Chapter 100

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Through the phone, a question was thrown back, but Choi Sung-geun did not answer immediately. It was because Director Kwon Gi-taek had asked again.

"Why is Woojin mentioned here? Wasn't this case handled solely by Representative Choi?"

As a renowned director, Kwon Gi-taek's question was natural. After all, it was unexpected that Kang Woojin would be involved in this murky affair. Regardless, Choi Sung-geun's response was calm as he slowly crossed his legs.

"You're right. I acted alone."

"Then?"

"Well, maybe Woojin brought the script to me."

"......"

"Woojin's involvement brought this case to the surface. Otherwise, no one, including me, would have known about it."

It was a very useful move to owe a favor to a director of Kwon Gi-taek's caliber. Kwon Gi-taek's influence extended beyond the domestic film industry to the entertainment world and even overseas. However, Choi Sung-geun had no intention of taking the lead role.

'I'm better suited for the background.'

A shadow that goes unnoticed unless one pays attention. He maintained this position, finding it just right. This was Choi Sung-geun's unique way of surviving in the entertainment industry for a long time. There was already a lead actor, so he pushed all the impact to Kang Woojin.

'There's no point in me standing out in this situation. If it weren't for Woojin, I would have been cluelessly twiddling my thumbs.'

While Choi Sung-geun played the role of the executor, it could be said that without Kang Woojin's spark, nothing would have happened. Soon, Choi Sung-geun firmly planted Kang Woojin in Kwon Gi-taek's mind.

"Only Woojin saw the rotten part of 'The Missing Island' that no one else knew about. I just played the role of cutting it out."

A brief silence. Then, on the other end of the phone, Kwon Gi-taek asked again.

"......An explanation is needed. I want to hear exactly how it unfolded. I need to know. Proper closure is important."

"Of course. However, it's a bit difficult to explain over the phone. I'll come and see you in person. It'll be a few days before I can, though."

"Alright. I'll be waiting."

With that, the call ended. What was interesting was that...

-♬♪

As soon as Choi Sung-geun put down his phone, the ringtone sounded again. This time, it was Hong Hye-yeon. She must have called after seeing the article about Seo Chae-eun. Since there were things he needed to say to her, Choi Sung-geun put the phone back to his ear.

"Hey, yeah."

On the other end, Hong Hye-yeon was shouting.

"Bro!! Article, article! Did you see the article that just came out? PowerPatch's exclusive on Seo Chae-eun."

"My ears are ringing. I know, I know. I just saw it."

"I was at the shop a little while ago, and it was chaos! Seo Chae-eun was there, and I saw her team interrogating her. It was a complete mess."

"Seo Chae-eun was there with you? What about now?"

"She's gone. So am I. Seo Chae-eun's manager team leader was excited for a few seconds, then suddenly calmed down and took her away. But, bro, what does this mean for 'The Missing Island'? Seo Chae-eun was the lead, right? Ah, I heard this directly from her."

Choi Sung-geun spoke calmly to the excited Hong Hye-yeon.

"I thought you should know. I orchestrated this."

"......What? What do you mean?"

"The situation is similar to when Director Oh Hyun-gu was involved. The difference is whether I was involved or not. The starting point was Woojin."

Choi Sung-geun then briefly explained the current Seo Chae-eun situation. He kept it to the essentials, but Hong Hye-yeon understood immediately. She had witnessed a lot of it herself.

"Wait, so what? This is a collaboration between Woojin and you?"

"Right. For now, only you know."

"That's obvious, but... What about Woojin? Is it something that can be summed up as just a feeling or intuition?"

"No, but there's no other way to explain it."

"......"

"Moreover, if you look back at the history of the domestic and international entertainment industry, there have been unique figures like Woojin."

At this point, goosebumps appeared on Choi Sung-geun's arm. He felt chills even as he spoke.

'The Midas touch.'

One in millions, or perhaps more. Choi Sung-geun knew a few historically exceptional figures. He saw this in Kang Woojin now.

'Should I call it the Midas eye?'

Or a totem. Moreover, Kang Woojin currently possessed two such qualities. His ability to see both works and people. The problem was that even his bizarre abilities were destructive.

'He has a lot of impressive skills, including acting.'

Kang Woojin had more impactful abilities than the Midas eye. Among them, acting stood out. At this point, Choi Sung-geun realized.

'Maybe.'

No, definitely. Globally, Kang Woojin was undoubtedly a unique existence. If he grew even more, he would surely treat Hollywood as nothing.

