Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

At 6:30 p.m., I parked the car in the emergency room parking lot at Jinju Gyeongsang National University Hospital and headed to the ER with Go Jae-Soo.

Although Go Jae-Soo's parents lived in Sancheong County in Gyeongnam, there was only a health center nearby, so they had no choice but to bring them here.

The moment I entered the emergency room, I saw Go Jae-Soo's father sitting on bed number three, pleading to be discharged.

"Doctor, a little rest at home will make me better. Just discharge me, will you?"

"Sir, you need to get a proper examination first. It's clearly a fracture," the doctor replied.

"How many times do I have to say it? I can't afford the hospital bills."

"If you really can't afford it, there are ways to get help from the government. Let us examine you first."

Someone who seemed to be Go Jae-Soo's mother suggested at least getting an X-ray. However, Go Jae-Soo's father kept shaking his head repeatedly, saying he just couldn't afford it given their situation.

Seeing this, Go Jae-Soo clutched his chest and shouted, "Dad, didn't I tell you I got a big bonus when I changed companies? Get the checks and surgery done right away, okay?"

Go Jae-Soo's father turned his head. "Jae-Soo, how did you—did your aunt call you again?"

Go Jae-Soo had tried calling multiple times on the way to the hospital, but his parents had turned off their phones entirely because they didn't want to worry their child.

Only after contacting his aunt did Go Jae-Soo learn his parents had been brought here.

"Does it matter if Aunt called? I have money, so get admitted immediately!"

Go Chang-Han, Go Jae-Soo's father, wore an embarrassed expression. "You don't have to spend your hard-earned money like that. I'll rest at home for a few days and recover, so don't worry."

Exasperated, Go Jae-Soo looked at the doctor. "Doctor, if the guardian consents, can we proceed with the checks and surgery? Please operate right away."

"Yes, but there's not much we can do if the patient strongly objects to it."

In the end, I had no choice but to step in. "Sir, ma'am, nice to meet you. I'm Mr. Go Jae-Soo's new talent agent, Team Lead Jung Yoon-Ho."

The moment I gave my greeting, Go Jae-Soo's parents bowed their heads with embarrassed expressions.

Go Jae-Soo's mother, who had been sitting on a chair beside the bed, stood up. "Oh, I didn't know that our son's talent agent was here too. We've kicked up such a fuss in front of you... Please, sit down."

Meanwhile, Go Jae-Soo's father lowered his head. "I'm a useless father."

He must have been in pain from the fracture, but he tried to tolerate it in front of me. Sweat dripped down his forehead and temple.

I tried to persuade him. "Sir. If you don't get properly examined, Mr. Jae-Soo won't be able to focus properly on his acting. The company covers all hospital bills for the families of our stars, so please get treated."

Seeing that Go Jae-Soo's father was unsure what to do, Go Jae-Soo's mother finally stepped in. "Didn't you hear what Mr. Jung just said? You're causing more trouble like this."

"Exactly, Dad. If you get the surgery, I can focus on my work with peace of mind. Right?"

Eventually, Go Chang-Han relented for the sake of his wife and son. "A-alright. Fine."

At that moment, I immediately turned to the doctor. "Please arrange for a VIP room. And if necessary, proceed with the surgery immediately."

The doctor's face brightened since VIP patients weren't restricted by treatment costs. "Oh, is that so?"

I continued, "By the way, please discuss the hospital bills with me from now on. Our actor Mr. Go Jae-Soo will soon be busy with a film titled Jiri Mountain."

The doctor's eyes widened. "Jiri Mountain? As in Mr. Lee Tae-Poong’s upcoming film?"

"Yes, Mr. Go Jae-Soo here will be appearing in it."

"Really? Wow, I'll have to ask for an autograph later!"

Suddenly, the startled Go Jae-Soo's parents asked, "Our child will appear in Jiri Mountain? Is that true?"

"Are you serious?"

They were so shocked at the mention of their son appearing alongside Korea's most popular actor that their native accent slipped out without realizing it.

When I looked at Go Jae-Soo wondering why he hadn't told them, he simply scratched his head and said, "It's because the role hasn't been confirmed yet."

Though he had mentioned the company transfer, he probably hadn't planned to tell them about Jiri Mountain until it was official that he had gotten a role in the film.

"Well then, Mr. Jae-Soo. Talk to your parents and explain the situation carefully. I'll go to the administration office to handle the payment."

"Yes, sir."

I bid goodbye to Go Jae-Soo's parents, who still looked like they were in disbelief, and then headed to the emergency room's administration office.

***

After settling the payment at the administration office, I stepped out of the emergency room and waited for Go Jae-Soo.

In the meantime, ambulances continued to arrive at the entrance.

"Ugh…"

"Aaah!"

Cries of pain rang out every time an ambulance's doors opened, followed by the patients' guardians pleading for the doctors and nurses to save their loved ones.

