Gang Ha-jun and Yun Dong-hui sat down at a cafe near the filming set.
Yun Dong-hui took a business card case from his inner pocket and spoke first.
“I heard this is your second time appearing in a production.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Gang Ha-jun answered, receiving a business card from him.
“Before that, I only went around with Go Hyeon-su, an actor from our agency, and occasionally appeared as an extra.”
“Yes.”
“Why was that?”
Yun Dong-hui asked with a look of utter incomprehension.
But perhaps he hadn’t wanted a specific answer, because he continued right away.
“We don’t have much time, so I’ll cut to the chase. I want to cast you, Gang Ha-jun, into our agency. We’ll create an environment where you can focus solely on acting. Starting with the drama you’re filming now, we’ll provide manager support. Of course, we won’t ask for any share of the profits from that.”
“I think it’s too soon for that kind of offer. There likely isn’t enough material to judge my ability yet.”
Gang Ha-jun said.
Rather than a refusal, it was a request for a more detailed explanation of why he was being scouted.
“As you noticed, I’ve been watching you act all day today. I’ve judged you to be talent with definite investment value. If you weren’t, I wouldn’t have stayed here until now, and I wouldn’t be sitting face-to-face with you like this.”
Yun Dong-hui didn’t hesitate.
Gang Ha-jun knew that this meant he was completely certain.
To Yun Dong-hui’s analysis, Kkumdongsan Entertainment was woefully lacking in strategy.
Because they were obsessed with scouting celebrities.
Of course, it couldn’t exactly be called an abnormal phenomenon.
Every entertainment company wanted high-value stars—it was all the same.
He merely thought that focusing solely on that didn’t suit the company’s current circumstances.
If one had to classify it, Kkumdongsan Ent. belonged on the minor side.
Bringing in someone already famous meant paying an incomparable amount of money compared to other major agencies.
But the reality was that even if they invested that recklessly, it was questionable whether they could scout anyone.
Nor did any of the unknown actors they currently had possess talent with exceptional potential.
If they continued like this, they couldn’t guarantee their future.
There was only one solution.
To take in a rookie and raise them into a famous star themselves.
Of course, since the cost was considerable as well, they had to approach it passively.
The risk was much greater, too.
*With someone of Gang Ha-jun’s skill level, it’s worth trying.*
Yun Dong-hui’s eyes were full of confidence.
Gang Ha-jun was definitely someone who would make it.
If he received enough proper support, he seemed capable of growing on his own.
*From our perspective, it might have been fortunate that he was rotting away as an extra.*
Yun Dong-hui thought.
If that hadn’t been the case, he might have been snatched up by somewhere else before even catching Yi Jin-mok’s eye.
Gang Ha-jun, who had been wearing a briefly troubled expression, opened his mouth.
“The investment value is definite…… I can’t quite grasp exactly what kind of investment you intend to make in me. This is my first time experiencing something like this.”
He played dumb.
Yun Dong-hui explained simply.
“Just think of it as receiving support for everything you need to work as an actor. Of course, within the limits of our agency’s capabilities.”
“Since I’m a rookie, there will probably be restrictions. I haven’t been properly verified yet.”
At Gang Ha-jun’s question, Yun Dong-hui stared at him intently.
“You need to have confidence in your own abilities first.”
He had no intention of treating Gang Ha-jun as equal to other rookies.
He was clearly too talented to be locked within such limits.
“I’ll explain the details next time we meet. There isn’t enough time to talk about everything now. Besides, I didn’t come today with the goal of signing a contract.”
Gang Ha-jun could feel it.
That he was treating him not as a ‘rookie actor,’ but as an ‘actor.’
That alone was enough.
“When can I see the contract?”
Gang Ha-jun decided to trust Yun Dong-hui.
Just as he had in his previous life.
He thought he could be a good partner with Yun Dong-hui in this life as well.
Of course, for now, a different manager would be taking care of him.
“If necessary, it’s possible right now.”
Yun Dong-hui answered.
Just in case, he had a copy of the contract in the passenger seat of his car.
Zzzt—
Gang Ha-jun’s phone rang.
It was a call from the casting director urging him.
―Where are you right now?
“I stepped out to a nearby cafe for a moment.”
―You need to come back soon. You’re up in two scenes.
“Yes. Understood. ……It’ll be a bit difficult to come right now, though.”
Gang Ha-jun said to Yun Dong-hui after hanging up.
Yun Dong-hui shrugged as if it were fine.
“I heard there’s no filming tomorrow. Do you have other plans?”
“I think I do now.”
The two broke into grins simultaneously.
“I’ll give you the contract in advance, so read it when you get home. That’s our agency’s basic contract template. If anything bothers you, if you’re curious about anything, or if there’s anything you especially want, tell me everything tomorrow. I’ll reflect your opinions as much as possible within realistic bounds.”
“Thank you.”
They returned to the filming set together.
Gang Ha-jun, having received the contract from Yun Dong-hui, briefly shook hands with him and parted ways.
**
After filming ended, I returned home and slowly read through the contract I had received from Yun Dong-hui.
It was an ordinary contract—nothing particularly good or bad about it.
For now, I was satisfied that there were no toxic clauses that could shackle clueless rookies.
I checked a few items and then went to bed.
And the next afternoon, I met Yun Dong-hui again at the Kkumdongsan Entertainment office building.
“Did you read through the contract?”
“Yes.”
“Were there any parts you didn’t understand?”
