Chapter 47
Ma Sang-hee, who made Starlight the third-largest entertainment company in Korea, was famous, but surprisingly, not much was known about Ma Sang-hee herself, especially about her private life.
Ah, there had once been a rumor that Starlight's funds came from the Chinese Triads, which had caused quite a stir for a while, but in the end, that turned out not to be true.
“So you were already used to situations like that because you worked as a manager.”
Moon Hyun-bin nodded as if he finally understood.
By the way, what kind of company had let go of someone like Ma Sang-hee?
For a moment, I became curious.
“If you don't mind me asking, may I ask which company you used to work for?”
“Ah... well...”
When Ma Sang-hee hesitated to answer, Moon Chang-soo answered for her.
“It was called Method Entertainment.
She worked there as a road manager.
She's taking a break for now.”
‘Method Entertainment?
Was there really a company like that?’
“Oh, Method...
How is that company?
Actually, I'm looking for an agency myself...”
Even at Moon Hyun-bin's curious question, Ma Sang-hee's expression looked uncomfortable.
For a moment, Moon Hyun-bin became embarrassed and gave an awkward smile.
“Ah, don't worry about it.
I didn't mean anything by it.
Haha...”
“Ah, I'm sorry.
It's not like that.
Actually... that company isn't very good.
No, it's not just bad.
They're nothing but thugs.
I mean, they're basically a gang.”
‘Thugs?
A gang?’
At Ma Sang-hee's completely unexpected words, we looked at one another without anyone saying anything.
Come to think of it, wasn't it in the early 2010s?
There had been a case where an entertainment company CEO was eventually arrested for locking up his actors, beating them, and forcing them to sign ridiculous slave contracts.
Thinking about it now, the company's name had been Method Entertainment.
“I'm serious.
Our boss was a famous gangster from Busan.
He brought kids up from the countryside who dreamed of becoming singers, gave them nothing more than a single album, and then made them perform at clubs and local events all over the country.”
At Ma Sang-hee's blunt words, we didn't know how to react and once again exchanged awkward glances.
“You don't have to be so careful around me.
I already quit that company anyway.”
“Ah...”
As if trying to change the awkward atmosphere, Moon Hyun-bin quickly opened his mouth.
“By the way, everyone couldn't even watch the movie because of me.
What should I do?
Especially you two.
It's practically like I interrupted your date.
Hahaha...”
“No, it's fine.
Actually, I'm not really into movies.
My girlfriend wanted to watch it.
Don't worry about us.”
“Oh, you said you're in the same production department as Gibaek, right?
We're going to submit our profiles this time too.
It would be nice if we both got selected and could work together on set.”
“Really?
Wow~
That would be great.”
“Instead of this, since we can't watch the movie anyway, how about we go somewhere, have a bowl of udon for a late-night snack, and then go home?”
“Oh, that's a good idea.”
Gil Bo-young agreed with Moon Hyun-bin's suggestion.
“But what about you, Actor Moon, and you two?
Would you really be okay with it?
What if someone recognizes you again...?”
Ma Sang-hee spoke with some concern in her voice.
“Ah, don't worry.
I know the owner there.
It's a regular place of mine, so we'll be fine.
Haha.”
And so, we headed to an udon restaurant that Moon Hyun-bin regularly visited.
The udon restaurant Moon Hyun-bin took us to was a shabby street stall located along the Han River.
At this time, there were still many street stalls like this along the Han River's riverside area, but this one was a little deeper inside, away from the row of stalls, so there weren't many people around.
“You came after a long time.
We only have udon.
You know that, right?”
The old woman who seemed to be the owner recognized Moon Hyun-bin, a longtime regular, and spoke to him warmly.
“Yes.
We'll have five bowls of udon and some soju, too.”
As we ate udon and drank soju, we continued talking about this and that.
In fact, there was only one thing I was interested in right now.
It was the representative, Ma Sang-hee, who was eating udon right in front of me.
Whether it was movies, dramas, or variety shows, producers' connections with famous actors were directly linked to casting, so those connections were practically a form of power and influence.
It showed just how harsh the reality of this industry was that there was even a famous story about a producer who had been willing to work as a housemaid in a famous actor's home just to build a relationship with that actor.
But...
Having a personal connection with the future representative of Starlight, a woman who would eventually have dozens of such actors under her...
It was no different from getting the key to a treasure vault.
My meeting with Ma Sang-hee even felt like some kind of divine revelation.
Yes.
I absolutely had to build a relationship with Ma Sang-hee.
And I didn't mean the kind of relationship where we simply ran into each other and exchanged greetings.
If I could work together with Ma Sang-hee while she was still just starting out as a manager...
There was a saying that relationships formed by struggling together during difficult times lasted especially long.
What could I do together with Ma Sang-hee...?
As I was thinking hard about it, the faces of Gil Bo-yeon and Moon Hyun-bin came into my sight.
‘Ha, yes.
That's it!’
If I connected Moon Hyun-bin and Gil Bo-young, who were currently working without an agency, with Ma Sang-hee...
It would give me an even better excuse, or opportunity, to get close to Ma Sang-hee.
As my thoughts reached that point, my heart strangely began to swell with excitement.
