Chapter 160
Chapter 160
It was practically an unwritten rule for the previous season's winners to appear on an audition program.
TeSTAR, in particular, was the living proof of Idol Inc.'s success, so if I were the production crew, I would have begged them to appear no matter what.
And since our current agency was a T1 subsidiary, refusing was out of the question.
"Guys, think about it. Won't it be cool? The champions making an entrance!"
"Ooh~"
Keun Se-jin grinned at the manager's words. It looked like he was holding back from telling him to stop talking nonsense.
"Is it already decided that we're going?"
"Well, it seems that's how things turned out. They probably figured you guys would show your loyalty since you're under the same company."
Loyalty, my foot.
‘Half the guys here were once torn to shreds by their evil editing.’
Perhaps everyone was thinking something similar, as I noticed a few people looking incredulous or wearing bitter smiles.
However, Cha Yu-jin, who had been wearing a look of deep thought, raised his hand.
"Hyung-nim! Is it girls this time??"
"Huh? Oh, the contestants?"
"Yes!"
"That's right. It's girls!"
"Oh."
Cha Yu-jin spoke with a serious face.
"I have fans who think of me as their boyfriend. They won't like it!"
"Pfft!"
Seon A-hyun choked on his own breath.
"Hey, you just have to be careful about that~ It's not like you're going to date them!"
"If you meet a good person, dating is natural! You don't know my heart!"
"You just need to go there, say some cool things on set, and come back! You won't even have the chance for anything more, Yu-jin!"
He was right.
‘They wouldn't be stupid enough to try and link us on screen.’
T1 wouldn't want to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. They wouldn't do anything to pointlessly damage TeSTAR's brand image.
However, there was a possibility that the contestants might be misunderstood through editing.
‘A contestant so distracted by the appearance of popular idols that they neglect their practice...’
It was a very familiar setup. It almost felt nostalgic.
Just being associated with that kind of thing was exhausting. And that wasn't the only risk factor.
‘I bet these bastards are up to something.’
Since Season 3, which we were on, was such a massive success, various powers must have been scrambling to get a piece of the pie and exert influence over Season 4.
The fact that it was delayed by a year, when it wouldn't have been strange for it to start last year, was also suspicious.
‘There's a 100% chance a controversy will break out.’
I didn't want to be associated with that mess even in the slightest.
‘I’ll keep as low a profile as possible.’
I should probably brief the members later that focusing on self-preservation is better than trying to look cool.
As I was inwardly sighing, Kim Rae-bin, who was sitting next to me, tentatively raised his hand.
"Um, then, how about giving them a song I wrote that fits a female key as a mission song..."
"No."
"Not that, Rae-bin."
"...? Understood."
Faced with a barrage of discouragement before the manager could even answer, Kim Rae-bin quietly lowered his hand.
It was a relief he wasn't the stubborn type.
‘Save your passion for producing for somewhere else.’
Our policy was to stay as uninvolved as possible.
"When is the shoot?"
"Uh, I think it's next week? They said it won't take long, so they squeezed it into a short gap."
"Ooh~"
I leaned back against the seat while listening to the conversation between the manager and Keun Se-jin.
"Ah, it's Thursday. The day Moon-dae has his variety show schedule!"
Ah, I knew exactly when that was.
*
"The best singer character on The Singer I Made is..."
"Park Moon-dae's 'May Groom'!"
Pop, pop, pop!
Cheers erupted along with the sound of confetti exploding.
I could already see the subtitles like 'A 3-game winning streak!' appearing over the panels clapping.
"Congratulations!"
This was the first 'May Groom' stage in a while, following a four-week hiatus due to some special program programming.
And it was also the final victory.
To keep things fresh, the program limited a single character to a maximum of three wins.
‘It’s over.’
The timing was perfect.
For my second performance, I sang a rhythmic tango, and for this final one, I sang a poignant nocturne that reminisced about the past.
‘Of course, I arranged the climax to be quite long.’
Thanks to that, I could leave comfortably after a clean sweep of three wins.
I exchanged the final prepared remarks with the panels.
Alright, let's say a few words of thanks to the viewers and the members...
"Moon-dae, don't you want to come back as a new character??"
"Exactly! It's so sad to see you go~"
They said that, but I knew they'd be the first to say I was milking it if I actually did.
"If the opportunity arises, I would love to see you all again. I had a lot of fun and was very happy while living as the May Groom."
This was the truth.
‘It helped me recover quickly.’
Having a schedule I had to prepare for alone was helpful when I felt awkward about seeing Ryu Cheong-woo.
Being busier also meant I didn't have time for other thoughts, which was convenient.
‘...The counseling sessions in between were also helpful.’
It was embarrassing to admit, but opening up to a professional, even superficially, definitely had an effect.
Thanks to that, I didn't have many lingering thoughts now. I had even reduced the number of counseling sessions.
‘I feel like I can soon settle the status window without much trouble.’
While I was inwardly organizing my current state, the MC continued hosting enthusiastically.
I should focus on the filming too.
"The 'May Groom,' who has entered the Hall of Fame with three consecutive wins, will have character merchandise produced with the support of the Arts Council Korea."
