Damn Idol Episode 149
* * *
‘I’ve lost.’
The reason Choi Daeho came to that conclusion was not because the issue involving Han Sion’s parents had been neatly wrapped up.
Nor was it because On Saemiro’s parents had foolishly tried to take money from both sides and ended up being cast aside by both.
The reason Choi Daeho sensed his own defeat was, surprisingly, because of The Masked Singer.
Choi Daeho was someone who had confidence in his producing instincts.
In other words, when it came to his ears, he was second to none.
And yet, he hadn’t realized that
Even though he had consistently directed him during Coming Up Next and had watched the entire practice process and the final results.
It was shocking.
If others knew Choi Daeho was thinking this, they might wonder, “You’re shocked over just that?”
But by Choi Daeho’s standards, it was astonishing, and it became the opportunity that allowed him to regain objectivity regarding Three Months and a Hundred Days.
The Three Months and a Hundred Days of now was not the team he had known.
Thanks to that, Choi Daeho cast aside his prejudice and disdain and watched Three Months and a Hundred Days’ State Of Mind stage.
It was excellent.
No, it was perfect.
He was not talking about the performance or the completeness of the song.
He was talking about the singing of the members of Three Months and a Hundred Days.
It was absurd to think people like this had somehow gathered in one team.
And so Choi Daeho reached a conclusion.
Three Months and a Hundred Days was now a train that could not be stopped.
His pride was hurt, and it was upsetting, but he was a businessman.
The reason he had tried to bring down Three Months and a Hundred Days until now was to protect the cartel of vested interests.
A self-made idol group that had gone independent achieving great success?
That was something that would have a huge negative impact on the entire industry.
Trainees who overestimated their own abilities could rebel, thinking, “If I can become like Three Months and a Hundred Days too, why do I have to endure this suffering?”
But whatever the case, Three Months and a Hundred Days had succeeded.
He could scratch the train, but he could not stop it.
Even scratching it would require time and money, and there was no longer any reason to pay that price.
Then the conclusion was simple.
‘I should draw them into the cartel.’
He had to make peace with Three Months and a Hundred Days.
Once he reached that conclusion, his head cleared.
He did not particularly find it distasteful, nor was he forcing himself to extend a hand.
Because Choi Daeho the businessman sincerely thought reconciliation with Three Months and a Hundred Days was the best move.
The one regret he had was……
“CEO Choi Daeho. May I offer you one cautious piece of advice?”
“If you’re going to trample Three Months and a Hundred Days, you’ll have to do it as quickly and mercilessly as possible. Those boys…… they’re not easy.”
“Or else, you should reconcile with them now. Just let them go. Before they come back as an even greater disaster.”
He should have listened to the advice of CEO Oh of Double M.
Because he had already taken many losses because of Three Months and a Hundred Days.
But what could he do about what had already happened?
Choi Daeho made his decision and contacted Han Sion.
He said they should talk.
Han Sion readily accepted, and that put Choi Daeho’s mind at ease.
It was hard to understand that Han Sion, who possessed tremendous musical talent and an artist’s temperament, also had business sense.
But in any case, Han Sion did have business sense.
So they would be able to communicate.
As long as there was proof that he had truly lowered his gun.
When the appointed time arrived, Han Sion came to Lion Entertainment, and the two of them met one-on-one for the first time.
He had certainly been at ease, but seeing Han Sion’s clean, handsome face made him feel a little regretful.
Rather than regretting that he hadn’t trampled him down, it was regret that he should have brought in Three Months and a Hundred Days as a complete group after Coming Up Next ended.
“……
Sit.”
“Yes.”
“What would you like to drink? Coffee? Juice?”
“Water would be good. As you know, I’m managing my weight.”
“Very well.”
Watching Han Sion drink water, Choi Daeho first brought up a question he had held for a long time.
“There’s something I’m curious about. How much of this was your scenario?”
“Are you referring to the process of Three Months and a Hundred Days’ success?”
“Yes. To be honest, I’m a little dumbfounded. I didn’t even know I might not be able to exert influence over an independent band.”
When they were going around performing in the indie scene, he had never imagined a moment like this would come.
But after that, there had been a series of absurd events.
Starting with the Ruin Detector, then Drop Out and NOP, their self-produced content, RESUME, their news appearance, Color Show, the Seaside Heights video, entering Billboard, and even the manipulation controversy surrounding Coming Up Next……
Most of it had probably been helped along by the heavens, but Choi Daeho believed that at least some of it had certainly been Han Sion’s scenario.
But Han Sion’s answer was different.
“There are two things I completely failed to predict. One was NOP and Drop Out being released at the same time.”
“…….”
“And the other was CEO Choi Daeho raising the white flag this quickly.”
“…….”
The phrase “white flag” grated on him terribly, but it was not exactly wrong.
Because he no longer wanted to bear the human and material resources consumed by attacking Three Months and a Hundred Days.
But it was still hard to believe.
“Then are you saying everything was part of your scenario?”
“Is there ever only one scenario? Color Show wasn’t in the plan, but the moment Eddie told me about it, I included it in the scenario.”
“Yes, impressive.”
Choi Daeho did not look like he believed him, and Han Sion did not look particularly eager to convince him.
Silence flowed between the two of them, and the one who broke it was Choi Daeho.
Because as businessman to businessman, the side with business to discuss was the one to speak first.
“There are two options.”
“Please go on.”
“The first is a collaboration with Take Scene. Since Take Scene is in a lower weight class, we’ll cover all investment, production, and promotion costs, and the share will be fifty-fifty.”
