I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 399

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 399
– CEO Jeon Sung-guk Exposes Cult Religious Group Recruitment Activity Trending Now on YouTube!
– Even CEO Jeon Sung-guk Cannot Escape South Korea’s Cult Religious Group Recruitment!
The video documenting cult religious group recruitment activities exploded in view counts the moment it was uploaded to YouTube.
At that moment, I heard Jeon Tae-guk’s laughter ringing out wildly from behind me.
“Sung-guk, anyone who watches this video will never fall for cult recruitment again. Including me.”
“You don’t even walk on the ground anyway.”
“I do walk short distances sometimes. But why on earth do those people do such things?”
“Who knows? When you live life, you need something to rely on. Some people lean on their lovers, some on their families—they just lean on religion.”
“Hmm… that makes sense. Why do I suddenly feel sad? I have neither a lover nor a family to rely on….”
Jeon Tae-guk nodded with a sorrowful expression.
[You have the Samjeon Group, Jeon Tae-guk. Family, lovers, and something even more reliable than that—money!]
Just then, my phone rang. Who could it be?
It was an unknown number.
When I answered, a cheerful man’s voice came through.
– Hello, CEO Jeon Sung-guk. This is Kim Dae-sung, a reporter from MBS.
A reporter? What’s this about?
“Yes, this is Jeon Sung-guk. What can I help you with?”
– Yes, I’m calling about that. We’d like to use the cult religious group recruitment video you uploaded to YouTube on our nine o’clock news. You uploaded it to YouTube to warn people not to get involved with these cult groups, right?
“Yes, that’s correct.”
– We thought it would reach more people if we broadcast it on the nine o’clock news. These cult religious groups are destroying South Korean families alongside voice phishing scams.
“If that’s the intention, then I’m fine with it. Just make sure to clearly credit the source.”
– Of course. Thank you so much! And if you don’t mind, could we also ask for a brief interview?
“About cult religious group recruitment?”
– Yes, why you filmed this video and why you uploaded it. Things like that.
“Hmm….”
[So you want to use my video and my precious interview for free….]
“Reporter Kim Dae-sung.”
– Yes, CEO.
“I have a request in return.”
– Please, feel free to tell me! CEO.
Reporter Kim Dae-sung answered readily.
“Not long ago, there were allegations of school violence involving my younger brother, and I issued a clarification.”
– Ah yes, I saw that. Wasn’t it proven to be false testimony? On SNS, people were going crazy saying they became fans from his debut after the pillow shot.
“There are still some people who believe the school violence allegations. Honestly, if someone was a real bully and harassed their friends, they shouldn’t debut. But we also can’t let innocent victims suffer because people spread false rumors online just because they can’t see faces.”
– That’s true. Actually, malicious comments have become quite an issue lately. Not long ago, a female celebrity who suffered from malicious comments passed away.
Reporter Kim Dae-sung’s tone showed agreement with my words.
“It’s my brother’s situation, but as a representative of various SNS platforms, I want to use this opportunity to run a campaign informing people that posting malicious comments is also a crime.”
– Are you perhaps asking MBS to participate in this with you?
[That’s exactly what I was getting at with my preamble, reporter!]
But I answered with a slight bounce in my tone.
“It would be nice to do it together, but it’s not necessary either. However, you’re welcome to use footage from the cult religious group’s proselytizing site, but there won’t be any interview with me.”
– Haha. Just as the rumors say, you certainly have a clear sense of give and take.
Rumors about me?
What kind of rumors?
But I didn’t ask. I didn’t want to seem petty.
– CEO, then would it be alright if we visit this afternoon? We’re planning to air it on the nine o’clock news today. We’d like to interview you about the cult religious group’s proselytizing site first this afternoon. I’m thinking a current affairs program segment of about twenty minutes would work well for your brother’s situation and the campaign against malicious comments… I’ll call you back in ten minutes.
Kim Dae-sung hung up and called back exactly ten minutes later.