As Choi Sung-geun imagined this not-so-distant violent future.

"Hye-yeon."

He barely managed to return to reality with a smile. For now, he needed to deal with the immediate situation.

"I'll get you the 'The Missing Island' script. Read it."

Later.

The bait that PowerPatch threw into the world.

[Exclusive] 'Recurrent Propofol Administration Suspected,' Top Actress Seo Chae-eun's Hidden Addiction Diary / Photos

It spread across the internet in just one hour. It was like a massive tsunami engulfing the peninsula. The speed was insane. There was no other way to describe it.

[Seo Chae-eun, Sudden Scandal Over 'Recurrent Propofol Administration']

In this industry, negative stimuli spread dozens of times faster than positive ones. The public always craved new stimuli, and unexpected issues like the Seo Chae-eun case were bound to sell like wildfire.

[StarPick] Seo Chae-eun, Evidence of Recurrent Propofol Use Emerges

[Propofol Scandal Strikes Again, This Time Top Actress Seo Chae-eun]

[7 Times a Month? Seo Chae-eun, Addicted to Propofol]

Domestic journalists were churning out new articles every second. Abusive, tabloid, speculative, and more. Regardless of the topic, they typed away as fast as their fingers could move.

"Hey!! Why aren't you posting articles?!"

"I'm working on it!"

"Are you kidding? Do it at home! Ignore typos and just post! Can't you see how fast the articles are spreading?!!"

"Ah, got it!"

"Just throw in any random stuff and put Seo Chae-eun's name on it!!!"

Rumors, noise, and gibberish ruled the day.

[Exclusive] Seo Chae-eun, Possibility of 'Third Drug Component' in Addition to Recurrent Propofol

[Source from a Broadcasting Company] "Seo Chae-eun Often Visited Plastic Surgery Clinics," Was This an Expected End?

Indeed, top actress Seo Chae-eun. With her refined image and massive popularity, the reactions were overwhelming.

[Fact Issue] 'Recurrent Propofol' Scandal Hits Seo Chae-eun, What About the Projects She Was Involved In?

It took less than two hours for various portal sites to be flooded with her name. By night, YouTube was also dominated.

If this were a land grab war, it would have been a perfect victory.

However, the anger of Seo Chae-eun's fans was at its peak. It was natural, due to the sense of betrayal. But the anger wasn't limited to her fans. Various groups joined in, some jumping at the opportunity, others diluting the issue, some for fun, and some just because everyone else was doing it.

- Ah...... This is really shocking......

- This is why celebrities' images are all ruined, right? Goodbye~~~

- Severe punishment is necessary. We can't keep covering up for celebrities.

- Ah lol, Seo Chae-eun was always talked about for Botox, right? lol Maybe it wasn't Botox but Propofol? lol

- But the doctor who prescribed it should also be caught!

- Another celebrity disappears

- No mercy for drug addicts lol Seo Chae-eun is so disgusting

- Why not investigate the entire entertainment industry? I bet a lot of people are trembling right now

- Seo Chae-eun lol She pretended to be innocent in front of everyone but was taking drugs behind the scenes lol

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Just half a day. The time it took for Seo Chae-eun to fall from top actress to national drug addict. Despite the intense flames, Seo Chae-eun and her agency remained silent.

[StarTalk] Why is Seo Chae-eun and Her Agency 'Silent'? Now is the Time to Speak Up

Perhaps they were looking for a way to break through. However, this only fueled the public's anger even more. On the same night, after finishing his schedule, Kang Woojin was also searching for the situation at home.

"Ah, it was Propofol."

He had heard a brief summary from Choi Sung-geun, but seeing it with his own eyes was different.

"Seo Chae-eun, she seemed fine."

Before becoming an actor, Kang Woojin had seen numerous scandals in the entertainment industry. Back then, he was just an ordinary citizen. But now, his mindset was different.

'Really, it's just a moment.'

He could vividly understand why the entertainment industry is called a jungle. The harsh reality of the entertainment industry. This was also a lesson. Anyway, Kang Woojin put down his phone. It was scarier than any horror movie.

Suddenly, Woojin entered a pocket dimension.

- Plop.

He needed to check something. The rating of 'The Missing Island.' However, standing in the endlessly dark pocket dimension, Woojin's expression turned serious.

The reason was simple.

-[3/Script (Title: The Missing Island), E-grade]

The rating had dropped from D to E. Still, Woojin tried to remain calm.

