star of the peninsula

I performed well today, Chen Chen commented on his performance.

Of course, Lee Sung-soo's cooperation also played a role in this, which was a tacit understanding between both sides.

Getting "Step Back" out was something that had to be done, and it was also something that was absolutely safe for Lee Sung-soo, so even though Chen Chen's excuse was lame, he still accepted it.

It would be hard for people in the industry to refuse half of PD Chen’s work for free.

Is this really a gift that is over a year late? It would be better to say it is a gift to congratulate the first anniversary of taking office! It is too careless and too blunt!

As for how much sincerity each of them showed in the subsequent testing, perhaps they themselves didn't know it.

But Chen Chen didn't need to confirm how sincere the words were. He just needed to know that Lee Sung-soo had a problem with Lee Soo-man and had ambitions to control SMART.

The ideas are placed here. Even if the various thoughts filled in it are small now, they will grow slowly in the future.

He felt that it was not enough to just watch the subsequent drama of SM Entertainment from the sidelines, and he wanted to become a role in the show.

Some time ago, Chen Chen combined his glimpse of the future with current information and made his own rough guess about the "rebellion drama" of Stupid Hat Company in the future.

The content is roughly like this: Lee Sung-soo colluded with Kakao to try to overthrow Lee Soo-man. Lee Soo-man was forced to drag Bang Si-hyuk and his Hybe into the fight. The two forces plus the battlefield of S.H.I.P. presented a performance art to everyone.

As a result, Lee Soo-man lost SMART and left with the wealth and resources he had accumulated over the years. Kakao and Hybe became the largest and second largest shareholders of SMART respectively, and the position of the head of SMART was briefly held by Lee Sung-soo.

Yes, just for a while.

After Kakao came to power, it immediately launched a purge, removing Lee Sung-soo, Tak Yong-jun and other people who helped to bring down Lee Soo-man, and replaced all key positions with its own people.

The team that conducts daily operations at S.A.I. was not affected, and Kakao retained the work of the original operations team.

It's quite tragic. The S.H.I.E. company, which used to have such a distinctive personality in the Korean entertainment circle, suddenly became a subsidiary of a large enterprise. It seems that the originally glittering golden signboard is not so dazzling anymore.

But in fact, it seems that the status of SMART has not dropped much. After all, after becoming the boss, Kakao is at the same level as KakaoM. It makes sense to say that it is an upgrade.

Chen Chen knew that there would be such excitement later, and it was impossible for him not to get involved, so he made Li Chengzhu his target.

It's almost like you guys were the one who caused the trouble, so it would be great if you could involve our C headquarters. Whether you want to replace Kakao's role or Hybe's role in the future, C headquarters is happy to accept it.

However, Chen Chen was still a little worried that Li Chengzhu’s rebellion was not initiated by him but was a task assigned by Kakao to them.

In this case, the identity of C headquarters' involvement will change again, and it will be a bad change.

……

On the second day of June, Source Music started promoting LE SSERAFIM.

Since it's related to Hybe, the popularity is quite high. It's a pity that everyone's attention is attracted by the fact that C headquarters has started recruiting trainees, so the effect may not be that good.

It is a big deal that C headquarters has started recruiting trainees, much bigger than the debut promotion of a girl group from a large company, so everyone naturally wants to pay more attention to the information of C headquarters.

Chen Chen had no intention of targeting anyone. The time when the two branch buildings would be put into use was an uncertain matter, and the date for recruiting trainees had been decided long ago. It would be a bit unreasonable to say that he was targeting anyone.

"Are you done?"

Chen Chen sat quietly in his seat reading the script. When he saw Shirley coming back with Jin Liuran, he stood up to greet them.

"Basically, all you have to do is deal with the media and just recite the script as written." Shirley specifically praised Jin Liuran, "Liuran performed very well. It was her first time facing so many cameras and she wasn't stage fright at all."

"Because I have met too many big shots in the company, the pressure from reporters is not that great by comparison." Jin Liuran replied with a smile, "And sometimes I also go to LIGHTSUM's classes, and I have learned a lot from them."

"Learning and being able to use something are two different things." Chen Chen went to the refrigerator and got her a bottle of drink. "Well done. This is your reward today."

