Chapter 033
Han Hye-joo was shocked when she saw me lying on the floor covered in blood.
She panicked as if I had actually died and could do nothing but cry.
Then, when I finally regained consciousness, she burst into loud sobs.
The manager tried to call the police, but the people who had come with Lee Kyung-hoon stopped him.
They got into another argument, and the entire VIP area on the second floor turned into complete chaos.
I calmed Han Hye-joo, who insisted that we go to the police station immediately.
Instead of going to the police station, I decided to settle things for the moment and returned home.
At that time, it wasn't unusual for directors or actors to assault staff members.
Moreover, it was an era when reporting such incidents was difficult.
If you stepped forward out of a misguided sense of justice and word got around, finding work on other productions could become difficult.
But my situation was different.
Lee Kyung-hoon would be kicked out of the entertainment industry in September anyway because of drunk driving, assault while intoxicated, and other incidents.
He was a man who would fall into the abyss sooner or later.
There was no reason for me to leave the impression on Choi Moon-ho that I had deliberately brought Lee Kyung-hoon down at this particular moment.
Of course, Han Hye-joo immediately went to her uncle, CEO Han Tae-seong, and told him everything in a very emotional manner.
“Uncle!
That man is a complete piece of trash!
No, he’s just crazy!
Min Gi-baek was hit by him and even bled and lost consciousness.
And it happened right in front of my eyes!”
Han Tae-seong understood how serious the situation was and informed Choi Moon-ho.
However, Choi Moon-ho had already been contacted by Lee Kyung-hoon’s agency, so he couldn't say much and looked troubled.
In any case, the situation moved much faster than I had expected.
As soon as I went to work on Monday, I was summoned to the CEO's office.
“Well…
CEO, couldn't this incident actually give us an excuse to put pressure on Lee Kyung-hoon?”
Choi Moon-ho said that Lee Kyung-hoon had already been demanding an excessively high guarantee, and they had been struggling to negotiate with him.
He said that the current situation could actually become a useful bargaining chip.
But in reality, it was nothing more than an attempt to somehow wrap up the situation quietly and peacefully.
“What do you think, Gibaek?”
“CEO, are you asking the production department's accountant about such an important matter?”
“Not just the production department's accountant.
I'm the person who was assaulted.”
At my firm tone, Choi Moon-ho couldn't respond any further.
“If you're asking for my opinion, then I am against casting actor Lee Kyung-hoon.”
“As expected…
I suppose it would be uncomfortable since you'd have to keep running into each other while working.”
“That's not the only reason.”
“It's not?”
“No.
From what I've experienced and felt, actor Lee Kyung-hoon is someone who is accustomed to violence.
Right now, his agency is covering things up and cleaning up his messes whenever he causes trouble, so it hasn't become public.
But it will eventually come to light.
You know what happens to actors who cause social scandals…
And you also know that the companies behind movies and advertisements involving such actors are the ones who end up suffering.”
“Aren't you getting too far ahead of yourself by talking about something that hasn't even happened yet?!”
Choi Moon-ho suddenly shouted.
“No.
I agree with Gibaek on that point.
You may say it hasn't happened yet, but he's like a time bomb that will eventually explode.”
“I see…”
Han Tae-seong thought for a moment.
“I've heard both of your opinions.
There’s no need to think about this for too long.
We'll cancel Lee Kyung-hoon's casting.”
“C-CEO!”
Despite Choi Moon-ho's stunned reaction, Baek Seong-han, I, and CEO Han Tae-seong quickly brought the situation to a conclusion.
“Then are we going back to actor Park Jeong-ho?”
“We should.
At this point, we don't have enough time to find an actor better than Park Jeong-ho anyway.”
“That's fortunate.
I'm glad we didn't inform actor Park Jeong-ho until Lee Kyung-hoon's casting was finalized, just in case.”
For a while, Choi Moon-ho had listened to our conversation with a dazed expression.
Then he cautiously opened his mouth.
“Well…
Then what about Director Park…?”
“I'll take care of that.
Producer Choi, from now on, focus on taking care of actor Park Jeong-ho.”
“…Yes…”
Choi Moon-ho reluctantly answered.
His eyes wandered anxiously through empty space.
I looked at Choi Moon-ho and laughed inwardly with satisfaction.
Yes, you must be anxious.
You secured this position on the condition that you would bring Lee Kyung-hoon in.
Now that Lee Kyung-hoon was out, your own position had become uncertain too.
But you know what?
If you think this is the end, you're mistaken.
Bringing you down is only beginning now!
Late at night, at a hotel in Gangnam.
‘Ding-dong.
Ding-dong.
Ding-dong.’
Choi Moon-ho, his face filled with anger, repeatedly pressed the doorbell of a VIP room.
After a short while, Lee Kyung-hoon's manager opened the door.
He too had an angry expression on his face.
Without even greeting him, Choi Moon-ho strode straight into the room.
From Choi Moon-ho's perspective, Lee Kyung-hoon was sprawled across the living room sofa wearing nothing but a bathrobe.
Empty bottles of alcohol were scattered across the table in front of him.
Choi Moon-ho roughly shook Lee Kyung-hoon.
“Senior!
Get up!
Are you seriously sleeping at a time like this?!”
Lee Kyung-hoon irritably raised himself.
“What?
When did you get here?”
“You can seriously drink so calmly right now?”
“Fuck, then what?!
Do you think I can just sit still with a clear head at a time like this if I don't drink?!”
