Chapter 856: Emergence of a Strong Enemy (2)

The moment celebrities started receiving public attention and offers from the industry, most fell victim to the so-called "celebrity syndrome." Praise and spotlight tended to lift people off the ground. Of course, there were exceptions—people like Yoo-Jin or members of Devoted—but they were rare.

Once the syndrome kicked in, they started thinking they were different from regular people and acting like royalty, making ridiculous demands.

These demands ranged from drinking only French mineral water, requesting to get their dressing rooms painted entirely pink, only feeding their dogs imported premium dog food, to even demanding that their salon director choose between them and another more famous celebrity.

They came up with the most absurd requests. However, there was a remedy when that happened. It was a bit harsh, but very effective. And that was total disregard—just like now.

"Snap out of it, Min Gyu-Ri. Looks like getting called the 'second Jung Yoo-Jin' has gone to your head, but let me burst that bubble. Yoo-Jin's not losing to you, not even slightly. And you know they're only calling you the 'CF Princess' because the actual queen of commercials is Yoo-Jin, right?" I scoffed.

Even though she was a rookie in her debut year, Min Gyu-Ri had managed to land about ten endorsements. It surely was impressive, but Yoo-Jin had scored nearly twenty. That was double.

And the gap only widened when it came to pay per ad. Yoo-Jin earned over 500 million won per deal. Min Gyu-Ri was paid about 150 to 200 million. There was a 3-to-5-fold difference per ad, which meant the total earnings from CFs were ten times apart. The situation was the same for appearance fees, which was over tenfold.

I shot back coldly once more. "If you want to challenge someone, at least pick someone in your weight class."

Min Gyu-Ri froze, clearly not expecting to be dressed down so brutally to her face. "W-What... what did you just say?"

"

Oh,

and those CFs you got? They were all offered to Yoo-Jin first but she turned them down. So if you want to go up against Yoo-Jin, land some leading roles and show some results. Then we'll talk. And seriously, I don't care about you, so why are you so hung up on me?"

Min Gyu-Ri shook with rage, practically seething. "Y-You..."

"You wanna finish that? Go ahead and swear. Let's see what happens."

It was not like I don't know how to cut deep with words. I just choose not to unless it was necessary.

I considered ripping into Min Gyu-Ri one more time, but it seemed she had at least enough sense to stay quiet. Even Chief Jang Sam-Deok, who normally would have stepped in by now, was pretending to be busy looking elsewhere.

Neither actor nor talent agent seemed to have the will to argue anymore, so I turned to Yoo-Jin. "We're leaving. And hey, good luck at HK Entertainment. I mean it."

I left that parting shot—half snark, half blessing—and walked away with Yoo-Jin, who had been silently glaring at Min Gyu-Ri the whole time.

Just a few steps in, I heard the huffing and puffing of bottled-up rage behind me. However, I didn't look back.

That sickness wouldn't go away until the fame did anyway.

***

Min Gyu-Ri stood there, fuming, watching as Jung Yoon-Ho walked off after saying his piece. She could no longer hold back her anger and snapped at Jang Sam-Deok.

"Mr. Jang! You heard that, right? He totally disrespected me!"

Jang Sam-Deok replied with a reluctant expression. "Yeah... I heard..."

"Then call a reporter. Tell them to write it all up that Jung Yoon-Ho is belittling other actors! No, better yet, I'll go outside and do an interview myself—"

At that moment, Jang Sam-Deok quickly cut Min Gyu-Ri off. "Forget it. You'll only end up hurting yourself."

"What?"

"There's a rumor that the smart watch on Jung Yoon-Ho's left wrist is recording 24/7. He could use what you said and crush you with it."

"What did I do wrong? He's the one who insulted me!"

Jang Sam-Deok let out a heavy sigh. "Gyu-Ri. You started it. Don't be so uptight and just let it go. The ink on your HK Entertainment contract hasn't even dried yet, so don't stir up trouble already. You get what I'm saying?"

