The Crazy Mercenary Commander Goes to Work in the Entertainment Industry

Translator: Dreamscribe

The crazed mercenary commander who had slipped his reins and started running wild at Netflix Korea. No, Kang Jae-ha.

"It's going to be a little hard to do this for nothing."

Oh Jong-man was rather startled to hear him say it.

'Eh?? He's just charging straight in like that??'

The one sitting beside him was Jae-ha, but Oh Jong-man naturally had no idea. All he'd gotten was an introduction from Lee Chan-hoo, that this was 'MEG's new hire. A quick greeting, and then they'd come here. And yet, no matter how he looked at it, this new 'MEG' hire seemed to have quite a personality.

'I thought the cold first impression was a bit like Manager Kang-nim, but the personality is completely different?! How do I put it, this guy has way less restraint?'

Of course, the Kang Jae-ha that Oh Jong-man knew was also upright and No Backing Down. If he had to compare them, Kang Jae-ha was a gentlemanly sort of No Backing Down, and this guy was a half-crazed sort of No Backing Down. Well, Oh Jong-man hadn't the faintest idea that both were the same Kang Jae-ha, and for a moment silence settled over the meeting room.

Director Baek Jeong-ha studied Jae-ha's transformed face for a few seconds. Then she glanced down at the business card she'd received.

'MEG's General Manager Kim Ha-jae.'

The name Kim Ha-jae was something Kang Jae-ha had thrown together. Jae-ha reversed, Ha-jae. The name itself wasn't particularly important. In any case, Director Baek Jeong-ha looked at Jae-ha again and took his measure.

'I figured it wouldn't be easy, but to think he'd just drive it in straight like that. Whether he's actually good at this or not aside, he's not going to be a soft touch.'

That relaxed attitude, and the energy he gave off, made Director Baek Jeong-ha sense something out of the ordinary. At the same time.

'But 'MEG', I've definitely heard that somewhere.'

The company called 'MEG' wasn't unfamiliar to her. Just then, Netflix's Head Heo Seong-jin whispered beside her.

"I think 'MEG' is that one. The investment firm behind 'House of the Daytime Moon', that animated film that's hot right now. They got some attention at BIFF this time too."

"Ah."

It was only now that Director Baek Jeong-ha registered the existence of 'MEG', and her eyes widened slightly. Right, the investment firm 'MEG'. An investment firm that had been the subject of quite a bit of talk among directors lately.

'But weren't they an investment firm? Are they running an agency too?'

Murmuring it inwardly, Director Baek Jeong-ha looked at Kang Jae-ha and opened her mouth.

"If it's 'MEG'- that would be the investment firm I keep hearing about these days, then."

Jae-ha nodded.

"That's correct."

"Are you running an agency as well?"

"We're planning out several ventures."

"Aha."

Understanding, Director Baek Jeong-ha steered things back to the main point.

"Hmm. So when you say it's hard to do this for nothing, you mean there are conditions if we want you to accept the request we made to Writer Oh Jong-man-nim."

"Not so much conditions as a proposal, the same way you made one to our Writer-nim. And a bit of direction-setting, you could say?"

"Direction?"

"Yes."

Kang Jae-ha had already finished his blueprint regarding Oh Jong-man and Netflix Korea. On top of that, Oh Jong-man's contract with Leon was already terminated. So there was nothing holding him back.

"I understand that you and Netflix are both drooling over Writer Oh Jong-man-nim's story. Even just hearing it roughly, it's delicious. Rolled up right, it'll draw the attention of the press and public opinion too."

"......"

"So you've drawn up a plan to grow the already-attention-grabbing 'One-Act Drama Project', staged on Netflix, several times bigger."

"That's right."

"But however nicely you put it, in the end it's our Writer Oh Jong-man-nim who has to take the bullet, isn't it?"

Director Baek Jeong-ha didn't deny Jae-ha's words. There were some rough edges to it, but on the whole it was the right answer. As she fell silent, Kang Jae-ha smiled faintly.

"It's a game where Writer Oh Jong-man-nim has to grab it by the collar and drag it forward, so do you really think he'd do it for nothing?"

Better to firmly pretend to be the one with the upper hand than to be wishy-washy about it. That was Kang Jae-ha's thinking. Well, to split hairs, there was no upper or lower hand at this table.

'But setting that kind of mood, that matters.'

A person's presence comes in many forms, and even someone with a naive nature can somehow seem like no easy mark. That's the atmosphere they give off. As a mercenary commander, Kang Jae-ha knew well how to make use of that kind of atmosphere.

No, if anything, it was easy.

Especially now, with the reins slipped thanks to the 'Mask'.

"I think rather highly of your temperament, Director Baek Jeong-ha-nim."

"My temperament?"

