Chapter 829: Changed Status

The shares I was known to hold within the company amounted to 3.5%. 3% was promised by Chairman Choi Eun-Tae, and another 0.5% came from the employee stock ownership plan.

Meanwhile, the talent agents from Gwanwoo Entertainment collectively held 10%. From their perspective, I was just another small shareholder. That was why they casually spouted nonsense about disciplining me.

However, starting next Monday, I would receive another 12%, bringing my total share to over 15%. At that point, I would become the second-largest individual shareholder at Hoop Entertainment.

On top of that, Shin Jong-Ki, the president of LT Entertainment, had also agreed to grant me voting rights for 2% of his shares. And if I wanted, my white knights and the members of Devoted who held additional shares would gladly delegate their voting rights to me.

In other words, if I wished, I could call a shareholders' meeting and exercise the rights of the majority shareholder at any time. Of course, I had no intention of using that power since I trusted Kang Gam-Chan.

Nevertheless, I also had no plans to quietly accept the constant pushback from the ex-Gwanwoo Entertainment talent agents any longer.

Watching Chief Gu Seong-Cheol all worked up, I smiled and asked, "What exactly are they saying I should be disciplined for?"

Gu Seong-Cheol stomped his feet in frustration. "Hey, Chief Jung, this is no time to be smiling! It looked serious!"

"Mr. Gu, did the president look serious too?"

Gu Seong-Cheol hesitated for a second. "The president?"

"Yes."

"Well... Mr. Kang is not the type to get worked up. He just told me to bring you up."

'

Exactly

.'

President Kang Gam-Chan, Director Kang Ji-Yung, and Finance Director Jung Soo-Hyuk all knew what kind of stake I was about to hold. For that reason, Kang Gam-Chan didn't get angry but he simply instructed Gu Seong-Cheol to call me up.

"You don't have to worry. Chief Yoon can't touch me anymore."

"No, I'm telling you. This time it felt different! Chief Yoon Dong-Gu, Vice President Kim Gwan-Woo, and Managing Director Kim Jang-Bi were all there, making it sound like they were going to destroy you!"

Right then, Lee Mal-Soon jumped to her feet "With me around, who dares touch Chief Jung? Have they lost their minds? That's it! It's been a while—I think it's time to flip the table again. Chief Gu, lead the way!"

Lee Mal-Soon, a one-woman midsize company with 20 billion won in annual revenue, was on the move.

At the same time, Kang Ha-Na also shot up from her seat. "Ma'am, I'm going with you. I need to see for myself what oppa supposedly did wrong."

Kang Ha-Na had secured her place as a solo singer through 'A New Beginning' and 'Soul Fire.' Lately, she had further boosted her visibility by appearing as a vocal coach alongside Seo Yeon-Woo on

Project I.O.A.

And more than anything, she was the owner of the MeTube channel 'Ha-NaTube,' which pushed Hoop Entertainment artists and had over two million subscribers. Her daily live streams consistently pulled 20,000 to 50,000 real-time views, giving her platform influence rivaling that of a broadcast station.

With the two biggest revenue drivers in the company rising to back me, Gu Seong-Cheol's face lit up.

"Ha-Na too? Great. Let's go together. With you two there, no one's going to dare say a word to Chief Jung."

Judging by how fired up they looked, it seemed they were ready to raise a full-on commotion.

Anyway, anyone who held more than 5% in company stock was legally required to report it publicly within five days. So my stake would be revealed soon enough. I figured I should reassure my allies first.

"Everyone, please calm down. There's no one left in Hoop Entertainment who can kick me out."

My calm expression and confident words made everyone tilt their heads.

Gu Seong-Cheol said, "Chief Jung, what are you talking about? Three percent isn't enough. The ex-Gwanwoo talent agents alone hold more than 10% combined."

Smiling faintly, I looked around at everyone and revealed the size of my holdings.

"Mr. Chairman from Myeongdong has agreed to donate 15% of Hoop Entertainment shares to me. I'll receive them on Monday and file the public disclosure after handling the tax paperwork by Friday."

