IJLMT 60

Chapter 60

KBC’s entertainment division chief, Seo Min-seok, sat on his living room sofa, watching the broadcast of Singer is a Singer’s finale stage and thinking.

‘Ah, shit. What kind of massive shit did Na Seok-hoon drop and just leave behind?’

He knew the guy was a bit lacking in sense, but he never imagined he could be this clueless. If you’re going to commit fraud, you should do it right. What’s the point of getting caught so pathetically? And of all people, to get caught by Yoo Hyeon-jae?

And what was the result of all that? 460 to 40? You’d get cursed at even if you wrote a novel with a score like that.

“Dad, can you get me an autograph from Lim Yoo-joo? You’re the division chief, right? That stage was insane…”
“What’s so insane? Go study.”

Min-seok flatly rejected his high school son’s request. Why was he surrounded by such tactless people?

‘Still, considering everything, we didn’t suffer any major losses. Right?’

There had been an incident where everyone involved ended up ruined due to vote manipulation in a competition program. They had predetermined the results and manipulated votes, using innocent trainees as promotional stepping stones to promote an idol unit they planned to debut anyway.

Because of that, the public harbored deep doubts about the transparency and fairness of the entertainment industry. So what would happen if this current incident was reported?

They desperately stepped in and managed to get it hushed up quietly. They succeeded in persuading the people involved who were on-site. Persuading the JM people was key. If the victims themselves want to let it go quietly, who can say anything? Lee Hyeong-yeop also seemed very dissatisfied, but he said he would respect Yoo Hyeon-jae’s decision.

‘That bastard Yoo Hyeon-jae knows where to draw the line.’

He’s a smart one. Think about it. From JM’s perspective, they didn’t really lose anything, did they? Lim Yoo-joo won by an overwhelming score and took the trophy. JM took the rights to produce and sell the album using the fraudulent votes as leverage. What more could you want?

If they fight any further here, it’ll only leave a bad taste. To survive long in this business, you have to know when to back off without making anyone lose face.

Na Seok-hoon got criminally charged, but what can you do? That’s his own fault.

It was while he was having those thoughts.

“Dear, dear. They’re reporting something like that again. It’s so dirty.”

His wife spoke. The news screen was filled with men holding blue boxes.

‘Huh? Hanwoon Ilbo?’

Min-seok gulped. An instinctive feeling was telling him. Something felt off right now.

• “Breaking news. The prosecution has conducted a surprise search and seizure at the Hanwoon Ilbo headquarters.”

The news screen displayed the following graphic:

Hanwoon Media Group <- Saro-dob-neun-sesang Corp. <- Paper Company A <- Japanese Conglomerate X

• “Hanwoon Ilbo has received investments from Saro-dob-neun-sesang Corp. over the past 10 years. It has been revealed that this was part of a process to launder funds received from a major Japanese corporation. According to Korean law promoting newspapers, etc., media companies cannot receive investments that risk compromising journalistic fairness. Hanwoon Ilbo violated this by receiving long-term investment from a Japanese company.”

If they received direct investment from the paper company, it would be suspicious. So they inserted a lesser-known domestic company in the middle, creating a four-step process to receive the investment.

• “This was exposed by Baekje Ilbo, which reported the full story of the Failmen Gate. By tracking the fund flow of ‘Saro-dob-neun-sesang,’ they identified the existence of the paper company. The identity of Japanese Conglomerate X is also expected to be revealed soon.”

Failmen Gate and Baekje Ilbo. The moment he heard those names, the sense of foreboding grew even stronger. Baekje Ilbo… he heard they’re connected to Yoo Hyeon-jae. Surely not…

Buzz
Buzz
Buzz

His phone vibrated like crazy. Glancing at the screen, he saw frantic messages.

• Chief, something huge just happened.
• Did you see Noutube? That bastard Na PD is spilling everything.
• It’s the same as Hanwoon. The prosecution is searching our offices right now.

‘What? Spilling everything?’

He didn’t have the leisure to check Noutube. Because, as if perfectly timed, the news screen changed.

