Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

As we made our way to the Shanghai New Media Inc. headquarters in the car, I told Wang Long about the heavy request I needed to make to Wang Min.

As expected, Wang Long seemed troubled. "You want to ask him to keep President Jiang Wei in check?"

I nodded. "Yes. My competitor, Chief Kim Dong-Soo, has teamed up with President Jiang Wei."

It would be a significant achievement if I could weaken the connection between Jiang Wei and Kim Dong-Soo. With Kim Dong-Soo's financial support drying up, he wouldn't be able to obtain information easily from Colonel Baek.

Wang Long frowned as he mentioned that Jiang Wei had the backing of a high-ranking party official in the Beijing faction. "Well... they're part of the Beijing faction..."

In contrast, Wang Min belonged to the Shanghai faction which left Wang Long uncertain.

I asked, "Do you think it might be too difficult?"

Wang Long shook his head. "I'm unfamiliar with politics, so I think it would be best to speak directly with my father. If he can't grant your request, he'll suggest an alternative solution without hesitation. So don't worry about it."

'As if I could really not worry,' I remarked inwardly.

He was just a deputy secretary of Shenzhen right now, but he would rise to the ninth rank in the Chinese Communist Party in seven years, becoming a contender for the presidency.

Knowing the future sometimes felt like a heavy burden.

Unaware of my circumstances, Wang Long smiled and patted my shoulder lightly. "They say just knock and it will open~ You know? Just make sure to speak to him."

"Alright. I'll speak to him."

Wang Long pointed at the distant headquarters building of Shanghai New Media Inc. "Okay. Now, let's handle business with those old guys first."

He discussed in more detail the factional disputes involving the Vice President's group that he had told me about before coming to China. "That Vice President guy is..."

***

With its five 50-story buildings, the headquarters building of Shanghai New Media Inc. was ten times the size of Hoop Entertainment.

It was even larger than the headquarters of South Korea's top ten conglomerates.

Following Wang Long, I entered a meeting room on the 50th floor that looked like a sky lounge. Ju Yung-In, Ahn Yung-Hee, and Zhou Xiaoyan of the Shanghai New Media Inc. were already inside.

Zhou Xiaoyan was in his mid-fifties and had a robust build and a kind expression. He greeted us. "Welcome, you've come a long way."

I smiled and handed over a gift. "Thank you for the warm welcome. This is a gift from our President."

Zhou Xiaoyan's face lit up upon seeing that the gift from Kang Gam-Chan was red ginseng. I had prepared this gift in advance knowing from my past life that it was his favorite.

"It's handmade red ginseng crafted by a master."

"Wow, what a precious gift. Please convey my sincere thanks."

Then Ju Yung-In also presented a gift, just as I had previously advised her. "I brought Moonbaeju, a traditional Korean spirit. I prepared the strongest one since I heard you enjoy strong drinks." ʀåŊՕ𝖇ΕS̈

When I translated Ju Yung-In's words, Zhou Xiaoyan brightened up again as he enjoyed showing off his drinking prowess. "It's a gift that suits my taste perfectly!"

Satisfied with the gifts from Ju Yung-In and me, Zhou Xiaoyan repeatedly expressed confidence that today's meeting would go well.

We chatted casually while waiting for Jang Tae-Yoon who would be the director of Wolf of the Battlefield in which Ju Yung-In would be starring. I took on the role of the interpreter, switching between Chinese and English.

That's when the secretary entered to announce the arrival of Jang Tae-Yoon and Deng Chao.

"Tell them to come in."

"Yes, sir."

After the secretary left, it wasn't even a minute before Deng Chao appeared with Jang Tae-Yoon.

Deng Chao was dressed in a high-end suit and his sharp physique suggested he took care of himself.

Following him, Jang Tae-Yoon walked in wearing his trademark black leather jacket.

Jang Tae-Yoon had lived in China for a long time, and he had a Korean father and a Chinese mother which allowed him to speak both Korean and Chinese.

"Nice to meet you."

After exchanging greetings, the contract was laid out immediately. Since all business negotiations had already been completed, only Jang Tae-Yoon's signature remained.

Ju Yung-In tried to lighten the mood by mentioning that she had watched all of Jang Tae-Yoon's previous works, but his expression remained stiff.

I was surprised because I had heard that he was excited about casting South Korea's top actress just two days ago.

'Is he trying to cancel the contract altogether?' I wondered.

Before arriving, I had been warned by Wang Long that the factional conflicts were intense. However, I didn't expect them to go as far as stalling on the contract.

