After Story 125
It was just after 10:40 when he arrived at Gwangwon Tower. He ended up arriving twenty minutes earlier than he had originally expected.
“I’m here to go to the JA Entertainment office,” Maru said to the security guard.
“Did you forget your employee card?”
“No, I’m visiting because of an appointment. Last time, I was with someone else, but I came by myself this time.”
“What is your name?”
“Han Maru.”
After he waited for a bit, the guard gave him a visitor card.
“You can go up to the 8th floor if you put it next to the elevator. Don’t forget to return it once you’re done with your business here.”
He put the card against the sensor. The elevator came down soon.
He went up to the 8th floor alongside another employee who was waiting. With the hallway that had the elevator in the middle, JA looked like a trading company to the left and an entertainment agency to the right. It seemed that president Lee Junmin was trying his hand at various other types of business other than just entertainment in this life as well.
“I hope you don’t feel too upset that I’m making you visit. Next time, I’ll make the time to visit myself.”
“Not at all, please call me any time.”
Maru sat down on the chair Jumin pointed to.
“In other agencies, leaders of teams or departments would be doing this work. But I’m slightly different. I go through every little thing myself. Later on, I’ll leave all the decision making, even down to choosing a movie scenario up to you, but for now, everything will proceed through me, even for the little events. So you should get used to it.”
“I might miss the overprotection if I have to work by myself later.”
“If you so wish, I can keep going through them for you. If you so wish, that is.”
“I’ll be satisfied with asking for some opinion if necessary.”
Junmin smiled and continued,
“As for being a guest at the radio program, I have nothing more to say. I heard your segment and you sounded like a natural. Looking at you, it feels like you can do anything, huh?”
“I’m sure you don’t like people being humble, so if I may say, I can do it even if I were to be the main DJ.”
“Instead of just having the confidence to, you are actually declaring that you can do it?”
“Was I being too arrogant?”
“No, I just thought about it for a sec, if there was a radio slot that’s empty. But I guess I should leave that to the side since there’s not a suitable place. If an actor wants to do the radio, they have to have career experience, but you aren’t there yet.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
Junmin put down some paper to the left. It seemed to be an informal contract from a TV station. Most of the time, contracts proceeded verbally, but the TV station seemed to have sent a contract over because of the name value of JA.
“For the radio, you’ll be a fixed guest once a week. The broadcast will be for about 30 minutes, and the pay is 80 thousand won.”
“80 thousand won?”
“Why? Too little?”
“No, I was thinking it was more than I expected. I thought it would be 50 thousand at most.”
Junmin scratched his chin.
“So you know your stuff. The producer seems to have taken a liking to you as she said she’d pay 30 thousand more. Maybe Suyeon had an influence on this.”
“I feel thankful.”
“You feel thankful for just 80 thousand won?”
“I live in a world where the minimum wage is not even 5 thousand, so getting 80 thousand for just half an hour is definitely something I should be thankful for. That takes care of my rent, I guess. No, wait, it might not be slightly enough after going through revenue split.”
He made a disappointed face.
“I won’t touch a single penny from that 320 thousand won so take it all.”
“Am I receiving a privilege?”
“It’s a great privilege, so continue to do well in the future.”
Junmin picked up the paper underneath the contract.
“Ever since Suyeon became the DJ of that radio, the program has been getting a lot of good commercials. The listening rate is good, and the audience is on the younger side. There’s no harm in being a fixed guest, so if you like it, you can keep doing it.”
“I’ll do it.”
Junmin nodded.
“That takes care of the radio, but the problem is the TV show. Do you want to do this?”
“For now, I think it’s an opportunity. It can be a good stage for a newbie who doesn’t have anything to show.”
While the viewing rate was lower than other concurrent programs, it was still a TV entertainment show. There were many people who would call producers and writers just to have their faces shown in the entertainment shows of major TV stations, so there was no reason to refuse an opportunity like this.
“Honestly speaking, I like the strategy of differentiation. Although the era has changed and actors do appear in TV shows, they still have a face to upkeep. If we’re talking about one of the top entertainment shows of the three major TV stations, it might be worth thinking about, but for this one, even if you do go, it won’t become an issue and you’ll be suffering instead.”
“Maybe.”
“Why don’t you reduce your appearance instead? If you’re facing financial difficulties, I’ll give you enough help, so we’ll start with the good things. If it’s a friendly image, you can open up a social network account,” Junmin said, crossing his legs. “Honestly speaking, this show is a low-quality one. Even if you’re new to the industry, you have the JA title on you. Look above you. Is there a senior who lacks anything?”
“You’re saying they all climbed up to that position thanks to your consultations?”
Junmin responded by shrugging.
“Actors do need to be good at acting, but what’s more important than that is the planning. The times are changing. It’s becoming harder and harder to climb up to the top using talent alone. We’re living in an era where even if you lack some skills as an actor, you can be a popular actor.”
Maru did not respond and kept listening to Junmin’s words. While he didn’t entirely agree, it was not something he could simply deny. Above all, the signs looked strange. He had to refrain from answering at this point.
“I’m always of the same mind. Actors need to be high-class. To compare them to alcoholic drinks, they should be aged fine wine. There are many actors like soju too. However, soju will always be sold at soju prices.”
“What do I have to do to become an actor like fine wine?”
“As I said before, we’ll go with a strategy of differentiation. I’m going to choose the works of famous directors and writers to give you roles and, at the same time, leak some of your background through the media. You have the talent, so I’m going to focus on that. There’s an image you showed through the drama, so I’m sure you’ll receive attention in no time.”
