Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 778: The Price of Arrogance (1)

As I opened my eyes, bright sunlight poured down over my head. I felt completely refreshed, bursting with energy from head to toe. Then, a sudden jolt of awareness hit me. With my body in this condition, it could only mean one thing—I had overslept.

'What time is it?'

It was that spine-chilling moment every office worker experiences at least once. I grabbed my phone in a panic and saw that it was already 8 a.m. It was no wonder I felt so well-rested. I had gone to sleep a little after 9 last night right after getting a cucumber massage, meaning I had slept for a full 11 hours.

Startled, I glanced to the side. The bed was empty. Even though we had all lain down together for the cucumber massage last night, no one was there now.

Just then, I heard Jung In-Ji's voice calling from the kitchen. "Chief Jung~ if you're up, wash your face and come have some dried pollack soup!"[1]

"Ah, okay. But where is everyone?"

"They all went to the salon around five in the morning. Yoo-Jin and Miso left for shoots."

Apparently, they had all slept in Yoo-Jin's room on the second floor so they wouldn't wake me, had breakfast there, and left in the morning.

Cherry Blossom and the talent agents had gone to Ilsan for the Project I.O.A. shoot, Yoo-Jin headed to Gyeongju for Hwaranjeon, and Miso was off to Gwacheon for Missing – The Lost Ones.

"You should've woken me up."

Stretching as I spoke, Jung In-Ji shook her head. "You were sleeping too well. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. And don't you have a schedule starting at lunchtime?"

"That's true, but I should still head over early. Who knows what kind of mess the kids might get into."

With 132 members under Project I.O.A., every extra pair of hands counted.

Jung In-Ji shook her head with a sigh. "That's exactly why no one wanted to wake you. You're always looking for something to do, so they all crept out like stray cats."

I smiled at Jung In-Ji's affectionate nagging and, following her instruction, washed up in the first-floor bathroom and sat down at the table.

The first spoonful of warm dried pollack soup sent heat radiating through my body. It tasted exactly like those ads that claim you can taste a mother's touch.

"Ma'am, what do you think about cooking something together with Haru?"

"Cooking? I cook every day. Haru comes down and helps out whenever she has time."

"No, I mean something like an HMR product. You could earn a lot of money from the recipe. I can set it up for you."

Currently, Haru was working with CK Foods to develop home meal replacement recipes. Jung In-Ji had been helping Haru here and there. So I wanted to take this opportunity to get her some license fees too.

However, Jung In-Ji shook her head. "What would I do with that at my age? Thanks to you, Chief Jung, I've already got enough salary to live on and Haru buys me everything I need."

At the moment, Haru's monthly net income exceeded 100 million won even after management costs. It was thanks to the charcoal bulgogi made with his mother's touch and the curry sold under Haru's name. So Haru regularly gifted everything Jung In-Ji needed.

"But still. If you had more money, you could do more of the things you really want, right?"

Smiling warmly, Jung In-Ji placed a sliced apple in front of me. "If there's just one thing I wish for, it's to live like this peacefully with Yoo-Jin, Miso, Haru, and you until the day I die."

Jung In-Ji's kind words warmed me more than the pollack soup ever could. Hearing her, I couldn't bring myself to push the idea any further.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"No, I'm the one who should be thankful. Thanks to you, Chief Jung, this place finally feels like a real home. Now eat up and have some fruit too. These are the kinds of things that keep you healthy."

Following her advice, I finished every drop of the soup and cleared the plate of fruit. With my stomach full, a wave of confidence rushed over me like I could accomplish anything.

Just then, I got a call.

Zing~

[Caller ID: Team Lead Baek Hee-Yung]

As soon as I answered the phone, Baek Hee-Yung greeted me in a cheerful voice.

-Are you up, Mr. Jung?

"Yes. Looks like I'm the only one who overslept."

-Everyone has days like that. Anyway, I'm heading to Ilsan now. Should I come pick you up?

"Thanks. I was just about to shower, so you can come straight over."

-Okay. I'm leaving now.

After hanging up, I thanked Jung In-Ji and headed up to the third floor.

***

Vroom~

Baek Hee-Yung's yellow sports car picked up speed with a satisfying roar. Driving was her only hobby, so today she had brought out her Forte.

Feeling the acceleration, I pulled out my tablet and tapped the icon with the I.O.A logo. The exclusive app [PROJECT: I.O.A], which featured content not shown on the broadcast, had gained over eight hundred thousand subscribers in just a week.

[PROJECT: I.O.A]

[Date: March 21, 2021]

[Current Time: 8:45 a.m.]

[Current Subscribers: 822,239]

"This is looking like a success."

At my comment, Baek Hee-Yung replied with excitement. "Right? And did you see the entertainment section today? It was flooded with articles about I.O.A."

"Yes, I did."

Because the daily lives of all 132 I.O.A trainees were uploaded through the app, reporters kept churning out articles based on that content. This week, not a single day had passed without Project I.O.A making headlines in the entertainment news.

