The CEO Forced Me to Be a Movie Queen! (GL) - Chapter 2

July 2015.

The rain pattered rhythmically against the windowpane.

Ever since taking the helm at NEWONE, Choi Jin-yeon had essentially moved her home into her office. Over three years of working day and night, she had transformed this mid-sized film investment firm into a thriving powerhouse. A few months ago, a sweep at the Blue Dragon Film Awards had elevated the company to new heights; the entire nation was buzzing about the film she’d invested in and its twenty-four-year-old Best Actor winner.

Her next move was already in motion: acquiring a high-potential overseas VFX studio. Once finalized, NEWONE would possess a formidable core in film production and post-production.

Her empire in the entertainment industry was expanding, piece by piece. Eventually, the world would understand that Choi Jin-yeon was not the “pathetic illegitimate child” portrayed by the tabloids—not some shameless woman trying to steal her brother’s inheritance. In truth, since returning from her studies in the UK, she had grown to despise the rigid, patriarchal conservatism that still ran deep in this country’s veins.

For now, she simply used one victory after another to slap the faces of those who had bet on her failure.

*****

The spring sunshine in Seoul had been fleeting, replaced now by the damp, heavy rains of summer. Jin-yeon lay curled up on the bed in her office suite, glancing at the time on her phone. 5:00 AM. She had managed barely four hours of sleep before waking up, frustrated, with a dull throb blooming at the base of her skull.

The recent streak of high-intensity work had sent her autonomic nervous system into disarray. Sleep was hard to find and easy to lose; it was as if her body had become so accustomed to a state of high tension that it didn’t know how to function when allowed to relax.

She forced herself out of bed. Dressed in a silk robe, she padded across the carpet, passing towering pots of leafy ferns and greenery, and made her way to the bathroom mirror.

The harsh white light spared no detail. She took after her mother—the soft curve of her eyes and a gentle, approachable beauty that instinctively made men lower their guard. If she hadn’t been blessed with such looks, her mother—a famous idol singer in her day—would never have caught the eye of the Chairman, Jin-yeon’s father, sparking the scandal that had rocked the city decades ago.

Jin-yeon studied her reflection. She cupped water in her hands, meticulously cleansing her skin before starting her skincare and makeup routine. She polished every inch of herself with precision. She wasn’t an actress, yet she put more effort into maintaining her appearance than many stars did.

A beautiful, gentle-looking woman rarely has bad luck at the negotiating table, she reminded herself.

A touch of Givenchy lip gloss brought life to her pale lips, adding a final layer of elegance to her face. This was how her day began.

By the time the new secretary knocked on the door, Jin-yeon had already brewed her own coffee and finished scrolling through the day’s international and domestic political news.

Secretary Kim entered, still somewhat timid, and placed a stack of files on the desk while reciting the day’s itinerary:

• 9:00 AM: Internal Company Meeting
• 12:00 PM: Luncheon with VIP guests
• 2:00 PM: Press Conference
• 4:00 PM: Group Headquarters Meeting
• 6:00 PM: Group Banquet and Dinner
• 9:00 PM: M&A Consultation

Jin-yeon, now clad in a sharp black suit, frowned slightly when she heard the 9:00 PM slot. A look of inquiry flashed in her eyes. “An M&A? Did I schedule a merger talk recently?” She had just finished absorbing a post-production house; the film sector of her blueprint was complete for now. There was no immediate need for further acquisitions.

The secretary scrolled through her tablet. “SPE is a music production agency. The CEO is a former singer-turned-producer, Ahn Jae-kyu. He is a friend of your mother’s; she’s the one who arranged the meeting.”

Jin-yeon pressed a hand to her forehead. That woman is such a headache, she thought. Her mother lacked both the IQ and the EQ to navigate this world effectively—she could barely help herself, yet she insisted on doing favors for old friends. Fortunately, what her mother lacked in wits, she made up for in luck; after the Chairman’s first wife passed away, the “mistress” had finally been legalized, and she now lived a cautious, pampered life within the Choi household.

