Chapter 211
# 212
New Prologue (4)
After receiving the call, Manager Oh Baek-ho left the office to meet Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung.
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung said there was no need to rush, but it was because Director Oh Baek-ho was in a hurry.
The place where Director Oh Baek-ho and Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung met was at a cafe near the office.
“Oh, Manager, here!”
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung, who came first and was waiting for Director Baek-ho Oh, gestured.
Director Oh Baek-ho was recently promoted to ‘manager’ in a personnel change. In terms of performance and profits, Hit Entertainment had already started to surpass the three major entertainment companies with just KK’s team, but the organization was still small in terms of scale.
For that reason, the rank promotion itself did not have much meaning internally. This is because within the manager team, Director Oh Baek-ho was already working at the level of a manager or higher, rather than a manager.
Still, it was a position with more authority and responsibility, and the salary also increased significantly.
“ah. manager.”
Manager Oh Baek-ho found team leader Lee Dae-hyung and quickly headed to his seat.
It is said that a position makes a person, and after being given the title of manager, the feeling that I already had of his large physique and extraordinary strength became even more intense. Although Manager Oh Baek-ho was not going to harm himself, Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung somehow unconsciously leaned back and flinched.
The title ‘Manager’ was added after Oh Baek-ho, so it felt like a title from the dark world rather than a company title.
“haha. “You came quickly.”
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung quickly came to his senses and smiled at Manager Oh Baek-ho, who was sitting in front of him.
Of course, team leader Lee Dae-hyung also received a salary increase.
However, his rank was still manager, but in the case of Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung, he could even be transferred to a different department.
There was a high possibility that Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung would take the place of Manager Joanie of the Planning and Operation Team. This was a story about when Manager Joanie took the position of managing director.
Due to the acquisition of Jam Music, the date was slightly postponed. After Manager Joanie completed the acquisition, Hit Entertainment’s internal organization was scheduled to be completely reorganized.
“Congratulations on your promotion to manager.”
“I received congratulations last time too. So you’re saying you’re going to Ara Enter?”
As soon as Manager Oh Baek-ho sat down, he asked directly.
I hadn’t even ordered a drink yet. The waiter who was carrying the menu to take the order was squirming behind him as if he sensed Manager Oh Baek-ho’s harsh energy.
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung shook his head in a cold sweat and called a waiter to receive the menu.
“Oh no. Boss. This is true. “Let’s order first.”
“No? “I’ll have an iced caramel macchiato.”
“haha. yes. no. here! “A glass of iced Americano and a glass of iced caramel macchiato.”
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung quickly placed his order and faced Manager Oh Baek-ho again.
When I told Do-wook over the phone that I had a new proposal and that I also had an offer from Ara Entertainment, Manager Oh Baek-ho insisted on meeting me right away.
As Manager Oh Baek-ho, he had no choice but to do so.
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung was the only person other than himself who knew the story between Dowook and Ara Entertainment, which the members did not know about.
Also, it could be said that from the beginning of his debut until now, KK has played an important role at the most important moments among those involved until he is in his current position.
In particular, Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung’s role in advancing into the U.S. was enormous. Manager Joanie also thought highly of that point, and Manager Baekho Oh did the same.
The team was different and the job was different, but as a close associate of the group called KK, I couldn’t send someone like team leader Lee Dae-hyung to Ara Entertainment.
“yes. I was offered the position of head of strategic planning Jin Gook-seon, who worked under Seo Joong-won, the head of the division…….”
“Ah…….”
As the head of the division Seo Joong-won became like that, a major shake-up was underway at Ara Entertainment. Director Seo Joong-won Most of the people who were riding the line were being separated. Although the position was filled internally, it was true that there were quite a few vacancies anyway.
It was a company that had been number one in the industry for a long time. As a result, the talent market in the entertainment industry was fluctuating due to positions that were suddenly created.
Cheongwol and major entertainment companies were also paying close attention to not losing key personnel to Ara Entertainment.
In any case, since they were people with Ara’s know-how, there were many small and medium-sized agencies trying to bring in people who had been pushed out of Ara Entertainment.
One of the Hit Entertainment album production team members has already been scouted by Ara.
Because the group called K.K. was the best group at the moment, being involved in ‘K.K. production’ was considered a career that would be respected anywhere in the industry.
It was okay because it was normal for employees to change companies and it was not a major leak. Of course, when it comes to team leader Lee Dae-hyung, things are different.
‘As expected, Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung has been offered an important position.’
Manager Oh Baek-ho nodded calmly. Anyway, I was able to remain calm because I already knew that Team Leader Daehyung Lee’s choice was Hit Entertainment.
“How about working for about six months, reacquainting yourself with Ara’s work, and then moving on to the position where the head of the department was…”
Manager Oh Baek-ho’s eyes widened.
In other words, the position that Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung was offered was that of General Manager Seo Joong-won. The position of head of strategic planning was quite expected, but it was not the position of head of the division.
Even if Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung became the manager, there was quite a difference between the position of manager of Hit Entertainment and the position of general manager of Ara Entertainment.
“You mean you refused that?”
Manager Oh Baek-ho’s voice became slightly louder.
“yes.”
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung smiled kindly and answered clearly.
“Well… it’s good for the company and me…”
The reason he bothered to mention the rejected offer to Manager Oh Baek-ho was because Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung himself wanted to drive a wedge so that he wouldn’t be swayed any further.
