The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 9

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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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09

“Yes. I received it today and brought it with me. I’ll send you the samples later.”
“Did you have a prior connection? Well… that’s not really important anyway.”

He’s accepting this far more readily than I expected.

“Normally, we’d need to produce a song that fits the concept, but in this case, I think we need to reverse the process. I’d like to redesign the entire concept around the song instead.”
“Your songs were pretty mediocre, to be honest.”

Oh, he’s actually on the same wavelength as me.
At the same time, I felt irritated. So he knew the songs were terrible but pushed them anyway because he couldn’t be bothered?

“If possible, I’d like to start the meeting today. We don’t have much time.”
“Hmm… fine. I’ll brief the Planning Team. Since time is tight, the members must have some ideas already, right?”
“Yes. I’m confident we can guide this in a good direction.”

The specifics haven’t been finalized yet, but that’s something we can decide while coordinating with the Planning Team.
The CEO nodded decisively.

“I can’t provide additional budget.”

‘Damn it, I knew this was coming.’

“At minimum, we’ll need choreography. Even if we handle the concept in-house… what about the company’s choreography team?”
“We’re an entertainment agency specializing in actors. We don’t have one.”
“…What about external choreography teams?”
“No additional support.”

This pathetic company…

“Either adapt to existing choreography, or—isn’t there Hyun-sung? He dances pretty well. Try asking him.”

Dancing well and actually choreographing are completely different things, you idiot!
Even if we’re a small-time agency, we’ve produced idols before, yet the CEO is utterly clueless. If a dialogue option for insubordination appeared right now, I wouldn’t hesitate to select it.

“…Well, I understand for now.”

I’d have to remember to revise the other members’ contracts all at once later. I exhaled heavily.

“Then let’s just stamp it quickly.”
“Yes, yes. Ho-yoon, here’s the contract.”
“Ah, about that.”
“…?”

Just as the Manager, thinking our discussion was finished, nodded his head eagerly like a bobblehead doll and was about to usher me out with the contract in hand, I plucked it from his grasp and waved it in the air.
This was why I’d come alone.

“There are two modifications I need.”
“What are they.”
“First, please revise the revenue split ratio.”

Company 8, Idol 2—did that even make sense?
No matter how short the contract was, this wasn’t acceptable.
The CEO and Manager exchanged bewildered glances before speaking.

“Our split isn’t even that bad… The really shady places don’t give you any revenue share if you’re below break-even. You just accumulate debt. Other companies do about the same.”
“Ha, let’s hear what you’re thinking. So, what are you asking for?”

The CEO, having quickly composed himself, broke into a smile. I smiled back and spoke.

“7 to 3.”
“For something you said so solemnly, that’s rather modest. I’ll think about it. If the company takes 70 percent, other companies are doing pretty….”

What was he talking about?

“No, I get 70 percent.”

At those words, everyone’s mouth snapped shut. A heavy silence settled over the CEO’s Office.
The CEO removed his glasses and pressed his brow firmly.

“Ho-yoon.”
“Yes.”
“Are you… joking with me right now?”
“No, sir.”
“Seo, Seo Ho-yoon!”

The Manager grabbed my arm urgently.
Manager, you’re supposed to protect the artist at times like this—why are you doing this? Though I couldn’t really complain since the CEO was the one actually signing the paychecks.

“You seem awfully pleased with yourself right now for just bringing in one song, but the initial investment is genuinely difficult. Ho-yoon.”

I understand. In truth, the company wasn’t incapable of work—rather, profit distribution and respect toward artists were being handled adequately enough.
The fact that they hadn’t immediately dropped a group that had been active for a full year after debut and still showed no promise was proof of that. Though “neglect” might be the more accurate term.

“We don’t even know if you’ll succeed with just that one song… you need buzz, after all.”
“Yes.”
“But unfortunately, The Dun doesn’t have a member with that kind of recognition. Ji-won trained at a major agency before, so she might have connections, but you don’t, right?”

He was speaking bluntly while maintaining a gentle tone.
He was right.
If I hadn’t been in this game, he would have been right.
It was about time.
As I waited in silence, the CEO smiled awkwardly, as if unsure how to interpret my response.

“I’ll think more about the settlement. For now, don’t be too discouraged….”
“CEO!”

Suddenly, a Staff Member burst through the CEO’s Office door and rushed in. The CEO’s expression darkened at the chaotic entrance.

“What’s gotten into everyone today?”
“I’m, I’m sorry. But it’s urgent… Oh! Seo Ho-yoon is here too.”
“Convenient timing?”

‘Perfect.’

I smiled and nodded. He recognized me. The signal had come.
The Staff Member stared at me with an expression I couldn’t quite place—somewhere between resentment and something else—before speaking urgently.

