Chairman Giju Lee.
Anyone with even a passing interest in the Korean corporate world knew who he was.
He was a titan who built Mirae Group into the third-largest conglomerate in the country!
He didn't stop at the domestic market, either—he was a living legend who transformed it into a global empire.
But that had nothing to do with me.
I just needed to treat him as the guardian of an artist under my care.
I tilted my head in confusion as a particular appraisal message caught my attention.
[Giju Lee]
Type: Conglomerate Chairman
Rank: SS
An SS-rank!
He truly lived up to his reputation as a legend of the corporate world.
Anyway, that wasn't the important part.
[Special Note: Holds his granddaughter, Hye-na Lee, close to his heart as his greatest vulnerability. He feels deeply grateful to you for taking care of her.]
He didn't call me here to yell at me…?
I had been on guard because I expected Chairman Lee to furiously berate me for steering his precious granddaughter into the entertainment industry.
Gratitude?
That wasn't all.
[He views your unwavering boldness favorably, as you show no signs of intimidation even in front of the chairman of Mirae Group!]
…To be honest, I was actually terrified.
"I am Giju Lee. Forgive me for requesting a meeting so suddenly."
"Ah, no, it is quite alright."
"The reason I asked to see you like this is because of my granddaughter. I assume you know who Hye-na is."
His attitude was polite, completely contrary to what I had feared.
However, the warm atmosphere ended right there.
"I will speak frankly. I cannot allow Hye-na to debut as an idol."
I tilted my head again.
This is different from what you told me, appraisal window.
Right then, an additional message popped up.
[He is testing you to see if he can truly entrust his granddaughter to you!]
I let out a soft hum.
I get where he's coming from, but… it still rubs me the wrong way.
Sure, for someone in his position, it made sense that he'd object to his granddaughter becoming a mere entertainer.
But who is he to test me?
These days, even a father-in-law who treated a prospective son-in-law like that would be torn to shreds online.
Of course, Chairman Lee probably didn't mean any harm.
He had spent his entire life commanding others from the top down, so it was only natural to him.
I could understand it if I tried, but ever since I became rich, I had been suffering from a mild case of 'zero patience left.'
And above all else, there was a specific point that actually made me angry.
"With all due respect, I do not believe Hye-na's idol debut is a matter for you to decide, chairman."
"!!!"
"The one who decided to debut as an idol is Miss Hye-na herself. Giving up on that debut should also be her own choice. Even as a family elder, I don't think it is right for you to speak like this."
Hena might have given me defiant glares from time to time, but she worked incredibly hard. Even at this very moment, she's probably putting blood, sweat, and tears into her practice.
If he had witnessed her dedication even once, he wouldn't dismiss her like this—even if his only purpose was to test me.
"If you don't approve of me, you are well within your rights as her guardian to contact Star Entertainment and have me replaced. But please, don't meddle with her dream."
A cold silence descended upon the room.
Hmm… did I cross the line again?
A sudden wave of anxiety washed over me, but the thought of my grand, 100-billion-won building in Gangnam instantly calmed my heart.
Could the chairman of Mirae Group touch my building?
No, he couldn't.
Then there was no reason to be scared!
After a moment.
"…My apologies. This old man has behaved foolishly."
Chairman Lee actually apologized to me!
I found myself slightly taken aback.
I never imagined the great Chairman Lee would actually apologize.
[Chairman Giju Lee admires your care for his granddaughter! He now places his trust in you!]
[He acknowledges you as someone he can entrust his granddaughter to!]
…Wait. Saying he's entrusting his granddaughter sounds a bit weird, no? Though technically, it's true.
In any case, I bowed my head in return.
After all, he was an elder many years my senior, not to mention a precious family member of my artist.
It was only right to show him proper respect.
"I also apologize for speaking so rudely."
"No, it is fine. I know you did it out of concern for Hye-na. Please take good care of her from now on. Is there anything I can do to help you?"
The aura surrounding Chairman Lee completely shifted.
