IJLMT 51

Chapter 51

A lament echoed through the CEO’s office at Valhalla Studios.

“Why is he going there and doing this?!”

This sentence held multiple meanings. ‘Doing this?’ meant, why was he showing a side of himself that was completely different—and far more mature—than what he’d shown before? And ‘going there?’ meant, why was he showing that side immediately after transferring to JM?

At Park Min-gyu’s words, Lee Seong-woo silently bowed his head. Both had just watched the performance video of Ahn Yeon-hong posted on YouTube.

The free portion showed roughly the first 15 minutes and the last 5 minutes where the <Chalk and Spear> OST was revealed. But that alone was enough to understand what had happened at the concert venue.

This wasn’t an ordinary concert. It left an impression as if one had watched a drama or a movie. A deep resonance lingered in the heart.

How could it not? Ahn Yeon-hong was a singer with a completely different image. The charismatic seven-time consecutive champion from Masked Singer King! A face that seemed naturally villainous, a confident attitude, and a smooth, humorous way of speaking.

He was recognized as the shameless neighborhood-brother type even when appearing on variety shows. Who would have thought Ahn Yeon-hong would tell a story like this?

• “Seven years ago, I was prescribed a medication called Quetiapine at the hospital. After I tried to jump from my apartment rooftop and was caught by the security guard.”
• “After failing to die, this is how I felt. ‘I’m almost thirty, haven’t accomplished anything, lying in my room… This can’t be the real me. The real me will reveal itself soon. And my fans all say they like my songs. Is something wrong with the public’s taste these days? My time will come someday.’ But you know, deep down? That it’s all excuses and escapism. That hideous reality is the real me. So….”

It was a twist right from the start. And from that intro, a story was born. It was a concert based on his second album, released quite a while ago, yet Ahn Yeon-hong as a person and his songs felt completely new. It probably wasn’t just Park Min-gyu and Lee Seong-woo who felt this way.

No, others likely felt it even more strongly. You could tell from the comments.

? I really never imagined… That Yeon-hong oppa had such thoughts.
? But you know what’s amazing? After hearing the background, I suddenly understood all the lyrics to Jamman-gyeong lolㅋㅋㅋㅋㅠㅠㅠㅠ I’m crying my eyes out and listening to all the songs on repeat.
? The reason I couldn’t understand before was probably because I didn’t think Ahn Yeon-hong could be like that….
? I feel compelled to watch everything again one by one… So when he was wandering around as a ‘wireless traveler’ begging, was he on medication then too? And he talked about it on TV with a smile?
? I went to the concert. It was legendary. Several people, including me, were sobbing until the very end.
? So Yeon-hong oppa was human too….
? Why why why? I’ve been unemployed for a year now, but after watching this video, I feel strangely restless and can’t sit still.
? ㄹㅇ? I feel the same. I quit my job half a year ago.

The video already had over 10 million views. And the comments were endless. They kept scrolling further with every refresh. The highlight was how the story came together at the very end of the concert, with the release of the <Chalk and Spear> OST.

• Look at me. I’m no longer a loud, empty can. Even if I’m dented and crushed, I’ve been pressed down firmly and become solid iron.
• Stab me. Collide with me. All that will happen is that you, who are hollow, will bounce away.

Unlike Ahn Yeon-hong’s previous songs, the lyrics were catchy and easy to understand. Nothing was obscure. They evoked images of Ahn Yeon-hong’s life and simultaneously brought to mind the revealed setting of <Chalk and Spear>… On-yu, the protagonist who has honed his anger and gained an iron-like heart….

But was that all? The song also gave listeners something akin to enlightenment. No, it truly seemed like Ahn Yeon-hong had gained some enlightenment and written it.

Isn’t that so? How many resumes of new employees had Min-gyu seen while running an entertainment company? They were all empty cans. All flash, no substance.

But actually, the problem isn’t the lack of substance and being flashy. How can anyone be filled to the brim from the start? It’s natural for everyone to start empty and flashy. The problem is not acknowledging that fact.

People who can’t admit they are empty cans live their whole lives as just loud, empty cans. Because they refuse to fill their insides. Because they always insist they already have something inside.

In Min-gyu’s experience, the people who achieve something are those who admit early on that they are empty cans. Those who get dented, crushed, fill their insides, and become iron.

Right. Only those who admit they are empty cans can become iron.

The enlightenment Park Min-gyu gained over 50+ years of life had now been expressed in a song by Ahn Yeon-hong, who was just entering his mid-thirties. It was moving enough that Min-gyu was touched listening to it.

How nice would it have been if he were just a pure listener, not the CEO of a competitor?

“This has become a headache.”
“…Wouldn’t it be good for us to pre-release the OST for <Thieves of the Heart> as well? We also invested a lot in our OST, right?”
“No. It would look like a babbler trying to follow a stork. Do you have any idea how we should market our OST from now on to catch up with this effect?”
“Nothing comes to mind immediately….”
“Right now, Mr. Ahn Yeon-hong has poured his entire life into the <Chalk and Spear> OST. If we try to follow carelessly, the public will see it as not understanding that weight and label us as third-rate. Instead, we shouldn’t even try to push our OST. We need to market elsewhere entirely. Understood?”
“Very wise words.”

