Chapter 57: The Press Conference

This mysterious recording not only spread like wildfire within the film crew but also created a monstrous wave on the internet.

With the tragic old news of Go Eun-bin as bait, the young artists who had been taken advantage of by Park Seok-jin, both openly and secretly, over the years, whether voluntarily or incited, all came forward to denounce this “Seok-jin sunbae.”

「…Yes, he called me to his room under the pretext of teaching me acting and did strange things. Because he is a very famous senior, I was terrified and didn’t dare to resist.」
「He would say strange things while doing those things, like… he kept calling his own name.」
「…My manager knelt down and begged me to just endure it, saying that if it was exposed, it would not be good for anyone, and even the manager would be implicated.」

Park Seok-jin’s online reputation plummeted, from “perfect man” and “a man with the elegant demeanor of a prince” to “a self-absorbed stud pig who spends 300 days a year at the dermatologist trying to turn a wrinkled walnut into a smooth macadamia nut.”

Making young artists who looked like him wear his old costumes, and calling his own name while sleeping with others—what kind of pervert would do such a thing?

Since Actor Park is so rich, is it so hard to buy some dildos and screw himself while looking in the mirror? Why harm others?

Disgusting!

Pervert!

Get out of the entertainment industry!

Get out of the Republic of Korea!

A large number of insults and questions not only bombarded Park Seok-jin’s social media page but also occupied Woosan Entertainment’s official page.

Isn’t the company going to do anything?

The president must give an explanation!

Woosan Entertainment.

Top-floor office.

Assistant Yoo opened a gap in the curtains and carefully peeked out. He turned and said in a low voice, “President, it seems the number of protestors outside is increasing.”

Besides the righteous people who couldn’t stand injustice, the protestors also included fans of the artists who had spoken out. They held up wooden signs and banners with various slogans demanding that Park Seok-jin be dealt with and that Woosan Entertainment compensate and apologize.

Yoon Nam-hyuk let out a long sigh.

To be honest, when Go Eun-bin’s incident happened, he was even younger than him. At that time, he hadn’t even joined Woosan Entertainment and was still struggling with his professional studies at university.

At that time, Woosan Entertainment was still Yoon Tae-min’s territory. Even if something like this had happened, it would have been handled cleanly. After all, even the police couldn’t find anything. He had no way of knowing.

After he took over, the company was a mess left by his father and brother. From money to people, to the profit model and departmental structure, it was a complete mess. He had been making adjustments for years, and even now, he couldn’t say it had been completely revamped.

It was precisely because of this that he was reluctant to part with Woosan, this company that had been both glorious and in a slump, that had been raised bit by bit by his mother and himself.

Now, an old account was being settled on the new official. Even if he knew nothing, this had happened at Woosan, under the noses of the Yoon family. He couldn’t shirk the responsibility, nor could he do so. He had no choice but to face it head-on.

“Prepare for a press conference,” Yoon Nam-hyuk said. “What happened at Woosan, Woosan must take responsibility for. Call the police, let the police investigate. No matter how much revenue Park Seok-jin brings to the company each year, no matter how much compensation we have to pay for him, the public and the current Woosan need to know the truth.”

The press conference was organized at the fastest speed. Representatives from major media outlets arrived one after another, and a live stream was even set up online.

Standing at the podium, Yoon Nam-hyuk was dressed in a black suit, his expression serious. His cold, young face had a sharp, authoritative look. “Woosan will actively cooperate with the police investigation and will absolutely not harbor any artist with bad behavior. I ask the public to patiently wait for the results of the police investigation. During the investigation, Woosan will establish an artist rights protection foundation to provide psychological treatment and personal safety protection for the victims. Please trust Woosan.”

At the same time, Woosan’s public relations department and assistant department were rapidly compiling the company reforms and charitable work Yoon Nam-hyuk had done since he took office, and at the same time, calling on artists and directors to prepare to help forward the information.

He just hoped that every action would make everyone realize that the current Woosan was different.

Since the incident broke out, Woosan’s stock price had been falling every second.

Unlike the heavy-hearted Yoon Nam-hyuk, Yoon Nam-woo, sitting in his office, was practically boiling with excitement.

It’s starting, he thought. It’s finally starting. We’ve been preparing for so long, using Choi Min-jun to collect so much dirt on Woosan’s artists. Now it finally has a use.

The funds he had raised by mortgaging his real estate were about to arrive. The incident continued to ferment, and the stock price would fall even lower. Eun Chul-woo could then go and talk to those uneasy Woosan shareholders whose assets were shrinking and talk about acquisitions.

So good…

Yoon Nam-woo was in a good mood. Woosan was the most profitable industry of the Yoon family. Whether it was when his father was in control or when Yoon Nam-hyuk was in charge, it had nothing to do with him.

From now on, it would be different.

Woosan would change its name. He would become one of the largest shareholders of Woosan. And with that guy Eun Chul-woo, who was pretty good at making money, even if his father didn’t want him, this illegitimate son with no blood ties, he wouldn’t have to worry about the rest of his life!

However, some were happy while others were sad. While Yoon Nam-woo was secretly rejoicing, Baek Soo-kyung, far away on the film set, felt as if he had been plunged into an ice cellar as he watched the live stream.

The recording was exposed. Woosan was going to call the police to investigate. Would Park Seok-jin and Tae Sang-won be arrested?

If he still had Choi Min-jun as his backer, he would just have to make up a script about being forced like the other artists. After the matter blew over, Choi Min-jun would at least not shortchange him in terms of resources and development.

