NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor - Chapter 191

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 191. Winter’s Monsoon Rain

While Yeon-woo and the theater company members were still staying in Jeju Island, Chairman Seo Tae-gwang departed for the Philippines.

 

It was to participate in the ‘Defense Industry Conference’ held in Manila according to his original schedule, but Chairman Seo Tae-gwang appeared at the ‘Korea-ASEAN Cultural Content Industry Forum’ held at the same time.

 

Since Ihan Group was a typical Korean conglomerate that had expanded octopus-like into various fields beyond just defense industry, it wasn’t strange for him to appear at forums in other sectors.

 

Still, since it was an unexpected move, reporters flocked to him and Chairman Seo Tae-gwang smiled as he gave interviews.

 

– Haha, isn’t Korea a content powerhouse these days? Baekbeom Kim Gu also said ‘the only thing I endlessly want to have is the power of high culture,’ so it would be good for our group to join the trend.

 

The theater company members went out again today, apparently having so much to sightsee, and Yeon-woo was watching Chairman Seo Tae-gwang on the news on TV from his suite room.

 

Then his smartphone rang.

 

“Ah, Hae-woon.”

– Team Leader, how did you move Chairman Seo Tae-gwang? He’s really doing it spectacularly.

 

In fact, Han Hae-woon had been half-doubtful even until he organized and handed over Chairman Seo Tae-gwang’s schedule.

 

Of course, Ihan Group was in a position of being at odds with Baeksol, but that didn’t guarantee they would help, and he was skeptical that it would be helpful since it was questionable whether Chairman Seo even knew of Baeksol’s existence in the first place.

 

But Yeon-woo shook his head and had prepared the operation, saying he had a card to try asking personally regardless of Baeksol.

 

Since he planned to have the conversation with Chairman Seo Tae-gwang purely under the name ‘Ryu Yeon-woo,’ Yeon-woo had no intention of contacting Chairman Seo Tae-gwang if he had to bring up Baeksol.

 

“Of course, even if Chairman Seo Tae-gwang hadn’t stepped forward, we could have dealt sufficient damage.”

– It would have been a half-success. The bigger we make the situation, the greater the damage those guys will suffer.

 

Yeon-woo nodded at Han Hae-woon’s words.

 

– By the way, how did you move a big shot like Seo Tae-gwang?

“Well, he said he liked my eyes.”

– …What? Your eyes?

“Something like that exists.”

 

 

Meanwhile, reporters continuously produced articles about Chairman Seo Tae-gwang’s moves.

 

– [Financial News] Is Ihan Group revealing ambitions in the content industry?

– [Blue Economic Newspaper] Was Ihan Group pressured by the government’s media-content industry innovation plan?

– [Hansae Daily] Ihan Group Chairman Seo Tae-gwang: ‘Content industry is South Korea’s future food source’

– [News Tomorrow] Major corporations rushing to jump into the culture industry, Ihan Group also signals joining…

 

And rumors began spreading among industry insiders.

 

– Ihan Group will acquire LN Media and take the lead in pioneering overseas content markets in earnest.

 

LN Media, the party in question, couldn’t help but hear this story that spread with the tag of insider information.

 

James Choi, sitting in LN Media’s CEO office, bowed his head as he answered the phone.

James Choi’s body trembled at the metallic voice coming from the receiver.

 

– Check the facts once. Where did this story come from?

“Yes! According to rumors, it’s information that came directly from Ihan Group’s future strategy team.

– Right. Crisis and opportunity always come together. Think of it as James Choi catching an opportunity.

 

The person on the call wasn’t agent ‘Hwang-geum’ who originally gave him orders.

James Choi, who was directly connected to higher-ups and received orders after being told that Hwang-geum was injured during an operation, bowed his head deeply.

 

“Yes! I will handle it for sure.”

 

 

Click─.

 

As the call ended with those final words, James Choi’s eyes lit up.

 

‘If I do well here, I might enter the inner circle of this cartel.’

 

It was none other than Ihan Group.

A major corporation counted among the top five in South Korea’s business hierarchy.

 

If Ihan Group was actually trying to acquire LN Media and even the entertainment companies under it, this was the opportunity of a lifetime.

 

James Choi began analyzing LN Media’s past data day and night to get into Baeksol’s good graces.

He was more desperate than when he worked as a corporate raider in America.

 

Then he discovered one document.

