The Genius Grandson Of The Cash King Becomes A Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 159

#159

The person who appeared was far beyond just an acting coach.

A legend who was still actively working even at the age of 80.

Veteran actor Lee Soon-jin arrived.

From a young age, he was a top star representing Korea.

He was a living witness to the film industry and a piece of living history.

A legendary actor still actively working, even in his eighties.

Surprisingly, he had never given formal acting lessons before.

This was a first.

He had refused offers from acting academies with countless excuses.

He, who had always avoided teaching, appeared here as an official acting teacher.

“I am Lee Soon-jin, here as your acting teacher. You must all be surprised by my appearance. A friend, who is the chairman of the Shinhwa Group, suddenly appeared and pleaded with me. So, here I am. Nice to meet you all.”

“Hello, Teacher.”

Everyone greeted him loudly in unison.

Their faces were full of anticipation.

“I have heard all about your difficult circumstances. I believe you are people who have protected your dreams and pride even in the face of hardship and adversity. It may be even more difficult in the future, but I believe in you.”

The people who heard his words felt a tingling sensation in their noses.

The encouragement from the veteran actor felt like it was healing the insults and contempt they had received so far.

Actor Lee Soon-jin approached and patted each person on the shoulder.

In an instant, their emotions surged, and they naturally shed tears.

He watched silently as he turned the practice room into a sea of tears.

When everyone had washed away the sorrows of the past, he opened his mouth with a kind smile.

“Okay, so you’ve all cried it out? Then let’s get started in earnest. You all know my nickname, right?”

The faces that had been crying for a while slowly began to harden.

They had forgotten.

Everyone was mesmerized by veteran actor Lee Soon-jin’s touching speech.

His true nature and countless rumors began to surface in their minds.

He made idols who couldn’t vocalize practice thousands of times.

He grilled rookie actors who couldn’t act.

There was also a legend that he made a male actor, who was only a top star in appearance, cry every day with harsh words.

But.

The actors who survived his tutelage were reborn as true actors.

The actor who was only a top star in appearance captivated China with his incredible acting skills, and the idol who was forced to practice every day became a self-proclaimed ‘acting idol’.

‘An innocent critic.’

The fear was temporary.

If they were with him, they wouldn’t have to hear that their acting skills were lacking anywhere.

The eyes of the actors in front of Lee Soon-jin were full of desire.

Meanwhile, Jung-hoon, who was curious about Eun-soo’s acting practice, opened the door of the practice room slightly and looked inside.

The heated air rushed out.

The actors’ burning passion was palpable.

Everyone was paying attention to Lee Soon-jin’s face.

They were doing their best to concentrate so as not to miss a single acting lesson he was giving.

‘I can’t break this atmosphere.’

Jung-hoon quietly closed the door and turned away.

Although it cost some money, bringing in actor Lee Soon-jin was the best choice.

It was a reward for the dreams of the agency aspirants who had endured so far.

300 million won annual salary to Lee Soon-jin.

……I don’t think it’s a waste.

***

He was signing never-ending approval documents.

The approval files were piled up like a tower on his desk.

He handled many of them with exclusive authority, but he had to make important decisions within the group.

The documents piled on his desk were mostly important decisions.

Documents that made their way up to the chairman’s office.

He just signed them with a quick glance, but the person who created the document suffered for days.

Knowing that, he didn’t just sign without reading it.

He carefully read and signed, and occasionally left feedback on Post-it notes.

He also gave generous bonuses for well-drafted proposals or result reports.

He finished reading and signing dozens of approval files piled on his desk.

“Whew, my arms are about to go numb.”

Jung-hoon closed the cap of his Montblanc fountain pen, placed it on the desk, and stretched out greatly.

He relaxed his whole body and leaned completely against the back of the 10 million won chair.

His tired body was enveloped, and his fatigue was relieved in an instant.

The 10 million won chair was something else.

He enjoyed a moment of leisure with his eyes closed for the first time in a while.

But soon, the intercom on Jung-hoon’s desk rang.

“Yes.”

“Chairman, Shinhwa Entertainment CEO Choi Tae-won is here.”

“Tell him to come in.”

Jung-hoon entered the entertainment industry through Shinhwa Entertainment and expanded his business area into comprehensive entertainment.

In addition to celebrity management, he also decided to enter film and drama production and distribution.

As always, the money never ran out.

Anyway, he knew the success of all movies and dramas.

All he had to do was sweep up the money.