“What after that?”
“I’ll look for roles that suit your image. I won’t fit you to the character, but the character to you. The acting will become easier as well. Because I’ll simply get roles like that. You’ll enhance your image by playing similar characters. You just have to show above-average acting skills.”
“Then after that, the company will do marketing with that again, leaking my name through various media outlets.”
Junmin put on a satisfied smile.
“Only actors who have worked in theaters will become the blue chips of Chungmuro and eventually national actors. How many people do you think fit that criteria these days? Actors are no different from idols now. The financial and planning power of the agencies are what make a good actor.”
“So people are made into actors, not grown as one.”
“I’m sure you know this. Actors cannot be classified as artists anymore. At this point, it’s just a form of business that happens on an individual level. There are many directors and writers that JA has ties with. If you appear in their works and we move the media through JA’s background, it’ll be hard for an actor to fail.”
“In other words, you can pretty much make anyone succeed as an actor?”
“Not just anyone. No matter how good the planning is, if you multiply zero by anything, the result is still zero. Someone on your level, however, we can expect some good results. It’s a low-risk solid business.”
“Then do I just have to play the roles in the works you’ve selected?”
“For the time being, yes. Once the business item known as Han Maru has been polished somewhat and your image has been consolidated, it wouldn’t matter what you do. An actor’s image will not be broken so easily once it’s been solidified. You’ll continue to get work to do.”
“While you, president, will make profit in various ways.”
“That’s how it is.”
Maru looked at the contract and Junmin alternately before speaking, “Do you really think so?”
“Do I not look like it?”
“Not at all. I don’t think you think like that. First of all, if you prioritized business above everything else, you wouldn’t have brought me here. There should be many other people more suitable than me when it comes to taking the route that you just told me. Honestly, my appearance is not good enough to attract everyone’s attention in one go.”
“Really? I very much like it though.”
“I’m not saying I don’t like it. I very much like my appearance as an actor. Regardless if I play a beggar or a wealthy man, I can fit the role. If I had a fair face, there should’ve been roles I would have a hard time doing, but this face doesn’t really differentiate.”
Junmin looked at him as though telling him to go on.
“Among the businesses you’re running, I’m sure the entertainment agency does not play a big portion. This is pure speculation on my part, so I may be wrong.”
“Does that make a difference?”
“It does. I’m not too knowledgeable, but there’s nothing as important as time when it comes to businessmen. Using precious time to talk about an 80 thousand won contract goes against the words you just said.”
“I just made the time to persuade you. Didn’t I say? You’re a good business item.”
“If you really looked at actors as business items, then there’s no need to go through this tedious process. All you had to do was just notify me. There are many people who can become ingredients. Going back to the beginning, if other businesses took up the minority portion, it’s strange that you’re doing the planning yourself, president. It’s not that JA doesn’t have actors. It has some of the top people in the industry. Anyone can tell that making use of them is much more profitable.”
“So I’m doing something useless, you’re saying?” Junmin asked back.
“If you really saw actors as business items, then yes, you are doing something useless. However, you shouldn’t be seeing actors as simple items. Though, this too, is a speculation on my part.”
“What do you think I think of actors then?”
“Actors are actors. I’m absolutely not saying that money is not important. It is important. However, if I were to ask if you had to choose between money and a good actor, I think that you would take the side of an actor.”
Because that was how Lee Junmin had always been. Of course, this last life had a lot of changes, so Junmin might have changed as well. However, the circumstances told Maru that Junmin’s words were not genuine.
He was such a logical man, so following the designs he said through his words allowed him to get a grasp on things. Although this too might be an error and a misunderstanding, he didn’t think that the person known as Lee Junmin was so half-baked.
“Also, I have the confidence to make a living even if you don’t plan things out for me. I became an actor out of my love for acting, not because I wanted to become rich quickly. Though, of course, it’d be great if I could earn a lot.”
“You’ll be successful as long as you do what I tell you to do.”
“I have the confidence too. Also, I want to become an actor rather than a business item. Call me petty, but I want to keep trying as an artist.”
“But you do know that actors are ultimately products, right?”
“Yes, I do. However, other people treating me like a product and me becoming a product myself are two different things. I’ll be in the market as a product, but I do not plan to change what’s inside me.”
“Then I guess there’s no helping it. You’ll have to go to this uninteresting TV show.”
“You’re giving up on the differentiation strategy?”
“You said you want to become an actor like soju, so what can I do about it? Also, you don’t want to change what’s inside you. I can’t put soju in a wine bottle and sell that. That’s illegal.”
There was a phone call. It was Junmin’s phone. Junmin got his jacket after receiving the call.
“The manager who will be in charge of you will be coming soon. Wait a bit here. You can talk to him about the specifics.”
Maru said to Junmin who opened the door to leave, “President, is there an actor who has become fine wine in JA?”
Junmin turned his head around, his foot half out the door.
“Everyone’s so old-fashioned, so they’re in a basket full of soju bottles. They really won’t listen. I said I can sell them well as good products, but they all like being actors instead.”
Junmin then walked off with a smile. His voice could be heard through the closing door.
“But you know, I could never understand the taste of wine.”
Tap - the door closed. Maru smiled and leaned back against the chair.
This person hadn’t changed, whether it was lying without batting an eyelid or the process of checking whether someone was his own person.
“I guess I’m a member of the family now?”
He stretched his arms out. He felt like a migratory bird that returned home after a long time. He felt comfortable.
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