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Chapter 286: Destiny (3)

In the world of drama production, the most crucial element was securing a broadcasting slot. Production companies sought funding and top stars mainly to secure this very slot. Without a confirmed air date, even the best writer, synopsis, and lead actors were worthless.

This was why the broadcasting stations held all the power.

But Choi Sang-Byung was offering us full production funding and a guaranteed slot.

"Thank you, Mr. Choi!" I exclaimed with joy.

I was so taken aback by the unexpected proposal that I instinctively bowed deeply. Even Kang Gam-Chan looked surprised.

Our company was suddenly being thrust into the role of a production company.

Kang Gam-Chan said, "This is an incredibly generous gift, Mr. Choi."

"It\'s nothing. I have to at least do this much. Thanks to you, we managed to avert a major disaster. The board might have been talking about removing me if things had gone wrong," replied Choi Sang-Byung.

Then he turned to me again. "Oh, by the way. Did I mention the payment was 100 million won?"

I nodded. "Yes, the CP already informed me."

"Rest assured. No matter what project you choose, the payment will remain unchanged."

Typically, the actors\' pay varied depending on the drama they chose. However, Choi Sang-Byung was promising Yoo-Jin a solid 100 million won regardless of the drama chosen.

For the first time, MBS was acknowledging Yoo-Jin as an S-class star ahead of other networks.

With this level of support, I couldn\'t sit idly by.

I made a firm resolve. \'I\'ll make sure President Choi thinks he made the right choice.\'

Thanks to Choi Sang-Byung\'s bold move, Writer Han Woo-Ju\'s Hwaranjeon was now slated to air on MBS.

***

As soon as we stepped out of the president\'s office, a swarm of MBS producers who had been waiting rushed over.

"Hey! Miss Yoo-Jin\'s next project will be with us, right?"

"We\'ve got a great script. How about we take a look together?"

"Any chance Miss Yoo-Jin would consider a morning show? She\'s got a surprising number of housewife fans."

"Skip those lame morning shows! Miss Yoo-Jin is worth more than that for sure. Team Lead Jung, pick any weekend variety slot—Friday, Saturday, Sunday—you name it and I\'ll make it happen!"

Proposals flooded in from every department—news, variety, drama—each begging to feature Yoo-Jin.

It was fortunate that Kang Gam-Chan was with me. Otherwise, I might have been stuck here all day.

Drenched in sweat, we finally made our way through the crowd and down to the parking lot. Even Kang Gam-Chan\'s forehead was beaded with sweat. "It\'s been a long time since I\'ve felt this way."

In just the past day or two, Yoo-Jin had risen to the pinnacle of Korean actors. All the attention and proposals was exhausting, but the smiles on both our faces were undeniable.

Kang Gam-Chan turned to look at me. "Yoon-Ho. From now on, it\'s all about endurance. You know that, right?"

"Yes, sir."

Once an actress\' popularity rose, it would take effort to maintain it. Climbing to the top was definitely challenging, but staying there and fighting the competitors would be even harder.

"For the time being, take all the resources the company can offer. I\'ll back you up on everything. This is going to be a valuable experience for you," said Kang Gam-Chan.

Kang Gam-Chan surely knew how to give wings to a rising star.

"Thank you, Mr. Kang!" I responded with a big grin.

Kang Gam-Chan smiled warmly. "By the way, are you prepared for the next project?"

"Yes, sir. I\'ve been keeping an eye on a certain writer."

I briefly mentioned Writer Han Woo-Ju, who wrote Hwaranjeon in my past life. Although she lacked experience, her writing had a unique charm. I also explained the rough plot of Hwaranjeon, which was probably still just a concept at this stage.

Kang Gam-Chan tilted his head. "The Silla dynasty? That\'s not exactly mainstream. Has the script been completed?"

"It\'s still at the synopsis stage. I\'ll share it with you once I meet with the writer and if negotiations go well."

Han Woo-Ju was currently an assistant writer for the renowned Writer Yoo Sun-Jung. Before finalizing the project, I needed to consider how to protect Han Woo-Ju from any potential copyright claims by Yoo Sun-Jung.

Kang Gam-Chan nodded and said that he trusted me.

"It\'s fortunate you\'ve already chosen a project, but... it\'s very rare to receive this level of authority without any budget constraints. Don\'t put all your eggs in one basket. Prepare a few backup options just in case."

"Yes, I\'ve already prepared two alternatives. I\'ll organize them and report back soon."

Although I had two other scripts ready in case we couldn\'t move forward with Hwaranjeon, I was determined to make Hwaranjeon happen no matter what. After all, the other two projects had projected viewership ratings that were 7% and 9% lower than Hwaranjeon in my past life.

Satisfied with my proactive response, Kang Gam-Chan patted me on the shoulder with a pleased expression.

***

At Sushi-Ryo, a Japanese restaurant in Myeong-dong, four shareholders of Hoop Entertainment gathered for their monthly meeting at their regular spot.