– CEO, this is Kim Dae-sung. I reported it to the desk, and they said it’s good. We’re already planning a current affairs program about celebrity malicious comments, so they’re wondering if we could air this together with that.
“Then please send me the planning proposal first via email, and we’ll do the interview this afternoon.”
As soon as I hung up, Jeon Tae-guk asked as if he’d been waiting.
“Sung-guk, would it be okay if I stood next to you during the interview?”
“Brother, it was only a few years ago that you became an issue because of those nude photos. Do you really want to show your face on broadcast?”
“Sigh… I actually like being on broadcast. How much longer do I have to practice self-restraint?”
[Don’t worry. You’ll have plenty of opportunities coming up, like hearings and such. It’s just that they’ll mostly be political issues…]
I patted Jeon Tae-guk’s shoulder.
* * *
The Nonhyeon-dong Semi-basement Practice Room was packed with cameras and lighting equipment.
The moment Min-guk came down, he kept exclaiming in amazement.
“Brother, brother… did all those cameras come to film me?”
“Precisely you and me.”
I deliberately called Kim Dae-sung to the Nonhyeon-dong Semi-basement Practice Room where Min-guk practiced.
My intention was to conduct the interview here and also film footage of a clear explanation about the school violence rumors and a campaign video against malicious comments.
Kim Dae-sung came down hurriedly, his eyes widening. The camera director following behind him looked around bewilderedly.
“Hello, CEO Jeon Sung-guk. I’m Kim Dae-sung, the reporter who spoke with you this morning. But… we never imagined you’d prepare to this extent.”
“We’ll keep the interview simple, and we also need to film footage for our YouTube channel. If you don’t mind, I thought we could film those scenes so they could be used in your current affairs program as well.”
“That would be wonderful for us.”
Kim Dae-sung looked around with a satisfied expression.
“But… the practice room really is quite modest. It’s hard to believe this is where CEO Jeon Sung-guk’s younger brother practices. Honestly, there are a lot of rumors that you invest heavily.”
“People often misunderstand, but I believe my younger siblings should obtain what they want through their own efforts. My help doesn’t create talent that doesn’t exist. Those meant to become stars will become stars, and those meant to study will study.”
Min-guk let out a soft sigh beside me.
“Our family motto is ‘earning your keep.’ It means everyone should earn their own way.”
“Haha. It seems like interviewing CEO Jeon Sung-guk’s family would always be interesting. A world-class entrepreneur with a younger brother about to debut. And you have a younger sister too, right?”
“Yes, she’s still studying.”
“Looking at the people in this household, I wonder if that younger sister will also come out as an actress or in a girl group?”
“She doesn’t have the makings to be an actress or girl group member, so she’s studying instead.”
“You certainly evaluate your siblings quite coldly, don’t you?”
“That’s how you survive in this harsh world. Now, shall we start filming?”
* * *
“Since I spent a long time living abroad before returning, I honestly didn’t know much about how cult religious groups conduct their proselytizing. To prevent people like me, who are ignorant about these groups, from making wrong choices, I decided to film this footage and upload it to YouTube.”
“Cut!”
The camera director shouted.
Kim Dae-sung smiled and removed the microphone.
“I looked up a few broadcasts you appeared in, CEO Jeon Sung-guk. You’re really too talented not to pursue entertainment.”
“I hear that often.”
Kim Dae-sung let out an awkward laugh, clearly caught off guard.
“You really are as straightforward as the rumors say.”
“Reporter Kim, I’m curious about something.”
“What is it?”
“You keep using the phrase ‘as the rumors say’—both when we talked this morning and now. How exactly did rumors about me spread through the broadcasting industry?”
“Ah, well….”
Kim Dae-sung scratched his head, looking flustered.
“Tell me honestly.”