 

– Ihan Technology Advertisement Contract Report

 

“The advertising contract between Ryu Yeon-woo and Ihan Technology… Why was the unit price set so high? Considering Ryu Yeon-woo’s market value at that time, it’s an absurd amount.”

 

James Choi, who was looking for more related materials, picked up his smartphone and called Byeon Hak-gyu, CEO of Plus Ten Entertainment.

 

– Oh, CEO Choi. I forgot to make a congratulatory call. Haha.

“CEO Byeon. Shouldn’t we comrades in the same boat meet and have a drink?”

– Ah, of course we should.

“First, I called today because I have something to ask. CEO Byeon, you’re quite seasoned in this industry, aren’t you.”

 

James Choi explained the current situation and Ryu Yeon-woo’s contract rates to Byeon Hak-gyu.

Then Byeon Hak-gyu answered as if it was nothing special.

 

– That’s common in our industry. Probably the pay given to Ryu Yeon-woo was written and managed separately, and Kim Ju-seong pocketed the rest of the money. With that amount, there’s also a possibility of some backdoor deal.

“Double bookkeeping.”

 

Since Byeon Hak-gyu had always used this method of embezzlement, he explained the method in detail.

James Choi nodded after hearing the explanation.

 

“Wow, I see. I’ll treat you to a big drink next time. Yes, yes. Please go in.”

 

James Choi’s eyes gleamed after hanging up the phone.

 

Why had Kim Ju-seong desperately refused to hand over his shares even when offered a generous price?

 

What could Chinese triads possibly gain by showing interest in a Korean entertainment company?

 

And why had Ihan Group paid such an absurd amount to a rookie actor?

 

It felt like all the puzzle pieces were suddenly falling into place in his mind.

 

‘Kim Ju-seong, that bastard. He was planning to sell the company to Ihan Group at a premium after the stock price rose following the earnings surprise. The contract had already been exchanged under the table.’

 

And if Baek Sol had intervened and seized management control without knowing about that contract?

 

Once James Choi reached that conclusion, he began to become obsessed with the idea.

 

Meanwhile, Yeon-woo and the agents, who had been monitoring the conversation between Plus Ten’s CEO Byeon Hak-gyu and James Choi through hacking chips planted during the YouTube variety show ‘Fan Detective’, realized their target had taken the bait.

 

Yeon-woo chuckled as he thought of James Choi.

 

‘He must be falling into the curse of knowledge by now.’

 

According to Elizabeth Newton’s 1990 research published by Stanford University, when you alone know certain information, you tend to mistakenly assume others naturally know it too.

 

This is called the curse of knowledge.

 

If I silently sing the national anthem while tapping my fingers to the beat, I mistakenly think others can guess it’s the national anthem just from hearing the rhythm.

 

Because I’m singing the melody of the national anthem in my head, I mistakenly believe I’m conveying more information to the other person.

 

Similarly, once he learned the insider information, James Choi began to find all stock market movements suspicious.

 

James Choi, sitting at his computer searching through data, smiled bitterly.

 

‘Even though the stock has already exceeded the target price, institutions and high-net-worth investors aren’t selling their accumulated LN shares. These bastards all know too. They know the rumors spreading throughout the industry are true.’

 

Of course, that wasn’t the case.

They were simply buying more because they thought there must be bigger positive news coming, since LN Media kept increasing its internal stock holdings.

 

James Choi, trapped in the curse of knowledge, began to grow more convinced.

 

‘Ihan Group definitely intends to acquire LN.’

 

When he confidently reported to his superiors, orders came down to accept if a proposal came in to acquire LN for a large sum.

 

 

Meanwhile, on the morning they were returning to Seoul after finishing their dreamlike vacation in Jeju Island.

Yeon-woo sent a message to Han Hae-woon.

 

– Execute the final stage now.

– Han Hae-woon: Understood.

 

At the time Yeon-woo was boarding the plane with the members.

 

Teren Williams’ corporate entity ‘Teren Investment’ conveyed their intention to sell 11 percent of their LN Media shares.

 

And James Choi, who had been anxious, immediately accepted the proposal, and a representative hired by Han Hae-woon visited LN Media to negotiate the details.

 

“Our employer wishes to sell at 43,000 won per share.”

 

LN Media’s stock price, from which most retail investors had fled due to continued mixed trading, was currently maintaining around 29,000 won.

 

“What do you mean selling stocks worth 29,000 won for 43,000 won?”

