CNC 17

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Part 2

It was early summer.

Early summer, unripe and sour, bruised with a bluish hue.

That night, Choi Hong-seo was heading to Pyeongchang-dong. He was attending a party at Director Kang Woo-hyun’s residence. The party was to solicit investment for the film .

Choi Hong-seo’s casting was almost certain at that point. However, the director, who didn’t care about box office performance, struggled to secure investment funds. CEO Myeong, anxious that the film production might be canceled, took the initiative to urge Director Kang to host the party.

Around that time, CEO Myeong was desperate to cast Choi Hong-seo as the lead in Director Kang Woo-hyun’s film.

It was a golden opportunity to break free from his ambiguous position as a former idol turned actor and establish himself as a solid, skilled actor—in short, to increase his market value.

In the back seat, Choi Hong-seo gazed out the window in silence. Dressed in a tuxedo and having had his hair and makeup done at a salon, his appearance was as perfect as in an advertisement or photoshoot, but his expression looked weary.

After checking the caller ID on his ringing phone, his complexion darkened further.

[Why aren’t you here yet?]

CEO Myeong’s voice on the other end was already on edge.

“I’m almost there. I’ll arrive in five minutes.”

[I’m with the VIPs and the director on the second floor now. No one can go up there without permission, so tell them you’re here to see the director and give your name, and they’ll let you up.]

“Yes.”

CEO Myeong was already there, appeasing the VIPs. The sound of a lighter clicking and the filter of a cigarette being drawn could be heard, as if he had briefly stepped out for a smoke. After exhaling, CEO Myeong spoke with gravitas, like a warning.

[Think of whether the movie goes into production or gets scrapped as depending on you, and don’t make any mistakes. Today, there will probably be… VIP entertainment after a long time.]

Entertainment… In the darkness, Choi Hong-seo’s lips curled into a bitter smile.

Well, entertainment is entertainment. The word ‘sexual’ is just missing from the front.

[Hong-seo, I don’t want to keep holding onto you like this forever. I don’t enjoy this damn pimping role either. You need to rise and become independent quickly, right?]

It was a ridiculous story, but Choi Hong-seo hadn’t just been diligent in his entertainment activities. He was already quite proficient in entertainment. He had become desensitized to dealing with people he wasn’t attracted to, whether they were middle-aged men and women with unappealing looks, or the wives of chaebols who became curious about idols on TV. Becoming desensitized was the only way to protect himself.

“Do you think I enjoy it? I’m almost there. I just need to meet Ji-in Hyung and go up together, right? I’m hanging up.”

[This guy, he’s really gone crazy since he’s been getting popular…]

Choi Hong-seo ended the call, leaving CEO Myeong to rant, and clutched his phone, gazing out at the darkened landscape.

He had tried everything to make ‘Layered’ shine. He accepted any offer, whether it was a variety show or a drama. He worked hard without sparing his body. He didn’t back down from anything he was asked to do. As a result, the number of people seeking him out gradually increased.

After years of hardship, Choi Hong-seo and ‘Layered’ had finally seen the light. He couldn’t miss this opportunity.

He believed the only way was to become a top star.

He could then leave UB, becoming a figure CEO Myeong couldn’t easily touch.

‘Become a Hallyu star like Park Kyung-han and move to a major agency. Do you think I’m the type to stop you from leaving my wing once you’ve succeeded?’

That was something CEO Myeong always said.

In fact, as his earnings from entertainment activities surpassed those from entertainment services, the instructions to entertain people decreased. That alone felt like salvation, and it seemed like hope that this hell would end. Foolishly.

The entrance to Director Kang Woo-hyun’s residence was crowded with guests arriving for the party. As he exchanged greetings with a few people standing before the wide-open main gates, some recognized Choi Hong-seo and asked for photos. While taking pictures with them one by one, he saw Jeong Ji-in, an actor from the same agency, arriving.

Dressed for the party, Jeong Ji-in didn’t look like an actor who had been summoned. He looked like one of the wealthy young guests invited to solicit investment.

While they all lived in the same humble multi-family house with the ‘Layered’ members and another aspiring actor, Hyun-su, Jeong Ji-in always seemed to be on a different level. It wasn’t just because his belongings were expensive luxury items. He had the gentle demeanor of a prince, raised with excellent education.

