Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All
Chapter 548: Park Sang-Gyu (2)

Chapter 548: Park Sang-Gyu (2)

Go Dong-Hyuk used to be the director of Once-in-a-Lifetime, the theater troupe Park Sang-Gyu was a part of.

Now that the troupe had collapsed, he worked as an agent. But 'agent' was far too generous a word, as he was a predatory broker who helped actors sign with entertainment companies and took 50% of their signing bonus.

His targets were usually skilled actors in Daehak-ro who were barely scraping by. Even when they knew it was an unfair deal, they often signed out of desperation because they were struggling to pay rent and running out of instant noodles.

A graduate of the Seoul National University of the Arts, Go Dong-Hyuk had strong connections with broadcasters and entertainment companies. And now, he had set his sights on Park Sang-Gyu, the very person I was trying to scout.

To stop him, I exposed who he really was.

Infuriated, Go Dong-Hyuk shot to his feet and yelled, "Who the hell are you? Who do you think you are, calling me a scammer, you punk?!"

He looked like he might actually throw a punch, but then he paused, recognizing me.

"Wait a second... Aren't you Chief Jung from Hoop Entertainment?"

I didn't respond to him. Instead, I walked straight toward Park Sang-Gyu. Startled and wary, Park Sang-Gyu looked confused by my sudden appearance and my accusation of fraud.

The moment I saw Park Sang-Gyu up close, my heart sank again. His once-clean-cut hair now reached his shoulders, his eyes were sunken, and his face had thinned to the point that his cheekbones jutted out sharply.

He had tried to take his wife on a honeymoon to bring her happiness, but after she became comatose in a car accident, he had punished himself out of guilt. The bright, handsome man everyone used to admire was now only a shadow of himself.

'Sang-Gyu hyung-nim...'

I wished I could have come sooner, but there was no way to reach him when he had shut out the world, meeting only doctors and nurses. Not even Jung Sang-Bong, who I had sent, was able to see him.

And honestly, I had my hands full dealing with the messes in front of me. All I could do was quietly send financial support through Jung Sang-Bong and keep an eye on the situation.

Thankfully, just a few days ago, Sang-Gyu had finally started to regain his senses and said he wanted to return to acting. That was why I had come today.

But in the meantime, Go Dong-Hyuk had wormed his way in and was pulling his usual stunt. Still, for someone like me, a leech like Go Dong-Hyuk wasn't much of a threat.

After realizing who I was, Go Dong-Hyuk took a defensive tone. "Chief Jung, what makes you say this is a scam, huh?!"

I stepped forward. "Then how about we go over this contract, line by line, right here in front of Mr. Sang-Gyu?"

Panicking, Go Dong-Hyuk quickly closed the contract. "Why should I do that?"

Clutching the contract to his chest, he turned to Park Sang-Gyu.

"Sang-Gyu, you trust me, right?"

After a moment's hesitation, Park Sang-Gyu slowly nodded.

Seeing that, Go Dong-Hyuk grew more confident and yelled, "See? He trusts me! And for the record, Sang-Gyu contacted me first! So stay out of it and go home!"

Two years ago, Park Sang-Gyu had signed with Ace Entertainment. With only six months left on his contract and no activity during that time, it would have automatically terminated if left alone. Nevertheless, because he needed to move his wife to another room, he was desperate to get a new contract and secure a role to earn some money. That desperation likely led him to reach out to Go Dong-Hyuk.

Now that I was here, there was no reason for him to fall prey to this parasite. Ignoring Go Dong-Hyuk entirely, I turned to Park Sang-Gyu.

I held out my business card and said to him, "I'm Jung Yoon-Ho from Hoop Entertainment. I'm sorry to interrupt, but signing directly with an entertainment company would benefit you more, Mr. Park."

However, Park Sang-Gyu didn't take the card I offered. He looked at me closely before speaking carefully. "Thank you for coming all the way here. But Ace said they had a role that suits me perfectly, so I was planning to renew my contract with them. And... I can review the terms and reject any unfair clauses. I appreciate your visit, but I'm sorry."

"A role, you say?"

Go Dong-Hyuk chimed in with a smirk. "That's right, Chief Jung. You know Queen Jeong-Hee, right? We got a role promised by CP Do Ye-Soo. So stop wasting your time and go home."

Given Go Dong-Hyuk's connections, it wasn't entirely impossible that a role had been offered. However, what really mattered was what kind of role it was.

I didn't respond to Go Dong-Hyuk. Instead, I turned to Park Sang-Gyu. "Did you confirm the role directly with CP?"

Park Sang-Gyu shook his head. "No... I mean, how could I possibly ask a CP directly?"

"Then did you check with your agency, Ace Entertainment?"

"No... I don't have a manager assigned at Ace Entertainment, so I couldn't."