Jang Tae-Yoon replied indifferently in Chinese despite being able to speak Korean. "But do we need to sign this contract right now?"

The atmosphere in the meeting room grew cold.

At the same time, Zhou Xiaoyan erupted in anger. "What is the meaning of this, Director Jang!?"

Ju Yung-In couldn't understand Chinese but sensed something was wrong just from the tension in the room and looked at me with worry.

I gave Ju Yung-In a reassuring smile before addressing Jang Tae-Yoon. "Mr. Jang, I'm Jung Yoon-Ho. We spoke over the phone before."

Jang Tae-Yoon pretended not to remember our conversation. "Oh, is that so?"

"If Miss Yung-In takes the lead role, I can assure you that she will work harder than any other actress. You know she received rave reviews for her dedication in her last drama, even shaving her head and pushing herself to the limit."

Jang Tae-Yoon tilted his head. "Well, from what I read in today's Korean newspapers, it seems like Miss Jung Yoo-Jin is getting all the attention... I'm not sure if a lead actress who lost to a supporting actress can lead in a Chinese film where she doesn't even speak the language..."

Unable to watch Jang Tae-Yoon's sudden stubbornness, Zhou Xiaoyan intervened. "Director Jang! What's gotten into you all of a sudden? We agreed to use a voice actor for the language issue and you were happy when Miss Ju Yung-In agreed to take the lead role!"

Jang Tae-Yoon shrugged. "Well, things can change from one day to the next, can't they? An actor's status doesn't remain the same every day."

I finally understood why Jang Tae-Yoon was behaving like this. 'He's following Vice President Deng's orders to put up a fight, huh?'

I had heard from Wang Long that Deng Chao's side was dissatisfied with the profit-sharing terms. Because of this, Jang Tae-Yoon was now dragging his feet even though he had initially been enthusiastic about Ju Yung-In.

I had anticipated some resistance, but it was more blatant than expected. Nonetheless, I couldn't afford to back down on our first negotiation in China.

'Alright. Let's see where this goes,' I thought.

I turned to Jang Tae-Yoon who was still refusing to sign the contract and spoke. "Miss Ju Yung-In has come to China fully prepared. She's determined to create a masterpiece with you, Mr. Jang. Are you really willing to let go of such a dedicated actress?"

For a moment, a flicker of hesitation appeared in Jang Tae-Yoon's eyes. Losing the chance to work with the lead of In the Name of God which had just achieved top viewership ratings in Korea must have stung.

My words seemed to have an impact as Jang Tae-Yoon glanced toward Deng Chao. However, when Deng Chao gave a subtle shake of his head, Jang Tae-Yoon clamped his mouth shut.

If that's how they wanted to play it, I had to push back.

I fixed my gaze on Jang Tae-Yoon and revealed the card I had prepared. "Alright. If Miss Ju Yung-In isn't needed here, I'll cancel the contract as her agent and leave right now. Then I'll request the lead role in Director Yang Yang's film, Wang Family's Dream, which Beijing Media Inc. is currently producing!"

Director Yang Yang was Jang Tae-Yoon's lifelong rival. Even in my past life, the two had constantly disparaged each other and undermined each other's work.

As soon as I mentioned Yang Yang's name, Jang Tae-Yoon jumped up and shouted. This time, he shouted urgently in Korean. "W-wait! Wait a moment! Did you just say Yang Yang?"

"Yes, you heard me correctly."

If Ju Yung-In took on the lead role in Yang Yang's film, he would surely boast about it excessively. Known for his skill in manipulating the media, Yang Yang would likely criticize Jang Tae-Yoon for failing to recognize Ju Yung-In's worth and label him an incompetent director.

Yang Yang would say things like Jang Tae-Yoon had poor judgment or that he wasn't in the same league as him. He would surely use every opportunity to tear down Jang Tae-Yoon with such remarks.

Shaken by my words, Jang Tae-Yoon quickly changed his stance. "H-hey, it seems there's been some misunderstanding here. I was merely testing Miss Ju Yung-In's determination!"

That was an outright lie. Nevertheless, I had to pretend to believe it for now.

After all, the terms with Shanghai New Media Inc. would be far better than Beijing Media Inc. anyway.

"So are you going to sign the contract?"

"Yes, let's do it right away!"

Jang Tae-Yoon opened the contract as if he would sign it immediately.

At that moment, Deng Chao cut in with a sharp tone. "Mr. Jang, are you really satisfied with the profit distribution?"

Jang Tae-Yoon's hand froze as he was about to sign. "Ahem. To be honest... I wouldn't say I'm completely satisfied."

