Peninsula: From a supporting actor to the best actor in Chungmuro

Chapter 285 Five Women Make a Show
Chapter Summary:
[Yijing Pictures' 10 billion yuan project is underway, but 8 billion yuan in funding is a pressing issue. Kang Jae-hoon is busy raising money, selecting scripts, and carefully collecting photos. However, while dealing with Kim Ji-won's coquettish behavior, he senses something is amiss.]

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VIP wards have become a showcase for luxury brands.

Lee Sung-kyung, playing Emily, lies in a hospital bed, her leg in a cast dangling slightly off the edge, angrily reciting her lines:

"That's not fair! I starved myself for three weeks for this, but you eat carbohydrates all day long..."

“Emily…”

Lee Sung-kyung angrily raised her hand to interrupt her: "Get out."

"Ai..."

"I said, get out!"

"..."

"Cut!"

As soon as the director yelled, the two characters who were at odds in the play immediately detached themselves from their roles.

Bae Suzy took a big bite of the bread that Lee Sung-kyung had already bitten, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons.

“Delicious~”

"ah!"

Lee Sung-kyung reluctantly moved the bread away:

"That's a prop."

Just one bite!

As the two were joking around, the assistant hurriedly handed Bae Suzy her buzzing phone.

The screen displays a screenshot from the DC forum sent by a friend, accompanied by three exploding emojis:

"It's you, isn't it? Who did you argue with?"

Bae Suzy raised an eyebrow as she glanced at the vague post, then quickly replied with her fingertips:
"You believe it without even a blurry picture? Silly girl~"

The other person replied with a pouting emoji.

She laughed and tossed her phone to her assistant, then bent down to reach for the bread Lee Sung-kyung had hidden behind her back. Her fingertips had just touched the wrapper when her movement suddenly froze—

and many more!

Something is wrong!
The sixth sense is like an alarm blaring inside my head.

She sat up abruptly, grabbed the phone from her assistant, and opened the pinned chat window:
The latest post was at 07:17 this morning.

[Bae Suzy]: Why didn't you reply to my messages last night?

[Kang Jae-hoon]: I was so focused on thinking about you that I forgot to reply.
……

Ok.

Multi-standard, sham literature.

Amidst the noisy sounds of the film set, Bae Suzy slowly squinted, her manicured nails tapping crisply on her phone case. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating half of her face and casting sharp shadows across her sweet features—

"Ernie."

Lee Sung-kyung leaned back, protecting the bread, her leg in a cast drawing an awkward arc in the air:

"I told you not to eat props."

"Aniya!"

Bae Suzy waved her phone: "I mean, do you want a chance to beat up an old woman?"

"???"

The two girls were huddled together in front of the phone screen, heads touching, just like high school girls passing around gossip magazines during break time.

The text of the anonymous post gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

After reading it, Lee Sung-kyung turned her head suspiciously:

"Do you think the main characters are Xun and her?"

"Ninety-nine percent!"

Bae Soo-ji made a solemn vow.

"Where's the evidence?"

Bae Suzy pointed mysteriously to her temple: "My sixth sense."

"nerve."

Lee Sung-kyung rolled her eyes and shrank back while clutching the bread.

"Oh, believe me!"

Bae Suzy grabbed the sleeve of her hospital gown:
"Didn't he say yesterday that renting out the whole place was a huge profit? The celebration party definitely has to be at a Michelin three-star restaurant. Older women love using 'cultivating taste' as an excuse to take him to places like that—"

"Then?"

Lee Sung-kyung's leg in a cast swayed.

"The only women who would publicly break ties with Im Yoon-ah because of Kang Jae-hoon, besides you and me, are the latest variable—his first love, his white moonlight. But Kang Jae-hoon would never take Jung Soo-jung to meet an older woman, so..."

Seeing Lee Sung-kyung's thoughtful expression, Bae Suzy prompted:

“Combining the key hint of ‘fashion mogul’ with Krystal Jung.”

"Fashion Manager"

Lee Sung-kyung murmured a reply, her eyes suddenly widening: "Jessica?"

"Bingo!"

Bae Suzy snapped her fingers:

"One felt he cheated on her sister, and the other felt the other was bullying her boyfriend, plus there was the old grudge from when he left the group."

Sunlight cast neat grids on the ward floor, and Lee Sung-kyung stared blankly at one of them—the reasoning was so perfect that she couldn't find a single flaw.

"so."

She suddenly grasped the key point: "What should we do now?"