"Thank you, President." Jin Liuran took it with both hands, with a sweet smile on his face. "Do you have anything else to say? I have to go back to the assistant's office."

"Not for now, go and have a rest." Chen Chen waved his hand, "I'll take you to Branch I to chat with LIGHTSUM in a couple of days. Be prepared, we might talk about something more in-depth."

"Ok."

Jin Liuran nodded and left the president's office.

"What do you have to talk about with LIGHTSUM?" Shirley was curious. "From what you said, you plan to put LIGHTSUM in the I branch for a while?"

"If it's already in use, then it has to look like it's in use. It can't be such a big building without a single trainee, right?" Chen Chen joked, "Since LIGHTSUM hasn't debuted yet, let's use it for now to add some life to the I branch and help the trainees who come later check out how the facilities are arranged and if there's anything missing. Trainees can't be trainees for nothing, they have to pay!"

"Wrong logic!" Shirley complained, "Neither your actions nor your words are human!"

"Anyway, this is how we have to do it. Don't worry about whether I look like a human being or not." Chen Chen changed the subject. "Do you have a suitable candidate for the head of Division I? It's impossible for you to be in this position concurrently."

"Why don't you just put Irene in there when you bring her to C headquarters? Now anyone can only take on the part-time job." Shirley said realistically, "If it's a part-time job, I'll do it first. If I'm too busy, Hara will help me."

"I'm just worried that you're tired because of too much work. Even with Hara's help, it's not an easy job. But your mention of Hara gave me some ideas." Chen Chen lowered his voice and said meanly, "We paid Lee Sunkyu so much salary but she didn't do much work. Can you accept this?"

"Let the Buddhist homebody girl Li Sanlang, as you call her, come over and help first?"

Shirley understood what Chen Chen meant in an instant.

"Yes, she has been a trainee for so many years and is a core member of Girls' Generation, one of the most successful idol groups in Kpop history. She must have a way to manage and train trainees." Chen Chen gave himself a thumbs up and grinned, "Let her come here to work part-time, and we can give her an extra part-time salary, so we can have the best of both worlds!"

"I suddenly understand what Sunkyu-unnie meant by 'you always want to find a job for her.'" Shirley glanced at Chen Chen, "You really have always wanted to arrange a job for her."

"Nonsense!" Chen Chen corrected her seriously and solemnly, "I don't have a job, it's all help from friends!"

"..."

Shirley was speechless for a while, and then she became worried again.

"Then go and talk to her yourself." Shirley said helplessly.

"I won't go." Chen Chen shrank his neck, "I'm afraid that salted fish will flutter and slap me with its tail."

"I'm not afraid that salted fish will flutter around?" Shirley widened her eyes in dissatisfaction.

"You are definitely different." Chen Chen argued, "In terms of kinship, you two are closer as seniors and juniors. In terms of intimacy, you, the representative director of the C headquarters, are definitely not friends with her! It's convenient for you to talk anyway, so of course you should go!"

"That makes sense." Shirley rolled up her sleeves. "I'll take the job. Just wait!"

……

The I branch building is not as majestic and magnificent as the C headquarters building. It is not tall enough or big enough, with only five floors above and below ground.

The gray outer shell looks a bit old-fashioned, and the external walls also show signs of time.

If I were to use a concrete object to describe it, it would be like the old building of SMART Inc.

It's not the old building with the Blue Sky and White Clouds practice room that everyone is familiar with, but the older one. But after entering the I Division, it's completely different, a paradise for trainees.

"Mr. President, how much did it cost to renovate our I Branch building?"

Jin Liuran visited along the way, and when he reached the end, he finally couldn't help but ask.

"It's very expensive, so expensive that I don't even want to mention it." Chen Chen tilted his neck and pointed at the ceiling twice, "If it doesn't need to be renovated, this building will be at least two stories higher than it is now."

"..."

Jin Liuran fell silent immediately and dared not say another word.

"Boss, this way~"

Goo Hara appeared at a corner and waved excitedly to the two of them.

"You will take over Shirley's position here temporarily?"

Chen Chen and Jin Liuran went up to greet them.

