Chapter 142: 4th Competition: Emergency Strategy Meeting (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 142: 4th Competition: Emergency Strategy Meeting (3)
Perhaps because it had made the news, the incident was settled with remarkable speed.
First, UA quickly wrapped up the internal audit they had been dragging their feet on. Simultaneously, they began a massive overhaul of their internal regulations.
I heard all this news directly from the people at UA. Although I politely declined, the CEO and several staff members insisted on visiting me in the hospital.
“I’m truly sorry, I-wol. I’m so ashamed.”
It felt awkward as hell to just lie there while he bowed his head in apology.
Still, I didn’t tell him it was okay. This never would have happened if they had vetted Yu Han-su properly before hiring him, or if they had let him go when the issues between us first started, even if it meant things got a bit uncomfortable.
After that, the CEO had quite a lot to say.
“You were so talented that the company and I got too greedy. We shouldn’t have, but we placed too much of a burden on your shoulders.”
“A company should be a place you can trust, but we failed at that, didn’t we? I’m embarrassed that we couldn’t earn your trust, and on the other hand, this has been a wake-up call for us to reflect on whether we even have the capacity to be trustworthy. I’m sorry for everything.”
Even from my hospital bed, I could tell how badly UA was being hammered both inside and outside the industry.
People were demanding a public apology, and there were even calls for a special law to abolish unfair practices in the industry. The small ball I’d launched had returned to strike UA like a hailstorm.
So, I expected them to take a humble stance, but…
“We’re currently taking requests for department transfers within the company. We won’t just fill the team with volunteers; the company will actively assign people you’ve worked well with, like Ju-gyeong or the planning team members, to your group.”
“I plan to hold regular consultation meetings. It seems the management team was too focused on contracts and compensation before. We’ll expand the scope of the company’s care to minimize any discomfort.”
“Don’t worry too much about self-produced content from now on. We’ll hire separate staff for that. If you have any specific personnel or requirements in mind, we’ll reflect them as much as possible.”
…It went beyond being humble; I was taken aback by how sincere he seemed.
There were many other follow-up measures.
Whenever we had to travel for idol-related work, like going to the practice room, a manager was required to pick us up (as a side note, I heard the manager’s salary was docked because of this incident). Furthermore, UA decided to pay an "idea fee" whenever a member planned a concept or performed work.
While I was searching for the right words to respond to this sudden downpour of benefits, the CEO asked, “Could you give us one more chance?”
Chance or not, I’m destined to stay here until I achieve the final KPI, so I’m just grateful for the improved treatment.
Ultimately, their goal is for us to do no work other than participating in planning and organizational meetings. I wished they had been like this from the start, but I decided to look on the bright side and think of it as a better future ahead.
Yu Han-su made the front pages of both the entertainment and social sections day after day.
In the entertainment news, he was branded a twisted power-tripper who habitually abused his authority over idols and industry insiders. In the social news, he was a criminal who had caused bodily harm to a young idol. The heat was relentless.
Occasionally, articles appeared mentioning that Yu Han-su was complaining of severe headaches.
I, at least, have painkillers, but the thought that he couldn’t receive any treatment because he had no visible injuries made me feel incredibly refreshed.
That wasn't the only news that hit the spot.
Encouraged by Nyuri’s revelation, other industry insiders began coming forward one by one to report Yu Han-su’s atrocities, leading to the coining of the term "Yu Han-su Gate."
≫ “It’s reported that the evidence submitted by victim K-kun alone amounts to hundreds of items, making it unlikely he will avoid prison time.” Am I reading this right?
└ If he was getting cursed out hundreds of times, he should’ve said something. Oh, I-wol…
≫ Another YHS exposé just dropped (Confirmed by a junior from the same company, with proof O)
This guy is a bottomless pit of trash.
└ But the stuff he did is so f*cking malicious… If he bullied them on purpose, the people under him must’ve had their mental health destroyed.
└ FR, stealing their achievements and verbally abusing them—that’s all gaslighting. If it were me, I wouldn’t have lasted three months before quitting.
≫ Wow, but it’s also chilling that he was collecting all that evidence one by one.
Was the victim just waiting for the right moment to report him? LOL
└ If my boss was that much of a shtshow, I’d report him too, fck.
└ Is this guy a psychopath?
In the middle of this storm, as the initial whistleblower and the one who suffered the most damage, I…
“So you’re saying there are colleagues who remember the moment the act of violence occurred?”
“Yes, my members.”
“The evidence was handed over to a staff member, but it’s currently lost, so only photos remain?”
“That’s correct.”
…I was enjoying the luxury of proving the facts of my victimization with police officers in my private room.
Since the case had grown so large, they asked for my understanding to visit the hospital for a quick investigation. I didn’t want to drag things out either, so I agreed immediately.
“Were these assaults or threats ongoing?”
