Peninsula: From a supporting actor to the best actor in Chungmuro

Chapter 190 Kang Jae-hoon's 24-Hour Golden Rule
Kang Jae-hoon pushed open the door.

Outside.

Lim Yoon-a's junior high school classmate, lawyer Ji-hyun, was standing there.

His navy blue suit was perfectly pressed without a single wrinkle, and a pair of delicate, gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose.

Kang Jae-hoon's gaze lingered on the glasses on her face for half a second.

Ji-hyun immediately caught the slight pause, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly:
"How's the merchandise Yoona helped me pick up?"

Kang Jae-hoon stepped aside to make way:

"Very intellectual."

"Yeah~"

Zhixian seemed quite satisfied with the assessment, her smile deepening slightly: "Lawyers always need some 'props' to enhance their presence."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Ji-hyun's gaze passed over Kang Jae-hoon and landed on Kim Dae-won, who was sipping banana milk in the living room.

"Manager Kim, please tell me the details again."

"it is good."

Kim Dae-won immediately led Ji-hyun to sit down on the sofa.

Using the most concise and clear language possible, I quickly explained to Attorney Zhixian the bullying allegations that suddenly erupted online, the details of the posts, the extent of the public outcry, the reactions from all sides, and their previous speculations about the mastermind behind it all.

period.

Lee Sung-kyung peeked out from the kitchen to check the situation, then quietly took out some more ingredients from the refrigerator...

in the living room.

Zhixian quickly figured out the situation.

“I understand the situation. The most urgent thing right now is to immediately issue a strongly worded and clear clarification statement. After the statement is issued, I will immediately begin preparing the formal case filing materials to sue DC Forum and Naver platform.”

"and many more……"

The effects of his cold made Jin Dayuan a little disoriented: "Sue the platform? Shouldn't we sue that anonymous account that spread the rumors?"

"The purpose of the lawsuit platform is to achieve out-of-court settlements."

Zhixian explained:
“It is very difficult to directly sue the anonymous poster, as the platform has an obligation to protect user privacy. However, the platform also has the responsibility for inadequate supervision and the dissemination of false information. Our core demand in suing the platform is to require them to provide all the real identity information and IP address of the registrant of the rumor-spreading account, and to reach an out-of-court settlement on this condition.”

"Only after obtaining the true information can we sue the person who spread the rumors and hold them accountable for defamation."

The thought process is clear.

Logical closed loop.

Kim Dae-won had no choice but to admit it.

This young female lawyer is indeed very capable; the solution she proposed is currently the most direct and effective one available through due process of law.

But he immediately realized a crucial loophole:
"The problem is what if the platform stubbornly refuses to cooperate, or drags out the process for ten days, half a month, or even longer?"

"The thing we can't afford to waste right now is time. If public opinion gets out of control, endorsement contracts will be terminated, movie box office will plummet... the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Zhixian was clearly prepared for this, and said confidently:

"Therefore, you need to leverage the strong public opinion oversight and the huge attention that celebrities themselves receive to prevent platforms from playing tricks or dragging things out."

Yup!

Jin Dayuan's eyes suddenly lit up.

When Kang Jae-hoon was filming "The Producers," he had nothing to do, so he spent his days hanging around KBS TV station and got to know several hardcore reporters who covered social news.

Isn't this the kind of network you should be using right now?!
"Alright, without further ado, I'll get right there..."

"Have a meal before you leave."

A clear and gentle voice interrupted him.

Lee Sung-kyung deftly placed the prepared meal onto the table.

The casual atmosphere instantly eased the tense planning.

A rich sauce coats the stir-fried pork belly slices, the yellow croaker is pan-fried until its skin is golden and crispy, kimchi soup is bubbling, and a refreshing green spinach salad is laid out on the table.

Steam rose in the air.

Ji-hyun's stomach betrayed her and rumbled loudly.

The aroma instantly awakened my nerves, which were on edge from rushing to work, and my hunger.

"This... I'm so sorry to bother you."

"No, thank you for your hard work, lawyer."

Lee Sung-kyung smiled slightly and pointed in a direction:
"The bathroom is over there."

"Thank you!"

Zhixian walked away quickly.

After she came out and sat down, the four of them picked up their rice bowls.

Zhixian picked up a piece of pork belly with a rich, dark sauce and gently closed her teeth.

The tender, fatty parts are like melted butter, while the lean meat fibers are just the right amount of springy and chewy. There is no porky smell at all. The rich, savory sauce and just the right amount of spiciness explode on the tongue, with a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste.