"There has to be someone here. Shirley can't come because she has to manage the busier S Division, so I have to be the boss here for now." Hara laughed, "Don't mention it, it feels pretty good to have less than 20 people in a building like this."

"It's really nice to be able to do whatever you want." Chen Chen asked, "When did Lightsum take over?"

"Boss Hong from Cube Entertainment personally sent someone to deliver it this morning. He also paid out of his own pocket to hire a moving company to help the girls move their luggage directly to the dormitory on the second floor." Goo Hara gave a thumbs up, "Boss Hong is really good at his job!"

The top floor has various offices and a grocery room, the next top floor has dormitories for trainees, the first floor has a cafeteria, activity room and other supporting facilities, and the two underground floors have separate classrooms and practice rooms.

The structure of Division I can be said to be simple, but it can also be said to be complex. After all, the supporting facilities are so sufficient that Chen Chen almost felt that they were not enough when he was making the plan.

"Have you met Anan?"

Chen Chen asked casually.

"Lin Nanyi, who is in charge of logistics?" Goo Hara nodded. "We were the first to meet each other because we had a lot of things to communicate."

"Get on good terms with him. Anan is a good man and has been with me for a long time."

Chen Chen helped Lin Nanyi to identify himself so that Goo Hara would recognize him.

Even if the I Division is really managed by Bae Joo-hyun in the future, Boss Bae will most likely become a hands-off boss, so the I Division may really belong to Goo Hara, and Anam's relationship with her is quite important.

"Where is LIGHTSUM? I want to talk to them."

Chen Chen began to get to the point.

"I'm still in class." Goo Hara replied, "After this class, today will be over. I'll take you there then."

……

After the class, the five LIGHTSUM students lay crookedly on the ground, letting the coolness of the floor help cool their bodies.

I was a little excited when I arrived at the new place today, and I worked too hard on the exercises in class.

After knocking on the door twice, Chen Chen took Jin Liuran into the classroom.

"Hello PD Chen."

After two knocks on the door as a reminder, the girls were able to line up properly when saying hello.

"I'm here to talk to you and complete a task that Boss Hong asked me to do." Chen Chen asked everyone to sit back on the floor of the practice room. "It's important, but it's not that important either. If you have different opinions, feel free to express them."

"What's the matter, PD?"

As the captain, Cho Yuri was responsible for taking over the conversation with the president.

"That's not urgent." Chen Chen waved his hand. "How is the running-in going between you? Do you feel like you have become a team?"

"Naoi Rei, you go ahead and say it."

Chen Chen was afraid that Zhao Rouli, the senior who was the dwarf king, would fool him with smooth talk, so he simply mentioned the name of Sakura Girl.

"We get along very well." Naoi Rei replied, "Juri-unnie doesn't have the airs of a senior, but she has the appeal of a senior. She helps us a lot."

"It looks like the results are good." Chen Chen asked again, "Did you know that Source Music's new girl group will debut on July 2nd?"

"There is attention."

All the girls answered in unison.

"So how do you feel?" Chen Chen smiled. "Envious? Excited? Or do you feel pressured?"

"Autumn, you answer."

Chen Chen ordered an honest one.

"To be honest," Jin Qiutian carefully looked at Chen Chen's expression, then looked at his companions' expressions, and then answered, "I don't feel anything, not at all."

"All my pressure comes from the nervousness of my upcoming debut, and all my excitement comes from the excitement of being exposed to a whole new world."

"I may be a little envious, but I'm just envious that they can debut earlier than us." Jin Qiutian lifted her hair, "Summer is the time that every idol wants. We are about to miss it this year. I envy them for being able to catch up."

"Do you think so too?"

Chen Chen looked at the others.

"..."

After a mess of answers, the results were pretty much the same.

"This summer belongs to you Integrate seniors, so don't envy others."

Chen Chen gave a very threatening consolation that made the girls feel a little cold in their hearts.

"This year, you just need to make a good debut. This is the goal I set for you." Chen Chen tapped the floor unconsciously, and every time he spoke, it just happened to hit the girls' heartbeats. "But the passing line for a good debut is still quite high, you must not relax."

"Have you seen aespa and ITZY now? Follow their footsteps!"

"If there is a chance, surpass them!"

...(End of chapter)