Chapter 381
Chapter 381
The agency survival show Wise was expanding its viewer pool from a frog in a well to a fish in a reservoir.
The controversy from Episode 3 acted as the rising tide.
[LeTi Survival: Real elimination occurs during the seat-stealing mission (Spoilers)]
[Current situation of Wise.jpg]
[Ryu Gun-woo at risk of elimination]
Unlike the early days of the broadcast, the comment sections were now ablaze with arguments and inquiries.
Opinions were divided among viewers: Ryu Gun-woo did well, Jin Chae-yul did well, the CEO is crazy, he’s actually eliminated, no he’s not.
And for good reason.
‘The editing was better than I expected.’
First of all, unlike the other deathmatch teams where tension was thick, they edited our team to look like a literal kindergarten.
[Ryu Gun-woo: Let’s work hard and do our best.]
[Jin Chae-yul: Waaaah!]
[Oh Yoon-shin: (Enthusiastic applause)]
[The Chick Trio]
The BGM they pushed was also incredibly innocent and simple.
Ryu Gun-woo’s role followed suit.
The footage of me using my brain to coax opinions out of those "yes-men" was cut. Instead, I was portrayed as a leader who looked after his teammates, creating a stage with one heart and mind.
[Harmony itself]
[Jin Chae-yul: I love it!]
[Oh Yoon-shin: Me too.]
[Ryu Gun-woo: Then I’ll write it down like that.]
[A series of unanimous decisions]
I was framed as someone slightly clumsy and blunt, but kind-hearted and accommodating.
[Q: How was the leader?]
[Ryu Gun-woo: Everyone is a beginner at this... Since I’m the oldest, I should put more effort into looking after them.]
My interview appeal, the "I ended up as leader because I had no choice" type, was swept along with the flow. It made me look beyond pure—it made me look green.
"Hmm."
It was getting interesting, so I cracked open a can of beer.
‘Even though I did the same things in Idol Inc., I was treated like a four-dimensional psycho back then.’
Either way, the power of editing was remarkable.
Anyway, after a sweet practice period, the team finally finished a solid performance.
But then, the CEO’s critique hit like a ton of bricks.
[CEO Kim Tae-in: This job isn't something you can just call "fun."]
[!!]
[The producer’s hardened expression]
He was telling us to stop playing house.
The interesting part was that they didn't edit it to make it look like the team received an unfair evaluation.
[CEO Kim Tae-in: Isn't this a time when you should be desperately appealing and showing what you're best at?]
[CEO Kim Tae-in: (Gun-woo) even gave up all his parts.]
[Ryu Gun-woo: …….]
[CEO Kim Tae-in’s stinging advice]
[Silence fills the set]
Instead, the atmosphere felt like a CEO delivering a much-needed wake-up call to an amateur team that hadn't come to their senses.
‘That edit definitely has the CEO’s influence all over it.’
So, a casual viewer following the flow might think, ‘Yeah, were they being a bit too idealistic...?’ and feel conflicted.
They even used a blatant close-up of a nervous Ryu Gun-woo breaking into a cold sweat.
Then, the CEO shook his head as if this wasn't it and shouted firmly.
[CEO Kim Tae-in: Announcing the winner.]
And "Jin Chae-yul Wins" flashed on the electronic display.
‘Exquisite.’
If you only saw up to this point, you might think the public opinion would lean toward "Yeah, they lacked desperation for a survival show." But that wasn't the case. Another element was added.
The performance itself was good.
‘I can’t deny that.’
As outcries of unfair evaluation rose, people with different tastes began to clash.
And because the viewers were making such a fuss, people who came just to watch the fire ended up sticking around to watch the performance.
Then, the new arrivals started chiming in.
Immersing themselves in the role of a cold, objective evaluator.
"That’s enough."
I put my smartphone down. There was no need to see more.
I had no regrets about being used as fuel for the show's buzz. Thanks to that, the scale of the show itself was growing.
‘I’ll flip it in the next team mission anyway.’
Whether it was a misunderstanding or not, it was actually better that people had mixed feelings about my attitude during this stage.
‘That way, it’ll feel more satisfying when those negative feelings are resolved.’
Besides, the other guys on my companion list were sailing smoothly.
"Mmm."
I leaned back against the sofa. Let’s organize things a bit more.
First, Kim Rae-bin’s deathmatch was aired as the first stage and drew an immediate reaction.
The guy he crushed in the deathmatch was someone who originally had no screen time, and thanks to his own looks, Rae-bin settled in as a contestant very naturally without much backlash.
The hate he received during Idol Inc. felt like a lie; everything was going smoothly. Though he did hear some comments about his unusual attitude.
Coaching him was worth it.
Furthermore, the "Shin Jae-hyun vs. Cha Yu-jin" match teased for Episode 4 was already causing a frenzy based on the practice process and mid-term evaluation alone.
If I were to sort the reactions chronologically, it would look like this:
It was interesting.
Usually, the flow of an in-house survival show is predictable. In most cases, they start with a set list of people they want to push.
But this time, Wise was full of variables, and viewers were starting to get immersed in the unpredictable story.
A fresh situation where the Supplementary Class pulled off upsets.
The program itself was becoming fun.
The spark had met the firewood and was now a blaze.
Moreover, the broadcast drove the final nail in at the very end.
Right after the teaser, they blatantly displayed this:
[Recruiting Applicants]
[We are accepting new challengers to take on the debut challenge as part of the <Supplementary Class>.]
[Please access the <Wise> homepage and click the button at the bottom. We ask for your support.]
They had posted a notice right in the viewers' faces that they were going to increase the variables even more. And on a much larger scale.
‘The picture looks good.’
Actually, this was a suggestion I made that Cheong-ryeo then pushed forward.
