The Crazy Mercenary Commander Goes to Work in the Entertainment Industry

The pot-bellied CEO who had just given the order to scout Kang Jae-ha was a fairly well-known figure in the entertainment world. If Han Tae-sung was the icon of the self-made man, then he had climbed the elite ladder.

And he was a member of a chaebol family.

His name was Seo Hyun-su.

This massive LN Entertainment was also a subsidiary belonging to a chaebol group.

Which was why, naturally, LN Entertainment was larger in scale than Leon Entertainment, ranking among the TOP 5 agencies in the country. Well, the industry consensus was that Leon Entertainment might soon flip those rankings, but for now, at least, LN Entertainment sat higher on the list.

And the man at the top of that LN Entertainment, Seo Hyun-su, smacked his lips as he looked at Kang Jae-ha’s photo in the profile.

’I wonder what kind of face that bastard Han Tae-sung would make if I snatched this kid away, heh heh.’

Apparently CEO Seo Hyun-su knew CEO Han Tae-sung. Well, there was an actual history between them. After all, CEO Seo Hyun-su considered Han Tae-sung his rival.

The thing was, that was only how CEO Seo Hyun-su saw it; the fact was that those around them rated CEO Han Tae-sung more highly.

LN Entertainment may have outranked Leon in scale, but in terms of the leader’s ability, CEO Han Tae-sung had the upper hand. Anyway, CEO Seo Hyun-su tapped Kang Jae-ha’s photo with his index finger.

”The more I look, the more I want him. His face is a bit dry, but right now this kid is the one cleaning up Leon’s garbage dump, isn’t he.”

At his words, one of the executives nearby nodded.

”That’s how the rumors go, yes.”

”He revived Yoon Da-yeon, and An Ji-hee? He dug her up too.”

”Correct.”

”Ah, how did the Yoon Da-yeon transfer go. Did you meet her?”

”Yes, CEO-nim. We did have a meeting with Yoon Da-yeon, but.”

”But?”

As if it was a little hard to say, the executive read the room.

”Yoon Da-yeon hasn’t given us a firm answer yet.”

It seemed LN Entertainment was among the several agencies that had made Yoon Da-yeon a transfer offer. Yoon Da-yeon had been rising hot lately, but from the look in the pot-bellied CEO Seo Hyun-su’s eyes, he seemed to weigh the prize of poaching from Leon more heavily.

”...So you’re telling me Yoon Da-yeon turned down our LN Entertainment??”

”Ah, it hasn’t gotten quite that far.”

”Tsk- would you look at washed-up Yoon Da-yeon getting all stuck-up just because she recovered a little?”

”......”

Letting out a short laugh, CEO Seo Hyun-su steered the topic back to Kang Jae-ha.

”Anyway, this Kang Jae-ha. Just looking at the results he’s put up, BIFF included, Han Tae-sung is definitely going to keep him close.”

He stroked his chin.

”No, the kid might even be someone Han Tae-sung raised himself in the first place. If he comes over to our side, Han Tae-sung’s face will be quite a sight.”

To the leader whose smile had deepened, an executive spoke up with difficulty.

”CEO-nim... to poach Kang Jae-ha from Leon, they’ll be expecting, or wanting, some considerable conditions.”

”Well, sure. For starters, tell him we’ll double his current salary, and that the moment he comes to LN Entertainment he starts as a General Manager. Whatever other conditions he names, grant pretty much all of them.”

”Th-that far-”

”He’s a guy plenty of other places are already interested in. His track record and ability are more than enough, aren’t they? Especially if Han Tae-sung raised him, all the more reason.”

Arms folded, CEO Seo Hyun-su scanned the executives seated around him.

”Our management teams have gotten too slack lately.”

The executives avoided his gaze, and CEO Seo Hyun-su spoke, calling Kang Jae-ha to mind.

”We need to haul in a hot one to make everyone snap to attention. Get in contact right away.”

At the same time.

The camp of the top-tier girl group ’Seriel’ had finished signing contracts for two songs from the composer Rina for their new single album. Of course, it was an electronic contract, and in the end Leon never did get to see the composer Rina’s face.

Well, it wasn’t unusual to sign a song contract without meeting the composer in person, so it wasn’t really an issue.

《[StarPick] ’Seriel’ Breaks Its Hiatus and Fires the Starting Gun on a Comeback... Single Album Production Underway》

Leon immediately threw out promotion for ’Seriel’ and, at the same time, plunged in earnest into work on ’Seriel’s single album. With this, composer Rina, no, Choi Ri-na’s very first credit as a composer became none other than the top-tier girl group ’Seriel’.

Next, the ’Seriel’ camp started by deciding on the titles for the two Rina songs they had contracted first.

Song number one was ’Nyxtra’, and song number two was ’My Page’.

With the titles set, the ’Seriel’ camp began rehearsals and choreography production right away. The word was that, before long, a ’Seriel’ performing Choi Ri-na’s songs would appear before the world.

