[Date: February 7, 2021] (Deleted Schedule Entry: Jiri Mountain premiere suspended. (Emergency meeting: Check the attendance list, send apology texts to reporters, and send apology gifts to VIP guests.)) The moment I requested the USB containing the Jiri Mountain VIP premiere video and decided to handle the digital projector myself, the schedule entry vanished. Which could only mean one thing—the problem wasn't the projector, but it was the projectionist Choi Hyun-Taek. I figured he must have been bribed by Ryu Shin. I wanted nothing more than to confront him immediately and get a confession, but first and foremost, ensuring the success of this VIP premiere was a thousand times more important. 'We'll talk later, Mr. Choi.' I took a few deep breaths to calm my anger, then turned to Lee Eun-Joo. "Ms. Lee, I'll handle the projector today." Lee Eun-Joo's eyes widened. "You really can do it?" "Yes. Once the USB arrives, just give me the DCP file password and a radio so I can stay in contact with the theater staff." DCP files used in theaters were password-protected when delivered via USB. Lee Eun-Joo sighed with relief. "Got it. I'll give you the password when the staff delivers the USB." At that moment, Choi Hyun-Taek, who had been standing with his arms crossed, looked visibly shaken. "Team Lead Lee! You're seriously going to let this guy operate the projector?" Then, Lee Eun-Joo's submissive attitude disappeared for the first time. Now that we had an alternative, there was no need for her to keep placating him. "Why? Weren't you the one who said you didn't want to do it?" Choi Hyun-Taek backpedaled, realizing he had overplayed his hand. "I-I mean, that's not really what I meant... not exactly..." However, Lee Eun-Joo pressed forward with a cold expression. "Mr. Choi. Are you kidding me? Now you're saying that's not what you meant? You need to say something that actually makes sense!" Jiri Mountain was a project that cost over 10 billion won including its marketing budget. And now, Choi Hyun-Taek had just refused to run the projector at the VIP premiere just because his pride was hurt. It was likely an attempt to drive me and Lee Eun-Joo out of the booth. However, once I revealed I could operate the projector, everything fell apart. "From this moment on, Mr. Jung is the acting head of this projection booth. Do you understand? And I'm reporting this to the president myself, so you're to wait here until his decision comes down." Now looking desperate, Choi Hyun-Taek tried to grab Lee Eun-Joo's arm. "T-Team Lead Lee, wait. I'll run the projector, okay? I'll do it. Just... don't tell the president. I'm really sorry." Nevertheless, Lee Eun-Joo brushed Choi Hyun-Taek's hand away coldly. "Don't give me that 'it was a mistake' talk. And let go of me, right now." Lee Eun-Joo made it clear she wasn't leaving the booth and immediately reported everything to Shin Jong-Ki via Kk Talk. Thanks to that, I was able to handle the projector with a bit more peace of mind. Meanwhile, the audience in the theater had finished seating and the on-stage greeting for the VIP premiere was beginning. In the front row sat the cast of Jiri Mountain, and just behind them were the cherished members of Faithful. When the host took the mic and made introductions, Director Park Sun-Jae stood and accepted the microphone. Once almost crushed by the so-called genius Director Jo Jae-Kyung from CK, he now stood proudly before the reporters and audience. -I'm Park Sun-Jae, the director of Jiri Mountain. Thank you for coming. Park Sun-Jae's voice trembled slightly. At that moment, my heart began to pound. I had prevented the cancellation of the premiere and protected someone's future in the process. 'Well done, Jung Yoon-Ho.' Tonight, I truly wanted to praise myself. I ignored the fidgeting Choi Hyun-Taek and turned my attention to the VIP premiere greetings happening inside the theater. The projection booth door opened and a staff member ran in. It was now 8:27 p.m., two minutes later than expected. "Huff, huff... Ms. Lee, here it is." The staff handed over the USB containing the VIP screening file. Lee Eun-Joo nodded. "Thanks. Is the password the usual one?" "No, they said to add _VIP to it." Lee Eun-Joo took the USB and handed it to me. I plugged it directly into the rear port of the digital projector. Then I moved over to the control computer. Choi Hyun-Taek was still sitting in front of it, so I was about to ask him to move. But just then, his phone on the computer table vibrated. And then I saw the caller ID flash across the screen. [Caller ID: The Backer] The moment my instincts kicked in, I immediately grabbed the phone. 