Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 171

“A dating scandal?”

As soon as Cho Kyu-min arrived in Korea, he went straight to report the situation to Hwang Jung-hoo and quickly answered Hwang Jung-hoo’s question.

“Yes, it is.”

“So….”

Hwang Jung-hoo seemed to be trying to sort out the situation, staring blankly at the ceiling before opening his mouth.

“You came back so quickly without even reporting… it wasn’t for another reason, but because your sister’s dating scandal broke out?”

“That’s correct.”

Hwang Jung-hoo continued, looking dumbfounded.

“So… I don’t know much about your world, but isn’t the entertainment industry a place where dating scandals happen all the time? And don’t more than half of those scandals usually just end up as a nothingburger?”

“That’s accurate.”

“But you came back to the country without even checking the facts just because of one dating scandal?”

“Yes, I did.”

Hwang Jung-hoo laughed in disbelief.

“I thought you were someone who only cared about your people and family, but this is a bit much. You’re a total fool for your family.”

Hwang Jung-hoo chuckled and continued.

“So, what’s the truth? Is she really dating someone?”

Cho Kyu-min frowned slightly as he answered.

“The truth about a dating scandal is impossible to know unless you’re the person involved. The agency manages them, but they can’t be with them 24 hours a day or tap their phones, can they? They can’t stop them from meeting on their own time. Other agencies might manage them by including a no-dating clause, but…”

There was no way Code would have the guts to put such an unfair clause on Kang Eun-young, who had entered the company with Jae-kyung’s backing. No matter how big Code was as an agency, it was nothing compared to Jae-kyung; it was like a small record store compared to a giant corporation.

“I see.”

“And we’ve already lost the moment the dating scandal broke.”

“Hmm?”

“An idol isn’t just a simple singer. They’re like a seller who sells a pseudo-relationship. Just the fact that the idol I like and admire is involved with another man is enough to cause a drop in their image.”

“Ummm…”

“It’s quite common for a popular idol to suddenly fall from grace after a dating scandal breaks out. The agency says they’ll take strong action, but since most agencies say that when a dating scandal breaks, they won’t be able to stop the rumors from spreading. Moreover, the other side isn’t clearly denying it…”

“Is that so?”

Hwang Jung-hoo lit a cigarette.

“Since she’s Kang Jin-ho’s sister, I can’t help but be concerned. If there’s anything we can do on our end, let’s do it.”

“We need to pressure their agency in Jae-kyung’s name.”

“I permit it.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Cho Kyu-min sighed quietly.

He had at least gotten the minimum permission to handle this situation. If both agencies denied the dating scandal at the same time, the suspicion would remain, but they could at least make the scandal fizzle out.

‘Still, it’s critical.’

It was too early for Kang Eun-young to be involved in a dating scandal, as she was still a high school student. Her status as a high school student was definitely a problem.

“So, what is that sister of his doing now? She must be in shock since a dating scandal broke out at such a young age.”

“As expected of Kang Jin-ho’s sister, she has a steel mentality. Despite the agency’s objections, she went to do her scheduled live broadcast. She’ll probably be on now.”

“On TV?”

“Yes.”

When Hwang Jung-hoo seemed interested, Cho Kyu-min turned on the TV in the corner of the chairman’s office. Hwang Jung-hoo, still an old-fashioned man, had a habit of watching the news on TV when the time came, even while working.

“She’s on now.”

As Kang Eun-young appeared on the screen, Hwang Jung-hoo smiled contentedly.

“I didn’t think she was that pretty when I saw her last time, but she’s become much prettier. Did she get plastic surgery or something?”

“She’s 100% naturally beautiful.”

“Well, Kang Jin-ho is also very handsome. It seems they have good genes.”

Hwang Jung-hoo was looking at the screen with a pleased expression.

His face looked like he was looking at his granddaughter, and Cho Kyu-min secretly chuckled.

‘He didn’t even care about his own granddaughter.’

It was as if he had a bloodline aversion; Hwang Jung-hoo often showed a gentle side when it wasn’t his own bloodline.

“Huh?”

Suddenly, Cho Kyu-min’s eyebrows twitched as he looked at the screen.

Kang Eun-young suddenly stopped dancing and began to look forward with a flustered expression. It was a solo close-up, so the scene was very vivid.

‘Is it a broadcasting accident?’

The song was supposed to start, but it didn’t.

‘She’s not usually like this?’

Kang Eun-young was someone whose professionalism was admired by her teachers, even more than most established singers.

For Kang Eun-young to cause an accident during a live broadcast, it seemed that the aftermath of the dating scandal was not insignificant. Just as he was thinking that, the microphone fell weakly from Kang Eun-young’s hand to the floor.

“Uhhh?”

Cho Kyu-min jumped up from his seat.

It wasn’t just a missed beat; it was as if she had lost the will to sing. This was a major accident.

“Why! What’s wrong!”

Cho Kyu-min shouted without realizing it, even though he knew they couldn’t hear him. If she caused a broadcasting accident like that, it would inevitably have a huge impact on her future activities. Who would put a singer who stopped singing during a live broadcast on stage?

“What the… Huh?”

Cho Kyu-min’s eyes began to twitch.

Whether it was the PD’s [Production Director] instruction or the cameraman’s meddling, the camera that was filming the stage from the back captured the audience and Kang Eun-young’s back at the same time.

“Oh, when did he get there…”

Kang Jin-ho was gesturing to Kang Eun-young from the front row of the audience.