Since her mother had personally made the request, it wouldn’t do to send Representative Han in her place. Jin-yeon nodded. “Send the company profile to my tablet. I’ll do some homework in the car.”

Expanding into music before her film empire was fully stabilized wasn’t the most strategic move. The profit margins in the idol industry were significant, but that was a territory she hadn’t planned to touch for another few years.

Jin-yeon finished a second cup of coffee and followed the secretary to the conference room.

*****

The rest of the day was a blur of tedious meetings and overdrawn banquets that grated on her nerves. Throughout it all, she maintained a flawless, gentle smile, her polite demeanor making everyone she spoke with feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze.

Even under such a high-pressure schedule, Secretary Kim found herself relaxing whenever she was near the President. Since she’d started serving her, she had never seen Jin-yeon lose her cool or show a hint of extreme emotion. President Choi was a permanent picture of elegance and high fashion—as exquisite and untouchable as a piece of fine art.

At 8:10 PM, she managed to slip away from the banquet. She had been cornered into drinking several glasses of red wine by a man who was as ill-intentioned as he was influential. Her gold pendant earrings swayed against her neck as she leaned her head against the back of the car seat, trying to steady her growing nausea.

“President,” Secretary Kim said softly, “if you aren’t feeling well, perhaps we should cancel the meeting with Producer Ahn.”

Jin-yeon’s brow furrowed. She was on the verge of agreeing when the car turned the corner toward the office building. In the distance, under the streetlights, she saw a man and his assistant stepping out of a parked car, clutching a mountain of folders. They had arrived early and were waiting.

“Let’s just get it over with,” Jin-yeon sighed. If her mother found out she had snubbed her friend, she would never hear the end of it. “I’ll go up and change first. Have them wait in the conference room.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Secretary Kim opened the door and escorted her to the private elevator.

******

Outside the window, the city was a sea of lights and urban bustle. Jin-yeon shed her evening gown, changed back into a professional black suit, and smoothed her dark, wavy hair. She splashed cold water on her face, trying to force some clarity into her mind.

When the secretary knocked again, Jin-yeon followed her out. Representative Han had arrived to work late; as the son of one of her father’s old subordinates and a former media strategist, he was currently her right-hand man.

After a full day of meetings, Jin-yeon could no longer keep up the smile. Deprived of sleep and trapped in the middle of a dull, talentless self-introduction by the other party, she felt herself drifting toward a daze.

She had skimmed the SPE materials in the car. It was just one of the thousands of tiny entertainment agencies in a country where the primary industry lacked room for growth, the secondary was moving overseas, and the economy relied heavily on the tertiary sector.

The only thing worth mentioning was the forty-five-year-old man sitting across from her. Ahn Jae-kyu was a decent singer and producer, known affectionately by the public as “Papa Ahn.” He had transitioned into business five years ago, signing his old friend—the veteran singer Cha Seung-gun—and had even managed to debut a successful boy group, DTJ, thanks to his solid musical instincts.

But five years later, SPE was on the brink of bankruptcy.

Ahn Jae-kyu’s beard was flecked with gray, and his face bore a weariness he couldn’t hide. Even when speaking to a woman much younger than himself, he used formal honorifics.

“In short… SPE is still a company with great potential. We have a solid music production team and a national treasure of a veteran singer. Cha Seung-gun’s recent achievements in musical theater speak for themselves. The core members of our top-tier boy group, DTJ, have also decided to stay with us… and we have a girl group that just debuted.”

The man lowered his head, his voice thick with sincerity. “I truly hope President Choi can consider an investment to help SPE through this crisis. I beg of you.”

The wheel of fortune truly does turn, Jin-yeon thought. Only a few years ago, when she was first starting out, she had been the one bowing her head and begging for a chance.

*****

Note:

This chapter shifts to a flashback, establishing the foundation of Jin-yeon’s character—her relentless ambition, her complicated family history, and the physical toll her drive takes on her. 

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