Chapter 165
Chapter 165
“Ooh, Idol Inc.”
“So it starts this week.”
When the advertisement for the new season of Idol Inc. appeared, a few of the guys watching the drama gave half-hearted exclamations of interest.
They probably weren't actually looking forward to it. They were just acknowledging it since they’d filmed for it.
However, by the time the thirty-second ad finished, their composure had shifted into a mix of absurdity and embarrassment.
[The National K-Pop Idols created by <Idol Inc.>]
[A global phenomenon reaching beyond Korea to the world]
[TeSTAR]
[Meet the next ‘Idol Stocks’ to follow in their footsteps!]
“Oh, wow.”
This was because more than half of the promotion focused on ‘how great TeSTAR was and how they would appear in Season 4.’
…They took the easy way out.
Season 3 had been a massive hit during its run, and the resulting group had performed even better than expected, so there was no better bait for initial hype.
Putting the ad at the end of this drama was intentional, too.
They had placed the Season 4 ad in the prime slot right after an episode featuring a surprise cameo by Bae Se-jin, a Season 3 alumnus.
It meant they had planned this from the start. There was a reason the agency hadn't filtered the offer and had passed it on to Bae Se-jin.
So, the core audience they’re targeting to pull in early on… is TeSTAR’s fandom.
“……Hmm.”
Even if the fanbases didn't overlap perfectly, the possibility of fandom leakage wasn't exactly pleasant.
Though T1 probably didn't care if fans jumped ship, since the kids debuting in Season 4 would be under their wing anyway.
They’ll draw in the real target demand once they’ve drummed up enough early buzz.
However, if Season 4 didn't do as well as expected… they might try to use the ‘TeSTAR card’ again.
That’s not good.
In my eyes, Season 4 was a ticking time bomb.
We already dealt with that mess during the Rookie of the Year awards because of the controversy surrounding Ryu Cheong-woo and the writer’s relative; the moment a fairness controversy erupted in Season 4, we’d be dragged right into it.
TeSTAR was already prone to fatigue from various minor and major noises since debut, which we were currently suppressing with album quality and our public image. We didn't need any more trouble.
We need to end it with the footage we already filmed.
…And, if possible, I hoped that footage would be minimal.
I knew, of course, that it was a hopeless wish.
Those bastards even took individual shots….
They would likely milk us for all we were worth until their own buzz reached a stable orbit.
Sure enough, Keun Se-jin, who was scrolling through his phone, let out a smirk.
“Oh~ we’re in the other trailers, too.”
Even without looking, I could clearly hear the audio of TeSTAR greeting everyone and this season’s participants screaming, edited together with a sense of urgency.
[I’m Seon A-hyun….]
[GYAAAAAAAH!!]
“I-it’s a little embarrassing….”
“A-hyun hyung, you look very handsome in it. I don't think you need to worry!”
“Y-ye-yeah…….”
It seemed Kim Rae-bin’s words were the most embarrassing for him. Noted.
I finished my day after checking the reactions to Bae Se-jin’s drama appearance and briefly looking over the response to the new season of Idol Inc.
So far, there was only hype without any real conflict, but I couldn't shake the feeling that this was the calm before the storm.
And a few days later, the new season of Idol Inc. began its broadcast.
“Hello, Loviewers~”
“Hello!”
With a bright greeting, Keun Se-jin pressed a button on his smartphone.
[W Live has ended.]
Since we had some time and it was about time for one, we had done a W Live.
The theme was… to be honest, we’d run out of ideas, so we just did some simple cooking.
But since it was meat, I trusted it would be fine. The guys eating it seemed to like it, at least.
“Can I eat this?”
“Yeah. Go ahead.”
The last half of the Beer Chicken, today’s menu, disappeared into Cha Yu-jin’s mouth.
He sure eats well.
Out of the members who were free for today’s W Live, he definitely had the biggest appetite.
Between me, Keun Se-jin, Cha Yu-jin, and… Bae Se-jin, that is.
“Good job, hyung.”
“I didn't really do much….”
Bae Se-jin muttered, avoiding eye contact.
