Because Taeyeon appeared so humble, the producer lost the will to stay angry and sighed.
“I honestly did not want to come here and say these things. But when I learned that a few members of my own team, the ones I really care about, requested transfers, I felt betrayed…”
Once they left, Taeyeon was alone and could only heave long sighs. A little later he gathered everyone and warned them.
“I am truly glad you are satisfied with the work environment, but please, keep that satisfaction to yourself. Stop telling people that our studio is the best or that PD Yoo is the nicest and the handsomest.”
“I never said you were handsome…”
“Who spread that impossible rumor?”
Laughter and teasing broke out here and there.
Taeyeon pleaded again.
“I do not want to make unnecessary enemies. Can we please keep the good things among ourselves? I am asking for your cooperation.”
He repeated the same speech at Nexple Plus, then worried about what would happen next.
“I hope nothing else comes up…”
Taeyeon began monitoring the Reed Forest app and other rumor-sharing sites, checking the gossip about the studios. His request for silence had some effect. There were still many posts asking about Universe Studio’s atmosphere or transfer possibilities, but staff no longer replied.
“Good. At this rate it will be forgotten soon.”
Yet rumors breed more rumors. True back-fence talk spreads by word of mouth, something Taeyeon momentarily forgot.
After aligning a schedule for a university tour, he sat down for coffee when Jo Seon-ah cautiously asked,
“I have a real question.”
“What is it?”
“Are you related to the chairman?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You have been in the spotlight a lot. People say Chairman Yoo supports you because you are some kind of relative, and that the two directors and the admin offices cover for you.”
It was absurd. Taeyeon frowned.
“Seon-ah, you do not believe that nonsense, right?”
“Of course not, but so many people keep asking that I got confused…”
“No. All my family and relatives are lifelong residents of Yeosu. I have been living alone in Seoul for over ten years.”
“Right? I thought so too, but everyone keeps asking as if it were fact.”
The situation felt familiar to Taeyeon.
“Yeah, the same happened at Dream Soft.”
Back then, when he became the youngest director while leading The Sword of Empire, many suspected he had special ties to executives. It took a long time and solid results to silence those doubts.
“Are those rumors spreading widely?”
“It seems so.”
“What else have you heard?”
“Well…”
Back at his desk, Taeyeon held his throbbing head. A group of employees burst in and crowded around him.
“We heard a huge rumor in the cafeteria. The chairman is your uncle?”
“Your salary is over two hundred million won and you commute in a brand-new Benz E-Class…”
“People say your girlfriend is a celebrity, so does that leave Ms. Jo out in the cold?”
Because they felt no distance from him, they brazenly asked for confirmation. Lee Young-ae simply smiled and watched.
“Where do these absurd stories start? They are all false, so stop chatting and get back to work.”
“Let me ride in that Benz!”
“Please ask the chairman to upgrade our graphic cards!”
“Ms. Jo is a good person. If you dump her, karma will bite you!”
They kept joking as they returned to their seats.
Taeyeon sighed; Lee Young-ae approached with a gentle voice.
“Try not to worry too much. Anyone who suddenly stands out in a big company goes through this.”
“Did it happen to you?”
“Of course. Soon after I joined Disney I had to act as character supervisor for a while. The rumors were endless.”
“Even at Disney?”
“It is still a workplace full of people. My husband had the same experience.”
Time would settle the gossip, Taeyeon thought, but he could not shake his unease. Nexple was far larger than Dream Soft, so the scale and lifespan of rumors might grow.
His prediction proved right.
A few days later a post on Reed Forest flipped not only the studio but the entire industry.
Title: “PD Yoo Taeyeon of Nexple, please clarify.”
I am a developer on a certain Nexple project. Many of you have heard the rumors that have been circulating. Some points cannot be ignored, so I take up the burden and publicly raise these questions.
- Apartment purchase.
I learned that during the Bless era PD Yoo lived in a ten-pyong officetel near a station. Soon after joining Nexple he bought an expensive apartment. The rumor says Chairman Yoo Jinseong gave him several hundred million won of company money for the purchase. If true, that is embezzlement. Please explain. - Favoritism.
Recent articles praise Nexple’s social-contribution activities and many highlight PD Yoo. People in talent management and other teams say Chairman Yoo and PD Yoo have some relationship, so everyone helps him. When many developers volunteered for tours and lectures nobody talked, yet only PD Yoo gets noise. This insults those who served quietly. Please explain. - Dual positions.
PD Yoo leads Universe Studio and is development head of Nexple Plus. Rumor says this sudden appointment is due to the chairman’s favoritism. Many developers dream of making their own games, toiling before small monitors. If PD Yoo enjoys all this not by merit but by connections, we will be deeply disappointed. Please give evidence everyone can accept.
The post caused a sensation, even on major gaming forums.
“Hiding behind anonymity, you dare…”
Taeyeon fumed. These doubts could have been solved quietly. By going public, the poster clearly hoped for Yoo Taeyeon’s fall. Any single allegation could ruin him.
He looked around at the suddenly quiet office. Though no one showed it, staff seemed to watch his reaction. The teamwork he had built was about to crumble under suspicion.
I cannot stay silent.
If they wanted proof, he would show it. A soft response would be worse than none. This called for a firm stance. First, he had to address one point.
Taeyeon posted on Reed Forest for the first time.
I am Yoo Taeyeon of Nexple.
I saw the post demanding explanations for dozens of rumors. If you want rebuttal materials, I will provide them all.
However, since you volunteered to shoulder the burden, show the same resolve. Reveal your identity and file a formal investigation request, or at least bring the matter to the company’s dispute-resolution committee.
Only then, when I clear myself, can I press charges for false accusation and defamation.
“Let just one thing stick, otherwise forget it”? I cannot allow that.
I have an idea why these rumors target me, but I will keep silent until the case is resolved.
Please do not hide out of fear. Do not delete your post; all evidence is archived. Many eyes are watching, so you cannot retreat.
If I get no answer today, I will act.
I repeat, I will not let this slide.
Reactions were intense.
“Bold. Looks like the rumors are false.”
“He is right. If you go public to ruin someone, show proof. I saved all those posts, so reveal yourself or go to the police.”
“Whoever started this, pass me the popcorn.”
As expected, the original poster gave no feedback. The next day Taeyeon officially requested an investigation and began drafting a rebuttal statement.
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