Chapter 7

CJ Entertainment & Media headquarters.

Since Choi Jung-won agreed to take charge of the group's new project at his mother's request, he has been given an independent office here. This office was originally reserved for a vice president, but after the company restructuring, this vice president followed the footsteps of Jeong Gyeong-sam and left. The office remained vacant until it was assigned to Choi Jung-won. The office is on the top floor of the company, diagonally opposite the president's office, making it convenient for Choi Jung-won to consult with his mother at any time.

Over the past ten days, Choi Jung-won has been reviewing the company's historical data and archives, while also summoning the heads of various departments and subsidiaries to inquire about the situations they oversee, covering all aspects of the entire group, striving for a comprehensive understanding.

The old-timers at the company were initially very dissatisfied with the appointment of such a young man by the major shareholder. At such a young age, he should still be learning, yet he was managing a large company. Although C.J Group is the Choi family's private enterprise, it was the result of the collective efforts of these people. No one wanted their lifelong efforts to be wasted, so they initially had significant prejudice and suspicion towards Choi Jung-won.

However, when they truly faced this young man and the incisive questions he asked, their shock was indescribable. "Where did this demon come from? Is there really someone who knows everything from birth?" The subordinates who originally intended to敷衍 (应付) were left floundering by Choi Jung-won's demonstrated capabilities.

C.J Group was at a sensitive time, and everyone was closely watching the upper management's every move. Therefore, the experiences of the colleagues who met with Choi Jung-won naturally spread. As a result, everyone was on edge, no one wanted to appear incompetent in front of this young master, and they all hurried to organize their work to avoid any mistakes when it was their turn.

Choi Jung-won was unaware of the shift in the company's atmosphere. Just the daily review of documents was enough to keep him busy. In his previous life, he had worked in the entertainment industry, but his role was only that of an artistic director, responsible for managing artists and product production. Now, he suddenly had to manage such a large, comprehensive group. Even with his genius and the advantage of rebirth, it was a daunting task. Fortunately, he was young and full of energy, and with the support of his family and his own hard work, he had achieved some initial results.

After gaining a rough understanding of the company from the documents, Choi Jung-won decided to visit the subsidiaries for on-site inspections to gain a more detailed understanding and refine his ideas. Combining practical planning with theoretical knowledge would be the most convincing and effective approach.

Choi Jung-won reported his plans to Pan Jeong-jin, who gave him strong support. She was also concerned that her son might be like Zhao Kuo, who was good at talking but not at doing.

Pan Jeong-jin decided to assign two experienced assistants to help him, and Choi Jung-won specifically requested Kim Gwang-soo and Han Seong-ho. These two were currently high-ranking officials in the subsidiaries and had always worked in the entertainment planning system, with a deep understanding of the company. Such knowledgeable individuals would provide significant assistance.

In fact, Choi Jung-won had another purpose in mind for choosing these two. They were familiar figures from his previous life and had performed well in their respective positions. In the vast Korean entertainment industry, both had left a significant mark.

Among them, Kim Gwang-soo was more famous, having produced successful groups like Turbo, SG Wannabe, and T-ara. With Turbo already active for five years and enjoying a prominent position in the Korean music scene, his reputation had grown even more.

In the future, Kim Gwang-soo was often criticized for maximizing profits by overworking T-ara, leading to a relentless schedule with little rest. T-ara even complained about this on a program.

In various descriptions, Kim Gwang-soo was portrayed as a ruthless capitalist, comparable to Lee Soo-man. However, Choi Jung-won did not fully believe these claims. As someone in the industry, he understood the intricacies better than anyone. Although the situations in China and Korea were different, the operations of entertainment capital followed objective rules. No one was truly irredeemable. Choi Jung-won had seen Kim Gwang-soo's actions on screen multiple times and observed that he did not seem to be a person corrupted by the entertainment industry.

As a successful leader, being well-informed is a basic quality. Choi Jung-won's goal was to thoroughly understand Kim Gwang-soo in person to see if he was worth cultivating. Given his ability to manage numerous successful artists over more than two decades, Kim Gwang-soo's capabilities were undoubtedly strong. If his character met Choi Jung-won's standards, supporting him would not be out of the question. After all, at just sixteen, Choi Jung-won was too young to command respect. Forcibly taking a high position might not be beneficial for the company's development.

Therefore, in Choi Jung-won's mind, the best position for him in the future entertainment company would be an executive director and artistic director. This way, he could leverage his status as a major shareholder to have strong influence without having to oversee everything. With the help of an experienced person to manage the overall operations for a few years, he could mature and take full control. This approach would also avoid drawing too much attention to himself.

