Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

[Everyday V12]

[Date: November 23, 2020]

-10:00 p.m.: Chief Kim Dong-Soo's move to a small-scale officetel in Apgujeong. (Note: Do not hire a moving company.)

Two days later, Kim Dong-Soo would vacate his Samsung-dong apartment and relocate some of his belongings to another officetel. Following his instructions, only a safe and four large cardboard boxes would be moved.

Given how much Kim Dong-Soo valued these items, I was certain they contained the hidden camera photos.

With this in mind, I planned to submit the actresses' complaints to Seo Jae-Ill along with the address and the exact date and time of Kim Dong-Soo's move. This way, Seo Jae-Ill could secure the evidence needed to arrest Kim Dong-Soo.

Choi Hye-Yeon blinked and asked, "Do you really know where the hidden camera photos are?"

I replied, "Yes."

"Then why didn't you tell us earlier?"

Even though I knew the location, there was no guarantee the photos wouldn't leak. That's why I needed to gauge their determination before moving forward.

Woo Ji-Yung, a twenty-nine-year-old actress, hesitated before speaking tremblingly. "Mr. Jung. I know it's selfish to ask after saying we'd cooperate, but… what if something goes wrong and the photos get released?"

I met Woo Ju-Yung's eyes directly and replied, "You know how Ms. Choi Ji-Yung overcame her scandal and made a comeback, right?"

"Yes."

"Although I don't expect such a situation to arise, I'll take full responsibility if the worst happens and help you rise even higher than before, just like I did for Ms. Choi Ji-Yung."

Choi Ji-Yung, who starred as the Second Queen in Hwaranjeon, had once hit rock bottom due to a scandal as well. My assurance seemed to ease their concerns a bit.

That's when Lee Soo-Chan stepped in to reinforce my point. "Reverse Entertainment never abandons its actors. And if the photos are leaked by any chance, we'll cover your living expenses during any hiatus and extend your contracts by the same period."

With this promise, the actresses finally relaxed and softened their anxious expressions. Their eyes sparkled with renewed determination as they asked, "So what do we do now?"

I smiled and replied, "Let's start by drafting the complaints."

***

While Jung Yoon-Ho was persuading the ten actresses, a bizarre scene unfolded in the private Room 1 of the upscale bar Choice in Gangnam.

Splash!

Cold whiskey poured down onto Kim Dong-Soo's head.

The one pouring the expensive whiskey bottle worth hundreds of thousands of won was Oh Joo-Hyun of Ace Entertainment. At the age of thirty-two, she was a popular actress with cat-like looks and a mesmerizing voice.

Today, she came to teach Kim Dong-Soo a lesson after he proposed paying off her debt of 500 million won if she switched to Hoop Entertainment.

"Hey, Kim Dong-Soo. Cool your head a bit. Pay off my debt, you say? Who the hell do you think you are to say such crap, huh? Do I look like a pushover to you?" Oh Joo-Hyun yelled.

Despite his justified anger, Kim Dong-Soo remained perfectly still even as the whiskey streamed down his head.

Thunk.

After emptying the bottle, Oh Joo-Hyun sat down on the sofa with a mocking smile. Oh Joo-Hyun and Kim Dong-Soo were the only ones in the room.

Crossing her arms, Oh Joo-Hyun sneered and glared at Kim Dong-Soo. "Don't you know I can easily make 500 million won with just one commercial?"

Kim Dong-Soo used a damp towel from the table to wipe his face. "Unbelievable. Do you even know how much that whiskey costs?"

When Oh Joo-Hyun shook her head in disbelief and lit a cigarette, Kim Dong-Soo smirked and stole the cigarette from her mouth before crushing it.

"Hey, Chief Kim! What the hell are you doing?"

Kim Dong-Soo clicked his tongue and replied, "Quit smoking, it's bad for your bones. And stop pretending. Everyone knows you haven't gotten any ad offers lately, so cut the act."

The furious Oh Joo-Hyun reached for another glass of whiskey, but Kim Dong-Soo started speaking as he dried his neck with a tissue. "Oh Joo-Hyun: frequent gambling at VIP casinos in Macau and a steamy night with Taiwan's famous model, David. These stories will be all over the news by tomorrow evening."

Oh Joo-Hyun's face instantly froze when Kim Dong-Soo revealed information that only a handful of people could have known. "W-What? How do you know about that? Wait… Did you call me here to blackmail me?"

Kim Dong-Soo grinned and nodded. "Took you long enough to figure it out, huh? Anyway, let's get to the point. Switch over to our company. If you do, I'll bury the stories and clear your debt."

