Chapter 213. The Difference Between Real and Fake (3)

Translator: Chamber

Editor: Illidan

Meanwhile, President Won JinPyo was heaving a deep sigh while looking at Min JinSeo’s contract papers.

“If we can’t handle her, I guess the answer is to let her go…”

He was well aware of the animosity between the Directors and Min JinSeo.

Min JinSeo was always on edge somewhat. Whether it was in the Chinese branch or the Korean HQ, she always acted as though she was like a hedgehog with its spikes raised, and the Directors had a hard time dealing with her as well.

They each did their own jobs, but they never got along very well. It was purely a business relationship.

Today, he finally gave her freedom by using his authority as the President.

No matter how disdained his position was, he still had that kind of power.

“*pant, pant*…”

“Director, you can’t do this…”

“You get out!”

He was about to go home after taking care of some paperwork, but the door suddenly slammed open and Director Jung HyunTae entered. Behind him were secretaries that were trying their best to hold him back.

“What is it?”

“P, president. I, is it true?”

Director Jung HyunTae asked with a flushed expression and President Won JinPyo calmly replied.

“What is it? Please calm down.”

“I’m talking about Min, Min JinSeo. I heard you let her go for free…!”

“Ah, Min JinSeo? It’s true. There wasn’t long left until the end of her contract, so I let her go so that no more rumors will circulate. What about it?”

“Aaah…”

Director Jung HyunTae clutched his head. The words he heard from Richard at Ericton Capital’s office resounded in his brain.

“President. You can’t. Min JinSeo is someone we need…”

“What do you mean? You were dying to fire her for quite a long time now. I thought you didn’t take proper countermeasures this time precisely to let her go.”

“That’s…”

Hearing that, Director Jung HyunTae became silent.

Yes, President Won JinPyo was right.

There wasn’t a long time until the end of the contract, and there was no reason to keep her with all the scandal that was in the media.

However, Director Jung HyunTae now had a reason to take her back.

“Min JinSeo is a talent that we need. We can’t just fire her because of a minor matter like this…”

Hearing that, President Won JinPyo became angry.

“Before this and now that…. I don’t get what your intentions are, Director. So what, you’re saying that I’ve made the wrong decision?”

“President, I don’t mean that but…”

“What do you mean you don’t mean that? This won’t do. Let us have a nice, long talk, shall we? Did I ever look down on your career experience?”

“…..”

“If so, then you should give me some respect for my position, don’t you think? What kind of rudeness is this?”

Director Jung HyunTae had to pay the price for being brash.

***

As soon as her contract with MG Entertainment was finished, Min JinSeo switched hotels immediately.

It wasn’t easy to avoid the journalists waiting at the hotel lobby, but thanks to KangYoon and Kang GiJoon, she was able to slip through them at the parking lot.

The place they headed to was Shanghai International Airport.

In a VIP room, Min JinSeo read the contract that Kang GiJoon had handed her.

(T/N: I have 0 clues on how contracts are written whether in Korea or in the English-speaking areas, so bear with me.)

– Exclusive contract.

Contractor: World Entertainment Inc.

OO-dong, XX-gu, Seoul

CEO: LEE KANGYOON

Contractee: MIN JINSEO

Article 1. The purpose of the contract

The Contractor does business in general entertainment. The Contractee provides services in this industry. The Contractor and The Contractee hereby agree…(omitted)

Article 2. Exclusivity

The Contractee agrees to perform any services related to forms of entertainment (broadcasts, concerts, movies, commercials, photoshoots, books, publications, music records, mascots, and any other form of entertainment that directly or indirectly requires image rights) provided to The Contractee exclusively for… (omitted)

Article 3. Duration

This agreement enters into force for three (3) years from signatory date. Any extension is principally required to be negotiated by both parties two months prior to… (omitted)

Article 4. Deposit

The Contractor will pay The Contractee the sum of two million won (2,000,000,000 KRW) (2 mil USD) within one (1) week from the establishment of this agreement.

Article 5. The range of business and the obligation of exclusivity.

(1). The Contractee will make all reasonable efforts to perform services to the best of their ability…

(omitted)

Article 6. Sharing of profit.

