006 The Transaction

The Deungchon-dong SBS Open Hall is even older than Yoon Woon-hui himself.

At the beginning of the year, he received the audit report for SBS Corporation, which included a building usage assessment stating that the Open Hall could continue to function for another thirty years without any issues. Yoon Woon-hui chose to believe it; after all, the Deungchon-dong Open Hall was constructed by Taeyoung E&C itself, and it had even won the Seoul Architecture Award that year.

While the exterior walls looked rather aged, the interior felt equally steeped in history. The staircases, with their red-painted railings—where countless idols have stopped for photos—featured marble floor tiles that were long since worn and mottled. Perhaps because the architects never anticipated the future influx of so many singers and idols, the first thing one noticed upon reaching the second floor were the spaces sectioned off by blue partitions.

"In this Open Hall, waiting rooms are reserved only for well-known artists or rookies debuting from major agencies," Chief Producer Choi said, patting his stomach as he waited.

"That's reasonable." Having completed his military service, Yoon Woon-hui felt there were few conditions more rigorous than that.

"Shall I show you around? We can talk as we walk."

"Sure."

The Open Hall was quite large. The floors dedicated to *Inkigayo* alone were enough to warrant a tour; indeed, *Inkigayo* occupied nearly half the building.

"Producer Joo and I... we don't have the best relationship. When the project was first proposed, I didn't want him to direct *The Penthouse*."

Chief Producer Choi opened with a bombshell, prompting Yoon Woon-hui to glance at him repeatedly. *Is this something I’m supposed to be hearing?* Then again, the Songdo Memorial Foundation was a shareholder in both the Taeyoung Group and SBS Corporation. *Might as well keep talking; I love this kind of gossip!*

"Is it because of the Chairman? I saw many directors leave a few years ago when Chairman Yoon started interfering with SBS's management." Yoon Woon-hui didn't mince words; he had been somewhat dissatisfied himself.

Unfortunately, the Taeyoung Group had grown into a major conglomerate—a *chaebol*. Even if their ranking was only around fortieth, it signaled their near-total departure from the control of the Songdo Memorial Foundation. The separation of ownership and management at SBS was intended to ensure the station’s public nature and neutrality, while also serving as a historical warning from the Songdo Memorial Foundation for the Taeyoung Group not to overstep. Undoubtedly, when they parted ways, the Taeyoung Group chose to cut the brakes and veer hard to the right.

"My peer, Director Shin Kyung-soo of *Six Flying Dragons*, left. My juniors, Director Park Shin-woo of *Don't Dare to Dream* and Director Oh Choong-hwan of *Doctors*, also left." Yoon Woon-hui listed them off like he was reciting family treasures. "Director Park Shin-woo's latest work is Kim Soo-hyun's *It's Okay to Not Be Okay*, and Director Oh Choong-hwan's latest is IU's *Hotel Del Luna*."

Chief Producer Choi looked somewhat surprised.

"Whether they are directors, writers, MCs, or comedians, every employee is a precious treasure to us at SBS."

Yoon Woon-hui smiled. Anyone could say pretty words.

***

In 2019, last year, Yoon Suk-min succeeded as the second-generation Chairman of the Taeyoung Group. Before that, a large number of SBS employees had resigned.

"So, are you planning to leave as well, Chief Producer Choi?"

"No." Choi gave an unexpected answer: "It's Producer Joo who wants to leave."

"Huh?"

*Well,* Yoon Woon-hui admitted his judgment had been off. On second thought, it made sense; among the drama department staff at the current SBS, Choi held the highest seniority. But... Yoon Suk-min hadn't appointed him as the Head of Production; instead, he had parachuted in an outside executive. So, what was Choi doing hanging around? Not getting the top job but refusing to leave? Didn't that seem a bit suspicious?

Facing Yoon Woon-hui's sharp gaze, Choi felt a bit guilty. He had indeed sucked up to Chairman Yoon before, never expecting a leader to be parachuted in over him.

"Ahem, I heard the Chairman gave you, Director, a supporting role?"

"That is the case." Yoon Woon-hui was starting to lose track of what Choi was after.

"I don't think you have much use for it, do you?"

"True. As you can see, I don't even have friends who are artists. The only people I know in the entertainment industry are big seniors, like Woo and Ahn." Yoon Woon-hui was referring to his direct seniors from Yonsei University’s School of Theology, the famous actors Woo Hyun and Ahn Nae-sang.

"Then how about giving it to me? In exchange, I'm very close with the CP of *Inkigayo*. As it happens, the *Inkigayo* MCs are changing at the end of the year. *The Penthouse* airs in the second half of the year, so for a rookie actor like you, being an MC would be a great move."

"Hmm, sounds good. I have no objections." Yoon Woon-hui was amused. A supporting role in a drama that hadn't even started filming, whose ratings were unknown, versus being the MC of a major broadcast network's music show, which guaranteed long-term exposure... these resources were hardly equal. Besides, Choi was from the drama department, not variety; he had likely engaged in quite a bit of behind-the-scenes horse-trading. Was it that, having failed to curry favor with the major shareholder and missing out on the Head of Production post, he was now turning his efforts toward the second shareholder?

Yoon Woon-hui agreed for now, intending to observe and evaluate Producer Joo once he met him on set. He only knew the second director, Park, whom he had met earlier; she had given him a lot of guidance and seemed to be one of Choi's people.

*Where there are people, there is competition!*

***

Yoon Woon-hui welcomed such competition. As the former student council president at Yonsei, he had mastered the arts of his predecessors.

"May I ask? Who will you give that role to, Chief Producer Choi?" Yoon Woon-hui asked casually. Choi answered readily—there was no need for mystery; they would find out at the script reading.

"I’m an old classmate of Representative Hwang Kyung-joo from Artist. Artist is pushing a new female rookie this year."

"Artist? The company co-founded by seniors Lee Jung-jae and Jung Woo-sung?"

"Yes, that's the one."

Yoon Woon-hui understood. Mentioning the two actor seniors cleared it up. *Right.* How had he forgotten about that company? He knew both Lee Jung-jae and Jung Woo-sung; he might as well sign with their agency. A management contract would suffice; he could find his own resources. It would mainly save him the trouble. He needed an experienced manager to help him avoid pitfalls, manage risks, and assist with publicity and PR.

"No problem." Yoon Woon-hui didn't fear Choi playing both sides. After all, his goal was merely to maintain the status quo of separating SBS's ownership and management, not to dismantle the Taeyoung Group.

*Songdo Memorial Foundation → SBS ← Taeyoung E&C Group*

With Choi caught in the center of these swirling undercurrents, having his own agenda was natural and understandable.

"Then..."

Just as Yoon Woon-hui was about to end the conversation, a powerful female voice echoed around the corner of the hallway:

"Song Yuqi! You stop right there!"

A member of the girl group he had seen in the parking lot earlier darted out, with another girl chasing right behind her...

"Miyeon-unnie, hahaha, it wasn't me~"

"Who else could it be!"

The girl behind caught up, lunged at the other, and pinned her against the wall.

*Oh, my...*

Yoon Woon-hui watched the scene unfold with a look of utter shock.