Choi Moon-ho stared at Lee Kyung-hoon with disbelief as Lee Kyung-hoon shouted at him as though he were the one at fault.
“Ha…
Right.
I'm the crazy one for treating someone like you as an actor!”
“What?!
You bastard!”
“Then do you think I'm going to say anything nice right now?
You completely ruined everything at the last moment!”
“What?”
“Am I wrong?
If you hadn't caused a scene at the room salon, you'd probably be signing the contract right now!”
At the mention of signing the contract, Lee Kyung-hoon's face twisted.
“What?
Who are you blaming right now?!
If you'd taken care of Park Jeong-ho quickly in the first place, would I have gone drinking at the room salon because I had nothing else to do?!”
“Ha…
You seriously have the nerve to say that…
Because of you, my position is now…
Never mind.
I shouldn't even bother talking…”
Choi Moon-ho could only laugh bitterly at the absurd situation.
“I have plenty of places to go even without Director Park's movie.
Don't you know that?
From my position, I gave you plenty of consideration because you're my junior from my hometown.
Do you understand, you bastard?!”
“Yes, yes.
Of course you did.”
Choi Moon-ho gave up and filled an empty glass with alcohol before downing it in one gulp.
That was when the manager spoke.
“Right.
This isn't a situation we can solve by raising our voices and fighting with each other.
We should calm down and deal with the practical problems first.
Don't you agree?”
Choi Moon-ho frowned at the manager as if asking what he meant.
“Practical problems?”
“Yes.
The plan to put some of our actors in minor and supporting roles.
Couldn't we still go ahead with that regardless of what happens with Kyung-hoon?”
“Ha…
You're bringing that up now?
Both the director and the CEO will probably hate the sight of any actors from this management agency.
Do you really think that's possible?”
“As expected…
Maybe that's asking too much?
Then what about the hanbok PPL we talked about?
Hey, Producer Choi.
We need to get something out of this too.”
At the manager's words, “we need to get something out of this too,” Choi Moon-ho's eyes rapidly wavered.
‘Yeah…
Fuck.
It's obvious my position in this production is going to be at rock bottom anyway…
Maybe it would be smarter to quietly take whatever I can get…’
As his thoughts reached that point, Choi Moon-ho's eyes began to shine again.
A hotel sky lounge where classical music played softly.
Park Jeong-ho sat by the window, looking down at the Han River with weary eyes.
For some reason, his face was unusually stiff as he remained lost in thought.
A short while later, Director Park Jun-beom and assistant director Jung Min-hwan entered the sky lounge and quickly approached Park Jeong-ho.
“Ah, Jeong-ho.
You waited long, didn't you?
I was location hunting in the provinces and was late getting back.”
“No.
I haven't been here long either.”
Director Park sat down and gestured toward the assistant director who had accompanied him.
“Ah, you've met our assistant director before, right?”
“Ah, yes…”
Park Jeong-ho answered with a somewhat uncomfortable expression.
The assistant director deliberately greeted him brightly.
“How have you been?
You look great today too, senior!”
“Ah, Manager Jung was here too, so I brought him along.
Anyway, Manager Jung will have to communicate a lot with our assistant director about Jeong-ho's schedule, so I thought it would be good for you two to meet and say hello.”
“Well…
I think we should greet each other after we've finished talking first…
Ahem…”
Despite Director Park's enthusiastic attempt to lighten the mood, neither Park Jeong-ho nor Manager Jung reacted with much enthusiasm.
Sensing that something was wrong, Director Park and the assistant director quickly exchanged secret glances.
“Anyway, what is this about?
Why meet somewhere like this?
I told you to just come to the office…”
“I'm not going to appear in your movie, Director.”
At Park Jeong-ho's sudden statement, Director Park and the assistant director simultaneously looked bewildered.
“W-Wait.
What are you talking about…?
Is this some kind of hidden-camera prank?
Come on~
Why would you scare me like this…
Hahaha…”
Director Park tried to laugh it off as a joke.
But Park Jeong-ho simply stared at him with a stiff expression.
Only then did the assistant director realize how serious the situation was and quickly spoke up.
“Wait a minute.
You won't appear in the movie?
Why would you suddenly say that now…?
What on earth is the reason, senior?!”
As the assistant director demanded an explanation, Manager Jung spoke this time.
“The reason?
Then we'll ask you too.
Director, what exactly is the reason?
Why did you try to secretly replace Jeong-ho with Lee Kyung-hoon as the lead?”
At those words, confusion and tension appeared simultaneously on Director Park and the assistant director's faces.
“H-How did you find out about that…?
Ah, no, Jeong-ho.
That's not it.
You're still our lead actor.”
Park Jeong-ho gave a cold snort.
“Still?”
“Y-Yes.
Actually, the new producer, Choi, did suggest something like that…”
Park Jeong-ho quickly interrupted Director Park.
“The new Producer Choi?
Then you're saying the director had nothing to do with it?!”
Director Park Jun-beom's expression hardened.
“Jeong-ho, that…
What I'm saying is…”
“Do you think I'm stupid, Director?
I've already heard everything.
I know that you were also secretly discussing casting Lee Kyung-hoon.”
Park Jeong-ho looked coldly at Director Park.
“I don't know where you heard that, but the situation wasn't that simple.”
“Then what was complicated about it?!
I hadn't even done anything wrong.
So how could you discuss replacing me without saying a single word to me…?”
The disappointment Park Jeong-ho felt toward him was obvious.
Director Park Jun-beom could no longer say anything.
