章 114: What Comes and Goes Beneath the Water, a Trade (1)
Star Search. Star Search.
It was an unfamiliar name. Though I had met, directly and indirectly, with hundreds of reporters during my work, and though there were dozens of names saved under the 'Reporter' category on my phone, I had never heard of a publication called Star Search.
A scandal involving a top actor like Yoon Taekyung or Park Dojin, and it wasn't something cute like a dating scandal but a big deal like a drug scandal. For a small-scale, unknown publication to publish a huge scandal like that?
Just in case, I indirectly asked Team Leader Park and Reporter Park Woojeong if there were any rumors about Yoon Taekyung or Park Dojin, but there weren't any that would deal a blow to their image. There was nothing about drugs either.
That meant that Star Search exclusively collected and published this scandal.
I suppressed my questions and first searched Star Search on a portal site. I should at least know their address before taking any measures. There could be an article about me being crazy if I just blindly entered their office and interrogated them.
I needed to think hard if I wanted to come with a decent plan, but thinking furiously was enjoyable compared to when I was gloomy with no straws to grasp at.
But something was weird.
No matter how much I searched, there wasn't a publication known as Star Search. It was the same when I searched through the portal news category. A publication known as Star Search wasn't even registered.
Did I mishear the company name? No, that wasn't possible.
Then why wasn't it there?
"Team leader, have you heard of a publication known as Star Search?"
I asked Team Leader Park as soon as I arrived at work. Team Leader Park gave me a surprised looked.
"Star Search? What about that damn publication? Where did you hear about them?"
Her reaction assured me. Fortunately, it wasn't a non-existent company.
"I heard about them from a reporter I know, but I couldn't find them when I searched online. There wasn't a single article from them on the portal site either."
"Of course, they aren't on a national portal site. They are a publication specializing in paparazzi in Hong Kong."
What? Where?
"Hong Kong?"
"Yeah. Well, it is time for you to be concerned about overseas publications since Songha's getting more known in China, so be more careful from now on. That place is much more cutthroat than here. They publish articles that we can't here in fear of lawsuits without worry. Especially Hong Kong, it's worse than Hollywood."
Wait, wait. Let me think for a second.
If Star Search was a publication in Hong Kong, how could I approach them? It wasn't like I could get on a plane to Hong Kong right now, and even if I did, I wouldn't be able to communicate with them. There were tons of publications in the country, yet why did have to be one in Hong Kong?
Team Leader Park frowned as she continued to speak,
"Star Search especially doesn't like Korean stars very much so they write a lot of scandals regarding them. Those leeches. Of course, the more vicious leeches are the tabloids in this country that sell information and pictures to them."
My ears perked at her words.
"Tabloids in our country sell information and pictures? Star Search isn't independently digging around?"
"While many publications do that, since Star Search specializing in the paparazzi, they usually buy them. Most of the information regarding Korean stars in the country are sent from here. You see, there's a lowlife company that deals with Star Search."
I immediately asked,
"Where is it?"
*
DM Media.
When I searched up the name Team Leader Park gave me, a registered publication popped up.
On their homepage, which had multiple adult ads, there wasn't even the common interview article. All they had were entertainment spamming articles, revealing celebrity photos, and provocative tabloid articles that only used initials.
I looked around for a long time before I found their address. Deumcheon district. It wasn't that far.
Before I left, I went to find Kim Hyunjo and told him,
"Chief, I'm going to have Kwanwoo handle today's schedule and go meet with a reporter."
"A reporter? What reporter all of a sudden? Are you doing an interview?"
"No, I heard that there was a bad news item. I wanted to check up on it since it seemed troublesome."
Kim Hyunjo's expression became sour.
"Since it's you were talking about, it feels uneasy."
"Since it's not certain, I'll talk to you about it after I confirm it."
I stated ambiguously. The scale this time was too big for me to discuss it without taking any measures, especially since I wasn't certain which of the two caused the problem.
Yoon Taekyung and Park Dojin were big shots whose contracts reached the billions of won, and Well-Made Production and Chinese investors were also entangled in this situation. In other words, if I said something wrong and a problem arose, it would be a very serious matter.