[ “Time for Issue Analysis. Singer is a Singer Season 2 ended with singer Lim Yoo-joo seizing the trophy by an overwhelming vote difference. However, the process seems not to have been entirely smooth. Let’s look at the footage.” ]

The screen started from the moment Yoo Hyeon-jae kicked the ballot box with his foot. The vote count that appeared afterwards was 270:230, Lee Hyeong-yeop’s victory.

• “Just once… can’t you let it go just this once? The situation is complicated. There are many people who don’t like the two of you winning.”
• “Who are they?”
• “People above…”
• “Honestly, how many people are angry at you two right now? Many programs closed due to Failmen Gate, agencies had their main stars sent to prison… Who would look favorably on you taking the trophy here? Even Hanwoon Ilbo is in deep trouble…”

‘Uh…’

For a moment, Min-seok felt his hair stand on end. Were they going to air this on broadcast like this? Without any filtering at all?

At that moment, Na Seok-hoon appeared on the footage. He was giving an interview with his head deeply bowed.

• “Our entertainment division chief told me. To manipulate the ballot box if necessary. I won’t deny my fault in carrying it out. But the atmosphere was like that. They said if they were going to promote Lim Yoo-joo and Yoo Hyeon-jae, they should quit after taking their clothes off.”
• “There were many problems during the competition. While the contestants were competing in good faith, there were people with vested interests in who wins and loses. Especially after it was revealed that Oh Ji-hoon was deeply involved in Failmen Gate, there was a lot of talk internally. Isn’t Mr. Oh Ji-hoon the nephew of the foundation chairman? Among the higher-ups, it was openly said that Yoo Hyeon-jae and Lim Yoo-joo were the enemy…”

[ “Following the Produce 404 vote manipulation incident, we are once again hearing a shocking story. It appears the specter of the Failmen Gate was haunting the legendary singers’ competition Singer is a Singer.” ]

“Who are you calling a specter!”
“Honey.”

His wife was looking at Min-seok with a blank face.

“That person they called ‘Chief’ just now… that’s not you, is it? Entertainment division chief… there’s someone else besides you, right?”
“Dad?”

Min-seok was momentarily stunned and dazed, then quickly waved his hands.

“No. That’s all lies. It’s defamation! What era is this, trying to manipulate public opinion with such lies?”

But on the news, testimony from other staff members was flowing.

• I heard it clearly. It wasn’t said as a joke, it was a real threat to manipulate or else. It was coercion. It was always like that.

‘Isn’t that PD Shin Yoo-na? What nerve does she have to say that? I’ll deal with her first thing tomorrow when she comes to work…’

A sudden thought struck him. Now that he thought about it, didn’t they just say on the chat app? That the prosecution was searching the office? If they’re conducting a search and seizure, it means a warrant was issued, and if a warrant was issued, it means there’s reasonable evidence… surely not…

[ “Additionally, circumstances of systematic embezzlement and breach of trust involving the KBC chairman have been uncovered…. ]

Just then, the doorbell rang.

“Police. Is Seo Min-seok inside?”

‘How? Who?’

His family looked at him with extremely anxious faces. On the TV screen, a new fact was being reported.

[ Japanese Conglomerate SERF made indirect capital investment in Hanwoon Ilbo ]

[ Yoo Hyeon-jae, manager! How can you do this? We gave you the album production and sales rights as payment for letting it go quietly, didn’t we?! ]

A shout came from the other end of the phone. It was the voice of Seo Min-seok, KBC’s entertainment division chief.

‘Well, I never. What on earth did he do right to be this angry?’

I’ve lived my life not getting angry much. I thought it was because I wasn’t a hot-tempered person by nature, but that wasn’t it. It was because I was always in a position where I had to yield. I was always at the bottom of the hierarchy everywhere, and the people who made me angry always held far greater power than me.

I was actually always seething with anger. But it’s strange. Why am I not angry now?

