How can you become a star without money?

Chapter 228 'The Redemption Plan'

Come out and hang out.

The most important thing is the background; the second most important thing is the context.

Suitable for any circle.

CCM Company has benefited from T-ara's meteoric rise, generating over ten million in revenue for the company within just six months of their debut, propelling the company to near-top tier status. It is even predicted that they may surpass the established company JYP next year.

This is tantamount to one person attaining enlightenment and all their relatives and friends benefiting from it.

However, after making it in Korea, in order to seek greater development and avoid being swallowed up by other companies, it was necessary to seek the help of a larger background. So, CCM President Kim Kwang-joo found a partner.

In addition to investing capital, the other party also requested that a new member, Hwayoung, be added to T-ara, which has already become a top-tier girl group.

The goal is to leverage T-ara's popularity to enhance Hwayoung's image and then transition into acting, using her idol career as a temporary stepping stone for exposure.

Originally, this was a mutually beneficial arrangement, but the problem arose because Kim Kwang-joo underestimated the T-ara members' dedication to their careers. For idols like them who debuted through the traditional trainee system, the most taboo thing is having newcomers parachuted in.

Even Lee Soon-kyu, who joined Girls' Generation at the time, was ostracized, even though she was Lee Soo-man's niece.

In addition, Liu Huaying comes from a wealthy family and has a somewhat difficult personality, making it hard for her to integrate with the other members. The two sides did not get along well, and at first, the original members were able to tolerate it for the sake of the company.

However, after discovering that Hwayoung refused to participate in various practice sessions and didn't care about the idol stage, the original members were naturally not stupid and knew that she didn't take the career she valued seriously at all.

They don't mind being stepping stones for the young lady, but only if they don't take away our livelihoods, right?
They can tolerate someone sharing a bowl with them, but they cannot accept that the other person not only dislikes the food for being spoiled, but also intends to kick the bowl over.

For Liu Huaying, this may just be a temporary tool, but for them, it is the flower of life that they have finally nurtured with countless efforts.

Cannot be trampled upon.

T-ara, who are usually gentle and obedient to the company, approached President Kim Kwang-joo for the first time to advocate for their interests, but were only met with perfunctory responses.

"Just bear with it, she'll leave next year."

They had been hearing this for almost a month. Finally, when Yoo Hwayoung missed the most important rehearsal before the group's comeback, which would delay the entire group's comeback schedule, the original members couldn't hold back any longer and cornered CEO Kim Kwang-joo in his office at the company.

"What's wrong again?" Jin Guangzhu asked knowingly.

Previously, when members came to him, they would approach him one by one, using both soft and hard tactics. But seeing that all six original members were present today, and the way they made such a fuss, they must be really angry.

"President, are we still going to prepare for our return to the stage? We're announcing the new members joining the team tomorrow, and Liu Huaying still doesn't even understand the positions. How are we going to get on stage?" Ham Eun-jung, the team leader, was the first to question.

"Liu Huaying's addition is to make up for our group's lack of exposure in film and television. It's understandable that she's a bit weak on stage, after all, she's the acting expert," Jin Guangzhu said with a smirk.

"President! Aren't I the acting expert?!" Park Jiyeon exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.

As the company's youngest and most promising prospect, Park Ji-yeon was positioned as the visual center after her debut and is preparing to enter the acting field. Last year, she starred in four dramas.

How come she's suddenly no longer considered the acting talent?
"You too, there's no conflict between you," Jin Guangzhu quickly added.

"President, will all of Jiyeon's resources be taken away by Hwayoung from now on?" Lee Qri added sarcastically.

“How could that be? You are the pillars of the company, so you will definitely be given priority. Besides, Liu Huaying has some resources of her own. If you get along well, she might even help you get some roles. It’s a win-win situation for both of you,” Jin Guangzhu explained patiently.

After all, T-ara has generated such great profits for the company in just six months since their debut, and they may still rival Girls' Generation in the future. Although he was being perfunctory, he still had to appease them.

“We don’t care about anything else, but at least the quality of our idol’s stage performances and albums has to be guaranteed, right? Otherwise, how can we face the fans who support us? But with Hwayoung’s attitude, there will definitely be problems on stage,” Ham Eunjung said in a deep voice.

"President, how about this? Let's not have Liu Hwayoung join T-ara's comeback team yet. Instead, you can choose someone from among us to form a sub-unit with her. This way, it won't affect the main group's comeback, and it will also help Liu Hwayoung gradually adapt to her idol identity," Park Hyomin suggested softly.

This suggestion was the result of their recent deep thought and consultation with several friends in the industry, leading to a conclusion that would benefit both parties.

Upon hearing this, Jin Guangzhu raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at the girls he had watched grow up with some surprise.

They were clearly well-prepared today, and each of them had a clear division of labor, playing the good cop/bad cop role effectively.

Moreover, this suggestion is indeed good. It can reduce direct friction between Liu Huaying and them, and it can also prevent them from returning to make money for the company.