Not a wild, unruly prince, but a genuinely kind and dignified prince. Perhaps he was a young master from an incredibly wealthy family whose parents’ business had collapsed, forcing him to inherit their debts. When Jeong Ji-in first joined UB, Hyun-su and Choi Hong-seo used to talk about such things.

“Hyung, you waited for me?”

“How long has it been since I saw Choi Hong-seo’s face? Are we really living in the same house?”

Jeong Ji-in greeted Choi Hong-seo with a smile.

“I know, right? Last time I tried to see you at the Nox Hotel, you were nowhere to be found.”

“Ah… that time, I ran into an old friend… we were talking in a corner about old times…”

It was a longer excuse than usual for Jeong Ji-in, but Choi Hong-seo didn’t have the luxury to dwell on it. He nodded vaguely and pulled Jeong Ji-in’s arm.

“Let’s go in. The CEO is on the second floor with the director.”

Director Kang’s residence was a mansion of considerable size even within Pyeongchang-dong.

Choi Hong-seo was somewhat aware of his wealth. Director Kang was always invited to events hosted by luxury brands for VIP clients and was known as a major player in the domestic art market. Even if he wasn’t a director who hit it big with films, he was a director of great prestige, so it was expected he would have considerable personal assets, but still, his wealth was suspiciously vast.

Entering the living room, which was easily 30 meters long, he let out a gasp of admiration.

“Wow… is this a house?”

Beyond the wide-open folding doors, a spacious garden and the Seoul night view beyond stretched out clearly.

At the edge of the garden, a DJ booth and a bar were set up, and in the center, a large inflatable swimming pool. Young men and women in swimsuits were laughing, chatting, and dancing in the pool. Tall and slender like models, they weren’t guests invited to the party but people hired to liven up the atmosphere. They were pretty eye candy, a visual feast for wealthy VIPs.

It was the kind of party CEO Myeong would devise. He was a man who knew like a ghost what people with more money than they knew what to do with liked.

Despite their youth and bodies being measured by price like chunks of meat and thrown before greedy eyes, those in the pool seemed to be enjoying themselves.

At least for this moment, they were enjoying themselves, so are they better off than I was?

Thinking this, Choi Hong-seo chuckled and said in a voice low enough for only Jeong Ji-in to hear,

“About Director Kang, it might be true that he’s the illegitimate child of a chaebol chairman.”

“There were rumors like that?”

“There’s a story circulating within the industry that he was rejected by his father for constantly asking for money for films without making a profit. I don’t believe all industry rumors, but… he does have quite the connections for a film director. Many chaebol friends.”

During his solo auditions and multiple meetings, he had learned a few things about Director Kang Woo-hyun.

He was a considerable art enthusiast.

He was a fervent believer in fortune-telling and shamanistic rituals.

And he was a wealthy man who maintained deep friendships with several members of high society.

But seeing his residence in person, his wealth seemed even greater than he had anticipated. He was definitely not an ordinary, humble film director.

As CEO Myeong had informed him, the stairs leading to the second floor were guarded by security personnel. After having their identities confirmed, they proceeded to the second-floor corridor, where the pathetic scene unfolding in the garden became even clearer.

“The aunties and uncles are really getting a good view. Yeah, that’s why they come to places like this, to watch things like that. If they like someone, they might slip them some pocket money and have some fun.”

A strong glint of contempt flashed in Choi Hong-seo’s eyes as he sneered. He couldn’t help but see himself reflected in the people filling the pool.

Nowadays, there were plenty of men and women who willingly walked into the entertainment industry. There was no need to trap them with debt or blackmail them. Yet, for a select few, such things still happened. This wasn’t an industry that would let go of a profitable product without a fight.

Though his life had been cruelly twisted by a chance encounter, he still believed there was hope. Top star, lots of money, popularity, influence… with that, he could escape this mire.

That’s why this role was so crucial for Choi Hong-seo.

“But why were we called here today? Do you know anything?”

As they were about to step into the inner drawing room where CEO Myeong, Director Kang, and the VIPs were waiting, Jeong Ji-in asked Hong-seo.

“Our company is going to invest a little in the director’s next project.”

“UB is?”

“I don’t know if it’s a company-wide decision or if the CEO is listed as a personal investor, I don’t know that much… but anyway, the CEO is very enthusiastic.”

“But why would UB want to invest?”

“The CEO… wants to cast me as the lead.”