Devil’s Music

In the office of the director on the 12th floor of Fantagio in Shanghai, Son Lin sat with a steaming cup of coffee in front of her, lost in thought as she turned her chair to look out the window.

"Do you want to make money?"

She recalled the conversation she had just had with Geon, who had borrowed Yeongseok's satellite phone to call her.

"Director, is there a way for me to make money?"

"Have you changed your mind? You, who lived as if you'd built a wall between yourself and money, what's going on?"

"Well... I've come to realize that extending a hand in sympathy and providing financial support are two different things. I think I should do both."

"Really? Feels like you've suddenly become a philanthropist. What about returning to school?"

"I haven't thought about that yet, I plan to postpone it a bit."

"Hmm... Do you have a specific amount in mind?"

"No, I just want to keep enough for tuition fees later on and donate the rest of the money I earn to Nepal."

"Hmm.. Donating... Are you thinking of making money through music?"

"No, any method will do. Right now, all I want is to provide immediate assistance to those who are suffering."

"I see... Immediate cash flow would most likely come from advertising. Your current popularity is at its peak. Just yesterday, 'The Song of the Himalayas' Part 3 was aired, featuring you rushing down to Gorkha village carrying an elderly woman on your back. Not to mention, the fundraising broadcast produced through UNICEF has become a global topic."

"Then, could you look into advertising for me?"

"Your contract with Fantagio expired during your military service. I'll send over the re-signing documents."

"Yes, I'll sign them right away and send them back. Please proceed with the advertising, Director."

"Geon, we can't just recklessly shoot a lot of advertisements."

"Huh? But the more we shoot, the more donations we can gather, right?"

"Advertisements also consume an entertainer's image. Too much exposure can lead to a quick downfall due to becoming stale. How about limiting it to two or three?"

"Hmm... Won't that limit the amount of money I can make? How much can I expect to earn?"

"Your current standing is S-grade. Based on Korean standards, a 6-month contract for a single shoot could bring in between 400 to 500 million won."

"What? So, shooting just two could make a billion?"

"Yes, after dividing Fantagio's share and handling taxes, your portion would be less than 700 million won."

"Wow, that's more than I expected. Alright, I trust you with this, Director."

"When do you plan to return to Korea?"

"Well, considering Cha Eun's and Yeongseok's schedules, I think I can make it back in about two weeks."

"Alright, we'll get everything ready."

Bathed in the sunlight streaming through the window, Lin was deep in thought.

'Geon will live his life as a musician. Rashly shooting numerous ads could, in the long run, be detrimental.'

Lin's contemplation lasted from the morning after ending the call with Geon until the sun set.

Three days later, Fantagio announced a press conference to the world's media, not just Chinese media but also foreign correspondents. Although it was unusual for a private company like Fantagio to hold such a press conference, the announcement garnered immense interest as soon as the content of the press conference was revealed. The news that Fantagio intended to discuss Geon's contract extension and his future endeavors spread worldwide in less than a day.

Various countries sent special dispatch teams to China, in addition to their correspondents residing there, to cover news about Geon. Consequently, Shanghai was bustling with foreign journalists. Anticipating the number of media attending based on the RSVPs, Fantagio rented the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) instead of a hotel venue due to the overwhelming number of participants.

Exactly four days later, the SNIEC was chaotic from dawn. Journalists jostled for a good spot to capture Lin's arrival and the entire event. Lin had arranged for around a hundred security personnel beforehand to prevent any issues.

Thirty minutes before the press conference, Lin alighted from a black Rolls-Royce Phantom at the entrance of the venue. Dressed in a black blouse, a black skirt, and a white ribbon on her left chest, Lin's arrival prompted journalists to swarm around her, bombarding her with questions. However, blocked by security personnel from getting too close, Lin simply stated, "I will address everything at the press conference," and entered the venue without turning back despite journalists' pleas for comments.

Inside, journalists quickly set up their laptops and connected with their home offices through messaging apps to prepare their articles for immediate release.

As Lin entered the stage,

a barrage of flashes greeted her. Dressed in all black, she greeted the audience politely before taking a moment and then stepping up to the microphone.

"First, I would like to express my condolences to the victims of the recent Nepal earthquake and their families."

The unusual opening remarks for an entertainment company's press conference quieted the journalists. They stopped typing and focused on Lin, who continued.

