Chapter 32
“D-Director… No, Producer.”
Choi Geunseong stammered as he clung to Kim Doyun.
“I’ll give you the 20 million won I deposited to Eun Hyeran as compensation for emotional distress.”
“What? Are you saying you’ll take back the money you gave me and hand it over to him?”
Eun Hyeran clutched her handbag tightly, making it clear she had no intention of parting with the money she had received.
Disgusted by her behavior, Choi Geunseong roughly grabbed Eun Hyeran’s arm.
“Does she think it’s her money? This woman’s insane.”
“…I-I know I should return it, but…”
Reluctant to give up the 20 million won that had briefly entered her account, Eun Hyeran pouted.
“You’ll have to pay it back tenfold. What nonsense are you talking about?”
“T-Tenfold? But it barely touched my account!”
“Didn’t you lie about being his biological mother, causing the contract to fall apart?”
“Lie? What do you mean? You knew the truth all along.”
“Are you trying to drag me down with you?”
“You came to me first, promising I’d make money, and now look at you!”
As the argument dragged on, their dark secrets and weaknesses were exposed for all to hear, yet neither Choi Geunseong nor Eun Hyeran backed down.
Who’s worse—a mother trying to sell her own child or a company CEO trying to profit from selling someone else’s child?
There was no clear answer.
***
“If you need any help, just let me know.”
After the commotion settled, Moon Sungil spoke as he took his seat.
“So many bizarre things happen these days.”
The café owner placed a hazelnut coffee on the table, clicking his tongue in disbelief.
Having run the coffee shop in the Twin Horse Building for years, he had seen all sorts of outrageous behavior, but even he seemed shocked by what had just happened.
“My goodness, I used to think mothers who slapped their daughters because they couldn’t empathize with their child actors were the worst. But there’s worse out there.”
“I’m sorry for causing such a disturbance,” Doyun apologized as he took his seat.
The owner waved his hands dismissively.
“No need to apologize. Honestly, it’s amazing you had the foresight to secure the contract. That young student could have been in serious trouble.”
On the day he had gone to Mia-ri Mountain to meet Eun Jihoon, Doyun had shared a meal with him and proposed drawing up a contract.
Eun Jihoon had revealed the truth with a calm expression.
[My mother is registered as my sister on the family register. My grandmother is listed as my biological mother. That’s why kids made fun of me a lot.]
A kid who lives with an old lady. That was the meaning behind the cruel words of the bullies who had harassed Eun Jihoon.
‘It was a good thing I prepared the contract in advance.’
Had he not obtained Jeong Soonrye’s signature that day, Eun Jihoon would have been sold off to Choi Geunseong just as in the previous timeline.
From there, he would have wasted his time on unwanted singing and dancing lessons.
No matter how hard he worked, there would have been no hope, and he would have blamed himself, rotting away from within.
‘Although I managed to protect Eun Jihoon’s future, I can’t shake the feeling Eun Hyeran will try something again.’
It seemed imperative to place Eun Jihoon with an agency.
An agency that would fully support his talent and shield him from leeches like Eun Hyeran.
After taking a brief moment to collect himself, Doyun apologized politely, as he always did.
“I’m sorry for showing such an unpleasant side in our first meeting.”
“No, I don’t like bribes, but I do enjoy things like this. As I mentioned earlier, I believe the music industry needs to be cleaned up.”
Doyun couldn’t simply let that comment pass.
“Thanks to you, talented artists are debuting and breathing new life into the music industry. But it might be risky for some, as it cuts off their livelihood.”
“Actually, that’s why I wanted to meet with Producer Kim Doyun—to talk about such things.”
“……”
“When you brought up incidents during performances, I looked into them. It turns out nine out of ten were not mere accidents.”
“You’re right. Most were thoroughly planned incidents.”
Someone might have deliberately created victims to take down Moon Sungil’s program, perhaps even aiming for its cancellation.
‘No, I’m almost certain of it.’
In this era, new or washed-up singers could secure a spot on a music program simply by bribing the director.
For this reason, major management companies and record labels found it much easier to do business if directors willing to accept bribes were in high positions.
Even if everyone was rolling around in the same filth, people would dismiss it, saying, “That’s just how entertainers are,” leading to a downward spiral.
The TV was filled with singers so lacking in musicality that people would wonder, Who listens to this garbage?
Viewers were bored, and even the singers seemed trapped in a dull routine, leaving audiences weary of the stagnant music shows.
As a result, music lovers craved freshness and perfection, and the one leading that trend was none other than Moon Sungil.
He recognized talent in singers, crafted stages to enhance their brilliance, and delivered spectacular performances.
But such work was not for everyone, and on top of that, Moon Sungil refused to accept bribes of any kind.
This caused significant headaches for major management companies and record labels.
Unable to manipulate him, they might have decided it was better to get rid of him altogether.
Taking a sip of his coffee, Doyun said,
“You might want to consider who stands to gain the most if you step down, Director.”