For the record, this was a sort of public interest project, so the profits didn't go to the broadcasting station but were entirely donated.
"Please show a lot of interest in these products, which will help children from low-income families. Viewers!"
However, the donation was made under the name of the program, not mine.
‘Those highway robbers.’
They're even taking the tax benefits.
Of course, thanks to that, I got to take the recognition benefits cleanly. Even if a problem arose with the merchandising, it would be entirely the station's fault.
"Thank you for everything."
"We loved having you~"
"See you again!"
A staff member appeared from somewhere and tucked a doll into my arms. It was a 'May Groom' doll with a flower on its face.
‘Good grief.’
They're really milking the promotion to the end.
I gave a small smirk and gave the doll a little wave, then bowed to the judges and the audience before stepping off the stage.
I could hear the MC shouting the ending comments from above.
"Good job everyone~"
"You worked hard, Moon-dae!"
"Thank you, thank you."
The sense of accomplishment was quite nice. I toyed with the stuffed doll in my hand.
‘...Should I put it in my bedroom?’
Since we were about to change roommates anyway, I figured I'd place it somewhere as a memento when I rearranged my room later.
‘Alright, that’s that.’
The variety show I started alone was now over.
Now it was time to go finish the filming for TeSTAR's visit to their hometown variety show.
"Welcome back, Moon-dae~"
"How was it?"
The questions started as soon as I got into the car.
I waved the doll.
"I won."
"Ooh~!"
Applause filled the van. Their reactions were great, considering it wasn't even their own achievement. At this rate, they could probably serve as reaction bots at the Idol Inc. filming site.
"I-Is this the prize?"
"Yeah."
"Wow..."
"It's better than I thought? I think it would be okay to suggest making something like this to include in our albums~"
After being subjected to business analysis, the flower-headed doll was settled in front of the window behind the seats.
The car continued to move and eventually stopped in front of a familiar, massive building on the outskirts.
"Wow... nothing has changed."
"It's been a really long time."
I'd bet the flower-head that the words "I never wanted to see this place again" were omitted from that sentence.
Even Ryu Cheong-woo muttered with a slightly reluctant expression.
"Well... yeah. Let's do a good job."
"Yes."
Recalling the script they had already memorized, TeSTAR entered the set where Re-listing! Idol Inc. 2 was being filmed.
And there, they confirmed the situation they had been notified of.
"Whoa! Guys!"
"Oh~ Hello!"
Inside the filming set was Gold 1's group... Golden Age.
Of course, it wasn't just that group. Right over there, Gold 2 was stealing glances at us.
"Oh~ Hee-seung, it's been a while! I heard you're modeling, how have you been?"
"Hehe, of course! How have you been, Sejin-hyung?"
The production crew had gathered all the contestants from Season 3 who were active to some extent.
‘Isn’t this a bit much?’
It seemed they intended to launch the show after hyping up the Idol Inc. nostalgia as much as possible, but since the genders were different, the viewer base would be quite divided. I wondered if it might backfire.
‘Well, it’s none of my business.’
For us, it was actually better if Season 4 failed.
If it did as well as Season 3, even if the genders were different, some of the survival group fans would inevitably jump ship.
If it failed because it was boring rather than because of a fairness controversy, that would be the best outcome.
‘Well, who knows how it’ll go.’
Let's just finish the filming safely.
"Ah, TeSTAR is here~ Welcome! Thanks for coming."
TeSTAR shook hands with the PD, who had become much kinder, and greeted the writers. Among them was that writer, Ryu Seo-rin.
"Hello."
The writer who had given me her business card at the karaoke bar, the one who had been involved in the relative controversy with Ryu Cheong-woo.
And most likely, she was also my relative...
‘Forget it.’
Anyway, Writer Ryu Seo-rin moved past the situation without acknowledging anyone in particular. It was a wise decision.
Before starting the shoot, the PD gave a brief briefing.
"Everyone, you've all familiarized yourselves with the direction, right?"
"Yes!"
"Please make it look cool~ Cool!"
The entrance direction we were briefed on was as follows:
They would show a 'Season 3 Achievement Video' to the current contestants, and then the actual people would suddenly appear before them to offer words of encouragement, take questions, and then exit.
‘How cringeworthy.’
Doing it was fine. It was just embarrassing because the intended effect was so obvious.
"D-Do you want a chocolate?"
"...Yeah. Give me one."
"Me too!"
I needed to recharge my sugar levels.
Not long after I munched on the chocolate Seon A-hyun handed me, it was time to film.
"Going in in five seconds~"
The Season 3 contestants, who were waiting in a device in front of the ranking announcement set, rose on a lift together and revealed themselves to the Season 4 contestants.
Screams could already be heard.
"Waaaaah!!"
"Is this for real? Is this really happening??"
I couldn't believe this direction either, but it was real.
‘I hope they don't edit me too excessively just because I was first place.’
I was already worried about monitoring the broadcast.
*
"Phew."
"Ah, that was more nerve-wracking than I expected."
