The Uncrowned King of the Peninsula

Chapter 285 IU: I'm running (Part 2)

In the conference room, everyone looked at Bae Young-joon, who had plopped down in the first seat on the side, and a commotion broke out.

Clearly, this seat belonged to someone else, and Zhao Yuanxi's statement that he could sit anywhere didn't mean he was actually allowed to sit anywhere.

"Ahem, President Pei, everyone's used to their seats," Zhao Yuanxi coughed, signaling to Pei Yongjun, "Don't worry about it too much."

"There are still important guests who haven't arrived yet."

“Well then, Chief, I am truly honored to have this opportunity today.” Bae Young-joon nodded, but remained seated, seemingly oblivious to the unspoken meaning in Jo Won-hee’s words.

"President Pei." Zhao Yuanxi had never seen Pei Yongjun act like this before. Everyone considered themselves respectable people, so they looked at each other and in the end, no one moved. They just watched as Pei Yongjun sat in the seat reserved for CJ Group guests.

Bae Young-joon stared straight ahead, his expression unchanged, but out of the corner of his eye he glanced at Lee Ji-eun's tightly pursed lips, as if he was suppressing a laugh.

Stop holding back, laugh!

He sent her a message.

Lee Ji-eun's phone lit up on the table. She glanced at it, her lips twitched, and she almost lost her composure.

Hey, what are you doing?

Why are you really refusing to leave?

She replied calmly.

Nobody told me to leave.

Bae Young-joon returned.

[Really not leaving? That's a spot reserved for CJ Group.]

Lee Ji-eun thought he didn't know.

No, these seats are reserved for Kakao Entertainment's partners.

Bae Young-joon smiled, replied to a message, and put down his phone.

Lee Ji-eun, who was diagonally across from her, paused for a moment, a strange emotion flickering in her beautiful eyes.

Before anyone could step forward to pull Bae Young-joon away, footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.

Woo Kyung-ho strode in with a smile on his face, followed by an unfamiliar face.

"President!" Everyone in the conference room stood up and greeted him in unison, ignoring Bae Young-joon.

Woo Kyung-ho exuded an extraordinary aura, his eyes sharp and piercing as he scanned the conference room, his gaze sweeping down to the corner.

He didn't speak or respond, and the meeting room remained quiet.

As Bae Yong-joon stood up, he glanced around. Everyone remained motionless, maintaining their greeting posture, their silent silence serving as the highest form of recognition of his authority as president.

Although he was young, the Kakao Entertainment executives before him seemed to have been thoroughly subdued. Despite his parents' impressive background, Woo Kyung-ho's ability to achieve such an effect so quickly in office was truly remarkable.

"Everyone!" Woo Kyung-ho finally broke the silence. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

"However, you haven't waited in vain," he said with a smile. "I have some good news to tell you: the era when Kakao Entertainment had plenty of money but no status is coming to an end."

Woo Kyung-ho's words were resounding and clear, even without a microphone, they could be heard clearly in the conference room.

"I have reached an agreement with CJ Group that Kakao will be responsible for the continued operation of the Produce series of talent shows, and the copyright has been transferred to Kakao Entertainment!"

A gasp rippled through the room; the rumors had become reality, and Kakao Entertainment's chance to turn things around was within reach.

"So, starting today, everyone should prepare to get started on the production of season two!"

"I have also received support from the Japanese side. Mr. Yasushi Akimoto will support AKB48 artists to participate in the audition!"

Everyone was even more excited. This was a major boost that surpassed the first season, enough to allow Kakao Entertainment to leverage the Japanese market and naturally secure its position.

Looking at everyone's reactions, Woo Kyung-ho nodded with apparent satisfaction.

"Let's name this season Produce 48!"

"This time, Kakao Entertainment is going to make it a super talent show in East Asia and even the world!"

"We aim to make Kakao Entertainment the number one entertainment company on the peninsula!"

As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted. Woo Kyung-ho had only been at the helm of Kakao Entertainment for two months, yet he had already unveiled such a grand plan. How could this not be exciting?

“Alright, alright,” Woo Kyung-ho waved his hand, signaling everyone to stop clapping. He then gestured for the person behind him to come forward. “This is Lee Nak-won, Executive Director of CJ Entertainment. He will represent CJ Group in our cooperation.”

"Next, CJ Entertainment will leverage its extensive experience and its television network platforms to support the new season of Produce 48 through exclusive coverage!"

CJ Entertainment is a powerful force in the entertainment industry, owning two major television networks, Mnet and TVN, as well as the streaming platform TVing with a huge user base. Coupled with the experience of successfully operating the first season of Produce, the Kakao Entertainment team present was even more confident.

Thunderous applause and a lively atmosphere marked Woo Kyung-ho's first major event with Kakao Entertainment, and it seemed to be a resounding success.

