Chapter: 53
“…The movie’s title is ‘The Chaser’, and they specifically contacted me because they want to cast you, Seoyeon.”
The Chaser.
The title mentioned by Jo Do-yul was identical to a movie that stuck in Seoyeon’s memory.
How well did this movie perform back in the day?
During its release period, it attracted a total audience of 2.5 million.
Not too many, but not too few either — a decent performance.
However, considering the circumstances behind those numbers, it was quite an impressive feat.
“This might not be my place to say, but I think it’s such a great opportunity. I hope you give it some thought, Seoyeon.”
Jo Do-yul seemed quite taken with Seoyeon, even sharing those earnest words.
Well, he had good reason to.
The Chaser was originally a film ambitiously prepared by GH Group.
They invested significantly, and the actors involved weren’t half bad either.
But…
“Joo Seoyeon?”
Lee Ji-yeon looked at Seoyeon with a puzzled expression.
It was clear she was wondering what was going on.
“Um…”
Seoyeon slapped her cheeks lightly and turned to Ji-yeon.
First, she had something to address before the movie casting.
That was, of course, her agency.
Various possibilities flickered through her mind.
Wouldn’t it be great to find something even better?
But just because a company appeared superior, doesn’t mean it’d be better for her.
So…
“Is it possible to talk to the director today?”
It was time to finalize what she had been postponing.
*
“Did you hear? Joo Seoyeon has made her comeback!”
“Oh, did you see her play? It was mind-blowing!”
“Not that. There’s something more interesting.”
Among the so-called “Big Three” agencies in Korea, RY Entertainment was on the hunt.
They were aggressively expanding their business, snatching up stars left and right.
And recently, one particular name had resonated in their ears.
“They say she doesn’t have an agency.”
“What? You’re talking about Seoyeon, right?”
Her performance in the play was nothing short of surreal for someone her age.
It was the first time Park Jung-woo felt such a regular thrill from a young actress.
Jung-woo, Jo Seo-hee, and even those recent rising stars…
He honestly didn’t know what to think.
How could an actress like her still be without an agency?
What agency would just stand by and allow that?
“Song…”
Indeed, at RY Entertainment, discussions were rampant about her.
“So, what do you think of Joo Seoyeon?”
“Hmm, she’s only shown us her stage performance, so I can’t say for sure, but she seems like a promising actress.”
Recently, her impact on the variety show Past, A Glimpse of Memories had been tremendous.
It practically doubled the declining viewer ratings.
However…
Since those ratings were initially abysmal, it didn’t feel like much of an achievement.
“She’s getting a lot of media buzz too. This might just be her peak moment.”
“True, but she just spent her first return project. The premium has been spent now.”
The head of the actor management division, Lee Hwi-rok, scratched his chin thoughtfully.
“Yet, it feels such a waste to let her slip away. Besides, she has the look.”
“Right. She was cute even as a child, and she has grown up without a hitch.”
“Her acting seems quite decent as well. If we land her a good project, the visuals could turn out quite nice.”
With those words, he reached a decision.
There was no reason to let go of a promising asset.
Landing a well-known actress would surely impact their stock.
“Song, please handle this well. Remember the conditions… Let’s see… A signing bonus seems too generous for an A-grade star.”
“Let’s offer her B to C-level, right?”
“Exactly. It was already generous at B. So we’ll stick to C. That’s at least an inflated number given her recent buzz.”
“Of course.”
They nodded at one another, already wearing expressions of triumph.
It was obvious.
A name everyone recognized, one of the “Big Three” agencies.
Any rookie like Seoyeon would be keen to join.
So naturally, their thoughts were quite reasonable… up until that point.
*
NOVA Entertainment.
The management agency with which Ji-yeon was affiliated, roughly ranked as the third string in the industry.
Truth be told, just being in that position was quite respectable.
Most unknown agencies seemed to be sprawling about the industry.
“Oh dear, has our precious Seoyeon finally decided to contract with us?!”
Upon entering NOVA, Kang Chan-yul, the director, rushed out with a welcoming smile.
He was a man in his early forties, but appeared more like someone in his thirties.
Bright blonde hair.
Seoyeon thought, What a youthful spirit he has!
“Hello!”
“Oh, come on! I heard from Ji-yeon that you’re looking for an agency?”
Returning Chan-yul’s cheer with a nod felt reasonable, considering they’d known each other for ten years.
With no formal contract before, she had often followed Ji-yeon around the agency; it was hard not to feel familiar.
She found it somewhat amusing that Chan-yul remained so warm to her.
Isn’t he busy enough with all these artists already?
Back when Ji-yeon joined, NOVA was a much smaller agency.
Of course, it was still bigger than the now-defunct Eunha Entertainment, but it was merely one among many wannabe firms.
