An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 82

82. #17 – Surviving is Winning in the End (4)

“Hello.”

I rushed to the company after receiving a call from Chief Kim.

But instead of CEO Im, it was Chief Kim who greeted me inside.

“Hee-sung, you’re here?”

“Yeah.”

He smiled and gestured for me to come closer.

We headed to an empty conference room.

“Wow, they’re already adjusting your contract. I’m so happy for you.”

“I know. Is it common to change the contract in the middle like this?”

The initial contract I signed with HS Entertainment was for three years.

It’s already been well over a year since I signed it.

Time is flying by, but there’s still about a year and a half left on the contract.

I was thrilled that they were suddenly adjusting the contract for me.

But I was curious if it was common to make changes like this, even though the contract wasn’t over yet.

Chief Kim smiled and nodded at my words.

“Well… it’s not super common. But your performance has been so good that the company decided they needed to adjust the rates.”

He raised his eyebrows and continued.

“Anyway, it’s a good thing.”

Indeed.

From my perspective, it was a very good thing.

Since joining HS Entertainment, I’ve been constantly acting in dramas, movies, and now this drama.

That means I’ve been steadily making money for the company.

As the drama’s viewership increases and my recognition rises,

my value will naturally increase.

That also means the company will make more money.

The higher-ups at the company must have taken those points into consideration when adjusting my contract rate.

My heart began to swell as I talked with Chief Kim.

I was happy when I received the call, but the emotions I felt at this moment, coming to the company to sign the papers, were even more intense.

My heart rate was gradually increasing.

At that moment.

The conference room door burst open.

I stood up and bowed to him.

“Director Kang, hello.”

Director Kang.

The person closest to CEO Im in the company.

He’s an executive with a high position.

Director Kang came in with a bright face and shook my hand.

“Oh, our busy actor Hee-sung, sorry for calling you all the way to the company.”

I waved my hand at him and said.

“No, it’s okay. I’m on a short break after the drama.”

“Still. Resting after a tough drama is also work. Isn’t that right, Chief Kim?”

“Haha, that’s right.”

Chief Kim chimed in and laughed.

Director Kang pulled out the chair in front of me and opened his mouth.

“Chief Kim?”

He called out while looking at Chief Kim’s eyes.

That short word contained several meanings.

Director Kang’s eyes quickly scanned the file containing the contract and the door.

It was a look that seemed to be asking him to leave so he could talk to me about the contract.

Chief Kim immediately understood and nodded while standing there.

“Then, I’ll wait outside.”

“Okay.”

“Hee-sung, I’ll be downstairs, so talk well and come out.”

“Okay, hyung [older brother/close male friend].”

Chief Kim left the conference room.

Leaving only Director Kang and me in the conference room.

After a moment of silence, Director Kang began to make small talk before getting to the main point.

“Are you having any difficulties these days?”

“No, Chief Kim is taking such good care of me that I don’t have any difficulties.”

“Yes, Chief Kim is good at his manager duties and has a good personality, so I assigned him to you.”

“Haha, thank you for your consideration.”

He stared intently into my eyes and asked a question.

“I heard from Chief Kim that you’re going to take some time off this time?”

Director Kang’s kind eyes.

But there was a thorn in that question.

Of course, the company wouldn’t like their affiliated celebrity to rest.

Because I have to work and make money for the company to make money.

“Yes, but not for long….”

Before I could finish speaking, he opened his mouth.

“Yes. Rest is good, but in the entertainment industry, it’s best to keep running when your senses are alive and the public wants you.”

He continued, looking me in the eye without blinking.

“I’ve been in this business for decades. It’s good to raise your value when you can.”

“Yes, I understand what you mean.”

“So, at most three months?”

At Director Kang’s words, I widened my eyes and shook my head vigorously.

“No. I don’t plan to rest that long.”

“Really?”

He looked surprised and his eyes widened.

Soon, a smile spread across his face.

“So, you’re going to rest for a little bit and then work again?”

“Yes, I want to have a short refresh period and then immediately start working on a project.”

“Haha, that’s why Hee-sung is doing so well, right?”

He laughed heartily and added.

“That’s why our CEO Im thinks so highly of Hee-sung.”

Director Kang finally began to get to the main point.

“Then shall we talk about work?”

“Yes.”

At his words, I pulled up my chair and adjusted my posture.

And what he took out of the file was the contract.

He first took out the existing contract and handed it to me.

“Our Hee-sung has already worked for a year and a half?”

I nodded, and he put his hand on the contract and read the words.

“You signed a three-year contract, and the rate was 55 to 45. You know this was big for a rookie, right?”

“Yes, I know you took care of me.”

I said, agreeing with his words.

He quickly put the existing contract back into the file.

Then, he raised the corners of his mouth and handed me a new contract.

“Now, the company has adjusted Hee-sung’s contract rate based on your performance and future.”

I leaned forward and fixed my gaze on the document.

He turned the pen and pointed to the words on the contract with the pen.

“We’ll give you a rate of 7 to 3.”

7:3.

Of course, 7 here is my share.

Going from 5.5 to a rate of 7 was a good thing for me.

Because I’ll get more money from what I earn.