“Tell him to come in. And please get some coffee too.”

“Yes.”

Choi Tae-won, CEO of Shinhwa Entertainment, opened the door and bowed deeply.

“Hello?”

His short hair was streaked with gray.

Plus, he had a sharp, intense look.

In short, he had a rugged face.

Because of his face and rough skin, CEO Choi Tae-won was often mistaken for a gangster.

That’s because many people came from that background among the movie producers.

But he wasn’t someone who came from the ‘fist’ side [referring to organized crime].

A man who purely loved movies.

He was an expert who graduated from the film department and honed his skills at a production company for a long time.

In the movie industry, there was a saying that if he greenlit it, it would be at least a moderate hit.

The 10 million-viewer movie ‘The Woman of the Queen’, which he filmed last year, was also a work he picked up.

Everyone in Chungmuro [Korean film industry] acknowledged his skills.

“Sit over here.”

Jung-hoon guided Choi Tae-won to the seat on the right.

While exchanging light stories with each other, the secretary came in with hazelnut coffee.

“It’s coffee from America. Please, drink up.”

“Thank you, Chairman.”

CEO Choi Tae-won took a sip of coffee and looked at Jung-hoon.

Then he took out a document from his bag.

“Here is the movie list you mentioned.”

Jung-hoon had told CEO Choi Tae-won to investigate movies that hadn’t yet found investors.

Delicious bait was flapping in front of him.

“Is this movie short of investment funds?”

“Yes. We raised the investment funds as planned, but the director became greedy and used up all the investment funds.”

Jung-hoon couldn’t hide the smile on his face.

“So, additional investment was not made.”

“Yes. There is a tendency to ignore him because the director is from a comedian background.”

Jung-hoon recalled his memories.

, which would attract exactly 8 million viewers next summer, was in danger of being canceled due to a lack of investment funds.

Jung-hoon’s lips naturally curved into a smile.

Legendary comedian Shim Young-soo was always sincere about movies.

Jung-hoon did not want the movie he was making with all his heart to be aborted due to production cost issues.

Jung-hoon planned to make money through this and establish Shinhwa Entertainment’s presence in the industry.

“What do you think about us investing in ‘The Dragon’?”

“Well, the director is not from the movie industry, and there are rumors that he used a lot of special effects in the movie. The problem is the special effects. Korea is still lacking in that area.”

“What about the story?”

“There’s no need to look at the story. It’s obvious that the basics aren’t there.”

“You haven’t seen it.”

“I don’t have to look at it. I can bet my position on it. I’m sure.”

CEO Choi Tae-won, who did not have a good impression, answered with a serious frown.

‘That’s disappointing.’

He scouted a veteran with a long career in the industry for a considerable amount of money.

But he was trapped in prejudice.

Prejudice is poison in the cultural content industry.

Jung-hoon thought it was a good opportunity.

He wanted to show him how dangerous prejudice is through this opportunity.

“Are you sure it won’t be a hit?”

“Yes, it’s clear.”

“Really? If you’re so sure, why don’t you set up a fortune-telling shop in Mia-ri [known for fortune tellers]?”

Choi Tae-won looked embarrassed at Jung-hoon’s remark.

“But, my gut feeling is that this movie will be a hit.”

“Yes? Your gut feeling, Chairman?”

Choi Tae-won barely suppressed the laughter that was about to burst out.

Feeling?

Jinyeong sweet persimmon? Cheongdo soft persimmon? [referencing famous regional produce, implying the feeling is naive and unsophisticated]

Puh, what feeling are you talking about?

I can’t believe you don’t trust my intuition, which has been making movies for 30 years.

Moreover, a person who has just entered the industry is so sure of his vain feelings.

For a moment, his head throbbed.

‘If our young chairman wants to fail, there’s nothing I can do.’

If you have a strong background like Shinhwa Group, it doesn’t matter if you fail a few projects.

But there are also things to gain.

Intervention by non-experts like now disappears through failure.

CEO Choi Tae-won thought it was a good opportunity.

“If the chairman’s feeling is so strong, let’s try investing. But I would never invest.”

“Is that a feeling as a movie producer?”

“It’s not a feeling, it’s 30 years of experience, Chairman.”

“Then let’s watch. Whether the first movie we invest in will be a huge hit or a complete flop.”

“……I won’t stop you. After all, isn’t it a group with overflowing money? Hahaha!”

He felt a little upset.

