Popular Psychopath [Novel] Chapter 34

Chapter 34: You Need to Go Somewhere With Me

The connection between the entertainment industry and organized crime.

Since the era when black-and-white films dominated the screens, their relationship had been an inseparable, deeply entrenched alliance.

It was inevitable. Because the entertainment industry originally rooted itself in nightlife and adult entertainment, it was impossible to sever ties with the underworld.

Looking back at the First Republic of South Korea, did Im Hwasoo of the Dongdaemun Faction not notoriously dominate the entire entertainment industry and cause massive scandals by assaulting actors?

In fact, prosecutorial investigations revealed intelligence indicating that even today, 14 criminal syndicates are directly or indirectly involved in the operations of approximately 28 entertainment agencies.

BT Stars CEO Jang Sukhyun was one such individual who had built an entertainment agency from those very roots.

Starting from the absolute bottom as a club promoter, he clawed his way up to become the entertainment director of a massive nightclub. After a brief stint with the KB Faction in Myeongdong, he dove headfirst into the entertainment industry in 2008.

Although he officially ceased his syndicate activities, he maintained excellent relations with gangsters as he ran his agency. He ambitiously scouted trainees and debuted a four-member girl group named Jasper.

Their first album concluded in a vague state—not a complete failure, yet certainly not a success. Desperate for one last attempt, Jang Sukhyun begged his acquaintances for investments. It was then that Kwon Hyungseok, the boss of the KB Faction he had briefly affiliated with, readily provided the funds, allowing Jasper to proceed with their second album promotions.

As if to repay his faith, Jasper’s second album achieved massive popularity. Although the group’s activities eventually ceased following the poor performance of their third album, the agency had recently found breathing room thanks to Jung Seola, who was garnering highly positive reactions through her acting career.

“They say life is full of unpredictable turns… I never imagined things would work out like this. Anyway, I wonder why Hyungnim suddenly called for me.”

Summoned by Kwon Hyungseok, the boss of the KB Faction whom he served as a ‘Hyungnim’, Jang Sukhyun was currently heading to Gangnam.

His destination was a high-end Japanese restaurant in the Cheongdam Neighborhood of Gangnam District, a place known for its private rooms that were perfect for discreet conversations.

When a server guided Jang Sukhyun into the reserved room, two middle-aged men were already sharing drinks.

“Kuh… You truly are amazing, President Bang. Oh? Is that Sukhyun? Come on in.”

“Yes, Hyungnim! Have you been well? It has been a while since I last greeted you.”

Jang Sukhyun took the seat next to Kwon Hyungseok and faced the individual sitting across from him. He was a middle-aged man in his mid-to-late forties, possessing exceptionally thick lips and narrow, slanted eyes that gave him a profoundly greedy appearance.

“Right, I heard you have been incredibly busy lately, Sukhyun? Your Hyungnim has been feeling quite neglected. Not a single phone call from you.”

“Ugh, Hyungnim. I am so sorry. I worried you might be busy, so I refrained from calling too often. I will make sure to contact you frequently from now on.”

“Right, right! Ah, this gentleman sitting across from you… you know Hanyang Daily, right? This is President Bang Wonwoo of Hanyang Sports, the son of Chairman Bang Geukhyun, the owner of Hanyang Daily. Hurry up and greet him.”

Startled by the appearance of a much larger figure than he anticipated, Jang Sukhyun shot up from his seat and bowed a perfect 90 degrees to Bang Wonwoo.

“Gasp. I apologize for failing to recognize you. I am Jang Sukhyun, the operator of a small entertainment agency. It is an absolute honor to meet you, President.”

“Haha, a young man who actually knows proper manners? That is rare these days. I can see why President Kwon praised you so highly.”

“Thank you for looking upon me favorably.”

Perhaps pleased by Jang Sukhyun’s stiff, terrified posture upon learning his identity, Bang Wonwoo offered a sinister smirk and poured him a drink.

“Sit. Have a drink.”

