Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 804: LT Amusement Park (4)

The roar of "Sinbad's Adventure" drowned out my words, and Shin Jong-Ki couldn't hear.

"What? I couldn't catch that!"

I stepped closer and said louder, "Didn't we already join hands?"

At that moment, Shin Jong-Ki's eyes trembled slightly. "Did you just say... already?"

"Yes. Back when I was still just working as an Assistant Manager, you treated me generously. I've always thought I was working with you. Didn't you?"

From the moment Lee Tae-Poong starred in Director Choi Sung-Moon's Beyond the Boundary, Shin Jong-Ki had supported me with unwavering faith. When I worked on Jiri Mountain, he boldly appointed me casting director and spared no resources. He saw my potential and invested without hesitation. I had no intention of betraying someone like that.

At that moment, Shin Jong-Ki grabbed my hands tightly.

Grip.

"Do you really mean that?"

"I do. I mean it."

"But LT Entertainment is barely a tenth the size of what my brothers have. Even so?"

"Sir. I'm a talent agent, not a business executive. Entertainment is the only domain I can help you with."

That was the truth. The only real help I could offer in his quest to become LT INc.'s heir was to pick hit projects and boost LT Entertainment's earnings.

Only then did Shin Jong-Ki finally chuckle with realization. "Right. Right. You're a talent agent. My brother's greed got me all confused. Hahaha."

'Exactly.'

Everyone seemed to get the wrong idea, but I was a talent agent. Sure, I knew a bit about future events. Yet that was limited to things tied to the entertainment industry and advertising.

"I can only help with shows, films, and the entertainment world. Will that be enough? You'll need more than just my help to become the chairman of LT Inc."

Shin Jong-Ki beamed. "That's more than enough. My father cares more about profit than size."

Chairman Shin Heon-Jae, now 94, built LT Inc. on food and chemical businesses. He was the kind of man who didn't waste a single cent, and valued substance over appearance.

Put simply to him, a company making 20 billion won in profit on 100 billion in sales was far better than one with 10 billion in profit on 1 trillion in sales.

"Last year, LT Entertainment made 500 billion in sales and 45 billion in operating profit thanks to Beyond the Boundary. But this year, with Jiri Mountain, Ballerina of Time, and Just By Chance, Kim Cheol-Soo!, we've already hit 200 billion and 30 billion in the first quarter alone. If this keeps up, we might hit a historic 100 billion in net profit for the first time ever. When I passed the report to my father, he invited me to have weekend dinners every week. That dinner used to be exclusively for my eldest brother who's the favorite for succession."

Apparently, my track record of hit films and minimized flops was showing real results. And just two weeks ago, Shing Jong-Ki's father invited him to weekend dinners.

"Really?"

"Yeah. My father used to take no interest in me. The cinema business? He only gave it to me so I wouldn't starve. But suddenly, when the profits soared, I got his attention. That's when my second brother started to see me as a threat and that's why he came after you."

"I see."

"So just help me pick the right projects and manage the risks. Leave the rest to me."

"Understood. Yoo-Jin's debut is settled, so I'll start planning Tae-Poong's next project."

"You mean that Goryeo-era script?"

"Yes. Hyeonjong: the Great King of the Original Text."

That film was planned by Choi Sung-Moon, the same one behind Beyond the Boundary. Sadly, it was never produced before the regression as it was meant to be an epic trilogy.

"But since it's a trilogy, the production budget could go up to a hundred billion won."

"A trilogy? Whoa~ So you're saying three hundred billion per film."

"Yes. It would need that kind of scale to do it justice."

I thought Shin Jong-Ki might hesitate at the enormous cost, but he responded boldly. "I trust you, so money's not the issue. But if I'm going to invest in this film... there's one condition."

"Yes, please go ahead."

"Can you recommend the best actor?"

No one could predict whether a movie would succeed. But with the top director, Choi Sung-Moon, at the helm, the odds of success went way up. And if we added the best actor to that, we were essentially creating a formula for success.

As expected, Shin Jong-Ki was someone who knew how to succeed.

