Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 766: To Hollywood? (2)

As soon as Shin Jong-Ki declared he was pulling out his investment, the pupils of Jeon Soo-Do and his sister, Jeon Soo-Jung, trembled in shock. It was because the person who had wholeheartedly supported them had now chosen a talent agent over the directors.

"Mr. Shin, what did you just say? You're pulling the investment?"

"Are you serious about that?"

Shin Jong-Ki nodded. "Yeah. Didn't you hear the company already laid out firm conditions for Jung Yoo-Jin? Why go to her directly? What do you plan to do, drag someone back who already said no and force her to act? And if Chief Jung says no, Jung Yoo-Jin will likely quit her current film, too."

Jeon Soo-Do held back his anger and asked, "So what you're saying is, you're taking the talent agent's word over us directors?"

Shin Jong-Ki gave him a look as if the answer should have been obvious.

Jeon Soo-Jung asked again, utterly dumbfounded. "Sir, maybe I'm not understanding something here. Are you seriously canceling your investment over a talent agent and some second-rate actress? Really?"

"Your wording's a bit off. Jung Yoo-Jin isn't just some second-rate actress. She's the best in Korea. And Chief Jung isn't just any agent either—he's got the best script instincts in the industry. If those two won't pick your script, then I'm not investing in this project either."

Jeon Soo-Do's face flushed red as he asked, "Then what were all those compliments about the script for? Huh? Were you just trying to flatter us?"

"No. If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't have even come here. But just because a script is good doesn't mean it's guaranteed to sell, right?"

"If you're so obsessed with money, why did you support us until now? You backed both our previous films to Cannes with full support!"

Shin Jong-Ki replied like it should be obvious. "Because it was Cannes."

"Sorry? What does that even..."

"I meant what I said. I supported you because it was Cannes. Honestly, if A Woman on Fire were being submitted to Cannes, I wouldn't have said a word. I wouldn't have objected to your casting, either. But this is Hollywood, right? So the standards have to change from artistry to marketability."

Hearing it described as a film that wouldn't sell, Jeon Soo-Do's face contorted even more.

At that moment, Jeon Soo-Jung delivered her final ultimatum. "Sir, we can revise the script. But if you're canceling investment over changing the lead actress, then our relationship really ends here. There's nothing more humiliating for a director than giving in because of casting."

Then, Shin Jong-Ki replied without even a second of hesitation. "Tsk. I really wanted to see you win an award at Cannes, but I guess this is it. Best of luck elsewhere."

The two stunned directors exchanged glances.

Then, driven by fury, Jeon Soo-Do snapped. "I didn't know LT Entertainment was such a cheap, money-hungry place!"

Jeon Soo-Jung echoed him. "Oppa, let's go. What's the point in talking to someone who only cares about money? CK Entertainment's CEO Son has been trying to meet with us for a while anyway. Let's just go with them. They're the top in the industry, unlike LT."

The two directors headed for the door and threw sharp words my way.

"You... we're not done with you."

"What are you doing? Move."

Their faces, full of anger, confusion, and frustration, were fuming as they stormed toward me. I casually ignored their tantrum and stepped aside. Fuming, the two of them disappeared.

Bang!

They slammed the meeting room door on their way out like they were trying to break it.

"Do they really think Cannes and Hollywood are the same? Tsk tsk." Shin Jong-Ki clicked his tongue as he stared at the closed door, then turned to me. "Chief Jung, you're sure that script won't make it big, right?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Come on, don't act clueless. You read the script and knew it wouldn't work, so you gave me an excuse. I pulled the plug and cut them off because of that. There's no need to keep it under wraps anymore."

'Wait, wait. So he'd brought those two directors just to ask me whether the script would succeed?'

Staring at Shin Jong-Ki in disbelief, I couldn't even respond.

Shin Jong-Ki gave me a sly grin. "Well, there's no one better at evaluating scripts than you, Chief Jung. I apologize for not telling you in advance."