Woo Kyung-ho clapped a few times with everyone, then gestured with his hand, "Today we discussed with Executive Director Lee, finalized the cooperation model, and signed an agreement for exclusive reporting rights."

"Everyone sit down."

"Executive Director Li, please."

Everyone sat down with a clatter, but Li Luoyuan was stunned for a moment. The conference table in front of him was full of people, and there was no place for him. His expression was rather unpleasant.

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. Inviting people to discuss cooperation but not even providing them with a seat is bound to make them feel uncomfortable.

Zhao Yuanxi's eyes shifted, looking at Pei Yongjun.

Woo Kyung-ho then noticed Bae Young-joon sitting silently in the first seat.

Bae Young-joon smiled at Woo Kyung-ho.

"Young-joon, thank you for your hard work." Woo Kyung-ho remained calm and smiled as he looked at him. "Let's get to know each other. This is Bae Young-joon, the president of Hanjiang Sports. We should all work together more in the future."

Everyone greeted Woo Kyung-ho as he was introduced. Bae Young-joon stood up to return the greeting, and Woo Kyung-ho silently pushed his chair aside, inviting Lee Nak-won to sit down. He then walked straight to the podium next to the conference room screen, and the potential commotion was averted.

Many people breathed a sigh of relief, glad that Woo Kyung-ho handled the situation well. They applauded him for pointing out the various prospects of the Kakao and CJ collaborations on the big screen, while also thinking that Bae Young-joon was just making trouble out of nothing.

Before everyone could catch their breath, their hearts were in their throats again.

"Does anyone have any further thoughts?" After explaining the cooperation plan, Woo Kyung-ho picked up his water glass, took a sip, and smiled.

“President,” Bae Young-joon stood up abruptly, causing a stir in the conference room, “I think the company shouldn’t hand over exclusive reporting rights to CJ Entertainment.”

"Otherwise, if the copyrights come from them and the reporting rights are also controlled by them, how can we guarantee profits?"

"I'm worried that we'll end up losing money and just doing all the work for others."

A commotion surged up like a tide, and the smile on Woo Kyung-ho's face froze.

------

Woo Kyung-ho's smile froze for a moment, then returned to normal.

"Anything else?" His gaze swept over the others, a hint of coldness in his eyes.

Bae Yong-joon's words make sense. Collaborating with CJ Entertainment is a safe bet, but it doesn't mean much to Kakao Entertainment.

However, no one dared to speak; only Bae Young-joon stood there all alone.

"Well, Yongjun, you're overthinking it. We can talk about it later." Woo Kyung-ho waved his hand at Bae Yongjun.

"President, I have another objection." Bae Yong-joon did not sit down, but continued, "There are quite a few conflicts between CJ Entertainment's businesses and our Kakao Entertainment."

"Is deep cooperation really feasible?"

"President Pei, I said we can talk about it after the meeting!" Yu Qinghao raised his voice, and everyone fell silent.

"President Yu, what's going on? Shouldn't your company reach a consensus?" Li Luoyuan's somewhat sharp voice rang out, his eyes fixed on Pei Yongjun.

“I was just stating my opinion…” “President Bae!” Woo Kyung-ho interrupted Bae Young-joon, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

He didn't know what was wrong with Bae Young-joon in front of him, who kept causing trouble.

"Please take a seat."

"Yes, President, I will reserve my opinion, but it is for the sake of the company. Please understand." Bae Young-joon sat down with a calm expression.

In the conference room, some people were so frightened that their faces turned pale.

Woo Kyung-ho's face remained frozen for several seconds before he finally managed to break into a slight smile.

"Executive Director Lee, rest assured, our company's determination to cooperate with CJ Entertainment is unwavering."

“Okay, President Yu.” Li Luoyuan’s expression softened slightly.

But the next second, Woo Kyung-ho's phone rang.

"Sorry, this is Chairman Kim." Woo Kyung-ho smiled apologetically at Lee Nak-won and answered the phone.

This is a call from Kim Bum-soo, the chairman of the Kakao Group.

"Chairman, it's me, you..." Yu Qinghao's smile vanished, and he froze on the spot.

Standing in front of the podium, Kim Beom-soo's voice came through the microphone on Woo Kyung-ho's phone, echoing throughout the conference room.

"Kyung-ho, the board of directors at the group is very dissatisfied with the cooperation with CJ Entertainment, and it cannot continue."

"Buying the copyright is a good thing, but we can't work hard only to benefit others."

"Kakao Entertainment needs to develop in all aspects. We need to find ways to report on new projects within the company."

"Didn't you just acquire a newspaper? Why don't you give it a try?"

"That's it. We'll discuss the details when you come over."

Beep, beep, beep...

The phone rang urgently. Woo Kyung-ho's face darkened, and the conference room fell silent. All eyes were on Bae Young-joon, who had just sat down.

"Everyone, perhaps Chairman Kim also..." He smiled calmly, "Great minds think alike."

