Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 828: Change In Contract (2)

When Kim Hyun-Ji stepped into the recording booth first, Lee Mal-Soon waved to us before following her in.

Then, Kang Ha-Na took a deep breath and headed for the booth. "Mr. Jung, I'm going in too."

"Ah, thanks."

Click.

Once Kang Ha-Na entered the booth, the student council members turned to me in surprise. "Mr. Jung?"

I gave them a wide grin. One of my plans to make the Daeseong University festival legendary was to have Kim Hyun-Ji's daughter, Kang Ha-Na, join her on stage.

"Oh, I forgot to mention. Ms. Kang Ha-Na will also be appearing on stage to feature in Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ji's debut performance."

While most features would be done via backing tracks, Lee Mal-Soon planned to join Kim Hyun-Ji in person for the performance. It was a way to fully support Kim Hyun-Ji, whom we were reuniting with after decades.

On top of that, Kang Ha-Na also asked if she could stand on stage with her mother for the debut. Since it was impossible to choose between Lee Mal-Soon and Kang Ha-Na, I rearranged the schedule to accommodate a trio instead of a duet for the time being.

So after her debut, Kim Hyun-Ji would perform with both of them for anywhere from two weeks to a month.

When word got out that not one but two superstar guests would join her, Student Council President Lee Seo-Hae's jaw dropped. "Ms. Kang Ha-Na too?"

"Yes. She's not an officially invited singer, so we can't say for sure that she'll perform. But if the atmosphere on site is explosive... even if we tried to stop her, she'd get on stage anyway."

Lee Seo-Hae clenched her fist with determination. "I'll take full responsibility for gathering the crowd that day! I'll even come up with cheer chants!"

"Haha. Good. But there's one condition you must promise to keep."

"What is it?"

"You must keep the joint appearance of Mrs. Lee Mal-Soon and Ms. Kang Ha-Na a secret until the day of the event. If the secret is broken, even if the crowd demands an encore, neither Ms. Lee Mal-Soon nor Ms. Kang Ha-Na will perform again that day. That's the condition of their 5 million won contract."

To make Kim Hyun-Ji's debut truly shocking, no leaks could be allowed.

Once I made that clear, Lee Seo-Hae responded firmly. "Understood. Then... At least let us advertise that there will be a special guest. If we say we spent 5 million won and all we got was an unknown trot singer... It'll be hard for us too. This way, we can stir up some curiosity."

"Sure, that's fine."

"Yay! Then we'll keep our mouths shut from now on." Lee Seo-Hae pumped her fist again, giddy like a child. "Ah, I'm sorry. I just got a little too excited..."

"Now, does this make up for not securing Berry Six?" I asked with a smile.

Lee Seo-Hae played along with a wink. "Berry Six? What's that? Something you eat? Ice cream? Yogurt? I have no idea what you're talking about."

Seeing her play coy so smoothly, I figured I didn't need to worry anymore. "Hahaha. Got it. Then let's hear how good our invited singer really is. You won't be disappointed."

Just then, Bang Seon-Woo turned to me, likely done with setup. "Hyung. Should we start?"

"Hold on. Wait until Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ji gives the signal."

Inside the booth, Kim Hyun-Ji was standing before the mic and steadying her breath, so I told him to wait a moment.

'You can do it, Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ji.'

Once a copy singer of the immensely popular trot star Kim Hyun-Ja before she married, she was an unknown with great potential who had longed to release an album of her own. Now, she was finally about to sing a song written just for her.

Perhaps overwhelmed with emotion, she stood with her eyes closed for quite a while. Knowing how she must feel, both Lee Mal-Soon and Kang Ha-Na held their breath and waited in silence so she could settle her emotions.

But strangely, her husband Kang Jin-Seok, whom I had specially hired as her talent agent, had been nowhere to be seen for some time.

'Where did Mr. Kang Jin-Seok go?'

It was a crucial moment with his wife standing before a mic for the first time in decades, and I wondered where he had disappeared to.

Just then, the door to Recording Room 4 burst open and in came Kang Jin-Seok.

Bang!

At fifty-nine, his lean frame was drenched in sweat as he gasped, "Huff, huff... Mr. Jung... Has the song... started yet?"

I shook my head. "No, not yet."

"Then, Mr. Jung... would it be okay to pass this to Hyun-Ji?"