"Okay, go check it. Call Team Leader Park or me immediately if there's something to it."
"Yes."
I handed Lee Songha's afternoon schedule to the recruit and immediately drove my minivan to DM Media's address.
Hoping there would be an answer there.
Geumsan Building, Gasan Neighborhood, Geumcheon District. Unit 301.
The address was correct, yet I couldn't even the company, let alone an answer.
There wasn't a sign outside the building, and unit 301 on the information panels in the first-floor lobby and elevator was empty.
It was the same when I arrived at the third floor. There was something that looked like an office, but there wasn't a sign and the door was firmly locked. I couldn't even tell if there was someone inside or not. There wasn't even a reaction when I knocked.
Even when I called the phone number on their homepage, it would simply ring with no one answering. I tried sending an email to the email address, but even that was immediately returned. At this point, I wondered if this even was a properly functioning publication.
So this was a paparazzi company.
How could I casually meet DM Media reporters? I pondered after returning to my minivan and looking up at the third-floor window, which had its blinds down.
Then I decided to change my method.
I entered the building again. This time, I took off my sunglasses and revealed my face. I planned on using myself as bait so that they would come to me since I couldn't find them.
I hoped that I looked appetizing to the paparazzi.
First, I went to the coffee chain on the first floor and ordered a cup of coffee.
The employees and the customers recognized me. I had fled last time, but this time, I sat at a table. Once I responded friendlily to a customer who acted familiar as he approached me, more people started conversations with me.
Slowly, news began to spread throughout the building, to the point where people on other floors came down to see me. Things were going as planned. If I kept at it, DM Media should hear about it too since they were a paparazzi company.
After brooding over coffee for an hour, I went to the second-floor oriental medical clinic.
My shoulders ached so it was a good opportunity. I received acupuncture, cupping, and electrotherapy and saw black blood clots. That was how I spent two hours in the building. I hadn't even seen the shadow of a paparazzi yet.
Just as I was thinking of another way to approach them, my phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number.
"Hello?"
-Excuse me, is this perhaps Mr. Jung Sunwoo?
It was an unfamiliar woman's voice. She sounded a bit flustered.
"Yes, that's me."
-You're the owner of the white minivan, correct? I'm sorry. I hit your van slightly by accident while parking.
Oho? Was it this?
I left in the middle of my physiotherapy and immediately went down to the parking lot. A young woman who was partly crouched and examining the back of my minivan jolted up.
She wore a short skirt that emphasized her curves, slightly transparent coffee-colored stockings, and high heels. She gave off a different feeling from the female reporters I had seen until now.
She was suspicious.
Why would she hit my minivan when the parking lot was so empty?
On top of that, she was a beauty. In fact, this part was more suspicious.
"What should I do? This seems like a new minivan. I'll pay the repair costs. I'm sorry."
"Well, if you properly fix it, then it's fine."
"Um, but…"
The woman brushed her hair behind her ear as she glanced at my face.
After hesitating for a bit, she asked,
"Are you perhaps that person? The chief who manages Neptune and appeared on 'Now, We' not too long ago? I think you look like him, and you have the same name. The one people call 'Midas's Hand'…"
"Though I wish the last part wasn't true, I am that person."
The woman's expression brightened at my reply.
"Oh my god! It's my first time seeing a famous person!"
Her gaze was filled with excitement as she looked at me. My spine tingled because her gaze seemed like she was seeing a really famous person. The woman, who had been chattering about how she saw a bunch of clips of me on the internet and how this was so cool, soon asked,
"Um, excuse me. If you have time, could I buy you a cup of coffee?"
"Coffee?"
"I'm sorry for denting your minivan by accident and I'm a fan of Ms. Lee Songha as well. I saw every episode of Cat Guardian Ghost. Could you tell me a bit about Ms. Lee Songha? I absolutely won't tell anyone about it. Please?"
Her begging voice was overflowing with charm. Out of all the people I knew, Im Seoyoung was the one who acted the most charmingly, yet even she wouldn't be able to compare to her if she was here.
In a normal situation, a man would probably consider this as hitting jackpot, regardless of repair costs. They might even drink fish sauce readily. However, considering my situation, the more the woman clung to me, the more suspicious I became.
