Chapter 132: Long Grudges (2)
TL: emptycube / ED: Isleidir
{TL/N: This announcement was made a while ago, but since it’s been a while (lol) I decided to keep it as a refresher:
Quick correction with the film budget…
The film Nam Joyoon was in originally had a 3.5-billion won budget,
When Ace swooped in, it became a 10-billion won,
And the new movie has a budget of 34-billion won.}
“Ah, my stomach hurts! Damn it! It hurts so much I could die!”{1}
It was the meeting room of the movie production company, SBE Films.
The project producer tossed his tablet aside. The middle-aged man with his eyes glued to an actor’s profile, Director Choi Sungwon, sitting beside him smiled with wrinkled eyes.
“If you have a stomach ache, go to the washroom.”
“Director Choi! That’s not what I mean!”
“Does it hurt a lot? Then go to the hospital. I’ll handle the meeting on my own.”
“That’s not it. I have a stomach ache because of this!”
The project producer pushed his tablet to Director Choi Sungwon.
Director Choi looked at the screen. The headline was written in huge letters.
{Jung Sunwoo, the man who made an international star, temporarily returns to Korea for a new movie? What kind of movie is it?}
“Damn it, we already planned out a promotion strategy around Chief Jung Sunwoo!”
“You should have released an article before they did it first.”
“They haven’t signed the contract yet! I was going to ask him during our meeting today and release it right away! Our reporters were all waiting!”
The red-faced project producer gulped down a glass of cold water.
Director Choi rubbed his wispy beard as he said,
“Then why not release articles now?”
“The other film is already sucking all the benefits, what do we become if we break the news now? We’ll be sidelined. Also, we look like we’re trying to suck up whatever’s left! So humiliating!”
“Then don’t release it.”
“… Hyung, just keep looking at the profiles. Don’t make me burst.”
The project producer gnashed before raising his cup. It was empty.
“Damn it!”
The project producer swore as he beat his chest. It wouldn’t be strange if he collapsed from oxygen deprivation.
Director Choi Sungwon handed him his own cup and said,
“Movies only need to be good. Promotions are a minor issue.”
“Are we in the 90s? All projects need to be good. Huge box office successes are created by pouring money into promotions. We poured 8 billion into marketing this time. It’s that important. That’s why Ace is pouring articles out about this!”
The project producer emptied Director Choi’s cup in one go and grumbled,
“Chief Jung Sunwoo, I didn’t think of him like that. So mean.”
“Now what’s wrong with him?”
“We decided to meet with us today but gives the articles about his new project to some other project! Morals still exist! He went too far! He should have at least told us before the articles went up…!”
The project producer didn’t finish his sentence.
It was noisy outside. He saw a man in a suit outside the clear glass door. He walked straight towards them as he took off his sunglasses, revealing sharp, cold appearance.
The female employee who guided them to the meeting room entered first.
“The guests have already, should I prepare coffee?”
“What coffee? Bring cold water.”
The project producer frowned.
“That guy’s an actor?”
Director Choi abruptly said.
“What actor? He’s Chief Jung Sunwoo. Wear glasses if you can’t see.”
“No, not him, the one behind him.”
The project producer turned his gaze. He finally saw an unfamiliar man behind Chief Jung Sunwoo. He had a handsome face, a good body, but as someone who had met almost all the top stars in the country, he wasn’t especially eye-catching.
“Is he a rookie from W&U? Where did you see him? It’s my first time seeing him.”
“It’s my first time too.”
The project producer frowned.
“How do you know he’s an actor when it’s your first time seeing him?”
“I can tell just by looking at him. He has the aura.”
“What aura? Put your glasses on.”
The project producer pushed his chair back and got up as he said in a grumbling manner,
“A contract is a contract, but I can’t stop myself from saying something because of how much it hurts.”
***
The project producer had a sour look on his face.
It was expected since he would have seen the articles plastered on the internet.
Just as we sat down, he said in a clear voice,
“I saw the articles.”
“Ah, the articles.”
I replied while rubbing my chin like I didn’t know what was going on.
“I can understand Ace Distribution Company breaking the news since they wouldn’t have wanted to lose such a big marketing opportunity, but still, we just haven’t signed, didn’t we already have a verbal agreement?”
}