Chapter 17

Character Evaluation (1)

The character evaluation of Hanul Entertainment was officially established after the debut of their first idol group, SEED.

Of course, even before that, the CEO, Son Jung-gi, was a meticulous person who considered character when accepting affiliated artists, simply because he didn't want to make a rude person successful with his own hands.

From the perspective of a former manager who had experienced all sorts of situations, it was also a consideration to prevent employees from being treated like dogs while working with such artists.

Despite this, it still failed. At least, SEED members didn't cause any incidents or accidents that made the news, thanks to the one-time screening. Other entertainment company CEOs envied them, saying they should be grateful for that.

"But if even that could have been prevented in advance?"

Son Jung-gi couldn't help but regret after learning the truth.

The main vocalist of SEED had a bad reputation within the company even before debut. It seemed he managed to pass the audition somehow, but he couldn't keep it hidden forever.

The CEO also heard the rumors, but there was no other candidate to be the main vocalist except for him. So, he debuted with that member included, rationalizing that it was unavoidable.

Fortunately, SEED's debut was a success, and it was an unexpectedly big success.

They invested actively, the songs were lively, and the members were quite good-looking, but in an industry where many people with all these qualities fail to become famous, they were lucky. The public's reaction was, "They cleaned out an empty house well."

Two years later, the main vocalist demanded a unilateral contract termination and became a "dove."

"Missing home? What a joke. He was excited to go there because he was offered more money. How much trouble the lawsuit caused..."

The impact of the member's unauthorized departure affected the other members as well. Since the main vocalist's position was vacant and he had the most fans, the group itself wobbled. The remaining SEED members also became unstable.

There were also controversies over attitude and countless scandals. The media response was heavily criticized by fans at the time. It felt like it would last 200 years.

Once, to decide on an official statement, he asked the member involved in the scandal.

"What happened?" The answer was astonishing. He wasn't just dating two people but four. If the scandal was true, the other three would cause a commotion, and if it was false, the actor involved in the scandal would react...

A major explosion could have occurred in the entertainment industry.

If an official statement was made, it would only cause more chaos. They could only remain silent with tears in their eyes. The employees of Hanul Entertainment became scapegoats because they couldn't abandon the artist.

Later, through the testimony of the employees, it was revealed that he had been dating multiple people secretly. The rumor that he was caught fighting over multiple girlfriends turned out to be true.

"If I had known, I wouldn't have debuted him! Or, if he's that good at acting, he should have become an actor!"

There were countless minor incidents and accidents. He vowed never to renew the contract when it expired.

After experiencing this ordeal, Son Jung-gi became even more obsessed with "character."

In the entertainment industry, where all sorts of strange people exist, one could get involved in incidents and accidents even without doing anything wrong. But at least, one shouldn't be the one who creates those incidents.

For this reason, the character evaluation of Hanul Entertainment's trainees was as important as the skill evaluation.

Although it's unknown how the current employees think, personally, the CEO prioritizes character over skill.

"Let's hear your thoughts on the stage evaluation we tried for the first time. First, our general manager."

CEO Son Jung-gi asked. In fact, the planning of this debut evaluation stage was done by Son Jung-gi, and he couldn't help but hear the evaluation of the program itself.

"Although the cost was a burden, it was effective. It had the feel of seeing a newly debuted rookie. We could judge who could overcome the tension and who had star potential on a stage with a large audience."

The general manager originally suggested doing an internal evaluation like with SEED. However, Son Jung-gi pushed his opinion to the end. Since they couldn't create their own program like large agencies, this was the least they could do.

"It was on a different level from the evaluations we did internally. As a visual director, I paid attention to the concept digestion, and there were some standout trainees. Their 'talent' felt tangible. Especially, that Ham In-won trainee."

"Ah, that trainee was outstanding. I talked to Jun-hee, who handled the hair, and she said that Ham In-won did it himself. She just touched it up with wax."

"Wow, is that true? That's impressive."

For a moment, the topic veered off into admiration. The fact that he styled his hair to fit the concept and even studied the ending pose left a deep impression on the staff.

"I think the framework for the debut group was already set by their skills. I focused more on them, and I gained confidence that they would grow well after debut. I think we can support them fully."

This was the opinion of Choi Jun-hyun, who would be in charge of the debut group, Management Team 3.

"As a planner, I'm proud to hear that it was positive. Then, let's discuss each trainee. I asked you to prepare personal comments in advance. Please speak freely. Honestly, we have the SEED case, so we shouldn't create the same situation again."

"CEO, why are you making self-deprecating jokes... I also feel the pain."