"Yes. The temperament that, for the sake of a tasty bit of directing, throws caution to the wind and does whatever it takes if it'll help the work. It's earned you some enemies in the market because of it, but so what? The entertainment industry only remembers results anyway."

"......"

"In that sense, weaving together Writer Oh Jong-man-nim's story into the 'One-Act Drama Project': an actor who went into hiding because of a past incident, a sudden comeback as a writer, appearing as an actor in a work he wrote himself, that would be the right answer."

Having seized the flow of the conversation, Kang Jae-ha spoke again.

"First, I should bring up the matter of Writer Oh Jong-man-nim's writing fee and performance fee."

"Let's hear it."

"Triple the amount you were quoted seems about right."

The expression of Oh Jong-man, sitting beside him, turned grave. He was taken aback.

'T-triple?! I wasn't even sure the double that Kang Jae-ha Manager-nim mentioned would fly, and now it's triple!'

On the other hand, the face-changed Jae-ha, the one who'd told Oh Jong-man double, didn't bat an eye.

"Triple. How does that sound?"

Inwardly startled, Director Baek Jeong-ha was.

'Triple?? Insane, he's ramming it in mercilessly.'

On the outside she let out a low hum, feigning composure.

"Well. That's a bit steep."

"Steep? In the 'One-Act Drama Project', our Writer-nim has to grab it by the collar and drag it forward as the work, as the actor, and in promotion and marketing, and you call that steep? It's reasonable."

"Hm."

Director Baek Jeong-ha shot a glance at the bald Head Heo Seong-jin. He sent her a look that said to go ahead and proceed.

"I'll keep listening."

Jae-ha nodded and continued with a smile.

"When the works open, I'd like Writer Oh Jong-man-nim's 'Murder Is a Qualification Too' to be the number one release."

"Ah, we'd been thinking the same thing."

"Words can change, so I'd like that added to the contract as well."

"...Understood."

"And I'd like you to review a contract for Writer Oh Jong-man-nim's next work."

This time it was Head Director Heo Seong-jin who answered.

"Yes. We've fully recognized Writer Oh Jong-man-nim's ability, and we'll bring him a solid offer before long."

Oh Jong-man was thinking, what is this? This is actually working? When he thought about it, it really was working. Regardless, Kang Jae-ha rattled off more of his blueprint, as if there were still things he wanted.

"And if, supposing, Writer Oh Jong-man-nim moves in the direction you want, Director, the route should take this kind of shape."

"What kind?"

"First, we hide the fact that Oh Jong-man-nim is the writer early on. However, we reveal that he's returned as an actor. Positive or negative, the press and public opinion will pounce."

"Probably."

"Around then the 'One-Act Drama Project' will heat up, and there'll be more and more mention of each of the works. Writer Oh Jong-man-nim's work will be the hottest."

"......"

With everyone focused, Kang Jae-ha murmured his conclusion.

"When the popularity and attention are at their absolute peak, we just blow it open that this work's writer is Oh Jong-man-ssi."

Director Baek Jeong-ha laughed in disbelief.

'He's an operator, the way he sets up the game.'

At the same time, the film company 'Dal Pictures.'

'Dal Pictures', which had taken on production of master Director Yu Gil-tae's new film 'Mask of Murder'. In the conference room of that 'Dal Pictures', two people sat facing each other.

It was Director Yu Gil-tae and Yoon Da-yeon.

Pushing up his round glasses, Director Yu Gil-tae laughed warmly.

"Da-yeon-ssi, you've read through the screenplay, I take it?"

Yoon Da-yeon swept back her long, straight hair and gave a small lift of her lips.

"Yes, Director-nim. 'Mask of Murder', it was so fascinating I read it all the way through three times."

"Hahaha, so have you made up your mind, then?"

"Of course."

Yoon Da-yeon answered firmly and bowed her head.

"I really want to take the role you mentioned, Director-nim."

"That's a relief."

Master director Yu Gil-tae extended his hand to Yoon Da-yeon.

"Looking forward to working with you, Da-yeon-ssi."

"Yes, me too."

Having answered, Yoon Da-yeon wiped the smile from her face.

"Only, Director-nim. There's something I'd like to ask of you."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Could we sign the casting contract for the role after November?"

It was now mid-August. She was saying she wanted to push back the contract by nearly three months. Tilting his head, Director Yu Gil-tae asked back.

"The contract after November? Sounds like there's a particular reason."

"Yes. The truth is-"

Taking a moment to organize her thoughts, Yoon Da-yeon parted her lips.

"I might be switching agencies."

"Ah."

"My remaining contract runs until November, so if I sign on for the work now."

"It could get complicated."

"Yes, I don't want it getting tangled up. Of course, I might stay with my agency, but there's a good chance I'll move, so I wanted to ask in advance."