For a moment, time froze in the room. Everyone stared, jaws open, blinking in disbelief. Just the 15% alone would be enough to outvote the Gwanwoo group's 10% on my own.

Suddenly, Gu Seong-Cheol grabbed my hand and brought it to his face. "Yoon-Ho, is this a dream or reality? Pinch my cheek. Come on."

Gu Seong-Cheol was the one who looked after me, the orphan who had entered Hoop Entertainment with nothing. He brought me daily necessities, helped me find a place to live, and made sure I didn't go hungry, even asking his wife to pack me meals from time to time.

Sometimes like a big brother, sometimes like an uncle, he was a warm presence in my life. Thanks to him, I survived those brutal days before the regression. There was no way I could possibly pinch Gu Seong-Cheol's cheek.

I gently removed my hand from Gu Seong-Cheol's face and replied. "You've been through too much, Mr. Gu. Your skin's taken a hit. You really need to start using facial masks. I'll have Yetterang send some—"

Suddenly, Gu Seong-Cheol wrapped me in a suffocating hug, eyes brimming with emotion.

"

Ugh!

"

"This is great! Just great! I knew this day would come! With your talent, Yoon-Ho, I knew you'd reach this point!

Hahaha

!"

Gu Seong-Cheol's massive hands patted me on the back like the lid of a stew pot. It felt like my organs were shaking, but he kept his grip gentle enough that it didn't hurt.

'

Thank you, Mr. Gu

'

At that moment, the rest of the room burst into cheers.

"Congratulations, Mr. Jung!"

Lee Mal-Soon clapped with a beaming smile. "So what now? Do we have to start calling you Director Jung instead of Chief Jung?"

Even the usually calm Kang Ha-Na bounced with excitement. "I knew from the moment I met you that you'd be someone big in this company!"

Smiling at their celebration, I gently stepped out of Gu Seong-Cheol's embrace. "Thank you, Mr. Gu. And... Thank you all for your kind words. But I won't be taking on a director title."

Gu Seong-Cheol tilted his head. "Huh? You won't?"

"No. I prefer working on the ground."

"But with that kind of share, wouldn't it make sense to become a director?"

I gave a wide grin and said, "If someone should become a director, it should be you, Mr. Gu."

Gu Seong-Cheol quickly waved his hands in protest. "Don't be ridiculous! Me? A director? Stars are for people with real ability."

Gu Seong-Cheol insisted he didn't have what it took, saying someone like me should take the role. But having worked under him, I knew there weren't many people more qualified than Gu Seong-Cheol. He looked after his subordinates with warmth, had the physical presence from his judo background to break up any fights, and had been with Hoop Entertainment since the early days.

Honestly, it had started as a passing comment, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

Catching my gaze, Gu Seong-Cheol cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Alright, that's enough about that. Mr. Kang is waiting. Let's go."

Thankfully, Gu Seong-Cheol's face no longer looked anxious.

"Yes, sir."

At the same time, I turned to Kang Ha-Na, Lee Mal-Soon, and Kim Hyun-Ji.

"I'm fine, so don't worry. Ha-Na, go check on your livestream. Ma'am, you've got a rural event to attend, right? And Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ji, feel free to rehearse in Studios 1 through 3 whenever it's convenient. I'll assign you a road talent agent from our division."

Only then did the three of them relax and nod. With everyone reassured, I headed toward the executive meeting room with Gu Seong-Cheol.

'

Alright then. Let's see what kind of nonsense they've cooked up this time.

'

***

When I walked into the executive meeting room on the seventh floor, I found Kang Gam-Chan, Kang Ji-Yung, Kim Gwan-Woo, Kim Jang-Bi, and Yoon Dong-Gu already seated.

Yoon Dong-Gu had the corners of his lips turned up. He looked like he had found something to pounce on.

Ignoring them for now, I addressed Kang Gam-Chan first. "Sir. You called for me?"

Kang Gam-Chan nodded. "Yes. There's something I wanted to talk to you about. Have a seat with Chief Gu."

"Understood."

Just as I sat down, Kim Jang-Bi spoke up abruptly. "Chief Jung. Don't you have something to say to us?"