Nevertheless, Min Gyu-Ri flared up. "So I'm just supposed to take it? Didn't you tell me once that if you let yourself be ignored even once in this industry, it's all over?"

"That only applies when you're on the same level... but we're talking about Jung Yoo-Jin. Her talent agent, no less."

Min Gyu-Ri glared. "Didn't you say even Jung Yoo-Jin was a nobody in her rookie year? Well, I'm not. It hasn't even been a full year and I've got ten CFs. Doesn't that mean I'm better than her? And HK Entertainment said they'd back me as their main star. You were there for that, too! So why are you telling me to back down?"

Jang Sam-Deok had indeed been there when HK promised to make Min Gyu-Ri their flagship talent during contract negotiations. However, everyone heard that kind of lip service. Even if they said they would back celebrities, half the time productions fell through before they even aired or hit theaters.

In this industry, nothing counted until it actually broadcasted. And judging by her current state, Min Gyu-Ri had clearly caught a bad case of celebrity syndrome after signing with HK.

Seeing that Min Gyu-Ri wouldn't listen to reason, Jang Sam-Deok switched his tone quickly. "Didn't you see the article about Chief Jung? He's the second-largest shareholder in Hoop Entertainment. He's not just a talent agent anymore."

Min Gyu-Ri scoffed. "He's still just a talent agent. Whatever. Fine. Forget it. I'll handle it myself."

Jang Sam-Deok flinched at her unexpected reaction. "Hey, what are you planning? You're not thinking of doing anything stupid, are you?"

Without a word, Min Gyu-Ri turned on her heel.

As Min Gyu-Ri marched off, Jang Sam-Deok hurried after her and shouted, "Hey! Min Gyu-Ri! I don't know what's going through your head, but don't do it! Hey! You hear me?!"

But Min Gyu-Ri never looked back.

***

On our way to the Princess Yu-Hwa's residence set, once we were far enough from Min Gyu-Ri, Yoo-Jin asked, "Oppa. What's wrong with Gyu-Ri?"

Yoo-Jin looked genuinely puzzled. Someone who had never even come close to catching celebrity syndrome couldn't begin to understand.

"She's sick. She has celebrity syndrome."

"

Oh

~ That fatal one with no known cure?"

"Yep."

Yoo-Jin glanced around, looking for Min Gyu-Ri. When she couldn't spot Min Gyu-Ri, she turned back to me. "So what do we do now?"

I shrugged. "Leave her be. It's the kind of illness people get when they don't know their place. She'll keep acting like that for a while, so whatever she does. Just ignore it."

Min Gyu-Ri had signed with HK Entertainment for a massive upfront payment, and it was clear HK Inc. would be funneling ad opportunities her way for now. That would be one of the key ways HK Entertainment would rapidly grow in its early stages. This meant Min Gyu-Ri's celebrity syndrome would only worsen.

Yoo-Jin nodded. "Got it."

"

Oh

, and be careful around Min Gyu-Ri when you're doing action scenes for the time being. She's likely to pick a fight over the smallest thing."

When someone has that syndrome, they thought they were better than their co-stars even if they were not. As a result, they acted like the lead even when they were not. That was what celebrity syndrome is—an illness born from not knowing their own rank.

And soon, we would be shooting scene 50 of episode 36, where the power struggle over the throne intensifies, and Princess Do-Hwa infiltrates an assassin unit to strike directly at Princess Yu-Hwa. It involved Min Gyu-Ri drawing a sword on Yoo-Jin.

Knowing it could get dangerous, I set my tablet on the bench beside me and said, "So if Min Gyu-Ri swings the blade aggressively, block it by angling your sword like this. If it's unclear, I'll show you again with the prop later."

Yoo-Jin mimicked holding a sword in the air and demonstrated the motion with her arms. "

Oh

, the stunt director taught me that. He said if I can't dodge, I should turn the blade outward."

"You learned well. But still, practice one more time before the shoot."

"Got it. Besides, I'm not worried. The protective gear is solid," she tapped her left arm with her right hand confidently.

