‘The higher-ups don’t want Hye-mi to succeed, but they also don’t want to hear that MOK was negligent.’
‘Then what should I do?’
‘Work hard.’
‘…What?’
‘Not for Hye-mi’s sake—work hard at pretending to work hard in front of the industry people. You stand out, so always smile and be friendly to everyone. That’s all you need to do.’
‘Couldn’t just anyone do that?’
At Seon-ho’s question, Team Leader Park Cha-myung hesitated before speaking.
‘I feel bad for you, but if I try to sugarcoat it, you’ll only be more confused. To put it simply—you’re the scapegoat.’
Hye-mi was an undeniable talent.
MOK might have many outstanding artists, but if she were in a mid-sized agency, the company would be going all out to promote her. She had the looks, the skills, and the positive recognition gained from Tomorrow K-Star. She could breathe new life into an underperforming girl group or take the lead in a rookie group. Or MOK could push her as a solo artist, as originally planned.
There was no guarantee of massive success, but at the very least, she was a safe bet. That was Hye-mi.
So what would happen if a sure thing like her completely flopped? Someone in the company would have to take the fall. The one truly responsible for leaving Hyemi out in the cold was CEO Kim Dong-han, but no one could hold the company president accountable.
In these situations, the blame always fell on the field staff—the road manager responsible for the artist.
That was simply how things worked.
Park Cha-myung didn’t want to throw any of his carefully trained team members under the bus. So instead, he had chosen Han Seon-ho.
In truth, Park didn’t need to explain all this to Seon-ho. He could’ve just let him find out a year later, when Hye-mi transferred to another agency. But Park wasn’t the type to discard someone under his wing without a word.
‘Hye-mi leaves in a year, but you have an 18-month contract. You know that, right?’
‘Yes.’
‘Just let Hye-mi go. She’s moving to a bigger company, so leaving quietly is what’s best for her. If rumors spread about a conflict with the CEO, which company would want to take her in?’
‘Understood.’
‘For the next year, just make sure industry people see that MOK is doing its job. Then, in the remaining six months, we’ll figure things out.’
Seon-ho thought Park Cha-myung was a decent person. At the very least, once someone was in his hands, he took responsibility for them.
‘I still think you’d make a better entertainer, but if you really want to become a producer, I’ll help you. After Hye-mi leaves, I’ll set you up with solid results so you can become a full-time employee.’
But that also meant Park wouldn’t stick his neck out beyond what he could handle. Just like most people.
Just like Seon-ho himself had done to that kid in the past.
“Ah.”
A sudden jolt of clarity struck him. It felt like someone had poured cold water over his head.
Seon-ho realized how foolish his dilemma had been.
He had pursued producer roles, knocking on the doors of various companies. By sheer luck, he had landed at MOK—the best option among them. He wanted to gain experience at MOK, where there was a clear promotion path from road manager to engineer. Though he was starting as a road manager, his goal was always to become a producer.
So he had convinced himself that following Park’s instructions for a year, waiting for his real six months, was the way to go. That was the path to surviving in the company. The path to seizing an opportunity.
But it was a stupid idea.
What he wanted was to create the game, not just play along with someone else’s board. Yet here he was, willingly stepping onto another person’s game board.
How ridiculous.
Chasing a dream while doing the exact opposite of what that dream required.
Dreams weren’t about survival or guarantees of stability. They weren’t something you pursued while making compromises and excuses. Dreams were about walking forward, without a shred of hesitation or rationalization.
Just like that kid had done.
Just as these thoughts solidified in his mind, an irritated voice cut through them.
“You ignoring me? What was it you wanted to ask?”
Snapping out of his thoughts, Seon-ho found Producer Joo Min-hwan glaring at him with clear annoyance.
Seon-ho studied the producer for a moment before calmly speaking.
“Do you really think Jung Su-rim’s song is good?”
Min-hwan’s expression flickered.
That reaction confirmed it.
‘As I thought.’
Min-hwan knew. He knew that if Su-rim’s performance went on stage as is, it wouldn’t be well-received.
Singers might focus on the technical aspects of a song and overlook the bigger picture. But there was no way an industry veteran like Min-hwan would fail to notice.
“You out of your mind? You saying my judgment is trash?”
Overreaction.
“No way. I was just curious about your opinion. I personally think Su-rim’s song doesn’t quite fit a grand stage, so I wondered what you thought.”
“It’s not going up as it is. That’s why we’re arranging it.”
A curt, irritated response.
Min-hwan’s reaction only solidified Seon-ho’s conviction.
“This is your first day, right? A rookie like you, ruining the mood by butting in on my work?”
“That wasn’t my intention. I apologize.”
Seon-ho offered an easygoing apology, making Min-hwan hesitate. It seemed he wanted to say more, but holding back would make him seem less sensitive.