Yoon Da-yeon currently belonged to Leon. Signing the 'Mask of Murder' contract in this state and then switching agencies would be like keeping two households. If she was going to move anyway, she judged it was better to keep things clean. As if that were no problem at all, Director Yu Gil-tae laughed warmly.

"Understood, let's do it that way. We'll do the contract after November, and just to be safe, let's keep your casting confirmation between just us for now, Da-yeon-ssi."

"Thank you."

Contract aside, Yoon Da-yeon was confirmed for a role in Director Yu Gil-tae's work anyway. Haggling over her fee and the like could come later. The key point here was that the washed-up Yoon Da-yeon had proudly claimed a spot in a new work by a master director, the kind that top-tier actors were practically drooling over.

Naturally Yoon Da-yeon was setting off fireworks inside, and Director Yu Gil-tae, recalling Woo Jeong-cheol's drug case, opened his mouth.

"Mm, I had some noise recently too, but it's mostly been sorted out. Ah, you'll find out anyway, so I'll tell you in advance: our film is going with solo investment."

"S-solo investment??"

"That's right. Solo investment. This is still strictly confidential too, so keep it to yourself, Da-yeon-ssi. The investment firm is called 'MEG'- oh, you'd know them well, Da-yeon-ssi. You worked together on 'Condensation'."

Yoon Da-yeon was startled. And no wonder. She hadn't expected 'MEG' to come up here. And that 'MEG' was doing solo investment? Yoon Da-yeon was aware that after the short film 'Condensation', their activity had picked up, with things like 'House of the Daytime Moon'.

'But don't tell me they landed solo investment on a work by Yu Gil-tae, one of the country's masters??'

Seeing Yoon Da-yeon's mouth fall slightly open, Director Yu Gil-tae responded.

"Surprised? But I am too. Where on earth did such an extraordinary investment firm fall from."

"That startled me, solo investment. And solo investment on your work, no less, Director-nim."

"They're very peculiar, a type of investment firm I've never seen before, you could say? Didn't you sense it while working together on 'Condensation'?"

"Ah- I'm not sure. I didn't get to talk much with that investor's CEO-nim."

Yoon Da-yeon thought of Kang Jae-ha.

'That man talked with him a lot more than I did.'

Whatever the case, Director Yu Gil-tae wrapped up the conversation.

"Anyway, Da-yeon-ssi, make sure you keep your acting practice solid until we contact you again."

"...Yes, Director-nim."

Some time later, Yoon Da-yeon stepped out of the conference room. Having pressed the elevator button, her head full of thoughts of 'MEG', she immediately took out her phone.

She was looking through the many exclusive contract offers that had arrived over that time.

'There it is, 'MEG' Ent.'

Among them was 'MEG Entertainment' too. It had come recently. 'MEG', which had made the solo investment in Director Yu Gil-tae's new work. And 'MEG Ent'.

No matter how she looked at it, they seemed to be connected.

'But wasn't 'MEG' an investment firm that only just got started?? 'House of the Daytime Moon' surprised me too, but this thing with Director Yu Gil-tae-nim's work is really...... their growth is insanely fast.'

Arriving at the parking lot, she placed a call to someone. It was Kang Jae-ha.

'I should consult with him first.'

But Jae-ha didn't pick up. Thinking, what's going on? she climbed into the waiting van and asked General Manager Kim Dae-yong, seated in the passenger seat.

"Manager Kang's not picking up, is he busy right now??"

The portly General Manager Kim Dae-yong answered at once.

"Jae-ha-ssi? Well, he took a half-day off this morning. Must have something going on."

That something was his face changing, but neither of them had the faintest idea.

The next morning, the 20th, Gimpo Airport.

The arrival and departure halls were teeming with crowds. Some were leaving Korea and some were entering it. An airport swarming with Koreans, of course, and foreigners too.

Among them, people who had just gotten off an arriving plane came pouring out of the arrival hall.

Every one of them dragging a hefty suitcase.

One group among them caught the eye. It was a group of about five men and women, and from the sound of their conversation, they were speaking Japanese.

"Korea, it's really been a while since I've been here."

"Me too. I came a few years ago for the Blue Dragon Film Festival."

"This time it's not for tourism or anything like that, it's for material research for a work plus quite a few casting meetings, so let's get serious."

"Of course."

The one leading the Japanese group was a woman wearing glasses.

"First, we need to set up the schedule for the casting-related meetings-"

The very first name she brought up was that of a familiar rookie actress.

"Let's start by contacting An Ji-hee."

Calling over an interpreter staffer, the woman in glasses asked her colleague.

"You got An Ji-hee's manager's contact info, right?"

The personnel from the Japanese production company that had made An Ji-hee a casting offer.

"Contact that manager right away."

Had entered Korea.

*****

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