But it was precisely because this suggestion was so good, so good that it seemed beyond their comprehension, that Kim Kwang-joo suddenly became exceptionally sensitive, and it could be considered a suggestion from the company's 'decision-making level'.

As a company manager, the first priority is 'prestige'.

If you lose your authority, then you'll be ridden around by other artists, which is not a good thing. Look at YG Entertainment next door; they're almost being sidelined by G-Dragon and his ilk.

Kim Kwang-joo is a very suspicious person. He even suspects that outsiders are instigating them behind the scenes. So even if the suggestion is reasonable, he will never agree to it because it would be a provocation to the company's decision-making level.

Artists must obey, otherwise they will be uncontrollable.

Kim Kwang-joo's previously smiling face suddenly darkened, and he coldly stared at Park Hyo-min and the others: "Are you questioning whether the company's decisions are problematic?"

Since their debut and subsequent rise to fame, they have rarely seen Kim Kwang-joo get angry, which has made them somewhat fearful.

"President, you've misunderstood. We're just looking out for the company's best interests," the oldest member of the group, Jeon Boram, quickly said, trying to smooth things over.

"Do you even have a chance to consider this?" Jin Guangzhu shouted coldly.

Park Hyo-min and the others turned pale instantly.

"Don't think that just because you've achieved some success, the company can't do without you. Don't forget that it's the company that made you who you are, not the other way around. Without the company, where would your current popularity come from?"

"What do you know about business strategies? When 'Bo Peep Bo Peep' was released at the beginning of the year, didn't you also think it would have problems and wouldn't be a hit? But what happened? It became a huge hit! If we listened to you, would you be responsible for the livelihoods of dozens or even hundreds of employees in the company?" Jin Guangzhu coldly rebuked.

Park Hyo-min and the others turned even paler upon hearing this. The song "BP," which they had the least faith in and even suggested removing from the new album at the beginning of the year, had unexpectedly become a hit and was now the main single.

This was indeed in accordance with the company's arrangements. They were all quite young, and faced with the overwhelming reality, they all began to doubt themselves.

"Ham Eun-jung, I thought you had a calm personality and could manage the team well, but I didn't expect you to be just like her. You shouldn't be the captain anymore. Jeon Bo-ram, you're the eldest sister, you'll be the captain from now on."
Furthermore, although I've always been kind to you, you haven't shown me much respect as the club president. If you ever barge into my office again, you will be permanently banned from the job.
"Since this is your first offense, your return plan will be postponed for three months. We'll set a return date once you've worked things out with Liu Huaying. Go back and each of you should write a 3-word self-criticism," Jin Guangzhu said coldly.

Upon hearing that their return was going to be postponed, the women immediately became anxious.

"President." Ham Eun-jung's eyes welled up with tears. It didn't matter if she wasn't the leader, but the comeback plan that she had worked so hard to finalize was going to be postponed!

"Shut up, go write your self-criticisms first." Jin Guangzhu waved his hand coldly, shooing them out of the office.

"If he can't handle a few girls, how can he be the president? He really needs to be taught a lesson." Park Jiyeon asked in a panic, "What should we do, sisters? The president seems really angry. Is he really going to postpone it for three months?"

"I've already said we can't force someone to resign over something like this." Jeon Boram sighed and glanced at her younger sisters.

At the time, she didn't quite agree with using this method to force the company to compromise.

"What do we do now? Does the company really not care about the losses over these three months?" Park Hyo-min was momentarily flustered.

She orchestrated this power struggle, and the small team format was a solution she sought from Lee Soon-kyu of Girls' Generation, since Lee Soon-kyu has an uncle who is the president of a company and should have some understanding of this kind of power struggle.

But she never expected that Kim Kwang-joo would be so resolute, willing to give up three months' worth of T-ara earnings in order to get Yoo Hwa-young to join.

"How about we go find Liu Huaying? Maybe she can persuade the president." Han Enjing bit her lip, preparing to back down.

The idol industry is so competitive that if there are no activities for three months, who knows how many fans will be lost.

Everyone fell silent upon hearing Ham Eun-jung's words.

Is bowing down really the only way out?

"Why should I?" Park So-yeon, who was usually mild-mannered and hadn't even spoken in the office just now, suddenly sneered.

Everyone was taken aback when they heard "Sister So-yeon".

"If we bow our heads today, will we have to keep bowing them from now on? We finally made it this far, and now we're just going to become someone else's stepping stones? I'm not willing to accept this." Park So-yeon glanced at her teammates:
“We’re not an unknown little team anymore. We’re still very valuable. At least if we’re willing to switch jobs, there are still many companies that would take us in.”

“But if I switch jobs, I’m likely to be labeled as ungrateful, and I might even be blacklisted by the industry.” Jeon Boram frowned.

Because the Korean entertainment industry is so small, rules are extremely important. Major entertainment agencies have an unwritten rule against "maliciously poaching" talent, as this behavior severely undermines industry norms.

Furthermore, the entertainment industry is actually controlled by two major capital groups, SK and CJ, so no matter how you switch companies, you can't escape it.

