Chapter 50: Unverified Talent
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 50: Unverified Talent
Trainees who need to debut as young as possible and an idol market that shifts so rapidly it renders painstakingly gathered data obsolete.
These two factors meant that time was money.
However, UA could not afford to rush. The reason was simple.
They had no one to do the work.
UA, which had tried to launch a new business using only its existing staff without a single person dedicated to an idol team, had only recently realized how arrogant they had been.
‘We need a manager dedicated solely to Spark-related matters!’
It was a realization that came far too late. Such was the fate of a company lacking manpower, experience, professional intuition… and everything else.
At the very least, UA had a conscience.
Seeing their youngest trainee, Kim I-wol—who practiced by day and, for some reason, worked by night, looking just as haggard as the regular employees—the company finally made a decision. They moved as quickly as possible to recruit a new expert.
They brought in a veteran Team Leader-level hire with years of experience in the entertainment industry and a track record of launching idol groups.
UA believed this was the best possible support they could provide for their trainees.
Little did they know that their own trainee, Kim I-wol, would be hit with an overwhelming urge to resign exactly three days later because of this new face.
‘New personnel being brought in… I see.’
The news I received through the manager wasn't all that surprising.
I had expected that UA would eventually feel the need for more hands.
Even if it fell under the umbrella of entertainment, the idol business was a field UA was venturing into for the first time. There was no way they could run it effectively with only their existing staff.
The important thing was what kind of person this newcomer would be.
While doing my "proxy stanning," I hadn't learned much about UA’s internal affairs.
Fans' discussions about an agency usually lean toward management policies or activity plans.
≫ You bastards, how does it make sense for the photocards to be this grainy? XX XX
└ First time experiencing this in all my years of stanning… A new low in the history of album sales.
≫ Their last first-week sales were 500,000 copies, so why the hell did they only prep 300,000 for the initial batch this time? The kids work their asses off to get results, but the company is dragging them down by both ankles.
≫ In the beginning, I thought it was just because UA was new to idols.
Now it feels like they’ve just given up because they know fans will spend money even if they do a shit job.
First time I’ve ever left a fandom because of the agency.
└ Can’t you leave quietly? Why are there so many people announcing their departure to the whole world? No one cares, seriously.
Most of it was this kind of anger-filled criticism.
So, unfortunately, I had no information on the person who was coming.
What was the point of knowing the future seven years from now? I didn't even know what would happen seven days from now. It was ironic.
“They’ll likely be in charge of your producing. You’ll have a lot to learn from them, I-wol.”
“Does that mean an idol team is finally being formed?” Jeong Seong-bin asked.
He seemed quite anxious about the fact that the company didn't have a dedicated idol department.
Having spent a long time as a trainee, he must have seen and heard things that made him feel that way.
The manager answered Seong-bin’s question.
“It’ll happen soon. They graduated from a prestigious university and have worked at several idol agencies. You’ll be able to rely on them a lot.”
I’m sorry, but I don’t trust a person’s academic background or career history. Department Head Nam also graduated from a top-tier school.
I listened to the manager’s explanation and casually asked, “Could I perhaps know their name in advance?”
“Oh, look at me. I didn't even tell you the PD’s name, did I? It’s PD Yu Han-su.”
The manager said.
It was a name that wasn't unfamiliar.
A person my body remembered instinctively. In UA, where the entire company usually took the heat rather than a single individual, he was the only one who had been singled out and pelted with stones from all directions.
≫ Please, I’m begging you.
Get rid of that XXX Yu Han-su.
Then I’ll forget all the shitty albums you’ve released so far.
The lifelong wish of the early Sparklers: ‘Get UA’s PD fired.’
The subject of that long-standing project was none other than Yu Han-su.
Two days and nights wouldn't be enough to list all of Yu Han-su’s "achievements."
Masterpieces like ‘Cyborg Warrior’—which still haunts my dreams—were all born from Yu Han-su’s hands.
And that wasn't all.
Yu Han-su even committed the atrocious act of forcing Park Ju-woo into a vow of silence during a 21st-century fan meeting, claiming it was to "strengthen each member's identity."
The community reaction back then was…
It’s hard to even recall. It was terrifying even for a twenty-nine-year-old adult to witness.
He was so reviled that even UA, a company that seemed like it would live forever based on the sheer volume of curses its employees received, couldn't withstand the fandom’s onslaught and had to post an apology.
A bullshit-filled apology claiming they wanted to give fans a "new experience" and that it was part of "strengthening the concept" but had failed to communicate it properly.
Despite this, UA seemed to be the type of company that cherished its employees once hired, as they didn't easily let Yu Han-su go.
And so, Yu Han-su proceeded to completely ruin the albums during Spark’s three-year golden age.
Thinking back, it was quite strange. The results Yu Han-su had produced before joining UA weren't actually that bad.
In fact, there were many idols who had achieved mid-tier success or gained new attention specifically because of points Yu Han-su was known to have produced.
‘So why did his "demonic talent" only fully bloom after he joined UA? That’s the question.’
If his producing only went off the rails for Spark, there were roughly two possible reasons.
Either Yu Han-su had suddenly gone senile, or the company had forced some bizarre collaboration on him.