“When did we ever say that was the price for letting it go quietly? Receiving the album production and sales rights was the price for not filing a civil lawsuit. Who said we were letting the vote manipulation, your embezzlement, and breach of trust slide?”
[ Embezzlement, breach of trust… Did you do that too? How did you even know… ]
“Let’s speak clearly. What do you mean ‘you did that’? You’re the one who did something worth calling ‘that,’ I just showed it to others.”
[ What makes you so confident? Do you think the entertainment industry is under your feet just because you’re doing well? No, you’re going to get into big trouble if you keep this up. You know? ]
“You should worry about who’s getting into big trouble while watching from jail. Just worry about yourself.”
[ You son of a…! ]

Click.

Far from being angry, I felt like laughing. I was delighted. Excited. So this is how good it feels when you can say everything you want without worrying about repercussions? If it weren’t for Mr. Yang, I might never have felt this way.

“Please come in.”

As I entered the studio, everyone welcomed me. Among them, the one who welcomed me most warmly was reporter Jeong Seon-woo.

That’s right, I was now at the Baekje TV news studio.

“Thanks to you, Director Yoo, I feel like I drank a whole bucket of cider (satisfaction). Now I might even burp. Hehehe…”
“Thanks to the ginseng Reporter Jeong gave me, I’m also overflowing with energy these days to the point I can’t control myself.”
“Oh my, then did you cause a typhoon with that ginseng energy? I should make sure to give you ginseng regularly then? So you can turn Korea upside down.”

Exchanging such banter, I sat in the studio chair. It was the kind of seat politicians sit in during 100-minute debates.

“Public opinion is boiling over the fraudulent voting in the Singer is a Singer finale and the interest groups involved. Manager Yoo Hyeon-jae, who holds the position of director at JM Entertainment, what are your thoughts on the situation?”

I spoke.

“It is a crime that deceived the contestants and the public. I believe all involved should be severely punished. Furthermore, the arrogant individuals who think they can control the futures of trainees or the public’s reactions should be swiftly ousted from the industry.”

As I spoke, Seo Min-seok’s words came to mind.

• What makes you so confident? Do you think the entertainment industry is under your feet just because you’re doing well? No, you’re going to get into big trouble if you keep this up. You know?

I am not a reckless person. I’m not the type to charge forward without a solid backing. Of course, I have that backing, that’s why I can do this.

Soon, the reporter passed the mic to the panelist who had come out with me.

“I strongly agree with Director Yoo Hyeon-jae’s words, and at the same time, feel deep anger and responsibility.”

During this time, Yang-pa (Onion) had built a strong foundation for me. Money, position, and connections.

“As the chairman of the National Public Interest Commission and a close confidant of the President, I plan to conduct a full investigation into cartels and corrupt practices existing in the entertainment industry and all connected fields.”

Right now, Kim Cheol-woon was with me on Baekje TV. In terms of position, he is at the ministerial level, Kim Cheol-woon, known as President Kim Seok-gu’s sharp sword.

He had told me to contact him anytime after filming the public service announcement. I contacted him because I needed him, and he really came.

“Simultaneously, we plan to thoroughly monitor to ensure that sincere whistleblowers and victims, including Lim Yoo-joo and Yoo Hyeon-jae, do not suffer even the smallest harm. Not just me and the National Public Interest Commission, but the entire administrative system of this country!”

A firm voice echoed through the studio.

Park Min-gyu, the CEO of Valhalla Studio, was checking the articles with a dazed expression.

[ Shocking! The Largest Fraud Since Produce 404 ]
[ The Korean Entertainment Industry, Is This Okay? Chairman Kim Cheol-woon: “We Will Uphold Zero Tolerance” ]
[ Lee Hyeong-yeop: “An Honest Defeat is Better Than a False Victory. Felt Deeply Insulted by Production Staff After Confirming Fraudulent Ballot Box” ]

They were all related to Yoo Hyeon-jae, Lim Yoo-joo, and Singer is a Singer.