But now it was different. That guy Choi Min-jun was still eating kimchi and rice in prison. The main characters of the news, Park XX and Tae XX, were almost the only backers he had left in the world. If these two also went to jail, what kind of manager would Woosan arrange for him?

Looking back, he had forcefully rejected the new manager, Pyo Yoon-jeong, that the company had arranged for him. If the matter of changing managers happened again, would the manager department hold a grudge against him and arrange the worst manager for him?

No… perhaps that was just the best-case scenario. The worst-case scenario was, shibal! That guy Park Seok-jin would probably drag him down with him! After all, he was the one who had made this recording!!!

Damn it, who released this thing? If it wasn’t Choi Min-jun… could it be? Baek Soo-kyung suddenly remembered the ambiguous words Eun Chul-woo had said that day.

At this moment, as he recalled the smile lines at the corners of the other’s lips and his meaningful gaze, that look of being in complete control made Baek Soo-kyung break out in a cold sweat in broad daylight.

If it really was him, why would the recording he had given to Choi Min-jun be in his hands? Could he and Choi Min-jun be in cahoots? But none of this mattered anymore.

“Choi Min-jun is gone. Park Seok-jin and Tae Sang-won are also finished. Even Woosan Entertainment is now in the eye of the storm…”

Baek Soo-kyung quickly found Eun Chul-woo’s business card. Kim Min-kyung’s background is so strong, he thought. If I quickly surrender, I might not even have to give a statement.

And Eun Chul-woo had said he wanted a useful partner. That was easy. He still had a lot of videos of Park Seok-jin, and even of Choi Min-jun, including the identities of Park Seok-jin’s three rich sponsors, the chat records of Seol and Shim complaining about Tae Sang-won making them hook up with high-level brand executives, and… in short, he had no choice now.

The press conference lasted for more than half an hour. The media representatives’ questions were endless and tricky. After answering them all, Yoon Nam-hyuk felt a sense of exhaustion.

He retreated under the protection of Assistant Yoo and two accompanying bodyguards, trying to quickly pass through the protesting crowd and the numerous online media in the hotel lobby.

He opened his phone and saw a message from Qi Huai.

The other asked if he was okay. How was his mood? Did he need help? Don’t be too sad because of a deceased person. Our Nam-hyuk is not an all-knowing god. It’s already very good that you can take on something that has nothing to do with you and push for an investigation.

Qi Huai said that although the truth of the matter was still being investigated by the police, some media on the internet said that Go Eun-bin’s younger brother, Go Eun-woo, already had a child. If you feel guilty about the deceased adult, then help the little child live a happy life.

Qi Huai also said that we can set up a charity fund in Go Eun-bin’s name and do more meaningful things. One day, everyone will know how different the Woosan run by our Nam-hyuk is. So don’t blame yourself because of this news.

Yoon Nam-hyuk read as he walked, his lips pressed tightly together. His shoulders, which had been tense from the flashes of the media, finally relaxed a little. Just as he was about to reply to Qi Huai, a young woman’s voice suddenly came from not far away.

“President Yoon, I am Go Eun-bin’s younger sister, Go Eun-hee.”

Yoon Nam-hyuk stopped. The entire lobby went from buzzing to whispering. The crowd parted, revealing Go Eun-hee standing at the back.

She was a tall woman with short hair, wearing a light camel-colored wool coat and a long black skirt. Her delicate and gentle face had a hint of Go Eun-bin’s features, and she had a very good temperament.

She looked at Yoon Nam-hyuk with a serious expression and asked, word by word, “President Yoon, you said you will conduct a fair investigation. Is this true?”

Yoon Nam-hyuk put away his phone and said solemnly, “I assure you, Woosan will cooperate with the police investigation from top to bottom, without any favoritism or partiality, until the truth is found.”

Go Eun-hee nodded, wiping away the tears that overflowed from her eyes. “Actually, my brother left us something before he died. I don’t know if it’s related to this matter.”

She took out a leather diary from her bag. The red leather cover was old-fashioned and showed signs of being frequently handled.

Inexplicably, Yoon Nam-hyuk was suddenly reminded of the password box that the lawyer had taken out of his bag when he was ten. No matter what the medium, it was the last thing left by a loved one.

The moment Go Eun-hee took out the diary, the surrounding media suddenly erupted, and then, like hyenas that had found their prey, they pounced!

She showed a panicked expression and dodged towards Yoon Nam-hyuk. Assistant Yoo held back the crowd with one hand and protected Yoon Nam-hyuk with the other. Yoon Nam-hyuk frowned and told the bodyguards to protect Go Eun-hee and get her out first.

However, in the chaotic and crowded crowd, Yoon Nam-hyuk, who was speaking, suddenly let out a pained groan.

Assistant Yoo’s face turned pale. “President!”

The sharp knife hidden in the diary had completed its mission—it had stabbed into Yoon Nam-hyuk’s abdomen.

Blood gushed out and dripped onto the floor. Yoon Nam-hyuk collapsed backward. Assistant Yoo shouted in a panic, “Ambulance! Call an ambulance!”

The crowd screamed and retreated.

Go Eun-hee, her hands covered in blood, shouted frantically, “I only found out today! I! I went to university with the money my brother earned by selling his body!!! I thought my brother was under too much pressure and had gotten too deep into his role, that he had committed suicide because of depression! I even took the compensation money from Woosan! Eun-woo and I were so ashamed we wanted to die with my brother! You damn upper-class people! You damn chaebols!!! You are the ones who should die!!! You want me to trust you? In your next life! A life for a life! A life for a life!!!”