“No, hyung, you were the most helpful with the cooking.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
“Well, ahem, if you say so.”
Since Keun Se-jin was focused on being funny and Cha Yu-jin was focused on eating, it was fair to say Bae Se-jin was the only one actually assisting.
Furthermore, today Bae Se-jin was quite ‘cooperative,’ to use Keun Se-jin’s phrasing.
It meant he gave a lot of reactions and tried to actively participate in casual conversations unrelated to the main segment.
And Bae Se-jin’s efforts would likely yield greater results than he expected.
The timing was perfect.
Bae Se-jin’s acting in the drama was too good.
While it was a well-known fact that Bae Se-jin was a former child actor, the general image of him from Idol Inc. was that his skills lagged behind the other members.
However, through this drama appearance, his ‘acting skills’ were rediscovered, and his stock had recovered significantly.
It went something like this:
Because it was a very clever cameo role, it was memorable despite the short screen time, and his acting was superb.
It’s a win for him.
So, if I had to nitpick, the only problem was that both his individual fans and his antis might start thinking, ‘Wouldn't it be better if he just acted?’
But since it was a one-time event, that talk didn't become a major issue, so the current level was fine.
It’ll be okay as long as we keep showing our close bond in our own content like this.
The vibe that he enjoyed group activities was enough.
Starting serious acting in two or three years would be ethically appropriate.
Well, to be honest, I didn't know what the situation would be like starting from the end of next year.
If my Status Effect really ended this time, I wouldn't need to focus so desperately on results by then.
Of course, I have to focus now.
That was why I was about to monitor the new season of Idol Inc., something I wouldn't normally do.
I had waited until Episode 2 was out, certain that TeSTAR’s appearance in Episode 1 would just be clickbait.
“Moon-dae, Moon-dae, what are you doing~?”
“I’m going to watch some of the new Idol Inc.”
“Oh~ good idea!”
I claimed the TV in the empty living room and navigated to WeTube. The guys who had filmed the W Live with me slunk over and took seats nearby.
I guess they were curious too.
I was able to find the clip from the broadcast right on the main page.
[<Re-listing! Idol Inc. 2> National Major Shareholders TeSTAR★ Appear | Ep 1 & 2 TeSTAR Clip]
Usually, they don't release these until some time has passed, so they must be desperate for immediate buzz.
“Oh~ Moon-dae’s the thumbnail!”
I was the official rank 1, after all.
Anyway, I clicked it immediately.
[What is <Idol Inc.> to me?]
On the screen, individual shots of the TeSTAR members appeared against a dark background with serious expressions.
[I’m the one getting nervous!]
[To me, Idol Inc. is……]
[…A new opportunity?]
[The turning point of my life.]
It seemed to be a sequence designed to set the mood, saying, ‘Our Idol Inc. is such an amazing program.’
“Uuugh~ this is intense.”
“It’s cheesy!”
“……Ha.”
Leaving behind the guys who were reeling from their first taste of Idol Inc.’s show business style in a while, the video pushed forward.
Scenes of TeSTAR looking embarrassed while reminiscing over their own Season 3 clips played over heartwarming background music.
“Hey~ Moon-dae, you can't even lift your head. Are you ashamed of the chicken feet? Are you ashamed of the chicken feet you ate so deliciously?”
“Shut up.”
Then, the scene transitioned to this season’s participants watching those clips of TeSTAR’s appearances and activities.
[Seriously, I want to create a stage like that too.]
[I think it really fired up my desire to take on the challenge.]
“…Ah, to be young.”
“Cheer up, guys~”
“I hope they do well.”
The members, who were watching this scene with a degree of pity and empathy, let out groans at the next scene.
[Season 3 participants appear at the filming site!]
[KYAAAAAAAH↗!!]
[※ This is not the sound of a crow ※]
The entrance scene was highlighted with about three replays, capturing almost every TeSTAR member individually.
The crowning glory was the interviews with the participants.
[He was my one-pick. I’m losing my mind…!]
[Like… a scream just burst out of my throat!]