"Yes! Mr. Shin. I'll recommend the best actor for you."

"Alright. Then I'll gladly invest!"

Shin Jong-Ki was making a bold investment to become the chairman of LT Inc.

"It was about time we showed Mr. Chairman that our industry's scale isn't so small anyway. This is perfect. Hahaha."

I responded to his faith in me with a smile of my own. Just then, I felt eyes on us and the warmth of his hand in mine. Come to think of it, we were still holding hands.

"Um... Mr. Shin. Could you let go of my hand now... please?"

"Huh? Oh..."

Only then did he realize he had been holding my hand in excitement.

At that moment, Miso, fresh off her Sindbad ride, stared at us and asked, "Uncle Yoon-Ho! What are you doing with Mr. Shin? Playing pat-a-cake? Me too, me too!"

Shin Jong-Ki let go of my hand and took both of Miso's instead. "Miso. Want to play with me instead of Uncle Yoon-Ho?"

"Hehe. Okay~"

Shin Jong-Ki adored Miso so much that he treated her like his own granddaughter. That was another reason I sided with him. He cherished the celebrities I cared about as much as I did.

Watching him play with Miso, I made a silent vow.

'I'll make sure you reach the very top, Mr. Shin.'

***

Last night.

I spent a joyful evening at the amusement park with Yoo-Jin, Miso, and Ju Yung-In. It wasn't until dawn that we handed out souvenirs to the departing fans and left LT Amusement Park. I passed out the moment I got home and didn't wake until around noon.

Today was the first elimination broadcast for Project I.O.A, so I hurriedly washed up and headed upstairs.

Yoo-Jin had to leave for Gyeongju for her Hwaranjeon shoot, and Miso needed to go to Gwacheon for Missing – The Lost Ones.

Clunk.

As I opened the door to the second floor, Yoo-Jin was fussing over a still-sleepy Miso, her hair tousled from just waking up. Miso slept with her mouth open, limbs sprawled.

"Oh~ Oppa, you're back?"

"Yeah. Give me Miso and go wash up."

"Thanks~"

Yoo-Jin handed me the limp Miso.

Thud.

Maybe it was all the snacks she had eaten last night at the park, but Miso felt heavier than usual.

"Miso's put on quite a bit of weight," I said.

Yoo-Jin nodded. "She's been eating really well lately."

"She's still smaller than her peers, so let's keep feeding her well for now."

"Okay~~ I'll go wash up then."

Yoo-Jin brushed Miso's bangs back and headed to the bathroom. Miso was sleeping so deeply that she wouldn't notice if someone carried her off. Still, she was adorable. It was one of those moments where one couldn't believe anything could be this cute.

Then, a loudspeaker blared from outside the window.

『Make the wise choice~ the shining choice~

To brilliant Seoul~ bling-bling~

Cast your precious vote~ bling-bling~

Candidate No. 1, Chae Chi-Dong!!』

A by-election campaign truck was blaring a modified version of TK Entertainment's Petite More's mega-hit 'Bling Bling,' turning it into a noisy disturbance.

At that moment, Miso frowned in her sleep.

"Mmm..."

Worried that Miso might wake up, I rushed to the corner of the living room, pulled out the noise-canceling headphones I had stashed in a drawer, and gently placed them over her ears. Once the noise-canceling function kicked in, a smile returned to her face.

"Sigh~ Seriously, this is too much. What about people trying to rest on a Sunday?"

Just then, another campaign jingle blasted through the window, this time for candidate number two. They had repurposed Girlfriends.7's hit song 'SELECT' from Ace Entertainment.

『Your mayor! Your choice!

Leave Seoul to me~

Only I can make the change~

Candidate No. 2, Park Deok-Ryul!!』

The noise was even louder than before, cutting straight through the window. It was a good thing I had put the headphones on Miso in time, or else she would have nearly woken up again.

Startled by the music, Yoo-Jin hurried out of the bathroom, shaking her wet hair. "Oppa. Did Miso—Oh, she's still asleep?"