“To be frank, CEO Jeon Sung-guk is actually a hot topic in broadcasting circles. Dating reality shows constantly want to cast you, various current affairs programs want to cover you, and even educational programs do. But everyone thinks you’re a bit prickly, and since you’re the type who can’t lie, they wonder if you’d be suited for broadcast.”
“Reporter Kim, going forward, lifestyle-focused videos like YouTube will become the mainstream. People will want raw, authentic content rather than polished broadcasts. When that happens, my personality might actually be a perfect fit.”
“I also believe broadcasting will need to move in that direction eventually.”
“Since you have an outgoing personality, Reporter Kim, you should consider starting a YouTube channel soon. In this market, being first matters.”
“Advice from an entrepreneur with a flawless track record—I’ll take it to heart!”
Kim Dae-sung answered with refreshing enthusiasm.
[You won’t regret listening to me, Reporter Kim.]
Then the real filming with Min-guk and me began in earnest.
Min-guk spoke skillfully in front of the camera, recounting his situation.
“I spent so long as a trainee that I honestly couldn’t dedicate myself to school. Like my friends said, I mostly just went to sleep there. But the reason I kept attending was because I wanted to create many memories with my friends. The pillow shot came about that way.”
[Not bad at all.]
Min-guk spoke far more maturely than I’d expected, sharing his school and trainee life without reservation.
“Honestly, after practicing until dawn, I could barely open my eyes in the morning to go to school. So I could only sleep there.”
Watching Min-guk’s steady back, I suddenly felt my nose tingle.
I could see all the effort Min-guk had poured into his long years as a trainee.
After school, practicing in the semi-basement practice room, barely sleeping at dawn before waking up to go to school and dozing off again.
These were the years he’d spent running toward becoming a singer.
At that moment, Kim Dae-sung suddenly asked a question.
“May I ask you something?”
“Yes.”
“Is the Sevens debut date set in stone?”
“Actually… we’re scheduled to release an album in June this year. But since we’re a small talent agency, it’s not easy to secure broadcast slots.”
“Won’t your brother lend you some help?”
In that instant, Min-guk glanced at me and answered with emphasis.
“Not a chance!”
* * *
Bang Mu-hyuk watched Min-guk’s interview video on YouTube with a satisfied expression.
“Sung-guk, looking at it this way, doesn’t Min-guk look even more handsome? Don’t you think?”
“He’s got a decent face, I suppose.”
“Anyway, you’re being harsh on your little brother.”
“But sir, is it really that difficult to land a debut broadcast?”
Bang Mu-hyuk’s expression darkened at my question.
“It’s a bit of a problem. The major talent agencies circulate what you might call ‘appearance fees’ to the producers and staff involved. But we don’t have that kind of money. And I don’t want to raise the kids that way. What’s a single article worth? Real popularity doesn’t come from that sort of thing. I believe that for Sevens to have longevity, we absolutely cannot enter the South Korean music industry through those methods.”
This unwavering conviction was precisely why I had chosen Bang Mu-hyuk.
And it was also why I had entrusted Min-guk to him.
“If we leverage YouTube properly, we should get responses from overseas.”
“I’m not even expecting that yet.”
[Just trust me. Sevens will blow up both domestically and internationally, Bang Mu-hyuk.]
“Sir, we should really start trying to secure a debut broadcast for Sevens soon, shouldn’t we?”
“The album will come out in early June, so it would be nice to land it around then… but to get even the first broadcast, I’d have to do some lobbying… My convictions are really wavering these days.”
I crossed my arms at Bang Mu-hyuk’s sigh.
In my past life, I had read articles about Sevens’ success.
I had read them carefully, noting their Samjeon commercials and various other shoots.
Back then, their debut happened almost by accident.
A stroke of luck, you might say!
“Sir, don’t worry. You’ll land a broadcast in June.”
“Sung-guk, could you possibly pull some strings for us?”
Bang Mu-hyuk’s eyes held a hint of hope.
“Sir, I’m not in a position to do that. You’ll have to work hard for Sevens’ debut!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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