Managing the Korean entertainment industry: I have superpowers, but I won't say.

Chapter 29 The Person Lingering at the Door

Su Yu was standing on a ladder painting the wall. As the roller pressed down, the gray-blue paint slid to both sides, leaving a wet mark on the wall. His phone vibrated on the windowsill, the screen lighting up. An unknown number. He reached for it and answered.

"Who is it?"

"Um... excuse me, are you Su Yu, representative of Yinguo Entertainment?" The female voice was light and airy, as if afraid of saying the wrong thing.

"It's me. If you're selling loans, I'm broke right now and can't meet your sales targets."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone. "My name is Park Jiyeon. I'm... from T-ara."

Su Yu stopped painting. He turned around and glanced at the blinding sunlight outside the window. "Oh? A big star. What, not enough stage for you, so you're trying to cross over into painting walls?"

"No..." Her voice lowered further, "I heard from senior Yoon Shi-yoon that your company is filming a new drama. They need an actress who can do action scenes. I'd like to give it a try."

"Yoon Shi-yoon?" Su Yu tossed the roller into the bucket and leaned against the windowsill. "That guy's got a fast tongue. But Ms. Park, are you sure you didn't mistype? Yin-Yang Entertainment is just a small, fledgling company. Do you think it can accommodate someone as important as you?"

"I'm not afraid of a small place." Her voice suddenly became more steady. "As long as I can act, I'm fine with being an extra. I've practiced Taekwondo and learned action scenes, so I don't need a stunt double."

"No stunt double?" Su Yu raised an eyebrow. "These days, idols can't even open a bottle of water, and you think you can fight?"

"I am a black belt."

"Heh, that's interesting." Su Yu laughed. "Alright. Tomorrow afternoon, Dongdaemun. I'll send you the address. If you're late, forget it."

"Okay! Thank you, Representative Su!"

The next afternoon. Su Yu was applying the second coat of paint. The door was pushed open with a creak.

"The door isn't locked. Insurance salesmen, turn left. I'm not buying."

No one spoke behind him. Su Yu turned around, still holding the roller in his hand.

A person was standing in the doorway. She wore a gray hoodie, jeans, canvas shoes, and had her hair in a ponytail. She clutched a file folder to her chest. She stood outside the threshold, half her body in shadow, hesitant to step inside.

Su Yu glanced at her from head to toe. "Ms. Park? I thought you would wear a formal dress, so it would be easier for someone like me who's never seen anything like this before to recognize people."

Her face flushed instantly. She lowered her head and walked in quickly, her steps very light, as if afraid of stepping on an ant.

"Hello, Representative Su." She stopped less than two steps away. She didn't look at Su Yu; her gaze was fixed on the half-painted wall.

"Is your company... still under renovation?"

"Hmm. Running a company while painting walls, that's called immersive entrepreneurship." Su Yu put down the roller, wiped his hands on his pants, and said, "What, afraid my company will collapse and crush you?"

"No..." She bit her lower lip, frantically opening the file folder. Her hands were trembling; the edges of the papers got stuck at the opening, and it took her two tries to pull them out. Inside were two resumes, printed on A4 paper, their corners wrinkled.

Su Yu took it but didn't look at it right away.

"Yoon Shi-yoon said you've practiced Taekwondo?"

"Hmm. Six years. Third-degree black belt."

"Can you fight?" He took a step forward, his gaze sweeping over her face. "Film crews these days are picky. A certificate isn't enough; they look at your face. Your face..."

She suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with stubbornness. "I can fight. At least I don't need a stunt double. If Representative Su doesn't believe me, I can demonstrate right now."

"No need for a demonstration, I just mopped the floor." Su Yu waved his hand and glanced down at the resume. First page: Park Jiyeon, born in 1993, member of T-ara. Below were a few lines of TV dramas, all minor roles, some without even a character name.

"How many years have you been insulted?" Su Yu suddenly asked.

She was stunned for a moment. "What?"

"The bullying incident. It was quite a big deal back then, wasn't it?" Su Yu leaned against the windowsill, hands in his pockets. "Three years? Or five?"

Her face paled. She clutched the hem of her clothes, her knuckles turning white.

Three years.

"Then you should get used to it."

"I'm used to being criticized. But I don't want to be criticized anymore." She lowered her head, her voice trembling. "I want to act. If I act well, the people who criticize me will shut up. Even if it's just one shot."

Su Yu stared at her for a few seconds. Her eyes weren't red, but the tip of her nose was.

"Our role in this show isn't big. It's a crazy female fighter with limited screen time, maybe only one or two fight scenes, and she gets beaten up."

"It's okay. As long as I can get on, that's fine."

"The pay isn't high either, less than what you get for a magazine shoot."

"It's okay."

"Also, there's no nanny van, no personal makeup artist, I have to order takeout when I'm hungry, and I have to help you paint the walls."

She looked up and stared straight at him. "I'd even paint a wall if it meant acting."

Su Yu smiled. This time, it was a genuine smile.

"Alright. Even though your resume is as thin as a sheet of paper, I'll give you a chance because of your face and that 'I'll even paint walls' comment."

She was stunned, then her eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Don't get too excited." Su Yu waved the resume in his hand. "Go back and wait for our notification. If there's a suitable role, I'll have someone contact you. If not—"

"I will wait. I will wait no matter how long it takes."

Su Yu didn't speak. She lowered her head, clutching the file folder to her chest like a child who had done something wrong.

"Well... I'll be going now. Thank you, Representative Su."

She turned and walked away. She stopped at the door, but didn't look back.

"Representative Su, thank you for answering my call. And thank you... for not kicking me out."

She pushed open the door and went out. Her ponytail swayed briefly before she disappeared behind the door.

Su Yu stood by the window, watching her walk to the alley entrance, turn the corner, and disappear.

He picked up the resume and looked at it again. In the "Film and Television Works" section, there were only three or four lines. She had played the "fifth female lead" in one film, her name listed last.

"Black belt in Taekwondo, no stunt double required..." Su Yu stuffed the resume into the drawer, picked up the paint roller, and continued painting the wall.

My phone vibrated.

Park Jiyeon's message: "Representative Su, I'll wait. I'll wait no matter how long it takes. Also... your wall is painted crooked."

Su Yu stared at the message, paused for a moment, then chuckled. "This girl has a sharp eye."

The sound of keyboards clicking upstairs never stopped. Tap tap tap.

That wall still needs one more finish. No rush.