Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

After hearing the news about successfully recruiting the ten actresses who were victims of the hidden camera incident, I sped up slightly and drove to Seoul.

By the time I arrived in Seoul, I got caught in the evening rush hour traffic. The car crawled like a turtle from Yangjae onward, repeatedly stopping and starting. Taking advantage of the brief moments when the car came to a halt, I rested my hands on the steering wheel and drifted into thought.

Currently, the original hidden camera photos that Nalsae handed over were in Lee Soo-Chan's possession, while Kim Dong-Soo held copies of them. If left unchecked, Kim Dong-Soo would undoubtedly use those photos to manipulate the actresses.

Once an actress got entangled with Kim Dong-Soo, her life as an entertainer would be over. They would be dragged into endless rounds of socializing and catering to others, just like in my past life.

Back then, I never bothered to understand their stories and dismissed them as just "those kinds of people." However, in hindsight now, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of guilt.

Regardless, Kim Dong-Soo's threats were both a crisis and an opportunity because I could implicate him for blackmail and illegal filming.

If it were in my past life, I would have brought the actresses in front of the press and had them publicly accuse Kim Dong-Soo. Though it would have revealed their identities, it would have been an incredibly strong and certain method to bring him down.

Nonetheless, such exposure would leave too severe a scar on the actresses, so I was searching for another way.

At that moment, the traffic light turned red just as I approached Yangjae Intersection.

As I hit the brakes, the large Merciless Bends Springer gently swayed before coming to a stop. While waiting, I stretched and glanced around.

That's when my eyes landed on a giant LCD screen atop a nearby building. Displayed on the screen was an ad featuring Yoo-Jin and Miso with their cheerful faces brightening the night.

[Seven Stars Electronics Grande (NEW)]

In the ad, the new grande dryer spun around while Miso happily laughed as she ran circles around it with her hands raised high. Yoo-Jin chased after Miso, trying to help her change clothes. The joyful expressions of this mother-daughter duo brought a natural smile to my lips.

Next came Haru's commercial.

[Haru's Charcoal Bulgogi (BIG HIT)]

Haru wore an apron and grilled the famous charcoal bulgogi in the ad, reportedly selling 30,000 units daily. As the marinated meat sizzled over the coals, Haru sprinkled a mix of green chili and Shashlik's magic seasoning powder while whispering "Моё сокровище," which meant "my treasure" in Russian.

I could also see a woman's silhouette watching Haru with a nostalgic gaze.

-Today, my son is preparing dinner, remembering the dishes I once made for him...

Natalia's voice-over concluded the heartwarming commercial.

The next ad featured the lively members of Cherry Blossom.

[Yetterang Snowing Lip Balm!]

Sae-Ri, who once suffered from panic disorder, now smiled radiantly as if nothing had ever troubled her. She applied the lip balm with its shimmering pearls enhancing her lovely smile.

Watching these commercials instantly lifted the weight of my earlier worries.

'That's right, Jung Yoon-Ho. Live like a decent human being. My celebrities are thriving without resorting to those old ways, right?'

At first, I had only focused on one thing: bringing Kim Dong-Soo to justice. After all, it had been the ultimate goal of my life since traveling back in time. РＡɴ∅ꞖЁ𐌔

However, my perspective had completely changed now. Victory at someone else's expense was a lesson I had learned too well in my previous life. In this second chance, I resolved once more to live as a better person.

That's why I resolved to prioritize protecting the victim actresses above all else as I moved forward. No matter how much I wanted to take Kim Dong-Soo down, I couldn't let him dictate the course of my second life.

At that moment, the loud blare of a car horn snapped me back to reality.

Honk!

The traffic light had turned green before realizing it and cars in the adjacent lanes were already halfway across the intersection. I rolled down the driver's side window and waved an apologetic hand before I started driving again.

Vroom.

As the car began to move, I heard Yoo-Jin's voice from the back seat. "Oppa? What were you so lost in thought about?"

"Oh? You're awake."

"Yes, I've been up since we stopped at the traffic light earlier."

"Ah… well…"

I hesitated as I was unsure how to explain that I had been grappling with the actresses' fates and the issue of getting Kim Dong-Soo arrested.

Before I could figure out what to say, Yoo-Jin spoke up first. "Oppa. No matter what decision you make, I'm on your side."

Yoo-Jin's voice was husky from just waking up, but it sounded more comforting than ever.

Then Miso's sleepy murmur followed as if imitating Yoo-Jin's voice. "Mmm… me too… Uncle Yoon-Ho's side…"

Even in her sleep, Miso echoed Yoo-Jin's words. The sound of their voices full of trust and support filled me with newfound certainty about my choice.

I smiled and turned toward the two of them in the back seat. "Thank you, Yoo-Jin. And Miso, too."

In the rearview mirror, I could see Yoo-Jin smiling shyly and nodding.

***

After dropping Yoo-Jin off at home, I headed to Reverse Entertainment in Sinsa-dong.

