142: Chapter 142 A chaotic battle between online trolls and uninformed netizens.

6:30 AM, the sky was just turning pale. Song Tianhao was woken up by his phone ringing.

It wasn't his usual alarm, but the ringtone set exclusively for Soyeon—an obscure, early T-ara B-side track that he secretly loved.

Usually, at this hour, Soyeon wouldn't call unless something catastrophic had happened.

He opened his eyes and glanced at the phone screen lighting up on the nightstand, displaying the name "Soyeon." His sleepiness vanished instantly. He reached out, grabbed the phone, and answered.

"Oppa, something happened." Soyeon's voice came through the receiver. She spoke faster than usual, but her tone remained clear and organized, though the tense inflection at the end betrayed the gravity of the situation. "The internet headlines and the front pages of several entertainment newspapers are all about you. The titles are very ugly."

Song Tianhao sat up, leaned against the headboard, and rubbed his temples: "Tell me the details."

"《Movie Casting Mystery! Sky Entertainment Song Tianhao Secretly Meets Two Actresses Late at Night, Who Is the 'True' Leading Lady Between Son Ye-jin and Han Hyo-joo?》, that's the headline from Seoul Sports》."

"《Visiting Two Actresses' Boudoirs Late at Night, The 'Casting Art' of the Baeksang Best Actor》, 《From Apartments to Hotels, The 'Busy' Night of Song Tianhao, it's number one on the Naver hot search list, followed by a 'Breaking' tag."

Soyeon's voice paused, seemingly suppressing her emotions. "The accompanying images are four consecutive photos: you entering Son Ye-jin's apartment building last night, you leaving about two hours later, then you entering the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel, and finally you leaving the hotel."

"The shooting angles are very tricky. Although the faces aren't clear, your physique, clothing, and that car are highly recognizable. The reports imply unfair casting for dark light》, suggesting 'special transactions' between you and the two actresses. The phrasing is very malicious, and the comment section is already unreadable."

Song Tianhao threw off the quilt, got out of bed, walked barefoot to the living room, and opened his laptop. The cold light of the screen illuminated his expressionless face. He clicked on the Naver hot search; sure enough, the top entry was shocking.

Clicking in, it was a detailed report from 《Daily Entertainment》, which skillfully guided the reader's imagination, twisting normal script discussion work into salacious transactions full of implications.

The comment section was a mess, with a skirmish between paid trolls and misinformed netizens, mixed with malicious speculation and personal attacks against Son Ye-jin and Han Hyo-joo.

"Son Ye-jin and Han Hyo-joo's phones have been blown up by the media. Their agencies haven't responded yet, but the pressure must be immense."

Soyeon continued her report, "Director Lee Chang-dong also called to ask about the specific situation, his tone... was quite serious. Also, CJ Entertainment's media matrix is the main force pushing this; at least 30% of the hot searches were bought by them, and the traces of paid trolls are very obvious."

Song Tianhao scanned the web pages quickly, his eyes sweeping over those photos with carefully selected angles and deliberately blurred timelines that managed to create a continuous narrative. He then looked at the reposts from several mainstream entertainment media outlets.

His fingers slid across the touchpad with steady speed, but his eyes grew colder.

"I understand." He spoke, his voice calm, even a few degrees more lucid than when he had just woken up. "Soyeon, listen well, do as I say."

"Yes, President." On the other end of the line, Soyeon responded immediately, and the sound of flipping paper and pen strokes came through; she was taking notes.

"First," Song Tianhao walked into the bathroom, placed his phone on the vanity, turned on the speakerphone, and while splashing cold water on his face, he issued instructions clearly. "Immediately issue a statement in the name of Sky Entertainment on the official website and major SNS accounts."

"Key points of the statement: Last night was the first core creative script discussion after dark light》 was officially greenlit. Because Director Lee Chang-dong, the screenwriter, and other key creators couldn't align their schedules, I conducted preliminary communication and character breakdown with the two confirmed lead actresses separately. This falls under normal work scope."

"We have detailed meeting minutes and creative notes as evidence. We will disclose some of the content later as appropriate to set the record straight. Regarding the irresponsible distorted reporting and malicious speculation by some media, we express strong condemnation and reserve the right to pursue legal responsibility."

The cold water stimulated his skin, making his thinking sharper. He wiped his face with a towel and continued: "Second, you personally contact Son Ye-jin and Han Hyo-joo's managers—no, contact them directly. Explain the situation and express my apologies that my schedule has caused them trouble."

"Ask if they are willing to cooperate, and if necessary, disclose part of last night's work content, such as Son Ye-jin's annotations on the script or the summary of Han Hyo-joo's character notes."

"If they agree, have the legal department prepare supplemental agreements and authorization letters immediately. The compensation will be generous. Remember, this is a request, not a demand; respect their wishes."

"Third," Song Tianhao walked out of the bathroom and took a shirt and dress pants from the closet. "Have the legal department take action immediately. Send formal legal notices to the three media outlets that published first and used the most defamatory language: 《Daily Entertainment》, Seoul Sports》, and that 'Entertainment Insider' marketing account."

