Some people talk about slave contracts in the entertainment world like this.
God-tier slave contracts, a tragedy manufactured by the business of trading in people.
This practice, which has been erupting since the 2000s just when you'd forgotten it, is driven to its peak of public attention by one famous idol group.
'The Orbit affair.'
Orbit was a girl group that led K-pop worldwide.
They got tangled in a legal dispute with their agency, and for the first several months they produced issues lurid enough to be responsible for the entire nation's dopamine.
Setting aside the rights and wrongs of who was at fault, that incident played a huge part in making the public aware of contract practices in the industry.
Radio, news, MeTube — everywhere you turned your eyes, all anyone talked about was the Orbit affair.
I was one of the people who tasted that dopamine.
For about a month, having a related video playing was part of daily life.
'It was my side dish and my work song.'
That was also when my nerd instincts came out.
I made a point of watching videos of lawyers holding forth on the Orbit affair.
What kind of long and storied history contract practice has, what the legal points of contention are — I absorbed knowledge I had no particular need for.
And now, CEO Kwon Do-gyeong has laid a contract in front of me.
A bundle of paper squared up neatly.
'Who knew that idiocy would come in useful.'
Kwon Do-gyeong beamed at my mother.
"Mother, this is the standard contract our agency provides."
"A standard contract."
"Yes. Ji-yun started on these terms, and she's growing very well even now. She's appeared in three projects in one year. Judging by the way Gang-woo is moving, we could aim above that."
"Ah, yes."
Mom nodded. Kwon Do-gyeong's talk shows no sign of an end.
My mother didn't dare attempt to read the contract; she was busy keeping up with him.
I slipped the contract off the table in the gap.
'Let's see what they've written.'
Font size eleven? No, about ten point, I think.
The letters are small enough to make me squint.
'I'd better look at this properly.'
Text stacked in tight — it goes without saying, but a contract calls for care.
In my past life, living as a figure artist, I got fleeced by a client.
Being made to do more than thirty revisions on the grounds that I hadn't specified the number of revisions, or being refused the balance on the grounds that I hadn't produced a satisfying result.
Just thinking about that time makes the anger rise.
Before coming I had also looked up the standard exclusive contract published by the Fair Trade Commission.
I went over the contract carefully on the basis of that knowledge.
'Overall it seems fine?'
Better than standard. Considering that this is a child actor, it looks like they've conceded on a number of points.
But there were spots here and there that needed to be raised.
The revenue split ratio, the clause on deduction of activity expenses, and most important of all, the contract term.
If I were an ordinary child actor I'd be grateful just to have an agency, but.
'The thing is, I'm not just any child actor.'
Aren't I a child actor who has already brought in two jobs under my own power?
What has to be asked for should be asked for.
"About this clause on deduction of activity expenses. There's no concrete specification of the individual items. Does that mean the company handles it at its own discretion?"
"Huh? Uh, that's......"
"And there doesn't seem to be anything about assigning a manager either. Hmm."
I stared a hole in the paper, and when no reply came I raised my eyes.
Kwon Do-gyeong and my mother were both looking at me with blank faces.
I went back to a harmless expression and smiled a bashful smile.
"The internet said to talk like this."
"D-did it?"
"But I do think we need a manager. Because Mom has to keep working."
My mother and father are a two-income couple.
My mother is helping with my activities by using up her leave, but she can't keep following me around unreasonably.
Quitting, or being her son's manager — a time will come soon when she has to choose one of the two.
'Why on earth would you quit? You're satisfied with your job.'
A researcher at an observatory attached to a national university, my mother is a person who has given her whole life to looking at stars.
In truth she is probably eating a good deal of side-eye at work over being here right now.
"......Ah. Is it that Gang-woo's mother isn't in a position to manage?"
"I have been worrying about it. Honestly I came here today after an all-nighter."
Kwon Do-gyeong made a face that said he'd slipped, then put an alternative forward quickly.