Either way, it was a headache. I already felt like I was wearing a "pickled radish on a keyboard" outfit.
Still, I wondered if things had really gone that far solely because of Yu Han-su’s personal issues.
In the first place, when things go wrong, it’s rarely just one person’s fault. Isn't that how corporate life works?
Yu Han-su might have tried his best, but perhaps UA was simply too small a vessel to contain him.
So, instead of immediately going on the defensive, I logged into Occupation Planet and Workdotcom from the dorm as soon as night fell.
I searched for the companies Yu Han-su had stayed at or collaborated with, filtered by job category, and cross-referenced the dates. I was then able to find reviews mentioning a person who seemed to be him.
The reviews were generally hopeless.
≫ Everyone is great, but there’s exactly one person who ruins the whole well.
If you don’t get rid of that person, there’s no hope. Keep working like that forever. I’m out.
≫ An extreme job where you have to applaud your boss for creating trash because they didn't put in any effort.
You’ll feel like Hong Gil-dong, unable to call trash "trash."
And in the end, that person takes all the rewards… Come here if you want your career stolen.
≫ The company is trash, and the boss is even worse trash.
Pros: There’s only one problematic person.
Cons: That person won’t leave.
After scouring every corporate review page in a legal yet stealthy manner, I thought to myself:
‘I think I’m screwed.’
First of all, his personality seemed rotten. And given the repeated mentions of "career theft," it didn't seem like his actual abilities were that outstanding either.
Yet he received good evaluations from the company and hogged all the rewards?
This was 100% the mark of political maneuvering. And a very nasty kind at that.
Maybe UA wanted to teach the "insolent me" a harsh lesson.
Unless they wanted me to taste the bitterness of society and realize how difficult debuting truly is, UA couldn't possibly do this to me.
“Sigh…”
A sigh escaped me. I really didn't want to work.
Unfortunately, Yu Han-su entered UA just a few days later.
At the same time, a modest face-to-face meeting was held between him and us.
They could have just done introductions in a meeting room. But UA, a company that prided itself on its harmonious atmosphere, insisted on booking a restaurant for lunch to "have a meal together."
Thanks to that, we had our first meeting at a stone pot rice restaurant.
Once the introductions were over, Yu Han-su spoke.
“Was it Choi Je-ho? I had high expectations after seeing Jang Jun-hu’s music video, and you look good in person too. Representative, you must have worked hard to gather these trainees.”
Evaluating faces right off the bat? This wasn't going to be easy.
I couldn't exactly scowl, so I was busy doing my best "eye-smile" just like I did back at Hanpyeong Industry, when Yu Han-su looked my way.
“You’re Kim I-wol, right?”
“Yes.”
I once again donned the social smile I had honed at Hanpyeong Industry.
And he was wearing the exact same kind of smile. Fuck, I’m really screwed.
“I’ve heard a lot about you from the Representative and the planning team. You’re very interested in planning?”
“I’m lacking, but yes.”
Could we not talk about this now? I just want to eat my food at the restaurant.
But Yu Han-su, like a fool who knew nothing but work, didn't stop the conversation.
“The ideas weren't bad. Though there’s a lot that needs refining. It’s good to have passion.”
His tone suggested he didn't think much of them at all, but I expressed my gratitude as gracefully as possible.
Yu Han-su’s "evaluation of the feisty trainee" continued.
“Still, it would be best for you to focus on practice for the time being. I heard it hasn't been long since you decided to become an idol?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“It’s good to be motivated, but there are many kids who try to do everything and end up ruining both. I’ve seen a lot of kids like that.”
While Yu Han-su prattled on, the only thing I could do was pray fervently for the stone pot rice to come out quickly.
What could I possibly say when the other person was basically telling me to shut up for a while?
I glanced sideways and saw that the other guys' expressions weren't great.
It was good that their intuition had sharpened, but it was a pity that they still hadn't learned how to control their facial expressions despite how much I’d explained its importance.
Perhaps trying to be considerate since we were just kids, the Representative spoke up.
“I’m sure there are areas that still look lacking to you, PD Han-su. But I-wol has good sense, so please lead him well and help him grow.”
It sounded like he was acknowledging Yu Han-su, but there was a hidden meaning.
He was telling him not to completely cut me out of the planning. It was a better fate than being a kite with a severed string.
Yu Han-su wasn't slow on the uptake either; he nodded repeatedly, saying, “Of course.”
After thinking about a hundred times that I just wanted to eat and leave, the food finally arrived.
I thanked the Representative loudly when he told us to eat plenty, and after confirming that the Representative and Yu Han-su had taken their first bites, I opened the lid of my stone pot. That’s when Yu Han-su spoke.
“Representative, speaking of planning…”
“Yeah, what is it?”
Whether they talked or not, I didn't care.
I kept my eyes fixed on my rice like a child trying his best not to intrude on adult conversation.
Just as I was counting how many chestnuts were in my portion of rice, Yu Han-su made a statement that made me doubt my ears.
“About these kids’ debut album. I think we need to scrap the plan and start over, at least for the music video.”
Steam rose from the pot.
My vision blurred. Just like my future.