“Tsk. I’m keeping my eye on you. Just focus on your job and stay out of mine.”
“Got it. Thanks for the advice.”
Seon-ho nodded and exited the terrace.
Min-hwan was right. For now, he needed to do his job properly.
Of course, Seon-ho’s definition of his job and Min-hwan’s definition were very, very different.
A sleek, black, latest-model Carnival cut through the stillness of the early dawn.
There used to be a belief that celebrities had to ride a Benz. However, in recent years, vehicles like the Carnival or the Starex limousine models had become more popular. Unless they were part of a large idol group, there was no real reason to use an expensive, hard-to-park Benz. Moreover, since the Carnival and Starex were relatively common models, they had the advantage of drawing less public attention.
But choosing what kind of car to ride was a luxury only A-list celebrities could afford. Someone like Hye-mi had no choice but to take whatever the company provided. And when her relationship with the company was strained, as it was now, that was even more the case.
The car assigned to Hye-mi had been in a major accident right after it was released and was left abandoned for a time after being repaired. The entertainment industry had its share of superstitions, one of which was that riding an accident-damaged car would lead to career mishaps. That was why Hye-mi had been given a brand-new Carnival.
“An accident, huh…”
Seon-ho mulled over the word as he parked the Carnival in MOK’s lot.
As he got out of the car, he noticed a figure approaching from the entrance. A height that, when rounded up, barely reached 170. A well-balanced physique for someone in their late 30s. No doubt about it—that silhouette belonged to Team Leader Park Cha-myung.
“Team Leader?”
“You’re just getting in? You’re late.”
Park Cha-myung yawned, his face looking exhausted.
“I see the car is fine… What about Hye-mi?”
“I took her home.”
“No issues?”
“None.”
“Good. You worked hard. You know there’s a team profile shoot tomorrow, right? It’s at Bay Studio in Nonhyeon-dong at 3:30.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“Good. The address is in the nav, so just follow it and drive safe.”
“By the way, are you waiting for someone? Why are you still in the parking lot at this hour?”
Park Cha-myung grinned and patted Seon-ho on the shoulder.
“Who else would I be waiting for? You.”
“Me?”
“I heard the car pull in, so I came out. Thought I should hear your thoughts on your first day. I already feel bad you had to go around without a mentor.”
“Ah…”
“So? How was it?”
“I’m not sure yet. I haven’t grasped everything properly.”
“If it were that easy to figure out in one day, we wouldn’t be struggling like this. I’ve been in this industry for over ten years, and I still don’t fully understand showbiz.”
Seon-ho chuckled at Park Cha-myung’s words.
“By the way, feeling any envy yet? Any sudden urge to be a celebrity? I mean, you’re better-looking than half of them, yet you’re stuck with a 1.5 million won salary while they shoot multi-billion won commercials.”
“Not at all.”
“Tsk, what a waste of a good face. Go home and sleep without washing up. Maybe if you get a little uglier, it won’t be such a shame.”
Park Cha-myung chuckled and lit a cigarette.
“I’m going to finish this and head in. Don’t be late tomorrow.”
That was when Seon-ho spoke up.
“Team Leader.”
“Yeah?”
“You asked how I felt about my first day, right?”
“Yeah. Why? Did something come to mind?”
“Yes.”
Initially, he hadn’t planned on saying anything. But seeing Park Cha-myung waiting for him stirred something inside. Perhaps it was because he had lived too lonely for too long.
“So? What’s your impression?”
And so, he answered.
“I like Hye-mi. A lot.”
Park Cha-myung paused before asking,
“Not… as a man, right?”
“Of course not. As a manager—no, as a producer.”
“And Hye-mi? Does she like you?”
“Not yet, but I’ll have to court her.”
“She’s built up a pretty high wall around herself. You’ll have to give it your all to win her over.”
“I figured as much.”
Park Cha-myung took a deep drag of his cigarette and exhaled along with his words.
“Alright. Give it your best shot.”
“That’s it? You’re not worried?”
“You’re overestimating yourself, kid. Just because you like her, does that mean she’ll suddenly become a star? And personally, I think the CEO being petty and messing with her is ridiculous. There should be a limit to parental favoritism.”
He stroked his scruffy chin and added,
“If you get fired, I’ll write you a recommendation. After all, once you’ve finished your contract, you’ll have a year of experience. It’s not like you won’t find another job. So go ahead—give it your all.”
“Hearing that actually puts me at ease. I’ll be going then.”
“Wait, where are you going?”
“You told me to do my best to win her over.”
“Huh?”
Seon-ho smirked.
“To steal a woman’s heart, you need a gift.”
And for a vocalist, the best possible gift was a great song.
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