"Still, there are parts without protection."

At that, Yoo-Jin balled her fists like a boxer and lowered her stance, mimicking a guard. "I've got quick reflexes, remember? And you taught me boxing too, so don't worry. I'll dodge just fine.

Hyah! Hyah!

"

Ever since I had been giving her boxing lessons, Yoo-Jin really nailed the form.

"Alright, alright, Miss Actress. Enough clowning. Let's focus and get ready."

"Yes, sir!"

We bantered as we headed over to the set.

***

Today's shoot was taking place in Princess Yu-Hwa's residence—a small palace compound with three rooftops rising just above the walls. Named Yu-Hwa Palace, it spanned about 50 meters on each side, containing three buildings and a small pond. It had gates on the west, south, and east. The west gate led to Moon Palace via a stone path.

Yoo-Jin and I entered through the wide-open south gate.

Murmur.

The set was already bustling with staff who had completed their preparations. PD Oh Bok-Hee sat in front of the monitor, flipping through the storyboard. And in front of the main building, the action director Ahn Seok-Chil stood with a giant tactics board like a soccer strategy map, explaining the choreography to the stunt actors.

Five Yu-Hwa Palace guards wore yellow headbands and heavy armor. Thirty black-clad assassins from Do-Hwa's faction stood nearby. Twenty more guards, wearing blue scarves and light armor, represented Kim Beop-Min's elite guards. Counting the attendants, there were over sixty actors gathered, all focused on Ahn Seok-Chil's briefing.

Among the blue-scarf guards stood Deok-Bae, who played Kim Beop-Min, listening intently.

"Alright, so this is the layout. When Princess Yu-Hwa comes out of the pavilion, Princess Do-Hwa's men will break through the west gate and charge in. Just like in rehearsal, a full skirmish breaks out. I'll enter as the Yu-Hwa troops' captain and give cues with my lines. Time your moves accordingly. Deok-Bae, wait outside and come in through the east gate when you hear my voice," Ahn Seok-Chil explained.

"Yes, sir."

Then Ahn Seok-Chil addressed the stunt doubles for Yoo-Jin and Min Gyu-Ri. "Jong-Hee and Hyun-Joo. You two will shoot separately after we wrap the main scene. Stay off-camera and on standby for now."

"Understood."

Watching the flurry of activity, Yoo-Jin and I moved to a bench set aside for waiting actors. Yoo-Jin would need to rehearse with Min Gyu-Ri shortly.

Soon after, Min Gyu-Ri arrived. She was wearing a form-fitting black costume, a black mask in one hand, a prop sword in the other, flanked by Jang Sam-Deok.

However, something felt off. Despite her celebrity syndrome, I had expected her to be at least a little shaken after our conversation. Yet she looked more energized than ever.

'

What the hell? Why's she so full of herself again

?'

That uneasy feeling was still lingering when AD Geum Eun-Dong came rushing through the south gate.

"Mrs. Oh! Mrs. Oh!"

Oh Bok-Hee scowled mid-storyboard. "Eun-Dong, don't you know I've got a weak heart these days? Don't shout like that!"

She had been going around saying her heart had gotten weak from the stress of managing 37% viewership ratings and not sleeping.

Geum Eun-Dong looked baffled. "A weak heart? You? No way! Where's our real PD?!"

"Damn it. Alright, what is it? Did something happen with tonight's episode?"

Due to election coverage yesterday,

Hwaranjeon

hadn't aired. Tonight, episodes 25 and 26 were set to broadcast back-to-back from 10 to midnight.

When asked if something had gone wrong with that schedule, Geum Eun-Dong shook his head.

"No, it's not that. You know Hong Ah-Yoon, Managing Director of HK Department Store, right? Chairman Hong Moon-Gyu's youngest daughter. She's just been appointed as a director at HK Entertainment. It turns out she was in Pohang and found out our set was nearby, so she decided to stop by."