Agreeing with Baek Hee-Yung, I shifted the conversation to the practice progress of Ling Ling and Seo Hee-Joo, who were training at the company.

"Have you checked in on Ling Ling and Hee-Joo's practice?" I asked.

Ling Ling and Seo Hee-Joo had been pouring sweat into daily practices at the company so they wouldn't fall behind the selected members of Project I.O.A.

"Of course I checked. Wow, seriously, I was blown away. I've seen hundreds of trainees, but I've never seen anyone grow this fast. I asked Shishi to upload a video file when I left the company earlier, so it should be up by now."

Ling Ling had been the number-one idol in China before the regression, known for her vibrant energy and expressive performance. Seo Hee-Joo was the daughter of Master Yeon Hwa-Seon, and she had become a recognized intangible cultural asset in Korean dance before the regression.

Simply put, one was a genius of expression as an idol while the other a genius of dance itself. I had once advised them that if they could learn from each other's strengths, they would be flawless as idols.

Ding. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Almost on cue, Ling Ling's secretary Zhou Shishi uploaded the file to the admin-only board.

[Admin-Only Board]

[(NEW) Ling Ling & Seo Hee-Joo March 21st Dance Practice Video.]

I clicked on the file immediately and started watching the video. The screen showed the third practice room on the second floor of the company. Ling Ling wore a white tracksuit, while Seo Hee-Joo stood in front of the large mirror dressed in black.

Then Seo Hee-Joo stepped forward.

-I'll go first, Ling Ling.

-Okay, unnie.

Seo Hee-Joo began dancing to the instrumental of 'IDOLS,' composed by Bang Seon-Woo and choreographed by Park Seon-Nyeo.

The moment Seo Hee-Joo moved, I couldn't help but let out a gasp. Even as someone who didn't know much about dance, I could tell this was another level entirely. Her fluttering hand movements, the seamless flow of her choreography, and each motion was so beautiful that it was hard to look away.

Having learned every step of Yeon Hwa-Seon's dance from a young age, the dance prodigy Seo Hee-Joo wasn't just copying Park Seon-Nyeo's choreography but she was rather reinterpreting it. However, her dance felt too polished for an idol's routine. Idol dancing should be lively and playful. It had to be something that brought out smiles just from watching.

Tap.

As the first verse ended, so did Seo Hee-Joo's performance. Now it was Ling Ling's turn to step in front of the mirror and strike a pose.

-Unnie, it's my turn now.

-Okay~ I'm playing the music. Three, two, one!

At that moment, Ling Ling began dancing the same routine as Seo Hee-Joo. Yet her performance felt completely different. While Seo Hee-Joo's dance had a calm elegance and precision, Ling Ling exuded bouncy liveliness.

Her hand gestures were adorable, and her movements were full of joy. The look of pure happiness on Ling Ling's face as she danced made the corners of my lips curl up without even realizing it.

'So this is the kind of energy only a born idol could give off.'

-Huff... huff... Unnie, how was I?

As Ling Ling asked while catching her breath, Seo Hee-Joo gave her a double thumbs-up.

-You were amazing!

-I think I messed up in a few spots though?

-No, no. Watching you, I couldn't even tell. Honestly, your confidence makes the mistakes look like part of the dance.

Ling Ling smiled wide with a sheepish expression.

-Really?

-Yeah~ and you were just so, so cute.

-Hehe~ thanks~

Looking at Ling Ling like a precious younger sister, Seo Hee-Joo gently wiped the sweat from her face with a towel. As Ling Ling grinned, Seo Hee-Joo said she wanted to try learning Ling Ling's version this time.

-Then now I'll try following your style.

-Okay.

The music started again, and Seo Hee-Joo began to dance. But to my surprise, her performance was different this time. Her expressions became more varied, and her movements began to carry more energy. Suddenly, the key moves choreographed by Park Seon-Nyeo really started to shine.

-What the heck, unnie? You've improved so much!

-Really?

-Yeah, you're amazing! I think you're even better than Mrs. Park Seon-Nyeo.

-Aww, that's too much.

-Then let's try it together this time.

-Yeah, let's do it.

The two of them began to dance together. The result of my advice to combine each of their strengths was already paying off so much that even I, a non-expert, could see their rapid improvement.

"This is no joke."

Baek Hee-Yung, who had long overseen vocal training, spoke with excitement. "That advice of yours to blend their strengths was totally genius. They're pushing and pulling each other forward, and wow, it's hard to believe even watching it in front of my eyes."

"Then tell them to do the same for vocals. Hee-Joo's a good singer, but with a bit of Ling Ling's cheerful energy, she'll be even more appealing as an idol."

"I definitely will."

"And at this rate, I don't think they'll ever fall behind the official contenders in terms of skill."

"I think so too."

"Oh, and after next week's elimination announcement, let's release their practice footage. Viewers need to see how much more effort they've been putting in compared to the others in Ilsan."