Kang Jin-Seok held up a bottle of liquid Woohwang Cheongsimwon[1].

"Did you go out to get that?" I asked.

"Yes. It's what Hyun-Ji used to take before going on stage. It's an old brand, so it was hard to find. I'll make sure I'm never late again."

Apparently, they had one at home but she was so nervous last night that she ended up taking the last one. So he had called a pharmacy near the company to ask if they had stock and requested they set one aside. But when he got there, a part-time pharmacist had sold it by mistake, so he scoured all of Apgujeong to find it.

"From now on, stock up by the box and submit the receipt. If it helps the artist's condition, you shouldn't hold back on anything."

Most companies barked at their talent agents to handle receipts properly. It was less about documentation and more of a threat not to spend recklessly. Some even rejected receipts if more than two bottles of Woohwang Cheongsimwon were bought at once.

Perhaps out of habit, Kang Jin-Seok only bought what was necessary. However, most of those expenses were approved at Hoop Entertainment. After all, it was more profitable to keep the artist in top form and book another gig than to save a few bucks.

Realizing that Hoop Entertainment was different from the agencies he had worked with in the past, Kang Jin-Seok nodded, looking somewhat relieved. "Thank you."

At that moment, Kim Hyun-Ji's eyes flew open. Kang Jin-Seok raised the bottle toward the recording booth. Her stiff expression melted into a smile as she opened the booth door and stepped out.

"You went to get this?" Kim Hyun-Ji asked.

"Of course. My singer's standing before the mic. How could I not?"

Kang Jin-Seok's playful tone made Kim Hyun-Ji smile warmly.

"Aw, honey..."

Holding the Woohwang Cheongsimwon between them, the two looked at each other with tender eyes. It was just like those days long ago, when they met as a singer and a talent agent, cheering each other on.

Moments later, after drinking the Woohwang Cheongsimwon and resetting her mind, Kim Hyun-Ji gave Bang Seon-Woo an OK sign with her fingers.

-Sorry for the fuss. I'm fully ready now.

"No problem at all, Mrs. Kim. Shall we begin?"

-Yes.

Kim Hyun-Ji's eyes sparkled as she took a deep breath and stepped up to the mic. At that moment, Bang Seon-Woo played the instrumental for 'Youth, Once Again!'

And instantly, Kim Hyun-Ji's voice, sealed away for decades, burst powerfully from the studio speakers.

***

『Life's just once~

No regrets to be had.

What is youth anyway?

It's all in the mind...』

Kim Hyun-Ji's voice was as clear as pristine mountain spring water, and her tone carried an electrifying charm that made hearts race. She used techniques like vibrato and pitch bends with remarkable finesse, all while preserving the upbeat rhythm. Thanks to that, the trendy trot track 'Youth, Once Again!' came alive with renewed energy.

However, the most astonishing part was her vocal power. Despite having a slim frame like Kang Ha-Na, Kim Hyun-Ji's projection rivaled even Lee Mal-Soon's. The studio speakers roared with a volume that felt almost explosive.

'This is no joke.'

Lee Mal-Soon had praised her talent, but honestly, I hadn't expected this much. At that moment, the two songwriters who created the track were just as stunned as I was, blurting out in awe.

-Wow~ She's incredible. I've got goosebumps all over.

-Seriously. I was a bit worried since she was a copy singer, but not just anyone can imitate like this.

As Yoon Sae-Yeon, one of the composers, had said, copying Kim Hyun-Ja— the top-class trot singer of her time—wasn't something just anyone could do without serious skill.

And that was why I felt regretful in a way. If it had been me, I would have launched her not as a copy singer but as the princess of trot from the very beginning.

Still, I was here now. So just like the lyrics of 'Youth, Once Again!,' I was going to make her a star again, starting now.

『Life is a party.

You're the lead.

It's not too late.

So let's enjoy it now.

A second life.

Youth, once again!』

As the song progressed, Kim Hyun-Ji grew more immersed, syncing beautifully with the featured singers. Lee Mal-Soon and Kang Ha-Na exchanged glances, pointing to each other as they sang back and forth.

And then, as the final verse came in, Kim Hyun-Ji belted out ‘Youth, once more!' while all three of them raised their hands high into the air. With that powerful motion, it felt like Kim Hyun-Ji was reclaiming the youth she had lost.