[I couldn't control myself. Ehehehe!]
[Moon-deng-deng in person!! Seriously! I thought my heart was going to explode!]
I’d bet a half-eaten Beer Chicken that the poor last participant was currently being torn apart on the internet for calling his direct senior by a nickname without using honorifics.
“Hmm, this is more cringeworthy than I thought.”
“Why?? I like it!”
While the members’ opinions were divided, the intense welcome on screen only calmed down when the TeSTAR members took turns offering words of wisdom and encouragement.
First, Cha Yu-jin.
[WOW! Everyone, do your best! Don't be nervous, enjoy the moment, and work hard!]
I bet there were a few people pretending to be annoyed, saying he could only say that because he never got ‘evil-edited,’ but that would have happened no matter what Cha Yu-jin said, so it was fine.
Next was Bae Se-jin.
[…I hope you can get what you want from here.]
Hmm, people probably tried to stir up trouble saying he only said such cliché things because he lacked talent, only to get counter-attacked and fail.
Next was… Keun Se-jin.
[<Idol Inc.> is a big audition, after all. Because of that, I think it’s a place where you can't help but feel that things don't go as expected or planned.]
Laying the groundwork for ‘you might fail.’
[But there’s no denying it’s an opportunity, so I hope you do everything you can so that you have no regrets. I’ll be rooting for you!]
He focused on the challenge itself rather than the achievement.
Hmm, there was nothing to criticize here. He even subtly boosted the program’s prestige without being sycophantic.
A quick-witted guy really is different.
Anyway, up to this point, it was generally fine. There was no weird editing, and I imagined far more people liked it than not.
However, my turn hadn't come up yet. I was last.
“Moon-dae hyung!”
“Ooh~ the finale!”
Only when the playback bar was almost at the end did the Park Moon-dae on screen pick up the microphone.
[While appearing here….]
Then, suddenly, a silent flashback video began to appear.
“……?”
[I often felt like I was hitting a wall. Whether it was my own abilities or the situation.]
Scenes of Park Moon-dae dancing the popcorn dance, practicing without sleep during the grade evaluation, and lying exhausted after choreography practice passed in succession.
And… a shot of him sitting alone on a bed with a complicated expression.
“…….”
Unaired footage. It looked like a shot from when I had realized the truth about ‘Park Moon-dae’s’ past.
[But then again, sometimes I was able to overcome those limits.]
Brief shots of Park Moon-dae on stage and smiling slightly while shouting a slogan among his teammates were captured.
[I hope that when this filming is over, you all will be able to look at yourselves with a broader perspective.]
Back on screen, the Park Moon-dae who had become a member of TeSTAR bowed his head.
[Thank you for listening.]
After that shot, the participants of this season were shown with tears in their eyes. Accompanied, of course, by this season’s theme song arranged in an emotional way.
“…….”
“……Uh.”
Bae Se-jin spoke up cautiously.
“I don't think it felt like that.”
He was right. It was pure fabrication.
I had been asked, ‘Since you’re rank 1, please make it a bit longer!’ and I had finished my encouragement in a very plain tone amidst the participants’ goodwill.
There was absolutely no nuance of connecting it to Park Moon-dae’s journey last season like a panorama.
And of course, there were no tears from the participants.
Those kids were just having a good time.
However, I wasn't surprised.
“It’s Idol Inc., after all.”
“That’s… true.”
With that, everyone there accepted the situation.
However, it seemed ‘everyone’ on the internet didn't feel the same way.
“Moon-dae, there are already articles popping up.”
“…Really?”
[<Idol Inc.> New Season Launch. From Dark Horse to Winner… Will Park Moon-dae’s Comeback Story Repeat Itself?]
[Wise Advice from the Non-Celebrity Rank 1, Park Moon-dae. <Re-listing! Idol Inc. 2>]
[<Re-listing! Idol Inc. 2> Park Moon-dae, the Former ‘Underperforming Stock,’ Passes on the Secret to His Surge?]
These bastards, seriously.
It was the taste of Idol Inc.’s clickbait, which I hadn't tasted in a long time.