Chapter 62

Volume 2 / Chapter 62

"Have you modified the contract?"

"Yes. Since Producer Kim agreed to the win-win strategy, we decided to be satisfied with the 10% as well."

Baek Seung Ho who had come to irritate him early in the morning was smiling.

"You talked big, but we didn't reach over 10%."

"Well, I was surprised too. I thought it was a popular audition program, but the average viewer rating only reached 2%. I thought it would be at least 5% and was saying that it would be doubled."

Producer Kim Ki Sik's expression toward a Baek Seung Ho who was making fun of the program's low viewer ratings was not amicable.

"4% is still double your ordinary viewer rating, and it was 6% at the parts with Jun Hyuk. Isn't this proof that our offer isn't that bad?"

This information had not been updated on the portal broadcast program yet. Only the broadcasting station knew the viewer ratings. How did Baek Seung Ho know?

"Don't be too surprised, Producer Kim. The director of Peace pestered the director of MV channel this morning to find out the viewer ratings. The president of MV channel must have had to get up early this morning even though he's a late sleeper. Didn't he get into work early today?"

The president? Producer Kim Ki Sik remembered that Peace was the best law firm in the country.

"I guess our director knows the director of Peace well?"

Producer Kim Ki Sik's voice suddenly became careful.

"Of course. A while ago, your director... Oh right. I can't tell you this. We need to maintain confidentiality between the lawyer and client. Basically, our Peace once saved your director who was in a very uncomfortable situation. Since then, the two directors have been very close. Oh, and our director is older."

Producer Kim Ki Sik thought he was in a cold sweat again. It felt like his life was being shortened by 10 years every time this lawyer showed up.

"So our director must know all about this situation with Jun Hyuk."

"Of course. He has a lot of interest in it."

The director is interested in a lawsuit between a press office and Peace? He had the thought that there could be failure where the sparks were.

"Producer Kim, what are you thinking about?"

"Oh, it's nothing. But why have you come to meet me? Isn't everything settled if you've modified the contract?"

"Oy, do you think I'm here to hang out? I came to give you information."

"Information?"

"Yes. This week is the start of Star Week broadcasts, right?"

"Yes."

"You'll have to increase Jun Hyuk's air time. On the day of the broadcast, we're going to put on a big show."

"A show?"

"Yes. We have four boxes of captures of the false rumors the press spread and the malicious comments people left online that we've gathered. We're going to take all of this and go to the prosecutor to sue them for defamation. Won't the viewer ratings go up again if it gets noisy?"

"This... Do I have to say thank you for this?"

"I'm not saying this to hear a thank you. I'm just letting you know for when you're editing the show. I'll be going then."

Baek Seung Ho who had nodded his goodbye turned around as though he had forgotten something,

"Oh right, do you know Dine Music?"

"Excuse me? Di... Dine Music? Of course I know them. They're a fairly large-scale agency. But why are you suddenly asking about Dine?"

"If what our investigators found out is correct, it seems Dine made the request to the press offices to take Jun Hyuk. We're thinking of submitting this information from our investigation to prosecution as well."

Baek Seung Ho pretended that he did not notice Producer Kim Ki Sik's surprised face and left the office. Since he had thrown the stone, there would be a wave.

***

Producer Kim Ki Sik sprinted to the Director's office. Once Peace had mentioned Dine Music, they could not wait much longer.

"Director, this could be bad for us if the problem becomes bigger."

"You worry too much, man. You just worry about the viewer ratings. What would you have done if we didn't have Jun Hyuk?"

"Director!"

The director of the entertainment station seemed to be calm even after hearing the overturning news.

"Hey, are you the president of Dine Music? Did you convince Dine Music to try to take Jun Hyuk? Did you spread the content for the articles? Dine did all of that. And... that law firm is just filing a lawsuit against the press office. What's the issue?"

"Don't you think that's why they're being like this? If a rumor spreads that the source of the articles was us....."

"Our name will never come up. No, Dine Music's name won't even come up. You don't know why? Even if it's a press office releasing tabloids, how can they say that they received money to write articles?"

The internet press office would claim the confidentiality statement and protect the source until the end in the spirit of a reporter. Instead, Dine Music and its artists would suffer the malicious articles that result. Dine Music would have to compensate the press office for everything, whatever that would be.

"Is that Baek Seung Ho a policeman? A prosecutor? You think he's doing this because he wants to catch the bad guys? That man is a lawyer. Lawyers hate standing in front of a judge in the court most. You know how bothersome a lawsuit is?"

"Then?"

"He's just throwing us a bone. He's just letting it slip that they're going to sue and prosecute Dine Music soon. Then Dine will tell the press office... and if the press office is embarrassed that they wrote articles without checking facts, they'll try to come to an agreement. If the media outlets that are the subjects of the lawsuit give them enough money, it'll all be over. Lawyers are asking for money, not justice. Lawyers find justice with money."

Producer Kim Ki Sik finally realized the situation. All the lawyer had to do was let it slip that they were going to start a lawsuit. But he had also unnecessarily said that he knew the director of their broadcasting station well, so that he would be surprised.

His goal was to make them discuss these issues with Dine Music. Producer Kim felt once again that the director had not gotten to his position on a gamble. He knew the flow of this issue too well. This could not have happened once or twice.

"Let it slip to Dine Music like the lawyer wants. Let them figure out with money amongst themselves. And you just worry about the viewer ratings. When is Jun Hyuk coming out until?"

"He's coming out three times."

"Watch the ratings and eliminate him. Keep advancing him if the ratings are good."

"He's going to make the first live stage really well. We're going to watch that and make our decision."

"Alright, let's do it right this time. Do you know how much it costs to take care of all three meals in the countryside with these viewer ratings? We spend way too much money and the viewer ratings are only ⅓. There's talk saying that we should get rid of this. Let's work hard."

Producer Kim Ki Sik was embarrassed that he had made such a big deal for no reason. There was one thing he had gotten out of it though. He had basically gotten permission to do with Jun Hyuk as he pleased.