Chapter 26 - Things Must Change
“Baek Hyeon-woo-ssi, I am a person who came to this company after receiving an earnest request from the CEO-nim.”
Choi Tae-hyung said, with his fingers interlocked.
“The previous general manager screwed up a project and ran away, so the CEO-nim's plans went very awry. That's why she urgently recruited me.”
“……”
“I also had a desire to try making a new group according to my own will, without interference from the higher-ups. That's why I came to this company, in response to the CEO-nim's proposal, in which she promised to guarantee me full authority over the new group.”
That's why Choi Tae-hyung accepted Baek Yeon-ah's proposal and came to Haram Entertainment.
However, coming to Haram Entertainment after working at a large agency, there were many difficulties.
“But when I actually came to this company and tried to work, there were no people worth using. It can't be helped since there are few people to begin with, but still.”
There are too few people worth using.
It was to the point where Director Choi Tae-hyung himself had to run around scouting aspirants.
“However... you, Baek Hyeon-woo-ssi, seem to be worth using.”
“I am still merely a rookie in the entertainment industry.”
“But your intuition is very sharp. And you might even have a superpower.”
It is a fact that Choi Tae-hyung was currently thinking of Baek Hyeon-woo as suspicious.
There were too many parts that were difficult to understand.
However, there is one clear fact.
What Baek Hyeon-woo said was always right.
“Everything you've said so far has been proven right, hasn't it, Baek Hyeon-woo-ssi?”
“It might just be that I was lucky.”
“In the entertainment industry, luck is also a skill.”
Choi Tae-hyung said in a clear voice.
“Sometimes you see a guy who just looks vacant, but everything he touches goes well and he keeps succeeding. At a glance, it looks like he was just lucky, but attracting good fortune like that is also that person's skill.”
“……”
“As for me, I don't really know the reason why everything you've said so far has been proven right, Baek Hyeon-woo-ssi. It could be that you were just lucky. But if you ultimately bring good results, then you have that much skill.”
In the end, as long as you produce results, that's all that matters.
It doesn't matter if it's because of good luck or a superpower.
If Baek Hyeon-woo was a talent who could produce results, he wanted to take him along and make use of him.
“And that's why I'm saying I want to work with you, Baek Hyeon-woo-ssi.”
“I am in charge of Newstarz.”
Baek Hyeon-woo said cautiously.
“I cannot suddenly move to be in charge of the new group.”
“Just leave Newstarz to Team Leader Park. His hand is all better now, isn't it?”
Team Leader Park Yeong-ho had been in a cast on his hand until now.
He was in a state where he couldn't drive, so Baek Hyeon-woo was urgently put on the job, but he's fine now.
“The workload is too heavy for Team Leader Park alone.”
“It's not like Team Leader Park is doing it alone. There are other employees too.”
“Still, their schedule has increased lately...”
“They'll be free again soon anyway.”
Choi Tae-hyung said, cutting Baek Hyeon-woo off.
“Right now, they're just having a moment in the spotlight. From now on, Newstarz is bound to go on a downward trend.”
“……”
“Rather than spending your time cleaning up the messes of a group like that, it'll be more productive to just prepare the new group by my side.”
Saying that, Choi Tae-hyung met Baek Hyeon-woo's eyes.
“Then I can also teach you in various ways.”
“……”
Baek Hyeon-woo is a talent worth using.
Moreover, he is also CEO Baek Yeon-ah's nephew.
If he teaches him well and makes him like a protege, it will help Choi Tae-hyung seize real power at Haram Entertainment.
Choi Tae-hyung was thinking such thoughts.
“Let's do that. How about it?”
“Director.”
However... Baek Hyeon-woo shook his head from side to side.
“I'm sorry, but I want to continue being in charge of Newstarz.”
“What?”
“You said that Newstarz is bound to go on a downward trend, Director, but I do not think so.”
Baek Hyeon-woo said in a clear voice.
“Newstarz will become even more popular in the future. I want to be on that path together with them.”
“……”
Choi Tae-hyung frowned.
“It seems you're saying that because you don't know the industry well yet, Baek Hyeon-woo-ssi, but there are very few cases where a third-year idol from a small-medium agency suddenly rebounds and gains popularity.”
“I do not think so. Newstarz is a group with potential.”
Baek Hyeon-woo had already confirmed the potential of the Newstarz members through the status window.
He had even brought in Yoo Jeong-ah with her SS Potential.
If he just properly paves the way for them, they will be able to gain far more popularity than they have until now.
On the other hand, he couldn't know what kind of people the group Choi Tae-hyung would newly create would be composed of.
Even Han Se-ri, whom he had brought in just a moment ago, had good Dance, Vocal, and Visuals, but her Potential was a B.
If they only gather members who are only at that level, there's a limit to what Baek Hyeon-woo can do, no matter how hard he works.
The Newstarz side has more potential.
“I want to be with Newstarz.”
“This is a bit disappointing.”
However, Choi Tae-hyung, who knew nothing, showed his disappointment.
“Is your situational judgment that poor? I even said I would personally foster you, but you're still saying no?”
“Thank you for seeing me in a good light. However, I have already made up my mind.”
“Good grief...”
If Baek Hyeon-woo could have full authority, it wouldn't be bad to take on the challenge of making a new group.
But right now, it's a situation where he has to work under Choi Tae-hyung.
Even if Baek Hyeon-woo finds a decent talent through the status window, if Choi Tae-hyung says no, he has to give up.
Just like when Yoo Jeong-ah came to the audition.