I parked my car in the basement, then I took the elevator to Lee Soo-Chan's office.

Ding.

As I stepped out of the elevator, Lee Soo-Chan was already waiting. "You're here, hyung-nim."

"Yeah. You must've worked hard recruiting them all. Well done."

"It's no trouble. By the way, all ten of them will be in the meeting room in thirty minutes. Before that, let's head to my office. Mr. Im is waiting for you."

I nodded and followed Lee Soo-Chan to the office. Inside, Legal Director Im Hyung-Joo and Attorney Choi Dae-Gyu were already seated while reviewing documents.

They stood up immediately when they saw me. "Ah, Mr. Jung. Welcome."

Reverse Entertainment still kept the president's office next to Kang Eun-Gi's vacant for my use. Because of that, the two lawyers treated me like the head of the company.

I said, "There's no need to be so formal. I'm not anyone special."

Im Hyung-Joo, who turned forty-eight this year, shook his head. "How could we not? You're bound to take over here someday, anyway."

When Im Hyung-Joo smiled good-naturedly in his cheeky tone, I replied with a smile, "No, I plan to dedicate my career to Hoop Entertainment. So please, feel free to speak casually."

"You never know what tomorrow holds, do you? Haha."

No matter how much I tried to deflect, it was pointless. He had clearly made up his mind.

After exchanging quick pleasantries with Choi Dae-Gyu as well, I took a seat.

Lee Soo-Chan retrieved the hidden camera photos of the ten actresses from a safe. "Hyung-nim, here it is."

Each set was neatly organized in file folders labeled with the actresses' names. Compared to the X-FILE I had received from Kim Dong-Soo in my past life, these were far less damning.

The photos included shots of women kissing men in cars or leaving motels. Despite being relatively tame, these private moments captured in photos would still deal a heavy blow to the actresses if exposed.

A glance at the files was enough to make me sigh.

Lee Soo-Chan said, "Hyung-nim, if these get out, the actresses will suffer immensely."

I nodded and asked cautiously. "Soo-Chan, how many of them have confessed to being blackmailed by Kim Dong-Soo?"

"Only Oh Soo-Jin, the one we recruited today."

"Just one of them spoke up?"

"Yes."

Like most people under threat, the actresses were all trying to hide it for now.

"Out of the ten, five are A-class stars. The rest are promising rookies... There's no way Kim Dong-Soo only contacted Oh Soo-Jin. He must have reached out to all of them."

"What do you plan to do about it?" Lee Soo-Chan asked.

"Can you leave this entirely in my hands?" I replied.

"This whole thing started because you asked for my help. Whether you grill it or boil it, it's all up to you."

"Thanks, Soo-Chan."

Lee Soo-Chan grinned mischievously. "If you're really grateful, the office next door is still available. Why not move in now?"

"Anything but that."

He joked back, "One day, I'll convince you to join us."

I patted Lee Soo-Chan's shoulder in appreciation.

At that moment, the intercom buzzed to signal that all ten actresses had arrived.

"Hyung-nim, shall we go?"

"Let's do it."

I headed to Reverse Entertainment's large meeting room with Lee Soo-Chan and the attorneys.

***

Reverse Entertainment, formerly Kanghan Entertainment, was originally founded by a powerful gang that dominated the Gyeonggi region.

After Kang Eun-Gi disbanded the gang, he rebranded it as Reverse Entertainment. While he liquidated most of the subsidiary companies under the gang, the company still retained substantial capital.

Thanks to that, the building housing Reverse Entertainment's headquarters was massive and the meeting room alone could easily accommodate over a hundred people.

As we stepped into the spacious room, the ten newly recruited actresses were already seated. They ranged from Choi Hye-Yeon, a thirty-year-old industry veteran, to Oh Soo-Jin, a twenty-year-old rookie brought in today.

At that moment, the voices of the Reverse Entertainment talent agents suddenly boomed in unison as they greeted me. "Good evening, hyung-nim!"

I quickly waved my hand. "Let's tone it down a bit indoors, alright?"

"Yes, hyung-nim!"

Their exaggerated greeting seemed to be half in jest these days, but it startled the actresses who looked puzzled at the sight of their talent agents bowing to someone who wasn't even affiliated with Reverse Entertainment.

Lee Soo-Chan standing beside me explained, "Some of you may already know Mr. Jung. He is currently with Hoop Entertainment, but personally, he's like an older brother to me and was instrumental in laying the foundation of Reverse Entertainment."

The actresses began whispering amongst themselves and exchanged glances.

Lee Soo-Chan continued, "Also, you should know that the request to bring you all here from your former agencies came from Mr. Jung."

The moment Lee Soo-Chan finished, Choi Hye-Yeon, the eldest of the actresses, stood and bowed politely. "Thank you very much."

"There's no need for that."

"No, gratitude is gratitude. My previous agency had disputes with me, but Reverse Entertainment resolved everything cleanly. They even provided generous signing bonuses."