Shin Jong-Ki explained that he had initially opposed the directors' decision to go to Hollywood instead of Cannes. He believed they had written the script out of bitter determination and that it was worthy of another shot at Cannes. He had promised to support everything if they made another Cannes bid.

But once they heard LT Entertainment was launching LT Global Pictures, they got greedy. They said if Shin Jong-Ki made a large-scale investment, they would cast Jung Yoo-Jin as the lead and try their luck in Hollywood. He had been skeptical, but when they eagerly came back with a revised script, he decided to let me evaluate it because every film I had assessed had turned out successful.

After all, Jiri Mountain was already over 9.9 million admissions despite thinking it would be a hit if it just passed 5 million. It was about to become another ten-million-viewer film. For this reason, Shin Jong-Ki's trust in me ran deeper than I had expected.

I admitted, "Yes. Honestly, I didn't think it was very good."

"Hahaha. I figured. Well, since things turned out this way, let me make it up to you. We've had a lot of foreign directors pitch projects to LT Global Pictures. How about picking one of them for Yoo-Jin's Hollywood debut and—"

"No. I don't know what'll happen later, but right now Yoo-Jin has no intention of going to Hollywood."

"Huh? I thought that was just a polite thing to say."

When we posted that Yoo-Jin was looking for a script, we clearly stated that she was not considering Hollywood films with overseas shoots. However, Shin Jong-Ki had interpreted that not as a real stance but as a modest deflection because every actor dreamed of becoming a global star through Hollywood.

"She struggles just being apart from Miso during regional shoots. Overseas? That's out of the question."

Besides, Yoo-Jin becoming a global star would happen naturally in due time. With platforms like N.FLIX accelerating the global reach of Korean films and dramas, we were entering an era where making a drama in Korea would lead to Hollywood buying it—not the other way around.

The six major studios and OTT platforms were already setting up bases in Korea. The time was coming when Korean culture would be global culture. Knowing this, I had no intention of bowing to American producers just to enter Hollywood.

More importantly, Yoo-Jin became a celebrity to raise Miso in a stable and happy environment. So I had no plans to send her abroad, because I was working to fulfill the dream of Mother Jung Yoo-Jin, not Actress Jung Yoo-Jin.

At that moment, Shin Jong-Ki's expression finally stiffened. "T-Then... even if the script were great, you'd still reject any Hollywood project?"

"Yes."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Regardless of the script, I would've politely turned it down."

Shin Jong-Ki stared at me, stunned, then suddenly grabbed his drink off the table and chugged it.

"Whoa, I'm breaking out in cold sweat. So you're saying even if the Jeon siblings' script had been good, you'd have turned it down anyway!"

"Yes, sir."

Shin Jong-Ki let out a sigh of relief, hand to his chest. "Man, that was close."

"You should've given me a heads-up, then."

"I would've if you weren't so hard to reach!"

"For that... I'm sorry."

"Ahem. Well, no need to be that sorry. From now on, I'll be sure to check in ahead of time. And if a script doesn't work, give me a clearer signal, okay?"

"Understood. But are you really fine with this? Those two... now that their Hollywood dream's down the drain, what if they pivot back to Cannes and end up winning an award?"

"Hah. With their personality? They'll probably go straight to CK Entertainment today and pitch their script for a U.S. launch instead. CK's bound to take them in, claiming they've landed some genius directors."

I took that moment to quietly check Everyday.

[Everyday V13]

[Date: May 20, 2022]

-10:00 p.m.: <Schedule Entry Deleted>

(Deleted Schedule Entry: <Entertainment Everywhere> Directors Jeon Soo-Do and Jeon Soo-Jung siblings win Best Screenplay at Cannes!!)

'Looks like Mr. Shin was right.'

Sometimes, a single decision could truly change the course of a person's life. That was why I had been running around since last night.

"Chief Jung. So Yoo-Jin's only doing Korean films for now?"

"Yes."