"Accuse them of fabricating facts, defaming reputation, and infringing on privacy. Demand the removal of the reports within a time limit, a public apology, and compensation for damages. At the same time, report to the police, trace the paparazzi, and apply for evidence preservation for the relevant online accounts."

He put on his shirt, buttoning it one by one, his movements unhurried. "Fourth, contact Dispatch."

He paused, picked up his phone, and walked to the window, looking at the city waking up below.

"From my dashcam footage last night, get the complete timeline segments from under Son Ye-jin's apartment building and the Four Seasons Hotel. This must include the parts where I stayed in the car for a long time and talked to my assistant to arrange security work, as well as the corridor surveillance footage from when I entered and left the hotel room, which can be obtained through 'certain channels'."

"Note, it must clearly show that when I entered and left Han Hyo-joo's room, the door was wide open, and my bodyguard was standing within sight outside the door the whole time. Package these up and 'gift' them to them for free."

Soyeon was recording quickly on the other end, but her pen stopped upon hearing this: "Gift them to Dispatch for free? President, they might also..."

"They will publish it." Song Tianhao interrupted her, his tone certain. "Although Dispatch also relies on exposés to make a living, they love 'exclusive truths' and 'slapping competitors in the face' even more. Especially slapping the CJ-affiliated media in the face. Tell them to publish it in their 'Truth Tracking' column, and the headline must be explosive."

"For example, 《Full Record of Song Tianhao's 'Late Night Schedule', Script Discussion Confirmed, Paparazzi Exposed Instead!》. They know how to write to attract attention while keeping themselves clean."

Soyeon immediately understood the key: "Yes, I will contact the person in charge at Dispatch immediately. They should be very happy to take this 'exclusive'."

"Also," Song Tianhao added, "Edit a message on my personal SNS account, but wait for my instructions before posting."

"Content?"

Song Tianhao thought for a moment and said: "Just write: 'Discussing a script = Secret meeting? Then what do film schools and rehearsal rooms count as? Thank you to all sectors for the 'high attention' to the movie dark light》. Dual female lead setup, each brilliant in their own way, please look forward to it. Also, regarding the paparazzi and defamation, it has been handed over to lawyers and the police, everyone please be patient and wait for good news.' Keep the tone casual, with a bit of sarcasm."

"Understood!" Soyeon's voice was clearly more energized. "President, I will go handle it immediately. Then, Director Lee Chang-dong..."

"I will call him back personally." Song Tianhao said. "You go deal with the media first. Tell Director Lee, if he can't handle even this bit of wind and waves, why bother shooting dark light》?"

"Let him focus on preparing his movie. On the day of the press conference for the start of filming, I want all the participants and instigators of today's farce to be sitting in the audience, watching us make a spectacular appearance."

The call ended.

The room quieted down, with only the faint sound of the coffee machine working. Song Tianhao walked over to the coffee machine, poured a cup of black coffee—no sugar, no milk—and then sat back down in front of the computer with the cup.

The filth on the screen was still scrolling, but he no longer looked at those comments. He opened Sky Entertainment's work email and began reviewing the detailed budget and filming schedule draft for dark light》.

Sunlight spilled in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting light and shadow across his profile. He took a sip of the dark, bitter coffee; the liquid slid down his throat, bringing a clear, refreshing effect.

One hour later.

Just as the controversy on the internet was intensifying, with CJ-affiliated media and some gossip tabloids frantically driving the narrative, and some even clamoring, "Do you dare to release the so-called 'work records'? Don't be fake!", Dispatch's "Truth Tracking" column simultaneously pushed an exclusive report on its official website and major SNS accounts.

The headline was indeed explosive: 《Exclusive Tracking! Full Record of Song Tianhao's "Late Night Schedule", Script Discussion Confirmed, Paparazzi Become the Joke!》

The report clearly listed Song Tianhao's schedule from last night in a timeline format:

20:15-22:40, a high-end apartment in Cheongdam-dong, Son Ye-jin's residence. Attached were screenshots from the dashcam video, showing that the vehicle did not leave immediately after arriving. Song Tianhao stayed in the car for nearly twenty minutes, talking to his assistant. The subtitles for the conversation showed "Confirming perimeter security", "Screening for suspicious persons", etc.

The report pointed out that this was a necessary security arrangement made by the President out of responsibility for the safety and privacy of the collaborating actors. Subsequently, it released surveillance footage from the apartment lobby, showing Song Tianhao going upstairs with Jang Se-hoon. Finally, there was the footage of Song Tianhao leaving.

Key point: The report emphasized that there was an assistant accompanying him throughout, and there were clear security preparations before and after the schedule, which was completely different from the atmosphere of a "secret meeting".

23:10-00:05, Room 2808 of the Four Seasons Hotel, where Han Hyo-joo was staying. First, it released screenshots of the surveillance footage from the hotel's high-floor corridor.

