It took a great deal of effort for the An family to prevent people from digging up their full family background. They only revealed a single shopping mall under the family’s name, presenting Brian Bennett as the son of the mall’s president. Not long after this arrangement was made, the current president, Lee Myung-bak, called Brian Bennett’s father, Henry Bennett, directly on his cell phone.

Lee Myung-bak’s tone was very sincere, asking whether the second son could visit the Blue House, as the presidential office wanted to give him some kind of commendation. Henry Bennett was fuming inside, but it was hard to refuse such a legitimate request backed by public opinion. After reluctantly agreeing, he immediately called Brian Bennett.

Brian Bennett’s head was about to split open. He’d expected some trouble, but not this much! The An family, always low-key and quietly enjoying their success, was suddenly faced with such a high-profile, explosive family member that it nearly tore away the veil the family had maintained for generations, exposing them in all their glory to the world. What would the rest of the family think?

This could even affect his own plans. If he intended to debut as an entertainer, having such a fan base would make him grin from ear to ear. But he didn’t want to be an entertainer—he wanted to be a manager. What sense did it make for a company president to be more popular than all his artists combined? Wouldn’t LOEN Company become a laughingstock in the industry?

Chapter 9: Han Ga-in’s Nightmare

Brian Bennett arrived at the family council hall and was a bit surprised. The hall wasn’t filled with dozens of important figures as he’d imagined; only a few of his father’s brothers—his uncles—were sitting in a circle. The tense atmosphere of a three-way interrogation he’d pictured simply wasn’t there. He glanced at his eldest brother, who was sitting behind their father, and saw him wink, looking not the least bit worried, which made Brian Bennett feel a bit puzzled.

When Brian Bennett’s grandfather, the former clan leader Samuel Bennett, was helped into the hall, the family meeting officially began.

A round-faced, chubby uncle was the first to speak, grinning: “Brian, your third uncle has always known you were talented since you were a child, but I never expected you to reach this level. You’ve really brought honor to the An family.”

Huh? What’s going on here? Brian Bennett wondered if he’d walked into the hall the wrong way—why did what he was hearing not match his expectations? This third uncle was a representative of the conservative faction, currently serving as deputy minister of finance, and had never had much fondness for actors and the like.

His father, Henry Bennett, said with a stony face, “Don’t praise him, Third. Things are already like this, and you’re still praising him—won’t his tail go up to the sky?”

Another uncle with glasses smiled and said, “Big brother, that’s not fair. It’s not like Brian did this on purpose, and besides, we haven’t suffered any real loss. Just make a few calls, get the reporters to calm down, and it’ll blow over.”

This was his second uncle, deputy minister at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Although he was in charge of tourism, he also had significant influence in cultural media.

Then the thin-faced fifth uncle, who controlled traditional print publishing and media, chimed in: “All the major media outlets exploded today. Even the Chosun Ilbo didn’t dare act indifferent, so they released some news too. But after today, I’ll keep a close eye on things.” Of everyone present, only he and the second uncle worked in industries most closely related to and appreciative of Brian Bennett’s achievements, so their smiles were genuine.

Henry Bennett gave a wry smile: “We agreed to give this kid a bit of a warning, but look at what you’re all doing.”

The youngest, sixth uncle, laughed and said, “We may not like being in the spotlight, but first and foremost, we are Koreans.”

This youngest uncle controlled a business group. The shopping mall used as a decoy was originally under his name, and this time he handed it over without a word for Henry Bennett to use as a prop.

The usually expressionless fourth uncle smiled and nodded at this. He was a major general in the military.

The few people in this hall, along with the aunt who wasn’t present today, a group of paternal uncles, and their in-laws, formed the foundation of the An family’s powerful clan. While some among them didn’t have proper jobs, most were either high-ranking government or military officials, or were entrenched in key sectors of the national economy. Add to that the other families attached to them, as well as carefully cultivated representatives within various political parties, and the An family’s influence—built and passed down over generations—was vast, spreading like a spider web throughout all levels of society, their impact felt everywhere. Even the underworld was largely under their control. The An family’s model was completely different from conglomerates like Samsung or Hyundai; they were rooted in politics and radiated outward, but didn’t participate in party struggles or national policy-making, maintaining a neutral, detached position with a very special status. There was even a saying in their circles: Korea is the An family’s Korea. Though this was an exaggeration, it was enough to show just how formidable the An family’s foundation was.

So the sixth uncle’s words resonated with many present, and grandfather Samuel Bennett burst out laughing: “I like what the youngest said. Henry, although our family believes in keeping a low profile, that doesn’t mean hiding away in the mountains, unseen by anyone. Even if things like music and scripts seem a bit frivolous, the achievements are something that make Koreans proud. Our An family has gained honor from this, not disgrace, so why worry about a little impact or turbulence?”

Henry Bennett gave a wry smile: “This kid and Zheng He are conspiring to get involved in the entertainment industry, and none of you have any objections?”