"Got it. Then whatever you decide to do, let me know. Whether it's production, promotion, distribution—I'll back you harder than those CK punks ever could."

"I haven't even picked a script yet."

"What? Why not? With the great Jung Yoo-Jin as the lead, how is a script not already chosen?"

At that, Kang Ji-Yung standing beside us chimed in. "There just aren't that many films with female leads. None of the offers really stood out. We turned down about twenty scripts where she'd be co-starring with a male lead."

Unlike TV dramas, very few films with a solo female lead have ever been box office hits. That was the reason most screenplays featured a male-female co-lead structure. However, I wanted Yoo-Jin to take center stage alone.

"Hmm. Still, for someone who's never done a film, that's a lot of offers. But you're saying not even one of them caught your eye?"

Kang Ji-Yung glanced at me and gave a shrug. "Not yet."

Shin Jong-Ki thought for a moment, then made a suggestion. "Then how about this? Bring Yoo-Jin by our office sometime. Every Korean script eventually lands in our production team's hands, so let her look through them herself. You never know. She might find a diamond in the rough."

At LT Entertainment's script department, just like at CK Entertainment, every script worth anything ended up getting submitted. Actually, two scripts with solo female leads stood out to me around this time of year.

One was Director Kwak Han-Sun's Because I Love You, a human drama about a mother caring for her child suffering from ALS as he nears death. It starred So Yi-Yung and pulled in five million viewers, becoming a national tearjerker.

The other was Director Go Ki-Dong's She Was Beautiful, a romantic comedy about an idol whose face is disfigured in a car accident, only to receive reconstructive surgery and rise again as Korea's top female singer. It attracted 3.5 million viewers. Though fewer than Because I Love You, it was still a strong success, especially considering it starred Park Eun-Bin from the talentless Petite More. The script itself had been that good.

I was leaning toward whichever of the two resonated more with Yoo-Jin.

"Would it be okay if we stopped by tomorrow afternoon?" I asked.

Shin Jong-Ki nodded. "Sure. Is there any genre she's leaning toward? I'll have Director Lee Eun-Joo pick out a few options."

"We're thinking of either a human drama or romantic comedy with a solo female lead."

"Got it. I'll pass that along. See you tomorrow, then."

Shin Jong-Ki stood up.

At that moment, Vice President Kim Gwan-Woo, who had been waiting this whole time, quickly rose and offered to escort him. He suggested Shin Jong-Ki meeting a few of Gwanwoo Entertainment's talents while he was here.

"True, we've been a bit distant since the merger. All right, let's do that."

"Thank you, sir. This way, please."

With that, Shin Jong-Ki and Kim Gwan-Woo disappeared.

Thunk.

As the meeting room door closed behind them, Kang Gam-Chan let out a quiet chuckle and looked my way. "Man~ Chief Jung is really something. CEo Shin came all the way here just to get your take on the script?"

Kang Ji-Yung giggled as well. "At this point, shouldn't we promote Mr. Jung to Director?"

"Should we?"

Flustered, I waved it off. "Absolutely not."

Kang Gam-Chan smiled warmly. "I heard from Ji-Yung after visiting Mr. Chairman that he's planning to transfer some of his shares to you. There's no need to reject it so quickly."

If Chairman Choi Eun-Tae handed over his shares, I would become a major shareholder with 15%. That was why they had mentioned the promotion early.

However, I turned it down and said, "I'm grateful, but I'm happy where I am."

Both of them blinked in surprise.

Kang Gam-Chan asked again, "Really? Why?"

"I'm thankful, truly. But I still want to be out in the field, working directly with the talents."

Once one joined the executive team, it was hard to continue as a regular talent agent. Maybe at a one-person agency, sure—but not at a publicly listed, major entertainment company. Executives simply didn't have time to stay hands-on. And if that happened, I couldn't guarantee my talents' success.

Kang Gam-Chan let out a hearty laugh. "Hahaha. Is this that whole 'power hidden in plain sight' thing young people talk about?"