“I will pour one for you as well.”

Bang Wonwoo and Jang Sukhyun filled each other’s glasses, officially kicking off the drinking session.

The conversation primarily consisted of Bang Wonwoo talking, with Kwon Hyungseok and Jang Sukhyun vigorously agreeing and feeding his ego.

“That is exactly why I sent the president of BH Construction straight to the grave. Hehe. That is the price for ignoring a media company. How dare a bastard who just digs dirt for a living try to defy me?”

“That man truly met his match. Hahaha. Here! Let me pour you another drink.”

As the drinking session grew increasingly heated, Bang Wonwoo shot a subtle glance at Kwon Hyungseok.

“Ahem, look here, Sukhyun. You need to consider it the opportunity of a lifetime to be introduced to someone like President Bang in a setting like this. They say three massive opportunities come in a person’s life. The way I see it, one of those three is today.”

“Ah, yes. Of course, Hyungnim. Where else would I ever get the chance to meet someone as incredible as President Bang? I am drinking while on edge, terrified I might make a mistake.”

This was the undeniable truth. To succeed in the entertainment industry, connections with politicians and wealthy elites were absolutely indispensable. Among them, Bang Wonwoo was the president of a major media company, wielding terrifying, immeasurable influence over the entertainment world.

Honestly, destroying a small agency like Jang Sukhyun’s was easier than flipping his palm for Bang Wonwoo, so he desperately needed to get on his good side.

“You are doing very well. The reason I called you here today is because our President Bang specifically requested to see you. I mentioned you to President Bang a while ago. I told him that the CEO of the agency managing that rising star, Jung Seola, is my most cherished younger brother.”

Hearing this, the quick-witted Jang Sukhyun instantly deduced the situation. Jung Seola had caught Bang Wonwoo’s eye, and Kwon Hyungseok, having noticed this, intended to use him to set Jung Seola up as Bang Wonwoo’s sponsored companion.

‘Fuck. I am caught in a trap.’

“Haha, our Seola has been incredibly busy lately. She is the type who only cares about acting, so she spends all her days off glued to her scripts. Even I barely get to see her face.”

Desperate to escape the situation, Jang Sukhyun indirectly conveyed that Jung Seola wasn’t the type of girl for such arrangements. Yet Bang Wonwoo seemed utterly fixated on her and had zero intention of letting her go.

“Even so, how could she possibly ignore the words of her agency CEO? That makes no sense. She is practically a rookie who just barely got her face known; shouldn’t the CEO’s word be absolute law?”

“Hahaha… That is true.”

“On that note. Our President Bang seems to have taken quite a liking to Jung Seola, you see? Set up a time for us to have a nice meal and share a few drinks.”

“Ahem. Come on, President Kwon, you don’t have to go that far. You are going to put the younger brother in a difficult position.”

Despite his feigned reluctance, Bang Wonwoo stared at Jang Sukhyun with eyes brimming with anticipation—a sight Jang Sukhyun found utterly revolting.

And as if following a meticulously crafted script, Kwon Hyungseok seamlessly responded to Bang Wonwoo.

“Ah, not at all, President Bang. He isn’t the kind of brother who can’t even do something this simple. I invested in him when he was struggling, and I have cherished him like a real younger brother. There is no way he would refuse a trivial favor like this. Of course not.”

‘Son of a bitch… I paid back every cent of that money with interest… There is no way out of this.’

Jang Sukhyun cursed Kwon Hyungseok viciously in his mind, but outwardly, he plastered on a genial smile and replied.

“Hyungseok Hyungnim is the savior of my life. Then, I will arrange a meal for us very soon.”

“Hey! Jang Sukhyun! What do you mean ‘a meal’? Do you think we called you all the way here just to eat rice? I mean let’s grab a drink somewhere nice. It isn’t like we are going to do anything bad to her, right?”