"Yeah. Thanks to the noise-canceling headphones. The model's called Bose QZ45~"

I pointed to the headphones on Miso as I explained, and Yoo-Jin chuckled. "Oppa, are you doing a product placement right now?"

"Why? Should I go get us a sponsorship?"

"No~ if we need another pair, we can just buy them."

Yoo-Jin said it lightly, but I knew she didn't want me to feel burdened. As a talent agent, I truly appreciated moments like these.

Then another campaign jingle blared again.

Yoo-Jin frowned. "Isn't there a law against this kind of thing during election season?"

"Nope. And there won't be, ever~~"

Even in 2029, when I regressed, loudspeakers during campaign season were still a thing. Politicians would never allow laws that limit their own publicity.

"But both mayoral candidates aren't using Cherry Blossom songs? Did you block them or something?"

Campaign jingles were usually parodies of the hottest tracks. However, last year's biggest hit 'Hurry Up!' didn't even get a single request.

"No, no one reached out."

"Why not? If they played a Cherry Blossom song, people wouldn't get annoyed. They'd all start dancing!"

"Who knows?"

I just shrugged, though I knew the real reason. Both ruling party leader Park Sang-Gon and opposition leader Choi Soo-Ho had tried to kill Chairman Choi Eun-Tae. Naturally, they kept their distance from Hoop Entertainment, which he owned.

"Tsk. If they'd used a Cherry Blossom song, they could've easily won. I saw the news. It's full of articles about LT Amusement Park."

"Well, let's not worry about that and just focus on our own schedule. It's always best for celebrities to stay out of politics."

"Okay~~"

Just then, Miso stirred and groggily wrapped her little arms around my neck, peeking with one eye open.

"Uncle Yoon-Ho... I had a dream."

"A dream? What kind of dream?"

"A dream where I was eating with Mommy and Uncle Yoon-Ho."

"Was it yummy?"

Then she mumbled, smiling softly. "To the moon and back..."

And she drifted back to sleep.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Yoo-Jin, I think Miso needs more sleep. We'll have to feed her at the shoot."

Yoo-Jin gently played with Miso's cheek, smiling warmly. "Got it. I'll ask Mrs. Yeon to handle it."

"Okay."

"And oppa, thank you for making Miso smile yesterday. And for making me smile too."

"There's no need to thank me. I had fun too."

'Except for the haunted house and Sindbad ride.'

"Oh, right. I'll send you the pictures we took yesterday, oppa."

Yoo-Jin sent me a message on Kk Talk.

Ding.

Ding.

Ding Ding Ding Ding. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The moment I saw the photos Yoo-Jin had sent, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Pfft. What is this?"

In the photos, Yoo-Jin was mid-scream, her face streaked with tears. Ju Yung-In, fresh out of the haunted house, had smeared eye makeup and looked like a panda.

"It's kind of embarrassing, but it's still a good memory. Right?"

Yoo-Jin was right. One photo showed the three of them—Yung-In, Miso, and Yoo-Jin—leaning on each other, legs wobbling after the Sindbad ride. Another had them looking exhausted on the carousel, panting and slumped over.

In one, Ju Yung-In attempted to eat a churro in one bite, choked, and screamed for help. And there was Yoo-Jin, trying to swallow a scoop of bead ice cream all at once only to spit it out like a firecracker exploding.

They were a mess in every photo and were different from how they usually looked. However, there was one thing that every photo had in common.

They all captured pure happiness.

***

Jung Sang-Bong drove Yoo-Jin down to Gyeongju, and a bit later, Team Lead Yeon So-Hee arrived to take Miso to Gwacheon. After sending them off, I headed straight to the Project I.O.A set in Ilsan. Today was the first elimination episode, and I couldn't help but feel tense.

After a long drive, I arrived at the Ilsan set just past 3:30 p.m. Dozens of reporters were already blocking the entrance. Pre-recording wouldn't start until six and press wasn't allowed in until five, yet here they were.

"It's Chief Jung!" One reporter spotted my car and shouted.

Suddenly, a swarm of reporters surrounded the vehicle. I stopped the car.

"Chief Jung! Give us just a quick interview before you go in!"