"Well!"

Ji-hyun's eyes widened instantly, and she couldn't resist taking another piece:
"It's delicious!"

Lee Sung-kyung smiled but didn't say anything, pushing the plate of fried fish towards her.

Zhixian reached for the golden-brown fried yellow croaker with her chopsticks. The first taste was the crispy skin, followed by the tender and juicy flesh. The cooking time was impeccable, and the accompanying sauce was the perfect finishing touch, enhancing the flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.

"Wow! That's amazing! The cooking is absolutely superb!"

After sincerely praising him, she glanced meaningfully at Kang Jae-hoon's sharply defined profile:

"Is this what Kang Jae-hoon usually eats? No wonder he's so picky about food."

Jiang Zai Xun lowered his head even further, holding up the bowl to almost cover half his face, shoveling rice into his mouth with his chopsticks, pretending to be deaf and dumb.

Zhixian knew exactly what was going on.

He knew that the girl opposite him had a close relationship with him.

But Yoona hired her to do work, not to cause trouble for the other party. Winning this successful rights protection case is her top priority right now.

This is not only about Kang Jae-hoon, but also about whether she can use this case to establish a strong reputation for "celebrity rights protection".

Not long after.

The food was completely devoured, and the "Clean Plate Campaign" was successfully completed.

Ji-hyun wiped her mouth with satisfaction, stood up, took a business card from her black briefcase, and handed it to Lee Sung-kyung with both hands:
"Although I hope you will never need to deal with legal disputes, please feel free to contact me if you need anything."

She had no other purpose at the time.

It's simply because I feel so comfortable around Lee Sung-kyung; she's the type of career woman I naturally feel a connection with.

Lee Sung-kyung was a little surprised. She accepted the business card with both hands, her eyes scanning it:
"OK, thanks."

See this.

Kim Dae-won and Ji-hyun didn't linger any longer and got up to take their leave.

The door closed gently.

It blocked out the sound of Kim Dae-won's hurried footsteps and the crisp echo of Ji-hyun's high heels.

Kang Jae-hoon wrapped his arms around Lee Sung-kyung's waist, nestling comfortably in her embrace.

Lee Sung-kyung didn't speak, but simply raised her hand and absentmindedly combed her thick black hair.

A silent word of comfort is worth a thousand words.

at this time.

"Om-"

The sudden vibration of the phone shattered the tranquility.

Kang Jae-hoon took out his phone from his pocket and answered the call.

"where?"

"Family."

"If it's convenient, come to Kwang-soo's house now."

Jo In-sung's tone was devoid of the usual pleasantries; he got straight to the point.

Kang Jae-hoon subconsciously looked up at the wall clock.

"Now?"

"Well, now."

The phone was hung up cleanly.

Lee Sung-kyung looked down at him:
"Who?"

"Brother Yincheng".

Kang Jae-hoon put his phone back in his pocket: "Let me go to Kwang-soo hyung's house now."

"Okay, go ahead then."

Kang Jae-hoon, however, sat up straight, supporting himself on the sofa armrest, and took her hand:

"You go with me."

Not a negotiation.

Lee Sung-kyung looked at him for two seconds, her obsidian-like eyes reflecting his slightly taut jawline.

"Ah."

The two stood up.

With deft movements, he took two baseball caps and a matching black face mask from the coat hook in the entryway.

Pull the brim of your hat down.

It covered most of her face.

Go out.

The silver-gray Santa Fe rolled down the empty streets, the glow of the streetlights casting flowing yellow lines on the car windows.

Kang Jae-hoon gripped the steering wheel with one hand.

Reaching out with his other hand, he found Lee Sung-kyung's left hand hanging down in the shadows of the passenger seat.

Lee Sung-kyung did not resist.

She simply let him hold her hand the whole way.

Navigation indicates arrival.

Enter the password.

Lee Kwang-soo's house was brightly lit.

The cacophony of voices and laughter instantly assaulted my ears.

The living room lights were on brightly.

The sight that came into view made Kang Jae-hoon stop in his tracks outside the door.

Lee Sung-kyung's eyes, hidden beneath her hat brim, widened slightly—

In the spacious living room.

Lee Kwang-soo, Kim Woo-bin, and Lim Ju-hwan, with their hair neatly combed yet exuding a youthful charm, were chatting while wearing high school uniforms.

It’s time to say it or not.

The uniform looked incredibly out of place on several men who were over 1.8 meters tall, with well-defined muscles and long past their youthful days!

Kim Woo-bin is alright.

