#88

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Period 3

Title: Did you see the article?

Former reporter assaulted for ‘hush money,’ MJ Sports Representative Kwon Jung-hyun (30) questioned by police today

Police have launched an investigation into Kwon Jung-hyun (30), representative of MJ Sports, on charges of assaulting a former reporter and causing injuries requiring eight weeks of treatment, allegedly because the reporter did not write a desired article and was given ‘hush money.’

The victim’s side also claims that Representative Kwon Jung-hyun is a hidden third-generation chaebol of the Myeong-jeong Group, which was under fire last year for abuse of power and sexual harassment.

In response, MJ Sports and Myeong-jeong Group stated, “We will immediately dismiss Representative Kwon, who has caused this controversy,” but this has proven insufficient to calm the angry public.

Coach Yoo Gu-hwan (48) of the Blue Wolves stated in an interview with this publication, “We should also investigate whether Representative Kwon’s influence played a role in the sudden change of head coach last year,” suggesting that the fallout will grow even larger.

Comments

└ Whoa… If it’s MJ, then it’s the Blue Wolves.

Title: [Article Link] Following the resignation of the Blue Wolves owner, an unprecedented situation with the head coach fired mid-season… How far will the “chaebol fallout” go?

The title says it all ㅠㅠ

I can’t believe this…

Coach Peter was so good…

Title: BW) Coach Peter’s SNS update

(Screenshot)

Translation: Roughly says he cannot agree with the club’s decision and supports the former owner who was dismissed.

And he’s getting slammed for defending a criminal, so the comments are disabled;

Comments

└ He’s leaving the country today; fired mid-season… he must feel like he’s being kicked out ㅠ

└ I liked Coach Peter too, but defending a criminal is too much; I think the club did the right thing.

└ 22 If he was fired at the same time the owner was dismissed, I think there must have been a reason for it ㅇㅇ

└ But then who’s the new coach?

└ Seems like Head Coach Yoo Gu-hwan is taking over as acting coach…?

Title: Representative Kwon’s abuse list is shocking

Forcing a subsidiary representative, who is the age of his father, to kneel in front of employees and throwing coffee in his face while hurling verbal abuse.

Assaulting a flight attendant on a plane and then getting that flight attendant fired.

Sexual harassment of secretarial staff accompanying him on every business trip.