It was a very tempting offer for Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung.
Certainly, if I were to become the general manager of Ara Entertainment, I would be able to do a lot of things at home and abroad based on the company’s size and influence in the industry.
However, there was also a desire to continue growing Hit Entertainment together.
Present and future Many things had to be considered and there were many conflicts.
“Within the next ten years, Hit will be a bigger company than Ara. “I saw that future.”
The drinks the two people had just ordered were placed on the table. Manager Oh Baek-ho cleared his throat and responded to Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung’s words.
“If that happens, there’s nothing left to hope for. Everyone at the top is dreaming… I just came from a meeting with the head of the rookie development team. KK will continue to grow, but we also need to nurture latecomers…”
“That’s right…”
“Even team leader Lee knows that Do-wook invested in the girls, right? The next group to come out of Hit Entertainment will probably be raised by Dowook like KK. “If Team Leader Lee stays, wouldn’t it be even more likely to happen?”
Manager Oh Baek-ho asked with confidence.
“sure.”
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung seemed to have been confirmed once again that his thoughts were not wrong. Team leader Lee Dae-hyung already firmly believed that the company with producer Kang Do-wook would soon become the top of the industry.
Dowook was an unprecedented figure in Korea both as a star and as a producer.
In fact, when the proposal came in from Ara, team leader Lee Dae-hyung was the first to tell Do-wook about the proposal.
When I first received a scouting offer from general manager Seo Jung-won, the reason I stayed at Hit Entertainment was ultimately because of Do-wook. I thought it would have a big impact on my choice this time too.
And it was as expected.
When I told Dowook about the proposal, he didn’t hesitate and congratulated me.
“Isn’t this already the second offer from Ara? “Everyone in the industry will be watching you, team leader.”
“It would be embarrassing if you floated it like that. haha.”
“If you are the team leader, you will do really well at Ara. In fact, I can help raise Ara up even more than Director Seo Jung-won…”
“Do you want me to go to Ara, Mr. Do-wook?”
“Isn’t that a great offer? I also want to see the No. 1 agency led by the team leader. But…”
Hearing Do-wook’s words, Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung felt that Do-wook was not just treating him as a member of the company, but was treating him as a person.
Even if it is only good for Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung personally, Do-wook is a person who does not hesitate to tell Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung to choose the better side.
“That place is so… don’t you know? Ara is a place where internal factions are severe and broadcasters can hold power. “I just hope that the team leader doesn’t waver.”
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung was silent for a moment.
In fact, it was one of the things that Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung was concerned about. Team leader Lee Dae-hyung was a man with a lot of ambition. So far, Hit Entertainment’s healthy atmosphere and its ambitions have been radiating only in a positive direction.
But I didn’t know how the atmosphere would change people. I was afraid that if I went to Ara Entertainment, I would become a dog of power like General Manager Seo Joong-won.
As expected, Dowook pointed out that point precisely.
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung nodded.
At Hit Entertainment, Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung had already learned too much about the joy of pure achievement that comes after hard work, passion, and passion.
There were many people at Hit Entertainment who acknowledged that.
Also, the thought that it would be right to stay at Hit Entertainment, not right away but five or ten years from now, remained strongly in Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung’s mind after meeting Do-wook.
“Let’s do well until the end.”
“Yes, manager. And……”
“Right, what is the suggestion that Do-wook came in?”
“Mr. Do-wook is currently on the bunker21 schedule, right?”
Manager Oh Baek-ho checked the time and nodded. Team leader Lee Dae-hyung was thinking about sending a message to Do-wook, but stopped because he didn’t want to get excited about the performance. Of course, Do-wook was not a beginner who would ruin the stage with something like that, but it was news that even Do-wook could be excited about.
“Do-wook… do you like General Comics?”
When asked by team leader Lee Dae-hyung, Manager Oh Baek-ho suddenly showed an indifferent expression as if he was wondering if we were talking about a cartoon. Then he shook his head in disbelief.
***
SVS ‘Life Song’ live broadcast site.
“ruler! Bunker21, which everyone has been curious about, finally reveals its identity today!”
“Yes, you are also today’s top candidate, right? The song of life released for the first time! Please stay tuned!”
“I am introducing! Bunker21!”
Obin, MC of Life Song, and Dahye of Girls, who became the special MC, introduced Bunker21.
Bunker21’s stage was privately pre-recorded with only a minimum number of people, so even the MCs did not yet know who Bunker21 was.
Everyone looked at the monitor with pounding hearts.
Soon, the two men were revealed through the hazy dry ice smoke accompanied by the acoustic guitar accompaniment of ‘Listen’.
“Aaaah!”
“omg!”
“what? What!”
“oh my god! See you on stage!!!”
Do-wook and Seok Ji-hoon, whose faces you couldn’t recognize, were singing on the VCR screen.
While the recorded screen was being broadcast, Do-wook and Seok Ji-hoon were also appearing on the live stage as a service.
Most of those who came to the audience were fans of Chae Eun-ho, today’s other first place candidate, Man to Man fans, and fans of other groups.
Nevertheless, the reaction of fans who saw Do-wook and Seok Ji-hoon was enormous. Everyone was in a state of shock.
“Kyaaaah!”
Obin and Dahye in the MC section were as surprised as the audience members who were screaming. Da-hye, who is also a fan of Do-wook, was silent about the unexpected meeting.
Do-wook and Seok Ji-hoon smiled leisurely and waved their hands toward the audience.