Lin Zhouhuan... well, he seems like a senior who has repeated a year.

As for Lee Kwang-soo...

The clothes are all the wrong size...

"coming!"

Everyone's gaze instantly shifted to the doorway, then fell upon the two people's still-closed hands.

Jo In-sung didn't say anything, he just waved his hand:

"Here to prepare for filming."

"Huh? What are you filming?"

Kang Jae-hoon was completely confused, but he still held onto Lee Sung-kyung's hand tightly.

"Let's recreate the events described in those online fabricated posts. Weren't you accused of leading a group to surround and verbally abuse A? These people today are all members of your bullying gang!"

Jo In-sung refers to the trio dressed in school uniforms, pretending to be fierce and menacing:
"You are responsible for portraying the image of the heinous bully described by the rumor-monger."

"The goal is to make everyone's first reaction after watching the video—if Kang Jae-hoon really did this, he would never dare to film it like this! This crazy self-deprecating humor must be fake!"

"Use magic to defeat magic, and let the absurdity destroy the foundation of rumors!"

The role originally intended for "A," the bullied character, was played by Lee Kwang-soo, who lost a game of rock-paper-scissors.

But before Kang Jae-hoon arrived, everyone tried arranging the lines.

result……

Lee Kwang-soo's naturally comical face, paired with his pitiful expression, not only lacked any sense of being bullied but instead created an absurd comedic effect!
The onlookers burst into laughter on the spot, completely failing to achieve the intended "reversal and slap in the face" goal.

then.

Cha Tae-hyun had a sudden inspiration and made a phone call to Park Bo-gum.

Park Bo-gum is ultimately going to pursue an acting career, and relying solely on his role as an MC on Music Bank to gain fans is ultimately a step down.

Although he was selected to play Choi Taek in "Reply 1988", filming has not yet started.

Casting him as the bullied victim serves two purposes: firstly, it allows him to capitalize on the current public interest; secondly, it allows more directors to see his versatility as an actor, rather than relying solely on his physical appearance.

Jo In-sung remained noncommittal regarding Cha Tae-hyun's alleged "hidden agenda." He has always done so.

The brotherhood of "Zhao Line" is more than just empty words about drinking and bragging.

Rape Do Kyung-soo secured challenging film roles such as "Cart" and "Pure Love".

This secured Lee Kwang-soo's first leading role on the big screen (despite being covered by a hood throughout the film).

And now, they are actively planning a counterattack to help Kang Jae-hoon, who is caught in a media storm, turn the tide.

Pile pile pieces.

The resources and connections that Jo In-sung invested were all substantial.

Park Bo-gum is also a promising talent in his brother's company.

Taking advantage of this controversy, giving him a chance to showcase his acting skills and gain attention is just a convenient excuse.

……

soon.

Everyone was ready.

Jo In-sung stood behind a computer that served as a surveillance camera, holding a printed "bullying script" in one hand and a cell phone as a walkie-talkie in the other.

Cha Tae-hyun then used his phone camera to point at the "back alley of the campus" scene that had been set up (which was actually just a sofa that had been moved from the corner of the living room).

"Action!"

Signal dropped.

Lee Kwang-soo, Kim Woo-bin, and Lim Ju-hwan quickly exchanged glances, their lingering smiles instantly suppressed.

Lin Zhouhuan, meanwhile, twisted his lips, trying to force out what he thought was a fierce sneer.

Lee Kwang-soo tried hard to recall the slovenly demeanor of street thugs in his memory. He shook his leg, crossed his arms, and tried to create a sense of oppression.

The three people stood in a triangular formation.

They bared their teeth and half-surrounded Park Bo-gum.

The atmosphere on set was trying to be "tense," but Lee Kwang-soo's overly comical face and unnatural body language inexplicably created a bizarre feeling of barely being able to hold back his laughter.

Kim Woo-bin stepped forward and, following the script, forcefully shoved Park Bo-gum's shoulder.

"Hey! Did you bring enough money?!"

Lee Kwang-soo, standing next to him, immediately cooperated by letting out a few deliberately low, mocking laughs in a gangster-like tone:

"Hey hey hey..."

Park Bo-gum swayed, his face immediately contorting with just the right amount of terror:
"I...I really have no money left...I gave you some yesterday..."

The lines fell.

Cha Tae-hyun turned the camera's focus to Kang Jae-hoon, who was waiting.

He strode forward abruptly.

His steps were deliberately heavy, and his feet made a dull "thump, thump" sound as they hit the floor.

As we approached.