"If there is anything needed for Hye-na's idol debut, just say the word. I will provide any support necessary."
I pondered for a moment.
If Mirae Group backs us, we could pour an astronomical amount of cash into Ebony's comeback.
However, I shook my head.
Throwing money around doesn't guarantee success.
Of course, investing a massive budget usually yields high-quality results, but that strategy didn't fit Ebony's current situation.
Ebony needs to overcome the stigma of their bullying controversy with sheer talent. Flooding them with money might cause another backlash.
Then again, it would be a problem if the budget was too tight.
Right now, about 1 billion won was just the right amount.
…Plus, if Mirae Group got involved, my own share would probably plummet.
"You do not need to worry about such matters, chairman. Please just have faith in Miss Hye-na and Ebony. All I ask is that you watch over them."
* * *
After Chanwoo left…
"How was he, sir?"
Dongsu Jang, Chairman Lee's closest confidant and the chief manager of Mirae Group's Strategic Planning Office, asked.
"Excellent. To the point where I want to bring him into Mirae Group."
"But we don't have any entertainment affiliates, do we?"
"It doesn't matter if it's entertainment. He's a man who would achieve great success no matter what field he enters."
Anyone familiar with Chairman Lee would have been astounded by such high praise.
Yet Dongsu Jang looked as if he completely agreed.
To show that kind of boldness in front of the chairman.
In particular, it was clear how deeply Chanwoo treasured his artists, including Hye-na. That was the exact reason Chairman Lee admired Chanwoo even more.
"What did you say his situation was like at Star Entertainment?"
"Currently, out of the two co-CEOs at Star Entertainment, President Kim's faction holds the real power. It seems Chanwoo Lim is clashing with that faction for the sake of his artists. To be completely honest, Star Entertainment has an incredibly foul reputation."
"I'm well aware. They're the absolute scum of the entertainment industry. Remarkable. To fight the president's faction solely for the best interest of the company. But tell me, does he have a shot at winning?"
"Since it's a co-CEO system, President Kim's faction can't just wield absolute authority as they please. Furthermore, it won't be easy to simply fire someone as exceptionally talented as him. Still, his position is undoubtedly precarious."
Chairman Lee fell into deep thought.
"I don't oppose Hye-na making her idol debut. But of all places, for it to be somewhere like Star Entertainment. I'd like that young man to remain by Hye-na's side… Is there no way for Mirae Group to exert some influence over Star Entertainment?"
Dongsu's sharp mind whirred, living up to his reputation as Chairman Lee's top strategist.
"We do not hold shares in Star Entertainment directly, but Mirae Distribution holds shares in Golden Commerce. And I believe Golden Commerce owns a portion of Star Entertainment's shares."
"How much?"
"It is 2.5%, sir."
A 2.5% stake was quite significant.
Of course, it wasn't anywhere near enough to meddle in management.
But under a co-CEO structure, the story changed.
A 2.5% stake could tip the balance of power between the two sides.
"Are there any other measures we can take?"
"I believe the National Pension Service holds around a 3% stake. Of course, the National Pension Service strictly maintains a principle of never interfering in individual corporate management, but…"
"A quick word with them should get them to step in behind the scenes at least once. If Star Entertainment tries to unfairly push him out, step in immediately, Dongsu."
"Understood."
Chairman Lee nodded before speaking again.
"Additionally, prepare a gift for him."
There was a specific gift Chairman Lee always gave to individuals he took a liking to.
"I will have it prepared immediately, sir."
* * *
I blinked.
"This is a Cinesis C80—a gift from the chairman."
Cinesis.
This was the luxury brand born from Mirae Motor, the ultimate pillar driving the entire Mirae Group.
With a price tag to match its pedigree, the C80 I’d just been given went toe-to-toe with the likes of a Mercedes-Benz E-Class or a BMW 5 Series.
In short, I had just received an incredibly expensive gift.
The problem was—
I was looking to buy a Porsche, though?
