The department head used her phone to search for the article I was in again, then spoke to me.
“It really is the same name as in the article… At this level, even as a pianist… *sigh*…”
The department head let out several sighs, unable to continue.
“Dohui… Then, is there anything else you’re particularly good at besides what you mentioned?”
Of course, I still had things to brag about.
“Well, I’m pretty good at studying…”
I let my words trail off again as I spoke.
“Is that so? Could you tell me how good you are?”
Perhaps because studying seemed relatively ordinary, the department head looked relieved.
“It’s only elementary school, but I was first in the entire school from first grade through third grade straight. Haha.”
“What? First in the entire school?”
“Yes.”
“Straight from first grade to third grade?”
“Yes!”
“You’re good at studying too… *sigh*…”
Wouldn’t it be a good thing if the person you’re about to sign is also good at studies? Why is she sighing…?
“Dohui, I’m really asking just in case, but if there’s anything else you’re good at, could you tell me…?”
There isn’t, but…
I was curious what the department head’s reaction would be if I said there was.
Was she going to cry?
“No, there isn’t.”
.
.
.
Lee Jeonghye, the head of the Singer Management Department at Top East Entertainment, had complicated feelings right now.
When Team Leader Kim had told her there was a child he absolutely had to cast, even if it meant revising the contract, she had thought he was making a fuss over nothing.
As the standing of K-pop had risen, idol applicants had naturally overflowed; nowadays, finding a visual member wasn’t as difficult as before, and if by chance they couldn’t find one, they could just get plastic surgery.
Therefore, unless the child was also good at singing and dancing, it was excessive to revise a contract for looks alone.
Since the child Team Leader Kim recommended had no interest in dancing or singing either, she figured the girl was just pretty.
However, when she saw the girl who had come to look around the company building, she somewhat agreed with Team Leader Kim’s words.
Because the child wasn’t just pretty—she was exceedingly beautiful.
If this child grew up and became an idol, her visuals would undoubtedly rank among the very top of her generation’s idols.
She was even only eleven, so even if her dancing and singing skills were lacking, there was plenty of time to learn.
Therefore, at this level, she had to prepare a contract on par with the Big Four agencies.
But her mind changed during the camera test.
The contract had to be revised to exceed the standard contracts of the Big Four agencies.
The unique aura the child exuded when she made an expression wasn’t something achieved by simply being pretty.
A playfulness mixed with a strangely mature look; feminine yet strangely masculine.
It was an atmosphere that men and women, young and old, would all love.
Yes, proposing a contract exceeding that of the Big Four agencies was somewhat burdensome, but it was well within the authority of the head of the Singer Management Department to propose.
However, after learning what kind of child Dohui was, she couldn’t gauge how she should propose the contract.
A Korean member fluent in foreign languages.
If she had won the grand prize eleven times in a row even at a local government competition with no authority, she would be an outstanding child.
Not only that, but she was a musical genius who had won the grand prize eleven consecutive times at major piano competitions recognized domestically, and could one day become a world-class pianist.
On top of that, a model student who had never once missed being first in the entire school from first grade to third grade.
It was a nonsensical résumé.
Why would a child who could succeed no matter which path she took deliberately endure the grueling trainee life and try to become a celebrity?
Getting her to set her mind on becoming an idol was a hurdle in itself.
And even if they somehow managed to make her want to become an idol and signed the contract, it wouldn’t end there.
The entertainment industry was small; if Dohui became their trainee, information would definitely leak somehow.
This wasn’t a résumé that could be hidden by making her a secret trainee.
And once rumors spread, other agencies would rush to scout her away.
To prevent trainees signed to them from being poached by other agencies, companies typically used one method.
A contract clause requiring the trainee to pay investment costs as a penalty fee if the contract was terminated due to the trainee’s fault.
Since there had been cases of abuse where trainees received free training from their original agency and then signed with another agency to debut, penalty fees became a basic clause in contracts.
So the Big Four agencies demanded penalty fees at two to three times the principal investment cost, rather than the principal alone, to more strongly prevent trainees from leaving.
However, the year before last, the Fair Trade Commission designated penalty fees exceeding investment costs as slave contracts, making it impossible to demand two to three times the amount as before.
Therefore, even if they contracted with Dohui, the maximum penalty fee would be the investment cost.
They’d try to snatch her away even with triple the penalty fee.
*Sigh*…
Penalty fees could not serve as a breakwater to protect Dohui from other companies.
There was only one way: to make Dohui want to debut as a celebrity at Top East Entertainment.
And to offer her a nonsensical contract, that was all.
.
.
.
“From now on, I will speak very honestly.”
After agonizing for a long time, the department head spoke.