Click.

The instrumental faded out and Kim Hyun-Ji's song came to an end.

Inside the booth, Kim Hyun-Ji's eyes turned toward her husband Kang Jin-Seok as she breathed heavily.

At that moment, Kang Jin-Seok immediately responded with a big thumbs-up. "Kim Hyun-Ji! You got this!!"

Only then did Kim Hyun-Ji relax and beam with a radiant smile. The look on their faces was so touching that I couldn't help but think that maybe it wasn't such a bad thing for a celebrity and their talent agent to become a couple—even though I had lived such a desolate life with Ju Yung-In before my regression.

'Well, Ju Yung-In has changed, too... No, wait. What am I even thinking?'

I shook my head quickly.

My task now wasn't to think about relationships, but to turn everyone in Devoted who believed in me into top stars and to protect Hoop Entertainment.

Just then, a familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Hyung?"

Bang Seon-Woo was staring at me.

"Huh? What?"

"So? What did you think of Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ji's song?"

Looking around, I saw that everyone was watching me.

Composers Han Hye-Jung and Yoon Sae-Yeon, the Daeseong University student council members, Kang Jin-Seok, Lee Mal-Soon, Kang Ha-Na inside the booth, and even Kim Hyun-Ji herself—every single one of them was waiting for me to say something, hoping for a word of judgment.

I raised my arm and drew a big circle over my head. "Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ji, you were amazing!"

The moment I said that, the entire studio erupted in applause. Inside the booth, Kim Hyun-Ji, Lee Mal-Soon, and Kang Ha-Na joined hands and bowed their heads together like they were giving a stage greeting.

And at that very moment, the youth that had once withered before it could bloom was beginning again for trot singer Kim Hyun-Ji.

***

Everyone except Bang Seon-Woo and the composers came upstairs to the meeting room on the fourth floor for the contract. After the Daeseong University student council members signed the agreement, they left beaming.

Over a brief cup of tea, Lee Mal-Soon began to prepare to head out, busy as she was with events.

"Hyun-Ji unnie. I've got a gig in the countryside, so let's resync the song in about three days."

"Got it. And drive safely."

"Sure."

Then Lee Mal-Soon turned to me as if something just came to mind. "By the way, Chief Jung. What are you planning to do about unnie's schedule from now on?"

I knew exactly why Lee Mal-Soon was asking. For trot singers, the real income often came from night gigs at so-called nightclub stages—and it was those very stages that had left Kim Hyun-Ji deeply scarred. However, I had never planned to put Kim Hyun-Ji on nightclub stages in the first place.

So I answered Lee Mal-Soon with a smile. "You don't have to worry. There won't be any nightclub events."

Neither Kim Hyun-Ji nor Kang Jin-Seok had ever explicitly said they wouldn't do nightclub gigs when deciding to return to showbiz. Still, I didn't want to reopen the wounds of the people who had trusted me and come back to this industry.

"Good call. If unnie comes around with me, she'll blow up in no time. Even without nightclubs, her appearance fees will rise."

Kim Hyun-Ji gently placed her hand over Lee Mal-Soon's. "Mal-Soon. Like I said before, you're one of Hoop Entertainment's core singers. You'll come with me only through the end of May. After that, you've got your own schedule. That way, you make money and so does the company. And it's okay if I do nightclubs. They say clubs these days aren't like they used to be, right?"

As Kim Hyun-Ji spoke calmly and tried to reason with her, Lee Mal-Soon was left speechless. "But unnie..."

"It's fine. I'm okay with it now, so don't worry. I have a solid husband, my Ha-Na, and most of all, I've got Mr. Jung."

Lee Mal-Soon let out a sigh. "With Chief Jung's skills, I know I can entrust you. But still..."

That's when I drew the line once more. "No. Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ji will not perform in nightclubs. I can make her a star without them."

"Pardon?"

While Kim Hyun-Ji looked flustered, Lee Mal-Soon asked again. "Chief Jung. If you don't send her to nightclubs, how are you going to make her a star? She'll surely get buzz at first thanks to me and Ha-Na, but after that?"

Trot was a tough genre—it was hard to get on music shows, hard to chart high and win attention. Even making a flashy promo video often just invited mockery. Nevertheless, I had another way.

"First, we'll build her name with this university festival. Then, the same week, we'll air a broadcast."