However, today they had a guest: a middle-aged man making various proposals in awkward Korean.

He was Tanaka, the president of Hoop Entertainment\'s Japanese partner, Aris Production.

Tanaka had surprisingly proposed changing the previous profit-sharing ratio from 8:2 in favor of Japan to an even 5:5 split. It was unusual for him to offer a less favorable deal, but there was a reason for this.

He had recently learned that a prominent Korean politician, Park Sang-Gon, was set to make one of the partners, Choi Man-Sik, his son-in-law.

Completely unaware of this fact, Choi Eun-Tae tilted his head in confusion.

Aris Production had never been one to make concessions and relied on the size of the Japanese market to dominate negotiations.

"President Tanaka, why are you making such a favorable offer to us?" Choi Eun-Tae asked.

Tanaka responded in his stilted Korean. "We are well aware of Hoop Entertainment\'s rapid growth. Our parent company has instructed us to strengthen our relationship with Hoop Entertainment as they believe it will soon become Korea\'s number one. Additionally..."

"Additionally?"

After a brief pause, Tanaka continued, "Mr. Yamamoto, the president of our parent company, was persuaded by Mr. Choi Man-Sik who invited me here."

Choi Eun-Tae asked in a low voice, "Is that the only condition? Do we need to meet any other requirements?"

Tanaka shook his head. "There\'s none."

Choi Eun-Tae tried to process this new development and organize his thoughts.

Just a few days ago, Kang Gam-Chan had reported that they were considering switching to a different Japanese partner. Remarkably, Kang Gam-Chan and Kang Ji-Yung had managed to secure a 5:5 deal with the new candidate.

However, Choi Man-Sik—Choi Eun-Tae\'s rival and adopted son—had brought in the same offer from Aris Production at this critical time. On top of that, Aris Production had made separate proposals to the other shareholders who were now all siding with Choi Man-Sik.

\'What impeccable timing!\' Choi Eun-Tae thought to himself.

Lee Sang-Pil of LSP Inc. licked his lips in anticipation and asked, "I need the image rights for Japanese celebrities. Do you think that\'s possible?"

Lee Sang-Pil, a businessman who sold cosmetics and clothing in Japan through LSP Inc., had been struggling to secure image rights for Japanese celebrities.

Tanaka grinned. "Of course. I will personally ensure that happens."

Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Park Hyung-Moon, the President of True Angels, also jumped into the conversation. "Th-then could you also help with financial investments? I heard you have many connections in the financial sector."

Tanaka nodded. "Sure thing, Mr. Park."

The eyes of the three directors excluding Choi Eun-Tae gleamed with greed.

Choi Eun-Tae couldn\'t help but be impressed by Choi Man-Sik\'s swift maneuvering. Choi Man-Sik had managed to accomplish what even Choi Eun-Tae hadn\'t been able to.

"And what do you think, Mr. Choi?"

The four men including Choi Man-Sik stared at Choi Eun-Tae with expectant eyes and straightened their backs.

When Choi Eun-Tae observed their arrogant gazes, he contemplated using every resource at his disposal to crush the men before him. Even though he was an old tiger, he still had enough strength left to go for their throats.

However, the lingering attachment to his son in the corner of his heart cooled his anger. If his son was out there somewhere, he had to endure this for his sake.

After a brief silence, Choi Eun-Tae finally spoke. "Man-Sik has done something remarkable."

With Choi Eun-Tae\'s approval, a triumphant smile briefly crossed Choi Man-Sik\'s lips as he spoke. "In that case, I\'ll immediately revise the contract terms."

Choi Eun-Tae nodded. "Good. Make sure to inform President Kang."

"I was planning to visit him with President Tanaka anyway."

With the conversation concluded, Choi Eun-Tae asked Tanaka to step outside for a moment. Tanaka agreed to wait in the car and left the room.

Once it was just the four of them left in the room, the others praised Choi Man-Sik with excited expressions while Choi Man-Sik modestly deflected the compliments.

"It wasn\'t all me. Chief Kim Dong-Soo from Hoop Entertainment played a significant role in this."

Although Choi Man-Sik was the one who orchestrated everything, he attributed the success to Kim Dong-Soo in the attempt to elevate him because if things were to continue this way, Kim Dong-Soo\'s position within Hoop Entertainment could be at risk.

Lee Sang-Pil and Park Hyung-Moon laughed heartily.

"Ha ha ha, I thought Dong-Soo was being overshadowed by that guy Jung Yoon-Ho, but it seems he still has some tricks up his sleeve."

"I knew he was focused on international relations, but I didn\'t expect him to pull off something this big."

Lee Sang-Pil and Park Hyung-Moon showered Kim Dong-Soo with praise, almost as if they wanted Choi Eun-Tae to hear it.

Suppressing his rising anger to the three who were deceiving him, Choi Eun-Tae begrudgingly joined in their praise.