“And the second?”
“You registered a business, didn’t you? Lion Entertainment will purchase ten percent of the shares. You know what ten percent means, don’t you?”
It meant they had no intention of participating in management at all and merely wanted to show the market a signal that their relationship had been restored.
“How much are you planning to buy it for?”
“That’s something we’ll have to work out. I promise we’ll value it above its cold, objective corporate worth.”
Choi Daeho believed Han Sion would accept his move.
Three Months and a Hundred Days had achieved self-made success, but they would not want to remain at odds with Lion Entertainment forever.
If it cost Lion Entertainment resources to attack Three Months and a Hundred Days, then it also cost Three Months and a Hundred Days resources to defend.
And if one looked at it coldly, if they truly went all the way to the end, Lion Entertainment would ultimately beat Three Months and a Hundred Days.
Three Months and a Hundred Days could not produce hit songs forever.
This was an industry where a composer who had poured out hit songs for years as if possessed could suddenly begin producing trash.
This was also an industry where a top star who had carried storm-like issues around on recognition that seemed as if it would last forever could be forgotten in an instant.
But capital was eternal.
So from Three Months and a Hundred Days’ perspective as well, there was no reason to remain enemies with Lion Entertainment until the end.
Han Sion probably knew this too, which was why he had never once said officially, “Lion Entertainment is persecuting us.”
Choi Daeho was certain of that.
Until Han Sion suddenly burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha.”
The laughter did not stop easily.
After laughing like a madman, Han Sion drained the rest of his water and opened his mouth.
“Ah, this is really something. How fun.”
“……
You’re being extremely rude.”
“I apologize. I didn’t mean to laugh, but it was just so absurd.”
“…….”
“If you were really going to make that kind of offer, you should’ve done it before using On Saemiro’s parents. You shouldn’t have said things like Gu Taehwan was a school violence perpetrator, or whatever about Choi Jaeseong’s family, or that Lee Ion left his previous agency after receiving sponsorship.”
Choi Daeho tilted his head.
He had never done such a thing……
‘Ah.’
Now that he thought about it, he had.
When the tampering controversy spread into the manipulation controversy of Coming Up Next, and then into the controversy over Take Scene’s fraudulent victory.
[The story of how Lee Ion left his former agency]
[Gu Taehwan school violence controversy (+evidence attached)]
[Guys, do you know who Choi Jaeseong’s parents are?]
He had attacked the members of Three Months and a Hundred Days just to put out the urgent fire.
But he had not thought this would prove fatal.
It had simply been a way to buy time.
And in the end, none of those things had even become issues.
It was puzzling.
“Weren’t they all things that fizzled out?”
“The people who decide that aren’t me, and they aren’t you either, CEO. It’s the people involved.”
“So? You’re saying you’ll go all the way because of something as trivial as that?”
“No, well, that’s not why we’re going all the way.”
“Then stop upholding your pride here. You’re smart, so you must be able to guess what I’m thinking.”
“Pride?”
At that moment, Choi Daeho felt a chill run through him.
Lion Entertainment was a company that could exert strong influence in the entertainment industry, which meant it could exert strong influence over the public.
Because of that, even though it was merely a company with a market cap of one trillion won, it had more points of contact with high-ranking figures than one might expect.
The “high-ranking figures” here were people who would describe it as “merely a market cap of one trillion.”
Whenever Choi Daeho met such people, he felt a chill.
The predator’s nature ingrained in those standing at the very top of capitalism could not be hidden.
They were people who could do anything for their goals, and they would not care even if what they did was inhuman.
Choi Daeho often felt fear whenever he saw their cold-bloodedness and indifference.
And yet……
He felt that same thing from Han Sion right now.
As if Han Sion were quietly looking down on him……
‘Looking down?’
Why had he thought he was being looked down on?
While Choi Daeho was losing his bearings, Han Sion opened his mouth.
With an expression and tone that had changed completely.
“Let me ask you one thing. If you had produced us, could you have created better results than we have now?”
He could not answer yes, not even as a lie.
Because Three Months and a Hundred Days had built tremendous recognition through musical results alone, while barely consuming their image as singers.
Now, if they began appearing before the public little by little while carefully selecting variety shows, they would become superstars.
“You asked why I didn’t denounce Lion Entertainment for attacking us? Why I didn’t spread it everywhere?”
“…….”
“I told the members we should look beyond victory. That we’d be incorporated into the establishment one day, so there was no reason to make a fuss. But that was just something I said to make them accept it. My true feelings are different.”
Han Sion continued with a sinister look in his eyes.
“Because it was beneath notice.”
“……!”
“You, with your petty talent and tricks, using the business you luckily built to get in the way of my goal.”
“…….”
“How many albums do you think I lost because of you? And what about my patience, which could run out at any moment?”
Choi Daeho could not understand what Han Sion was saying, but he could not open his mouth either.
“So wait quietly. When the time comes, I’ll bring you down myself.”
After saying that, Han Sion abruptly rose from his seat, but he did not leave the CEO’s office.
Instead, he smiled brightly, as if he were a sociopath, and said in a gentle voice.
“CEO Choi Daeho.”
“…….”
“Next time you want to beg me to spare you, please do it by phone or KakaoTalk.”
Then he left the CEO’s office.
Leaving behind one final sentence.
“Because we’re going to get a little busy.”
* * *
September 11, 2017, midnight.
Three Months and a Hundred Days’ State Of Mind was released to the world.
No one knew it yet, but it was an album that would stir up a tremendous wind.