"I'll take the manager's role according to Gang-woo's schedule. Once Gang-woo's schedule fills up, from that point we'll assign a dedicated manager step by step. How does that sound?"
The best alternative available.
He's shown me that he rates my value highly.
I smiled with satisfaction, and my mother, though she wears an apologetic expression, breathes out lightly as if a weight has lifted.
Kwon Do-gyeong asked me.
"You really are as sharp as they told me. So, is there anything else you're curious about?"
"Curious about?"
"Yes. Tell me anything at all."
Anything at all, he said?
When I grinned, Kwon Do-gyeong's mouth fell open. I picked up the pen beside me.
"Then about the advance investment costs and repayment method below that......"
Lines began going through dozens of clauses.
***
Two weeks later, the day set for the table read of the drama .
Kwon Do-gyeong is at the front gate of the apartment complex where Seo Gang-woo lives.
Because he had appointed himself Seo Gang-woo's manager for the day.
He tapped the van's steering wheel with a finger.
"Well, I never. To think a CEO would be playing manager to a child actor."
Back when he had just started the agency he took the manager's role himself as well.
Because everything, manpower and money alike, was scarce.
Now that the business has grown to a certain size, he doesn't show his face much except for a signed actor's first activity.
In that sense, accompanying Seo Gang-woo fits his own practice.
Child actor or not, Seo Gang-woo was an actor properly speaking, and today was his first activity after signing.
'Looks like I'll have to follow him around with no way out of it.'
The problem is that he'll have to do this manager job whenever there's a gap.
Thinking of how busy things will get, he might have to keep every schedule clear about five days a month.
An impossible schedule.
Even so, what made him decide to act as manager was his expectation for Seo Gang-woo's future.
Seo Gang-woo is an actor who brought in two jobs by his own strength.
Each of those appearance fees runs to several million won.
If the fee is this at only ten years old, it's obvious the later ones will have another zero or two on them.
'I'm the one who wants it. Let's call it a long-term investment.'
Looks, acting and cleverness. How did he find a child like this.
Kwon Do-gyeong put a call through to Ra Ju-hyun.
To lay out what had happened two weeks ago.
"Yes, teacher. Keeping well?"
[CEO Kwon, it's been a while. I was busy when you called last time and couldn't pick up.]
"You were busy with filming. It's nothing."
[I forgot to call back. It's about actor Seo, isn't it? I got the rough situation by text, but has something happened?]
Interest colored Ra Ju-hyun's voice.
Just from the fact that she called him actor Seo rather than Gang-woo, you could tell how she rated Seo Gang-woo.
"No. I called because I thought of you. And it's the day of Gang-woo's table read."
[Time really does fly. Actor Seo will be starting his first activity, then. There was something funny at the signing? What exactly happened.]
Kwon Do-gyeong explained the course of events in a deflated voice.
That he had been pushed around one-sidedly, that the contract had been carved up, and the crowning touch, that he was even doing the manager's job.
Ra Ju-hyun roared with laughter.
"......The contract term came out at two years."
[Two years? Not even three, but two?]
"Yes."
[Why, on what grounds.]
"I couldn't tell you. As we talked it just naturally ended up that way."
Ra Ju-hyun was silent a moment, then made a sound through her nose as if she saw exactly how things had gone.
[A fox after all, just as I said. I like it. Better than being taken for a fool.]
"That may be so, but."
[It must sting, CEO Kwon. Since it's come to this, look at it positively. It means you won't be stabbed in the back from anywhere.]
"......You aren't on my side either, teacher."
Ra Ju-hyun burst out laughing again.
Kwon Do-gyeong asked.
"But is it really all right not to put an acting coach on him?"
[On actor Seo?]
"Yes. He's still a young child, isn't he. And it's exactly the right age for vocal training."
[CEO Kwon. You haven't seen actor Seo act yet, have you?]
"Erm, I did see the video shot at that car commercial."
[There's a table read today. Ask one of the staff to shoot a video.]
