Chapter 151
Chapter 151
I flicked my thumb, scrolling down.
There it is.
The trolls I’d expected ever since the first week’s footage aired had finally started running wild across the internet.
These things usually start with a light jab to test the waters.
Disguised as a compliment, of course.
Found it.
I clicked on the post.
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[What do you guys think about Park Moon-dae going solo?]
: He won 1st place on Aju-sa, so his fandom is huge. He’s the main vocal and his concept execution is top-tier, so he’d be perfect for a solo career. Male soloists are a rare breed these days, but I feel like Park Moon-dae would kill it lol.
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Normally, this kind of bait is quickly shut down by fans, but the situation was playing out a bit differently this time.
Since his likability had just peaked thanks to the variety show, general viewers who didn't know much about idol fandom dynamics were responding with genuine positivity.
It looked good on the surface, but it was too good—and that was the problem.
It makes for perfect kindling.
Especially for when posts like this follow up.
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[The TeSTAR member who’s making it painfully obvious he wants to go solo]
: It’s Park Moon-dae.
For a whole month right before his solo variety show appearance, he skipped schedules using "health" as an excuse + he’s been completely unresponsive during group schedules.
(Screenshot of W Live absence notice)
(GIF from Summer Package video)
Meanwhile, he’s working his ass off on the stuff he does alone lol.
(Interview video)
It wasn't just once or twice; it’s been like this for a month, so plenty of fans were already getting bad vibes. It all blew up now that he’s on The Singer I Made.
It’s basically an established fact now because you can see him putting his heart and soul only into his recent solo work.
And the fans can’t even hide it anymore.
(Capture)
Stop pretending to be fans of other groups or acting like you don't care while chanting for a solo. It’s so obvious, please just stop. (Praying hands emoji)
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Posts like these are usually accompanied by carefully edited screenshots of the "Park Moon-dae Solo" baiting threads.
And the main course: the attitude controversy.
...I knew those would come back to haunt me.
I was aware that content filmed while I was in bad shape could eventually become prey. This post was a textbook example of how to exploit that.
However, the target here wasn't actually public opinion.
To put it bluntly, it doesn't really matter to the public whether I go solo or not.
If I had actually gone solo and flopped, they might mock me, but right now, while I’m at the height of my popularity, most people would defend me.
It goes like this:
Even if a fight breaks out and the comment section gets long enough to hit the "trending" list, public sentiment won't flip.
So, the real target here is... internal discord within the TeSTAR fandom.
The goal is to stifle the atmosphere of the fandom that supports the group as a whole, making it easier for malicious individual fans to keep each other in check and sabotage one another.
That’s why they brought up another point of contention.
The fact that the second episode of Park Moon-dae’s The Singer I Made aired on the exact same day as TeSTAR’s 1st anniversary.
If they had known The Singer I Made would get such a massive reaction, they might have.
...I was only aiming for something the fans would find fun.
Who could have known it would become a bigger topic than the group’s 1st anniversary? I thought it would be a double celebration.
Anyway, as a little more time passes, the controversy shifts toward a more general narrative.
They start encouraging skepticism toward group activities themselves.
If the 1st anniversary were truly that important to them, they wouldn't be posting about the members going their separate ways the very next day.
In other words, the people posting this weren't group fans to begin with.
Of course, TeSTAR had shed much of its image as a survival show group where people only voted for individuals.
Through the album's lore and various content, their identity as a group had become quite solid.
But individual fans were still numerous, and if you shook them like this, some were bound to waver.
...That much was common knowledge to anyone paying attention.
So, naturally, preparing a countermeasure is the basic duty of a working professional.
I switched my smartphone screen to the dialer.
"Yes, hello. ...Yes. Thank you. Actually, I’m calling because I have an inquiry."
After a brief conversation with the company, I spoke to the person sitting right next to me.
"Rae-bin."
"Yes?"
Kim Rae-bin, who had been lost in thought listening to his own music, turned around with a start.
"The interview is going out this evening."
It was right on schedule.
"Ah!"
In an instant, Kim Rae-bin’s face brightened. Hmm, he still looks a bit intimidating, though.
"Since it was a very meaningful interview, I am already looking forward to it!"
"I bet."
I leaned back against the headrest.
This kind of thing didn't even qualify as a concern.
That evening, while Park Moon-dae’s public recognition was still soaring thanks to "May Groom" and trolls were running rampant within the fandom...
An interview appeared on WeTube.
It was an interview segment run by an MBS subsidiary channel, the same network that produced The Singer I Made.
[I brought the marriage certificate...☆ We invited the producers of the May Groom! 《Titi's Sweet-erview》 EP.47 by MBS2]
The thumbnail featured Park Moon-dae and... Kim Rae-bin.
Kim Rae-bin?
Is this a package deal...?
People who clicked on the video, slightly confused by the sudden appearance of another member, soon learned the full story.
First, there was the heartwarming and predictable story about how Kim Rae-bin gave Park Moon-dae advice on his arrangements for every round.