"Got it."

Talent aside, Ling Ling and Seo Hee-Joo were training for fifteen hours a day. Meanwhile, the Project I.O.A participants at the Ilsan set weren't practicing for more than six hours a day despite being in a competition. It was because they hadn't yet felt the pressure of elimination. By showing this contrast, we would be able to preempt any future complaints.

After that, I turned my attention back to the tablet, thinking through all the possible scenarios that could unfold in an audition program. As I monitored the videos and profiles of the kids uploaded on the [PROJECT: I.O.A] app, we eventually arrived at the Project I.O.A set in Ilsan.

The current time was 10 a.m. Only 12 hours remained until the broadcast of Week 2 of Project I.O.A.

***

As we arrived at the monitoring room in the dorm wing of SBC's Project I.O.A studio in Ilsan, the place was already buzzing with activity. Today was the first live voting tally and on-air announcement, so there was a lot to prepare on the technical side.

"Tech team, test the vote tallying on the internal server!"

"Team Lead of Support! The server expansion is ready!"

"Okay, noted. Get it connected and start the test ASAP."

As staff in the monitoring room scrambled to follow orders, PD Ji Yung-Sik got on comms with the stage crew.

"Audio team, do a live sound check on stage in the performance hall."

-Yes, sir!

"Camera and lighting teams in the performance hall, start equipment rehearsal now. If anything goes wrong, no matter how small, report it immediately."

"Understood, Mr. Ji."

After rattling off commands without a break, Ji Yung-Sik let out a sigh. Seeing a brief opening, I greeted him and he responded with a bright grin.

"Whoa~ the 2.5 billion won man!"

'Guess I'd picked up a new nickname.'

I scratched my head and laughed awkwardly, prompting another exclamation from him.

"Must be that salary—your smile hits different now! Looks cool!"

"Oh, come on. That's a bit much."

"Hahaha. That's how it looks to me. You make me wonder if I chose the wrong profession. Maybe I should've been a talent agent!"

To hear a PD envy a talent agent was something I never saw before the regression.

I smiled and said, "Oh, come on. Enough joking. Is there anything I can help with?"

Ji Yung-Sik wiped the grin from his face and replied. "Well, there's nothing major, but... you should probably check in on Team 1. Everyone's solid except for them."

"What's going on?"

"They're getting arrogant so much so that we're not even sure we should air today's footage."

"They're acting cocky already? It's only been a week."

"Now that their self-intro videos are racking up views on the app, they can't hide their egos. We're gonna end up doing a villain edit whether we want to or not."

On the [PROJECT: I.O.A] app, videos could be sorted by view count. With the release of their PR video stats, some of the kids had started showing off, knowing how popular they were.

I immediately pulled up the [PROJECT: I.O.A] app to check it out. Videos uploaded by the contestants were now ranked by views.

[I.O.A Most Viewed Videos]

Go Eun-Seo (Team 1) PR Video (Views: 532,394 / Likes: 16,123 / Dislikes: 9,320)

Sung Na-Ra (Team 2) PR Video (Views: 357,425 / Likes: 14,351 / Dislikes: 2,651)

Yang Bing-Bing (Team 1) PR Video (Views: 273,938 / Likes: 13,123 / Dislikes: 3,228)

Han So-Won (Team 1) PR Video (Views: 258,285 / Likes: 13,073 / Dislikes: 320)

Kudo Minatsu (Team 1) PR Video

Minamoto Aoi (Team 33) PR Video

Wang Lina (Team 3) PR Video

Liu Lan (Team 2) PR Video

...

Project I.O.A combined viewer popularity scores from the app and judge evaluations of the two-week 'IDOLS' mission to create a pre-broadcast score. During the live show, individual and group performances were scored again in real-time through evaluations and votes. Final rankings were calculated by adding both scores, and teams were reshuffled accordingly.

Each team had four members. The top-ranked from Korea, China, and Japan were placed in Team 1, along with the second-ranked Korean. Team 2 would then consist of the third and fourth Korean qualifiers, plus the second-ranked from China and Japan, and so on.

Now that the contestants had figured out where they stood via view counts, some of them had started acting like they had already made it. After all, popularity was always factored into the judging in audition shows.

"So the top kids are already acting like they've debuted, huh?"

"Exactly. And unless it's you or Mrs. Park Seon-Nyeo, they're not really listening to the staff anymore."

They were still too young to understand how fleeting popularity could be. However, I had plenty of ways to crush that arrogance.

"I'll have them back in shape before the broadcast starts."

"Got it. We're counting on you, Mr. Jung."

Instead of villain-editing them, I thanked Ji Yung-Sik for giving me a heads-up. Then, with Baek Hee-Yung in tow, I headed straight to the practice room on the first floor. It was time for the first period of character education for Project I.O.A.

'Alright kids~ it's time for a lesson in character~'

1. Dried pollack soup ☜