"Of course, we'll have the person involved's sister cause trouble for the old woman, and we'll take her side!"

Although you can't openly throw punches, secretly punching someone a couple of times in the chaos to vent your anger seems like a good idea.
Are you sure she'll go?
Bae Suzy said confidently:
"Her sister was splashed with wine in public. Given her fiery temper, she would definitely come to her sister's house to demand an explanation once she found out."

"Oh, that……"

"oops!"

Bae Suzy poked her forehead in exasperation:
When did you become so hesitant and indecisive?

"Fine, it's your show anyway."

"..."

Unlike the previous decorative roles, this one is different.

"The Witch Wears Cartier" is a leading role that Kang Jae-hoon secured for her, and it is also a crucial comeback for her after the box office failure of "The Song of the Peach Blossom".

It's impossible not to care.

but……

The opportunity to personally punch Im Yoona is even more rare.

When faced with two harmful options, choose the lesser one; when faced with two beneficial options, choose the greater one.
Bae Suzy gritted her teeth:
"I paid for all the overtime pay, lost wages, and meal allowances that day out of my own pocket!"

Upon hearing this, Lee Sung-kyung silently counted on her fingers: spending 20 million won to take two hours off just to punch Im Yoon-ah twice...

Is it worth it?

—Of course it's worth it!
"You two!"

The director's voice echoed across the set:
"What are you muttering about in the corner? Getting ready to film the next scene!"

Bae Suzy and Lee Sung-kyung jumped apart instantly.

One was tidying up a hospital gown, while the other wore an innocent, sweet smile, as if the "violent plan" worth 20 million had never existed.

The sunlight still shone brightly into the ward.

But amidst the light and shadow, one could faintly hear the sound of fists... no, the sound of clapperboards being struck on set.

……

The glass curtain wall of the KBS headquarters building reflects the dazzling sunlight.

Kang Jae-hoon sat in the conference room, the pages of the "Queen Cheol-in" project proposal spread out in front of him fluttering in the cold air from the air conditioner.

This negotiation was doomed from the start.

Or rather, this "unsuccess" was a carefully designed strategic element.

When Kang Jae-hoon was temporarily blacklisted due to the Sewol ferry disaster.

KBS's decision to cast him in "The Producers" despite the pressure is a "debt of gratitude" that must be repaid within the strict senior-junior relationship system of the Korean entertainment industry.

KBS will be given priority access to Next Scene's inaugural production.

This demonstrates gratitude to the industry and establishes a reputation for loyalty and integrity for both the individual and the company.

But the censorship of public television stations always hangs over their heads.

The absurd premise of soul swapping, the bold portrayal of gender misplacement, and the blatant historical fiction adaptations all teeter on the edge of KBS's censorship red lines.

Not to mention the rigid advertising revenue sharing model and conservative overseas distribution strategy of public broadcasters.

It simply cannot meet Kang Jae-hoon's business expectations regarding the rate of return.

on the negotiating table.

Kang Jae-hoon deliberately marked each of the most controversial scenes in the script—

The show features vulgar lines from the Queen Consort when she's drunk, sharp satire of gender discrimination in the Joseon Dynasty after the male and female leads are swapped, and even some unofficial historical adaptations that might offend historians.

These highlighted "risk points" have indeed sparked heated debate.

The outcome was exactly as Kang Jae-hoon had predicted.

After reaching the ideal point in the dialectic between loyalty and self-interest, he calmly turned to his real goal—his trip to tvN that afternoon.

In stark contrast to KBS's conservative and cautious approach, this place is permeated with eager ambition.

tvN, which just topped the cable TV charts with "Reply 1988," urgently needs more high-quality content to solidify its status as a "master of dramas."

As a rising production company, Yijing Pictures also needs a phenomenal work to make a name for itself.

The two sides were perfectly aligned in their business objectives, and the negotiations proceeded with virtually no obstacles.

finally.

The total production cost is set at 200 billion Korean won.

tvN paid 120 billion won to buy out the exclusive broadcasting rights and all advertising revenue in South Korea.

Yijing Pictures will bear the remaining 80 billion.

The division of rights and interests is clear and unambiguous—the IP copyright and production leadership are firmly in the hands of Yijing Pictures.

tvN, on the other hand, secured exclusive first-run rights in South Korea and advertising revenue during the broadcast period.

In South Korea, VOD revenue is split 60% between tvN and 40% between tvN and tvN respectively.