"Should...... I?"
[I guarantee it. Watch it and your thinking will change.]
"If you say so, teacher, I'll do as you say."
Kwon Do-gyeong tilted his head.
However high-flying a child actor is, acting lessons are a necessity.
Even if Seo Gang-woo is good at acting, it would be good at the level of a child actor, so why.
As if answering that question, Ra Ju-hyun said.
[This isn't the time to set a mould for him. CEO Kwon. Notice how I keep calling Gang-woo actor Seo, actor Seo?]
"Yes."
[That fellow is already an actor. He's only just breaking ground and he's better than most of the new actors hanging around the drama world.]
"Is that so?"
[All CEO Kwon has to do is land him good work. Don't worry about it, just serve him well. He'll be nothing less than a benefactor to you.]
A benefactor. What is he, to draw praise like that?
There was no time to sink into idle thought.
Two in the afternoon. One hour remains until the table read.
Through the car window he could see Seo Gang-woo walking over.
"Gang-woo, you're here!"
"Yes, hello, boss!"
A fresh smile broke out at the corner of Seo Gang-woo's mouth.
Looking at that face, Kwon Do-gyeong felt the grievance from the day of the contract melting away.
'......Actor's manager. Maybe it's not so bad.'
Kwon Do-gyeong asked in a slightly dazed voice.
"Have you eaten?"
"Yes. I ate a reasonable amount."
"How much is reasonable?"
"About half a bowl?"
"Why? You should eat more. The table read is going to run quite a while."
"I thought a full stomach might get in the way of delivering lines."
Kwon Do-gyeong let out an inward sound of admiration.
As expected, he's on a different track from other child actors. Isn't that the very picture of a professional?
Seo Gang-woo asked.
"Have you eaten, boss?"
"Huh? Me, I had gimbap. Gang-woo, eat some gimbap too if you're hungry. I packed plenty, so say if it isn't enough."
"Thank you!"
That ought to have won him a few points.
Kwon Do-gyeong stole a look at Seo Gang-woo in the rearview mirror.
Seo Gang-woo set the bag with the gimbap in it on the seat beside him and took out his script.
And then he stared a hole in the script.
There's a smile on his lips.
Born talent, plus a hard worker. And on top of that he enjoys it.
A similar smile settled on Kwon Do-gyeong's lips as well.
'Right. What's the big deal about a CEO playing manager to a child actor.'
They drove the roads for about twenty minutes.
They came into the KBC broadcasting building. In the car park, Kwon Do-gyeong stopped the van and said.
"Gang-woo. We're here."
"Already?"
"Yes. Let's get your things. Nothing left behind?"
"No!"
There isn't much to gather.
Because the only thing Seo Gang-woo has to take with him is his script.
Kwon Do-gyeong, by contrast, had brought water, a blanket, a mini fan and even cheongsimhwan.
What he'd hauled along was enough to fill an eco-bag on its own.
Ding—.
They stepped out of the elevator and a crowd was gathered at the table read room.
There are a few faces Kwon Do-gyeong knows.
From veteran actors whose faces are widely known to a national actor like Choi Do-hyun.
The lineup is spectacular from top to bottom.
However firm a child's nerve is, surely he can't help being cowed among famous people like these.
Overcome with worry, Kwon Do-gyeong bent down and whispered.
"Gang-woo. Today's occasion is a table read, right?"
"Yes."
"There's no need to feel too much pressure at a table read. Just take it easy, like Gang-woo practicing at home."
"You're saying to act with the force taken out of it, right?"
"Yes."
He's a bright child, so he'll have understood.
Just as Kwon Do-gyeong was about to send Seo Gang-woo off with a warm smile.
"I can't. I'm going to act properly today."
"......Hm? Why."
Seo Gang-woo said with his eyebrows pressed heavy. His firmly closed lips revealed a hard resolve.
"Because writer Kim said my screen time might get longer depending on how I do today."