During the police investigation surrounding the Angel’s Fall incident, the person who took over music programming was Director Yang Wonil.
And not long after, Yang Wonil becomes a major figure in the music industry.
‘But since I couldn’t accuse Yang Wonil without any evidence, I had to phrase it indirectly.’
Looking into Moon Sungil’s eyes, Kim Doyun spoke.
“If it’s difficult to catch the thief who broke into your house, perhaps it’s worth keeping an eye on another house.”
“…Are you referring to another program?”
“Yes. From above, things might look relatively clean, but from the side, it’s a different story.”
Moon Sungil, as the head of MBS’s flagship music program, couldn’t possibly monitor every single staff member or situation from the top.
However, just by observing how other programs were made, he would quickly notice cracks.
And within those cracks, the dust and grime trapped there wouldn’t be hard to find either.
“Wow! You’ve suggested a perspective I hadn’t even considered. It’s like a light bulb went off in my head. As Producer Kim Doyun said, let’s keep an eye on the neighbors.”
Moon Sungil sincerely heeded the advice of the much younger Doyun.
This was only possible because he trusted Doyun deeply.
“Thank you for listening to me.”
“No need to thank me. If that stunt with the wire had gone wrong during a live broadcast and the singer had fallen, my life would have been over.”
Just imagining it made Moon Sungil shiver, his hand trembling as he lifted his coffee cup.
He admitted that without the Angel’s Fall photo sent by Doyun, he might have thought it was worth attempting the performance.
However, the photo had unsettled him, and after talking with Doyun, he investigated further and realized how dangerous the stage design was.
Since then, he had continuously rejected the performance planner and assistant director’s proposals, avoiding risky setups that could lead to accidents.
After listening calmly to Moon Sungil, Doyun began to feel the weight of having prevented a horrific incident.
“You made the right decision.”
“Well, it’s all thanks to Producer Kim Doyun.”
Moon Sungil smiled before asking Doyun,
“By the way, you seem very interested in the music industry. Why are you working as a drama producer?”
It wasn’t just curiosity; he seemed eager to recruit Doyun.
Having been saved from a potential career-ending disaster, Moon Sungil might be angling to work together.
‘I’ll need to make my stance clear to avoid that suggestion.’
While Doyun enjoyed music, it was purely a hobby. He had never considered anything other than drama production as a career.
So, with a gentle smile, he expressed his passion for drama production.
“While working as a planning producer, I became interested in the music industry while thinking about which songs to use for drama OSTs (Original Soundtracks).”
“You’re not interested in making music programs?”
“Not for now. I enjoy making dramas.”
At Doyun’s words, Moon Sungil stroked his chin, looking genuinely disappointed.
However, he quickly changed his expression and asked Doyun another question.
“So, have you decided on the drama OST? I heard you were looking for one.”
“…Can I take that as an offer to help?”
Known for refusing any kind of favoritism, Moon Sungil’s offer left Doyun slightly stunned.
Smiling faintly, Moon Sungil replied,
“Isn’t unity power?”
“……”
“If Producer Kim Doyun is willing to help me, it’s only right that I reciprocate. I avoid corruption, but I’m always open to win-win collaborations.”
Since Doyun shared the same mindset, he nodded firmly.
“Then I’ll accept your help.”
Drama OSTs are typically chosen by Director Lee Beom-un, after which the production company adjusts the price and pays the fees.
If a singer charges a high price, it burdens the production budget, so they often opt for lesser-known songs instead of tracks by famous singers.
On the other hand, if a famous singer’s agency offers a song, it requires a director with enough influence to push it through.
This must have been a headache for Lee Beom-un.
‘Lee Beom-un is a rookie who’s only worked on two one-act plays.’
Because of that, every song Lee Beom-un liked was quoted at high prices.
Jeong Woon-Young, who had to manage the budget, firmly rejected such proposals.
But the first time Doyun and Lee Beom-un agreed on something was regarding the drama OST.
Both wanted to use a track sung by a rising ballad singer for A Summer’s Cantabile.
“I’m considering using Min Taehoon’s Summer Night as the drama OST.”
“Taehoon? He’s someone I debuted on Music Campfire. Since he composed the song himself, I can connect you two.”
Right then and there, Moon Sungil called Min Taehoon.
“Hey, Taehoon. Where are you? At your studio? I’d like to introduce you to someone really great.”
Listening to the phone call, Doyun felt his chest tighten.
‘This is what they call the power of connections, isn’t it?’
All the doors that remained tightly shut despite endless efforts to meet people and bow deeply seemed to be opening effortlessly now.
When he worked as a junior producer, his first-ever drama planning felt like pushing against firmly locked doors, and none of them budged.
But now, with a simple push, those doors seemed ready to swing wide open.
‘It’s not just my strength—I now have people by my side.’
After finishing the call, Moon Sungil turned to Doyun and said,
“Taehoon seems excited. If you send me the drama script, I’ll personally pass it to him.”
“Thank you.”
“Make sure to meet up more often. How are you busier than me? Hahaha.”
—
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