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TM Chapter 120

Chapter 120: A Never-ending Cycle, Whether That’s Power Dynamics or Psychological Warfare (2)

TL: emptycube / ED: Isleidir

It was a reading room surrounded by mirror walls.

This place was no different from a social gathering full of false pretense and wariness. Celebrities playing supporting roles sat around a center table with scripts, water bottles, and handmade cookies while managers sat on folding chairs near the walls.

“I heard Seo Eunkyo is in the basement dressing room. Why isn’t she coming up?”

“Lee Songha isn’t here yet. She’s waiting to appear after her.”

“She’ll be less embarrassed then. Even though there are four lead roles, looking at the script, it looks like Lee Songha’s the main while Seo Eunkyo’s playing the sub-lead? Doesn’t this mean that she’s been pushed back by a rookie? I bet she’s ready to even snatch her soul.”

“Ah, I bet the tension from their first meeting will be intense.”

“Will there even be a fight? Do you think a young girl like her will be able to stand up against Seo Eunkyo?”

“It’ll be fortunate if she doesn’t cry in the washroom. I already feel sorry for her.”

“Hey, but do you think she’ll be so upfront when Lee Songha has W&U behind her?”

“Seo Eunkyo doesn’t lose company-wise either.”

Excitement permeated their voices. They all had expectant looks.

To see the spectacle that didn’t concern them. Or more specifically, the psychological warfare between two successful actresses.

Actors and managers glanced at the door multiple times.

Just then, the door opened. Two people greeted them respectfully as they entered the room.

They were surprised by Lee Kwanwoo’s figure, which was larger than most security guards. They were surprised again when they saw Lee Songha. Her looks were enough to surprise them, who were used to seeing celebrities.

“Amazing. There is a reason why advertisers call her a ‘blue chip’^{1}.”

“She’s truly breathtaking. But the person she came with isn’t Jung Sunwoo?”

The managers with various positions, such as road managers, chiefs, team leaders, whispered to one another.

“Was he kicked from being in charge of Lee Songha because of the scandal?”

“Her scandal was completely buried by Park Dojin and Sung Dowon’s scandals. What a shame. I wanted to see the famous star manager once.”

“What do mean ‘a shame’? I heard he’s gotten full of himself after a little publicity.”

“Uh, she’s here, she’s here!”

As if someone had pressed the mute button, the whispers came to an abrupt halt.

A woman came in accompanied by two managers. Her face looked like it was drawn with a brush while she gave off an elegant aura akin to a maiden from a respectable family. She was called the goddess of award ceremonies as every dress she wore would become a hot topic. She was Seo Eunkyo.

Seo Eunkyo walked in while people greeted her.

She then stopped in front of Lee Songha.

“Ms. Lee Songha?”

“Yes, senior. Hello.”

Lee Songha bowed her head once more. Arms crossed, Seo Eunkyo glanced Lee Songha up and down. A serious mood hung above this momentary silence.

Everyone in the reading room perked their ears while pretending not to.

Lee Kwanwoo swallowed dryly. The mood was strange. He recalled a drama he had enjoyed that was set in the entertainment industry. Someone would always try to start a fight in a situation like this.

One which was accompanied by a high-level personal attack or splashing a cup of water on someone.

Breaking the silence, Seo Eunkyo asked,

“Your one-piece dress is pretty. It’s from Designer Kim Sukmoon’s seasonal collection, right?”

“I don’t know the name because I wear what’s provided to me, but I think you’re right.”

It was a normal conversation.

Lee Kwanwoo was relieved, thinking that dramas were simply dramas.

“Don’t wear it from now on.”

Seo Eunkyo ordered.

“I wear his clothes often. So don’t wear them. We can’t have our outfits overlap while on a shoot. Designer Kim Sukmoon will probably prefer I wear his clothes than you. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

The mood chilled.

Lee Kwanwoo’s eyes moved rapidly. He thought that this was too harsh even if she was her senior, yet Seo Eunkyo’s managers looked calm as though this was nothing special.

The other actors and managers didn’t look like they planned on intervening. Instead, they were busy stealing glances. Their faces were filled with expectations, wondering whether Lee Songha would flee or become agitated and clash head-on after being rebuked.

When Lee Songha didn’t reply right away, Seo Eunkyo mocked,

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you sad that I told you not to wear seasonal item you finally obtained?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Then do you have a problem with your senior’s words?”

“I was sponsored to wear this dress.”

Seo Eunkyo faltered.

“Sponsored? Designer Kim Sukmoon sponsored you?”

“Yes.”

A low laughter broke out somewhere.

Taken aback, Seo Eunkyo’s expression suddenly distorted.