Overseas copyright sales are handled by tvN, which takes a 10-20% commission. The remaining amount is distributed according to the investment ratio (40% for Yijing and 60% for tvN).

This contract is considered an industry benchmark.

tvN has acquired the high-quality content it has been dreaming of, further solidifying its reputation as a "kingdom of premium dramas";

Yijing Pictures, by leveraging the platform's advantages, has successfully opened up both domestic and international markets.

As Kang Jae-hoon's pen made its final stroke on the contract, the Han River outside the window shimmered with light.

This silent business battle has finally come to a conclusion in the most ideal way.

……

The August sun blazed down on the Hanjiang Bridge, but the windows of the van filtered out the harsh sunlight.

Kang Jae-hoon leaned back in his leather seat, his fingertip hovering over his phone screen for a moment before finally dialing the number of KBS Minister Park.

The air conditioning inside the car hissed, creating a strange resonance with the busy tone coming from the receiver.

Just as the third waiting tone was about to end, the call was suddenly connected.

Kang Jae-hoon's voice immediately took on a perfectly timed tone of apology, attributing the failure of the collaboration entirely to the "sensitivity" of the script's subject matter.

"We really don't want to put KBS in a difficult position."

His gaze swept across the bright, shimmering river outside the car window, where the afternoon sunlight shattered into countless gold coins.

This explanation had already been prepared in advance—

This saved face for the other party while also laying the groundwork for a promise of "the next project".

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Zai Xun rolled down the car window.

Business and friendship, like the shadows of clouds and sunlight passing over the car roof, have achieved a subtle symbiosis on the Seoul skyline.

But a new problem arose – how to raise 80 billion yuan for production?
The company's accounts were already empty, and its daily operations were barely supported by advertising revenue from Kang Jae-hoon and Kim Ji-won.

Although some funds can be raised through PPL placements and brand sponsorships.

However, excessive product placement will inevitably affect the quality of the plot.

Kang Jae-hoon rubbed his temples.

He does have enough funds in his personal account, but those are for him to invest in the rental housing project together with Lim Yoon-ah.
Amidst my chaotic thoughts, the nanny van had already driven into the company's underground parking lot.

As the elevator ascended, his slightly furrowed brows were reflected in the metal wall.

"President-nim!"

The receptionist immediately stood up and handed over a simple brown paper envelope with both hands:
"Your letter of recommendation has arrived."

"Thank you."

Kang Jae-hoon opened the envelope, and there was Dr. Lee Yong-kwan's handwritten signature right there—

This is a reply letter regarding Hanna's application for a special recommendation to the film academy. He handed the letter to Hanna:

"Your sister's surname is Li?"

"She's not my biological sister."

Hannah carefully put the letter away: "It's from a part-time girl I met at a beer house. We hit it off immediately."

"Oh."

Jiang Zai Xun didn't delve into this somewhat abrupt connection; he simply opened his office door and gave the order:
"Call Director Kim to my office."

"Inside."

Three minutes later.

Jin Dayuan pushed open the door and entered.

He was dressed in a suit and tie, but still looked travel-worn.

Kang Jae-hoon succinctly explained his financial difficulties and presented him with two options:
"Brother Dayuan, can you help me calculate which would yield a higher return: investing 50 billion in rental housing or investing in 'Queen Chernin'?"

Upon hearing this, Jin Dayuan suddenly burst out laughing, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothing out:
“Jae-hoon, aren’t you putting the cart before the horse? Making money by renting out the whole place is just icing on the cake. Film and television are the foundation of our livelihood.”

The sunlight outside the window suddenly became dazzling.

Jin Dayuan was struck by a sudden realization; he was startled to discover that he had indeed been blinded by the soaring numbers recently.

As an actor, he almost gave up a meticulously crafted project for real estate.

What moved him even more was Kim Dae-won's stance.

Jin Dayuan holds a 10% stake in the entire rental housing project, while he is merely a minor shareholder with a 2% stake in Yijing Film Industry.

Given the current astonishing rate of asset expansion, even with one's eyes closed, the best course of action would be to bet everything on renting out properties to maximize personal gain.

But he didn't.

"Brother Da Yuan"

"Don't look at me like that."

Jin Dayuan waved his hand dismissively, then pointed to the poster for "Veteran" on the wall:

"I just feel that this is where you belong."

Kang Jae-hoon looked at the display cabinet in the office—

The Best Supporting Actor trophy from the Baeksang Arts Awards stood quietly beside him, along with the Best New Actor awards from the Blue Dragon Film Awards, the Grand Bell Awards, and the Baeksang Arts Awards. In the reflection of the glass, he seemed to see again that new actor who stayed up all night on set memorizing his lines.

