Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 753: Writer Wang Mi-In (2)

Writer Wang Mi-In's revised script raised sharp, relevant questions that resonated with public curiosity, yet it carefully stayed within bounds that wouldn't make the celebrities uncomfortable. This approach allowed the audience's curiosity to be satisfied while also enabling the guests to respond without pressure.

Naturally, this created a relaxed atmosphere where conversations flowed smoothly, and that unique tone would permeate the entire program. As a result, the viewership ratings would naturally increase, forming a virtuous cycle that made future casting easier. In other words, the very lifespan of the popular program was extended.

From a talent agent's perspective, a writer like this earned instant trust, since the questions in the script were written from the guest's point of view. For instance, a question for Chae Mi-Hyun went like this:

-It's known that you hid your disabled younger sibling for ten years and endured a painful time. How did you feel during those years?

Because the question was already taking Chae Mi-Hyun's side, she could open up more comfortably about her experience.

Even Yoo-Jin's question sheet was no different.

-Among the many offers you receive for Miso, why have you chosen for her to appear in only two projects, Missing - The Lost Ones and Haze?

Writer Choi Eun-Se initially drafted the questions as if Miso were being mistreated. But in contrast, Wang Mi-In asked the same question in a way that made it feel like Miso was being protected. That was the difference between rephrasing.

Wang Mi-In's script, unlike Choi Eun-Se's which deliberately pressed on painful subjects, was filled with genuine consideration for the guests.

And that wasn't all. The most sensitive topic—Kang Eun-Gi's gangster past—was left out entirely. In truth, a story like that would be a ratings goldmine for a broadcast network. Yet Wang Mi-In boldly scrapped the gangster era and replaced it with "his time at the orphanage." It might cost a little in viewership ratings, but she chose loyalty over exploiting someone's scars.

Reaching out to someone as warm and loyal as her had been the right decision. Even Kang Eun-Gi smiled in satisfaction after reviewing the revised script.

Then he passed me the laptop and expressed his gratitude to Wang Mi-In. "This is much better. Thank you."

I handed the laptop back to PD Go Min-Hyung and gave Wang Mi-In a thumbs-up. "This is excellent. I'm counting on you from now on."

"Of course, Mr. Jung."

Go Min-Hyung chuckled and teased Wang Mi-In. "Our dear Writer Wang. How does it feel, huh? The top talent agents are thanking you. It feels great, doesn't it?"

Wang Mi-In's face flushed red as she nodded. "Yes, Mr. Go. I feel like I'm flying."

Her honest reaction made Go Min-Hyung laugh heartily. "Hahaha! Good. Then today we're filming with Writer Wang's script, so let's make her debut a success!"

"Yes, sir!"

"And props team, hurry up and prep the tea and snacks. Make sure you know what the guests like. If you don't have it, use the delivery app. Just make sure to submit your receipts."

"Yes, Mr. Go!"

As Go Min-Hyung gave instructions, a door to the studio opened. Yoo-Jin, fresh from makeup, came out holding Miso's hand.

Miso excitedly asked, "Mom, can I do ten rounds on the claw machine when we get home?"

Her cheeks were glowing red with excitement at the thought of playing with the candy claw machine I gave her for White Day.

Yoo-Jin nodded. "But you can't eat more than one candy a day from it, okay?"

"Okay! And Mom, can I go with Han-Ul and Seok-Hyun oppa too?"

"You're close with Seok-Hyun now?"

"Yup! We're friends!"

While waiting in the dressing room, Chae Seok-Hyun had held Chae Mi-Hyun's hand, given Miso a Powertuff Girls plush she loved, and gifted Han-Ul a Robot Warrior I-Bic model kit. Since Miso had received gifts, she insisted on returning the favor and said she wanted to invite them over.

Yoo-Jin smiled and looked back. "Han-Ul, Seok-Hyun, do you want to come over after the shoot?"

Han-Ul, holding Deok-Bae's hand, beamed brightly. "Yes!"

However, Chae Seok-Hyun looked surprised as if it were his first time being invited to someone's house. "M-May I really come too?"

"Of course~ I'm glad you guys are friends. Please take good care of Miso."

With a thrilled expression, Chae Seok-Hyun turned to his sister Chae Mi-Hyun, who was holding his right hand tightly, and looked for her approval.