"What happens to the eliminated contestant today? Is there a chance they'll be saved?"

"Is Sung Na-Ra really not involved in a school bullying case?"

"Hey, Reporter Choi. The anti fan club admin already issued an apology. How are you still behind? The Japan issue is bigger news now!"

"Chief Jung! Japanese tabloids are making a big deal about the top two contestants over there. Did you see it?"

'Huh? Top two in Japan? Are they talking about Minamoto Aoi and Kudo Minatsu?'

That was when Park Han-Seo from Entertainment All Times spoke up. "Kudo Minatsu's dad, Kudo Akira, can't accept that she placed second. Didn't you see his interview?"

Last week, Kudo Minatsu placed second in the Japanese preliminaries. And this morning, her father Kudo Akira gave an interview in a Japanese newspaper.

-For my Minatsu to place second is unbelievable.

-I believe Project I.O.A's scoring system has serious flaws.

-I'm going to Korea today to investigate this myself.

...

Kudo Akira, a famous singer and producer with multiple platinum albums, couldn't accept that his prodigy daughter didn't take first place. I figured any parent would feel the same, so I hadn't given it much thought. Yet I couldn't just ignore them, so I rolled the window down a bit.

Whirrr.

It lowered halfway, and six phones came flying in front of me like makeshift microphones.

"I think all parents probably feel the same. But I can assure you, the evaluations are being conducted fairly."

All the training and judging processes had been publicly aired, both on the show and the app. For this reason, the reporters seemed to believe in the fairness of Project I.O.A's competition.

Then Reporter Jung Tae-Joon from Weekly Star asked, "Chief Jung. Are you going to be alright? I heard Kudo Akira's one of the major shareholders of AMOSE, your Japanese partner."

I knew Kudo Minatsu's father was a famous singer and producer, but this was the first I had heard of his stake in AMOSE. Still, that didn't change anything.

"So what?" I asked.

"What?"

"Even if the president of AMOSE comes to protest in person, nothing will change. The rankings in this audition are about the kids' futures."

I said it with conviction, and the reporters clicked their tongues in disbelief.

"Alright, alright. Now please clear the way. Any reporters who don't move now will have their entry delayed to 5:30 instead of 5:00."

Reluctantly, the reporters stepped aside. "Yeah, yeah. Got it."

I told them I would see them later and quickly drove into the parking lot.

***

After parking, I sprinted toward the Project I.O.A dormitory building. I was worried that Minamoto Aoi, the number one in Japan, might have seen the articles from back home and gotten shaken.

When I reached the second floor, Team 1's dorm was missing Minamoto Aoi. Only the team leader, Sung Na-Ra, was there, training with a choreography video.

"Na-Ra, have you seen Aoi?" I asked.

Sung Na-Ra tilted her head. "Hmm? I just saw her head out a while ago."

'She doesn't know where Aoi went? Did she go to the counseling room?'

At the end of the dorm hallway, there was a quiet room set aside for one-on-one talks. Given the fuss outside, it was likely that Team Lead Sasuke called her in. After all, Sasuke was very attentive when it came to the kids' mental health.

"Okay. Good luck with today."

"Yes, sir~~"

I wasted no time heading straight to the counseling room. At the end of the hall, I placed my thumb on the door lock.

Beep.

The door slid open with a soft click. I entered quietly, thinking Sasuke might be in the middle of counseling Minamoto Aoi. But instead, unexpected voices leaked from inside.

-Sasuke. At yesterday's AMOSE board meeting, we decided to push Kudo Minatsu. So you need to be aware of that, too.

It was Saigo Ryota, the team manager dispatched from AMOSE, trying to persuade Sasuke. I had just told the reporters that no external pressure would be allowed, and here AMOSE was pulling this crap behind the scenes,

I nearly stormed in to flip the whole thing over, but I decided to wait and hear Sasuke's response. He wasn't some random person, but he was the person I personally picked over AMOSE's actual top brass like Tetsuya.

At that moment, the usually timid Sasuke began to speak slowly. And what came out of his mouth went far beyond what I had expected.