"I'm glad to hear that."

However, Choi Hye-Yeon's face betrayed a certain weariness. "But… Why did you recruit us? Gathering us like this makes it seem like there's some other purpose."

As expected of a veteran actress with ten years of experience, she quickly sensed something was amiss. The other actresses also looked equally confused.

"Just a moment please."

I first asked their talent agents to leave the room. Once they had exited, only I, Lee Soo-Chan, the two attorneys, and the ten actresses remained in the meeting room.

Standing up, I distributed file folders containing the hidden camera photos to the actresses. "Please don't open these until I explain. And when you do, make sure not to show them to anyone else."

Choi Hye-Yeon asked, "What are these?"

"Before I explain, let me ask you this: Have any of you recently received threatening messages from Chief Kim Dong-Soo?"

For a moment, the actresses' eyes darted about nervously. While celebrities were generally skilled at masking their emotions, they couldn't suppress their reactions to such a sudden question.

Oh Soo-Jin who had already confessed earlier hung her head slightly, while the others shifted their gazes, seemingly lost in thought.

That's when Choi Hye-Yeon reacted angrily. "Threats? What threats? That's nonsense!"

Admitting the existence of the hidden camera photos wouldn't be easy for them. It was clear they wouldn't confess willingly.

"Alright then, let's take a look at the files I handed out. As I mentioned, don't let anyone else see what's inside."

At my words, they cautiously opened their files while keeping them half-covered. The moment they looked inside, their expressions froze solid and their faces turned pale like stone.

Choi Hye-Yeon shut her file with trembling hands. "T-This is…"

"Now can you answer me? Have you been blackmailed by Kim Dong-Soo or not?"

Unable to hold back any longer, Choi Hye-Yeon burst out. "Yes, I've been blackmailed! He said if I didn't work under him, he would spread these photos online. It's not just me but he's doing it to all of us!"

As I expected, my suspicion was correct.

Choi Hye-Yeon's voice quivered as she asked, "So? What are you planning to do now? Are you going to use these photos against us too?"

The unease and anxiety on the faces of the actresses were unmistakable. I met each of their gazes in turn and answered, "These are the same photos Kim Dong-Soo has. We obtained the originals from the photographer he hired to take them."

"What?"

I continued calmly. "And let me clear up any misunderstandings. I'm not holding onto these to blackmail you. I brought them to give them back to you."

"W-What do you mean by that…?"

"The SD card containing these photos is gone. Aside from what Kim Dong-Soo possesses, these are the only copies. You can tear them up or burn them. Do whatever you wish."

For a moment, Choi Hye-Yeon looked utterly dumbfounded. "You're handing over the originals… without asking for anything in return?"

I nodded. In doing so, I put down the weapon I could have used against Kim Dong-Soo. However, it was to gain something even more powerful—the actresses' trust.

"I will protect you all no matter what it takes. But to do that, I need your cooperation. Please work with me to file a joint complaint. The more of you who participate, the stronger our case will be."

This plan couldn't succeed without their help and their full support was critical.

The hidden camera photos we had were stolen by Nalsae and wouldn't be admissible as evidence in court. To bring Kim Dong-Soo to justice, I needed the actresses to file a formal complaint which would allow Seo Jae-Ill to raid Kim Dong-Soo's hideout and seize the illegal photos legally.

Choi Hye-Yeon hesitated before asking, "And if we choose not to cooperate?"

I had anticipated this question and my answer was ready. "Then I'll drop the case against Kim Dong-Soo. But even then, I'll do everything I can to protect you. That's why I brought you here in the first place."

The actresses murmured among themselves with skeptical expressions. They couldn't believe I wasn't going to use the photos for leverage, perhaps because the talent agents they had known until now would have done just that.

Choi Hye-Yeon and the others began whispering in hushed tones.

'Was I expecting too much?' I wondered.

A minute of silence stretched on.

Just as I was about to accept that I might have to abandon the case against Kim Dong-Soo, Oh Soo-Jin raised her hand. "I'll do it. Yoo-Jin unnie told me how much you care for your actors. I'll follow you. What do I need to do?"

Oh Soo-Jin's declaration sent a ripple through the group.

As they exchanged glances and nodded, Choi Hye-Yeon finally sighed. "Sigh… How can we refuse when you're going this far for us? Alright, I'll do it."

"Me too. I've heard about Mr. Jung. They say he'll go through fire and water for his actors."

"I've heard that too."

One by one, the actresses agreed. It was just as I had hoped. My efforts to care for my actors were paying off now in the most crucial moment.

"Please help us, Mr. Jung."

Their words filled me with emotion. For a brief moment, my chest swelled with pride and fulfillment that my second chance at life hadn't been in vain.

After taking a deep breath, I finally revealed my ace card. "Don't worry. I know exactly where Chief Kim Dong-Soo is keeping the photos."

Fortunately, my planner still contained the details of when and where Kim Dong-Soo had set up his hideout.

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