Chae Mi-Hyun smiled and nodded. "Seok-Hyun, what do you say?"

Chae Seok-Hyun nodded eagerly with a smile that could light up the world. "Thank you for inviting me! Really, thank you! This is my first time being invited anywhere!"

As Chae Seok-Hyun rejoiced, Miso and Han-Ul looked just as happy.

Amid the lively chatter, the guests made their entrance and Go Min-Hyung raised his voice to rally the staff. "The guests are in high spirits. That means it's all on us staff now. Let's make sure no one says viewership ratings dropped because Writer Choi left. Let's do our best!"

"Yes, Mr. Go!"

Go Min-Hyung handed the tablet that Choi Eun-Se left behind to Wang Mi-In. "Writer Wang, show the revised script to the cast. Don't use the laptop. You can use this tablet instead."

Wang Mi-In tilted her head as she took the tablet. "Isn't this Writer Choi's?"

"Nope, it belongs to the company. Just make sure to go to IT later, back up the files, and ask them to wipe it clean. We can't risk any unnecessary rumors."

"Yes, Mr. Go."

Cradling the tablet in her arms, Wang Mi-In hurried off toward the cast.

And just like that, the set of Talk Show! Entertainment World sprang to life.

***

Talk Show! Entertainment World was a popular program that brought on guests who were directly involved in that week's hottest entertainment news.

The main MC Lee Jae-Yoon, a top-tier comedian of ten years, hosted the show solo. Known for his quick wit, Lee Jae-Yoon kicked off the shoot by gesturing toward the snacks on the table.

-We've prepared some of your favorite treats today. Miss Yoo-Jin wrote down flowering tea and yakgwa,[1] and for Miss Miso, we've got sujeonggwa[2] and injeolmi[3].

Yoo-Jin smiled as she picked up her teacup.

-Yes, I really like flowering tea and yakgwa. They help me feel at ease.

Not to be outdone, Miso grinned and replied with sparkling eyes.

-Yeah! I love injeolmi the most! Oh, and our cat at home is named Injeolmi too. We also have a dog, and his name is Baekseolgi[4]. Oh right, we also have their mom, Lucky, and Mimi. They're all super cute! Want to see? Here!

Cheered up by the snacks, Miso pulled out her phone in its Powertuff Girls case and held it up. On the home screen were photos of Lucky, Mimi, Baekseolgi, and Injeolmi along with Yoo-Jin and Miso. It had originally included me too, but I had replaced it just in case. So thankfully, I was cropped out.

-Hahaha. You're right. They're adorable just like you, Miss Miso.

-Heehee. Thank you~!

Normally, talk show MCs spent a lot of time chatting with the guests before filming to ease them in. But since Wang Mi-In had added a snack talk segment right at the beginning, there was no need for that anymore. Just that one added corner dramatically changed what could have been an awkward set into a warm one.

Then Lee Jae-Yoon turned to Deok-Bae and asked.

-And Mr. Deok-Bae, you wrote that your favorite treats are iced Americano and chocolate cake. Mr. Han-Ul said green tea and strawberry cake?

Deok-Bae glanced at Han-Ul, then smiled at the MC. Though Deok-Bae usually had piercing charismatic eyes, whenever Han-Ul was beside him, his gaze softened more than anyone's.

-Actually, I'm not very good with sweets.

Lee Jae-Yoon tilted his head.

-Oh? Then why did you write chocolate cake as your favorite snack?

Deok-Bae gently slid the chocolate cake in front of him toward Han-Ul.

-When Han-Ul was little, a volunteer once brought slices of cake to our neighborhood. She handed out pieces to others, and what was left for us were chocolate and strawberry cake. That was the first time Han-Ul ever had cake, and he said he wanted to eat it every day after that. So ever since, whenever I buy cake, I always get both kinds.

Deok-Bae had chosen one of Han-Ul's favorite snacks for his own answer, just so he could give it to him. Han-Ul took a big bite of the cake in front of him and looked at Deok-Bae.

-If it's from you, I like anything. It doesn't have to be cake.

Deok-Bae smiled warmly and patted Han-Ul's head. Watching the two brothers, Lee Jae-Yoon wore a look of envy.

-I bet little siblings across the country are all going to say something today. I should call my brother too and ask him to buy me something. Hahaha.

