Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

Chapter 316: Kang Ha-Na VS Eve One (3)

As the two stepped onto the stage, Kang Ha-Na's fan club, "ONE & Only," began waving their merch in the audience seats.

After greeting her fans, Kang Ha-Na strapped on the acoustic guitar that was resting on a chair prepared on stage. Kim Jong-Hoon took his place at the grand piano that had been set up earlier.

And then it happened.

When the audience realized Kim Jong-Hoon was the piano session musician E.O.D for 'New Beginning,' cheers erupted.

"Kim Jong-Hoon is doing the piano accompaniment?"

"This is amazing!"

"Wooo! Oppa, congrats on your comeback!"

The cheers from Kim Jong-Hoon's fans grew louder, prompting Kang Ha-Na's fan club "ONE & Only" to respond with their own chants.

"We love you, Kang Ha-Na!"

"Vocal Goddess, Kang Ha-Na!"

The voices of the two fan groups filled the public hall, overwhelming Kang Ha-Na and Kim Jong-Hoon with emotions as they waved back in gratitude.

A moment later, the lights gradually dimmed in preparation for the song.

The audience collectively hushed, and spotlights shone on Kang Ha-Na and Kim Jong-Hoon.

Sitting at the piano, Kim Jong-Hoon took a short breath and began the accompaniment for 'New Beginning.'

The clear sound of the piano echoed through the hall like shattering glass. Kang Ha-Na's acoustic guitar then joined in, gently layering over the piano accompaniment.

The two instruments created a beautiful harmony and Kang Ha-Na's sweet voice added the final touch.

『People say~?』

With that, 'New Beginning' debuted on the music show.

Simultaneously, a quiet thrill swept through the audience.

Kang Ha-Na, who had longed so desperately for her debut as a singer, and Kim Jong-Hoon, who had braved near-death experiences, were finally making a fresh start.

Another heartwarming moment was unfolding before my eyes.

Do Ran-Hee and Eun Ji-Yoo who were beside me clasped their hands tightly, softly chanting words of encouragement.

"Ha-Na, you got this!"

"Ha-Na, stay strong!"

As if responding to their heartfelt wishes, Kang Ha-Na showcased her skills to the fullest.

Watching her perform, I also silently cheered with the same hope and support—for the bright future ahead where Kang Ha-Na would rise to the top tier of singers.

'Ha-Na, you've done well,' I remarked inwardly.

***

As 'New Beginning' concluded, loud cheers erupted from the audience. Kang Ha-Na's fan club "ONE & Only" stood up and waved their banners enthusiastically.

"Whoo! Kang Ha-Na, you're the best!"

"Jong-Hoon oppa! The piano was incredible!"

"Ha-Na noona! Marry me!"

There was a strange shout mixed in, but there was no time to dwell on it.

"Come down quickly, hurry!" I said.

Kang Ha-Na and Kim Jong-Hoon hurried off the stage.

Next up was their performance of 'Soulfire.'

While the traditional Korean orchestra moved Kang Ha-Na and Kim Jong-Hoon's instruments, we sprinted back to the dressing room to change outfits.

With just seven minutes left until the next performance, there was no time to properly celebrate the success of the previous performance.

"Move! Everyone, out of the way! No greetings for now!" shouted Choi In-Seok, sprinting ahead of us to clear the path.

Startled idols stopped their greetings and pressed against the walls, making the once-crowded hallway part like the Red Sea.

We followed in a single file behind Choi In-Seok, and as soon as we reached the waiting room, Kang Ha-Na and Kim Jong-Hoon began changing clothes.

"Hurry, hurry!"

"Okay!"

"We got it."

After numerous practice runs of quick outfit changes, it took Kang Ha-Na and Kim Jong-Hoon less than four minutes to change into their new attire.

Lee Mi-Ri checked their outfits one last time and gave the final OK. "You're good!"

"Then let's go, quickly!" Choi In-Seok urged.

We lined up again and followed Choi In-Seok back toward the stage.

"Huff, huff, huff!"

We reached the stage entrance with one minute to spare. I quickly asked Choi In-Seok for an extra two minutes to allow the two to catch their breath. After all, Kang Ha-Na and Kim Jong-Hoon had sweat beading on their foreheads from the sprint.

"Mr. Choi, please just give us two more minutes!"

Without waiting for a reply, I gave instructions to Yang So-Ri. "Check the makeup, Ms. Yang."

"Yes, Mr. Jung!"

"Everyone else, use the fans in the meantime."

Lee Mi-Ri, Eun Ji-Yoo, Do Ran-Hee, and I all whipped out handheld fans, desperately trying to dry the sweat from Kang Ha-Na and Kim Jong-Hoon.

We did everything we could in the short time available to ensure they were in the best possible condition before stepping on stage.

Meanwhile, Choi In-Seok was also buying time by pleading with the PD over the intercom. "Sir, just two more minutes, please! If we rush them up there now, they won't be able to perform live!"