So of course Choi Ri-na could do nothing but jump up and down with joy.

”My song! ’Seriel’ is going to sing it? I still can’t believe it!”

There was something else to be happy about, too. If the two songs happened to be a massive hit, she could rake in a considerable amount of money.

Meanwhile, Kang Jae-ha was checking his email.

A reply had arrived from Japan. It was from ’Shiori Production’, the Japanese production company behind ’Spring at the Borderline’, the one he’d had a meeting with recently. After reading the contents, Jae-ha smiled faintly.

”Looks like I’ll be heading to Japan soon.”

He had expected it, but now the trip to Japan was confirmed. Kang Jae-ha relayed this to An Ji-hee right away. The moment she heard the result, An Ji-hee let out a scream first.

”Eeek! I-is it for real??!”

It was understandable.

”My casting is really confirmed??!”

Because An Ji-hee had been confirmed as the sub-lead in the Japanese drama ’Spring at the Borderline’. It was a sub role, but it was her first leading part, and on top of that it was a debut in Japan, so An Ji-hee couldn’t hide her excitement.

”This is insane...... seriously insane. M-me, the lead in a Japanese drama.”

She’d had hopes, but apparently she never thought it would actually become reality. At that, Kang Jae-ha let out a small laugh. Of course, unlike An Ji-hee, he was deeply calm.

”I’ll be arranging a schedule for us to go over to Japan soon. There’ll be preliminary meetings with the production company, the PD, and so on, this and that. This time, we’re the ones going over.”

”......Yes, yes!!”

Then, two days later, September 3rd. From the morning, Yoon Da-yeon and An Ji-hee walked into Netflix Korea side by side. The reason was simple.

”Hello! I’m An Ji-hee!”

”Haha, welcome. You’ve been doing amazing lately, Ji-hee-ssi.”

Because Netflix Korea was beginning its actor auditions for the ’One-Act Drama Project’ starting today.

”Hello, I’m Yoon Da-yeon.”

”Hello, Da-yeon-ssi. It’s been a while.”

”Yes, Director-nim. The last time was at the Daejong Film Awards, wasn’t it?”

”That’s right.”

Netflix had long since sent out audition calls to various agencies, and starting today the auditions were scheduled to run for about a week. The audition lineup was varied, ranging from popular actors to newcomers. The ’One-Act Drama Project’ itself was a bundle of six one-act dramas, so it needed a lot of actors.

In any case, after watching Yoon Da-yeon and An Ji-hee perform their free acting at staggered times, Director Baek Jeong-ha felt her ambition boil over.

The other actors were fine too, but she took a particular liking to Yoon Da-yeon and An Ji-hee.

’Leon’s actors have really come into their prime lately. No, is it just Yoon Da-yeon and An Ji-hee? I always thought Yoon Da-yeon’s acting was good, but now it’s developed even further. Her acting is crisp and flavorful. And An Ji-hee isn’t far behind either. Is it really true she was an idol trainee?? I can’t believe it.’

For the record, Kang Jae-ha did not come to this audition hall.

’Did the manager who raised these two not come? His name was, maybe... Kang Jae-ha? What a shame, the BIFF thing and all, I really wanted to see his face.’

Whatever the case, it was Netflix Korea that delivered the news that Yoon Da-yeon and An Ji-hee’s casting had been confirmed.

《[IssueTalk] Netflix Korea Insider: ”The ’One-Act Drama Project’ Cast Is Nearly Set. We’ll Make Something Worthy of the Anticipation”》

That came a few days later.

Around the 7th.

Yoon Da-yeon, recently confirmed for two projects, master director Yu Gil-tae’s new film ’Mask of Murder’ and the ’One-Act Drama Project’. She began meetings with the agencies that had given her transfer offers. Not all of them, just the ones she had reasonably narrowed down.

It was around the afternoon when Yoon Da-yeon began her meeting with ’MEG Enter’.

Three people came from ’MEG Enter’. The hook-nosed CEO Park Ja-hee, and two staff members. Yoon Da-yeon, of course, came alone. Sweeping back her long, straight hair, Yoon Da-yeon exchanged appropriate greetings with the ’MEG Enter’ people and scanned her counterparts.

CEO Park Ja-hee, and the staff who had come along with her.

Among them, Yoon Da-yeon’s gaze lingered briefly on a cold-eyed man seated at the end.

’His eyes are kind of cold. A little chillier than that Kang Jae-ha guy??’

After some talk had passed back and forth, the cold-eyed man on the ’MEG Enter’ side spoke to Yoon Da-yeon.

”You must have met with several agencies. Was there any place you liked?”

Yoon Da-yeon gave a small shrug.

”Who knows.”

”Manager Kang Jae-ha, was it?”

”!!!”

”What did he have to say?”

Since Kang Jae-ha’s name had come up out of nowhere, Yoon Da-yeon was a little startled.

”What, do you know him?”

”No. Not personally. I heard you, An Ji-hee-ssi, and others mentioned at BIFF.”

