How a Loan Shark Survives as an Actor – Chapter 52

Author: Cireng

Chapter 52

Convincing his former manager was not an easy process for Woo Junseo.

He always said, “If you have money, you can solve anything,” but this situation was not something that could be settled so simply.

The interview had been given with the determination that he would never be able to work in this industry again.

That was how firm the former manager’s resolve had been.

More importantly, he had a moral reason as well.

‘Someone as vile as Woo Junseo shouldn’t be allowed to walk around freely in society.’

Perhaps because he had witnessed so many ugly things during the three years he worked as Woo Junseo’s manager, he felt strongly that these wrongdoings had to be stopped.

Determined never to back down, he had backed up countless video files.

No matter how much money Woo Junseo offered, he had sworn that he would never give in.

And, as expected, Woo Junseo offered a lot of money.

But that amount alone was not enough to break the former manager’s resolve.

However, even more money could.

“How… much did you say?”

An amount capable of completely changing the life of one person…

No, an entire family.

When he heard a figure he had never even imagined, the former manager’s eyes trembled violently.

Even Woo Junseo’s agency had reacted with, “Whoa, that’s a bit much.”

In the end, after being offered such a sum, the former manager succumbed to the devil’s temptation.

“But I have a condition.”

“What is it?”

Perhaps his pride could not accept selling out for mere pieces of paper; the former manager said he wanted a sincere apology from Woo Junseo.

“If you don’t apologize properly, I can’t delete the videos even if you give me that money.”

Ah, what a meaningless struggle for power.

Woo Junseo, who was leading the negotiations, had to suppress a laugh.

Seriously, the guy was an idiot until the very end.

“I understand how you feel. I’m truly sorry for everything.”

Without the slightest hesitation, he offered what sounded like a heartfelt apology.

For an actor, this level of performance was something he could do even in his sleep.

“Whew… Then should I do an interview saying I accepted your apology?”

When the former manager spoke as though his heart had softened somewhat, Woo Junseo smiled kindly.

“Of course not.”

That wouldn’t be enough.

People underestimated the public if they thought they were that stupid.

Well, they were somewhat stupid.

But when it came to criticizing celebrities, they were frighteningly sharp.

‘It has to look as little like a payoff as possible.’

Some suspicion would remain no matter what, but they needed the explanation that made him look the most innocent.

For example…

“You’ve been suffering from depression for a very long time. Personal problems unrelated to work made your life unbearable. Then, in a moment of anger, you made up lies. You hated seeing me work hard and succeed. You wanted me to fail.”

“What? No, what are you–”

“Am I asking too much considering the amount of money I’m giving you?”

The former manager, who had looked stunned, flinched.

The proposal was absurd.

But then again, so was the money he was about to receive.

‘If I’m getting this much, maybe I need to compromise on something…’

Woo Junseo immediately caught the hesitation in his eyes and smiled.

“You weren’t planning to stay in this industry anyway. No matter how things end between us, you’ll never work as a manager again. So this is actually better. Even if we explain things that way, nobody you’ll meet in the future will think badly of you.”

“But my parents…”

“Using the money I give you to send your parents on a vacation… that’s real filial piety. Isn’t that better than dragging out lawsuits for years, being unable to find work, and whining about how your life is ruined?”

“……”

At some point, his gentle tone had become a threat.

Yet the former manager wasn’t even offended.

After three years of working under him, he had grown accustomed to such things.

And so, in exchange for enough money to live comfortably without ever working again, he sold himself.

<[Exclusive] Former Manager Who Exposed Woo Junseo Revealed to Have Been Receiving Depression Treatment for Years… “A Mistake Caused by Impaired Judgment”>

Kim (alias), the former manager who gave an exclusive interview to OO Daily exposing actor Woo Junseo’s abuse of power, reversed his position just one day later.

In an interview this morning, Kim stated:

> “I had been suffering from severe depression for years and was not capable of making rational judgments. I developed an irrational hostility toward Woo Junseo, who was living his life diligently.”

After apologizing to the public, saying,

> “I am sorry for fabricating lies in a moment of anger,”

he emphasized:

> “For three years, Junseo always treated me well. There was absolutely no abuse of power.”

He also indicated that he would accept legal responsibility for the false interview.

➝ Damn, that payment came through fast.

➝ If he’s taking legal responsibility, then sue him. Oh wait, you can’t, because it’s obviously a lie lol.

➝ Wow, it’s so smooth that it actually feels fake.