Assaulting a reporter for ‘hush money’ because he didn’t like the article <- new! If this is just what's been revealed, how much more is there behind the scenes... I've always heard that chaebols are filthy, but... you really can't tell a person by their looks; I think there were some people here who simped for Representative Kwon because he's handsome; they need to wake up... Title: At this point, shouldn't the BW fans just quit; If it were just one or two things, I'd think it was just bad luck. But since Yuk's time, what is all this... I just became a fan and was excited to watch the January game in person ㅠ fck, the owner fed us sht. I feel so sorry for the players. Title: That's strange... his face definitely doesn't look like someone prone to scandals. ㅠㅠ Comments └ Stop sucking up to a criminal's face lol (This post has been deleted.) ＊＊＊ "Please explain what happened." "Shin Ho-jae, you must have seen the news too. What more explanation do you need?" Acting Coach Yoo Gu-hwan shouted at Ho-jae as if barking. The exhaustion was evident in the way he immediately turned his back. Ho-jae did not give up and followed him toward the coach's office. It was the day of a home game, following a two-week league break. The players were deeply shaken by the sudden news. A young owner who had personally looked after overseas training and away games, got along with the players without formality, and actively accepted their opinions—and now he was involved in an assault case. Furthermore, the sudden firing of the head coach in the latter half of the season was a major issue. Hadn't Peter been guiding the players' training without any problems until yesterday? "Why on earth did Coach Peter have to be fired overnight? At least give the players a proper reason." Yoo Gu-hwan slammed a stack of documents onto the desk and put his hands on his hips. Rumors had been circulating that he had quit after missing training for several days, but he had been hastily appointed as acting coach due to the unannounced dismissal of the head coach. "You're a funny one. You were the most dissatisfied when Coach Peter first came in, you brat. And now you're saying a team led by me is more unstable?" "That's not what I meant." "What do you mean it's not! Neither you nor I have the authority to argue about decisions made by the higher-ups. You're a player, so act like one and focus on the game!" Shin Ho-jae stared silently at Yoo Gu-hwan. A vein popped out on Yoo Gu-hwan's forehead. "Do you think you're something special just because people praise you as the ace and the top scorer? Even Yong-su, the captain, is staying quiet, so why are you making such a fuss!" "You know it's hard to accept." "What's so hard about it? It was a shady appointment from the start. They say Coach Peter was an acquaintance of Representative Kwon from his study abroad days? Birds of a feather flock together; who knows if he's the kind of guy who pays people to beat them up, just like Representative Kwon?" Shin Ho-jae's face hardened coldly. Yoo Gu-hwan sat in his chair and poured out curses. "When I saw the article, I thought, 'I knew it.' A young brat who thinks he's above the law just because he's a chaebol. Ever since he blindly bought a club without knowing the first thing about hockey..." "You're going too far." Shin Ho-jae cut off Yoo Gu-hwan's words in a stiff tone. As Shin Ho-jae leaned his upper body toward Yoo Gu-hwan, who was sitting at the desk, a massive shadow completely covered him. "Representative Kwon is not that kind of person." Yoo Gu-hwan was also a former player, but there was a significant difference in physique compared to a player in his prime. Yoo Gu-hwan instinctively leaned back. "Wha—what, you punk? What do you know that makes you defend him?" "At least he's not the kind of person who would pay to beat someone up. You've seen him this long, so you should know, Acting Coach." "I'm saying this because I've seen him!" "...Are you blind?" "What?" Yoo Gu-hwan's face turned red and purple, and eventually, he exploded. "You disrespectful brat, do you think I'm a joke just because I'm the acting coach?! Where did you learn to speak like that! Were you like this when you were in Canada too? You're the kind of brat who wouldn't have dared to breathe a word to the coach there!" Shin Ho-jae closed his mouth and took a step back. However, his expression remained the same. After pointing his finger and huffing for a while, Yoo Gu-hwan took a deep breath as if he were about to faint. Then, exhaling slowly, he spoke. "Shin Ho-jae. You're on the bench today. Got it?" "……." "Now I see that you're the one creating all the anxiety among the players. Your answer?" "...Understood." Having reluctantly given his answer, Shin Ho-jae eventually left the coach's office without any result. On a bench in a deserted hallway, Shin Ho-jae rested his elbows on his knees and rubbed his face with both hands. It was an absurd piece of news that hit him before he even had time to ache over his first heartbreak in life. Without a second thought, he knew something must be wrong. The Kwon Jung-hyun that Shin Ho-jae knew, the Kwon Jung-hyun he still liked, was not that kind of person. Paying someone to assault them. That couldn't be right. The same went for the sexual harassment and abuse of power controversies. He recognized immediately that these were things he had seen in articles before. Unlike back then, when he thought it was something Kwon Jung-hyun might do, the current Shin Ho-jae was certain it couldn't be him. Because of that, the first thought that came to mind upon seeing the article was worry. Had something happened to him? Since he was involved in a violence case and even dismissed, how must he be feeling? As someone who cherished the club's affairs as if they were his own, he must be deeply distressed. Shin Ho-jae took his phone out of his pocket and touched the number saved as 'Representative Kwon Jung-hyun' once more. He had been trying to contact him every chance he got, but only the mechanical guidance voice repeating that the phone was turned off flowed through the receiver. His chest tightened in a way that was difficult to describe. It would have been nice to be with him at a time like this. If he could just sit knee-to-knee with him, as he had done for Ho-jae, it might provide even a small amount of comfort. "Ho-jae." When he looked up, Yuk Du-min was standing there with a serious face. He seemed to have come out while preparing for the game, as the protective gear he wore over his bare body was noticeable. "We talked among ourselves in the locker room earlier. Yong-su hyung said he spoke with Peter before he left the country. He said Peter was practically kicked out without even hearing a proper reason." At those words, Ho-jae's expression darkened further. "Isn't it strange? Both Peter's situation and that article. ...The Representative isn't that kind of person." "...Yeah." "A lot of people think so besides us. Hyeong-hun does too, and even Moon Seung-yeol." Du-min sighed and continued. "But there's nothing we can do. When I was struggling, Representative Jung-hyun and the club helped me, but now that the Representative and the club have become like this... since so many people are cursing them, everyone is hesitant to even add their voice." "……." "Plus, Peter is gone, and Coach Yoo—no, the Acting Coach—doesn't even properly know the tactics we practiced last week. It's a total mess." As the saying goes, they had their own problems to deal with; Du-min and the players would be busy enough worrying about the immediate game. In the midst of that, Ho-jae was grateful that Du-min had cared enough to tell him. "I'll let you know if I get in touch. Just prepare for the game." "What about you?" "Bench today." "Why? Are you sick?" Shin Ho-jae shook his head. Yuk Du-min made a strange, incomprehensible face and returned to the locker room. Shin Ho-jae remained there and scrolled through his phone contacts. Several pages passed by in a blur. He had known people for nearly eight months, but there was no one he could contact at a time like this. "Haa..." Shin Ho-jae gripped his phone and leaned his head against the wall. It was almost time for the game to start. Today, the Blue Wolves' opponent was the HI Tigers. Since Acting Coach Yoo Gu-hwan had discarded all the previously practiced tactical strategies and the players were shaken by the sudden situation, the results of the first and second periods were disastrous. The worst score gap of 0:6 was one thing, but because Yoo Gu-hwan ordered unreasonable tactics, the captain, Choi Yong-su, suffered a knee injury. It was a serious injury that might require considering a season-out depending on the results of a detailed examination. Yoo Gu-hwan simply blamed the players' will for both Choi Yong-su's injury and the game not going well, doing nothing but shouting. The time-outs felt like a path taken specifically to be cursed at by the acting coach. 89 - Puck Drop