? Manager Yoo Hyeon-jae kicking the ballot box was so charismaticㅠㅠㅠㅠ
? How did it get this rotten? Is it so hard to uphold the principle that those who sing well rise to the top?
? This is why I keep watching Youtube instead of TV, it’s all lies
? Mr. Yoo Hyeon-jae, Ms. Lim Yoo-joo, you two could have been deeply hurt… It’s so cool that you overcame it and won so overwhelmingly
? How pissed must Lee Hyeong-yeop have been? He wanted a real showdown, but who decided the outcome on their own?
? Where did all those people who used to bash Yoo Hyeon-jae go? Yoo Hyeon-jae is cutting out all the rotten parts of the entertainment industry? They’re not trying to sneak back and clap now as if they did nothing, right?

Park Min-gyu gulped. Something too enormous was happening. The rotten higher-ups at KBC were being dragged out one after another.

But what was even bigger was the matter related to Hanwoon Ilbo.

[ Suspicion Confirmed? Hanwoon Ilbo, Evidence of Connection to Japanese Company SERF Obtained ]
[ Money Laundering Through 4-Tier Structure, How Did Hanwoon Ilbo End Up Taking Japan’s Side? ]
[ Japanese Government: “No Basis for Punishing SERF Under Japanese Law,” President Kim Seok-gu: “Prepare Regulations.” ]

? No wonder, shit, I always felt weird reading their newspaper
? Where are those bastards who said Novagirls’ future was blocked because Yoo Hyeon-jae refused SERF’s offer? Where did they all go?
? Those guys who talked about Korean democracy and national history were secretly taking money from a Japanese company behind the scenes
? Yoo Hyeon-jae was right all along. Please reflect, you guys who listened to Hanwoon Ilbo and got ahead of yourselves.

Money laundering through a 4-tier structure, how did they catch that? And it was Baekje Ilbo that exposed it. They were the ones who exposed Failmen Gate, and now again Baekje Ilbo… Baekje Ilbo’s entertainment section writes articles siding with Yoo Hyeon-jae a lot, I wonder if…?

‘I don’t know.’

What did Yoo Hyeon-jae do, and how? He didn’t even entertain that thought anymore. A more pressing thought arose, even more than wondering if Chalk and Window could beat Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

‘Wow… I’m glad I’m not involved in that mess.’

‘How did he know?’

Takahashi Jiro, the CEO of SERF Entertainment, thought. His thoughts about Yoo Hyeon-jae always seemed to be like this. ‘How did he do it? How…’

But it didn’t seem like that big of a deal. Hanwoon Ilbo had violations like the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act or special laws regarding media, but SERF Entertainment didn’t. If it were a Korean company, it would be punished, but there’s no basis under Korean law to punish a Japanese company. Even if the Korean President makes a fuss and creates some new regulations, they can’t apply them retroactively.

“The situation… looks very bad.”

General Manager Ishimura Satoshi spoke.

“What do you mean?”
“The public’s reaction.”

? SERF’s market cap doesn’t match this pettiness www
? Is this the level of a major Japanese company? Endlessly shameful
? I’m sorry on behalf of Japanㅠㅠ

“Our corporate image has been badly damaged. I think we need to take some measures…”
“It won’t be a problem as long as ARARE debuts successfully. Focus on promotion.”
“…CEO. Sorry, but could you look at this?”
“What is it?”

Ishimura’s face was stiff.

? Was SERF so desperate that they teamed up with a Korean newspaper to criticize Yoo Hyeon-jae? Is Novagirls that threatening?
? Wasn’t interested, but curious why SERF is so scared, so I’m going to check them out
? SERF you pathetic losers www You ended up promoting Novagirls instead www

Takahashi frowned.

“Do we have to look at these taunts one by one? Will the impact really be that big?”
“They’re sold out.”
“What is?”
“TOSU Theater… The seats for the live subtitle broadcast of Novagirls’ Korean mini-album showcase.”
“…What time is it now?”

Takahashi checked the time. The current time was 5:05 PM. TOSU Theater live broadcast seat reservations opened at 5:00 PM.

So… the tickets sold out in 5 minutes.

“Which location are you talking about? Which of the 12 locations sold out this quickly?”

Takahashi thought. Since Novagirls are popular with young people, maybe reservations went quickly in downtown areas with many universities?

“The thing is…”

But Ishimura spoke with a trembling voice.

“All locations.”