As for Han Seong-ho, as the future president of F&CMusic and the current chief composer of the company, Choi Jung-won felt it was necessary to gain a comprehensive understanding of him. Through him, he could gain a full picture of the company's artists.

The situation with Mnet and KMTV was the simplest. Although the presidents of both stations had resigned and some key personnel had left, the basic structures were still intact. By integrating the two stations into one, adding some staff, and appointing new leaders, they could operate smoothly. Despite their larger scale, the tasks were the least complex. This had already been decided during the conversation between mother and son.

While his thoughts were wandering, a knock on the door sounded. The sound was neither too loud nor too soft, with a steady rhythm of exactly three knocks, indicating a seasoned professional.

"Please come in," Choi Jung-won corrected his posture to appear more formal. He spoke the two words calmly and firmly. As a teenager who had just gone through his voice change, he had not yet mastered his voice. If he did not control it, he could easily be perceived as impatient and incapable.

Seeing Kim Gwang-soo and Han Seong-ho enter one after the other, Choi Jung-won quickly stood up to greet them. Although he was now their superior, they were his elders, and he could not neglect the proper etiquette. Otherwise, he would be seen as an inexperienced and arrogant young man, making it difficult to work with him in the future.

"Thank you both for your hard work, please take a seat." After Kim Gwang-soo and Han Seong-ho sat down on the sofa, Choi Jung-won slowly returned to his chair. Normally, as an elder, Choi Jung-won should have sat below them. However, given his young age, if they were on equal footing, his authority would be too weak, and his words would carry less weight. This would make him appear less competent, which he did not want. The first impression is crucial, and maintaining a certain distance would allow for more flexibility in future interactions. Choi Jung-won was adept at using such workplace tactics.

Kim Gwang-soo and Han Seong-ho understood the situation. They were surprised by the young man's seasoned approach. As a high-ranking official sent from the headquarters to oversee the new company's integration, this was crucial to their future positions. They had tried to gather information about him, but Choi Jung-won had been low-key, and they had limited information, only knowing that he was the son of the new president.

In the past, many wealthy heirs had taken high positions in companies, and while some had shown remarkable abilities, many were more skilled in drinking and playing, and when it came to actual business, they were like headless flies. Some even had inappropriate relationships with female stars, causing internal chaos and complaints.

This was even more common in the former First Sugar Group, and Kim Gwang-soo and Han Seong-ho had suffered from it. This new arrival was even more powerful, with a position that could determine the company's fate, and everyone had to follow his lead. If he was incompetent, they were prepared to seek other opportunities.

Kim Gwang-soo and Han Seong-ho had worked at C.J Entertainment from its inception to its current scale, dedicating their lives to it. They were powerless against the upper management's decisions. When they heard that the president's son had personally requested them as his assistants, they came with the last hope of evaluating Choi Jung-won. Fortunately, their first impression of him was positive. Although he seemed slightly arrogant, his competence was what mattered most to them.

Choi Jung-won's actions were meticulous and his etiquette was both warm and reserved, maintaining a proper distance between superiors and subordinates. His precise handling of the situation was on par with seasoned politicians.

Kim Gwang-soo immediately put aside his initial disdain and, without waiting for Choi Jung-won to speak, asked, "Mr. Choi, what are the plans for the future operations of the company? We, as subordinates, are looking forward to the company stabilizing and getting back on track."

As Choi Jung-won slowly sat down, he observed the two men.

Kim Gwang-soo, dressed in a suit, sat straight in the seat closest to him, his eyes sharp and a professional smile on his face, taking the initiative before his superior spoke.

In contrast, Han Seong-ho, dressed casually, sat a bit further away, his gaze wandering and his head slightly lowered, appearing melancholic and indifferent, exuding an artist's aura. However, his ears were alert, observing the surroundings and absorbing the conversation, indicating a strategic approach.

"Kim Gwang-soo is really eager," Choi Jung-won thought to himself. From this single action, he had a good grasp of Kim Gwang-soo's character.

This also confirmed another idea in his mind. In his previous life, it was said that Kim Gwang-soo overworked T-ara for economic gain. Choi Jung-won believed that his character played a significant role. More precisely, it was the result of Kim Gwang-soo's ambitious nature. As the president of a subsidiary, the benefits of T-ara's success went to the headquarters, and his personal gains were limited, so there was no motive to exploit them excessively.

From various clues in his previous life, Choi Jung-won believed that Kim Gwang-soo often compared T-ara to Girls' Generation to prove his capabilities, using it as a stepping stone for his own advancement.