"I heard yesterday that AS girl group was acquired by the handsome Chinese chairman who was in the news with Jessica Jung back then," Park So-yeon said in a low voice.

"Wang Yao!" Park Hyomin exclaimed softly, her previously dim eyes suddenly lighting up with a different light.

“Yes, Hyomin, you should have his contact information, right?” Park Soyeon nodded.

"Hey, how can a Chinese company support our development in Korea?" Jeon Boram was taken aback.

"I told you all to spend more time browsing MSN and reading the news, but all you do is play around. Although Chairman Wang's company is based in China, we have quite a few fans there. Last quarter, when the company paid our salaries, there was an extra bonus – the copyright fees from the photo cards that Chairman Wang represents."
"Furthermore, Chairman Wang's company participated in the production of three major films, 'Su/Melting/Play,' as well as the 'Genesis 101' talent show, which at least proves that his company has a presence and influence in Korea, and is very likely a major conglomerate like SK and CJ," Park So-yeon explained earnestly.

After listening to Park So-yeon's analysis, the women's eyes lit up with admiration.

Young, rich, and handsome—these are absolutely alluring to girls in the prime of their youth.

"Soyeon unnie knows so much, could she have done a background check beforehand?" Ham Eunjung was a little dumbfounded.

“We’ve always wanted to start our own business to buy our freedom, so naturally I need to keep an eye on related news,” Park So-yeon chuckled.

Actually, all the information about Wang Yao was obtained from Jessica Jung. She was quite surprised to receive Jessica Jung's "sudden concern" yesterday.

However, she is indeed somewhat interested in business. Because she is considered older in the idol industry and has a somewhat insecure personality, she is not optimistic about her future development, so she has long been preparing to start a side business.

In February of this year, T-ara participated in a charity event called "T-ara Online Store Management Plan." This was Park So-yeon's first time experiencing the new online store industry. It was a reality show + online sales model, mainly selling unique clothing and accessories. They ran the store in their spare time and achieved revenue of tens of millions of Korean won in less than a month.

After this event, Park So-yeon became interested in e-commerce, but e-commerce development in Korea was relatively slow, so she didn't make much money when she ran her own business. Later, she saw news about Jessica Jung and Wang Yao.

After learning that Wang Yao, a college student, had become a multi-million dollar billionaire in China in just a few months through e-commerce, she became even more interested in China and e-commerce.

However, after consulting with some professionals, they were not optimistic about the development prospects of Korean e-commerce. They believed that China could produce Wang Yao because of its vast territory and abundant resources, while Korea's small market was not enough for a few conglomerates to share.

For ordinary people who want to make money, it's better to invest in some offline service stores. So, the girls thought of opening a chain of coffee shops. With T-ara's fan appeal, they were sure to make a profit.

However, opening a decent coffee shop in a good location in Seoul requires an investment of at least one million US dollars. If it is operated well, the revenue in the first year can basically cover the penalty for breach of contract with the company.

All their savings combined amounted to less than one-tenth of their total savings, so this was their long-standing plan to redeem themselves.

Upon hearing Park So-yeon suddenly bring up this 'redemption plan,' the women once again displayed various expressions.

"What Soyeon means is... to judge T-ara's true value through that President Wang?" Jeon Boram seemed to understand somewhat.

“No matter what, we’re a top-tier girl group that can sell hundreds of thousands of albums. Maybe he can see more value in us? It would make sense to pressure the company then.” Park So-yeon nodded.

It's normal for a power grab to fail like today, when it's done bare-handed. But next time, if you bring outside help, it'll be a different story.

"Hyomin unnie, please contact her quickly." Park Jiyeon is currently very anxious because her comeback stage has been postponed.

"Wouldn't that be a bit presumptuous?" Park Hyomin said, blushing.

Although I exchanged contact information with Wang Yao at the dinner party last time, we haven't been in touch for more than half a year. This sudden exchange seems too opportunistic.

“Just tell her you want her to read ‘The Story of Fang Zi,’ and she’ll definitely agree,” Li Juli suggested, offering a bad idea.

"The Servant of Bangja" is an 18+ movie that was released in Goryeo last month. If a girl asks a boy to watch this movie, it's basically a clear indication of her feelings.

"Hey! What are you saying!" Park Hyomin's pretty face turned as red as blood, and the two chased each other and started playing around.

"Alright, alright, what kind of conditions does Chairman Wang have? What kind of women hasn't he seen? Although our Hyomin is beautiful and has a great figure, seduction might not work. Let's be realistic and just say we want to switch jobs," Park Soyeon said with a headache.

"Huh? Isn't being so direct a bit too forward?" Ham Eun-jung scratched her head.

"How about I ask Sister Song Qian to inquire for us?" Park Hyomin suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

It seems that Song Qian and Wang Yao have a pretty good relationship, and they are both Chinese.

“That works too.” Park So-yeon nodded.

Having a middleman to help out at least makes things less awkward.

(End of this chapter)