Chapter 203. Planning
It seemed like it would take more time to develop a solid structure for the drama's progression.
From what was being discussed, it looked like writer Choi Mi-hyu, who always worked closely with Director Kim Han-soo, would be handling the adaptation and writing.
'Director Kim Han-soo and Writer Choi Mi-hyu as a team...'
Yeon-woo felt nostalgic about meeting the writer and director from his debut work again.
'If we go into production, that would be a good way to promote it too.'
If Ryu Yeon-woo and Son Jin-yuk teamed up again with Director Kim and Writer Choi, they could at least secure the viewers who enjoyed "Summer's Promise."
While he thought the synopsis itself was good, if the completed script didn't meet expectations, he planned to intervene actively.
Since New Star Entertainment's actors would be appearing and New Star Media would be handling production, they couldn't make production decisions based on personal relationships or old memories.
'Now I'm not just an actor, but also a producer.'
Yeon-woo put down the synopsis Director Kim had given him and stretched.
The theater company's play was finished, and the CF shooting was still being coordinated, so his schedule was open.
'Hmm, time to take care of some overdue homework.'
The time had come to deal with Jung Tae-seon and James Choi in one go.
'If we include Byun Hak-gyu while handling those two at once, Baek Sol will feel a power vacuum in their entertainment business control.'
To gradually uncover their true identities while keeping them in the palm of his hand, it seemed best to keep watching Byun Hak-gyu of Plus Ten for now, since he could be monitored in real-time using hacking tools.
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Yeon-woo sat down in his studio chair and turned on the microphone again.
"It seems like it's time to start cooking. Have you tracked down the minnows that were under 'Golden'?"
As soon as Yeon-woo finished speaking, Han Hae-woon's response came through.
- The others were either taken care of along with Golden or we can track their whereabouts, but one person's location remains unknown. He must have been quick-witted because he fled overseas before he could be dealt with. His last destination was Minsk.
"So that subordinate headed to Minsk right before Golden was taken care of..."
Upon hearing Han Hae-woon's words, Yeon-woo stroked his chin while adding something to the operation directive, modifying the plan on the spot.
Minsk is the capital of Belarus.
The escaped subordinate of Golden must have deliberately chosen Eastern Europe as his destination, since it's both out of reach of the NIS's intelligence network and convenient for ground transportation to various locations.
He clearly had prepared an escape route in case something like this happened.
"If one of Golden's agents slipped away, that actually makes things easier. We can use him."
- Well, wouldn't it be difficult for us to track him down too? I doubt even Baek Sol could find him. After all, even the NIS has limited intelligence in Eastern Europe.
Since our country has few mutual interests with the former Soviet bloc regions and there are no overseas teams stationed there, the NIS would have to request cooperation from the United States if they needed information.
There was no way Baek Sol would ask the United States for intelligence cooperation regarding their internal affairs.
But Yeon-woo shook his head at Han Hae-woon's words and added:
"That's exactly the point we'll use - the lack of information. They've already burned themselves trying to swallow LN whole, and if internal information about Jung Tae-seon gets exposed, they'll definitely start getting suspicious and begin actively searching for the source of the leak."
Of course, since they had thoroughly erased all traces so far, it would be difficult for Baek Sol to find the agents from the Mokhwa Building, but there was no need to take unnecessary risks.
They had secured evidence that veteran actor Jung Tae-seon had deliberately orchestrated drug incidents by inviting actors to parties, along with smartphone records of his direct orders.
'But the route through which we deliver that information is crucial.'
They couldn't let Baek Sol suspect that someone was controlling this operation.
Han Hae-woon's voice came through, as if he had realized something from Yeon-woo's words.
- Ah. So you're planning to make it look like the escapee leaked the related documents.
"That's right. It's easy to manipulate the cargo transport route to make it look like it came from Belarus, isn't it?"
- Compared to manipulating immigration records, handling goods is much easier. Especially since it's air mail.
While it might be more difficult with large cargo manifests coming by ship since they're used for smuggling routes, the security for postal items coming by air was vulnerable.
What organization with the capability to hack government institutions would bother hacking the post office's international mail network for profit?
In a situation where even immigration records could be hacked, it was much easier to plant false information in the postal service's international mail system.
"That prosecutor who handled the Jeon Ki-hoon case did a good job. Doesn't seem like the type to cave under pressure, and had a good eye for finding the drugs hidden in the trunk."
- You mean Prosecutor Kwon 'Pitbull'? I'll make sure it gets assigned to him then.
Yeon-woo nodded at Han Hae-woon's words.
"Good. Let's get busy then. You handle the Belarus side, and give me the information and messenger IDs of the journalists we're currently controlling. I'll handle the media."
- Understood.
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Han Hae-woon sent Yeon-woo the information about the journalists who had been fed stories, along with the messenger IDs known to them only as anonymous tipsters.
"Well then, let's handle what the team leader asked for."
Han Hae-woon entered his makeshift workroom in one corner of his house.
Then he began hacking into the Belarus postal system and the domestic postal service's international mail interface to insert information.