“There weren’t.”
“That’s impressive. Contracts are things that even lawyers rack their brains over.”
Truthfully, a contract isn’t difficult at all if you just know a few technical terms.
If a legal battle arises, you’ll have headaches over that damn ‘room for interpretation,’ but basically they’re all the same.
“Right. Was there anything you didn’t like?”
“No, nothing like that. There are clauses I’d like to add.”
“Tell me.”
“The clause regarding profit distribution.”
Kkumdongsan Entertainment’s basic profit distribution ratio was 6:4.
It was structured so that the agency took 6, and I received the remaining 4.
Since there were quite a few agencies offering extreme ratios like 8:2, the 6:4 ratio wasn’t bad.
Especially since there were no clauses requiring me to cover costs for profile shoots or personal promotion with my own money.
But even so, did I really need to lock even my future value within that ‘6:4’?
“Please make it so that if my annual earnings exceed a certain amount, the profit distribution ratio can be adjusted.”
“Ratio adjustment?”
Yun Dong-hui scratched his forehead.
He probably never expected to hear such a demand from a rookie who had only filmed two works so far.
Usually, when signing a first contract with an agency, the ratio was fixed according to that agency’s policy.
That was because most weren’t at a ‘level’ where they could discuss profits yet.
“You must be very confident?”
“You told me to start by having confidence in my abilities. Yesterday.”
“I didn’t think you’d use that already.”
Yun Dong-hui chuckled.
“I think we’ll need to discuss this part with the company. What’s next?”
“Next is…….”
I finished conveying my opinions by briefly confirming a few things I had checked last night.
Yun Dong-hui, who had organized my requests in a notebook, tapped the top line written there with his ballpoint pen.
“Everything else is fine, but this is the biggest problem. Profit distribution ratio adjustment.”
I nodded, taking a sip of the drink placed in front of me.
“Can you wait a moment? I’ll go talk to the higher-ups. I don’t think this is something I can decide alone.”
“Take your time.”
Yun Dong-hui left the meeting room and headed straight for the department head’s office.
“Oh, yeah. Did you sign the contract?”
“That’s exactly what I came here for.”
The department head let out a hollow laugh after hearing the whole story from Yun Dong-hui.
“Where on earth did that confidence come from? Do we really have to go that far to sign him? Is he really worth it?”
“My eye for talent is certain. You know that. That’s why you scouted me.”
“That is true…….”
The department head trailed off, seeming displeased.
“But thinking about it, it’s not really a problem. If he doesn’t exceed a certain amount of revenue, it’ll stay at 6:4 for the entire contract period.”
“What if he exceeds it?”
“If he exceeds it, it’s a jackpot.”
Yun Dong-hui said flatly.
“At that point, is the ratio even a problem? A talent whose value is hard to convert into money emerged from our Kkumdongsan Entertainment, of all places.”
“What if later every Tom, Dick, and Harry asks for ratio adjustments?”
“Of course there’s no need to worry about that. There’s a confidentiality clause.”
The department head was silent for a moment.
“Department Head?”
“……Just do what you want.”
“Then you give your permission?”
“You shameless punk. You already decided everything and came here asking for permission? Permission my ass.”
“As expected, you’re the only one for me. I’m glad I trusted you and transferred here. Then I have to go finish the contract, so please write the report yourself.”
“Just be the department head yourself.”
The department head grumbled.
Yun Dong-hui returned to the meeting room.
In his hand was a freshly printed, warm contract.
It was newly printed to reflect Gang Ha-jun’s requests.
“Did you bring your seal?”
At Yun Dong-hui’s question, Gang Ha-jun nodded.
He carefully checked whether what he had mentioned was properly reflected in the contract.
Yun Dong-hui emphasized one point in particular.
“There’s a confidentiality clause so there’s no need to worry, but I’m telling you just in case. The ratio part is a special benefit given only to you, Gang Ha-jun. You absolutely must not talk about it anywhere. Not to family, not to friends.”
“Don’t worry.”
Gang Ha-jun smiled and held his seal in his hand.
Just as he had finished stamping the last page of the contract.
Zzzt—
A call came in to Gang Ha-jun.
It was the casting director.
“May I take the call?”
“Of course. I’ll check whether the seal was stamped properly.”
Yun Dong-hui nodded.
Gang Ha-jun, having asked for understanding, pressed the call button.
“Yes, this is Gang Ha-jun.”
―Gang Ha-jun. Sorry to bother you while you’re resting, but can you come to Britz right now? Bring your drama appearance contract, as fast as possible.
“What is this regarding?”
―It’s chaos here because of the Hattibi president. He barged in since this morning saying to change the lead…… He’s being completely unreasonable no matter what we say, so I think the parties involved need to come.
He wondered what was going on, but it seemed there was no time to get into that.
“I’ll grab it and come right away.”
Gang Ha-jun answered and hung up.
“What happened? Why do you look so serious?”
Yun Dong-hui asked.
“I’m completely under Kkumdongsan Entertainment now, right?”
“There’s no problem with the contract.”
“That’s a relief.”
Gang Ha-jun smiled.
“There’s somewhere I need you to come with me. It seems there’s a problem with my work activity.”
The seal stamped on the contract had, quite literally, caused an incident “before the ink even dried.”
The timing was truly incredible.
Gang Ha-jun explained the general situation to Yun Dong-hui in the car on the way to his place.
The two, having picked up the drama appearance contract, headed to Britz Studio together.