“Just look at how you look straight at me like that. I guess W&U doesn’t care about senior-junior relationships? Or are idols all like this? If you are so confident because you think you got the main female lead, you’re mistaken. It wasn’t that I didn’t get that role, I got this role because my image suits being the darling of a rich family.”

Then, walking past Lee Songha, she said,

“Where did an idol like you roll in from? Lowering our level. Isn’t that right?”

Her final question was directed at the supporting actors.

The actors’ eyes moved quickly. They were calculating how they should act so that their time on set would be free of troubles. The decision was quick as their future would be difficult if they were marked by someone like Seo Eunkyo.

Concluding their calculations, the majority of actors gathered around Seo Eunkyo.

Lee Songha stood alone under people’s glances.

Stomping his feet, Lee Kwanwoo sent a text.

-Chief! Big trouble due to Ms. Seo Eunkyo!

***

I wondered if something would happen in ten minutes.

Yet it did. Apparently, it was big too.

I ran up the stairs as soon as I received the text. I encountered a couple of familiar faces on the floor on which the reading room was located. Chief Sung, whose amiable character didn’t suit his fox-like looks, and Im Joowon.

Im Joowon began running as well as he asked,

“Uh, why are you running? Are we late?”

“No, I think something happened between Songha and Ms. Seo Eunkyo.”

“It’s started already.”

Chief Sung clicked his tongue as if he already knew.

I opened the reading room door. Everyone simultaneously looked in our direction. I greeted them and quickly observed the mood. Fortunately, it wasn’t the worst situation. When he said there was big trouble, I thought gummy worms had been thrown.

The mood was a bit odd though.

Pretty and handsome actors crowded around Seo Eunkyo like a queen bee and her admirers. Lee Songha was sitting by herself.

What was this?

I had my concerns but did they cast her out so directly? Were they middle schoolers?

“Oppa, I’m over here.”

Lee Songha raised her hand up high and waved at me as if she thought I couldn’t find her. Her hand was still holding onto her bag of gummy worms. I sat in the folding chair behind Lee Songha and asked,

“Are you okay?”

“About what?”

“No, if you’re okay, then that’s that.”

I let her continue eating her gummy worms as I heard the whole story from the recruit.

Once I did, I became certain. That this was worse than middle school.

“Incidents like this are common in this industry.”

“Especially women. Their power struggles are so childish.”

Im Joowon, who sat next to Lee Songha, said, clicking his tongue.

“Don’t worry. I don’t know how it’d be if you were by yourself, but you’re with me. I’ll help you out. As people in the same company, we should help each other out.”

He said dependably.

Just then, the door opened and someone entered.

He had a brazen smile and a well-built frame. It was Yoon Taekyung. A celebrity amongst celebrities. At the appearance of this precious international star, who people desperately fought over to invite, the reading room became noisy. Greetings were exchanged in this heated atmosphere.

Im Joowon shook Yoon Taekyung’s hand as he admired,

“It looks like you work out a lot.”

“Ah, it’s because the director said there will be a lot of scenes where I’ll be shirtless. I’ve been taking care of my body by eating chicken breasts and smoothies after receiving the script.”

“... You have a lot of shirtless scenes?”

“Yes, don’t you?”

Smiling as though he was teasing him, Yoon Taekyung briefly scanned Im Joowon up and down. Then he sat down a bit away from him.

Now alone, Im Joowon turned towards us. Then, in a quiet voice, he asked,

“That bastard disregarded me just now, didn’t he?”

“No, rather than disregarding you...”

“Chief, why don’t I have any shirtless scenes? Is my body no good?”

Im Joowon asked seriously while rolling his short-sleeve shirt up and looked at his belly.

Chief Sung waved his hands as he said,

“There’s no way that’s true. You are the slim, pretty boy style while Mr. Yoon Taekyung has a manlier look. The way you show off your charms are different.”

“Damn it. If I take care of my body from now on, I can get a six-pack too. Tell the director to give me some shirtless scenes too.”

Even though he said power struggles were childish, Im Joowon’s eyes were ablaze.

But it was a bit odd. People crowded around Seo Eunkyo. More people crowded around Yoon Taekyung. Lee Songha and Im Joowon were sitting by themselves.

What was this sight which resembled two duck eggs floating in the Nakdong river?

Chief Sung mumbled helplessly,

“The mood is progressing strangely.”

The mood continued to progress strangely.

The director and chief producer of PBS’s dramas entered once the reading room was full.

“Oh, our international star, Mr. Yoon Taekyung! I danced when I heard you signed the contract. I believe in you. Please take care of us.”

They patted the shoulder of ‘their international star, Mr. Yoon Taekyung’.