When the talk about Kim Dong-Soo finally subsided, Choi Eun-Tae cleared his throat and spoke up. "Ahem. By the way, President Kang recently asked me to determine the bonus amount for Jung Yoon-Ho who made significant contributions."

Choi Man-Sik furrowed his brow slightly. "Do we really need to be the ones to discuss team lead level bonuses? Shouldn\'t we leave that to President Kang?"

"He\'s considering paying a bonus of about 300 million won."

The three men\'s faces twisted in disapproval in an instant.

"What? 300 million won just as a bonus?"

"Has President Kang finally lost his mind?"

In reality, Kang Gam-Chan had only requested a 100 million won bonus. However, Choi Eun-Tae was intent on pushing it to 300 million. With the Japanese partnership secured as of today\'s meeting, the balance of power could shift toward Kim Dong-Soo significantly as the Japanese market\'s profits were several times larger than Korea\'s.

To counterbalance this potential shift and prevent Hoop Entertainment from falling entirely into Choi Man-Sik\'s hands, Choi Eun-Tae had to put some weight on Kang Gam-Chan\'s side by insisting on the 300 million won bonus.

Of course, part of his decision was influenced by the lingering thought that Jung Yoon-Ho might be his son.

Despite some resistance regarding Jung Yoon-Ho\'s bonus, Choi Eun-Tae ultimately had his way as the largest shareholder of Hoop Entertainment.

He had already given something up, so he made sure to gain something in return.

Moreover, the argument that the Japanese partner\'s submissive stance was due to Jung Yoon-Ho\'s achievements also worked in his favor. However, Choi Eun-Tae gritted his teeth in frustration seeing the other three oppose even minor issues.

\'Just wait and see, you bastards...\' Choi Eun-Tae cursed inwardly.

The three men Choi Eun-Tae had once nurtured were now circling him like wolves, waiting to pounce on him.

Choi Man-Sik\'s rapid rise fueled by his alliance with politician Park Sang-Gon had even swayed two of Choi Eun-Tae\'s closest allies to his side.

Nevertheless, a tiger never loses its stripes. The three men didn\'t realize that whatever power Choi Eun-Tae held that was visible to them was merely the tip of the iceberg.

***

After returning home, I took a shower and went downstairs. Upon seeing me, Miso ran up to me and climbed onto my lap. "Uncle Yoon-Ho! Uncle Yoon-Ho! Everyone in Korea is a fan of Mom!"

I was confused at first, but then Miso pointed to an article on a website.

[Jung Yoo-Jin\'s Charm Captivates Korea! (By Jang Moon-Ki)]

-The Nation\'s Actress, Jung Yoo-Jin! The Best Actress in Korea, Who Showed Shocking Acting Skills. How Far Can Her Transformation Go? Watching Her Change Day by Day, My Heart Swells with Pride!

(Comments)

-Neighborhood Big Heart: LOL. The reporter is funny. Anyway, I\'m a Jung Yoo-Jin fan from today!

-Free Consulting: After watching her this morning, even my mom and grandma became Jung Yoo-Jin fans too! They want to buy everything she advertises, haha.

-Basement Warrior: Is there an official fan club yet?

-Tteokbokki Bread Lover: I\'ve never stanned anyone before, but when\'s the next fan meeting?

-Shepherd Boy: My mom still doesn\'t believe it. When I said Jung Yoo-Jin is Manshin Wol-Ah, she slapped my back for talking nonsense.

Most of the comments praised Yoo-Jin\'s acting.

Seeing Miso\'s excitement, I smiled warmly and responded, "Ah, I see. But I already knew that~"

"He he! I knew it. Even my kindergarten teacher said she\'s a fan of Mom..."

Before meeting me, Miso thought everyone disliked her mother. Regardless of the circumstances, it was common for a young woman raising a child alone to face gossip.

-Mom is having a hard time because of me.

Yoo-Jin also struggled, thinking that Miso was unhappy because of her shortcomings as a mother.

-If I were better, Miso wouldn\'t cry so often. If only my sister and brother-in-law were still alive, this wouldn\'t be happening.

But now, I couldn\'t find a trace of that darkness in either of them. Over the past two days, there wasn\'t a single person in Korea who didn\'t know about Yoo-Jin and Miso.

Looking into Miso\'s joyful eyes, I asked her, "Are you happy, Miso?"

Miso beamed with her eyes forming crescent moons as she shouted, "Yes! I\'m the happiest girl in the world~!"

Hearing her answer made my heart swell. I realized that while I had saved Miso and Yoo-Jin after traveling back in time, it felt like I was the one who had truly been saved.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I turned my gaze to the TV and said, "Miso, should we watch some drama now?"

"Okay~!"

As soon as Miso answered, the 10th episode of In the Name of God began airing on TV.

One hour later, as expected, Kim Sung-Woon called to report the viewership ratings.

-Mr. Jung~ It\'s a huge hit! A massive success!"