Wow, this guy is something else.

This thought flashed through everyone's minds.

Across the long conference table, Lee Ji-eun's beautiful eyes sparkled.

------

"President Woo! What are you Kakao doing?!" In Woo Kyung-ho's office, Lee Nak-won couldn't help but fly into a rage as he recalled the embarrassing scene at the meeting.

"Why are you in such a hurry? It's all because you CJs were busy sticking up for Samsung's inheritance case and angered the Blue House. The President made one phone call and taught you a lesson."

Woo Kyung-ho, who had just returned from Kim Bum-soo's place, also looked unwell.

"Those are all ours. Even if we divide them, we'll get a share. Honestly." Li Luoyuan's tone softened when he mentioned the Grand Commander. He muttered about Li Zaiyong being a shameless scoundrel who had stolen their family's assets. After venting his frustrations for a while, he finally accepted reality.

"What about the reporting and broadcasting? Huh?" Li Luoyuan questioned again, "Are you really going to let that Hanjiang Sports have exclusive coverage?"

"Do they have that ability?"

“Whether you have it or not, you have to put up with it, or you can go to the Blue House and complain.” Woo Kyung-ho glanced at Lee Nak-won.

"Go talk to Bae Young-joon, spend some more money, and buy the broadcasting rights."

"Damn it, this kid got the benefit." Li Luoyuan gritted his teeth for a long time, thinking that he had worked so hard, but in the end, Pei Yongjun got the reward. It was more painful than swallowing a fly.

“However,” he said, after a long silence, when suddenly a possibility occurred to him, and he looked at Woo Kyung-ho with a hint of suspicion, “you’re saying Bae Young-joon was really just lucky?”

Kakao is already close to the Progressive Party, so a phone call from the President is not to be underestimated. The council immediately reached a consensus, and the cooperation with CJ Entertainment was already somewhat conflicting.

With one positive and one negative factor at play, the reporting rights for Produce48 must remain within the company.

Bae Yong-joon's Hanjiang Sports, his only successor, received a windfall.

"Are you two putting on a show here?"

"Can you get the President to put on a show for you?" Woo Kyung-ho retorted.

Li Luoyuan was speechless, vented his anger again, and turned to leave helplessly.

"Bae Young-joon..." After seeing him off, Woo Kyung-ho's eyes suddenly changed, and he murmured Bae Young-joon's name, "Was it really just luck?"

"Or there's more to the story..."

He picked up his phone and dialed Lee Ji-eun's number.

"Ji-eun, how was Bae Young-joon when you went to Han River Sports last time? Was something wrong with him?"

"You're being very polite to me..."

Woo Kyung-ho frowned, swayed in his chair for a long time, and then continued.

"Ji-eun, I'm sorry to trouble you again."

"If it's convenient tonight, let's invite Bae Young-joon to dinner. Find out what he's got up his sleeve."

Okay, um, are you busy?

"Oh, you're running."

Woo Kyung-ho nodded.

------

"Hey! What are you doing!" Panting, Lee Ji-eun hung up the phone, slapped away Bae Young-joon's mischievous hand from her chest, and gave him a flirtatious glare. "You're such a bad guy."

“What’s wrong with it?” Bae Young-joon switched sides, comparing the bad woman and the little maid. “It’s you who’s bad.”

Well?
Bae Young-joon felt that the bad woman's strength had greatly increased today.

Ok.

Without a doubt, it was padded.

"Did you pad it?" he asked.

"Take it off if you don't want to touch it, tsk~" Lee Ji-eun snorted, but her body was very obedient, leaning against Bae Young-joon's chest, letting him do whatever he wanted.

"It's all so you can have a good time."

She hummed and groaned, her fair fingers poking at the muscles on Pei Yongjun's arm.

Bae Young-joon smiled, his fingers slowly searching along the gaps in the buttons, wanting to experience the original little orange.

"By the way, how did I break?" Lee Ji-eun removed his large hand.

"He likes you so much, and you don't appreciate his kindness at all." Imagining Woo Kyung-ho sitting listlessly in the office, Bae Young-joon couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. A smile appeared on his lips, and he casually flicked the little orange, causing Lee Ji-eun to tremble.

She turned around abruptly, knelt on his lap, and stared wide-eyed.

"Yes, I'm bad, but I'm bad because you, you bad man, seduced me." She said angrily, raising her hands to pull Pei Yongjun's cheeks back and forth, then looked at his distorted features and burst out laughing.

“You’re so clever, I learned all of that from you.” Bae Young-joon’s voice was slightly distorted.

"Hey! I didn't teach you that! Tell me, which bad woman did you learn it from?" Li Zhi'en pushed him down onto the sofa, and the two of them playfully wrestled and laughed.

"I learned it while running," Bae Young-joon said with a smile.

"You still dare to talk!" Lee Ji-eun blushed.
(End of this chapter)