“Oh, our goddess of award ceremonies! Ms. Eunkyo, let’s definitely have you wear your dress on the red carpet for PBS’s Best Performance Award. If this project is a success, we won’t disappoint you when it comes to awards.”

They held the hand of ‘their goddess of award ceremonies’ as though it was made from gold.

Although they shook Im Joowon’s hand, there was a huge difference in their treatment. Their reactions were lukewarm when compared to Yoon Taekyung. At Lee Songha’s turn, their reactions became frosty.

No matter who saw it, their attitude showed they weren’t satisfied with the decision to cast Lee Songha.

When the director and chief producer left, Seo Eunkyo’s nose shot up like Pinocchio’s.

“Well-Made Production was the one in charge of selecting the cast.”

With a complicated expression, Chief Sung said,

“The broadcasting company might not be happy that they chose Ms. Songha over Son Chaeyoung, who was their first pick. Still, there’s no need to care about the broadcasting company. The ones who truly hold power in this current situation are different.”

“Pardon? Isn’t the broadcasting company the ones in power?”

The recruit, Lee Kwanwoo, asked. Chief Sung shook his head.

“The situation is different for something like Royal Family. Well-Made brought over Chinese investors so their production budget is huge. The script is good and they have a good cast. On top of that, they got Yoon Taekyung. Seo Eunkyo has a decent following in China. Any public network will make room in their schedule for a project like this.”

“Then is Well-Made the ones with power? Or the actors? Yoon Taekyung or Seo Eunkyo?”

Chief Sung shook his head once more.

“Well-Made needs to keep supplying resources to make the project a success. Actors hold power until they sign. Their positions change as soon as they sign the contract.”

“Then the ones with power...”

“Are the director and writer.”

I said nonchalantly.

They were the two people who truly held power in this current situation. The veterans at the helm of this enormous ship. Also, between the two, the writer held the most power.

The charm of characters would dangle on her fingertips, and she controlled the actors’ screen times.

Chief Sung’s eyes narrowed as he added,

“That’s right. You can ignore other actors and the broadcasting company. They are people who will change their attitude at the flip of a coin if this project is a success. The problem is Writer Jang. Director Woo is the type to be faithful to the script. You have to get on Writer Jang’s good side.”

The staff entered the room as soon as he said that.

Our attention focused on two people. One was Director Woo, who had facial hair from his sideburns to his chin. The other was Writer Jang, who glitter more than usual as she wore a set of large pearl earrings, necklace, and ring.

Other people seemed to have the same thoughts as us as people particularly gathered around Writer Jang. We just got up to greet them as well.

“Ah, Chief Jung!”

Director Woo approached me with steadfast steps before hugging me.

His coarse beard brushed against my cheek. I got goosebumps. I was surprised, but Lee Songha looked more surprised than me. Her eyes became as wide as saucers despite being calm when she was being left out.

Director Woo whispered in my ear,

“I heard about it. That it’s all thanks to you that we were able to take out hands off that mess before it was too late.”

“Ah, that.”

I hoped that we could talk with a bit of distance between each other.

I knew that this wasn’t the right place to talk about Park Dojin because of all the listening ears, but this was a bit... I thought this, but with a sudden thought, I placed my hand on Director Woo’s back.

I decided it was a good idea to show I was friendly with the director.

Especially in a situation like this.

As expected, people’s stinging gazes fell on me. The actors and even the managers looked in my direction and whispered to each other. ‘Why are they so close?’ ‘How close are they?’ Questions like these flashed on their faces.

We were hugging for a while when Seo Eunkyo, who had been giving us a strange look, smiled brightly as she clung to Writer Jang.

“I heard you were the writer who cast me. Thank you very much.”

“The role suited you very well. I wrote the script thinking about you.”

Writer Jang replied. Seo Eunkyo looked so happy she could jump in the air as she hugged Writer Jang’s shoulders as if telling us to look at them.

She then politely said,

“Since it looks like Ms. Lee Songha feels pressured from suddenly becoming a lead, it’s okay if you give me more scenes or even give me most the scenes. I’ll handle them all.”

Wow. This queen bee. That was too much.

I parted from Director Woo with a frown on my face when Writer Jang looked in my direction. As soon as our gazes met, Writer Jang’s eyes slightly curved.

Writer Jang brushed Seo Eunkyo’s hands off her shoulders and said,

“Ms. Seo Eunkyo. Am I a debuting writer?”

“Pardon?”

“Only picking up bad behavior. How dare you ask a writer to increase your scenes?”

^{1} Blue chip – a stock in a company known for quality, reliability, and profitability in both good and bad times.