"Fantagio intends to express its condolences for this tragedy by launching a crowdfunding system to provide financial support to Nepal as much as possible. This fundraising will target companies within China, excluding the general public. More details will be shared later."

The journalists typed faster, as it was an unprecedented decision for a Chinese entertainment company to engage in fundraising through crowdfunding. Lin observed the journalists for a moment before moving on to the main topic.

"Let's get to the point. Fantagio has decided to extend its contract with Geon, who had completed his military service, causing his previous contract to end. I want to clarify that this was done with Geon's consent."

After taking a brief pause, Lin continued.

"Geon's first contract will involve advertisements. He intends to donate 90% of his earnings from these advertisements to Nepal."

The journalists had mixed reactions. Some admired Geon's commitment to donate 90% of his advertising fees, while others were disappointed, having flown to China just to learn about his ad campaigns. However, Lin's following statement shifted their expressions to shock.

"Geon will live as a musician. We, Fantagio, want to avoid excessive advertising that could deplete his image. That's why we've made this decision."

As Lin stepped off the podium, the screens beside her displayed a PPT presentation, showing a world map. Approaching the screen, Lin announced:

"Geon will only shoot three advertisements. As I mentioned earlier, 90% of his earnings from these ads will be donated to Nepal. Starting now, Fantagio will initiate an unprecedented 'ad model auction'!"

The screen changed to show the auction details:

'Minimum Bid: None / Maximum Bid: None / Country/Region: None / Duration: Starting now, for 3 days'

As murmurs grew among the journalists, Lin smiled and explained, "These three ads won't be limited to Korea or China. Any company or government from around the world can participate, with the top three bidders winning the opportunity to work with Geon. Bids can be sent to Fantagio's business email on our website from now for the next three days."

"Please include the ad duration, all necessary conditions, and the bid amount in your email. Fantagio will keep all bid amounts confidential, and only after contracts are finalized with the selected companies will the bid amounts be disclosed. This isn't just about securing an ad model; it's an opportunity to help the victims of the Nepal earthquake. We hope many companies will participate. Thank you."

As journalists raised their hands for questions, the room grew noisy. Lin picked one journalist, a man with brown hair and glasses, who asked:

"When will Geon return from Nepal? And we're contracting with Fantagio's representative, not Geon directly, correct?"

"Yes, that's correct. Next question?"

Lin answered each question succinctly, preventing further inquiries due to her clear responses. After addressing the journalists for a while, Lin gathered her documents and left, saying, "This concludes our press conference. For partnership inquiries, please visit Fantagio's website."

As Lin exited, journalists busily typed their articles or sent summaries to their home offices. One journalist accessed Fantagio's website, which featured a large photo of Geon with the caption 'An angel of the poor' and a countdown timer reading 'Day - 3 23:43'.

The journalist included a screenshot in his article, and soon, other journalists followed suit, spreading the news.

**

In the publicity director's office of SJT, one of Korea's leading telecommunications companies.

"Bang!"

"Get it no matter what, even if it costs a fortune!"

The publicity director yelled at the team gathered around the long table. An article about Geon had just been published, and all the employees were busy on their laptops. The director, in his early 50s, glared at a man in his early 40s sitting next to him.

"Team Manager Kang! When did I tell you to try and get Geon as an ad model? You've been spacing out, and now we're stuck in a bidding war with other companies! Do you have any idea of Geon's current status? He's not just a national hero; he's a hero of the world!"

Manager Kang, sweating, replied, "But, Director, you said we shouldn't trust a nobody who hasn't even released an album yet..."

"Bang! What? Isn't it your job to assist me in making informed decisions? Do you expect me to keep up with the news all day when I'm

this busy?"

"I'm sorry, Director."

"Get it done. Consider it a large-scale corporate donation if you must. Use the social contribution budget if needed. I'll deal with the CEO."

Manager Kang cautiously asked, "How much should we aim for, Director?"

The director looked at Geon's photo on the screen and said, "Start at 100 billion. Use your connections to find out the bidding prices of competitors and always bid higher! Let's move!"

Employees quickly packed up and rushed out. The director watched Manager Kang, who lingered awkwardly.

"Manager Kang, aren't you leaving?"

"Oh! Yes!"

Manager Kang hurried out of the meeting room. And this scene was repeated in publicity departments of major corporations across Korea. They all knew they would be competing, but they underestimated the extent of the competition.

They were unaware that this phenomenon was not limited to Korea.

>

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