Since he hadn't worked during the contract period, it made sense he wouldn't have a designated manager and calling would be difficult. Actually, that worked out even better. With Ace Entertainment about to split up and clearly not paying attention to Park Sang-Gyu, it would be much easier to nullify the contract and bring him over.

"I understand. Then let me make an offer. If you want a role, I'll give you one. If you need an upfront payment, we'll provide better terms than Ace Entertainment."

"Really...?"

"Yes. And one more thing—most of the key roles in Queen Jeong-Hee have already been cast. If you go with Mr. Go Dong-Hyuk, you'll be settling for a minor supporting role. Are you sure that's what you want?"

Queen Jeong-Hee had already revealed its major roles through previews. No real secondary roles remained, and even if one opened up, veteran actors would be first in line at a historical drama powerhouse like KBC.

For a theater-only actor like Park Sang-Gyu, landing a major supporting role there was nearly impossible.

Go Dong-Hyuk snapped. "Sang-Gyu, don't listen to him! I've already worked things out with the production team. Just trust me like you always have! I got you a major supporting role!"

I scoffed. "Then name it. What exactly is this major supporting role?"

"T-That's... confidential!"

Go Dong-Hyuk couldn't even name the role. That's when the expression on Park Sang-Gyu's face began to change. "Dong-Hyuk hyung-nim, how can a role be confidential? Just tell me what it is."

Go Dong-Hyuk couldn't answer. "Well, um... that is..."

Then Park Sang-Gyu sighed, reached out, and took my business card. "Mr. Jung."

"Yes?"

"If I sign with Hoop Entertainment... could I receive part of the contract fee in advance? I hate to ask, but I urgently need to transfer my wife to another hospital."

"Of course. That's the least we can do. We'll also handle things with your current agency smoothly. And though we could easily slot you into a supporting role, I'd actually like to recommend you for an audition with Director Na Tae-Yang, who's currently casting a lead."

Park Sang-Gyu's eyes widened. "Director Na Tae-Yang? The genius screenwriter?"

"Yes."

The project I offered Park Sang-Gyu was Doppelgänger, written and directed by Na Tae-Yang.

Since Park Sang-Gyu had spent his whole career in supporting roles, the word 'lead' made his eyes gleam even brighter. "Are you serious...? Not just a supporting role, but the lead?"

"Yes. Let's first cleanly wrap up your contract with Ace Entertainment, and then we'll go meet Mr. Na. The audition period is underway."

That's when the clearly desperate Go Dong-Hyuk played the history card. "Hey! Park Sang-Gyu! Have you forgotten everything I did for you when you had nothing?! You can't just turn your back like this! And you think Chief Jung's gonna cover your wife's hospital bills? Not a chance! But me? I've already taken care of it. I even sold your story to get it all paid, man!"

'What a joke. As if Ace Entertainment would actually cover those bills.'

He was obviously lying about Ace footing the hospital bills, especially since Kim Dong-Soo, who was about to take over, would never approve that.

So finally, I mentioned what I hadn't wanted to bring up—his wife's medical expenses. "Mr. Park, are you worried about the hospital debt?"

"Yes... even if I get a signing bonus from Hoop Entertainment, it might not be enough to cover it."

"Then just ask me for more."

"I... I couldn't. I'm just a no-name actor. How could I ask for that from a company?"

I looked at the man who had lost his confidence and spoke firmly. "The outstanding balance for today's medical bill is about 57.32 million won."

"H-How do you know that?"

"The hospital generously waived about half the amount, but quite a bit remains. Still, it's not a problem. I can offer a contract that more than covers the hospital debt and moving expenses. That's only proper for a lead actor."

At that moment, Park Sang-Gyu's eyes widened. It wasn't just about the money. Only one person besides his family could possibly know the details of that hospital bill, and that was his anonymous benefactor.

"Wait... could it be...?"

I could no longer hold back. I bowed my head to Park Sang-Gyu. "I helped you in secret because I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry. Sang-Gyu hyung-nim."

The word 'hyung-nim' slipped out before I could stop it. I hadn't meant to say it, but I remembered the way he had treated me like a younger brother before I returned to the past.

Even after joining Hoop Entertainment, Park Sang-Gyu had taken on countless supporting roles just to pay for his wife's hospital bills. The result was heavy image burnout and he was never given a chance at a leading role. However, he had never once complained and always looked out for me.

Those memories overwhelmed me, making it hard to compose myself. Seeing me shake like that, Park Sang-Gyu looked completely confused. He didn't understand why I was the benefactor helping with his wife's hospital fees, or why I called him hyung-nim.

"M-Mr. Jung... why did you pay my wife's medical bills? And why are you calling me hyung-nim?"

At that moment, I pulled out an old ticket from my wallet. It was the first thing Park Sang-Gyu ever gave me. The edges were worn and the printed image and text faded, but on it, I could still make out his signature and the message he had written.

"This... is a free ticket I received from you a long time ago, hyung-nim."