Soon, a look of relief washed over Choi In-Seok's face as the PD finally agreed. "Yes, sir! Thank you! Starting in three minutes? Got it!"

With the extra time, we fanned even harder with even Yang So-Ri blowing air from her mouth to help dry them off.

After doing everything I could as a talent agent, I called out confidently, "We're ready, Mr. Choi!"

With just ten seconds left on the clock, the nervous Choi In-Seok hurriedly gave the signal through the wireless intercom. "Yes, sir! We're ready! Yes, they're going up now!"

Choi In-Seok nodded rapidly and gestured toward the stage.

At that moment, the crew turned on the dry ice machines.

Buzz.

A faint whirring noise filled the air as a layer of mist slowly covered the stage. At the same time, the MC's voice boomed throughout the hall. "And now, we present another first place contender! 'Soulfire!' The song that brought Mr. Kim Jong-Hoon back from his hiatus! Let's hear it now!"

As the MC announced their performance in a loud voice, Kang Ha-Na and Kim Jong-Hoon bumped fists.

"Ha-Na, let's nail this."

"Of course, we will. Yoon-Ho oppa has done so much for us."

The two looked back at me with determination in their eyes.

"Yoon-Ho, we'll bring back another first place with this song too!"

"If we win first place, the trophy's all yours!"

Their confidence in also claiming the first place for 'Soulfire' might have sounded unfounded, but it was exactly what I had hoped to hear.

I smiled and raised my fist in support. "Go and give it your all!"

With smiles on their faces, they finally stepped up onto the stage.

"Oh my gosh! It's Kim Jong-Hoon!"

"Oppa, you look amazing!"

"Ha-Na unnie, you look so beautiful like a fairy!"

Cheers erupted from the audience as the vibrant red lights hit the stage. Then the enthusiastic cheers gradually quieted as the performance was about to start.

As the stage was set for 'Soulfire,' Kang Ho-Yeon, the conductor of the Seoul Korean Traditional Orchestra, gave the cue. "Hey!"

Kang Ho-Yeon's loud shout echoed through the hall followed by the deep and resounding beats of the large traditional drum.

Boom, boom.

The powerful and majestic sounds of daego reverberated as Kang Ha-Na and Kim Jong-Hoon began to sing 'Soulfire' with their voices blending beautifully.

An enchanting display of East Asian fantasy was unfolding on the stage.

***

[MBS Show! Music Center Joint First Place! 'New Beginning' and 'Soulfire'!]

[Million-subscriber MeTuber Kang Ha-Na. Once again, making her presence known with 'New Beginning'!]

['Soulfire.' Overwhelming live performance! A fantastic collaboration with the Korean traditional orchestra!]

['Soulfire,' an amazing stage production reminiscent of a concert stage!]

[Eve One's 'FLORIA'. Unfortunately, Third Place!]

After the stage was wrapped up, I couldn't stop smiling at the entertainment articles popping up.

'Soulfire' managed to tie for first place with 'New Beginning' in the live voting due to the impact of its live performance, despite the decline in streaming rankings.

Eve One's 'FLORIA' also put up a good fight, but the score difference with the other two songs was overwhelming.

After having dinner with the Seoul Orchestra team, we took the car back to the company and the entire journey was filled with cheers.

"This is amazing, Ha-Na!"

"Two songs from the first album tied for first place? Has this ever happened before? This is definitely one for the books."

"I knew Ha-Na would do this well!"

"Ha-Na, can we get first place tomorrow too?"

"Of course, it's going to be first place again. Right?"

After calming down the excited talent agents, I told everyone to take a look at the first-place trophy I got from Kang Ha-Na. "Come on, everyone. Take a look at the first-place trophy!"

"Wow~ So this is what the first-place trophy looks like!"

"Hey, let's take a photo! I need a photo!"

Everyone took turns holding the trophy and taking pictures as we happily arrived at the company.

As soon as I headed toward the lobby after letting Do Ran-Hee handle the parking, applause erupted from everywhere.

Some talent agents even handed out small gifts.

"Kang Ha-Na, I really enjoyed your performance!"

"Great job! Here's a little congratulatory gift for successfully finishing your first music show!"

Moved by the warm reception, Kang Ha-Na teared up and bowed her head. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Talent agents passing by gave thumbs-ups and Kang Ha-Na had to stay in the lobby for a while, accepting and reciprocating the congratulations.

On the other hand, some talent agents started whispering enviously in one corner.

"I'm telling you, Team Lead Jung is no ordinary person."

"From Cherry Blossom to now Kang Ha-Na. Everything he touches turns to first place."

"That guy. They do say his nickname is Fortuneteller. Does he really have some kind of prophetic dream or something?"

Honestly, it stung a little. It was true that I already knew the future. Nevertheless, even after knowing who would succeed, I had never once failed to do my best for my celebrities. After all, I wanted to make sure they found happiness in their lives as soon as possible.

So I held my head high, unbothered by the jealous remarks directed at me.

Knowing the future didn't guarantee success anyway.