“Physical contact, like hitting my shoulder or head, happened almost every time. The threatening remarks got worse after the PD moved departments.”
“Was the abuse mainly through phone calls or messaging apps?”
“Yes. Or he would frequently call me into meeting rooms or the rooftop where there are no CCTVs.”
I could see the investigators’ expressions darken every time I opened my mouth.
“There are CCTVs leading to the meeting rooms and emergency exits, right? We’ll have to check those.”
“I’ve recorded the dates and times in my diary. I record all my travel times for work, so…”
“Oh, you did a great job.”
The sound of the person typing the transcript grew faster and faster.
As the session exposing Yu Han-su’s misdeeds drew to a close, a police officer asked a question.
“I’m asking this as a matter of procedure, but do you have any intention of considering a settlement if the perpetrator’s side requests one?”
If I were in a situation where I couldn’t endure a long legal battle because I needed money for medical bills, maybe.
But with UA footing the entire bill, I had no intention of making such a pushover move.
“I…”
Just as I was about to find a polite way to say, “I need to see Yu Han-su buried in this industry!” the hospital room door swung open noisily. Since I was lying down, I couldn’t see who had entered.
“Are you Kim I-wol’s guardian?” the officer asked, looking toward the door.
There’s no way those people would show up now, right?
The officer looked back and forth between my face and the door.
Then, the mysterious visitor spoke.
“I’m Han-su’s mother.”
“Pfft.”
I choked, even though I’d only swallowed air. I covered my mouth, trying to stifle a cough.
“Excuse me, you can’t just barge in here like this.”
One of the officers stood up and disappeared from my line of sight. It seemed he was trying to lead Yu Han-su’s mother out.
How could a scene be so much like a drama? No lie, if Kang Gi-yeon had popped out from under the bed and shouted, “This was all a prank camera!” I would have believed him.
The visitor was persistent. She didn’t back down even when told she couldn’t do this.
“You need to follow the proper procedures to talk. How can you be so reckless?”
“That’s why I’m here, to sincerely apologize…”
“That’s only possible if the other party wants it, ma’am. And this is a hospital. Can’t you see the victim is a patient? Please, step outside and talk.”
“Do you know how desperate I am? Don’t you have children of your own, Officer?”
With the return of the manager, who had stepped out for the investigation, she was finally escorted out of the room by two grown men.
However, not much changed. The commotion continued out in the hallway.
“Does this happen often?” I asked.
“It happens more than you’d think…”
“That must be tough…”
The remaining officer and I waited for the situation to calm down, our faces pale with exhaustion.
But contrary to our hopes, the atmosphere showed no signs of settling.
The elderly woman wailed about what a bright future her son had, how he was the pride of the family, and how a prison sentence for a momentary impulse would leave a huge stain on a man’s life.
Must be nice for Yu Han-su, f*ck. Even after stabbing someone, his family takes his side.
Meanwhile, someone else gets a head injury and can’t even get a guardian’s signature because they don’t want to be involved.
Just as my temper was starting to flare, I heard the manager’s voice.
“The kid can’t even sit up because of your son! How can you act like this? How can you be so selfish?!”
The manager was shouting.
I didn’t have to see it to know. The manager was extremely emotional.
He was so calm when I first woke up.
Maybe that calm response back then was for my sake, too. So that I, having just been in an accident, wouldn’t be startled.
“Um, can we proceed with the confirmation that I will not be settling?”
“Are you sure?”
Normally, I might have let that person into the room just because I didn’t want to cause a nuisance to others in the hospital.
I might have thought that Yu Han-su was the one who committed the crime, not his mother, so I should at least hear her out. I might have even considered a settlement out of pity for an elder who came to apologize on behalf of her child.
But I decided not to pity them anymore.
Because there were people who had been worrying for days because of me, people who were taking my side.
“Yes. I will not be showing any leniency whatsoever.”
Let him clean up his own mess. Just like that day in the meeting room when he stole my data.
And so, the long, ill-fated connection between Yu Han-su and me came to an end.
While UA and I were putting out fires offline, a lot was happening online.
I felt like grabbing the back of my neck when I saw UA’s ‘Apology_Final.jpg,’ but at least a revised version was posted, so that was a relief.
Spark, who had shown great performances despite facing such issues within their agency, received rave reviews and went viral.
≫ It’s a miracle the kids did this well when the company is such a mess.
└ The teams that had worse stages than Spark should honestly reflect on themselves.
└ But the thing is… there weren’t many teams with better stages than Spark… (I’ll leave it at that)
≫ To put it another way, it means they can do this much with just the members.
Aren’t they going to start their own company later? LOL
└ Day 1 of praying for Spark to establish their own agency.
≫ Spark is definitely the miracle of a small-time agency for this generation.
└ UA isn’t exactly a nugu agency though lol.
└ From now on, UA joins the ranks of shitty small-time agencies.
└ Look at how things are being run. How can you not call them a shitty agency?