Kang Ji-Yung shook her head. "With someone like Chief Jung, it's more like one of those novelkisss where 'the absolute being conceals his power.'"

Apparently, Kang Ji-Yung has been reading a lot of webfiction lately.

Kang Gam-Chan nodded thoughtfully. "Well, then. Let's table that talk until Mr. Chairman recovers. For now, just focus on carefully selecting Yoo-Jin's next project. Whatever film she chooses will impact next week's IPO forecast and might bump the offering price by 20%."

"Understood, sir."

"Oh, and don't worry about Bank President Choi Yung-Ho. He's getting out soon and will help with the IPO again."

I had been concerned about Choi Yung-Ho after he had been taken in by prosecutors. That was a relief.

I nodded and asked, "Also, about this week's Project I.O.A..."

Right then, Kang Gam-Chan suddenly put on a stern face and barked, "Forget Project I.O.A, forget anything related to Mr. Chairman or the IPO. Ji-Yung and I will handle all of that. You are going home. Now. After that mess last night, you still came to work? You shouldn't have answered anyone's call!"

Kang Ji-Yung nodded emphatically. "Exactly. Things were wild for you yesterday and today because of Ms. Jang So-Yeon, right? Mr. Jung, you're only human. If you collapse, do you know what happens? Hoop Entertainment's IPO price would nosedive! Investors are literally asking if Chief Jung is still with the company and whether he's healthy!”

Hearing their heartfelt nagging, I had no choice but to spring to my feet. "Yes, I'm going home right away!"

And with that, I quickly turned and headed home for the first time in two days.

***

The next day came. After Yoo-Jin wrapped up her Hwaranjeon filming schedule, we headed to LT Entertainment together. We met Director Lee Eun-Joo in the lobby and made our way to the script archive.

Wearing a white T-shirt, jeans, and a black cap, Yoo-Jin stared intently at me the entire way there.

-Yoo-Jin, what's with that look?

When I whispered quietly. Yoo-Jin answered in a low voice.

-I'm just keeping an eye on you in case you vanish again, oppa.

Yoo-Jin's already large eyes widened even more, and I suddenly felt a chill. No matter what, I had to stick by her today.

-I'm not going anywhere.

-Promise?

-Yeah, I promise.

Once I made that firm promise, her piercing stare shifted to a side-eye.

'Okay, that's a bit better.'

Soon, we arrived on the 7th floor.

Click.

As she opened the door to the script archive, Lee Eun-Joo spoke. "Since Mr. Jung's conditions were pretty specific, I narrowed it down to about ten. This way, please."

The room was packed like a library with scripts lined wall to wall. Though the film industry had mostly gone digital, many directors and writers still preferred paper scripts. Veterans, in particular, loved physically handling scripts, underlining with pencils and marking things with highlighters. It was an old-school process they swore by.

"You can sit here and go through them," Lee Eun-Joo pointed to a large desk in the center of the room.

Ten scripts were already stacked neatly on the table.

"Take your time reviewing them with Miss Yoo-Jin. And once you're done, let me know. We'll go down and talk with Mr. Shin together."

I took a quick peek at the titles.

'Cheonchu, The Story of Park Maria, The Terminal Family...'

They were all solid titles, but none were what I was looking for.

"Is this everything?"

LT's script archive contained virtually every paper script in Korea. If they weren't here, I would have to track down the directors of Because I Love You and She Was Beautiful directly. However, doing so would make me look a little too eager.

'Should I wait a bit longer...?'

Just then, Lee Eun-Joo hesitated before bringing over another stack of scripts from a nearby table.

"Actually, there are more over here... but there's a bit of a problem."

I glanced at the stack of around twenty scripts. Sitting right on top was Because I Love You.

'That's one down.'

I held back my excitement and asked calmly, "What kind of problem?"

That's when Lee Eun-Joo began to trail off. "Well, um... the thing is..."