It wasn’t over yet. You don’t know the outcome until you dig in. How many twists are there in this industry?

“Mr. Ahn Yeon-hong said it, right? That someone gave him courage. That he wrote this song thinking of that person.”
“Yes. That is….”
“Alright. I know without you saying.”

Manager Lee scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Min-gyu had already looked up the articles. Actually, he had guessed even before looking.

[ The legendary Ahn Yeon-hong, who exactly is the ‘person who gave him courage’? ]

• Formerly of Ladolami Entertainment, Ahn Yeon-hong revealed on the 8th during his concert that there was a person who inspired the <Chalk and Spear> OST ‘Iron’. There is much speculation about who this person is, with the prevailing theory pointing to Mr. Yoo Hyeon-jae, team leader of JM Entertainment’s Management Team. Manager Yoo Hyeon-jae, three months ago-

? Yoo Hyeon-jae again?
? At this point, I’m really curious about what kind of person Yoo Hyeon-jae is…. When I saw him on variety, he just seemed kind and sincere, but what does he do? How does everyone linked with him start flying?
? Couldn’t he do something like ‘Yoo Hyeon-jae’s Consultation Room’? I really want to know what kind of things he says.

The sentiment in the article comments matched Park Min-gyu’s feelings.

“Manager Lee. What do you think Team Leader Yoo Hyeon-jae did to Mr. Ahn Yeon-hong?”
“…According to Ms. Lee Eun-sang, she saw Mr. Yeon-hong approaching Team Leader Yoo Hyeon-jae during the workshop. And then they talked.”
“What kind of conversation could lead to Mr. Ahn Yeon-hong talking about his difficult times and producing a song like ‘Iron’? Think about it yourself. You talked a lot with him during the scouting call. What could you say to make Mr. Ahn Yeon-hong turn out like that?”
“That is….”

Manager Lee pondered for a long time, then shook his head.

“I don’t know.”
“Right? Me neither.”

Park Min-gyu felt frustrated. Why did Yoo Hyeon-jae have to be at JM? If only Yoo Hyeon-jae were at Valhalla, they would have dominated the industry long ago!

‘No, forget the past quickly.’

Park Min-gyu asked Manager Lee again.

“Do you think our advantage in capital strength has been surpassed by Team Leader Yoo Hyeon-jae’s ability to create variables?”
“That is… there’s no basis to think so. No matter what, Team Leader Yoo Hyeon-jae is just one person. As you said before, when interest in this OST wanes, <Thieves of the Heart> is predicted to rise to the top again. We also have an event with the original author scheduled for next week.”
“Right? But… we need to deeply understand how Yoo Hyeon-jae operates. Get some information from Lee Eun-sang. How Yoo Hyeon-jae treated people.”
“Understood.”

Both Park Min-gyu and Lee Seong-woo wondered if they had misjudged the scale of the danger named Yoo Hyeon-jae. It felt insanely huge. But they didn’t voice it. Because, as of now, there wasn’t enough data to say that. Valhalla’s business wasn’t failing, and it was ambiguous to say their marketing was falling behind….

Suppressing the unease that had settled in a corner of their hearts, the two got up and left.

In the midst of this, the National Rights and Interests Commission’s promotional video was released.

Current time, 7 PM.

‘It’s time.’

Seon-woo was watching a government YouTube channel. He’d heard from JM. The public service advertisement for the National Rights and Interests Commission, for which Yoo Hyeon-jae had designed the concept, was to be released today at 7 PM.

It seemed he was the only one at the company paying attention to this. Understandable. When have PSAs ever been a topic? It has happened, but only a few times. These days, many ads try to be friendly by forcing trendy phrases or dancing randomly, and frankly, they all look stupid. Of course, they don’t resonate with the public.

So everyone thinks, ‘PSA release? What’s that? If it somehow becomes a topic on VTubing or YouTube, I’ll watch it then.’

But Seon-woo had a feeling this time would be different. Because it was an ad ‘for which Yoo Hyeon-jae designed the concept’.

It seemed the world wasn’t as sensitive to the name Yoo Hyeon-jae as Seon-woo was yet. If the name Yoo Hyeon-jae is attached, you should pay attention. Should they educate new hires about this?

‘But they’ll slowly catch on, right? After Ahn Yeon-hong’s mention and if this ad hits big too.’

Seon-woo’s heart beat inexplicably fast. It felt like knowing the identity of Axxx-man alone? A feeling of wanting everyone to know how amazing that person is, yet frustrated because they don’t?

Thinking that, Seon-woo pressed the play button.

• “Hic… Hic-hic….”

On the TV screen, Lee Joo-ah was crying. The word ‘delicate’ seemed to exist just for her. Just having her fill the screen was a visual delight. You immediately became interested in why she was crying. But…

The doorbell rang, and Lee Joo-ah wiped her tears. She put on a fake smile. Then, Hyeon-jae entered.