'Could it be Ryu Shin?' The startled Choi Hyun-Taek shouted, "Hey! Don't touch my phone!" Choi Hyun-Taek's overreaction confirmed my suspicion. I answered the call on speaker and hit record. -Mr. Choi, you remember the plan, right? You're supposed to mess with the projector about one minute in. It was Ryu Shin's voice. I didn't even have to go looking for evidence. When I turned my head, Choi Hyun-Taek's face was ghost-white. Meanwhile, Lee Eun-Joo's face was flushed with rage. -Hello? Why aren't you saying anything? I responded to Ryu Shin's voice over the phone. "Well, well... I didn't think you'd go as far as bribing the projectionist. Proposing a joint project while planning to backstab, huh?" The call was cut off. He must have hung up in a panic, trying to avoid the worst. At the same time, Lee Eun-Joo pulled out her phone and made a call. "Yeah, it's me. Send two security personnel from LT Cinema over to Theater 1's projection booth as soon as possible. We're detaining Projectionist Choi Hyun-Taek. He was bribed by Hwayeon and tried to sabotage tonight's premiere." Right then, Choi Hyun-Taek jumped up and tried to bolt. His chair tipped over. I quickly moved to block his path. In a frenzy, Choi Hyun-Taek swung a fist at me. "Move it, you fucking bastard!" However, there was no way I would get hit by a slow punch from a man in his fifties. I ducked slightly, and his punch passed over my head. I was angry for sure, but I couldn't bring myself to hit someone old enough to be my father. Instead, I stepped to his side, wrapped my arms around his waist, and lifted him up. "Grr! Let go! I said let go!" I hoisted him effortlessly and locked my arms tight around his midsection. Choi Hyun-Taek groaned in pain and flailed around, struggling desperately. "Ugh..." Just then, Lee Eun-Joo stepped up to the dangling Choi Hyun-Taek and spoke in a cold voice. "How could you... how could you betray LT ? After everything the company's done for you!" "Y-You call that support? All they ever gave me was peanuts for pay..." "Peanuts? You're calling 60 million won a year peanuts? With bonuses and allowances, you were making 80 million! How on earth are those peanuts?" "The guys that entered with me are getting way more!" "Are you kidding me? You're in different job categories! And if you were so unhappy with it, why didn't you leave? You stayed because no other place would pay you this much. And do you even know why you weren't laid off when we switched to digital projectors and didn't need technicians like you anymore?" "H-how would I know?" "Because of the president! You were the longest-serving staff at LT Cinema Samsung, and Mr. Shin specifically said to keep you out of respect. He even ordered us to match your treatment to your seniority, even if we couldn't adjust your salary. That's why even I've been stepping back for your sake. Do you get it now?" Choi Hyun-Taek had been receiving a high salary and great benefits for a projectionist, but he let envy of other professionals in the company eat him up. Such an emotion was understandable, but teaming up with Ryu Shin was unforgivable. It was pure betrayal. At that moment, the door burst open and two security guards rushed in. Lee Eun-Joo spoke with a voice trembling with fury. "Take this man away immediately. He tried to sabotage the premiere tonight under Hwayeon's orders. Be thorough and don't go easy on him." I set Choi Hyun-Taek down on the floor. The two guards quickly stepped in and grabbed his arms. Without even blinking, the guards lifted Choi Hyun-Taek and hauled him out of the projection room. The door shut behind them. It was now 8:29 p.m. Through the glass, I could see the audience inside the theater had finished their greetings and were now seated. It was time to start Jiri Mountain. The walkie-talkie on the table came alive. -Projection room, are you ready? Over. It was an LT Entertainment staff member downstairs in the theater. Lee Eun-Joo picked up the device. "Stand by for just a moment. Over." Then she turned to me. "Mr. Jung. You really can do this?" Sitting at the computer, I replied, "First, tell me the file lock password." "It's 20210207_LT_SAMS_0X0_VIP." I entered the password she provided. The USB file's lock was released and the system signaled it was ready. I loaded the DCP file into the player. In a flash, I finished the setup and told Lee Eun-Joo, "All set. I'll begin in one minute." Lee Eun-Joo radioed back. "We're standing by. Starting in one minute." -Copy. One minute. Over. The staff replied from the theater. -Alright, everyone please take your seats. The screening will begin in one minute. A few lingering guests began finding their seats. At that moment, I was watching the clock in the projection booth. The seconds ticked by. And when it hit 8:30 p.m., I pressed the lighting button. The lights in the theater dimmed gradually along with the lights in the booth. Exactly one minute later, I pressed pay on the VIP screening file for Jiri Mountain. [Jiri Mountain: Playback Start] The digital projector hummed to life, casting the video onto the theater screen. The LT Cinema logo appeared first. Then, from a black screen, the sound of someone gasping for air began to emerge. -Huff... huff... huff... It was the sound of Lee Tae-Poong running. -Shhh... shhh... shhhk... Right behind him came the heavy breathing of Go Jae-Soo in pursuit. The tense audio captured attention immediately, then the title Jiri Mountain appeared on the screen. Only then did Lee Eun-Joo let out a deep breath. "Phew~ You really pulled it off. Well done, Mr. Jung." I finally allowed myself a sigh of relief as well. "You too, Ms. Lee. So... what's going to happen with Mr. Choi and Ryu Shin?" "That's not something I can decide alone. Once the premiere ends, you should talk it over with the president. I'll make sure he gets a report on his