With scenes of life and death unfolding before me, I was overwhelmed by a wave of emotions. While I had the chance to relive a second life after death, others would never have that opportunity.

At that moment, I found myself clasping my hands in prayer. I prayed for the traffic accident patient who had been brought into the emergency room in delivery attire just moments ago and for the child, whose face was as pale as a sheet, cradled in the arms of his mother.

I prayed that no one here would die, at least not today.

Whirr.

That's when the automatic door opened, and Go Jae-Soo came out.

"How did it go?"

"He just went in for the examination and they'll proceed with the surgery as soon as an operating room opens up."

"That's good news."

However, Go Jae-Soo appeared hesitant.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Um… I'll pay for the hospital bills myself."

"Excuse me?"

"I just don't think the company would cover everything. I haven't proven myself as an actor yet, have I?"

Go Jae-Soo indeed had a point. In truth, I had charged the full amount on my personal card for him. Except in special cases like S-class actors, companies didn't typically cover the full hospital bills for an actor's family. They usually cover up to about 20-30% at most.

However, if Go Jae-Soo succeeded, this expenditure would be nothing. There was an incentive tied to his success, after all.

"Don't you already have enough expenses? Instead of worrying about your dad's hospital bills, just focus on your script. That would truly help both the company and me," I assured him.

After a moment of silence, Go Jae-Soo's eyes lit up with determination. "Thank you, Mr. Jung. I'll make sure to deliver a performance that satisfies you."

"That's all I ask for."

That's when two women in their fifties approached us in front of the emergency room.

"Oh? Isn't that Jae-Soo?"

"When did you come down, Jae-Soo?"

They were Go Jae-Soo's first and second aunts, Yang Hyun-Ja and Yang Suk-Ja. They had always nagged at and compared their sons to him.

Even in this situation, his aunts went at him with their usual concern-disguised nagging.

"Jae-Soo. Honestly, it's time to quit that acting thing. Stop clinging to something with no potential."

"Don't you feel anything seeing your dad work so hard? Grow up already, will you?"

Before Go Jae-Soo could respond, I stepped in first as his talent agent. "Ladies, you won't have to worry about Mr. Jae-Soo's future anymore. He's set to appear in the film Jiri Mountain soon."

Yang Hyun-Ja and Yang Suk-Ja looked at me with a dismissive expression. "And who exactly are you?"

"I'm Team Lead Jung Yoon-Ho from Hoop Entertainment, the company Mr. Jae-Soo recently joined."

Yang Hyun-Ja and Yang Suk-Ja scoffed. "We heard he'd be in a film soon when he joined TK Entertainment too. Whether it's Jiri Mountain or Baekdusan, it'll just be another minor role, won't it?"

"And what kind of company name is Hoop Entertainment? I heard all these entertainment talent agents are con artists…"

The two women didn't believe a single word I said. After all, it was true that Go Jae-Soo hadn't gained any fame even after joining TK Entertainment, the second-largest agency in the industry.

"Anyway, Jae-Soo. Just think it over one more time, okay?"

After adding one last unnecessary comment, the two women passed by us and entered the emergency room.

Whirr.

As the automatic door to the ER closed, Go Jae-Soo looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Mr. Jung."

"No, it's fine."

People like Yang Hyun-Ja and Yang Suk-Ja only believed what they saw with their own eyes. To them, Go Jae-Soo was always just a powerless and unconfident third-rate actor.

However, I had no intention of standing by idly. Managing an actor's mental state was also part of a talent agent's job.

At that moment, I received a phone call.

[Caller ID: Lee Dae-Ho]

'It looks like he's here.'

On my way to the hospital, I had asked Lee Tae-Poong, who was attending the 14-million-viewership celebration event for Beyond the Boundary in Busan, to come to Jinju Hospital.

Since we were meeting tomorrow at Seoraksan anyway, I figured it would be good for him to meet Go Jae-Soo early and head up together.

When I answered the call, Lee Dae-Ho asked where he should go.

-Mr. Jung, I see Gyeongsang University Hospital in front of me… Is this the place?

"Yes. Please come to the emergency room parking lot and pass my message to Tae-Poong."

I asked Lee Tae-Poong to give Go Jae-Soo a confidence boost to ensure no one could look down on him ever again.

***

A short while later, the ER door opened.

Yang Hyun-Ja and Yang Suk-Ja rushed out with horrified looks. The two started complaining and nagging without offering any support.

"Jae-Soo, are you out of your mind? Do you even know how much a VIP room costs?"

"You know we can't help with the money, right?"

Just then, Lee Tae-Poong's massive white Merciless Springer pulled up to the ER parking lot. Lee Tae-Poong stretched and stepped out as he noticed me.

He waved and walked over. "Yoon-Ho hyung!"

"Hey, Tae-Poong. Right over here."