“The company phone lines are completely jammed.”
“Huh?”
“Why?”

The Manager tilted his head in confusion. Even for a small agency like ours, there wasn’t a single actor popular enough to crash the phone lines this quickly.

“Did someone cause a scandal? Did Ji-heon get caught dating? Or did he do drugs?”
“No, no… it’s nothing like that.”

The Staff Member quickly waved his hands in denial, then glanced sideways at me.

“It’s related to Seo Ho-yoon, sir….”

Ah, Joo Woo-sung did well.
Thanks, Woo-sung.
I smiled leisurely, but the CEO and Manager looked utterly bewildered.

“They’re asking if Joo Woo-sung and Seo Ho-yoon are collaborating on something… or if Seo Ho-yoon is joining some new project. Joo Woo-sung’s fans and investors are calling like crazy.”
“Joo Woo-sung? That Black Call guy? What does he have to do with Ho-yoon?”
“Three hours ago, a video of Joo Woo-sung and Seo Ho-yoon together was posted on StarStar, and he said he really cherishes you, that you have great character, and you’re perfect from head to toe, like a younger brother….”
“Pfft.”

Ding!

[You got played!]

Why did he add such embarrassing lines? I’d clearly planned out the video and everything he should say….

‘That sneaky bastard.’

Joo Woo-sung’s pride must have been wounded from surrendering so easily. A chill ran down my spine as I rubbed my arms, already anticipating what came next.

“What’s going on here? You were close with Joo Woo-sung?”

The Manager asked in confusion.
Close? That’s impossible.
Of course, I orchestrated everything.

I recalled Joo Woo-sung from a few hours earlier.
When I broached the subject of what I wanted that morning, he’d muttered reluctantly.

“…You want me to post photos together on StarStar?”
“Yes. Please post a few with the concept of a close neighborhood junior. I’ll let you know separately when to upload them.”
“That’s all you’re asking for?”

No, there’s more. Woo-sung.
I wouldn’t waste a valuable asset like you in a one-time throwaway here.

“Yes. That’s enough.”

But I played it off as if it weren’t.
Let’s get to know each other slowly.
When I answered with certainty, Joo Woo-sung accepted the proposal with a bewildered expression.

“Got it. I thought you’d ask for something way bigger.”
“It is something big.”

Well, he’d be fine with it. Instead of money, he just had to tap StarStar a few times.
But it wasn’t just any personal StarStar. It was the StarStar of Joo Woo-sung, ranked 14th in followers. That single post was worth tens of millions of won.
Even just posting “I’ll do my best”—that alone would appear in platform entertainment articles with headlines like [Renewing New Year’s Resolutions…] and such. That was the nature of celebrity SNS.
It didn’t end with articles. Fans would explode with even bigger reactions.
Fans already knew about his private life and close acquaintances. Plenty of people followed his friends’ accounts just to see one more photo of the star.
So what if suddenly, on Joo Woo-sung’s StarStar where he’d only posted advertisements, someone completely unknown appeared?

“Of course they’d search to find out who it is.”

I didn’t want to pretend to be close with Joo Woo-sung, but fortunately he kept a cat. After waving some cat grass a few times, I had a video perfect for StarStar.

“Oh my, our kitty seems to really like Ho-yoon.”
“It seems to like me more.”
“…That’s crossing the line.”

Joo Woo-sung was a good actor, and after filming and monitoring the video, he and I looked like we’d known each other for a decade.
My face had been meticulously groomed and styled at a professional shop, and thanks to all my efforts building up my charm on camera, I didn’t look lacking even next to Joo Woo-sung. That was the crucial point.
While monitoring, I complimented Joo Woo-sung.

‘Joo Woo-sung’s acting is pretty good.’
‘Man, I’m totally prostrating myself in defeat….’

I ignored Joo Woo-sung’s deflated muttering and headed to the foyer to return to the company. As if offering a parting gesture, I stroked the cat that had been loitering near my ankles. Joo Woo-sung seemed to feel betrayed.

‘What? He doesn’t do that for me?’

Joo Woo-sung turns into an idiot whenever cats are involved. I had no time to deal with further foolishness, so I left immediately and headed to the company.
And that’s how it happened.

“How do you know each other?”
“Close older brother and younger brother.”

But I had no intention of explaining everything.
The Staff Member hesitated in the awkward office atmosphere, then opened his mouth again, apparently deciding he needed to report this to the CEO after all.

“So, Seo Ho-yoon has suddenly become controversial within Black Call’s fanbase. It’s being discussed in the community too. Fans are asking whether Seo Ho-yoon is a trainee or if he’s joining The Dun as a member… and if he’s a member, when the comeback will be. Of course, we’re also receiving complaint calls from fans….”