The real meat came after that.
[Titi: Wow! Then was that final round song composed by Rae-bin??]
[Rae-bin: Yes. Of course, it is not that I handled the entire production process alone, but it is true that I endeavored to oversee the work proactively. Therefore, since I hold the largest share of the copyright, I was able to give it to Moon-dae hyung as a birthday present...]
[It never ends...!]
The video was fast-forwarded as if the editors couldn't take any more. It was a trait even the fans acknowledged.
Then, large captions appeared.
[Rae-bin... has more of a TMI constitution than expected]
[Summary: Rae-bin led the composition, and it was a birthday present for Moon-dae]
Regardless, the message was clear.
The song "May Groom" sang in the finals was composed by a fellow TeSTAR member.
In other words, it was an unreleased self-produced track.
Then why was this song unreleased?
[Moon-dae: Actually, we have a comeback soon... and it’s a track from that album.]
[Titi: Huuuh!!]
That was it.
The song in question, "Flower Dark Moon," was one of the tracks on TeSTAR’s next album.
[Moon-dae: This album includes solo songs for each member. They’re all really wonderful tracks, so I sang it... as a way to introduce them early.]
[Titi: Wow! Then when the album comes out, we’ll be able to hear a slightly different recorded version of the song currently on music sites?]
[Moon-dae: That’s correct.]
[Titi’s PPL experience is showing]
In short, he sang the song to help promote the group’s album.
[Moon-dae: Honestly, the other members' songs are all really good too. I just happened to get the chance to sing mine first... right?]
[Rae-bin: Objectively speaking, since Moon-dae hyung possesses the superior vocal ability, if we were to compare the tracks based solely on the audio, the superiority would—]
[Moon-dae: (Hurriedly) Yes. Please look forward to the other songs on the upcoming album as well.]
[LOLOLOLOLOL]
The captions burst into laughter at Park Moon-dae’s desperate struggle.
[Titi: Ah~ you two are really funny! I had a great laugh!]
[Rae-bin: Thank you! (Bright)]
[Moon-dae: Thank you. (Tibetan Fox)]
The interview proceeded in a light and humorous manner without being rude, drawing out casual conversation.
[Titi: Oh, I heard you were quite ill before appearing on The Singer I Made...?]
[Moon-dae: Yes... I failed to manage my condition for about a month after going abroad, and I felt very sorry because the members took such good care of me. That’s why appearing on The Singer I Made was so meaningful. I was happy to finally contribute something to the group after a long time...]
[Rae-bin: Hyung...]
[Titi: What’s with this touching atmosphere! You’re feeling better now, right, Moon-dae?]
[Moon-dae: I couldn't be healthier.]
[Sturdy Moon-deng-deng]
Actually, this part wasn't even something Park Moon-dae had specifically aimed for.
It was just a question included to reassure those who might have been worried over the past month, but it turned into an additional jackpot.
Regardless, the guests and the interviewer, who brushed off the topic naturally, continued their Q&A before ending the short 12-minute interview.
[Moon-dae: All of TeSTAR will come on together next time.]
[Rae-bin: I am already looking forward to it. I believe it will be very harmonious.]
[Titi: Yay~~! Then, while I wait for an interview with Keun Se-jin, who is said to be my soul twin~ I’ll end the interview here! Don't forget your marriage certificate, Groom!]
[Moon-dae: I’d love to.]
The interview ended with Park Moon-dae smiling as he picked up the marriage certificate.
At the same time, articles began popping up everywhere.
Half were prepared in advance, and half were reactions to the interview.
[TeSTAR Comeback Countdown... Park Moon-dae’s "May Groom" Song Was an Album Teaser]
[TeSTAR’s Summer Comeback. Is the Concept Horror?]
[Comeback of the Trending Group TeSTAR, "The Schedule Is Already Set"]
Naturally, the fans' attention shifted instantly to the comeback news.
As the finishing touch, TeSTAR uploaded photos of their 1st-anniversary party to their account.
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Our Loviewers♡ Thank you for staying with TeSTAR for a whole 365 days!
Please keep being Loviewers in the future too♡ We want to keep being TeSTAR too♡ Us forever☆
(The cake in the photo was sponsored by the leader-hyung and the maknaes. It was delicious.)
(Photo)
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It was a blatant display of: "We’re so close that we even prepared a separate 1st-anniversary cake for ourselves even when we didn't have a schedule."
Since the teaser for the interview had been posted on SNS quite early, the argument that "they did this as an excuse to shut down the controversy" didn't hold much weight.
And so, the controversy—which had been a tempest in a teapot to begin with—was quickly buried by people excited about the comeback news.
Just as Park Moon-dae had calculated, the buzz generated by "May Groom" was smoothly channeled into TeSTAR’s comeback without being wasted.
And Park Moon-dae, the man at the center of it all, was currently in the middle of a new schedule.
"It’s been a while, junior."
"......!"