Jang Tae-Yoon had sided with Deng Chao because he thought his share would be reduced, as the 50-50 split between Shanghai New Media Inc. and Hoop Entertainment also applied to him.

In response to Deng Chao's provocation, Zhou Xiaoyan stepped in. "Vice President, why don't you give it a rest? Why are you still arguing over a decision that's already been made?"

President Zhou Xiaoyan held significant power within Shanghai New Media Inc. However, Deng Chao also had influential backing which made him a difficult opponent.

While Wang Long could have resolved this easily with his father's influence, it wasn't a situation serious enough to warrant that.

Deng Chao shrugged and replied, "Now that we're on the subject, let's be honest. We own the broadcast rights and distribution network in China. Do you really think it makes sense to give away half of the profit?"

When Korean agencies expanded into China, they often accepted contracts with an 80-20 or even 90-10 split. The reason was simple: the vast Chinese market was too difficult to navigate alone.

Without leveraging the networks that Chinese entertainment agencies have cultivated, it was nearly impossible to secure broadcasting rights. Because of this, Chinese companies often held the upper hand in negotiations with Korean counterparts.

Zhou Xiaoyan clenched his teeth and pushed back against Deng Chao. "Do you have any idea how many talented actors Hoop Entertainment has?"

"I do. But with the current Korean Wave ban, it's not like we can make proper use of them."

I spoke directly to the dissatisfied Deng Chao. "So you're saying that Hoop Entertainment wouldn't be able to enter the Chinese market without Shanghai New Media Inc.'s help. Is that correct?"

Deng Chao nodded. "Don't take it personally. I'm just being realistic. We've invested a lot to establish our network in China too and maintaining it requires a substantial amount of money."

I asked, "Do you really believe that Hoop Entertainment cannot enter the Chinese market without the help of Shanghai New Media Inc.?"

Deng Chao let out a scoffing laugh. "Of course. The Chinese market isn't that easy, you know. Even if you have a top star at your company, they're no use without a distribution network here. That's the reality."

"I understand."

At that moment, I turned my gaze to Wang Long as if on cue. "Mr. Wang Long, have you mentioned the offer I received from Hwayeon Media Inc. to the Vice President?"

"No, I haven't. So far, only I know about it. But it seems like now is the right time to bring it up."

Wang Long looked directly at Deng Chao with a stern expression. "I heard that President Jiang Wei of Hwayeon Media Inc. is trying to recruit Team Lead Jung and offered a blank check."

In an instant, Deng Chao's expression began to change. He looked as if he couldn't believe that Jiang Wei of Hwayeon Media Inc., a company far larger than Shanghai New Media Inc., would attempt to recruit me personally.

"I-is that true?"

"Yes, we confirmed it through multiple sources within Hwayeon Media Inc. In other words, Hoop Entertainment could enter the Chinese market through Hwayeon Media Inc. even without us. And it would be through Team Lead Jung right here!"

Simultaneously, Deng Chao's face turned pale as he looked at me. "That... that can't be... President Jiang Wei is such an arrogant man... and he wanted to recruit this guy?"

As the Vice President in charge of Shanghai New Media Inc.'s entertainment division, Deng Chao found it hard to believe that Jiang Wei, a figure even more influential than Shanghai New Media's president, would take such an interest.

Seemingly enjoying the moment, Wang Long pressed on. "And that's not all. I've heard that even Chief Ryu Shin, President Jiang Wei's right-hand man, went to Korea to try to scout him personally. Feel free to verify it yourself if you don't trust me."

As Wang Long continued speaking, Deng Chao's voice began to falter.

With Wang Long's assistance, it was now my turn to strike.

I smiled as I delivered my final blow to Deng Chao. "Well, if you're truly unsatisfied, why don't you just terminate the contract with Hoop Entertainment altogether? But keep in mind: the breach would be on Shanghai Media Inc.'s side so you'd have to pay the penalty."

When Deng Chao was left speechless and unable to offer a retort, Zhou Xiaoyan eventually stepped in. "Vice President, that's enough. If you push any further and Team Jung ends up partnering with Hwayeon Media Inc., I'll report today's events directly to the chairman!"

Deng Chao's face turned ghostly pale. After all, the chairman of Shanghai New Media Inc. was someone who could easily destroy his career.

"M-Mr. Ju, I was only thinking of our company's interests..." Deng Chao stuttered.

"You can't cover up your petty mistake from earlier no matter what you say now. It's better to keep your mouth shut!"

Deng Chao trembled and hung his head in defeat.

It was a flawless victory for me.

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