The fans were furious, calling to demand why I was associating with some unknown nobody. I’d anticipated this reaction.
But it’s fine. For entertainers who live off recognition, antis are far better than indifference.

“…Just leave for now.”
“Yes, sir!”

The Staff Member quickly vacated the office. The CEO looked troubled.

“CEO.”

I decided to drive the nail in right here.

“If you entrust me with the planning, I’ll get The Dun’s comeback track charting on all three major charts.”
“What? All three major charts?”

The CEO’s expression shifted.

“Last time, that one… you said it became difficult….”

It wasn’t that he was completely ignorant—the moment chart performance came up, the atmosphere grew heavy.

‘Hmm, charting on Mango has gotten tougher.’

A year ago, when the existing real-time chart system switched to a 24-hour aggregate format, the rankings became practically frozen—like a brick wall. For a rookie idol to break in with a new entry was nothing short of plucking a star from the sky.
I fixed my gaze on the CEO.

‘He knows one thing, but not the other.’

“Yes, you certainly understand well.”

I swallowed my true thoughts and smiled sweetly at the CEO, coaxing him gently.

“I’ll chart it. Don’t worry.”
“…Is that just talk?”
“C-CEO.”
“Plenty of people run their mouths. There are lots of stars who get a brief spotlight and gain popularity. I need concrete proof. …Is it possible in one day?”
“One day?”

The Manager gasped beside me, but I let out a quiet laugh. Here he goes again, trying to seize the initiative…

“Yes.”

Of course, it didn’t work. I lifted the contract.

“I mentioned earlier that there were two revisions needed.”
“….”
“One is adjusting the settlement ratio.”

As for the second… I slowly shifted my gaze, alternating between the CEO and the Manager. The Manager swallowed hard.
He’d actually make a decent audience member.

“The second is the penalty clause. If I fail to chart on the music platform within one day of release with this comeback, then make me pay back double the investment amount that’s gone into The Dun so far.”
“Seo Ho-yoon!”

The Manager’s voice rang out sharply. The CEO simply stared at me with a gaze that had grown cold and piercing.
I feigned composure, but I knew full well that I’d just made a reckless gamble.
With five members and what I’d heard about their trainee period at Dae Pa-sung Planning being relatively short, assuming a year of activity, the investment would be roughly 300 to 400 million won. Double that would be at least 600 million.
I didn’t need to go this far, but when adjusting the contract with talk of penalties, it was natural that I had to stake something as well. If I just spouted nonsense about adjusting the settlement ratio without putting anything on the line from my side, whether I brought a song or got on StarStar wouldn’t matter.
The CEO seemed to grasp my intention from the look in my eyes.

“Looks like he’s still not feeling well. He’s talking nonsense….”
“Fine. The penalty for breach will be double the investment amount.”
“Huh?!”

The CEO nodded and retrieved the contract.

“The profit split—7 to 3 is too harsh. Let’s do 60 for the company, 40 for you.”
“60 for me, 40 for the company.”

A brief battle of wills.

“50-50?”
“No. 60 for me.”

Damn it!

“55 to 45?”
“60 for me.”

Damn it!!

It was like watching a scene from an old drama where a master negotiator passes through. The CEO let out a hollow laugh.

“You’re stubborn as hell.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“That wasn’t a compliment. Fine, I’ll make a special adjustment just for you, Seo Ho-yoon. It’s not like I’m losing money on this deal anyway. I’m saying this with the penalty in mind.”

I knew the CEO would be like this. It was the right call coming alone without telling the members. Whether I revise the contract later or not, I’ve achieved my goal for now.
I nodded and stood up.

“Call me when you’ve finalized the revised contract. I’ll sign it.”
“Ho-yoon.”
“Yes?”
“We’re not a bad company. You can back out even now. I feel like I’ve been swept up in your bluffing… but it has to be now. From this point on, you must take full responsibility for your words.”

I see. He seemed soft on the surface, but he was really saying to pay the penalty if I actually failed.
Maybe he was saying this preemptively in case I later claimed the contract was unfair or something.

“Ha. Responsibility….”

I had always taken responsibility.
When I promised to turn performers into stars no matter what it took as an unscrupulous producer. When I lost my parents and promised to take good care of my younger brother at the funeral.
No matter what I had to do, I always kept my promises.

“Of course I’ll take responsibility. What are you talking about?”
….

I said so and bowed deeply. The CEO’s displeased gaze fixed on me.
I shrugged and left the CEO’s Office when the System Window appeared.

Ding!

[Quest Arrived!
Seo Ho-yoon, you’ve crossed a river you can’t return from.
I’m giving you a quest.
The Dun comeback song chart entry
Success: Fame 100, Charm 20, Dance 20, Singing 20
Failure: Consider filing for bankruptcy. It’s better than debt!]

“Seriously.”

I laughed at the last part.

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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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