The sound of ice clinking against the cup echoed in the room as Kim Dong-Soo poured whiskey into his glass.

Oh Joo-Hyun crossed her arms and stared at Kim Dong-Soo with her sharp gaze assessing whether he was bluffing. After all, she had been through countless battles in the industry and could sniff out a lie.

Her eyes caught the faint upward curl of Kim Dong-Soo's lips. "It doesn't seem like you're bluffing."

"Of course not."

After a brief pause, Oh Joo-Hyun asked, "Alright. Then let me ask one question, Chief Kim Dong-Soo. If I join you, can you handle me? I'm losing my mind because I haven't gotten any roles or ad deals lately. Can you fix that?"

"That's because you've been too busy gambling to work. Start focusing on your projects and you'll bounce back in no time."

"So…what you're saying is you'll stop the articles and clear my debt if I follow your lead. Correct?"

"I'll handle the articles. But as for the debt and the signing bonus, you'll need to get those from someone else."

Realizing Kim Dong-Soo's implication, Oh Joo-Hyun's face darkened. "What? Are you telling me to get a sponsor? Are you insane?"

"Let's not make this harder than it needs to be. You're a gambling addict, aren't you? You need cash to enjoy Macau properly. I'll introduce you to a wealthy patron who's discreet and generous."

Oh Joo-Hyun quickly masked her shock and gave a wry smile. "Hmph. You should've just said that from the start."

"You dumped whiskey on me before I even got a chance."

Oh Joo-Hyun smiled and laid out her conditions. "Okay. Clear my debt, handle the articles, and give me a 200 million won signing bonus. Deal?"

Kim Dong-Soo chuckled. "Not bad. But I have one condition too."

"Yeah? What's that?"

At that moment, Kim Dong-Soo stood and poured his glass full of whiskey over Oh Joo-Hyun's head.

Splat.

The cold whiskey drenched Oh Joo Hyun's hair, followed by two ice cubes that bounced off her head and hit the floor with a clink.

Oh Joo-Hyun screamed and crouched her shoulders. "Aaah! What the hell!"

Only then did Kim Dong-Soo finally smile. "What else? I'm just returning the favor. Here's my condition: Don't mess with me again or things won't end well. Deal?"

Soaked and furious, Oh Joo-Hyun glared at Kim Dong-Soo like she wanted to kill him.

But Kim Dong-Soo didn't even blink an eye. "What is it? Want to back out of the deal?"

Oh Joo-Hyun trembled with rage as she rose from her seat. "You fucking bastard. Bring the money to this exact spot in three days."

Bang!

Oh Joo-Hyun slammed the door shut behind her.

As the room fell silent, Kim Dong-Soo sat back down with a satisfied grin on his face. He had just secured a profit-generating powerhouse S-class actress with ease—all thanks to the X-FILE.

Kim Dong-Soo called his financier with a satisfied expression. "Yes, sir. I got Oh Joo-Hyun. I need 500 million won for her debt, 200 million won for the signing bonus, and 100 million won to kill the articles."

-I understand. I'll wire it by tomorrow night.

Click.

Kim Dong-Soo pocketed a profit of 100 million won with a single phone call. He was tempted to inflate the costs further, but greed would have been unwise as more actors were bound to come under his thumb eventually.

As he wiped the sticky whiskey off his skin with a wet tissue, the faces of the actresses in the hidden camera photos crossed his mind. "Hmm. Time to start bringing them in."

Among them were A-class stars and promising rookies including Oh Soo-Jin, Choi Hye-Yeon, Woo Ji-Yung, and Park Eun-Chae. While he didn't know every detail of their weaknesses as he did with the X-FILE, the photos alone would make recruitment easy.

"They should switch over soon enough…" he muttered.

Having baited them for long enough, it was time to seal the deal. His next target was Oh Soo-Jin from Bless Entertainment who had been dangling on his line for a week.

However, Kim Dong-Soo didn't know that Oh Soo-Jin had already defected to Reverse Entertainment under the weight of his relentless pressure.

As Kim Dong-Soo crunched ice between his teeth, he dialed Oh Soo-Jin's number.

***

In the Reverse Entertainment's meeting room, the actresses had just agreed to file a complaint against Kim Dong-Soo when Oh Soo-Jin's phone rang.

"M-Mr. Jung! It's Chief Kim Dong-Soo!" Oh Soo-Jin cried out.

Oh Soo-Jin's panicked voice made the room tense. I motioned for everyone to stay silent and approached her. "Miss Soo-Jin, take a deep breath first."

Oh Soo-Jin tried to steady herself and drew in shaky breaths. "W-What should I do?"