"understood."

Jiang Zai Xun tapped his fingertips lightly on the desk, immediately making a decision:
"Then you take charge of the project's advertising and business development, and I'll cover the rest of the costs."

"The company needs to follow procedures."

As he spoke, Jin Dayuan looked at Han Na:

"Please trouble Secretary Han to invite Director Yin."

"Ok."

A moment later, CFO Yin Jingxi pushed open the door and entered.

"Director Yin."

Jin Dayuan stood up and explained the situation:
"The president wants to invest his personal funds in a new project, and we need your oversight on the financial procedures."

Yin Jingxi adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses and said succinctly:

"Does the president intend to use this money as a loan or as capital increase?"

"the difference?"

"The former is a creditor-debtor relationship between the company and you personally, and the principal and interest will be repaid after the project becomes profitable. The latter requires all shareholders to increase their capital proportionally, otherwise the equity will be diluted."

Kang Jae-hoon almost without thinking:

"Loans".

What a joke.

Hwang Jung-min's shares were originally a gift from Kang Jae-hoon as a token of his gratitude. Now, he's trying to dilute them with capital increases. Wouldn't that make him an ungrateful traitor who betrays his master?

"Go away."

Kang Jae-hoon turned to Hanna and instructed her, "Go and pick up Yoon-ah, uh..." He changed the subject, "Never mind, I'll go pick her up myself."

The four filed out.

In the open-plan rest area at the corner, Kang Jae-hoon caught a glimpse of Kim Ji-won nestled in a beanbag chair by the floor-to-ceiling window, engrossed in reading a script.

He paused slightly and silently pointed in that direction.

"I'm looking at new scripts," Kim Dae-won explained in a low voice.

Kang Jae-hoon's plans for Kim Ji-won are still undecided.

The current approach of having her pursue two careers simultaneously is intended to observe which path will allow her to shine brighter. After all, veteran actors in Chungmuro ​​(the Korean film and television industry) earn far less in terms of acting fees than top Hallyu stars earn from advertising endorsements.

He nodded, then suddenly seemed to remember something, turned around and quickly walked back to his office.

On the desk.

A photo of him embracing Kim Ji-won in the Greek sunshine is still displayed prominently.

Kang Jae-hoon deftly put it into the drawer, leaving only the picture of Lim Yoon-ah tilting her head and smiling slightly.

After doing all this, he returned to the rest area.

Kim Ji-won was engrossed in studying the script when she suddenly noticed that the light on the pages was being blocked by a shadow.

"Oppa~"

Her smile was radiant when she looked up.
"You've come at the perfect time! Quickly help Ji-won choose a script~ Her head is spinning from reading so many."

Kang Jae-hoon smiled and ruffled her hair.
"I have something to do, let's talk as we walk."

Where is Oppa going?

She tilted her head and blinked her eyes.

Without batting an eye, Kang Jae-hoon helped her pick up the scattered scripts and neatly stack them.

"Go find sponsors."

Pshaw, he's probably going to find Yoona!
Kim Ji-won inwardly scoffed, but showed no sign of it on her face. She simply pretended not to notice, took his arm, and leaned against him as they walked toward the elevator.
"Let's go~"

The van drove smoothly on the road leading to Samseong-dong.

Kang Jae-hoon quickly flipped through the script offers she had received.

"Dr. Romantic and Fight for My Way are both good." He closed the folder. "Choose one of these two."

"Ah, Oppa and I have the same idea~"

Although the dangerous love story between the bodyguard and the politician's daughter was more appealing to her.

……

The August sun still hung high in the sky, casting long, slanted shadows of the sycamore trees in Samseong-dong.

Kim Ji-won stood under the European-style corridor in front of the apartment, leaned close to the car window, and exchanged a goodbye kiss with Kang Jae-hoon inside the car, the kiss carrying the scent of gardenias.

She waved on tiptoe, her linen skirt fluttering gently in the hot wind, until the van drove into the distant, sweltering heat.

Before the smile on her lips had faded, Kim Ji-won had already taken her phone out of her Gucci handbag.

On the screen, warmed by the sun, the message she sent to Krystal Jung stood out:

"Little Krystal~ Unnie has discovered something interesting."

The cicadas in the courtyard suddenly became louder, their undulating sounds seeming to be the prelude to a great show about to unfold.

(End of this chapter)