"Something to say?"

"Don't play dumb. You know the company has the right to discipline anyone who causes harm to it."

"And what harm exactly are you saying I've caused?"

"You really don't know? Or are you just pretending we don't and trying to gloss over it?"

"I honestly don't understand what you're talking about..."

With a smug expression, Kim Jang-Bi tapped his phone on the table. A paused video began to play. Then I understood why Kim Jang-Bi was so confident.

The footage showed me grabbing Choi Tae-Jong, the student president of Jeonghan University, twisting his wrist, forcing him to his knees, and speaking to him.

Click.

Kim Jang-Bi paused the screen and raised his voice. "Chief Jung, you assaulted the student president who came to book Berry Six, and you think you can just pretend nothing happened? Do you even realize how badly this could affect not only our company's image but also our stock price if he reports this to the police? Huh?"

The video had been taken in the 5th floor lounge. The fifth floor housed Actor Division 3, led by Chief Ju Ho-Sung, and Singer Division 4, under Chief Yoon Dong-Gu—both areas where the team leads and chiefs were dying to see me fail. It was likely one of them had taken the video.

At that moment, Yoon Dong-Gu spoke up himself. "I took that video in the lounge. I was so shocked I had to record it. The evidence is clear, so don't even think about denying it."

'

So it was you, then

.'

I turned to Yoon Dong-Gu and asked, "Well, has the student said he's pressing charges?"

"Do you not know how kids are these days? Of course he will. But we're not going to just sit around. We'll finalize your disciplinary action first, then Mr. Kim Jang-Bi and I will go to his house to apologize in person."

I let out a small laugh of disbelief. "

Ah

, so... he hasn't actually pressed charges yet, but you're calling me in for disciplinary action anyway?"

"Of course! What, you think they'll believe we're sincere if the company doesn't even act?"

They must have thought they could pressure me with the footage and then coax Choi Tae-Jong into filing charges.

"

Pfft

."

This time, I couldn't hold back a full laugh.

"You're laughing?"

"Because it's funny."

"What?"

"I mean, what is this? Some kind of mind reading? You don't even know how the student feels, but you're taking preemptive action? This is unreal... no, actually, I'm curious too. Why don't you give him a call? Let's find out if he's actually planning to file."

"What did you say?"

"I said, call him. If he's not going to press charges, then there's nothing to worry about, is there?"

"You little—"

That's when Kim Gwan-Woo stepped in.

"Chief Jung. Don't make an irreversible mistake. If that student gets angry and decides to file an official complaint, this becomes a serious problem. We're trying to avoid that and protect the company, got it? You own 3% of the company. As a shareholder, shouldn't you act responsibly and own up to your mistakes?"

Kang Gam-Chan and Kang Ji-Yung were visibly struggling to keep straight faces, fully aware of how much I actually held. I almost revealed my shares right then, but first, it was more important to clarify the accountability in this situation.

"You're saying it makes sense to punish someone when the other party hasn't even said anything?"

"Why wouldn't it make sense? The evidence is clear as day."

"

Sigh

... Forget it. If the student says he wants to press charges, then go ahead and discipline me. I'll take it."

Kang Gam-Chan and Kang Ji-Yung twitched, but when they saw how relaxed I was, they restrained themselves.

Kim Gwan-Woo smiled thinly. "You do realize once something's said, you can't take it back, right? No changing your tune. If he presses charges, you'll be held accountable."

"Sure."

Grinning, Kim Gwan-Woo turned to Yoon Dong-Gu. "Chief Yoon, go ahead and call him. You said you saw him earlier, didn't you?"

"Yes, sir."

With full confidence, Yoon Dong-Gu dialed the number. The ringtone rang, and Choi Tae-Jong, student president of Jeonghan University, answered.

-Hello? Mr. Yoon?

Immediately, Yoon Dong-Gu's tone turned oily and smooth.

"

Ah

, President Choi. I... I happened to witness Chief Jung assaulting you earlier. I was so shocked when I saw it. So, um... if you're considering pressing charges..."

-Huh? Press charges?