"We also reflected on it."

Many of the decision-makers who decided SEED's debut were present.

Hanul Entertainment was not originally an authoritarian company. Still, how could they not be nervous with all the executives gathered? However, they decided to speak openly, at least for today. If they didn't and a problem arose, they would have to solve it themselves. Experienced people had proven this truth.

"Let's start with our puppy, Park Ha-joon trainee."

"CEO, aren't you showing too much favoritism? Haha."

Park Ha-joon, known as "Park Ha" among friends, was a veteran trainee at Hanul Entertainment.

He was also a member who was heavily considered when SEED debuted. At that time, he was over six years older than the other members and didn't fit the concept, so he had to be eliminated.

So, there was a sense of guilt, and he was very polite and cute to the elders. Many employees treated him like a younger brother after spending a long time together.

"Park Ha, or Park Ha-joon trainee, is not lacking in any aspect. His character has been proven since he was young, and his evaluations are always positive. He is popular among the trainees as well, being a vitamin-like presence. He has grown physically and matured in appearance, but many still find him cute, which shows his charm."

"He's grown a lot, hasn't he? The first time I saw him, he was about 30 cm shorter."

"No, Team Leader. It wasn't that much. Anyway, he is now visually complete, and his dance skills are outstanding. His singing has also improved to above average."

Even just looking at his appearance, Park Ha-joon was worth selecting for the debut group.

"Did he do a lot of part-time work as a fitting model?"

"Yes. He did it with the company's permission. It wasn't a bad career move, and he wanted to do it due to his poor economic situation."

"Has anyone checked?"

"I did recently. There were no issues with the photos. Even when looking at old photos now, they don't look outdated. His face is classic."

The other employees laughed, feeling a sense of pride. They all empathized because they treated Park Ha-joon like a son or nephew.

"Any special issues?"

"No... but I'll mention a personal matter. His mother's health is not good recently."

"Oh. I'll take care of that separately. Next is..."

The employees attending the debut group decision meeting for the first time relaxed. The atmosphere was unexpectedly casual and chatty.

"What about Seo Hoon trainee?"

"I expect him to balance the debut group well. He has no weak points in singing, dancing, and acting."

"Seo Hoon is a type who works hard silently. He doesn't complain and puts in effort as directed."

"He quickly gets used to any type of exercise and has incredible stamina. I often get tired before him during training. He's also a good actor, so he could be a good action actor in the future."

"Although he seems tough on the outside, he is actually very delicate. He has a contrasting charm that could appeal to fans. However, he needs mental care, not because there's a problem, but as a preventive measure."

The CEO and future manager nodded and wrote notes, revealing who the likely debut group members were.

"There are no issues with his character. He is a devout Christian and a well-mannered young man, exactly that type."

"Is there anything to add?"

"Seo Hoon trainee also has talent in songwriting."

"Songwriting?"

"He enjoys reading poetry and writes his own. I had him try songwriting once, and it was good. With further refinement, he could be a competent songwriter."

"Thank you for the useful advice."

To nurture and develop talent, it must be shown or noticed by someone. Without such an opportunity, potential might be discovered too late.

"Next is Kim Ji-on trainee."

"His tone was impressive in 'Show Me the Gold 3,' and he has improved even more since then. There's no one who can compete with him in the rapper position. Plus, he dances well with feeling. I'm grateful he came to be an idol. If he's not chosen as a rapper, who will be?"

"I thought he deserved it when he received praise for his improved singing in the last monthly evaluation. He is diligent."

"His long overseas experience is both an advantage and a disadvantage. He sometimes makes verbal slip-ups, which he needs to be careful about in front of the camera."

Kim Ji-on could speak English, Korean, French, and German fluently.

Even if a member whose native language is Korean learns English, it's hard to speak like a native. Having a member who can speak multiple languages would provide stability for overseas activities.

However, this also led to occasional mistakes.

Although English was his most fluent language and Korean was second, he still made mistakes.

Even small mistakes could become major controversies. In the entertainment industry, things can be distorted even without intent. This was a risk that needed to be addressed.

"Kim Ji-on trainee has a strong competitive spirit. When I subtly mentioned competition during his class, he would work until he succeeded, even staying up all night. I later learned to be careful with my words."

"Can't this be used as a training method?"

"He is very self-motivated, and when I stimulate him, he goes to the extreme. I think his mental strength is solid."

Perhaps the employees had a moment of realization after one failure. They really spoke openly, regardless of department or position. Useful opinions were gathered.

"If there's nothing more to add, let's move on. Next is..."

"Wait a moment, CEO."