‘Yes.
For now, I'll slowly think about a plan to naturally connect Ma Sang-hee with those two.’
“I heard you're taking a break right now...
Then what are you planning to do from now on?
Are you thinking about starting your own company?
Or are you planning to join another company...?”
At my careful question, Ma Sang-hee, who had been eating udon, met my eyes.
“No.
I don't think this line of work suits me, so I'm going to quit for good.
I'll just get a pastry and baking certificate and start a business.”
‘What?
It doesn't suit her?
She's quitting?
The person who will become the representative of the great Starlight in the future?’
I was so dumbfounded that I barely managed to stop myself from letting out a laugh.
“Come on, really...?
From what I saw at the theater earlier, it seemed like this was practically your calling.
Haha...”
Ma Sang-hee, who was slightly drunk, reacted sharply to my words.
“No, I'm serious.
I have no intention of working in this field ever again.
Actually, I didn't quit that company.
I was fired.
I reported the company's CEO to the police.”
‘What?
She reported him to the police...?!’
At Ma Sang-hee's unexpected words, everyone who had been eating udon turned their eyes toward her.
“I told you.
That company is nothing but a bunch of thugs.
They made their actors pour drinks at bars under the excuse of introducing them to people from broadcasting stations or advertisers.
And I, as their manager...
I was only told to endure it...
That someday, things would get better...
But they didn't...
One of the artists I was in charge of attempted suicide.
That's when I finally came to my senses.
So I reported them.”
As Ma Sang-hee continued dropping one shocking bombshell after another, we were left speechless and awkwardly lowered our gazes.
Only Gil Bo-young continued to stare at Ma Sang-hee with a steady gaze.
“Why did you have to tell them all that...?
It seems my girlfriend has had a little too much to drink.
Haha...
Anyway, why don't you two have agencies?
With your level, agencies should be fighting to sign you...”
Trying to change the atmosphere, Moon Chang-soo quickly changed the subject and asked Moon Hyun-bin and Gil Bo-young.
“Ah, I've only recently started becoming recognizable to people like this...
Anyway, I'm slowly looking around for one now...”
Moon Hyun-bin trailed off as he glanced at Gil Bo-young.
Ma Sang-hee's gaze naturally turned toward Gil Bo-young.
“Then what about you, Bo-young?
Why haven't you found an agency yet?”
Gil Bo-young's expression seemed to darken for a moment, but she soon smiled as if nothing had happened.
“Actually, I also had a problem with the CEO of my former agency.
I didn't have the courage to report him to the police like the manager did, so I left the agency using my studies as an excuse.
After that, even though it was difficult, I found it more comfortable to work alone.”
For a moment, I was flustered.
I had never imagined that Gil Bo-young would bring up her conflict with the CEO of her former agency herself like this.
Perhaps she had guessed Gil Bo-young's situation just from the way she spoke, because pity appeared in Ma Sang-hee's eyes.
Seeing Ma Sang-hee's expression, Gil Bo-young continued speaking.
“So what happened to that CEO?
Was he punished?”
“No...
Maybe he'd already taken care of things behind the scenes.
Instead of being punished, he actually charged me with making a false accusation.
So I only ended up paying a fine.”
“Even so, I'm sure the actors were grateful that you at least reported him.”
“Do you really think so...?”
“Of course.
I'm sure you'll become a good manager in the future, too.”
Deep comfort and encouragement could be seen in the way Gil Bo-young and Ma Sang-hee looked at each other.
About an hour later, we ended the drinking session and each went home.
I was the only one who hadn't been drinking, so I drove Gil Bo-young's car and took her home.
The riverside expressway in the early morning was as empty as a highway, but I drove slowly without speeding.
Gil Bo-young kept chatting beside me so that I wouldn't get tired while driving.
Eventually, without even realizing when she had fallen asleep, she woke up only when we were almost at her house.
“Oh my, did I fall asleep?
You should have woken me up.”
“It's okay.
It's not that far anyway.”
“By the way, why does something always happen whenever we try to watch a movie?
I don't understand.”
“Now that you mention it, you're right.
It happened at the premiere of ‘Eye of the Typhoon’ last time, too, and today as well...”
“Still, I'm really disappointed...
I was really looking forward to watching a late-night movie today.
Just like you said, I wanted to feel that crisp early-morning air when we walked out of the theater at dawn...”
Gil Bo-young sighed, genuinely disappointed.
“We can come again next time.”
“Yeah.
Next time, let's come just the two of us without telling Hyun-bin oppa.
Hehe.”
Gil Bo-young smiled cutely.
I quietly looked at her before opening my mouth.
“Um, noona...”
“Hmm?”
“About the problem you mentioned earlier with the CEO of your former agency...
Could you tell me about it?”
At my sudden question, Gil Bo-young's eyes wavered in surprise.
“Of course, if you don't want to tell me, you don't have to.
But I...
I want to help you in some way, no matter what.”
After hesitating for a moment, Gil Bo-young finally opened her mouth.
“I had been with the CEO of my former agency since I was seven years old.
Sometimes, I spent more time with him than I did with my parents.
He took care of me like a father...”
And so, Gil Bo-young's story began.