The reaction was poor when the article first came out.

Almost nobody believed it.

In fact, many people pitied the former manager, assuming he had been threatened by Woo Junseo and his agency.

But then the former manager uploaded an apology statement on his social media, and the situation spiraled out of control.

Along with detailed stories he had not mentioned in the interview, he revealed that he had genuinely launched a baseless witch hunt against Woo Junseo.

Faced with this unexpected twist, the people who had remained neutral since yesterday rushed in, shouting:

“See? I told you so!”

➝ Seriously disgusting. Imagine getting stabbed in the back by someone you’ve seen every day for three years.

↳ Now I totally understand why celebrities can’t trust people.

➝ Can people stop using depression as an excuse already? I’m sick of hearing about diminished responsibility.

↳ Honestly, saying a cat wrote it would be more believable.

↳ I’ve had depression for years, and I’ve never falsely accused someone. Sounds more like Ripley syndrome than depression.

➝ People like this are why depression patients get criticized. People who are genuinely suffering can’t even speak up because of people like him.

➝ But seriously, is that even possible? It’s not schizophrenia or anything, just depression. Can someone really do this because of depression?

↳ Depression is just an excuse. If you read the apology, it basically boils down to “I wanted people to hate Woo Junseo.”

↳ The fact that he posted an apology the moment things got serious proves he’s perfectly sane lol.

➝ If I were Woo Junseo, I would’ve sued the manager. If he’s truly innocent, he should obviously sue for defamation.

↳ Not everyone is as vicious as you…. Long-time fans know how much Junseo cared about his manager. Even when he was put in a difficult position, he probably didn’t want to sue someone who was basically family.

↳ If that’s true, he’s basically a saint.

The internet exploded.

The former manager, who had initially appeared to be a pure victim, suddenly claimed diminished mental capacity, a defense commonly used by perpetrators, and public opinion completely flipped.

The people mocking Woo Junseo vanished almost instantly.

Within only a few hours, he became ‘the poor celebrity betrayed by someone close to him.’

Of course, the livestream controversy from a few days earlier still made people somewhat hesitant to praise his character outright.

However, the wholesome image he had built over the years still carried weight.

And the way he silently endured what seemed like absurd slander made him appear strong.

Then, that evening, Woo Junseo posted a lengthy message on social media.

[My former manager is family to me. I merely concluded that, because he urgently needs treatment, we can no longer work together. Nevertheless, I hope that one day, after he recovers, we will be able to work together again.]

[When the article first came out, I felt that depending on how I responded, my manager might cross a point of no return. That is why I could not speak carelessly. I sincerely apologize to the production staff and fellow actors who suffered because of an article published right before our drama’s finale.]

[I am deeply sorry for the confusion these past two days have caused. However, I have one request. Please refrain from directing harsh criticism toward my former manager. What he needs is treatment, not condemnation. I sincerely hope he receives proper care and recovers.]

It was an exceptionally mature and humble statement.

Everyone admired Woo Junseo’s generosity.

Not a single person realized that the entire thing was a scripted performance.

The people who had criticized him at the beginning felt embarrassed and searched for a new target.

➝ Journalists should verify facts before publishing articles. Can people like this really call themselves reporters?

The next target became OO Daily, the newspaper that had originally published the exclusive interview.

Ironically, the reporter had published the most accurate information of anyone.

Yet he was suddenly branded a clickbait-chasing tabloid hack.

The reporter wanted to publish a follow-up story to clear his name, but his superiors blocked him.

Everyone in the industry knew Woo Junseo had pulled strings.

But pushing further carried too much risk.

‘It wouldn’t just mean making an enemy of Woo Junseo.’

It would also mean antagonizing the television network and the investors, who were finally breathing sighs of relief thanks to the shift in public opinion.

In the end, Woo Junseo survived.

He felt an overwhelming sense of triumph.

Not only had he resolved a crisis that even his incompetent agency couldn’t handle, but the public had come to love him once again.

‘I’m someone destined to succeed.’

He had felt it after the livestream incident, but now the conviction was stronger than ever.

‘The world doesn’t want me to fail.’

A conviction that, in the end, everything would always go his way.

“I’m the best!!!!”

Having progressed from rabid self-confidence to the belief that the universe revolved around Woo Junseo, he roared triumphantly.

At that same moment, I sat with a cup of coffee, reading the articles.

“Hmm~.”

A slow smile spread across my face as I looked at the comments that had reversed almost overnight.