phone." Now that the premiere was underway, I could finally stretch my legs and relax. I turned my eyes to the 24-inch monitor inside the booth. It was mirroring the exact footage being shown on the big screen in the theater. Meanwhile, Ryu Shin sat in stunned silence after ending the call. "Damn it. What the hell happened?" He never imagined the bribery would be discovered, especially not by Jung Yoon-Ho himself. Now, LT Entertainment had been turned into a complete enemy with no room left to explain it away. Then one of his subordinates hesitantly spoke. "Mr. Ryu... maybe you should return to the mainland for now..." Furious, Ryu Shin couldn't contain his rage. Instead of swinging with his injured arm, he kicked. His subordinate toppled backward. "You fucking idiot! You think the chairman will forgive me if I just run away ?" He had failed to secure a partnership and also failed to sabotage Jung Yoon-Ho. If he returned , Chairman Jiang Wei would definitely cast Ryu Shin aside. "T-then what should we do?" Ryu Shin glared at him. "If the police come, you say it was you. You can mimic my voice, right?" "I'll hire the best lawyer money can buy and get you out fast, don't worry." Ryu Shin intended to use his subordinate as a scapegoat. Even though Jung Yoon-Ho had heard his voice directly, there would be plenty of ways to escape prosecution with a different nationality and a false confession. The subordinate murmured, "Just...Please keep your promise." "Of course. I'll give you a fat payout the moment you're out. You know how I am." But deep down, Ryu Shin could feel that every time he tried something, it only made Jung Yoon-Ho stronger. His lips were parched with anxiety. 'Jung Yoon-Ho. What the hell are you?' That question echoed endlessly in Ryu Shin's mind. The premiere screening of Jiri Mountain opened with an adrenaline-pumping scene. Go Jae-Soo's character, Oh Myung-Jin, a psychopathic killer, was seen hunting down members of a mountain hiking club in various gruesome ways. Every time, the audience screamed. Rated R could hinder the audience count, so many intense scenes had been trimmed to secure a PG-15 rating and ensure better audience turnout. Still, Go Jae-Soo's chilling performance retained its full impact. And fortunately, one of the most striking moments from the trailer—Go Jae-Soo eating a raw pheasant—made it into the final cut in all its graphic glory. As the camera zoomed in on Go Jae-Soo's back, the sickening sound of bones being chewed echoed through the theater. Then, a gruesome shot of him ripping flesh with his teeth appeared on screen. The audience collectively screamed in horror. But that was the moment Go Jae-Soo's presence became seared into everyone's memory. Afterward, Lee Tae-Poong's character, the last surviving protagonist, fought desperately to save his daughter. Then the scene led to a heart-pounding chase between him and Go Jae-Soo. Thanks to that, there wasn't a single dull moment during the full runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. The digital projector gave off a wave of heat as it ran at full power. Simultaneously, the end credits of Jiri Mountain began to roll on the screen. [Director: Park Sun-Jae] That single line reflected the years of effort Park Sun-Jae had poured into reaching this moment. [Kang Dae-Hyun: Lee Tae-Poong] [Oh Myung-Jin: Go Jae-Soo] [Kang Yung-Ah: Kang Si-Ah] As the credits rolled, each actor was etched into film history with a line in their filmography. 'Everyone worked so hard.' And then I noticed something—My own name appeared in the credits. [Casting Director: Jung Yoon-Ho] Park Sun-Jae and Production Chief Ahn Yoo-Joo had remembered and added my name to the end credits. Their thoughtful gesture brought a smile to my face. Despite all the chaos, Jiri Mountain had finally overcome its trials and taken its first big step. At that moment, a message came through the walkie-talkie. —Ksshh... Projection Room. Put the lights on, please. As soon as I heard it, I flipped the light switch on. The theater lights brightened, and so did the projection booth. At the same time, the fans and reporters alike all stood to their feet and burst into applause. -Wow! That was amazing! -That was insane... Go Jae-Soo was unreal! -I seriously thought he was a real killer. -That's a whole new standard for villain roles. -God, that was brutal. Look at my arms, I got goosebumps! -Wait, it's over already? -Lee Tae-Poong really lived up to his name. -Did you see his face when he was protecting his daughter? That dad mode totally got me. -The child actor was amazing too. The audience couldn't stop praising the actors. Lee Eun-Joo's face flushed with excitement as she said, "Our movie's going to be a hit! Don't you think?" It was the best audience reaction I had ever seen at a premiere. Then, a voice came through the walkie-talkie. -Chief Jung. Are you there? The voice belonged to not a staff member, but Shin Jong-Ki. -Come see me for a moment. I'm sending someone to escort you. Come down immediately with Team Lead Lee. "Ah, if this is about Ryu Shin..." -No, that can wait. This is more urgent. I've already sent someone to the projection booth. Both of you, come down right away. 'If it's not about Ryu Shin... then what could it be?'