“Look here, President Kwon, let’s stop this. It seems CEO Jang is misunderstanding something. I simply noticed a hardworking actress and wanted to have a conversation with her. I never expected to be misunderstood like this. This is highly unpleasant.”

Instantly, panic seized Jang Sukhyun. The men sitting before him could crush him as easily as stepping on an ant. Drenched in cold sweat, Jang Sukhyun immediately bowed deeply.

“Ah, n-no. It is a misunderstanding. Seola cannot drink alcohol, so I unconsciously assumed it would be a meal. Please do not misunderstand. It is absolutely nothing like that. If I offended you, I sincerely apologize. Hyungseok Hyungnim, President Bang.”

“Ahem… Ah, is that so? I almost misunderstood as well. I will accept your apology. But Jung Seola cannot drink? That is quite alright.”

Watching Bang Wonwoo speak with a sinister, calculating smirk, Jang Sukhyun barely suppressed a heavy sigh.

“Then set a date within the next week and contact me. Tell her to dress up nicely. If she catches President Bang’s eye, it will only benefit both you and Jung Seola; there is absolutely nothing to lose. Isn’t that right, President?”

“President Kwon truly knows how things work. I have a massive network of connections in the entertainment industry. Starting from the directors of regional broadcast stations, you know that director who recently hit 10 million viewers, right? That…”

Listening to Bang Wonwoo endlessly boast about his network and influence in the entertainment industry, Jang Sukhyun felt as though he were being issued a thinly veiled threat: if he dared to ignore this request, Bang Wonwoo would use those exact connections to utterly destroy him.

Having seemingly achieved their objective, Kwon Hyungseok and Bang Wonwoo departed in a waiting chauffeured car. Returning to his office, Jang Sukhyun chain-smoked cigarette after cigarette.

“Phew… Fucking bastards. I knew something like this would happen eventually, but why now of all times?”

Jung Seola was currently on a rapid upward trajectory. Rumors of her relentless work ethic and exceptional talent were already circulating among film and drama insiders, indicating a massive potential for future success.

“I need to think rationally. There is no way out of this anyway. And it truly could be a massive opportunity… The problem is Jung Seola…”

Although he had raised her since her trainee days, Jung Seola had never been an easy person to handle, even for the CEO. Back when she promoted with Jasper, as the leader, she would always communicate any demands or grievances with razor-sharp logic, inevitably persuading him to see her side.

“Jung Seola isn’t the type for this kind of thing… How am I supposed to bring her there?”

The Jung Seola he knew was the type to jump out of her skin and vehemently refuse the moment such a proposal was even suggested.

“For now… I will just take her there. Even she must know that to grow bigger in this industry, she needs to hold onto at least one solid sponsor, right?”

In reality, it was an undeniable fact that sponsors had long operated in the shadows, serving as opportunities and lifelines for rookies desperate to become stars.

***

The following day.

Summoned by CEO Jang Sukhyun for a brief meeting, Jung Seola headed to the agency office.

“But why did he tell me to dress up?”

Having been reading scripts at home, Jung Seola had intended to visit the office in comfortable clothes. Puzzled by Jang Sukhyun’s explicit instruction to dress nicely, she applied light makeup and wore tight jeans paired with a simple white blouse.

“Is he going to talk to me about the commercial?”

Jung Seola had been incredibly thrilled to hear she had recently received a commercial offer. After all, commercials generated the most significant income for celebrities, and securing numerous deals served as the ultimate metric of popularity.

“And to top it off, I get to shoot it with Kyuha oppa.”

Knowing she would be filming alongside Kyuha—her savior and former co-star—she was eagerly anticipating the shoot day.

Arriving at the office, Jung Seola headed straight into the CEO’s room.

“CEO, I am here. You were looking for me?”

Jang Sukhyun inspected Jung Seola’s outfit, his brow furrowing in apparent dissatisfaction.

“Seola, I told you to dress up… Ugh, whatever, I suppose this is enough.”

“Excuse me? What do you…?”

“Seola, you need to go somewhere with me.”