Lee Jae-Yoon's warm expression began to ripple through the filming crew like a contagious smile. It was the kind of moment that had become common on sets shot with Wang Mi-In's scripts.

***

"Cut. Okay~ let's take a short break here."

A smooth hour of filming had wrapped up.

Go Min-Hyung, looking slightly excited, turned to Wang Mi-In.

"Writer Wang."

"Yes, Mr. Go?"

"To be honest, this is a bit of a gamble... but if viewership ratings don't drop this week, I'm thinking of pushing you as the main writer. What do you think?"

"Me?"

"Yeah. Just look around—everyone on set, the guests and staff alike, they're all smiling. The vibe's good, right?"

You could usually tell how an episode would turn out just by the mood on set. It was a golden opportunity for a junior writer to be bumped straight up to lead.

Though Wang Mi-In was clearly thrilled, she slowly shook her head. "It's a great opportunity and I'd hate to turn it down, but the real issue is casting. No matter how many calls I make, I'm not confident I can get big-name stars to agree."

"Come on, Writer Wang. That's something I—"

"No. Casting is the writer's job. If you step in, it just makes me look like I'm taking advantage. I really appreciate your support, but I think it'd be better to find another main writer. Instead, please just let me keep working as a junior writer."

Wang Mi-In had identified the most realistic obstacle. However, if a new head writer came in above her, the whole tone of the show might shift.

So I offered a different idea. "Mr. Go, why not bring in a co-MC?"

"A co-MC?"

"Yes. Get some celebrities with good wit and connections, and rotate them through the role. Then let them handle the casting."

Wang Mi-In could still write the script and the questions. The casting, arguably the biggest hurdle, would be taken care of by a well-connected celebrity in a rotating co-host role.

At that moment, Go Min-Hyung's eyes lit up. "Do you have anyone in mind?"

To recruit people from the industry, they would need at least ten years' experience, strong status, and sharp wit fit for a variety show. It wasn't an easy combination, but I knew just the right candidates.

"We have Ms. Choi Ji-Yung from Altoran and Mr. Jang Jun-Hyuk from our side at Hoop Entertainment."

A good talent agent never let a chance pass by. This was that very chance.

Go Min-Hyung's eyes widened. "You're answering a little too smoothly. What, do you have some kind of magic wand or something?" When I just smiled without replying, Go Min-Hyung gave me a playful but suspicious look. "Hey, but... this whole thing today, you didn't plan it all out ahead of time, did you?"

I did flinch a bit at that, but I hadn't planned everything. I just noticed the way things were going and jumped on the opportunity.

"No, I didn't."

"Ahem. I'm just joking. Hahaha."

'Well, he made that joke sound like an interrogation.'

"But are you sure Ms. Choi Ji-Yung and Mr. Jang Jun-Hyuk would agree to be co-MCs? They're both proud professionals. I doubt they'd take on a supporting role like that."

"If that's the only concern, I can check right now."

I immediately called Choi Ji-Yung.

-Hey~ Chief Jung! What's up?

"Hi, Ms. Choi. Would you be interested in joining Talk Show! Entertainment World as a regular MC? It's not a solo gig—it's a co-host setup."

-If you recommend it, I'm in no matter what. Are there any conditions?

"Well, if you become a regular MC, you'll need to help cast guests each week. You know, pull in friends or juniors... stuff like that. The head writer is talented, but not experienced enough to manage casting."

-For that show? I just need to book whoever's trending that week, right?

"Yes."

-Perfect. Tell the PD I'm in. I'll just call up all my people. Don't worry about it.

The moment this S-class actress, who had just made a major comeback in Hwaranjeon as the second queen, gave her easy yes, Go Min-Hyung's face filled with disbelief.

"Then I'll have Mr. Go contact Altoran directly with the contract details."

-Great. But Chief Jung, you're handling my pay and terms, got it?

"Of course."

-Alrighty~ Love ya~ Mwah!

Choi Ji-Yung hung up with a kiss sound. She had been in love lately, and it was clearly rubbing off on her phone etiquette.

Next, I called Jang Jun-Hyuk.

"Mr. Jang, about this talk show MC gig—"

At that moment, Jang Jun-Hyuk cut me off before I could even finish.

