Chapter 122: End and Beginning (1)

“Celebrities have no use for college anyways, why did they go as far as illegal admission…?”

“I know…”

“Maybe the information is wrong?”

“We’ll have to wait for the investigation results. But seeing as there’s a prosecutorial investigation, there’s probably no doubt?”

“That’s true, there’s even an article released…I liked Seo Jun…”

“See. I told you Seo Jun’s not that great.”

“But he’s handsome…”

“Geez, you yulppah*.”

(TL note: someone who is only into looks.)

“Anyways, what’s going to happen to the drama? I’m sure they’re going crazy right now.”

Listening to the hair salon employees whisper amongst themselves, Do Wook held back his laughter.

‘This is just the beginning.’

The inside of the hair salon, which had the air conditioner on low because of the hot weather, was moderately cool. However, Do Wook’s hands were drenched in sweat.

Do Wook had prepared for a very long time for this day, even before his soul changed places.

Thanks to the switch, Do Wook became a singer like he dreamed, and now he was an actor, something he had never even imagined to be. He achieved his dream, and gained a new dream.

‘Maybe I should thank him.’

It could be thanks to Seo Kang Jun that he made it this far.

If he only had a simple passion and dream to sing on stage, he probably wouldn’t have tried to such extremes like sacrificing sleep to practice, and wouldn’t have gotten to where he is now.

However, of course, he wouldn’t thank Seo Kang Jun.

There were plenty of other things he’d say to him before he would thank him.

All those angry words had festered in Kim Bo Myung’s heart for a long time, merging completely.

Therefore, he felt he didn’t have to particularly say anything.

Right now, Do Wook just wanted to observe. Watch the fall of a man who has ruined the lives of many people.

“Huuu…”

Do Wook let out a long, deep sigh.

The employee who was bringing Do Wook a drink was cautious and asked,

“Do Wook, is something wrong?”

“Ah, no.”

“Please let me know if there’s anything wrong.”

“Ok.”

The employee went back and Do Wook looked at the mirror.

To bring Seo Kang Jun down, Do Wook stayed in contact with Reporter Choi Sung Jun even while filming and made plans. He also made a lot of preparations on his own.

Timing was important. If it went even a little wrong, he could end up getting attacked by the snake-like Director Seo Joong Won.

Do Wook thought to himself that now was the time.

If Seo Kang Jun weren’t famous enough, it would be easy to take him down but it wouldn’t be a big revenge. Right now, he had a little bit of status yet it wasn’t absolute.

‘Now, when he’s on the verge of getting to a high place. Now’s the time.’

***

Inside KVS Broadcast station located on YeoYiDo. The drama department, as most people expected, was turned on its head.

The press conference was a mere hours away. Furthermore, today was the day of the first broadcast.

If the protagonist, Seo Kang Jun, truly had committed the notorious act of fraudulent college admission as the articles said, they would get nothing but criticism if today’s broadcast aired as planned.

It was actually hard for anyone to predict where the public’s resentment would be aimed at.

Some actors remained popular and went on to receive praise and success on screen, even if they caused sex scandals, had affairs, or committed assault.

Of course they had to bear with the criticism regarding their actions that followed them like a tail wherever they went, but that was nothing compared to what they had done.

However, the reason the Director of the Drama Bureau, the CP*, and the Producer had gathered and were smoking together was to see whether the public would gloss over the ‘university’ issue.

(TL Note: CP stands for Chief Producer)

If the subject people are most sensitive to is military service avoidance, the next most sensitive subject is university fraud. The reason being that the army and university are issues that affect the whole nation.

Take an actor who had an affair for example. Of course, there’d probably be many people who’d get upset just by hearing the word affair, but there’d be a lot of people who’d think it was none of their business.

Some people would say it was too personal or that it was even more outrageous to love only one person for the rest of your life. So not 100% of people would criticize the actor who had an affair.

However, the army is different. People who have to go to the army, people who had gone to the army, as well as families of those people, are bound to get angry.

The university is also a social issue involving a lot of people in that sense. On College Scholastic Ability Test days, the whole nation cheers on the examinees. It’s a country that even delays opening the stock market on that day, so the significance of the situation was self-explanatory.

“Someone is out to ruin the drama,”

The person in charge of the production for muttered as he smoked.

He never liked that Seo Kang Jun was cast.

Seo Kang Jun supposedly received favorable reception for , but the Producer didn’t think that the actor had proven his acting skills enough to be a lead role yet.

Also, when he and the writer met with Seo Kang Jun, he got a bad vibe from him. It wasn’t anything concrete, just a vibe, so even he thought it wasn’t enough to convince anyone.

In contrast, the CP, who had a strong relationship with Ara Entertainment, pushed for Seo Kang Jun for the lead role. That’s why he was chosen for the lead role.

“What did Seo Jun’s side say?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“They said it’s not true…They contacted us saying they’ll handle it…”

The CP answered the Director’s question. The Director frowned. The wrinkles on his forehead, which were originally thee lines, became five.

“We don’t know when the prosecutorial investigation result will be released, right?”

“That’s right…”

It had been a long time since the CP, who had always been condescending, had to walk on eggshells. However, the Producer was not happy at all. The project with his name on it was on the verge of ruin, so of course he was not satisfied.

“The result isn’t important right now,”

The Director said as he took another cigarette out of the cigarette case. The conference room was thick with cigarette smoke.

“Anyway, the investigation has been started, and the fact that there is even an article means that there definitely is something, whether it is psychological or physical evidence. There’s no way that people don’t know that. In people’s minds, he’s already committed admission fraud.”