The screenshots clearly showed that when Song Tianhao arrived at the door of Room 2808, the door was ajar, and a man dressed as a bodyguard was standing not far outside the door.

After Song Tianhao entered, the door was not closed, and the bodyguard remained within sight outside the door. About an hour later, Song Tianhao left; similarly, the door was wide open when he left, and the bodyguard was still there.

Key point: The surveillance timestamp was clear, the door was wide open, and the bodyguard was present, completely shattering the ambiguous imagination of "being alone in a closed space".

The report also attached screenshots of some work materials provided by Sky Entertainment, belonging to Son Ye-jin and Han Hyo-joo:

Son Ye-jin's script page was densely filled with character biographies, emotional analyses, and paragraph annotations. The handwriting was neat and incisive. In the blank space of one page, there was a complex character relationship diagram drawn with a pen.

On Han Hyo-joo's notebook, there were yellow sticky notes with a few shocking words: "Disgusting", "Want to run", "Trembling", "Darkness". Next to them was her handwriting: "The starting point of Yoon Soo-ah (Shadow). It's not about being ruthless, it's about having to be."

There was even a clip of less than ten seconds of surveillance footage from inside the Sky Entertainment rehearsal room. In the clip, Han Hyo-joo was wearing loose practice clothes, repeatedly practicing an expression in front of the mirror, from painful struggle to hollow despair, finally freezing in a twisted, heart-wrenching, half-smile.

There was no sound, but the dedication and struggle could be felt through the screen.

Dispatch's reporting style was as sharp and thorny as ever: "...The so-called 'secret meeting' was actually normal work communication regarding character shaping between a conscientious film company president and dedicated actors. The paparazzi deliberately cut segments, blurred the timeline, and created ambiguity—their intentions are truly malicious."

"And some unscrupulous media outlets hyped it up without verification—is this a lack of professional capability, or do they have ulterior motives?"

Once the report was released, public opinion immediately began to turn.

"I told you so! How could President Song do such a thing! He is a Baeksang Best Actor, the founder of Sky Entertainment, does he need to use 'casting couch' tactics?"

"Look at Senior Son Ye-jin's script notes, so serious! Worthy of being a Chungmuro actress!"

"Han Hyo-joo's expression... Oh my god, I got goosebumps, she is really so dedicated."

"Dispatch's face-slapping is as fast, accurate, and ruthless as ever! Hahaha, do those media outlets that wrote nonsense feel their faces hurting?"

"So it was CJ playing tricks? Because they didn't get the distribution rights for dark light》?"

"Both the dashcam and hotel surveillance are out, this hammer is too hard. Those who spread rumors should apologize quickly!"

Sky Entertainment's official statement followed immediately, with rigorous wording and a tough stance, attached with scanned copies of the legal notices sent to the three media outlets and the police report receipt. Almost simultaneously, Song Tianhao's personal SNS account also updated with that pre-edited, slightly sarcastic post.

With a whole set of combination punches, the scandal that had just been raging was reversed, counter-attacked, and slapped onto the beach by the facts at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Song Tianhao's phone rang again. This time it was an unfamiliar number, but the last few digits were very special.

He answered without speaking.

There was silence on the other end for two seconds, then a voice came through that was trying to suppress anger but still revealed a bit of panic and exasperation: "President Song, good tactics. The Dispatch report, you arranged it, right?"

It was Director Jeong.

Song Tianhao gently placed the coffee cup in his hand on the table; the bottom of the cup made a crisp, light sound against the wooden tabletop. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze falling on the bright morning light outside the window, his tone so flat that not a ripple could be heard:

"Director Jeong, the money spent on paparazzi and buying hot searches is enough for you to buy a few more cups to smash, right?"

The breathing on the other end choked.

Song Tianhao continued, his voice even carrying a casual, chatty tone: "Next time you want to play, remember to hide your tail."

He paused, his tone remained steady, but every word was clear, transmitted to the other end through the airwaves:

"Also, tell Chairman Lee Jae-hyun for me, Sky Entertainment's first movie will be a good movie. As for the film department of CJ Entertainment, if your methods are left with nothing but this kind of underhanded gossip and splashing dirty water..."

He chuckled lightly, and there was no warmth in that laughter.

"Then you can start writing the obituary in advance."

Without waiting for Director Jeong's possible rage or rebuttal on the other end, Song Tianhao hung up the phone directly.

He picked up the coffee on the table, which had already turned slightly cool, and took another sip. The tea leaves floated in the cup, eventually sinking slowly to the bottom, just like the storm that had suddenly erupted and was quickly suppressed.

Almost at the same time he put down the cup, his phone rang again. This time the name jumping on the screen was Son Ye-jin.

Song Tianhao swiped to answer and put the phone to his ear.

"President," Son Ye-jin's voice came through the receiver, clear and pleasant, with a calm tone. If you listened carefully, you could also distinguish a hint of concerned laughter and nervousness. "I saw the news. Are you... okay?"