 

Normally, block deals between companies are conducted with discount rates applied, so James Choi objected to the mention of adding a premium.

 

Teren’s representative, who had been quietly observing James Choi’s face, chuckled.

 

“CEO James Choi. The rumors about Ihan Group acquiring LN have spread even to Wall Street across the ocean. It’s not just people here who know about it. If Ihan Group acquires it anyway, becoming a unicorn is natural, isn’t it?”

 

A unicorn company refers to a company with a market capitalization of over 1 trillion won.

If LN Media, with 21 million total issued shares, became a unicorn company, the stock price would break through at least 47,000 won.

 

James Choi chewed his lips heavily.

As the man in front of him said, if Ihan Group was going to acquire it anyway, it would be profitable no matter what price they bought at.

 

“Still, a premium of nearly 50 percent…”

“Isn’t it quite common when prestigious Wall Street investment firms do block deals? If you have no intention of purchasing, I’ll take my leave. From our perspective, wouldn’t it be more profitable to just wait and dump it on the market?”

 

If they purchased 11 percent, Baek Sol’s total shareholding would slightly exceed 50 percent, allowing them to not only profit from the difference when selling to Ihan Group but also negotiate from a superior position.

 

“…Fine. Let’s make the deal.”

 

***

 

Before the block deal announcement between LN Media and Teren Investment went up, Yeon-woo made the first move.

 

– [Movie Fact] Ryu Yeon-woo, whose contract is expiring, has no intention of renewing with LN. Will a major FA emerge? By Reporter Oh Seung-hwan

 

World star Ryu Yeon-woo, whose contract with LN Enter expires this year, told this publication in an interview that he has no intention of renewing with his agency.

 

Actor Ryu Yeon-woo’s position is that he will leave his comfortable home to embark on new challenges.

He expressed his ambition to continue his acting career, drawing attention to his next moves including future projects…

 

 

After the article was published, the internet buzzed with the emergence of the biggest FA signing in history.

 

– Wow crazy, which management company will sign Ryu Yeon-woo? He’ll get an incredible signing bonus

– But isn’t it wrong to leave the agency that raised him from obscurity?

└ What bullshit, do you know how much money Ryu Yeon-woo brought to LN Entertainment

└ Yeon-woo never had an unknown period to begin with 🙂

 

LN Media’s stock price continued in mixed trading, unable to determine direction as the announcement of purchasing treasury shares at a premium coincided with news of Ryu Yeon-woo’s failed contract renewal.

 

And at that moment, Yeon-woo was touring Mokwha Building with Han Hae-woon.

 

Not the 5th floor used by the agents, but the floors below it.

 

“You really do have quite the aesthetic sense? You’ve decorated it well.”

“Didn’t I tell you? I have quite good taste.”

 

At the entrance of the company using three floors of Mokwha Building from the 2nd to 4th floors, a large company name was embedded.

 

「Saebyeol Media」

 

Yeon-woo stood at the office building of the agency he would start anew with, examining every corner.

 

“Fill each floor with the finest furniture. We have plenty of money.”

“Yes. Of course. Thanks to catching a sucker, we’ve secured quite a lot.”

 

Yeon-woo and Han Hae-woon looked at each other and grinned wickedly.

 

An operation started with loan money issued using the building as collateral and funds laundered from Yeon-woo’s “White Blood” secondary profits.

 

Even after excluding transaction taxes and loan repayments, their funds had more than doubled.

 

But the losses Baeksol would bear would be several times greater than that.

Ahead of Baeksol, who had scraped together even the retail investors’ volume, a vertically plummeting stock price would be waiting.

 

And the day of destiny approached.

 

– [Official Report] Chairman Seo Tae-gwang on his way back home states ‘Ihan Group’s entry into the media industry is a false rumor.’ He merely quoted Baekbeom Kim Gu’s words to liven up the atmosphere at the Content Industry Forum.

 

James Choi, who had been sitting in his office with classical interior design, fiddling with the name plate bearing the title of CEO, looked at the monitor and couldn’t believe his eyes.

 

“Wh-what kind of bullshit is this!? How can internal information from Ihan Group Future Strategy Team be a false rumor!”

 

Institutions that confirmed the reality of the rumor began dumping their LN Media holdings all at once, and on LN’s stock price graph, though winter had not yet passed, fierce monsoon rain began to fall.

 

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