Episode 135: Mega Hit
“Cut!”
The camera continuously panned left and right, focusing on Jin Seon-ah’s face.
“A little more confident, yes. With your hands on your shoulders, just lower your chin a little in that pose.”
Jin Seon-ah was a little awkward at first, but as she got used to Director Yang’s lead, she quickly adapted to the shoot. As if she had gained confidence, she began to pose more naturally from the middle of the shoot.
Director Yang focused and continued to press the shutter.
The shoot, which continued without a retake, ended in just three hours.
Perhaps due to the heat from the strong lighting, the staff and the director were drenched in sweat after the shoot.
Lee Chang-jin, who had been waiting for the shoot to end, asked Director Yang if the production had been successful.
“How did it turn out?”
“Yes, the model’s features are so good that I think you can look forward to it. The photos were sent for development right away, so you’ll be able to see them within two days.”
The director expressed his confidence after the shoot. Except for actresses like Shin Mi-jin and Yang Ye-seul, who were currently active as top stars on terrestrial broadcasting, there were very few people he was confident about.
But this time, he had a hunch. The director’s bold claim that this project would definitely be a hit was not a lie.
Those who saw the work couldn’t help but admire the photography technique.
“Honey skin, this isn’t edited, is it real? This is a scam.”
“She’s so pretty.”
The female employees, including Yeo Jin-joo, couldn’t hide their envy.
At the quality that even a woman could stare at in a daze, Lee Chang-jin smiled.
“First, let’s put out full-page ads in newspapers and magazines, and as soon as the TV schedule is set, let’s air a 10-second commercial.”
Her damp hair and unfocused eyes created a strange atmosphere.
‘The color for you, Sun Label’
“Who the hell is this model?”
Cosmetic advertisements, whether in the 1970s or now, were nothing short of exclusive possessions for popular actresses.
The shock was inevitable, as a model who displayed a charisma that was not inferior to that of top entertainers had fallen from the sky.
When full-page advertisements were placed in newspapers to coincide with the release date, the advertising effect was truly enormous.
Jin Seon-ah’s advertisement, which appeared on the cover of the beauty magazine Fragrance, was nothing short of a revolution.
Even in the 1970s, when photos of famous models and actresses were rare, there were quite a few people who collected Fragrance.
There were also rumors circulating in the stock market.
- I heard that the woman in the cosmetics advertisement this time is actually the daughter of a chaebol family.
- Is the identity of the Silver Screen Goddess actually a chaebol daughter?
Due to media control, the exact facts did not come out, but the sophisticated and elegant atmosphere felt from the photos was enough to stimulate curiosity.
Whether it’s now or then, chaebols are the object of envy for ordinary people. Moreover, as companies that had a close relationship with Jin Seon-ah began purchasing in bulk, it fueled the rumor that the quality of the cosmetics was excellent.
Although Lee Chang-jin didn’t know much about it, Jin Seon-ah was quite well-known in the social world.
Above all, there were countless businessmen who wanted to be close to her just because of her background as ‘Jin Tae-chun’s daughter’.
As the rumors snowballed, the situation became uncontrollable.
Middle-aged women who were interested in beauty were eager to pre-order.
- Is this really the cosmetics that the chaebol daughter from Jangchung-dong enjoys using?
- I heard it’s true from the madams? I heard the model is the top in that field too.
As interest was shown by everyone from young ladies to middle-aged women, the sales of BB cream, which gained momentum, increased rapidly.
Even with the production line in full operation, they were unable to keep up with demand.
Deputy Manager Gu Chang-dong, who heard the news, was all smiles.
“This is really unbelievable! Sir, I think it will take less than three months to exceed the initial annual target of 100,000 BB creams.”
Deputy Manager Park Seung-hoon, who was also elated, chimed in.
“Cosmetics are a big hit. I get a lot of inquiries from my wife asking if I can get them separately for employees.”
As cosmetics advertisements became a huge hit, the titanium dioxide market also began to stir. As it was proven that the product was of high enough quality to be used in cosmetics, rumors gradually spread among companies.
One day, even the companies that had canceled their titanium dioxide orders began to cautiously inquire about re-signing contracts, and the market entered a new phase.
At the same time, at Nam Tae-hoon’s office at Sunyang Chemical.
Unaware of the situation, Nam Tae-hoon was enjoying his first leisurely moment in a long time.
He was celebrating giving Lee Chang-jin a taste of his own medicine. Every time he heard the news of Lee Chang-jin’s struggles, his long-standing resentment seemed to subside.
“That son of a bitch, Lee Chang-jin. If you hadn’t messed with me, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Come to think of it, it was strange that there was no news lately.
Suddenly curious about the recent situation, Nam Tae-hoon called his secretary.
“That bastard Lee Chang-jin, how is he doing? Is he still holding on?”
“Th, that is……”
The secretary stammered and sweated.
“What?”
“He suddenly developed cosmetics for women and is making a lot of money.”
“What? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Startled, Nam Tae-hoon ordered further investigation, and the secretary immediately brought the documents.
After belatedly reading the report, Nam Tae-hoon threw the papers down roughly.
“Huh……. Is this even possible? What have you guys been doing all this time? Huh?”
When Nam Tae-hoon glared, the assembled secretaries all avoided his gaze.
Then, one of the secretaries, who had gathered his courage, stepped forward cautiously.
“Sir, in this situation, I don’t think it makes sense for us to lower the selling price of titanium dioxide. It’s better to just normalize the price back to what it used to be……”
“You stupid idiot… Hey, are you crazy? Are you telling me to surrender now? Then what?”
