Siblings Work in Business (125)
Monday morning, meeting time at NRY Entertainment.
“So, I know it’s a hassle, but I think it would be good to add a block on E-FAN where fans can see all the articles about the kids at a glance, Sung-min.”
“Okay.”
“Song-ju is monitoring the articles in real-time, so please coordinate with her.”
“Okay.”
“Next, Bo-yeong?”
“Yes!”
Bo-yeong, who was present when Eun-ho and Eun-ji submitted their proposal, raised her hand and replied when CEO Park called her name.
“What happened with Dark Ocean?”
“Ah, I’m sorry!”
“I thought I told you to contact them yesterday.”
“I did!”
“And?”
“Well, Dark Ocean said they were positive about the project until Friday, but they just contacted us saying it’s not possible.”
“What do you mean? Why can’t they do it if they were positive?”
“Apparently, a rookie from DI Music Entertainment booked Dark Ocean for a long music video shoot after seeing the ‘DUO’ music video.”
“How did you find that out?”
CEO Park, slightly surprised by her information network, asked, and Bo-yeong smiled and replied,
“The person in charge at Dark Ocean is an acquaintance.”
“…Impressive. But DI Music usually works with a specific production company, don’t they?”
“Maybe it was the artist’s request?”
“They’re rookies, right?”
“Yes, rookies, but my… acquaintance at Dark Ocean said the rookie is related to the CEO of DI Music.”
CEO Park nodded, as if having pieced everything together.
“Okay, so Dark Ocean is out. Did everyone see Eun-ho’s proposal for the ‘Footsteps’ music video?”
“Yes. I created a PPT presentation and sent it to all the staff via email and posted it on the company website.”
Gi-hoon, with his ordinary, agreeable demeanor, replied, and CEO Park smiled and said,
“Since Gi-hoon took care of it, please check it if you haven’t already.”
“Okay.”
“We don’t have much time if we want to stick to Eun-ho’s proposed schedule, so the planning team should look for other production companies, excluding Dark Ocean. Prioritize those who can meet the deadline and produce good work.”
“Okay.”
“Song-ju.”
“Yes!”
“While you’re working on the articles, also look into…”
“Yes?”
“…Toxin’s articles as well.”
“Oh?”
Song-ju, surprised by the sudden mention of ‘Toxin,’ hesitated for a moment before replying.
“Should I send the Toxin articles to you, CEO?”
“Yes. Focus on articles related to their ‘contract renewal.’”
“Okay.”
Song-ju pushed up her thick-rimmed glasses and asked, and CEO Park nodded.
Then, he reviewed the documents again, checking if he had missed anything.
“So-hyun, how’s the merchandise production going?”
“The light sticks are being packaged, and the mood lights are still in production.”
“What about the album design?”
“It’s designed with a sunset vibe, like you requested, and I sent it via email.”
“Good. I’ll let you know if there are any revisions.”
“Okay.”
“Phew. Okay…”
CEO Park placed the thick documents on the table, letting out a sigh of relief.
“Thanks to Bo-yeong’s extensive network, we’ve been getting information much faster. You all had a good weekend, so let’s work hard today. Things will get busier, so fighting!”
“Yes!”
“I’ll add 300,000 won to the snack budget this week as a reward. Is that okay?”
“Ooh!”
The staff, who had been suffering from Monday blues, brightened up.
After receiving instructions from CEO Park…
Sung-min opened a hidden section on the app and posted an announcement.
[System maintenance and updates are in progress to improve E% user experience.]
After confirming that the announcement was properly displayed, he started working.
The new section was unveiled to E% around lunchtime.
「Ji Ye-chan’s surprise appearance during a phone date on City Echoes」
「The funny siblings mentioned by Toxin, who are Lee Eun-ho and Lee Eun-ji of ‘E-UNG’?」
「Ji Ye-chan shows interest in ‘E-UNG’ during a phone date on ‘City Echoes’」
「‘City Echoes’ radio show, music chart shakeup after ‘Wise’ live performance!」
「Yesterday’s trending search: ‘Vegetables vs. Yasai’? The debate sparked by City Echoes.」
「‘E-UNG’s’ YouTube channel mentioned on ‘City Echoes’? ‘What’s so special about it?’」
Sung-min’s screen was filled with articles after he quickly typed something, logged in to the admin account, and opened the E-FAN app.
There was an empty black space at the bottom of the screen.
“Test 1 passed, test 2 passed, test 3 passed.”
Sung-min ran dozens of tests, and at the last item, he pressed the screen with a desperate “Please.”
“Last test, passed.”
He checked off all the ‘No issues’ boxes on the checklist.
Sung-min cheered silently and thanked god.
Then, he opened the new ‘News’ section on E-FAN.
He was startled.
└ What is this section for?
└ Are those all the articles about them after City Echoes?