‘From the company’s perspective, there’s nothing to lose.’
It generates noise marketing, and they can cut everyone if things go south. Plus, if a promising kid applies, they can keep them for the next group.
But that wasn't all.
The massive announcement that was supposed to be in this slot followed immediately after.
[!Global Voting Begins!]
[Please send your support to the participants you are rooting for. Your opinions can determine their survival.]
The start of viewer voting.
However, they didn't specify exactly what power the votes held, which drove people even crazier.
Just how much would an agency survival show reflect the viewers' words?
‘To drop the elimination notice and the new participant notice at the same time... these guys are pretty good.’
Anyway, thanks to all this chaos, I was reaping all the benefits a survival show could offer.
Pre-show recognition and a fan base.
And even the characters of the participants.
Of course, my own character was becoming very well-defined.
...A nerdy big dog.
‘Why on earth?’
It was a bit funny that even though my image was so different from the "Park Moon-dae" days, a dog still came up as the animal comparison... Regardless, my recognition was skyrocketing.
Now, it had reached the point where people recognized me on the street, and some were even camping out in front of the officetel.
This part was a bit of a problem.
I got up from the sofa and peeked out the balcony window.
"Hmm."
Even from here, I could see a few suspicious taxis lingering.
‘Ryu Cheong-woo might end up suffering because of this.’
He had originally gotten a secure officetel because he was a former national athlete, but there was a limit to everything.
"I should talk to him."
[W-with those people?]
"No, with Ryu Cheong-woo."
The timing was perfect. He had just returned from a club meeting and was here.
I asked him as soon as he finished showering and came out.
"Cheong-woo."
"Yeah?"
"Aren't those people making you uncomfortable? They said there’s space in the agency dorm anyway, so if I move out, they’ll probably leave."
However, he frowned slightly and immediately replied:
"No, that’s fine. More importantly... are you okay, Hyung?"
"Mmm."
What was he talking about?
"...It can't feel good to be misunderstood by people who don't even know you."
Ah, that.
He must have watched Episode 3 by himself. And he probably checked the comments on his way home.
‘Good grief.’
I was curious how he’d react if he knew he had appeared on a program like that himself.
I just smiled.
"A broadcast goes through many hands before it airs, so being misunderstood is inevitable. You might get more hate than you deserve for a mistake."
"……."
"But you also get more recognition. You can prove yourself more thoroughly."
I locked eyes with Ryu Cheong-woo. I nodded.
"I like this job. Especially when I’m on stage."
"...I see."
He let out a sigh of unknown meaning, then quickly regained his smile.
"Then it’s something to celebrate. You’ve found something you’re passionate about, Hyung."
Talking like this made it feel like we were family members exchanging well-wishes.
I pushed aside the strange feeling and sat down.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Hang in there, Hyung."
We bumped fists. Ryu Cheong-woo asked as if he just remembered something.
"Hyung, do you have plans tomorrow? Or do you want to grab a drink?"
"Mmm. I think I have to go out."
"Working again?"
"Something like that."
In a way, it was similar.
[Ooh, finally??]
‘Yeah.’
I waved to Ryu Cheong-woo as he went into his room and finally called up that window.
I didn't need to delay any longer.
[Companion: Would you like to Awaken Lee Se-jin?]
- Use 1,000 Exp
Bae Se-jin’s awakening.
This time, I pressed the button without hesitation.
Light erupted.
[A leap toward flight....]
"Phew."
It was fine even if it failed. I had enough Fame Points to keep pushing until it worked...
[First Awakening Successful!]
Yes!
It was refreshing that this worked consistently without failing.
With my fist clenched, I tried to check Bae Se-jin’s status in the companion list.
...If only this hadn't popped up.
[Companion: Lee Se-jin Event Occurred!!]
[Lee Se-jin has realized... Σ(ㅇㅁㅇ)]
What?
Soon the pop-up shook, and pop-pop-pop, an effect like golden fireworks shook the screen.
[Companion Name Change Event Completed!]
[Lee Se-jin → Bae Se-jin]
"……."
I needed to get his contact info and call him right away, without thinking about anything else.
"Actor-nim, here..."
"Thank you."
Lee Se-jin gratefully accepted the water bottle the staff member handed him.
The manager had disappeared somewhere in the middle again and hadn't been seen for hours.
Because of that, his trip home was being delayed, but he accepted the situation stoically.
‘I don’t expect anything anyway.’
As long as he could work, it was enough. And there was plenty of work.
He was spending time reviewing the content for tomorrow’s shoot...
What is this?
"Ugh!"
"...Se-jin-ssi?"
Lee Se-jin bowed his head.
His head throbbed, and with a tingling chill, his vision spun....
And then, it was revealed.
‘What is this?’
It wasn't that something foreign had been forced into his head.
It was just that a vast amount of information became clearly visible in his brain, as if a veil had been lifted or he had put on glasses.
Monologues, dialogues, and thoughts.
Events.
For a moment, it was overwhelming.
But as time passed, that clarity settled into his mind truthfully and firmly.
"……."
The person who had recovered the ego of Lee Se-jin—no, now Bae Se-jin—staggered to his feet.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes."
There was no pain.
He didn't bother making excuses to the staff and sat back down.
No, to be precise, he didn't have the luxury to explain. He couldn't understand what this situation was.
‘Why am I here—no, actually, it’s more strange that I’m NOT here.... But.’
In the end, it was after the manager returned that the ego, which didn't match reality, organized his thoughts and established his identity.
And at that moment, Park Moon-dae was receiving some absurd news.
In the communication tab of the status window.
[Bae Se-jin does not have a contact number yet....]
"Ha."
He stared at the blank contact field for his companion Bae se-jin, then made a clean decision.
‘He doesn't have one? Then I’ll just make one.’
By going to find him personally.