'So that international mail from Belarus arrives addressed to Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 3.'
He entered the actual handler names and processing times into the system according to the real mail delivery routes.
Now it was time to create the physical items.
He started printing after doing some quick research and pulling images from the internet.
"Hmm, Belarus... They still use stamps. I like that classic touch. They use the same material as Russian stamps."
He took out some Russian stamp paper from his drawer and began printing.
Then he turned on his desk lamp and put on his loupe.
A loupe is a magnifying glass used to examine tiny details that are difficult to see with the naked eye.
It refers to the special glasses mainly used by jewelers to appraise gems or by surgeons to examine surgical sites in detail.
Han Hae-woon attached the printed Belarus stamps to an international mail envelope and began drawing the postal cancellation mark from the Minsk post office with ink.
'What a wonderful world. The internet makes it so easy. This blog owner is in a long-distance relationship with a Belarusian man.'
Many people think forgery has become more difficult in today's fully digitized society compared to the past.
But in reality, forgery has become easier.
Once you handle the registered digital information through hacking, you can find all sorts of information online - even details about postal stamps from a Minsk post office you've never visited can be found with just a few clicks.
That's why the FBI's budget for forgery detection increases every year.
Thanks to the blog owner corresponding with their boyfriend in Minsk, Han Hae-woon easily completed an envelope that appeared to have originated from Minsk.
Inside that envelope, he placed a USB drive and related documents that were actually produced in Seoul, South Korea, not Minsk, Belarus.
This should be more than enough to prove the misdeeds committed by James Choi and the veteran actor Jung Tae-sun.
"To the nameless agent who worked under Hwangkeum - I'll just make one whistleblower report under your name. Don't feel too bad about it since it's all going to a good cause. I just hope you don't get caught by Baek Sol."
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Meanwhile, Yeon-woo contacted the journalists using the information received from Han Hae-woon.
He instructed them to run special articles stirring up coverage about celebrities who had retired due to recent drug scandals, saying he would deliver something big soon.
'First, Ahn Jun-ho needs to take some heat online.'
To be frank, Ahn Jun-ho, who was buried in an unremarkable drug scandal, wasn't even that famous to begin with and could barely be considered B-list in terms of recognition.
'Even if the truth about Jung Tae-sun rocks South Korea, that'll be the end of it.'
Most of the public won't care about the rookie actor that Jung Tae-sun exploited.
That's why groundwork was needed.
'When grilling steak, you need to salt it beforehand. You have to sprinkle so much coarse salt that you worry if it's too much - that's how you get it properly seasoned.'
By nature, netizens are no different from a pack of hyenas prowling for prey.
When something happens, they first bite, tear, taste, and enjoy it.
After chewing until the blood drips heavily, what if it turns out that wasn't 'justice'?
The pot mentality.
A pot that heats up quickly and cools quickly has high thermal conductivity.
Objects with high thermal conductivity cool and heat rapidly, but they also transfer heat to other objects quickly.
When the heated pot learns the 'truth' through 'fact-checking,' it will immediately turn to sympathy for Ahn Jun-ho.
The moment they realize their past malicious comments and attempts to crush the unjust were wrong, they'll work even more desperately to spread posts and generate community content to wash away their guilt.
And before long, articles calling for self-reflection began appearing online.
[YCN Editor's Pick] Recent Drug Crisis Spreading Domestically! Where is Clean Korea Headed? Did it Start in Entertainment?
[Joint News] Idol 'A' - Not Guilty Despite Drug Use? Since When Did Being a Celebrity Become a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card?
[Weekly Sports] How Far Does the Entertainment Industry Drug Scandal Go? A Look at Celebrities Who Retired Due to Drug Allegations
As they intensively covered entertainment industry drug issues, from recent cases to old ones, even news outlets not controlled by Yeon-woo began joining the trend and publishing articles.
Public opinion formed and community reactions naturally turned negative.
- Wow. Didn't know he was a junkie too?
- I heard they're even selling drugs on secondhand markets these days
└ For real? That's scary
It's all because celebrities and chaebol heirs paved the highway that regular people are now driving on it too
└ TBH the country's really gone to the dogs lately
└ Your spelling's gone to the dogs too
- Ahn Jun-ho disappeared after a brief moment in the spotlight, turns out he was doing drugs before running off to the military lol
└ What happens if you get withdrawal symptoms in the military
└ What do you think? That's when DP starts lololol
Naturally, various communities began to bite, tear, taste, and enjoy.
When communities are flooded with praise for something, people who oppose it emerge and interest quickly fades as topics shift to other bait.
But when they're flooded with criticism, that firepower tends to last quite a while.
Since going against critical public opinion alone tends to get you torn apart too, most community users choose to join in the criticism.
Yeon-woo smiled as he browsed the communities.
"It's heating up nicely."
Let it burn hotter.
The more intense the heat, the better for bringing other pots to a boil through thermal conduction.
And after a few days, mail with the scent of Minsk, Belarus - though actually from Seoul - arrived at the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 3.