-Yoon-Ho. How many times have I told you? If you say do it, I do it. There's no need to ask. Just decide and let me know. I'm headed into a shoot, so I'm hanging up. Later!

Click.

This time, I had been steamrolled into a yes before I could even pitch the full idea. This left Go Min-Hyung half-stunned.

I gave him a sheepish look. "So that takes care of the MCs, right?"

"Y-Yeah, I guess so." It seemed like everything was falling into place until Go Min-Hyung hesitated again, looking guilty. "The thing is... I didn't think they'd both say yes so easily. The budget's tight. What if we rotate them instead and have one on at a time?"

But this time, Kang Eun-Gi answered instead. "Our company, Angel Chicken & Pizza, will sponsor the production costs."

Reverse Entertainment, which Kang Eun-Gi owned, had acquired 5959 Chicken and rebranded it as Angel Chicken & Pizza. They had just finished training franchisees in pizza prep and needed an extra promotional boost.

"Ah, right. You acquired Angel Chicken & Pizza, didn't you?"

"Yes."

Every trace of concern vanished from Go Min-Hyung's face. "Understood. Even if I have to argue with the director, I'll make Writer Wang the head writer and bring in your recommended actors as co-MCs!"

"Sounds good, Mr. Go."

Just then, Wang Mi-In, who was now on her way to becoming the head writer of a hit show, bowed to us.

"Thank you, Mr. Jung."

"The pleasure's mine. I'll be counting on you."

And just like that, I had managed to secure a favor from the soon-to-be star variety writer, Wang Mi-In.

'Ms. Wang, I'm counting on you to keep looking after my celebrities, okay?'

Thinking about how our actors and idols would grow alongside the successful shows she created made my lips curl up into a smile.

***

"Great work, everyone!"

The shoot had wrapped. Every staff member looked confident that this episode would pull in great ratings.

Then, Kang Eun-Gi turned to me with a question. "Yoon-Ho. The institutional demand forecast for Hoop Entertainment's IPO is next Monday, right?"

The demand forecast was a system for gauging how much interest domestic and international institutional investors had in purchasing shares, along with their preferred price and quantity. It let us know just how "popular" our stock was, and that popularity would determine the final offering price.

So far, things had been going well for Hoop Entertainment, making it likely we would receive favorable evaluations. Nevertheless, we had to maintain this momentum right up until the IPO closed to ensure good results.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"How's the prep going?"

"Pretty smoothly. Mr. Kang Gam-Chan, Ms. Kang Ji-Yung, and Mr. Jung Soo-Hyuk has been losing sleep over it. But last I heard, everything's on track."

"That's good."

However, I had something more pressing on my mind. Namely, that President Choi Man-Sik was out to kill Kang Eun-Gi.

"What about you? Anyone suspicious trying to approach you?" I asked.

"Not yet. Might be thanks to the bodyguards."

"Still, stay sharp. Choi Man-Sik won't back off easily. If he gets rid of you, all that money becomes his. There's no way he's letting that go."

"I've been keeping an eye out, so don't worry."

"And you... you still don't call Mr. Chairman father, do you?"

"No. I mean, I've barely even met the man."

According to Everyday, Choi Eun-Tae had less than two years left to live. But considering the dangerous game he was playing with Hoop Entertainment's IPO, his days might be numbered even sooner—Especially since Choi Man-Sik was targeting Kang Eun-Gi. If anything happened to either of them in this situation, it could leave permanent scars.

I figured I should say something.

With that in mind, I turned to Kang Eun-Gi. "Eun-Gi, you know I've got a bit of a sixth sense, right?"

Being the son of a shaman, Kang Eun-Gi nodded. "You don't have to tell me that."

"That's why I'm saying this... Actually—"

Just as I was about to bring up Choi Eun-Tae's life expectancy, my phone buzzed.

Buzz.

[Caller ID: Chairman Choi Eun-Tae]

"Hang on."

I paused and picked up the call. Choi Eun-Tae never phoned without a reason.

-Chief Jung, I'm in Myeongdong right now. Can you come right away?

Choi Eun-Tae's usually calm voice was urgent, which was very unlike him.

'What the hell's going on?'

1. Yakgwa ☜

2. Sujeonggwa ☜

3. Injeolmi ☜

4. Baekseolgi ☜