Chapter 595
JC.
That was the place where Jegal Rok, Management H’s eternal archenemy and the lifelong enemy of its division head, worked.
So in this war, it was both necessary and inevitable for Han Yeoreum, JC’s only affiliated actress, to take damage.
“I thought of all of it first!”
Jegal Rok.
The head of Management H ground his teeth as he recalled that name once again.
A man whose every plan became legend, to the point that it would not be an exaggeration to say everyone in the industry paid attention to Jegal Rok’s moves.
“He was just lucky enough to be one step faster.”
Behind JC’s innovation was Jegal Rok.
Every time he heard those words, almost like a catchphrase, the rage button inside the head of Management H was pressed.
Always ahead of everyone else.
The very frontrunner of the industry.
Management H, which had been pushed back by JC every single time, had finally reached the limit of its anger.
Every single plan that had been called the “Han Yeoreum Project” in this industry was something they had thought of too.
Web dramas, a group screening of the final episode, having her appear as a cameo in a film that would become a series, various drama merchandise and experiential pop-up stores, creating an Intube channel, diversifying content, and so on.
But when Management H was just taking the first step into a plan, JC had already realized it and presented it to the public.
That was the only difference.
“So this time, it’s our turn.”
Jegal Rok and Han Yeoreum had received applause for far too long. This time, it was the division head and Heo Haena’s turn to take that place.
Just thinking that everything had been stolen from them simply because they had been one step slower made his chest feel tight.
They had lost far too much to them.
“We’ll do it step by step. Step by step.”
The beginning would be “Little Han Yeoreum.” He planned to open by placing Heo Haena and Han Yeoreum on the same stage.
A film that would perform absurdly worse than its previous installment, one that would not even come close to its break-even point. Han Yeoreum’s existence, which would become the biggest reason for that. A newly appeared, lovable rookie. The talent to replace Han Yeoreum as much as they wanted.
Bzz. Bzz. Bzz.
His phone vibrated as brightly as the head of Management H’s mood. He answered the call with a pleasant smile.
“Yeah. Reporter Maeng.”
For a company on the level of Management H, it was only natural to have a partnering PR agency and even newspapers on their side.
He spoke on the phone with the reporter who would put an end to the “Han Yeoreum Project,” which had succeeded disgustingly well for years.
“Isn’t the headline a little too strong? Khahaha. No, no, it’s good for us.... Reporter Maeng, you’ve got that refreshingly direct punch, you know. Yeah. I can feel it.”
Han Yeoreum had climbed so high that there were countless things people could grab around her ankles from below the ladder.
Anyone who had been in this industry for a decent amount of time would be expecting Han Yeoreum to slip up at least once soon.
This was the entertainment industry, a place where even the smallest flaw could be inflated however much one wanted.
It was time to end Han Yeoreum’s solo run.
* * *
Maeng Byeonggwan, a reporter for The Flash, had been waiting only for today’s premiere.
‘This is thrilling.’
It was always enjoyable to show those humans who lived drunk on their own greatness the taste of justice.
Watching celebrities politely beg him to please stop was his greatest hobby. To him, this industry was no different from a playground.
‘How sweet this is....’
Reporter Maeng especially loved SNS. The moments when celebrities hinted at their depression through Yousta stories, or when they failed to hold back and got angry, were the most enjoyable.
Because it was a kind of declaration of surrender.
Maeng Byeonggwan believed all celebrities were toys wrapped in pretty paper by their agencies and PR companies. Their true selves were all shabby and ugly.
Wasn’t it obvious just from the way they revealed their emotions to the public in real time through SNS?
No matter how much they pretended to be great, pretended to be expensive, pretended to be different from birth, in front of Maeng Byeonggwan, they were nothing special.
‘Now it’s your turn.’
Maeng Byeonggwan was different from the head of Management H. He purely hated Han Yeoreum.
Until now, she had merely been a lucky wench, but now he wanted to turn her into a wench who “had been” lucky.
Just thinking about Han Yeoreum made him grind his teeth.
It had begun with . Maeng Byeonggwan, who had quickly reported the dating rumor between Han Yohan and Han Yeoreum, had let out a laugh of disbelief at the formulaic denial.
“What? Denying the dating rumor? Fucking bullshit. Just say one sentence: ‘I’m dating oppa.’ Is that so hard? I know exactly what this is. Once girls like this get a few years under their belt, they go crazy over men. O-kay-. So you’re looking down on the public’s right to know, huh?”
After KBC’s explanation, he targeted Han Yeoreum.
And the reaction that came back was this.
-This trash reporter’s strategy is truly clever and annoying my ass LMAO He’s gonna embarrass himself so fucking hard after making all that fuss..T_T How does he even call that an article?
-The reporter who was insisting the dating rumor was 100% true seriously makes me question his intelligence. He seemed so damn bitter.
-Byeonggwan, just quit being a reporter already... Get a computer certification and change jobs even now
Maeng Byeonggwan’s shining career was shattered because of Han Yeoreum. The reputation Reporter Maeng had built by delivering only “facts” had cracked.
That day, he was so furious he could not sleep a wink.
Filled with venom, he waited for the next opportunity. The day for that decisive blow arrived sooner than expected.
It was 〈Seoul Metropolitan City〉.