"Come on, no way. It can't have dropped that much in less than a day."

His judgment was that Seo Chae-eun had not yet clearly left 'The Missing Island.' It wasn't wrong. After all, it had only been half a day since her crimes were revealed.

Still.

"Ah, I'm a bit nervous."

Standing in the pocket dimension, Woojin felt a growing sense of tension. Maybe there was another problem? He shook his head to dispel the thought.

"Damn, I don't know. Let's wait and see."

He reassured himself that it was an overreaction. After leaving the pocket dimension, Woojin forced himself to sleep. At this time, at PowerPatch.

[Exclusive] The Relationship Between Seo Chae-eun and Hospital A, and the Celebrities Involved / Photos

PowerPatch - Lim Sang-moon

They launched their second bombshell.

Monday, the 29th, after the weekend.

On Sunday, Kang Woojin had a rare day off. It was due to his well-adjusted schedule and Choi Sung-geun's consideration. Of course, the world was still noisy with the Seo Chae-eun scandal, but Woojin spent the day cleaning and reading scripts and scenarios.

And now.

- Vroom!

Early in the morning, Kang Woojin, wearing a cap, got into the minivan parked in the parking lot. What was unusual was that.

"Hey, Woojin, did you rest well?"

Only Choi Sung-geun was visible in the driver's seat. With a stern expression, Kang Woojin greeted and asked.

"Hello. But where are the others?"

"They also had a day off yesterday. They should be at the company now."

"Ah, I see."

Kang Woojin nodded slightly and sat down as the minivan started. Soon, Choi Sung-geun glanced in the rearview mirror and spoke.

"Since you had a good rest, you need to work hard again, right?"

Yes, of course. Woojin was prepared, so he spoke softly, adding a bit of bravado.

"Yes, no problem."

"Ha ha. That's right. Today's schedule is full, and Soo-hwan will tell you the details. I'll be absent in the morning and join in the afternoon."

"Is there something going on?"

Choi Sung-geun, turning the steering wheel to the right, quickly answered.

"First, a company meeting. There's a lot to sort out overall. For you and Hye-yeon. By the way, we're going to increase the number of stylists."

"Understood."

"Then I'll meet Director Kwon Gi-taek."

"Director Kwon?"

"Right. No matter who it is, Director Kwon Gi-taek needs to know the exact situation. And."

Choi Sung-geun smiled slyly, almost devilishly.

"Don't you think we should get some compensation?"

Kang Woojin, with a calm face, was slightly surprised inside.

'Compensation? What compensation?'

Unaware, Choi Sung-geun continued his explanation.

"You know, in this industry, give and take must be clear. If you let things slide, people will take you lightly. Well, Director Kwon Gi-taek isn't that kind of person, but still, we need to get what we deserve."

"......"

"You must have been thinking about this too. You're sharp in these matters."

No, I haven't thought about it at all. Kang Woojin, who had been focused on saving 'The Missing Island,' was unaware of this aspect. Indeed, a professional. Give and take. Kang Woojen, who learned a new lesson, silently gave a thumbs up to Choi Sung-geun.

"Please take care of it."

"Don't say 'please take care of it.' I'm the one who usually handles these things. You just need to stand out."

Just as Kang Woojin was feeling moved, Choi Sung-geun changed the topic.

"Also, it's almost confirmed, but Ha Yura will take Seo Chae-eun's place. You know, Ha Yura."

"......Yes, I know."

Kang Woojin, who answered sarcastically, was inwardly amazed.

'So it's settled this quickly? And it's Ha Yura? Wow, as expected of a renowned director.'

Kang Woojin also knew Ha Yura. Although she hadn't been seen much recently, she was once a top actress.

'But didn't she say she was going to Hollywood two years ago?'

While reminiscing, Kang Woojin suddenly moved his hand. He picked up the script next to him. Why?

- Plop!

To enter the pocket dimension unnoticed and check the new rating of 'The Missing Island.' Soon, standing in the dark pocket dimension, where white rectangles were lined up, Kang Woojin said.

"Originally, it was A+. At least B+. No, it should recover to A."

However.

"Huh?"

As soon as he saw the white rectangle for 'The Missing Island,' Kang Woojin's eyes widened.

"This is... insane."

There was a quite shocking change.

-[3/Script (Title: The Missing Island), S+ grade]

S+ grade, a new rating.

"Is there a grade above S?"

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