What comes to mind when you think of being rich?
Supercars, obviously!
Of course, a Cinesis was a great car. It was highly preferred among wealthy elders and was even dubbed the 'Chairman's Car.'
But a Porsche has been my dream car for the longest time!
Couldn't I just take the Cinesis and buy a Porsche too?
Hmm.
Buying another car right after receiving a brand-new one felt a bit wrong.
No matter how rich I was, that felt like an excessive waste of money.
"…I don't suppose I can refund this for cash? Or sell it used?"
"Pardon…?"
"Ah, i-it's nothing."
Sure, I was whining because a Porsche had always been my dream car, but I was incredibly grateful for the gift.
Who else in the world would give a gift worth tens of millions of won just like that?
It was an incredibly generous gift that only someone like Chairman Lee could bestow so casually.
The car itself was wonderful too.
Vroom—
Since I'd just received the car, I decided to take it out for a test drive.
I had some field work anyway, so I made my way to a studio in Yeouido.
Today was the day of Hyunah's commercial shoot.
"Manager, you're here?!"
"Yes, I just dropped by for a bit."
What was his name again…? Oh!
Road Manager Song.
Recently, the number of useful personnel in Team 5 had increased.
They weren't recruited from the outside; rather, the existing members had completely turned over a new leaf.
For the record, it was all thanks to that fellow, Minho Kang.
"As your right-hand man, I will completely transform Team 5, chief!"
I had brushed it off without much thought, but Minho really did change Team 5!
However, there was one side effect—
"We will also follow your will, chief."
"Together with you, we will change this garbage company!"
"We will make Star Entertainment a company that works honestly! A company for its artists!"
I had no idea what kind of brainwashing Minho had pulled on them, but even when I denied it, they only responded with things like, "We already know your true intentions, chief!"
…Even now, Road Manager Song's eyes were twinkling with deep respect as he looked at me.
"Is Actress Hyunah Lim doing well?"
Right on cue, I saw her step into the studio with her makeup complete.
She really is beautiful.
In the past, Hyunah's acting skills were terrible.
Despite that, the only reason she managed to briefly catch the spotlight was her striking looks.
After all, appearance is just as important as acting ability for an actor.
The commercial shoot began.
As expected, Hyunah perfectly suited the role of a seductive femme fatale. The director also seemed highly satisfied.
However…
Hmm… it's missing that final two percent.
[The Secret Temptress Commercial Offer]
Verdict: A
It was an impressive rank. Enough to make the advertiser one hundred percent satisfied.
But what I wanted wasn't just an A. I was aiming for a mega-hit!
I studied Hyunah's performance and quickly spotted the problem.
"By any chance, have you ever been in a relationship?"
"…No, I haven't. I've been single my whole life."
This was the problem!
"What about a crush?"
"That's…"
"Ah, you don't have to answer such a personal question. Why don't you try thinking of that person and act as if you're determined to seduce them no matter what?"
Hyunah fell into thought for a moment, then nodded her head.
"I think I get it. I'll try my best."
Fortunately, she seemed to have caught on.
But then—
"???"
Why… are you glaring at me?
* * *
After her awakening, Hyunah put on an incredible performance!
Instead of a commercial, it looked like a scene straight out of the climax of some masterpiece romance movie.
[The Secret Temptress Commercial Offer]
Verdict: S+ (Mega-Hit)
I had planned to leave the rest to Road Manager Song and slip out early…
But I stopped, tilting my head in confusion.
An outsider had been standing in the corner of the set for some time.
As I looked closer, the unmistakable glow of an appraisal window caught my eye.
[CakeLover]
Type: Author
Rank: A
[Special Note: The author of The Secret Temptress.]
Makes sense she'd want to check out the shoot.
However—
[She is contemplating a movie script for her next project. There is a possibility it could win the Best Screenplay Award at the Cannes Film Festival. (If a top-tier actress with an S+ rank compatibility stars in it, they could simultaneously win the Best Actress Award.)]
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