”Ah.”

”I looked into it a bit, and it seems you, Yoon Da-yeon-ssi, were greatly influenced by that Manager Kang Jae-ha.”

”......”

”No less than him, our ’MEG Enter’ intends to support you properly, Yoon Da-yeon-ssi.”

Yoon Da-yeon gazed steadily at the cold-eyed man, and he spoke again.

”You’ve experienced rock bottom, haven’t you? So have we. People who’ve been to the bottom have a way of understanding each other, don’t they.”

Yoon Da-yeon, blinking both eyes, cried out inwardly.

’Th-this guy seems a little crazy too??!’

CEO Park Ja-hee was pretty shocked as well.

’What is he suddenly going on about!’

CEO Lee Chan-hoo of the head company ’MEG’ had given certain instructions, so she’d left it to him, but most of his lines were just dead-straight fastballs. In any case, Yoon Da-yeon looked at the cold-eyed man and was reminded of Jae-ha.

’His face is different, but he gives off a similar scent. No, this one might be a bit crazier??’

Because her counterpart felt like the same breed as that Kang Jae-ha. And she was right, since the man looking at Yoon Da-yeon was Kang Jae-ha himself, switched into Face A.

Then, about an hour later.

Riding in the moving car, Yoon Da-yeon wore a face sunk in fairly deep thought.

”......”

Ten minutes after that, Yoon Da-yeon picked up her phone and made a call somewhere. The person she called was Kang Jae-ha, the one she’d just met yet never imagined she had met.

”I’ve decided. I’m going to transfer to ’MEG Enter’.”

Night, the ’MEG’ conference room.

Lee Chan-hoo, Go Chun-seok, Ha Yeon-ji, Cha Chung-hyeon. All the subordinates except Choi Ri-na had gathered. At the spot they were all looking sat Kang Jae-ha, his face placid. Everyone had assembled to make their reports.

The reports began with the vault keeper Cha Chung-hyeon, followed by Go Chun-seok. Then Ha Yeon-ji, in a white cap, opened her mouth.

”Commander. The ’New Light Truth Church’ investigation, there’s been some progress.”

Jae-ha met Ha Yeon-ji’s eyes.

”How much.”

”Ah, of course, I still haven’t found much of a link to CEO Han Tae-sung, but where the ’New Light Truth Church’ is concerned, I’ve dug up a few things.”

”Let’s hear it.”

Nodding, Ha Yeon-ji dropped her gaze to her open diary.

”First, I tracked down a couple of kids who joined the ’New Light Truth Church’ a long time ago and then escaped, and got interviews.”

”Did you? How long were they in there?”

”Short. Two weeks and a month.”

”Short.”

”From what I heard, the ’New Light Truth Church’ has a separate head branch, and the kids I interviewed were apparently at a local branch, not the head one. They were super defensive, I had to grease them with some cash.”

Listening to the explanation, Lee Chan-hoo cut in.

”Head branch, local branch. What is it, a franchise?”

”It’s like that, as an example.”

Shooting Lee Chan-hoo a brief glare, Ha Yeon-ji turned her gaze back to the Commander.

”And another thing, that Woo Jeong-cheol drug case from before. It’s just my guess, but it might be connected to the ’New Light Truth Church’.”

”Connected to the ’New Light Truth Church’.”

”Yes. Well, it’s less like the ’New Light Truth Church’ is directly involved, and more like they’re hiding in the dark, handing down orders, you know?”

She explained why she had drawn that conclusion. It seemed she’d more or less pieced together the circumstances during the interviews. After listening to the talk this way and that, Kang Jae-ha stroked his chin.

”It’s thin, but it’s probably enough to spin a story out of.”

Kang Jae-ha woke his brain. By this point the subordinates had all clammed up. When the Commander was concentrating, the best policy was not to poke at him. Then Jae-ha murmured softly.

”Somehow, it nags at me in a quiet sort of way. The ’New Light Truth Church’.”

He’d been looking into it for a while because of its ties to CEO Han Tae-sung, but now that it overlapped with the Woo Jeong-cheol drug case, his own handiwork, Kang Jae-ha was getting a thoroughly bothersome taste in his mouth.

He asked Ha Yeon-ji.

”The ’New Light Truth Church’ is still in the shadows publicly, right.”

”That’s right, it’s all just rumors. The public probably doesn’t know much. It floats around the online communities now and then, like a conspiracy theory?”

Hearing the answer, Kang Jae-ha gave his orders.

”For now, take the information you’ve dug up, add some reasonable dramatization, and blow the lid off it, the ’New Light Truth Church’. For this job, don’t do it directly yourself. Leak the information all over the place, press outlets included. Keep yourself from being exposed.”

”Right away??”

To Ha Yeon-ji, who asked in slight surprise, Kang Jae-ha replied.

”Yeah. Let’s start by clearing away the fog those bastards put up.”

He showed a faint smile.

”Get it properly out in the open, drain some of their strength while we’re at it.”

*****

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