For the duration of this agreement, all financial profits resulting from services covered by the scope of this agreement will principally be shared between The Contractor and The Contractee at a 4:6 ratio, respectively.

(omitted)

***

“…I never knew I’d be signing a contract at an airport. This…”

The conditions written on the contract differed hugely to when she made her debut.

Moreover, the deposit was a huge 2 billion won and the duration was only 3 years.

She asked carefully.

“Isn’t a two billion won deposit only reserved to top-tier actresses? I like it, but this would mean more pressure on World Entertainment…”

Hearing that, KangYoon laughed.

“Hahaha. You’re being too considerate. You don’t have to worry, young lady. The company has grown a lot now. We didn’t spend money on the wrong things, so we have enough leeway.”

Min JinSeo was surprised by the change of World Entertainment in such a short period of time.

When she heard some news about them from time to time, all she had learned was that KangYoon was having a hard time, but it seemed that it was no longer like that.

MIn JinSeo also expressed her curiosity about the conditions of the contract.

“Normally, companies would use 5 years as the duration, don’t they? I think 3 years is too short for 2 billion won… Moreover, I’m not exactly in a good state right now, am I?”

This time, Kang GiJoon was the one to reply.

“Hahaha. It seems like Miss JinSeo and the President are on good terms.”

“Th, that’s… because he’s a good man.”

Min JinSeo flinched, but she soon regained her expression and waited for an answer.

“Miss JinSeo, you have some choices. One is to increase your share of profits and decrease the overall contract deposit. This also means that the duration will increase…”

“I’ll do that, then.”

“What?”

She replied so quickly that it made Kang GiJoon surprised.

“Y, you’ll have less money in the short term. A, are you alright with that?”

“It doesn’t matter. Rather than money…”

She turned around to KangYoon.

“I need a place where I can work for a long time in comfort. You can increase the duration to 10 years for all I care.”

“…..”

Kang GiJoon was flabbergasted by her words.

‘Since when was contracting a top star so easy?’

Was this about contracting a rookie? Or a star?

Kang GiJoon found it absurd.

***

Director Jung HyunTae, who didn’t get anything out of meeting with the president, returned to his own office while trembling.

“Hey! Secretary Yang!”

The violent way of calling made the secretary open the door very carefully, and when she entered, he glared at her and started giving her instructions.

“How many journalists can we gather right now?”

“It’s too late right now…”

“Shut up. How many are there?”

The secretary opened her notebook and checked the available journalists.

“We can call up to 6 including Star Asia and Today’s Entertainment. They are the ones that are most favorable towards us and always…”

“Forget the details. Call all of them. Call them and tell them that Min JinSeo…”

Director Jung HyunTae calmed down a little and glared at her.

“Tell them that Min JinSeo broke the contract midway to go to World Entertainment. Right now!”

“What? That’s not the truth though.”

They were supposed to write a false article?

She couldn’t hide her shock.

“Don’t you hear me! Get to it right now!”

However, she had no choice but to follow instructions.

***

“Director, your eyes are turning red.”

Jung HyeJin brewed some coffee for Lee HyunJi, who couldn’t go home despite this being late in the night.

“…Thanks. You can go home now.”

“No. I’ll stay. Today’s an emergency after all.”

It wasn’t just her. Yoo JungMin stayed behind as well.

These three contributed a lot to the fact that Min JinSeo could get her contract while still in China.

Yoo JungMin carefully asked Lee HyunJi.

“Uhm, Director.”

“What is it? Mr. JungMin.”

“Uhm… isn’t our work done since we sent the contract over? I’m curious as to why we’re still staying here.”

It was a rather rude question.

No, perhaps it was a natural question. However, Lee HyunJi replied to him with a smile.

“This is about a contract of a star who was formerly with MG. We don’t know what might happen. Since you’re staying, stay a little longer, okay?”

Even though she replied in kind, Yoo JungMin still seemed puzzled.

However, his expression didn’t last long.

KangYoon gave the company a call.

He told them that the contract with Min JinSeo was successful and gave them a photo of the important parts of the contract.

“…Hahahaha! 1.7 billion deposit, 6:4, and 6 years? Wow, that’s quite a feat. President, what magic did you use?”