“We absolutely want to make Dohui our company’s celebrity. In fact, other large agencies, the same as the Big Four, would probably feel the same way.”
Usually, in contracts between agencies and trainees, the agency holds the power.
But the department head’s words sounded like she would treat me as the party in power.
“Let’s sign you not as a trainee, but as an employee.”
“What?” “Huh?”
I couldn’t understand what she meant.
“We’re hiring Dohui as an employee who performs the role of a trainee.”
“To be exact, since labor is impossible for those under fifteen, you’ll be a trainee receiving an allowance.”
“We will give you an allowance every month based on minimum wage, just like a salary. Of course, we’ll also provide weekly holiday allowance and overtime pay.”
“Our company will bear all investment costs, and we won’t demand repayment even after debut.”
“Of course, we’ll write into the contract that you won’t be treated unfairly.”
“What Dohui needs to do is train hard, not cause social controversy, and not refuse reasonable company orders—only obvious things like that.”
My mom and I were surprised by the department head’s words.
Honestly, I was fucking shocked.
It was such an unprecedented condition…
Did this even make sense?
Even though I knew nothing about the entertainment industry, even I could tell this was incredible treatment.
I asked the department head.
“Department Head, is this… really allowed?”
“It’s not allowed. Honestly, I don’t even have the authority to make this kind of proposal. Still, I will definitely persuade the Division Head and the CEO to present this contract.”
“No, even if it is allowed, isn’t the company definitely taking a loss…?”
“I am certain that if Dohui debuts, we will unconditionally profit.”
“What if I only train and don’t debut as a celebrity?”
“If you unilaterally quit your trainee life or refuse when we offer you an exclusive debut contract, you would simply pay the investment costs, including the salary paid, as a penalty fee according to the Standard Trainee Contract for the Popular Culture and Arts Sector.”
“Then what if I pay and go to another company?”
“Then we’d simply recover the costs, that’s all. However, you will come to want to live as a celebrity at Top East Entertainment. Because we’re a good company.”
“…”
Honestly, I was a bit moved.
Isn’t there a saying like this?
A scholar lays down his life for the one who recognizes him.
Or,
A man lays down his life for the one who recognizes him.
Having heard this much, how could I not do it?
“I’ll do it.”
“Mom, I want to be an idol here.”
Mom looked at me and smiled.
“Aren’t you being too hasty?”
“Actually, I kind of wanted to try it.”
“Won’t it be hard?”
“You know. Once I start something, I see it to the end.”
“I know.”
Mom took a breath for a moment, then spoke.
“Phew… Alright, our princess can try everything she wants to do.”
“Okay.”
“Since you’ll be getting paid to do it, you know you have to work twice as hard as usual, right?”
“Of course.”
Hearing the conversation between Mom and me, the department head finally relaxed her stiff expression and smiled.
“Then I will definitely persuade the Division Head and the CEO this week and contact you.”
“Understood. Dohui, let’s hurry up now. It’s about time for Doa to get out of kindergarten.”
“Okay.”
Mom and I bade farewell to the department head, saying we’d see her on contract day, and left the company building where I would be spending my time from now on.
In the car on the way home,
since it was a significant matter, instead of waiting for Dad to get home to tell him, I called him right away to tell him immediately.
“Wow, our princess actually calling Dad? What’s the occasion?”
“I call sometimes.”
Had I not?
“Anyway, Dad, I’m going to sign a contract.”
“A celebrity?”
“Yeah.”
“Won’t it be hard?”
Both Mom and Dad asked if it would be hard before stating their own opinions.
Somehow, my eyes started to burn.
“It probably will be. But I want to try it even if it’s hard.”
“Yeah. If it’s hard, tell Dad or Mom.”
“Okay.”
“Once you start something, you can’t quit easily.”
“I know.”
“But if it’s too hard, quit. Dad can support Dohui and Doa for life.”
“What about Mom?”
“Tell Mom to go live with Kim Dongjun.”
He must still be sulking.
“Haha. Okay.”
“Then, to celebrate our daughter becoming a celebrity, we should have a party. Dad will buy beef for dinner tonight.”
“Okay.”
“Alright, I love you, my daughter~”
“Me too.”
After hanging up, I secretly wiped away my tears where Mom couldn’t see.
“What did Dad say?”
“He just said we’re having a beef party today.”
“Did you want beef that badly? You’re even crying.”
Ah.
“What are you talking about? When did I cry?”
“Haha, you’re making a lot of nose noises though?”
Ah.
“Ah~ our princess wasn’t crying because she wanted to eat beef, but because she wanted to eat her nose? Keu~ how’s Mom’s rhyme?”
“Ah, what are you talking about? I didn’t cry!”