silently telling her to tough it out.

Just then, Miso grabbed my hand. "Uncle Yoon-Ho? You're coming too, right?"

"Me... too?"

Miso looked up at me with her sparkling eyes and nodded.

'

Damn... this isn't good

...'

Truthfully, I didn't like amusement park rides either. I hated the sensation of my feet leaving the ground.

So I quickly tried to deflect. "

Oh

, no, Miso. I'm good.

Hahaha

. I've got something important to do, so I can't ride."

Yoo-Jin burst out laughing. "Huh? That's strange. Why aren't you answering properly, oppa? Don't tell me you're scared?"

"Scared?! No way! I just don't like how it feels when I'm on rides!"

Yoo-Jin narrowed her eyes playfully. "That sounds like fear to me~~"

Miso joined in, peeking up at me. "Uncle Yoon-Ho, are you really scared?"

I protested, "I said no! Besides, I've got to go now for a surprise event. So you guys go ride Sinbad without me, okay?"

Yoo-Jin smirked. "A surprise event, huh?"

"You'll see soon enough!"

And with that, I quickly followed Cherry Blossom to their performance stage.

I was absolutely not running away because I was afraid of the rides. I was simply heading off to carry out a surprise event I had been preparing for a long time.