• “Oppa, remember in college? When the bus wasn’t coming and everyone crossed the crosswalk, but you just stood there? Saying, ‘It’s a red light.’”
• “You were so cool back then.”

Then, Yoo Hyeon-jae’s face contorts.

• “…Was I?”

Seon-woo thought.

‘Wow? Team Leader Yoo acts well too? They say smart people are good at everything.’

• “Oppa, I love you. You know that, right?”

Hearing that, Hyeon-jae’s expression on screen stiffened. Seon-woo also felt his breath catch. That line would have been hard to convey the intent if it weren’t Lee Joo-ah. But because it was Lee Joo-ah, it was conveyed breathtakingly.

Are you still that cool person? No? Are you hiding something from me? Even so, I’ll love you, but I’ll be utterly miserable. Is that still okay with you?

‘Ah, Team Leader Yoo…. Truly, the more you dig, the deeper it gets.’

Seon-woo couldn’t help but laugh.

Seon-woo had once interviewed a psychology professor. The topic was ‘How to make people obey no-smoking zones?’ The professor said back then.

• Saying ‘Absolutely no smoking! Don’t smoke!’ is useless. It makes you want to smoke more. A rebellious feeling of ‘Who are you to tell me to smoke or not?’
• You know what? Writing ‘People who smoke here are fools’ is more effective than a no-smoking sign. Smoking in front of it makes you look like a real fool…. In short. People care more about whether something is cool or lame than whether it’s right or wrong. Everyone denies it verbally, but in reality, that’s how it is.
• For example. Even without being told, most people hold in farts in front of others, right? Especially in front of attractive members of the opposite sex. They avoid looking uncool. People smoke in no-smoking zones because smoking doesn’t look as uncool as farting.
• To make someone not do something, you shouldn’t tell them not to do it, but make it look uncool.

It was a bit vague when he heard it, but watching this ad now, he understood. The ensuing video continued to persuade with this content. The act of committing corruption, it’s really ugly and pathetic. It’s not smart at all, it’s stupid. Even a charming, trustworthy woman like Lee Joo-ah would leave.

It even made one wonder. ‘Do the government officials who commissioned this really have this level of awareness? Did all of this come from Team Leader Yoo’s head?’

Sure enough, a comment similar to Seon-woo’s thoughts was posted.

? The video is really good… but do the people who ordered this really think this way? Isn’t the scriptwriter the one with the better mindset?

But there were even more comments about Lee Joo-ah.

? Huh, the video’s already over?
? Is there no more content? I want to see more of Lee Joo-ah.
? Wow, Lee Joo-ah is really pretty.
? If I had a wife like that, damn, I’d just go home.

‘That’s it. The aim.’

Seon-woo nodded. People who watch this video develop a thirst. A thirst to see more of Lee Joo-ah!

Moreover, Lee Joo-ah’s image in the video overlapped significantly with Yoo-jeong from <Chalk and Spear>. Here, she’s a virtuous wife; there, a fallen villain. Yet, the image of swaying with a wretched heart while carrying through her love for her family overlapped intriguingly.

The only movie Lee Joo-ah is currently promoting is <Chalk and Spear>. So what happens?

‘After watching the PSA, you want to watch <Chalk and Spear>…. How typical.’

Perfect. A plan leaving nothing out. As expected of Yoo Hyeon-jae.

Seon-woo started typing while watching the video again.

[ The charm of Lee Joo-ah, exploding even in a public service ad. How is she in <Chalk and Spear>? ]

Buzz
Buzz
Buzz

“Hello.”

On the day of the trailer release, I had dozed off in my parked car.

[ Yoo, Team Leader Yoo. Have you seen it? The trailer response! ]

The caller was Shin Dong-jae, the representative and director of Gigi Studio.

“I’ll check now. What’s going on?”

He spoke in an excited voice.

[ It’s… it’s a much bigger hit than we thought. The level of interest is disproportionate to the marketing scale. The playing field has gotten too big… What, um, what do we do? ]

Ah, come to think of it, Shin Dong-jae has never experienced a hit. I already knew things would grow to this scale, so I wasn’t particularly surprised. In fact, it’s just the beginning now.

“What do we do? Just keep filming diligently as you have been.”
[ Where are you now? My heart is pounding… I’d like to meet briefly if possible. ]
“I’m sorry. I’m in Japan right now.”
[ Huh? Japan? Team Leader Yoo wouldn’t be on a trip…. ]
“Yes. I’ll explain later.”

After hanging up, the conversation I had with Nari came to mind.

• What’s your level? President Kim Seok-gu, who didn’t even glance at VTS, watched your entire performance. VTS filled Gocheok Dome. Won’t you fill it someday too?
• …Someday. Well, maybe in the distant future.
• Really? From what I see, it seems possible within 1-2 years. You’ll go to Nippon Budokan in Japan. And then….

‘I told you. It won’t be the distant future.’