-…Haa. This isn’t good…

“What’s not so good about it? I was even thinking of 7:3 for 2 years. Looks like we can celebrate.”

A contract condition like that when it was a superstar like Min JinSeo was a hugely successful one.

Just considering all the profits that she would bring in 6 years made Lee HyunJi inexplicably joyful. Of course, they had a lot of hurdles to cross in the future…

While she was in the clouds, KangYoon spoke calmly.

– Please get some articles published right now.

“Right now? So quickly?”

– Yes. Right now, they let JinSeo go, but they might act dirty later. I think releasing the circumstances behind the contract and talking a little about future plans will do.

“Alright, I’ll make a post on the website first.”

After the call with KangYoon, Lee HyunJi quickly gave out instructions.

“Miss HyeJin, please get ready to upload on our website, and Mr. JungMin please get an interview ready. We’ll hold one in Lunas so call them to go there. Let’s move then. Quick.”

“Yes!”

The three people started moving busily.

Not even an hour later, Lunas was filled with journalists thanks to the ‘scoop’.

“…We, World Entertainment, have created an actor team and entered an exclusive contract with the actress Min JinSeo for 6 years.”

“!!!!!!”

The journalists went into overdrive.

The ones with a quick temper released articles already after just the first sentence.

However, there was no way they wouldn’t ask about Min JinSeo’s currently tarnished reputation.

“It is predicted that Miss Min JinSeo will have a hard time in the future thanks to the trouble she caused in China. What are you planning to do with that?”

Lee HyunJi calmly replied to the man’s difficult question.

“As far as we are aware, this incident is a scandal stemming from various misunderstandings and false rumors. However, we still deeply apologize for any inconvenience caused by this to everyone as public figures. We believe that it was a pity for a girl’s dreams to be drowned by a scandal like this. I hope everyone can watch as she returns with better acting.”

“Isn’t her contract with MG still ongoing?”

This time, it was from another journalist. A lady this time.

Lee HyunJi acknowledged that as she replied.

“Yes. However, JinSeo herself wished to end the contract with MG Entertainment, and the President and the Directors at MG Entertainment were kind enough to break the contract without the penalty for breaking the contract. I wish to show you the contract, but it’s a pity I can’t.”

Lee HyunJi proficiently handled the interview, and the internet started being filled with Min JinSeo switching companies.

***

“Hahaha. Welcome, Journalist Kim.”

Director Jung HyunTae welcomed the numerous journalists that were famous in this industry in his office.

Journalist Kim shook hands with Director Jung HyunTae as he replied.

“Hello, Director. I was touched by your actions today.”

“Touched? Well, I’m a man of such caliber…. *ehem*.”

“……”

“Was that a bad joke? Hahaha.”

Director Jung HyunTae had everyone sit down.

It was for the interview.

However, the same journalist suddenly spoke up.

“Director. I was surprised and touched… to hear that you sent a top star like Min JinSeo away without any negative impact.”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

I just called you here precisely to tell you the opposite, though?

Director Jung HyunTae tilted his head due to those words.

Regardless, journalist Kim continued to speak.

“Hahaha, your joke isn’t funny anymore, Director. You don’t have to tell us. I heard that the Directors let her go without receiving the contract penalty.”

“Wh, what? What do you mean by…”

“Looks like rumors about the disharmony between the Directors of MG and Min JinSeo were all false. It’s not easy for a company to let a celebrity go just like that. I’ve been working this job for 10 years, but this is the first time I’ve heard of such a good story!”

“……”

Director Jung HyunTae couldn’t hide his shock as he realized that any articles published here onwards would not be to his intentions.

***

- Min JinSeo’s switch.

2. World Entertainment.

3. Min JinSeo new company

4. Magnanimity

5. Double chapters

Bam!

As soon as he sent the journalists away, Director Jung HyunTae slammed down on his desk.

“Wh, what is all…”

He lost in speed.

Just one hour! If he was quicker by one hour!

If he actually published an interview that talked bad about Min JinSeo?

That would make him a man who conflicted himself.

“Lee HyunJi… Lee KangYoon… you two…”

He was flabbergasted.

The opponent seemed to have read his mind.

“Damn you!”

Director Jung HyunTae threw around all the paperwork on his desk in order to vent his frustration.