Nam Tae-hoon, his face flushed red, yelled.
“Cosmetics? Yeah, cosmetics you said? Bring it to me.”
Nam Tae-hoon, who examined the product, couldn’t hold back his anger.
“Hey, why can’t we make what Daese is making? Ask Sunyang Cosmetics.”
“Well, the titanium dioxide used in cosmetics must be highly pure, but our product is for industrial use. There are concerns that impurities may cause side effects to the human body……”
“What? You’re using that as an excuse, you idiot! Then you should find another way. Are you parasites or something!”
At Nam Tae-hoon’s hysterical behavior, the executives became speechless.
At that moment, more bad news came.
“Ex, excuse me… Sir? There’s a call from the Trade Commission.”
“Why are they calling?”
“Well, they’re telling you to appear on charges of dumping…… If you don’t show up by tomorrow, they will consider you to have admitted to the charges and take sanctions.”
“What? What kind of nonsense is that!”
Lee Chang-jin cunningly chose a roundabout way instead of a lawsuit. He filed a complaint with the Trade Commission under the Economic Planning Board for indiscriminate dumping.
The reason was that they were selling products at a price significantly lower than the market price without justifiable reason.
The influential figure in the Trade Commission was none other than Director Lee Cheol-song. Lee Cheol-song, who had also been involved in the establishment of the chemical plant, was famous for being a high-ranking official who valued law and principles.
Sunyang Chemical, which imported raw materials from Japan at a lower price and supplied finished products to the market, became a good target for Lee Cheol-song, who was reviewing the legislation on the establishment of the Fair Trade Commission at the time.
Flustered, Sunyang Chemical hurriedly lobbied, but Lee Cheol-song, a man of principle, did not budge.
“The fact that Sunyang Chemical, which imports raw materials from Japan, supplies finished products to the market at a price lower than the cost price can only be seen as intentional. This is a clear act of market disruption.”
Sunyang Chemical presented a rebuttal, but the Trade Commission sided with Lee Chang-jin.
Nam Tae-hoon, who was fined a whopping 5 billion won and suspended from business for three months, felt dizzy as his hands trembled.
“Damn it!”
Unable to contain his anger, Nam Tae-hoon threw a tantrum, breaking things.
The enraged Nam Tae-hoon summoned the executives again.
“You bastards! How much money do I pay you guys, and you can’t even stop something like that?!”
“We’re s, sorry, sir.”
“Even the dogs I raised are better than you! You good-for-nothing bastards! Get down on your knees right now!”
The executives, who were doing push-ups, were whipped with a golf club by Nam Tae-hoon, but they just sweated and couldn’t resist.
They knew that if they got on Nam Tae-hoon’s bad side, they would be fired immediately.
Nam Tae-hoon, who had been beating the executives for a while, shouted as if he couldn’t let out all his anger.
“This won’t do. Bring me the bat! Now!”
At that moment, one of the young secretaries scurried to the door and poked his head in.
“What the hell, are you deaf? Didn’t you hear me say not to come in?”
“Well, sir, the chairman is calling for you.”
“Uh… My father?”
At the secretary’s answer, Nam Tae-hoon’s expression changed instantly.
Unlike the crazy frenzy he had just a while ago, he had a terrified expression on his face.
“No, why is my father suddenly calling me……”
“He said you’ll know when you get there.”
“Damn it!”
It was Nam Tae-hoon who was swearing, but who would dare disobey his father’s orders?
Nam Tae-hoon was immediately escorted to the chairman’s office.
The moment he entered the office, a slap flew at him.
Nam Tae-hoon, slapped hard on the cheek, looked at his father with blank eyes.
“You good-for-nothing!”
“Fa, father!”
Nam Tae-hoon, his voice weak, lowered his head, clutching his burning cheek.
“Until further notice, you are not to come to work.”
“Father, I was wrong. I will take care of this, so please give me a chance.”
“Oh, come on, a chance? What can a guy like you do.”
“Father, please! I was wrong, father!”
Nam Tae-hoon knelt down and begged for forgiveness.
If he lost his position as the president of Sunyang Chemical this time, he, who was already half out of favor, would be completely out in the cold.
At his desperate expression, like a puppy who needs to poop, Nam Tae-gon muttered through gritted teeth.
“I’ll spare your neck for now. Stay home and reflect until things calm down. Get out of my sight!”
Considering the severity of the accident, it was fortunate that he wasn’t fired right away.
Nam Tae-hoon, wondering if his father’s heart would change, quickly left.
Chairman Nam Tae-gon, who was furious, let out a deep sigh.
“He calls himself a businessman, but he’s so stupid. That boy, he’s still not ready.”
“What should we do about the penalty? First, we need to use our connections……”
“Just pay the penalty. The higher-ups have been keeping an eye on our company lately. We can’t afford to upset the VIPs in these times. Pay the money and find a way to reduce the business suspension period.”
Money could be earned again, but the suspension of operations was a huge blow.
Sunyang Chemical lobbied in various ways to lift the suspension.
But Chairman Lee Cheol-song was adamant.
“There is no room for reconsideration on that part. Sunyang Chemical’s actions are a typical case of dumping. Originally, we were going to impose a six-month suspension of operations, but we reduced it to the minimum in consideration of the impact Sunyang has on the economy.”
It was the Sunyang Group that was dumbfounded by those words. In general, even if a business suspension was imposed, it was common practice to pretend to be defeated if lobbying took place and reduce the period somewhat.
However, this time, they came out with a high-handed attitude, as if they had something to rely on.
- To be continued in Episode 136 -