***

In the meeting room of Team Jung, team members began reviewing today's music show events and preparing for tomorrow.

We had to perform four stages in total at SBC and KBC tomorrow.

"Ms. Eun, we would not have made it on time if not for Mr. Choi's help in leading the way today. Make sure to request staff assistance for tomorrow as well," I reminded Eun Ji-Yoo.

"Yes, Mr. Jung!"

"Mrs. Lee, make sure they wear their hanbok undergarments in advance tomorrow. It will help save some time."

"I'll take care of it."

From dressing room logistics to outfits, we reviewed everything that happened today and thought of ways to save even a few extra seconds. The harder the talent agents worked, the easier it was for the celebrities.

"Alright. Ran-Hee, you head to SBC first tomorrow, and Ms. Eun, go to KBC first to check things."

"Got it!"

Everyone's faces still showed no sign of exhaustion, probably because they were so happy with today's success.

"Is there anything else to add, Mr. Jung?"

At Eun Ji-Yoo's words, I stood up and said, "It's true that Ha-Na did a great job, but it wouldn't have been possible to achieve a smooth performance if not for all of you. Thank you so much."

I bowed my head to the team members, expressing my sincere gratitude for following through with the impossible schedules all this time.

My gesture surprised the team and they quickly stood up from their seats.

"Oh, no, Mr. Jung!"

"W-we didn't really do anything. We just did what you told us to..."

Kang Ha-Na also joined in and expressed her gratitude. "No, really. Thank you so much, Ms. Eun, Ran-Hee, Mrs. Lee, and Ms. Yang too. Without all of you... I don't think I would've been able to get first place today."

Moved by Kang Ha-Na's confession, the team members started shedding tears of joy.

Just then, a phone call suddenly came in.

[Caller ID: PD Oh Bok-Hee]

'Why is PD Oh calling at this hour?' I wondered.

Hwaranjeon was still in the process of scriptwriting by Han Woo-Ju with assistance from writers Lee Ji-Yeon and Kim Soll-Ip, while Oh Bok-Hee was assembling her staff at MBS.

"Let's keep our volumes down for a moment," I told everyone.

The noisy atmosphere quickly quieted down.

Wondering if there was an issue, I hurriedly answered the call. However, Oh Bok-Hee made a completely unexpected proposal.

-Mr. Jung! Let's use that song as an original soundtrack!

"I'm sorry?"

-You know, the one performed today! 'Soulfire.' Let's use it for the Hwaranjeon's original soundtrack! I'll pay a hefty price for it!

'Soulfire' was the original soundtrack for Gwanghae's Day, which had won a film festival award in my past life. It was a song that conveyed the intense struggle and effort of the main character to seize power with a grand atmosphere.

However, Oh Bok-Hee wanted to use it for Hwaranjeon.

Since it was a collaborative work composed by Kang Ha-Na, arranged by Bang Seon-Woo, and with lyrics by our team's exclusive lyricist, Jang Ye-Bin, I couldn't decide on my own.

"You said you would pay generously for the song, right?"

-Of course! I'm practically living off squeezing money out of our president these days. And don't even think of calling less than 20 million won!

Some drama PDs didn't pay for original soundtracks, arguing that just having the song featured in the drama was a tremendous publicity opportunity.

As such, some singers and composers gave their songs for free hoping that it would help publicize their songs. If the song became popular, they could earn royalties from copyrights anyway.

However, Oh Bok-Hee was not only offering to pay for the song but was offering more payment as well. This made it hard for me to refuse.

"I'll get back to you within ten minutes."

-Set the price and contact me!

"Yes, ma'am!"

An unexpected income opportunity arose right after the music show ended. When I relayed the news from Oh Bok-Hee, the meeting room erupted in excitement.

"Really?"

"This is huge!"

The good news didn't stop there. As if on cue, Do Ran-Hee and Eun Ji-Yoo's phones started ringing incessantly.

It was for advertising proposals.

"Oh, yes, Mr. Choi. A new Han-Gwa product is coming out? You're offering 100 million won?"

"Yes, Mr. Park. 70 million won?"

Finally, advertisements were flooding in for Kang Ha-Na too.

Then, my phone rang again. Thinking it was a call from an advertiser or agency, I answered enthusiastically.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the call I had anticipated.

-Is this Mr. Jung Yoon-Ho?

"Yes, how can I help you?"

"This is Seo Jae-Ill, a prosecutor from the Central District Prosecutor's Office. I'd like to meet you regarding Mr. Kang Eun-Gi. Do you have time right now?

The low and serious voice belonged to Prosecutor Seo Jae-Ill from the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office who was handling Kang Eun-Gi's case.

At that moment, my heart began to race. It was certain that this was about saving Kang Eun-Gi.

I was about to say I was busy, but his next words left me speechless.

-Please spare a moment. I'm at Cafe Goindol right in front of your company.

This was bound to happen sooner or later.

Taking a deep breath, I replied, "I'll be there right away."