└ This is so convenient ♥♥ lol
└ Wow, are these all articles about E-UNG?
└ This old lady is crying ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└ Everyone, please check out E-UNG!!!
└ What happened to Ji-ji and Rangi while I was working overtime on Friday?
└ I’m listening to Friday’s City Echoes after seeing this. Looking for a fancam ㅠㅠㅠ Please!!!
Fans, seemingly waiting, had already left numerous comments.
CEO Park, checking the ‘News’ section Sung-min created, turned his attention to his computer monitor.
The monitor was filled with articles about Toxin, which Song-ju had sent him.
“Ha, hahaha.”
CEO Park burst out laughing, his expression a mix of amusement and surprise.
A few days before Eun-ho brought him the proposal…
Bzz, bzz.
CEO Park, warming up with 60kg bench presses in his home gym, sat up and put the barbell back on the rack at the sound of his phone vibrating.
“Hey, Eun-ho.”
“CEO, are you busy?”
CEO Park, oblivious to the upcoming conversation, stretched comfortably and answered the phone.
“No, what’s up?”
“I have something to discuss with you.”
“What is it?”
CEO Park initially assumed it was about Eun-ji’s new song or the lyrics, so he listened casually.
He was about to take a sip of his protein shake when…
He froze.
He put the shake down before it even reached his lips.
“…What? What do you mean?”
CEO Park asked, startled by Eun-ho’s words.
Eun-ho continued, a hint of laughter in his voice.
“If we do as you say, we’ll be making TaKa Entertainment our enemy.”
“Well, CEO, you said you went back to your hometown before starting NRY, right?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Did TaKa Entertainment try to recruit you back then?”
“They did.”
The CEO of TaKa had even begged him to come back, offering him several times his previous salary.
“Then it’s even more certain. Wouldn’t TaKa become our enemy anyway if we recruited the Toxin seniors?”
“…”
He was speechless.
He heard the reason from Eun-ho.
“TaKa Entertainment has been relying almost entirely on Toxin for years.”
“…That’s true. But how did you know?”
Eun-ho wasn’t usually interested in these things.
‘He’s become close to Ji Ye-chan since the pension trip…’
His words were unsettling, even though he was like a son to him.
“We have a valid reason, and it’s an opportunity for NRY Entertainment to become as big as TaKa.”
“That’s…”
That’s right.
It was an opportunity.
A huge opportunity.
NRY Entertainment was established to bring Toxin under his wing.
And now, the time, the opportunity, had come.
“That’s just my wishful thinking. Anyway…”
The conversation then shifted to their usual, mundane topics, like what they had for dinner, as if they hadn’t just discussed such a significant matter.
After the call ended, CEO Park was lost in thought.
Perhaps because it was Eun-ho, who usually didn’t talk about these things…
He felt like he was standing at a crossroads.
And he made his choice.
He sold his remaining TaKa Entertainment shares at a ‘decent price,’ severing his last ties.
He hadn’t imagined it would be such a decisive move.
“Ha, hahaha.”
CEO Park burst out laughing, a complicated expression on his face, as he read the articles on his monitor.
They were articles about Toxin’s contract renewal, which Song-ju had sent him.
「“There will be articles about the Toxin seniors’ contract renewal issues, rumors about them leaving TaKa, and Senior Ye-chan moving to G-MISIC—”」
CEO Park felt a chill.
「Toxin’s contract renewal in dispute, are they parting ways with TaKa?」
「News of Toxin’s failed contract renewal, TaKa representative, “Nothing has been decided yet…”」
「TOXIN, after leaving TaKa, heading to Ji Ye-chan’s ‘G-MISIC’ as expected?」
The articles were exactly as Eun-ho predicted.
But there was one key difference.
「NRY Entertainment’s offer to Toxin just before their contract renewal?」
「The sudden appearance of NRY Entertainment in Toxin’s contract renewal issue?」
「NRY CEO Park Chang-seok, a close acquaintance of Toxin?」
The name ‘NRY Entertainment,’ E-UNG’s agency, was now explicitly mentioned.
The close relationship between Toxin and Eun-ho and Eun-ji had become a valid reason.
A chance to gain both reputation and profit.
According to Eun-ho, this was the first ‘opportunity.’
CEO Park trusted Eun-ho’s intuition.
He hadn’t made a wrong decision so far.
[E-UNG – ‘Hot Afternoon’ feat. YN, M-IN M/V Teaser.]
The teaser for “Hot Afternoon,” E-UNG and Toxin’s second collaboration, was released just before the last broadcast of “Wise.”
“Oh, oh, oh my god! Unnie!”
Aeseul, sitting in her studio with a beat playing, looking at her phone, suddenly screamed, as if she was about to faint.
“Unnie! It’s out! It’s out! It’s out!”
“What’s out?”
“E-UNG’s new music video teaser!!!”