“If the drama starts under these conditions and does well, wouldn’t it be possible to clean up his image? Actors usually get away with things once they get into a drama. If the result comes out later that it’s false, people will calm down.”

The Director blew out cigarette smoke.

“We have already finished filming up to episode 4, and today is the first broadcast. What can we do? The press conference is in 5 hours,”

The CP continued. The CP was right. They couldn’t completely scrap the drama. However, it was a problem concerning a university. They were skeptical that it’d go away the same way it did for other actors. Plus, they had to consider that Seo Kang Jun’s main fans were in their teens and twenties.

“What episode does Seo Jun first appear?”

The Director asked the Producer.

“It’s a child role until episode 3, he really starts appearing in episode 4. Ah! Huuu…he also appears at the end of episode 3.”

“End of episode 3?”

The Director stroked his chin.

Just then, the DIrector got a message, and checked his cell phone. It was from a reporter who had connections with the prosecution.

“This won’t do.”

“Sorry?”

The CP asked what he meant.

“We’ll push it back one week as a special episode, so bring me someone else.”

“What?”

This time, it was the Producer. Of course, he also thought it’d be difficult to continue with Seo Jun. However, using a substitute was also realistically a huge burden.

Fortunately though, it was a child role until the middle of the 3rd episode.

“Director. You’re telling me to die. When are we supposed to reshoot and edit…”

“Huuuu…I know. That’s why I’m pushing it back one week. It can’t be longer than that.”

“Also, who would do this?”

“We have to find someone. I’ll reach out to my contacts too. It may be someone of lower status, but someone who’s available immediately…”

The conversation between the Director and Producer was full of deep sighs.

The Producer ground his teeth. He didn’t want to see neither hide nor hair of Seo Jun ever again.

“Must you go this far?”

The CP cautiously asked the Director. The Director replied, pretending to throw the cell phone that’s in his hands at the CP.

“It’s not like I want to do this. I want this to blow over quietly. But this is no small matter. I heard it’s only going to get bigger.”

That was the case according to the message he got from the reporter.

It said the prosecution’s investigation looked like it’d be more extensive than they imagined.

The Producer shook his head as he looked through his contacts in his cell phone. He looked through the various celebrities and agency representatives in his contacts to see if there was anyone that could serve as Seo Jun’s substitute.

“Then I’ll cancel the press conference, and immediately write a press release to send out.”

“Ok. Huu, maybe going somewhere and getting some good karma or something will help. Why’d they have to get caught with something like this?”

The Director quietly cursed and got up from his seat.

The CP followed the Director out.

“Then, to Seo Jun’s people…”

“Handle it yourself. Must we worry about them too? It wouldn’t even suffice if they came to us and begged for forgiveness.”

“That’s true.”

Nodding his head, the CP pressed on his stinging temple.

***

.

.

-Seo Jun, are you just *poof*, leaving like this?

-It’s Ara Entertainment, I’m sure they’ll have him back as a star one way or another lol. In this world even criminals can become famous lol

-Illegal Admission…He’s a celebrity, why in the world? lol

-He wanted to be a celebrity as well as get his degree

-They should investigate the other kids that got into a good university too

-For other people, their entire life rides on this…sure is easy for them~!

-Please don’t spread rumors about Seo Jun oppa. We’ll sue you

-Are you going to sue the prosecution? lol

-It’s a rumor that the prosecution spread lolol

-A prank by the prosecution? lol

-Excuse me, the investigation is still going and the results aren’t out yet…

-Oh, the results might say there’s nothing. They have money, what are they worried about?

-I’ll stop badmouthing him if the results come out as nothing~

-It’s not him, but he’s getting cut from the drama? Even though they’ve already filmed?

-If it were something minor, the broadcasting station would just turn a blind eye and let it slide…considering what happened, doesn’t it mean it’s 100% real?

-I liked Seo Jun…

-He’s the type to spit on someone while having a smile on their face lol

-Just go to the army~

-With that kind of backing, I’m sure he’ll get out of going to the army too

-Seo Jun, what the? lol

-Golden spoon~

The portal site’s news section went crazy.

Seo Kang Jun, who was reading the article as well as the comments, grimaced. Hair pulled back without a single hair out of place, and a well coordinated suit to boot. Seo Kang Jun’s appearance today truly was good enough to make fans faint on sight.

However, the fans fainted not because of Seo Kang Jun’s visuals, but because of his corruption.

Seo Kang Jun, who had finished all the preparations for his press conference appearance and was about to head to the conference hall, was essentially trapped in the van.

Boom― Smack―!

Seo Kang Jun threw the cellphone he had been holding at the window.

The manager, who had been responding to a flurry of phone calls to reporters and repeated over and over that Seo Jun was not related to university fraud, looked back, surprised.

The cell phone, which hit the van’s sturdy window, was rolling around on the floor, cracked.

The manager felt chills at Seo Kang Jun’s gaze that was full of malice. The manager, who finished his phone call as quickly as he could, looked at Seo Kang Jun.

“Umm…Jun.”

“What did father say?”

“For now, go to the dorm and don’t come out…he said he’ll try to handle it one way or another.”

“Shit, my life is about to be screwed over because of father…”

His anger rising, Seo Kang Jun breathed heavily. His tightly clenched fist was ready to swing at any time.

It was at that moment. The manager’s cell phone started ringing again. At the same time, Seo Jun’s phone, which was cracked, also started to ring.

On the community site, a new article regarding Seo Jun was being posted.

It was saying that Seo Kang Jun was a perpetrator of school violence.

—

Next chapter: Everything is lining up nicely to take down Seo Jun. Will it work out as Do Wook planned or will Director Seo help his son snake out of this one too?