"You must be really shaken... If Chief Jung threatened you in any way, I apologize. Our company's legal team can help you and—"

-What are you talking about? I wasn't assaulted at all.

Choi Tae-Jong's voice rang out loud and clear. The stunned Yoon Dong-Gu tried to keep asking, but Choi' Tae-Jong's voice barreled on.

-I was the one who acted disrespectfully and picked a fight with Mr. Jung. It wasn't assault—it was, like, self-defense or something. Mr. Jung only reacted when I tried to take his phone. It was entirely my fault, so seriously! Do not, I repeat, do not say anything to Mr. Jung!

'

Did I go overboard with that little "life lesson" earlier? He sounds like he's about to pee his pants.

'

As things didn't go as planned, Yoon Dong-Gu's face turned pale.

"President Choi, listen here! We have video footage taken at our company showing you being forced to your knees by Chief Jung. With this, we can even press charges to—"

-I told you, no! I'm the one at fault. It's all my fault, so please don't ever contact me again. I'm hanging up!

Click.

The call ended. And with that, the expressions in the executive meeting room began to shift. The smug grins on Kim Gwan-Woo and Kim Jang-Bi's faces drained into ashen silence. Meanwhile, Kang Gam-Chan and Kang Ji-Yung, who had been watching with some concern, were now holding back laughter, their faces turning red.

'

Well then... I guess it's my turn now?

'

I had considered not using the audio file with Choi Tae-Jong, thinking it was a bit cheap. But now that they had laid out the board so nicely, there was no reason not to.

I took out my phone and placed it on the table. "You threaten to discipline a fellow team member without even knowing the full story? What is this?"

I gave the Gwanwoo group a cold glare and hit play on the recording.

The phone began playing back what had actually happened. Everything from the student council president's disrespectful behavior, and more importantly, just how inappropriate Yoon Dong-Gu had been toward the Daeseong University student council had been all captured.

-But Mr. Yoon Dong-Gu said to sign the contract next week, and now today he's asking for twenty million won instead...

Judging by the stunned look on Yoon Dong-Gu's face, he clearly hadn't expected I had recorded it.

***

When the audio file ended, I addressed the room. I criticized Yoon Dong-Gu for quadrupling the previously agreed appearance fee from 5 million to 20 million won in just one week.

"Mr. Kang, I know full well this company exists to make money. But shouldn't we still keep at least the bare minimum standards of decency? Don't you think so?"

It was said that the money made from university festivals in May was enough to carry a company through the year. That was how high the profit margin was. However, if this kind of behavior spread online, Hoop Entertainment would get branded as a greedy money-hungry agency. And that would affect not just Berry Six, but every singer under our label.

Yoon Dong-Gu, desperate now, tried to make excuses. "I-I mean... it's just that Berry Six suddenly hit number one on the charts and we started getting better offers... I only meant to maximize the company's profit—"

I cut him off. "Even so, you still should've honored the original agreement. What happens to our reputation when a senior talent agent from the number two agency in the industry can't be trusted to keep his word?"

Yoon Dong-Gu couldn't get another word out.

At that moment, Kang Gam-Chan spoke to me. "That's enough, Chief Jung."

"My apologies, sir."

"There's no need to apologize. So, did you manage to smooth things over with the student council?"

"Yes. I did. I replaced the act with Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ji."

"She's a rookie, so she probably doesn't have much recognition yet... is she going up with the special guests?"

I had already reported to Kang Gam-Chan and Kang Ji-Yung that Lee Mal-Soon and Kang Ha-Na would appear with Kim Hyun-Ji on her debut stage.

"Yes."

"Then you handled it well. Good work."

Kang Gam-Chan didn't hold back on his praise.

"Thank you, sir."

At that moment, Kang Gam-Chan rose from his seat with his smile vanishing, replaced by a cold glare directed at the Gwanwoo talent agents.

"So this is where all the idiots who should really be disciplined were hiding!"

And with that, the visibly furious Kang Gam-Chan began to utterly dismantle Yoon Dong-Gu and the rest of the Gwanwoo Entertainment talent agents.