A star like Ji-yeon received decent treatment at such an agency, but in the last ten years, they had scraped by, growing steadily, and now ranked fairly in the industry.
Nearly 40 artists were now signed with them.
Some well-respected mid-level actors and a few A-league stars had emerged too.
Their leading star was Hwang Min-hwa.
Recently, he had achieved significant acclaim by appearing in a movie with over ten million viewers.
After this, one idol would hit it big and vault the agency up to second-tier status, but…
That would still take a bit of time.
NOVA was originally a company that climbed to greater heights in its past life.
Just shy of the first tier, they managed to sidestep scandals, overcoming several potentially disastrous incidents.
“Let’s keep the conditions as we discussed earlier.”
“…Really?”
“Of course. This isn’t just friendly banter.”
They sat face-to-face in the agency’s reception room, with Ji-yeon waiting outside.
Chan-yul continued, his demeanor shifting to serious.
“I might have little to offer, but one thing I can assure you is…”
He was originally a high-ranking individual at XN Entertainment, one of the Big Three.
Since entering the industry, he had established his agency, seeing countless celebrities come and go.
“I have a good eye for talent.”
“…Is that so?”
Displaying a hint of skepticism, Seoyeon couldn’t help but give a slightly quizzical look.
Chan-yul smiled wryly in response.
“I once spoke with Park Seon-woong, who called a star’s talent ‘starlight.’”
Starlight.
The inherent talent they possess.
Shining bright enough to catch others’ eyes.
He labeled it as starlight.
“Abstract, indeed.”
As an actor, Seon-woong seemed to enjoy that poetic manner of speaking.
Almost like he was performing.
“Those who harbor embers and those who carry starlight.”
Both are qualities of a star.
“But…”
Chan-yul had once discussed Seoyeon with Seon-woong.
Curiosity about whether Seon-woong saw what he saw in her lingered in his mind.
And he confirmed it, stating that Seoyeon was indeed a “starlight child.”
“This is an investment.”
Chan-yul asserted.
“I see great potential in Joo Seoyeon, and I’m investing in that. So the conditions… they are exactly as we discussed.”
An A-grade signing bonus.
While he would have preferred to give her S-grade, the board wouldn’t approve that; this was the maximum he could offer.
However, with just a bit of success, they could easily elevate her to S-grade later on.
That’s how the industry works.
“…”
Seoyeon felt a sense of hesitance, despite having already made up her mind.
The very familiarity that existed between them made her hesitate even more.
She understood how favorable the conditions were.
Even the profit sharing was lopsided at 80:20.
Typically, actors sign contracts dividing profits at 70:30, with the actor receiving 70 and the agency 30.
That’s the industry norm.
But starting with an 80:20 division was highly unusual.
He even mentioned inflating that ratio further.
Honestly, Seoyeon believed in herself.
Talent? She was convinced she had it in spades.
But…
Regarding that starlight.
She wasn’t sure if she possessed the grand talents mentioned by Chan-yul and Park Seon-woong.
Her past life experiences.
The abilities of the reincarnated Joo Seoyeon to predict which works would succeed, with knowledge of the future.
Still, she was gripped by an instinctive fear.
“…Okay. I’ve made my decision.”
Seoyeon looked at Chan-yul and declared.
There was no time to waver any longer.
Not too long ago, those two, who came to see her after the play, crossed her mind.
Ten years ago.
People she had only encountered once, now standing much higher than her.
Competitive spirit.
Surely, a spark of that began to flame in Seoyeon’s heart.
And thus, she added,
“From here on out, please take care of me.”
Top star.
It was time to honor the promise she made in front of a friend.
Now was the moment to run forth.
*
And the next day.
“Good day!”
While wrapping up her classes and heading home for rehearsals, a man approached Seoyeon.
Dressed in a sleek black suit, with a sharp impression.
He scanned Seoyeon and gave a bright smile.
“I’m Shin Min-cheol, a representative from RY Entertainment.”
“Ah, hi.”
He handed Seoyeon his business card.
Surely, he stands out by looks alone enough to make an impression.
With acting skills at the level seen on TV, she would surely grow rapidly as an actress.
Min-cheol thought about it as he cleared his throat.
“Actually, I came here today to commend you for your performance in Eyes Closed and Past, A Glimpse of Memories.”
Upon hearing his words, Seoyeon stared blankly at him.
What’s up with him?
She should absolutely be thrilled right now.
As Min-cheol wondered about that expression, he continued, thinking, Maybe she’s just shocked.
“So, to get to the point, RY Entertainment would like to…”
“I signed with them.”
Before Min-cheol could finish, Seoyeon responded indifferently.
At that, Min-cheol was left in astonishment.
“…What?”
He stood there dazed, utterly flabbergasted.
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