Among everyone, I became the biggest beneficiary.
After the position battle aired, the public sympathy for me grew larger than ever before.
≫ What I was sure of after watching the last broadcast:
Our boy really does have low self-esteem.
He performed with three main vocals from Blue Flame, and it was so heartbreaking when he asked if they wished they were performing with someone else instead of him.
But I-wol took on all the difficult parts (Not trying to bash Blue Flame, I’ll ignore any nonsense), and there’s a reason I-wol was a UA trainee… Even if their form has dropped, they’re still a ballad powerhouse…
He’s just a bit clumsy at dancing, but his singing is at the level of other groups’ main vocals. And it’s only natural he’s not great at dancing considering his short training period.
On top of that, the fact that he was working, planning, and monitoring while being bullied this whole time is just too much…
From today on, if anyone calls I-wol a "stiff dancer," I’m going to kill them all. For real.
└ It’s just that Spark’s main vocal line is beyond idol-level; I-wol is a good singer too. There are plenty of times when I think, “Oh, this part is good,” and it turns out to be I-wol.
└ When the other kids said I-wol was always in the practice room, I just thought he was hardworking, but to find out it was all because of gaslighting… Fck… I’m so fcking mad I’m crying.
≫ All you assholes who talked sh*t about Kim Peps’ personality or called him a stiff dancer, go bash your heads against a wall.
Especially those certain fandoms^^ anti-fans^^^ and haters^^^^ who were laughing along back then.
Did it feel good to beat down my baby just to hype up your own oppas?
It’s amazing that a kid who was splitting 24 hours to live like he had 48 did this much, right?
Now that everything’s out in the open, it’s hilarious how you’re all shutting up because you have nothing to say^^
Yeah, keep staying quiet like that. If I see you dragging my boy’s name through the mud one more time, I’ll seriously kill you all.
└ Kill you all 2222222222
└ Kill you all 33333333333333333
└ Like singer, like fan; look at that tone. Your social skills are dead, aren’t they?
└ Look at the person above, coming to the wrong place and pretending to have great social skills lol. Get a life, you b*tch.
≫ I felt like I was going to die of frustration from all the hate posts and trolls.
What do you guys know? No one knew the kid was going through that behind the scenes. What do you think you know just by looking at the surface?
Kim I-wol, from now on, only look at pretty things with your pretty eyes.
└ I-wol, don’t look at stuff like that. It’s icky, icky.
≫ I-wol, if you keep acting like this, you’ll have no choice but to become the ultimate idol.
Does it feel like the whole world is at your feet because we’re pampering you and telling you you’re pretty?
That’s right, everything you say is the truth and everything is yours.
Live however you want for the rest of your life. Yes, yes, I love you to death.
└ Love you.
└ Love you, love you, love you.
└ I love you, I-wol!!!!!!!!!!
└ I love you, Spark! T_T
└ Love you. ♡
└ Spark, only walk on the flame road! ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
Before I knew it, I had become a resilient idol who worked steadfastly despite being gaslit and having my skills downplayed.
My fingers almost caught fire from posting on Bubble Pop: “Everyone, I’m really okay and the work was fun! The company said they’ll help a lot from now on! Don’t worry! And thank you so much for the compliments!”
There were also movements to dig up Yu Han-su, who was being ousted from the industry, and drag him through the mud.
Someone had thoroughly raided Yu Han-su’s SNS. Though it was a public account, so it was barely even "raiding."
≫ What is producing, after all?
To my precious junior’s question, I…
Thought for a long time before answering like this.
.
Isn’t it the creation of life?
The creation of life?
.
My junior probably doesn’t know yet.
The true meaning of my words.
How noble the value of this profession is.
How much effort a producer must put in
To give birth to a single life.
.
Every day,
I create a world that one who wishes to be born must destroy.
Thinking of Demian.
≫ Did you see the SNS post from that three-letter Y-name guy?
The cringe is legendary. He seriously seems like a low-tier social misfit;;;;
└ “Demian,” my ass lol. Did he even read it?
≫ Ugh, everything that pops up is soooooo disgusting.
It really never ends. More keeps coming out.
≫ Psh, crazy bastard.
He didn’t even know his place… That’s probably why he did those things.
As a result, Yu Han-su’s melancholy photos and cringeworthy, self-absorbed writings spread across the nation.
Consequently, Yu Han-su wouldn’t be able to show his face in the country anymore. He’s still on trial, but a prison sentence seems certain, so it would be in his best interest to buy masks in bulk once he gets out.
Wait, so now I don’t have… a boss?
Yu Han-su was gone, and they said they’d form a separate team for us.
Since they said the members only need to give their opinions when they want to from now on, it was as if I had no boss above me!
Finally, after more than ten years of professional life.
I had a workplace without a boss.
My heart raced. That night, I fell asleep with a very peaceful mind.