I barely suppressed the corners of my mouth from rising at the number and listened to his words.

“You know that giving you a rate of 7 is a huge condition for the company, right?”

“…Yes.”

In fact, HS Entertainment was my first company, so there was no basis for comparison.

Also, I don’t share the contract details with other actors.

Nevertheless, I know that rookies like me usually get around 6 to 4 at best.

My gaze was directed at the contract, not Director Kang.

“Director, can I read the contract?”

“Of course, the content hasn’t changed much. It’s a contract to adjust our Hee-sung’s rate.”

I nodded and pulled the contract towards me.

And I started reading from the top, word by word.

I haven’t signed many contracts, but there’s a saying that you should always read contracts carefully.

It’s not that I don’t trust Director Kang or HS Entertainment.

It doesn’t hurt to be careful.

As he said, the rate I get increased from 5.5 to 7.

And my heart fluttered again at the number 7.

Only 1.5 numbers have increased, but when I actually get paid,

The difference in the 1.5 rate will be enormous.

I bit my lower lip to control my happy heart and moved my gaze.

Director Kang put his hand on the top of the contract I was looking at and opened his mouth.

“And this time, the CEO gave special instructions, you know?”

At his words, I shifted my gaze to him.

“If you sign this contract, the appearance fee for the drama you filmed will also be settled at a 7 to 3 rate and deposited.”

“Really?”

It’s a contract that came out today, but they’re adjusting the settlement of the drama that has already finished filming to the new contract rate.

I couldn’t help but be surprised.

In the end, my lips curled up at the company’s consideration.

Director Kang smiled kindly and replied.

“Of course. They know that Hee-sung is an actor with a bright future.”

“Haha, thank you.”

He turned around to check if there was anyone around the conference room, then leaned towards me.

“You know it’s not usually allowed, right?”

Director Kang cleared his throat and continued.

“Only filming after the day you sign the contract is originally valid. But it’s only for Hee-sung, so you have to keep it a secret from the outside.”

“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

He raised his eyebrows, looking at the stamp placed next to me.

“Then the contract….”

Before he could finish speaking, I picked up the stamp.

And just as I was about to stamp it next to the words ‘Jin Hee-sung’ written at the end.

An item caught my eye.

It was ‘Contract Period’.

The existing three-year contract period had been changed to a whopping seven years.

I frowned at the words.

…….

What, there was no mention of the contract period.

I quickly closed the stamp lid and said to Director Kang.

“Um… Director, it’s still a contract, so would it be okay to think about it a little before signing?”

At my words, his eyebrows furrowed.

“No, why?”

“I still want to think about it since it’s a big contract. Then I’ll tell you.”

He handed me the contract again and said.

“Why are you hesitating when we’re changing it to such good conditions?”

Anyway, a seven-year contract period.

Seven years that he didn’t mention to me.

And in that long time, you never know what will happen to a person.

I couldn’t easily sign a contract to be with HS Entertainment for seven years.

Of course, HS Entertainment has been good to me, but seven years is a longer time than you think in the entertainment industry.

And whether I will be active at HS Entertainment for those seven years is not something that can be decided simply out of gratitude.

But I can’t tell him that as it is.

I beat around the bush and told him.

“I also want to talk to my parents.”

He chuckled and said.

“Hey, how old are you to be consulting with your parents?”

“Still, I’ll talk to them and tell you.”

After talking with Director Kang, he left the conference room.

After a while, Chief Kim came in.

“Hee-sung, did you do well with the contract?”

“…No.”

He tilted his head and asked me.

“Why?”

“Well, I’m going to think about it a little before doing it.”

The reason why they suddenly tried to make a contract so quickly without ever mentioning the contract in advance.

Was that ultimately because of the seven-year contract period?

Especially at this time when I’m busy after filming.

CEO Im, I didn’t see him that way….

Chief Kim, who doesn’t know anything, smiled brightly and asked me.

“So, did they give you a lot of contract money?”

At his words, my face contorted.

Come to think of it, there was no talk of contract money even though it was a new contract.

No matter how I think about it, I don’t think I should sign this contract…?

***

Ding-dong.

The alarm on my cell phone rang.

I quickly checked my phone, and the corners of my lips went up at the alarm.

-Deposit of ₩106,370,000 [approximately $80,000 USD] into XX Bank from HS Entertainment.

In the end, I didn’t sign the contract.

Even if the settlement rate is adjusted higher, the contract condition of 7 years was too much on my mind.

And the deposit was settled at the existing rate of 5.5.

₩30 million [approximately $22,500 USD] per episode for a total of 8 episodes.

After deducting the always-deducted fuel costs from the total amount of ₩240 million [approximately $180,000 USD].

The amount settled at 55% of the remaining money.

₩106,370,000.

Looking at that amount, the sound of “tss” automatically came out.

I feel like they took a lot of fuel costs this time?

Nevertheless, the money deposited into my account was a large sum of over ₩100 million.

A slightly uneasy feeling is deeply rooted in my heart.

But the sense of accomplishment from the large amount of money that came in after working hard is indescribable.

What should I do with this big money first?

…Ah, I have to do that first!