Kang Eun-young, who had dropped the microphone, stared blankly at Kang Jin-ho, then slowly nodded her head. With a forlorn expression like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse, she approached Kang Jin-ho.

Then, Kang Jin-ho reached out and grabbed Kang Eun-young’s hand, and they began to walk through the crowd and out the back.

“That, that crazy bastard!”

Even Hwang Jung-hoo was shocked and yelled.

‘It’s over.’

Cho Kyu-min laughed in dismay.

No matter what the story was, there was no stage for a singer who had left the stage. Moreover, since the atmosphere was already tense due to the dating scandal, no matter what press release the agency put out, there was no way there would be a favorable reaction.

Cho Kyu-min turned away from the rapidly changing camera and took out his phone.

With something like this happening, the SNS would probably be exploding right now.

With a prayer in his heart, Cho Kyu-min typed Kang Se-ah’s name into the real-time search.

– Kang Se-ah, a man invaded the stage! Dragged her out kkkkkkkkk

– Watch TV now! It’s a legendary broadcasting accident. Kang Se-ah gave up on the stage during the broadcast and went down to the audience.

– Who is that guy? Is he her boyfriend?

– Kang Se-ah disappeared holding the hand of a man in the audience. Instead of being angry, I’m feeling defeated because the man is too handsome TTT

Each time he refreshed, the previous posts were pushed out of sight. Seeing Kang Se-ah’s name shoot up to the top of the real-time search rankings, Cho Kyu-min leaned back on the sofa with a resigned expression.

“Hehehehe…”

He knew that the man would go crazy when it came to family matters, but he never thought he would cause such a blatant accident.

As he recalled the time he had spent working hard to make Kang Se-ah a top star, Cho Kyu-min unconsciously wiped his eyes.

“What’s going to happen now?”

“Chairman…”

“Hmm?”

“…There’s a special admission for celebrities at Jae-kyung University, isn’t there? We should at least get her into college with that. She needs to go to college if she wants to find a new path.”

“Ummm.”

Hwang Jung-hoo, who had grasped the situation from Cho Kyu-min’s words, groaned heavily.

“Well, it’s something she brought on herself, so she’ll figure it out.”

Just as he was trying to wrap up the situation, Cho Kyu-min’s eyes widened as he held his phone.

– A fan who went to the fancam [fan-recorded video] is doing a live internet broadcast. The guy who took Kang Se-ah out is being interviewed by entertainment reporters right now. Click the link.

– Is it real? Kang Se-ah and the guy who took her out are being interviewed right now.

Cho Kyu-min clicked the link with trembling hands.

It seemed to connect to an internet broadcasting site, but soon a black screen appeared and it started buffering.

“…St, stop.”

The things that had already happened were too much to handle.

Those crazy bastards, pointing a camera at Kang Jin-ho! Don’t do any interviews!

But contrary to Cho Kyu-min’s expectations, the screen that finished buffering showed Kang Jin-ho and Kang Se-ah surrounded by reporters.

“No! Why are there so many reporters at a music broadcast!”

Come to think of it, it was strange that reporters wouldn’t flock to a broadcast where a top idol with a dating scandal was appearing, but Cho Kyu-min was not in a state to make such a judgment.

The voices of the reporters surrounding Kang Jin-ho could be heard clearly.

[What is your relationship with Kang Se-ah?]

[I’m her brother.]

Kang Jin-ho was very confident.

According to Cho Kyu-min, an expert on Kang Jin-ho, his expression seemed to say, ‘Why are these annoying things sticking to me? But if you ask, I’ll answer.’

[If you’re her brother, are you in a romantic relationship?]

[I’m her real brother.]

[Ah….]

A sigh of disappointment escaped from the reporters who had been expecting a romance of the century.

[Why did you take Kang Se-ah out during the broadcast?]

Kang Jin-ho twitched his eyebrows and answered.

[She’s still wet behind the ears and already causing dating scandals, so I’m taking her to check it out.]

[So, you, as her family, don’t know if Kang Se-ah’s dating scandal is true. What will you do if it’s true?]

[She’ll have to retire.]

[Pardon?]

The reporter who asked the question was even more flustered and shouted.

Retire!

Who retires just because of a dating scandal!

But Kang Jin-ho, with a resolute face, answered as if he was stating a very obvious fact.

[I let her become a celebrity because she wanted to so badly, even though she should be studying. If she’s not doing her job as a celebrity and is dating, then she should study. If the dating scandal is true, she’ll retire.]

The reporters, sensing the sincerity in his voice, looked at Kang Eun-young.

[K, Kang Se-ah, your family is saying that, would you really retire if they told you to?]

[I didn’t do anything like that? It’s really not true!]

[If! If! It’s unlikely, but if we assume that’s the case?]

[…If they tell me to, I have to.]

It wasn’t the kind of wording that an idol would say, but the reporters were too out of it to discuss the appropriateness of the wording.

[Are your statements really true?]

Kang Jin-ho narrowed his brow.

[I don’t know what you want…]

[….]

[This is a matter for our family. If the family makes a decision, the family has to follow it. We’ll discuss it within the family and make a decision. But since she’s still a student, if she’s been doing things that are not appropriate for a student, she will definitely retire. Now, if you’ll excuse us.]

Cho Kyu-min swiped the screen to the side and opened a portal site.

Seeing ‘Manly Man’ at the top of the real-time search rankings, Cho Kyu-min burst into laughter.