"A broadcast? Not another festival?"

"No. We'll see a response in as little as a week. Then, you and Ha-Na will appear on Talk Show! Entertainment World on MBS. That's when we reveal your connection and that she's Ha-Na's mother. It'll blow up nationally."

Talk Show! Entertainment World was a popular variety show, written by lead writer Wang Mi-In. I was also managing two guest MCs that week—actors Jang Jun-Hyuk and Choi Ji-Yung. The show specialized in covering trending topics.

A smile crept across Lee Mal-Soon's face. "Getting on a variety show does raise your value. But will that be enough?"

"Of course not. We'll also get 'Youth, Once Again!' into the KBC 1TV weekday drama as a soundtrack."

"You mean the weekend drama?"

"Yes."

The daily drama A Second Life, airing from late May on KBC 1TV, followed three women who nearly died in an accident and decided to take on new lives with renewed purpose. It would soon hold auditions for its female lead, Jang So-Yeon's debut role, and I was planning to push 'Youth, Once Again!' into that drama as its featured song.

In my previous life, A Second Life averaged 20% viewership ratings. If we secured a soundtrack slot, her song would be heard across the nation every day.

Only then did Lee Mal-Soon's face light up. "Aha~ As expected of Chief Jung! I was worrying for no reason. Hahaha!"

Lee Mal-Soon laughed heartily, then poked Team Lead Yang Hong-Seok in the ribs.

"Ouch! Mrs. Lee, why poke me?"

"Hey, Team Lead Yang. Can't you come up with ideas as sharp as Chief Jung's?"

Yang Hong-Seok puffed out his stomach with a sullen look. "Ugh, there we go again. Always comparing me to the golden boy. I can't plan like that. Just let me be. Go ahead, tear open my belly."

Lee Mal-Soon looked like she might claw him across the gut. "My goodness~ and this is who I call my talent agent that I take around everywhere."

"Of course you should take me around everywhere! You can't drive, you can't transfer funds without help—"

"Hey! That's enough! I surrender!"

Despite the bickering, the two were close. They looked more like aunt and nephew than artist and talent agent. They truly cared for each other—As long as she wasn't comparing him to me, that is.

Sure enough, Yang Hong-Seok shot me a sour look. "Chief Jung. Aren't you supposed to be on the actor's side? Why do you keep poking into the singer's side? Let me breathe a little, will you? From now on, stay out of our lane—"

Smack!

"Ack... Mrs. Lee..."

At that moment, Lee Mal-Soon smacked Yang Hong-Seok square on the back and he writhed like a salted snail.

"What did you just say to Chief Jung? Team Lead Yang, you should be working on improving yourself! Don't you know how rude that was to a higher-up?"

Still writhing, Yang Hong-Seok glared at me. "You... because of you... I get scolded like this every day! What're you gonna do about it, huh? Take responsibility!"

I scratched my head and replied. "I'll buy you a premium Hanwoo soon."

That's when Yang Hong-Seok straightened up, hands rubbing together with a sly smile. "Mr. Jung, when should we schedule that?"

Rapid recovery was a true talent agent's virtue, but I hadn't expected him to use it this way. Laughter rang through the meeting room.

"Alright, alright, we'll be off now."

Lee Mal-Soon said she had to head to her next festival and turned to leave the room.

Just then, the door flung open and the pale-faced Chief Gu Seong-Cheol rushed in.

Bang!

"Yoon-Ho! There's a problem! Get to the executive meeting room, fast!"

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Ugh, don't even ask. Chief Yoon from Singer Division 4 is raising hell saying you need to be disciplined!"

'Disciplined?'

That made no sense. Student President Choi Tae-Jong, whom I had just seen off, would never file a complaint. I figured something else must have happened.

However, it didn't matter. Next Monday, I would secure 15% of the company's shares. That meant no one at Hoop Entertainment would have the power to fire me anymore.

'And now some mid-tier chief wants to discipline me?'

The absurdity made me chuckle.

'Our dear Mr. Yoon... He doesn't realize how much the world has changed, does he?'

It seemed like it was time I gave Yoon Dong-Gu a proper wake-up call.

1. Woohwang Cheongsimwon is a famous, centuries-old Korean herbal pill used for calming the mind, relieving stress, and improving focus. It is also available in liquid form. ☜