He deftly grabbed a large black plastic bag he had prepared beforehand for collecting trash, shoved aside Kim Woo-bin who was blocking his way, and in the instant Park Bo-gum raised his head, before the fear in his eyes could fully manifest—

Swish!
A black plastic bag was draped over his head, instantly enveloping Park Bo-gum's upper body in a blurry darkness.

It has a strong visual impact.

"No money?"

Kang Jae-hoon's voice carried a deliberate coldness and sarcasm.

Followed by.

He raised his leg and made a feinting "knee strike," and Park Bo-gum also cooperated perfectly by letting out a painful cry, "Ugh—!" His body instantly arched like a boiled shrimp, clutching his stomach and staggering backward, crashing into the wall.

Then, Kang Jae-hoon waved his hand.

Upon receiving the order, Lee Kwang-soo, Kim Woo-bin, and Lim Ju-hwan immediately surrounded Park Bo-gum, baring their teeth and making a show of punching and kicking him, as if to make him look "weak, pitiful, and helpless."

just.

Lee Kwang-soo truly immersed himself in the role, focusing solely on portraying the character as ruthless and realistic, as fierce and menacing. He overlooked how ill-fitting and fragile the high school uniform he wore was for his frame.

Just as he forcefully swung his arm backward—

Just listen——

Bah!
A sharp, piercing sound of tearing fabric echoed clearly in every corner of the living room.

Everyone's movements froze instantly.

All eyes immediately focused on Lee Kwang-soo.

Lee Kwang-soo maintained that exaggerated pose and slowly lowered his head to look at his right armpit.

The already meager sutures completely broke down, and a gaping wound several centimeters long roughly split open, revealing a stubbornly protruding, slightly trembling tuft of armpit hair.

Lee Kwang-soo: "..."

The ferocious expression on his face was completely frozen between "I am a bully" and "I am an idiot".

“Kwang-soo…”

Lin Zhouhuan's eye muscles twitched.

I bit my lower lip hard to keep from losing my composure on the spot.

His Adam's apple bobbed laboriously; he wanted to say something but was at a loss for words.

Kim Woo-bin, standing next to him, was so frustrated that his face turned bright red.

His shoulders were shaking like crazy.

In the end, I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Pfft!"

He suddenly turned his head away and laughed silently at the wall, his whole body shaking.

Park Bo-gum, the victim of this "bullying scene," still had the black plastic bag over his head. At that moment, he couldn't care less about how badly he had been beaten.

The plastic bag rustled, a muffled sound emanating from within.
"...What's wrong? What happened?"

He didn't receive a reply.

All that could be heard was the suppressed hissing of air around me and Cha Tae-hyun's earth-shattering laughter from further away.

Kang Jae-hoon covered his face with both hands and squatted down on the ground.

Even Lee Sung-kyung, who was a little further away, had her big, bright eyes under her hat brim silently curving into crescents.

……

It's 11 p.m.

SEM Company released a strongly worded statement on its official website:

Our artist, Kang Jae-hoon, has been the victim of malicious rumors. All the so-called accusations of 'school bullying' circulating online are completely unfounded.

The false information has caused serious damage to the artist's reputation and mental well-being.

Our company has fully entrusted a professional legal team (led by Attorney Park Ji-hyun) to initiate legal proceedings and will resolutely pursue the legal responsibility of those who spread rumors and related media platforms!
We urge all media outlets and netizens to stop spreading rumors and create a clean and healthy online environment!
The attitude was clear and the stance was firm.

The comment section below the statement was instantly flooded with a lot of debate.

Supporters cheered, believing they had finally received a counterattack. Critics, on the other hand, scoffed, arguing that it was just a standard crisis management template from a talent agency, devoid of any substance.

The public opinion did not calm down; on the contrary, the debate intensified.

Just after this noisy midnight.

Early in the morning.

Jo In-sung's social media account was the first to upload the absurd "bullying" video, along with the caption:
Facts speak louder than words; the innocent are proven innocent. @KangJaehoon [fist emoji]

Lee Kwang-soo, Cha Tae-hyun, Kim Woo-bin, Lim Ju-hwan, and Park Bo-gum followed suit, reposting the message on their respective social media accounts.

The video spread like wildfire, and the comments section exploded:
[Haha, help! I laughed so hard my neighbor called the police!!!]

[This...is this really a bullying scene? It looks more like a comedy sketch to me???]

[The moment Lee Kwang-soo's armpit stitches came undone has given me a year's worth of laughs!]

[Lim Ju-hwan, the war god with the crooked mouth, hahaha, I laughed so hard I split open!]