“What? You can’t say because it would be a spoiler? Fucking bullshit. They’ve tasted some American money and now they’re acting expensive. What do those entertainers know so well about works that they’re putting on airs? O-kay-. So you’re looking down on the public’s right to know, huh?”
And exactly half a day later.
-LOOOOOOL fuck, when the content is like this, what were those reporters whining about, demanding spoilers?
-Reporters these days seriously don’t even know what journalistic spirit means.. Do they just hire anyone who can type?
˪ Fr, seems like it. You can’t feel even a shred of intelligence from their writing;
-They’re whining so fucking much. They should’ve just shut up and watched, but they couldn’t even wait and made a mess lololol sigh.. tsk tsk
Along with the success of 〈Seoul Metropolitan City〉, mocking reporters became a meme.
“Look at this bitch?”
Again, Han Yeoreum. In other words, Han Yeoreum was the problem.
Maeng Byeonggwan had another job besides being a reporter.
Comment History
-Ha, it’s so fucking cringey I can’t stand it. Honestly, K-pop fans just went to watch the drama once out of curiosity, but the way everyone’s hyping it up like she became one of the hundred great people who brought glory to Korea LMAO (more)
-Anonymous 107: Ah, I cringed so hard I turned off today’s episode..T_T Han Yeoreum acts way too cute, I couldn’t watch it LMAO (more)
That job was being a netkama.
Maeng Byeonggwan would do reverse viral marketing as a hobby even though no one had asked him to.
When he wrote an article, spread it to communities, and shaped the atmosphere through comments, the stupid public would be easily incited.
Watching the rising article views and the growing line of comments, he understood journalistic spirit deep in his bones.
A reporter had to be a member of the press who overcame surveillance from power and capital, pursued only truth, and protected proper democracy.
The last intellectual who would sound the alarm against a social atmosphere that worshipped entertainers who only looked flashy on the outside.
That was Maeng Byeonggwan himself.
“Tsk. Fools who don’t even know that....”
Maeng Byeonggwan’s murky eyes gleamed.
The fall of Korean film, pushed aside by dramas.
If he made Han Yeoreum and JC the main culprits, it would only be a matter of time before they became public enemies.
* * *
[Anonymous Discussion Board / Am I the only one who thinks HHN and HYL kinda look alike?]
Their faces, voices, and vibes are slightly similar.
-Anonymous 1: Both are cute.
-Anonymous 4: There are actually a lot of comments like that on Intube lololol I thought of HYL the first time I saw HHN too.
-Anonymous 7: The fact that she thought morning bread could only be eaten in the morning and hugged a bag of morning bread tight while sleeping at night is so heartbreakingly cute TT_TT She’s my favorite actress these days hehe
“Hmm....”
This place was JC ENM.
[HOT / Rookie actress everyone’s saying is cute lately.jpg]
(Web drama scene screenshot.jpg)
It’s Heo Haena lololol
(Previous Morning Bread interview screenshot.jpg)
She loved morning bread so much, but thought it could only be eaten in the morning, so she apparently slept hugging a bag of morning bread tight at night. She’s such a soft baby T_T
(Drama scene screenshot.jpg)
She debuted through a web drama, and she’s surprisingly good at acting.
(SNS screenshot.jpg)
She was originally kind of famous as that Chungkyung University girl. She was an influencer before debuting in a web drama, but no one had leaked what she looked like in real life, so she came up a few times on the hot board
(New work story screenshot.jpg)
They say she’ll be wearing a school uniform in her new project soon, but I was shocked because she’s old enough to be a college senior LMAO
If there’s a problem, please tell me gently T_T
-Anonymous 1: Hul, I thought she was a high schooler.. She looks cute.
-Anonymous 4: I watched that after 〈ParCheHi〉 and enjoyed it lololol But since it wasn’t childish, I think it got buried a little.. T_T What a shame.
˪ Anonymous 9: Since it wasn’t childish, I think it got buried a little222 It was actually better as a work than 〈ParCheHi〉.
-Anonymous 13: The Heo Haena boom is coming TT_TT I hope Baby Morning Bread does well.
-Anonymous 19: She’s similar to Han Yeoreum, but somehow a little fresher..? Maybe because she’s younger.
-Anonymous 25: I love Heo Haena. She catches my eye the most lately hehe
“Looks like we’re right, huh? Right?”
“Right. I can feel it exactly.... They’re bundling her in.”
The birthplace of provocation.
“What should we do?”
“This is good.”
And a place that did not avoid fights when someone picked them.
“If we only crush Goo Minho and Noh Seungchan, the picture won’t come out right. We have to trample every work that gets attached to us to make it feel like we’re really hitting. I’m grateful they’re doing this.”
Manager Hong stretched.
His appearance resembled a battle maniac lightly warming up before combat.
Manager Hong showed neither nervousness nor irritation. All that could be seen was the faint boredom of an office worker.
Compared to him, Management H, Jeongdam, and some guy named Maeng Byeonggwan or whatever were no match at all.
His skill, which had left three broadcasting stations and three PR agencies—six opponents in total—beaten bloody during the Holy Grail War, had not rusted in the slightest.
“For now, I’ve already taken every defensive measure that needs taking. Just watch.”
Because the most basic element of battle was determined by the combat power of the generals one had under command.
And in that respect, JC ENM was undoubtedly the strongest.
Ever-victorious.
Manager Hong was confident he would not lose.