“Besides, if I leave Newstarz now, I would feel sorry to the new member who came because she listened to my words.”
“What?”
As he brought up Yoo Jeong-ah while he was on the topic, Choi Tae-hyung's eyes widened.
“A new member, what are you talking about?”
“Have you not heard yet?”
Baek Hyeon-woo said in a calm voice.
“It has been decided that Newstarz will be reborn by recruiting a fifth member. The CEO-nim has also approved it.”
“W-Wait a minute.”
Choi Tae-hyung shot up from his seat with a flustered expression.
“You were pushing that forward without even telling me?”
“I tried to tell you in advance. But you wouldn't listen, Director.”
In front of the gaping Choi Tae-hyung, Baek Hyeon-woo said in a calm voice.
“Didn't you tell us to handle Newstarz on our own?”
“……!”
Choi Tae-hyung's face turned red.
***
“Ah, Hyeon-woo oppa.”
As he headed toward the practice room, Laura, who was out in the hallway, spoke to him.
“I heard there was a bit of a noisy incident at the company, what happened?”
“A noisy incident?”
“I heard Director Choi went to the CEO-nim and said something? That you didn't tell him in advance about changing Newstarz to a 5-member group.”
Choi Tae-hyung, who found out about the Newstarz reorganization plan, went to Baek Yeon-ah and expressed his dissatisfaction.
Saying, does it make sense to make such a big decision while bypassing the Director.
“Actually, if this were a big company with a proper system in place, it would indeed be a matter that could become a big problem.”
“But this is a small-medium enterprise.”
“That's right.”
Haram Entertainment is a small company.
Things like duties, authority, and the chain of command for approvals are not clearly established.
“Of course, from Director Choi's perspective, it's a situation where he's bound to feel bad. Still, it's not like Director Choi has no responsibility in the matter.”
It's a fact that until now, Choi Tae-hyung had been pushing off Newstarz-related work onto Park Yeong-ho.
The time he left his seat telling them to handle it themselves when Park Yeong-ho and Baek Hyeon-woo went to consult him also actually happened.
For that reason, Choi Tae-hyung also couldn't protest strongly.
“So the CEO-nim sorted things out for us.”
“Sorted things out?”
“That Director Choi will concentrate on preparing the new group, and Team Leader Park will take responsibility and manage Newstarz.”
That was the future policy that CEO Baek Yeon-ah decided on.
In truth, they had been working like that until now, but this was the first time the duties had been so clearly divided.
“From our perspective, it turned out well.”
Actually, this was what Baek Hyeon-woo had been hoping for.
Because he wanted to exclude Choi Tae-hyung as much as possible when proceeding with Newstarz-related work in the future.
He had been worried about what he would do if Choi Tae-hyung interfered when recruiting Yoo Jeong-ah as the fifth member, and he didn't want to work while worrying about that every time.
“Until now, there hasn't been much interference from Director Choi, but if Newstarz gains popularity, his attitude might change.”
“That's right. Because he could interfere with every single thing you do, Hyeon-woo oppa.”
“Now that we've made a clear distinction, we just have to do well amongst ourselves.”
As they were having that conversation.
Seo Na-eun peeked her head out from inside, as if she had heard their voices.
“You're here?”
Seo Na-eun trotted over to Baek Hyeon-woo and bowed her head in greeting.
Sweat had formed on her forehead, as if she had come out in the middle of practice.
“How are things?”
“Very good.”
Seo Na-eun said in a slightly excited voice.
“Jeong-ah is doing really well. Honestly, it's more than I expected.”
“Is it to that extent?”
“Yes, there's no room for criticism in either her singing or her dancing.”
Currently, Newstarz had accepted Yoo Jeong-ah as a new member and were in the middle of getting in sync.
“And since we became a 5-member group, the balance has definitely improved. It made me think, so this is the real 'Gravity'.”
“That's a relief.”
‘Gravity’ was a song that had originally been prepared on the premise of five people singing and dancing.
Only now had it finally become able to display its original potential.
“Then I guess we can start preparing in earnest now.”
At Baek Hyeon-woo's words, Seo Na-eun made a tense expression.
“Team Leader Park is preparing a press release right now. The Night-Bomb Festival, which will be held next month, will be the first stage for the reborn 5-member Newstarz.”
Night-Bomb Festival.
It's an event on a scale that is counted among the top popular music festivals held in the country.
It has the concept of 'let's enjoy an explosive fervor using the weekend nights,' and the pun-like title combining 'Night' and 'Bomb' also expresses that concept.
Newstarz was originally scheduled to perform at the Night-Bomb Festival.
Since it's the largest-scale event in recent times, the plan was to use this opportunity to extensively announce the rebirth of Newstarz.
“This is our chance to announce on a grand scale that Newstarz has completely changed. Let's prepare with all our might.”
Of course, not only the members, but Baek Hyeon-woo also had to work hard.
In the future, Park Yeong-ho's work would increase, and then the work Baek Hyeon-woo had to take on would naturally increase as well.
The parts that Baek Hyeon-woo had to judge and decide on directly would also gradually increase.
‘I've become a full-time employee, and I've also gotten the Assistant Manager title... I have to change too.’
Things must change.
Thinking such thoughts, Baek Hyeon-woo stepped into the practice room.
Inside, Kim So-yeong was in the middle of adjusting Yoo Jeong-ah's choreography movements, and Kanade was following the movements next to them.
The moment Baek Hyeon-woo was about to open his mouth at that sight.
“……!”
Zzzap.
A familiar sensation pierced through his entire body, and Baek Hyeon-woo lost consciousness on the spot.