I was almost certain at this point.
Should I ask her bluntly now? Or should I dance to her tune?
After thinking about which one would provide me with the most information, I decided to obtain what information I could get while drinking coffee.
I couldn't fathom how they would react if I took a blunt approach considering they were a sly company that blocked all forms of communication. On top of that, I might really have to go to Hong Kong if I failed here so I proceeded more cautiously.;
"Then let's have a cup of coffee since you're Songha's fan."
"Thank you!"
Well, if she was an employee of the paparazzi company, then I should be thankful for taking the bait.
The woman's name was Jung Hyesung though I couldn't tell if she was using her real name or not. Either way, Jung Hyesung led me to a small coffee shop across from the building. It was a cozy place with almost no customers – perfect for conversing.
The early topics of discussions were mostly trivial topics about our personal lives. I did my best to seem interested and humored her.
Once the coffee cooled to an adequate degree, Jung Hyesung smiled purely as she asked,
"I saw the article regarding Ms. Lee Songha's new project. I hope that they film and air it quickly. Has the male lead not been decided yet? Netizens were chatting up a storm, asking who it is, but I haven't seen any articles confirming anyone."
"Yes, they haven't decided yet. It'll be decided soon."
"Really? Who is it? Can't you tell me?"
Her eyes sparkled.
A suspicion crossed my mind that she might be recording our conversation. She was also regularly checking her phone.
I shrugged as I said,
"I can't carelessly tell people about it. There'll be a commotion if speculative articles pop up before someone is confirmed."
"I don't have anyone to tell this to!"
"Who do the netizens think it'll be?"
I asked instead of replying. Jung Hyesung paused for a moment before answering,
"They've mentioned all the Korean stars that are currently resting right now? 'Isn't it Yoon Taekyung?' 'There's a good chance it'll be Sung Dowon.' 'I think it'll be Park Dojin'…"
She mentioned a few more names after that. However, unlike how she tried to read my expression when she spoke the first few names, the other names seemed to have been mentioned to fill out the selection.
If DM Media handed information about drug abuse along with evidence to Star Search, then it meant they were chasing him for a while.
It took a few months to get enough evidence for a love scandal so they shouldn't have been able to gather evidence so quickly on drug abuse, which must have been done much more secretly.
Also, if they were still chasing around the actor in question, then they would undoubtedly know that he was in discussion to join Royal Family.
I said with a smiling face,
"It's someone among the names you've mentioned. The person we're thinking about casting as the male lead."
"Uh, really?"
"Yes, but there's a small problem so we're looking into it to see if it's okay to sign him."
Jung Hyesung flinched then quickly opened her mouth.
"A problem? What kind of problem?"
"I really can't talk about it since it isn't a very good matter. It'll be a big problem if rumors spread when we aren't certain."
"If it's bad, then is it a harmful rumor or something?"
Jung Hyesung asked as if trying to glean any information from me.
Brrr.
Something vibrated. I thought it was my phone, but it was hers. After glancing at her phone screen, Jung Hyesung jolted from her seat.
"Uh, it's my senior from work. I'll be right back after talking to him."
Jung Hyesung answered her phone as she went out to the vacant terrace. At the same time, my phone rang. The timing was truly strange. This person was a senior from work as well.
I glanced through the glass window as I answered Kim Hyungjo's call.
"Yes, chief."
-Where are you right now? No, wherever you are, come to the company right now! Quickly!
Just then, my eyes met Jung Hyesung's through the windows.
I didn't know why, but she was looking at me with a surprised expression.
"Pardon? I'm meeting some-"
-Don't think about talking to a reporter and come back immediately! You're going to be in a bind if you talk to a reporter right now.
Kim Hyunjo said while clicking his tongue.
-I think the uneasy news item you mentioned is this, but some crazy journalist trash published a scandal about Lee Songha!
…What? A scandal?
What sort of nonsense was this? Why a scandal all of a sudden? Did some crazy reporter try to pass off a fictional story as an article?
"Who's the other person?"
Who was there to be in a scandal with Lee Songha?
-You! It's you!
"Pardon?"
-I said it's you!
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