At that moment, Yang Hyun-Ja and Yang Suk-Ja looked at me and Lee Tae-Poong in astonishment.

"Oh my gosh! Is that…?"

"How is Lee Tae-Poong… here?"

While the two looked shocked, I embraced Tae-Poong and shared a warm greeting. Then I gestured toward Go Jae-Soo who stood beside us.

"Introduce yourself. This is Mr. Jae-Soo, someone you'll be working closely with. It's best to start getting to know each other."

"Oh, so this is Jae-Soo hyung."

After breaking away from our hug, Lee Tae-Poong respectfully extended his hand to Go Jae-Soo.

"I'm Lee Tae-Poong. It's a pleasure to meet you."

As the renowned actor reached out, Go Jae-Soo grasped his hand with his own trembling slightly. "Yes… yes… Mr. Tae-Poong."

"Oh, come on~ You're about ten years older than me, hyung. Just call me Tae-Poong."

"Excuse me?"

"Go ahead. The sooner we get comfortable, the quicker we can sync up in our acting."

In Jiri Mountain, their characters spoke casually to each other.

Eventually, Go Jae-Soo relaxed and spoke more casually. "Ah, okay… Tae-Poong."

"Yes. Please keep calling me that from now on. By the way, hyung, your voice is really nice to listen to. Did you train it?"

As the two engaged in a friendly conversation, Yang Hyun-Ja and Yang Suk-Ja were left utterly speechless. They stood there with pale expressions and muttered words of disbelief.

"Th-that can't be."

"How… how could someone like Jae-Soo…"

Lee Tae-Poong continued to treat Go Jae-Soo warmly as I had asked.

"Hyung, so how did you get scouted? If Yoon-Ho hyung chose you, it must mean you're really good at acting…"

When even Lee Tae-Poong showed excitement about Go Jae-Soo's acting, the two aunts couldn't utter another word.

At that moment, I saw Go Jae-Soo's once-hunched shoulders gradually straightened.

***

A day had passed.

Last night, Lee Tae-Poong mentioned wanting to tour the Jiri Mountain location as a preliminary site visit since he had come all the way here anyway.

In response, Go Jae-Soo's father, Go Chang-Han, suggested that we stay at a mountain lodge near the summit. He had a brotherly friendship with the owner. The mountain lodge was located near Cheonwangbong, so if his friend could allow us to stay over, it would be a better practice location than Seoraksan.

When Lee Tae-Poong readily accepted the suggestion, Go Chang-Han called Oh Tae-Wan, the owner of the lodge. Oh Tae-Wan agreed for them to visit the lodge but didn't commit to allowing an extended stay.

After hanging up, Lee Tae-Poong suggested that we go up and ask for permission in person.

So now, here I was, climbing the mountain with Go Jae-Soo, Lee Tae-Poong, and Lee Dae-Ho.

The Cheonwang Mountain Lodge sat slightly below the peak and required a six-hour hike. Although taking a shuttle up to Beopgye Temple and walking from there would only take about an hour, we chose the walking route for a more thorough site visit.

After roughly six hours of hiking, Go Jae-Soo stopped. Then he suddenly veered off the trail into a dense forest. "Follow me this way, slowly."

Watching Go Jae-Soo walk through an unmarked path, I asked, "This is the lodge?"

"They haven't taken any guests for over ten years. Mr. Tae-Wan lives alone there now."

There used to be a path but over a decade of having no visitors had caused it to disappear entirely.

We followed Go Jae-Soo through the trees for about fifteen minutes. Then suddenly, a wide path appeared in front of us. The gravel-covered road was dotted with tall grass which grew up to waist height.

"We're only about fifteen minutes away from there."

However, a weathered white wooden sign was hanging on a rope strung across the path.

[Private Property. No Entry for Outsiders]

Go Jae-Soo slightly lifted the rope and gestured for us to follow.

"Mr. Tae-Wan is not too fond of strangers. But since I'm here, don't worry, and just come in."

"Alright."

Though there was some grass, the flat path made walking a bit easier.

We continued for another fifteen minutes. That's when the S-shaped roof of the lodge came into view.

Go Jae-Soo pointed toward the lodge and said, "We're here. That's it."

At that moment, my phone suddenly vibrated. Curious, I checked and found that my planner was notifying me of a new schedule.

[Notification: A new event has been scheduled for Lee Tae-Poong on October 25, 2020.]

"October 25? That's today."

I immediately checked today's schedule.

[Everyday V11]

[Date: October 25, 2020]

-12:50 p.m. [NEW: Lee Tae-Poong] Emergency postponement due to injury. (Report details: 12:45 p.m., 119 helicopter take-off time. Emergency transport to Jinju Gyeongsang Hospital.)

'What is this?'

In the middle ofJiri Mountainat an altitude of 1,400 meters with no clear path, an update had come in about Lee Tae-Poong getting injured.