Managing Director Hong Ah-Yoon was 29 years old, making her the youngest daughter of Hong Moon-Gyu. She was infamous for being a troublemaker due to her notoriously unruly personality.

Now, she had arrived at the set.

"What, that brat... I mean, so what?" Oh Bok-Hee asked.

"She says she wants to observe the filming."

Oh Bok-Hee's face contorted with frustration. HK Inc. was one of the main sponsors of

Hwaranjeon

, and if HK Entertainment’s actress Min Gyu-Ri came to be seen by her agency, there was no excuse to turn them away.

"Then tell her to observe quietly. What's with all the fuss?"

"Because it's not exactly a situation where we can keep it quiet. Pohang MBS' President Kim Sung-Oh and the head of news came with her. It looks like they're planning to film something here today."

"What?"

Now it was clear why Min Gyu-Ri had been acting so confident. She had backup.

Oh Bok-Hee let out a deep sigh. "Well, I guess it can't be helped. Let them in."

"Okay."

Geum Eun-Dong turned around and headed back toward the south gate, the same one he had entered through.

***

Hong Ah-Yoon was infamous in the business world as the wild child of the HK family. She was spoiled from birth, used to getting whatever she wanted, and ruthless when she didn't.

Now she had arrived at the set in her new role as director of HK Entertainment, flanked by Pohang MBS' President Kim Sung-Oh, the head of the news bureau, her secretary, and HK Entertainment staff.

At 176cm tall with mid-length hair, she wore a luxury purple designer suit as she scanned the area before walking toward Oh Bok-Hee.

"I heard our Gyu-Ri was shooting here. And since I was nearby, I thought I'd drop in. Hope I'm not intruding?" Hong Ah-Yoon said.

Oh Bok-Hee's expression soured. "Well... sure."

That's when Kim Sung-Oh jumped in. "

Hahaha

, intruding? Not at all! If HK Inc. keeps up its strong sponsorship,

Hwaranjeon

will hit not just 38% but we'll blast past 40%!"

"Since we don't have a department store in Gyeongju, if there's anything you need, just ask our Pohang branch. We'll sponsor anything in clothing or hanbok. Don't worry about the cost and just call my secretary. Especially when it's for Gyu-Ri's wardrobe, spend whatever you want."

"

A

h! Thank you very much!" Kim Sung-Oh bowed repeatedly, then turned to Oh Bok-Hee. "PD Oh, aren't you going to say something?"

Still grimacing, Oh Bok-Hee offered a terse reply. "

Oh

, yes. Thank you."

Hong Ah-Yoon furrowed her brow slightly, then turned away. "Well, we'll just observe the shoot for a bit."

At 55, Kim Sung-Oh bowed low like a servant and guided Hong Ah-Yoon toward the set.

At that moment, my eyes locked with Hong Ah-Yoon's. She stopped in her tracks. Though HK Inc. was now a direct competitor, I kept my expression blank and looked away intentionally. Yet Hong Ah-Yoon didn't approach her agency's actor, Min Gyu-Ri. Instead, she came straight toward us.

Click, click.

Her heels echoed across the set as she strode over, stopping right in front of me. Without blinking, Hong Ah-Yoon stared at me down. Wondering what her deal was, I stared right back.

Then, Hong Ah-Yoon whispered in a low voice, "Hey. You low-class errand boy. Watch your eyes, asshole. I don't care how 'equal' the world's gotten. There's still a pecking order. And no talent agent trash with a bit of money should think he can glare at me."

There it was. It was classic Hong Ah-Yoon—arrogant and entitled, just like a corporate royal.

I let out a short laugh. If this were the old me, I might have lowered my head, too afraid to stand up to someone like her. I would have avoided her even if she demeaned my celebrity with a term like "low-life entertainer" and treated me like a servant trailing behind.

However, I wasn't the same Jung Yoon-Ho anymore. So I met her gaze and responded with a glimpse of the future.

"If you keep thinking like that, Ms. Hong Ah-Yoon, HK Entertainment will collapse because of you."