‘This guy’s words are on the edge [being disrespectful].’

But he didn’t show it.

He vowed to shut him up with the results.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m worried that there will be even more money overflowing because of this.”

Jung-hoon and CEO Choi Tae-won laughed loudly, each with different thoughts.

“Then I’ll go. I’ll be able to make an appointment right away. There are rumors that you’re going around investing everywhere.”

“Yes, then go ahead.”

CEO Choi Tae-won greeted him, opened the door, and came out.

Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do.

He directly said that he was throwing away money, but he insisted.

‘He’ll come to his senses after a few failures.’

It’s unnecessary worry.

Rather, it’s advantageous to him.

CEO Choi Tae-won, who was waiting for the elevator, shook his head.

He smiled bitterly and entered the elevator, and the door soon closed.

Right now, it’s best to just watch as you’re told.

***

Shim Young-soo sat in a cafe with a gloomy expression, looking out the window alone.

He never thought that a production cost problem would occur when the movie was more than halfway done.

He exceeded the budget because he was greedy for special effects.

He had a meeting with a famous wealthy man who owns a 100 billion won building in Gangnam [affluent district in Seoul] a little while ago.

An investor introduced through an acquaintance.

He was sure that it would be successful because he had a dream about the president yesterday.

He was more interested in eating with himself, a famous comedian, than investing in the movie.

It was a place to show off his connections by calling a lot of friends.

There was no way a proper investment could be discussed there.

Shim Young-soo, who confirmed his true intentions, left as soon as he finished eating.

Those kinds of people have tight pockets. Money doesn’t come out easily.

He took a long sigh again while looking out the window.

“Excuse me, my child is a fan. I’m sorry, but can you take a picture with us?”

When he turned his head, he saw a child with a pale face in a wheelchair and the child’s mother with a pitiful face looking at him.

It was a cautious expression.

“Ah, of course.”

Shim Young-soo smiled brightly and took a picture with the child.

“I’ll sign it for you too.”

He took out his picture from his bag and signed it.

“What’s your name?”

“Do-young. Park Do-young! I’m going to be a comedian like you. I’m going to make people laugh!”

“Really? Do-young, make sure to achieve your dream.”

He wrote the name and the words ‘Uncle supports Do-young’s dream!’ on the back of the photo.

“Thank you. It was my child’s wish, thank you so much.”

The mother’s sad expression was full of stories.

The child had an oxygen tube attached to his nose. When I looked closely, I saw him struggling to breathe with short, rapid breaths.

I wanted to give them hope.

“I can read palms a little.”

Shim Young-soo knelt in front of the wheelchair and looked at the child’s hand.

He felt the child’s soft and delicate palm.

He was most concerned about the child being sick.

He thought of his second son, Young-woo, who was playing in the sky first [passed away].

For a moment, he choked up, but he managed his emotions well.

“Looking at your palm, it says that you will be completely healed before the end of this year and live a long and healthy life. So, Do-young, listen to your mom.”

“Yes.”

Shim Young-soo deliberately did not ask about the child’s condition.

In this situation, encouragement was the best.

The child had a happy expression.

Looking at the child’s bright expression, he felt pride as a comedian.

‘Young-woo really liked it…….’

He remembered the days when he made Young-woo, who was fighting the disease, laugh.

He missed Young-woo, who always shouted, ‘Dad is the best!’ even more.

Everyone laughed and despised him, but he truly loved his job of giving happiness with laughter.

I really wanted to complete this movie and show it properly.

‘Okay! Let’s cheer up again.’

He clenched his fist.

He emptied the cold coffee on the table in one go.

I should get up from my seat and go meet another investor.

I have to meet 100 people.

Even if that’s not enough, 200 people.

Someday, I will be able to raise the investment funds. He had the hope of getting back on his feet like a tumbler [a toy that rights itself when knocked over, symbolizing resilience].

At that time, the phone rang in his arms.

It was the producer.

“Young-soo, an investor has appeared.”

“Yes, where are you?”

“Shinhwa Group!”

“Really?”

“Yes, come to the office right now. They’re coming right now too.”

“Okay.”

Shim Young-soo hurriedly packed his bag.

He got up from his seat and took a deep breath.

‘Don’t get excited. It might not work.’

But he plans to persuade them with all his might.

He remembered the dream he had about the president yesterday.

It’s not over yet.

I can do it.

The Genius Grandson of the Cash King Becomes a Tycoon.