[It's clear now, Zhao Line is a true brother! This kind of self-deprecating rebuttal requires real friendship and confidence to pull off!]

【…】

The wind direction began to shift visibly.

The hashtags #KangJaeHoonSelf-DeprecatingDebunking#, #LeeKwangSooArmpitHairActing#, and #ParkBoGumBullyed# quickly rose to the top of the trending searches.

Netizens quickly shifted their focus from "whether the bullying was real" to "this video is hilarious", "Kang Jae-hoon is so funny", and "the Jo line's brotherhood is really strong".

At 9:00 AM the following morning.

A more influential account was taken down.

CJ Entertainment's official account reposted Jo In-sung's "bullying reenactment" video.

There was no accompanying text.

There is only a simple forwarding icon.

But this action itself is enough to explain everything.

What is CJ?
They are the investors and distributors of "Veteran".

It is a behemoth in the South Korean entertainment industry.

Its choice to repost this video, which clearly takes sides and uses an absurd method to refute rumors, at this sensitive moment sends an unmistakable signal:
We support Kang Jae-hoon.

The internet exploded instantly:
[CJ is involved! Confirmed support!]

The chaebols' judgment is never wrong; they must have investigated thoroughly!

[As expected, you can question the character of chaebols, but you can't question their vision and profit-seeking instincts! Their willingness to share this proves that Kang Jae-hoon is absolutely clean!]

Those brands that were threatening to terminate their contracts must be in a bind now, right?

【…】

CJ's presence instilled strong confidence in wavering passersby and instantly silenced most of the previous calls for boycott and ban.

The power and endorsement of capital have demonstrated remarkable effectiveness at critical moments.

At 1:30 PM.

The entertainment section of the Kyunghyang Shinmun website displayed a breaking news alert—

[Exclusive: Actors Kang Jae-hoon and Bae Suzy appear at a welfare institution in Seongnam, quietly participating in charity volunteer work]

The press release was carefully worded.

Only state the facts.

It is said that some citizens "bumped into" and witnessed the two artists doing volunteer work and making charitable donations at a welfare institution in the south of the city.

The document also includes photos of the organization's representative signing for the supplies.

The release of a press release.

It cleverly capitalized on the huge public opinion momentum brought about by CJ's endorsement.

The goal is to seamlessly transition public sentiment from anger and refutation of rumors to rebuilding a positive and optimistic image of the artist.

In less than half an hour.

SEM Company has released another press release on its official website:

[Official Announcement]

Latest developments regarding the defamation case of our artist Kang Jae-hoon—

Our company has formally retained "Jung-Law Law Firm" to file a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court against users of online platforms such as DC Forum and Naver for publishing false information that seriously defames and damages Mr. Kang Jae-hoon's right to reputation.

The press release included a scanned copy of the court's receipt for accepting the case.

From the strong statement late at night to the absurd self-deprecating video in the early morning, it sparked laughter across the internet and received strong support from his friends.

From CJ Capital's silent support in the morning, to the heartwarming image of the charity volunteers being revealed in the afternoon, and finally, the powerful legal action taken to formally sue the platform.

A series of combined punches flowed smoothly and effortlessly.

The public relations counterattack was as powerful as a thunderbolt.

Image reshaping is like spring rain nourishing all things.

Legal rights protection is like the steel backbone standing behind.

The three dimensions support each other.

In an instant, an impregnable fortress was built.

The previous fierce boycotts and malicious negative reviews against the endorsed brands have vanished without a trace, like bubbles blown away by a strong wind.

In less than 24 hours.

SEM Company and Kang Jae-hoon's team waged a textbook-level crisis public relations and defamation battle.

The truth has not yet been definitively determined by the court due to legal procedures.

But it's clear to everyone that the foundation of that anonymous post has been completely shaken, and Kang Jae-hoon's innocence is almost a certainty.

Countless artists, agencies, and public relations teams were stunned.

Kang Jae-hoon's breathtaking and brilliant counterattack is hailed as "a textbook example of how to handle a celebrity's reputation crisis in public relations!"

In short: "Kang Jae-hoon's 24-Hour Golden Rule".

It perfectly illustrates how to react quickly, integrate resources, launch multi-dimensional attacks, and use public opinion to counter public opinion when faced with devastating rumors, ultimately achieving a stunning reversal.

This battle.

This not only cleared Kang Jae-hoon's name.

This further elevated his and his team's reputation, skills, and resource integration capabilities to an unprecedented level.

(End of this chapter)