บท 47: WHO IS THE CEO?
"I passed! Haneul, I passed!"
Once again, before he could react to that, he suddenly felt a strong pair of arms hugging him. The unexpected contact left him so surprised that he completely froze. Robin seemed to have noticed that and quickly let go of him.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry, Haneul! I got so excited that I completely forgot my manners," Robin quickly apologized.
He momentarily forgot that he was not in France, but in South Korea, a country with more conservative norms regarding direct physical contact. Even if he and Haneul could be now considered as friends, it's still not right to hug Haneul like that. Especially when the other had an obvious aversion to unwanted physical contact.
"It's fine," Haneul said, waving his hand. "It's not something to apologize for."
And he meant it. Robin grew up in a Western culture where simple physical contact was a common way to express emotions. That hug was just his way of showing how happy he was. How could Haneul be angry at that?
"Besides, I also passed, so that hug was very much welcome," he added.
Robin smiled brightly as soon as he heard that. "I knew it! Congratulations!"
"Congratulations too, Robin hyung," Haneul said with a smile.
"We really manifest it, huh?"
"I think it's more of our talent, really."
The two looked at each other and then both burst into laughter.
Haneul read the email once again. He clenched his fist, his body trembling with excitement. Happiness was bubbling inside him, making his heart race and a grin spread across his face. He had passed the audition! The realization hit him at last like a wave, and he felt a warm glow spread through him, unable to stop the smile that stayed on his lips.
He finally had taken the first big step towards his dream.
***
Inside the CEO's office of JH Entertainment.
Choi Jiyeon looked at the list of contestants for Boys Odyssey. All 100 contestants' profiles were on her work computer. She hadn't been the CEO of JH when the first 60 contestants were chosen, so she wasn't part of that selection process. However, she was there when the last 40 contestants were chosen.
Even though she didn't really give any input, since she promised PD Song she wouldn't get in the way as long as he did his job properly, she was quite satisfied with the result. Almost all of her picks were chosen. Just by that, she could tell that PD Song had a good eye for talent.
Of course, she's not saying she's the best judge of talent and that everyone should adhere to her standard, but, well, she indeed had a knack for spotting potential. It might sound egotistical for her to say that, but she believed in her ability to identify raw talent and nurture it to flourish. Her confidence wasn't just rooted in personal pride; it was backed by the success of the groups she had helped debut since she entered this industry.
Jiyeon mostly worked freelance at the beginning. She wanted to collaborate with many people and gain diverse experiences while getting her name out there. It worked. Three years ago, she was hired by a large entertainment agency as a creative director.
She planned to stay there for a few more years, build her reputation, and then establish her own entertainment agency. But more than a month ago, an unexpected offer came to her.
She was offered the CEO position of a newly established entertainment agency.
Of course, she wouldn't agree just so she could have a shortcut to attaining her dream. She had to make sure first that she wouldn't sabotage herself by accepting the offer. And the way to do that was to thoroughly investigate the company and also the contract they're offering.
So, she found out that the company was owned by Lee Jaehyun - a guy who belonged to what was considered the richest chaebol family in Korea. If that were the only factor, she wouldn't have been tempted. But a clause in the contract they offered her stated that she would have significant control over decision-making in the company. The only instance this could be nullified was if she was found to be acting against the company's interests.
This meant that not only would she be in charge, but she would also have the backing of a fourth-generation member of the Lee family. With the freedom and resources to turn her vision into reality, who could resist?
But she still had some reservations, especially after finding out that JH's first project was already underway—an idol survival program that would select the first group to debut under the entertainment label.
Jiyeon was not a big fan of idol survival programs. In her opinion, there were a lot of problems that could arise from a group that debuted this way. For one, there was often a lack of cohesion among members who were thrust together purely for their individual popularity rather than their ability to work well as a team. This could lead to internal conflicts and a lack of unity.
Additionally, the intense competition and public scrutiny during the program could place immense pressure on the contestants, resulting in stress and mental health issues that might persist even after their debut. The focus on drama and ratings during the show often overshadowed the artistic development of the idols, leading to a group that was more style than substance.
Another issue was the potential for overexposure. Contestants who had been in the spotlight for the duration of the show might find it challenging to maintain public interest once the novelty wore off.
For her, the traditional way to debut a group was still the best.
But someone managed to change her perspective.
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