[Stay strong. Better days will come. – Park Sang-Gyu]

Park Sang-Gyu's eyes widened again, as the memory clearly hit him like a wave.

"Wait... you're not saying... the kid fixing the boiler at the theater eight years ago...?"

"Yes. That was me. After I finished the repair work in the theater boiler room, you gave me bread, milk, and this ticket. You said I should eat and then watch the play. I didn't even know what theater really meant back then. But watching one that day gave me strength. And that moonbread you gave me...it's still the best thing I've ever eaten."

Eight years ago, technically more than a decade before I returned to the past, was when we first met.

Back then, I had just left the orphanage and came to Seoul, working odd jobs. For a month, I worked as a boiler repair assistant. I didn't know anything about contracts, so I worked an entire month for only six hundred thousand won. I was starving, and Park Sang-Gyu, even with little of his own, gave me his dinner.

It was just one moonbread and a small carton of milk, but to me, it was a feast. And thanks to the ticket for Song of Hope, a play about a young man with nothing who finds success, I could gather strength and hope again.

At the time, Park Sang-Gyu only played small background roles like citizen 1 or young friend 2. However, to me, he was the lead.

Years later when I became a talent agent, I recruited him into Hoop Entertainment, determined to make him a star. I hadn't been able to accomplish that fully in the past, but in this life, I was going to make it happen. I was going to ensure that people would call him 'the man of a thousand faces' not just in theater, but in film and drama as well.

As he held the ticket, Park Sang-Gyu began to cry. "You remembered that moment and you've come this far... and now you're helping me like this..."

With trembling hands, Park Sang-Gyu reached out and gently grasped mine.

Then he said in a tearful voice, "Forgive me for being shameless, but I'll be in your care, Mr. Jung."

"Of course. Just trust me, hyung-nim."

With that, the last member of Faithful had joined.

'Finally... We are all together.'

Before my regression, in the final moments of my life, when everyone had turned their backs on me, seven people had stayed by my side. Now I have reunited with them all. A wave of fulfillment burst through me, and with it came a deep confidence like I could overcome any hardship.

At that moment, a jarring sound shattered the moment. One of the lounge chairs flipped backward and slammed into the floor.

Crash.

Go Dong-Hyuk had shot to his feet in a rage, breathing heavily. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me. And you, Sang-Gyu! Did you forget you still have six months left on your contract? If Ace Entertainment doesn't release you, you can't even audition during that time!"

Despite Go Dong-Hyuk's provocation, Park Sang-Gyu remained calm and respectful. "Hyung-nim, please... Just this once, understand my situation. I promise I'll repay the favor someday."

Go Dong-Hyuk scoffed and sneered at him. "You pathetic piece of trash. You've never made a decent decision in your life."

"...Pardon?"

"What, you don't get it? Even your wife's accident—that was your fault, wasn't it? If you hadn't insisted on that honeymoon trip, none of this would've happened. And now, you're gonna make another mistake just like back then..."

Before Go Dong-Hyuk could finish, something boiled up from deep inside me.

'How dare he bring up that accident?'

That incident was the very thing that Park Sang-Gyu had blamed himself for, torturing himself over for two whole years.

The moment I finally understood what it feels like to desperately want to kill someone, I heard a crashing sound.

Crash!

Park Sang-Gyu, eyes wild and bloodshot, shoved the lounge chair aside and lunged at Go Dong-Hyuk, grabbing him by the collar.

Grab.

"Say that again! Say it again, you bastard!"

Go Dong-Hyuk had touched a trauma that Park Sang-Gyu couldn't forgive, causing him to not think straight.

I rushed in and pulled Park Sang-Gyu off of Go Dong-Hyuk before he could do more. "Sang-Gyu hyung-nim! Please don't do this!"

Once free, Go Dong-Hyuk clutched his throat and gasped for air. "Keuk... You bastard... Y-You hit me? You're done now, you hear me?! Done!"

Park Sang-Gyu looked at me with betrayed eyes. He couldn't understand why I, the talent agent who had just promised to help him, would pull him back.

"Why... why... why...?"

I looked Park Sang-Gyu in the eyes and replied calmly, "Mr. Park... this kind of thing is the talent agent's job."

"...I'm sorry?"

Without another word, I pulled out my phone and called Jung Sang-Bong downstairs.

"Sang-Bong, I'm in the fourth-floor lounge. I'm about to make a scene. Come up and make sure the nurses don't come in for a bit."

-H-Hyung-nim? W-What's wrong with your voice? Hold on! I'm coming up right now!

Jung Sang-Bong must've sensed the fury in my voice. I could already hear him running up the stairs.

But I wasn't waiting. And I sure as hell wasn't forgiving.

"Please wait here, Mr. Park Sang-Gyu."

I stepped past him, slowly turning my body. Then I clenched my fist before I charged straight at Go Dong-Hyuk.

'Go Dong-Hyuk. You're dead today.'