However, his impatience led him to push the girls into a relentless schedule, which, while increasing T-ara's fame, also drained their energy. Initially, due to issues with song positioning, style, and promotional strategies, this was not easily noticeable.

When T-ara released the album "Day by Day" after three years, the problem became evident. Despite facing competition from SJ, 2NE1, and Sister, T-ara did not show the expected strength and failed to capture the grand and sweeping momentum of the album. The choreography by Jonte Moaning was not well-executed by the girls, and their live performances were lackluster.

A song that could have made T-ara the top group ended up being lukewarm. The issues were worth reflecting on. Additionally, his mishandling of internal group affairs almost led to the downfall of this promising idol group.

Comparing Girls' Generation and T-ara, it is clear that one had been trained for years as a systematic trainee, while the other was a hastily formed group. In the early stages, both groups performed well, showcasing their unique styles. Later, Girls' Generation steadily progressed, step by step, towards the top.

Kim Gwang-soo, in an effort to catch up with Girls' Generation, pushed T-ara to accelerate. As this process continued, the lack of depth in T-ara's foundation became apparent. The heavy schedule and weak physical condition of the members led to frequent injuries and illnesses, significantly affecting their stage performances. Moreover, CCM's planning and execution were far inferior to S.M. Company, widening the gap.

In contrast, Girls' Generation rarely faced such issues. Each comeback showcased their improvement and brought more surprises, raising expectations. Undoubtedly, Kim Gwang-soo bore significant responsibility for these problems.

Why did injuries and illnesses keep happening? The lack of strength could only be compensated by diligent practice, and with a heavy schedule, even iron men would be exhausted, let alone young, delicate girls.

With these thoughts in mind, Choi Jung-won had already decided to exclude Kim Gwang-soo from the new company. His presence would severely affect the company's unity and atmosphere, which was not what Choi Jung-won wanted. A divided team could not surpass the already rising S.M.

However, Choi Jung-won still needed Kim Gwang-soo's help to integrate the company, so he could not show any unusual emotions.

Instead of answering Kim Gwang-soo's question, he turned to Han Seong-ho, "Mr. Han, as the company's chief composer, do you have any beneficial suggestions?" If a superior answered every question, their authority would diminish, and Choi Jung-won would not make that mistake.

A flash of anger crossed Kim Gwang-soo's face, but he quickly regained his composure. Choi Jung-won, who had been closely observing him, noted this. This guy was indeed arrogant and unwilling to be ordinary.

Choi Jung-won could ignore Kim Gwang-soo's question, but Han Seong-ho could not ignore his superior. He carefully said, "I have not been involved in the company's operations, so I am not in a position to comment. However, due to the company's changes, most artists' schedules and trainees' training have been suspended. If these issues are not resolved soon, it will cause significant losses." His face showed genuine concern.

With decades of experience, Choi Jung-won knew that Han Seong-ho was genuinely concerned about the company, and his impression of him improved. This was someone he could rely on, and he made up his mind.

"Since I have invited both of you to participate in the plan, I will inform you of the company's overall strategy," Choi Jung-won said solemnly. "After preliminary discussions and research by the company's upper management, all subsidiary entertainment companies will be merged into a large entertainment company, independent of Mnet TV. As an independent entity, it will report directly to the headquarters."

Shock, pure shock! For nearly two months, the headquarters had not appointed anyone to the vacant positions, and the two had already sensed that something big was coming. But they never imagined it would be this significant.

As C.J employees, they knew the vast resources and power of the company. The merger of all subsidiaries into one would create an entertainment empire that would dominate the industry.

Most importantly, the new entertainment company would be an independent entity, no longer a subsidiary of the TV station. This alone would elevate their status. Instead of being a subordinate, they would be recognized as high-ranking officials.

In the past, the entertainment companies were subsidiaries of Mnet TV, which was itself a subsidiary of the First Sugar Group, with a rigid hierarchy. The decision-making level of the headquarters was far removed from them. Now, they were like stepping into a new realm, with more opportunities and a brighter future.

Han Seong-ho, who was naturally reserved and not interested in power, remained composed. Kim Gwang-soo, however, could not hide his excitement, his eyes darting as he calculated his gains and losses. The personal slights from Choi Jung-won were long forgotten. With such a significant opportunity, personal honor was insignificant.

Choi Jung-won observed all this and clapped his hands to regain their attention, "From now on, we will rely on your efforts. I hope we can work together sincerely to achieve success soon."

Kim Gwang-soo and Han Seong-ho quickly stood up and promised to help Choi Jung-won complete the integration smoothly.