"The best thing you can do is record Kim Dong-Soo threatening you. That alone would be grounds for legal action."

"Okay, I'll try."

"Don't be afraid and just think of it as acting. I'm right here with you."

It was an unexpected chance, but it could become the perfect evidence to put Kim Dong-Soo behind bars for blackmail if it worked.

With one last deep breath, Oh Soo-Jin answered the call.

"Hello…?"

As Oh Soo-Jin fumbled to press the record button, she accidentally activated the speakerphone. Although the room stayed silent to avoid spoiling the recording, Kim Dong-Soo's voice echoed clearly.

-Hey, Soo-Jin~ Have you thought it over?

Oh Soo-Jin's voice trembled as she replied. "W-Well…"

-What's the matter? Still can't make up your mind? Then do you want me to make it easier for you?

That's when the nerves got the better of Oh Soo-Jin and she blurted out in frustration.

"D-Do you really think I'd join you after being blackmailed with those hidden camera photos?!"

At that moment, Kim Dong-Soo's tone instantly shifted with suspicion creeping into his voice.

-What's this? Why the sudden attitude? Wait… are you recording this by any chance?

"N-No, of course not!"

-Hah! So that's how it is, huh? Alright, Oh Soo-Jin. This is the choice you've made. Let's see where it gets you.

Click.

The call ended abruptly.

The panicked Oh Soo-Jin frantically tried to call Kim Dong-Soo back. "Pick up! Answer me, damn it!"

However, it was clear that Kim Dong-Soo, now on high alert, wouldn't answer.

I gently grabbed Oh Soo-Jin's hand to calm her down. "Don't worry. You just need to hold on for a few more days."

Choi Hye-Yeon stepped forward and put a comforting arm around Oh Soo-Jin. "You're not alone in this, Soo-Jin. Don't worry too much."

"Unnie…"

Woo Ji-Yung, currently at the peak of her popularity, also jumped up from her seat. "That's right, Soo-Jin. Let's stay strong together."

Ironically, Kim Dong-Soo's phone call ended up strengthening the bond among the ten actresses and they immediately began drafting their complaints.

***

On November 22, the day after meeting with the actresses, I filed a formal complaint on behalf of all ten actresses with Seo Jae-Ill.

At 10:30 p.m. the next day, I parked and waited near the Apgujeong K Officetel where Kim Dong-Soo was scheduled to move in.

Then I received a call from Seo Jae-Ill.

-We plan to make an emergency arrest as soon as Kim Dong-Soo finishes moving in.

"Will you be able to seize the materials inside the officetel during the arrest?"

-Unfortunately not. Searching the residence requires a separate search and seizure warrant.

The stricter criteria for emergency arrests these days meant they would need to secure a warrant from the court after detaining him.

-Don't worry too much. The night-duty judge handling warrants today tends to favor the victims.

"Thank you so much."

-You can count on me.

Click.

I noticed my hands were damp with sweat after ending the call.

At that moment, Lee Soo-Chan sitting next to me broke the silence. "Hyung-nim, is this the end for him after tonight?"

"I hope so."

I couldn't relax just yet as the Top Entertainment launch event was still on the schedule in my planner. Things weren't truly over yet.

We waited silently with the car engine off for thirty more minutes. Then, I saw Kim Dong-Soo's black Merciless Bends S560 approach in the distance. Sitting in the passenger seat was Assistant Manager Yang Tae-Min.

I shouted, "Lie back!"

Lee Soo-Chan and I quickly reclined our seats to stay low. The car passed us and entered the underground parking lot.

About twenty minutes later, Kim Dong-Soo's car re-emerged from the parking lot.

At that moment, a black car blocked Kim Dong-Soo's path.

Screech!

Seo Jae-Ill sitting in the passenger seat stepped out and approached Kim Dong-Soo's vehicle.

Whirrr.

The car window rolled down and revealed Kim Dong-Soo sticking his head out. "Who are you?"

Seo Jae-Ill shouted, "Who am I? I'm a prosecutor of the Republic of Korea!"

In an instant, Seo Jae-Ill yanked Kim Dong-Soo out of the car. "Mr. Kim Dong-Soo, you are under emergency arrest for violating the Prevention of Sexual Violence and Protection of Victims Act!"

As Seo Jae-Ill twisted Kim Dong-Soo's arm to restrain him, I quickly checked the Everyday app on my phone.

If Kim Dong-Soo's arrest became official, the scheduled event for the launch of Top Entertainment would vanish.

Ristretto's Thoughts

Mmmm. Not so easy.