Perhaps they intended to use it for behind-the-scenes footage, as the cameras followed us even after the filming ended.
I gave a casual smile, waved my hand, and threw out another encouraging comment.
"Good luck!"
"I hope Season 4 is a huge success."
Since me wishing for it to be a success didn't mean it actually would be, I could say it as much as they wanted.
However... because the filming was a bit embarrassing, my hands were sweaty. Maybe I should go wash up.
"Ah, I'm going to the restroom for a bit."
Instead of the manager, who had stepped away somewhere, Keun Se-jin looked up from his smartphone.
"You're not going to ask for the contestants' numbers, are you, Moon-dae? I trust you~"
"Yeah, right."
Maybe it was because I had just seen another Season 3 contestant snickering about getting a number nearby, but I didn't even feel like retorting with a "Are you crazy?"
‘He must be confident he won't get caught.’
I shrugged and walked down the hallway.
As I walked further away from the noisy set, I suddenly heard the sound of someone following me.
‘Could it be?’
When I turned my head, there was someone unexpected.
It was Choi Won-gil.
Was there any reason for this guy to chase after me?
"Um, Hyung."
"...?"
Choi Won-gil spoke with a conflicted face.
"What is it?"
"...I don't know how to say this, but please be careful."
"Careful of what?"
"Our agency."
"......!"
He was bringing this up himself?
First, to prevent a disaster like last time, I made sure no one was around.
"There's no one here. I checked too."
Look at him.
‘I guess he’s learned a thing or two.’
I gave a small smirk and turned fully toward Choi Won-gil.
"Alright. What about your agency?"
"...Do you know our main vocal? Not me, the other hyung."
"Ah, that guy."
He seemed to be talking about the guy from Golden Age who had been the 'Ribbon-wearing Chicken' when I was 'May Groom' on The Singer I Made.
"Yeah, I know him. Why?"
Choi Won-gil hesitated before continuing.
"I think they're going to... compare him with you."
"With me? In what way?"
Why would he do something so reckless when he had already been K.O.'d on The Singer I Made? And against the winner of a survival show, no less.
Choi Won-gil lowered his head.
"B-By academic background..."
"......!"
"That hyung is a student at Korea University."
Good grief.
‘So that’s what it was.’
Right. This 'Park Moon-dae' hadn't even finished high school.
After living as a college graduate and then immediately as an idol, I had almost forgotten about 'Park Moon-dae's' academic pedigree.
It only came up as a snide remark occasionally, and even that had been rare lately.
‘That just means it’s a weak topic.’
After all, I wasn't the only idol who had quit school midway.
It was just highlighted too much during Idol Inc. when my family history was revealed.
It also served to flesh out the background of 'Park Moon-dae's' character, so it wasn't necessarily a disadvantage.
This meant that if they handled it wrong, it could backfire on Golden Age, making it look like they were persecuting an innocent person.
It's a bit much to say it myself, but it's not like I'm unpopular.
‘I would have thought they’d already guessed their skill level.’
I intentionally tested Choi Won-gil.
"Isn't that a bit much to try? I'd like to know if you're sure."
"...I don't know. They didn't tell me directly, I just happened to hear it at the company... They were saying they should push that hyung with a 'refined young master' image, and they mentioned using Park Moon-dae-hyung as material..."
"......."
So, instead of pitting us one-on-one, they were planning to push him as a 'silver spoon' with an exceptionally good academic background and family.
And they probably intended to use me as one of the many counterexamples.
‘They really try everything.’
I didn't know if they would actually go through with it, but it was certainly a move an agency good at media play might try.
"I-I'm sorry I don't know more. It's just... since I've caused so much trouble... I wanted to apologize, so I told you. I'm sorry."
"...Sure."
I suppressed a sigh.
"Anyway... thanks."
"......!"
Choi Won-gil seemed startled, but his face relaxed as he nodded.
"Thank you. I, uh, I'll be going now..."
"Yeah. Get back safely."
I watched Choi Won-gil run off for a moment and inwardly clicked my tongue.
‘It’s tricky.’
This wasn't something I could do much about just by knowing. I had no intention of doing something useless like taking the CSAT again to go to college.
‘I guess I’ll just take value in knowing beforehand.’
And even in the worst-case scenario, it shouldn't be a big problem. It would just be annoying.
I shrugged and continued walking down the hallway.
‘I won’t have time to stop by the restroom.’
Because I had walked quite a bit, the exit on the opposite side was closer. So, I planned to loop around and leave the set through that way.
And at the opposite exit, I had an unexpected encounter.
"...I really hope you'll consider it! That senior is a really great person."
"......."
A staff member and Bae Se-jin were finishing a conversation.
‘A PD?’
To be precise, a stiff-faced Bae Se-jin had just received something from one of the Idol Inc. PDs.
The PD soon left, and I approached Bae Se-jin.
"Hyung."
"...O-Oh."
Bae Se-jin looked a bit dazed.
"Is something wrong?"
"Well..."
Bae Se-jin looked conflicted for a moment, but soon swallowed hard and spoke.
"They asked me... if I'd be interested in doing a drama."
"......!"