Chapter 468
Chapter 468
Seoul. Inside a quiet office.
“I’ll get right to it!”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Bae Se-jin sat across the table, trying his best to remain calm.
It’s finally… happening.
It had been a very long time since he’d had a meeting for a project.
He had memories of working as an actor for several years in a bizarre virtual world, but despite those experiences being recent, they felt slightly hazy—like something from a long time ago or a vivid dream.
Perhaps that was why he felt so nervous. Bae Se-jin took a short, deep breath.
Soon, the person he had been waiting for rushed into the room.
“Se-jin, you’re here!”
“…! Hello.”
It was the production director, holding a stack of documents. He was the one who had offered Se-jin the role.
And he wasn't alone.
“Producer, Director.”
“Hey there~ Se-jin, you’ve really grown up.”
A director with a boisterous impression sat on the sofa with a wide grin.
It’s him…!
Back when Se-jin was a child actor, this man had directed the project where Se-jin played a kidnapped child.
His track record… was someone whose films became hits about half the time.
…Good.
This was worth a shot.
Bae Se-jin bowed politely in greeting before sitting back down.
“The kid looks exactly the same. He grew up with that same calm vibe.”
“Right? He still has that perfectly upright, ‘model student’ feel.”
Ahem.
He wasn't quite that upright anymore.
Just as Bae Se-jin was thinking about how much he had "deviated" (?) from that path lately, the proposal in question was finally placed before him.
Flip.
The documents were slid across the table, accompanied by a brief explanation of the project.
A modern mystery horror…
Based on a webtoon, it depicted a slightly grotesque and chilling world set in 21st-century Korea.
As Bae Se-jin scanned the contents in an instant, a kind explanation followed.
“It’s a Netplus original drama.”
“Ah.”
In that case, as long as the production studio wasn't involved with them, the capital was completely separate from T1.
Which meant…
I can do this properly.
Since it was a drama rather than a movie, the filming period would take longer, but wouldn't it be fine if he promoted it alongside their next album?
Just as Bae Se-jin was racking his brain…
“But actually… we’ve already filmed quite a bit of it.”
“…!”
Wait a minute.
“…And you’re casting me now?”
Was it a seasonal show? Maybe he was appearing in Season 2…
“To be honest, we tried using a rookie who seemed promising… but that crazy bastard got caught in a scandal because of some video he filmed. Something about regional slurs or whatever!”
“……Ahem.”
“Our Se-jin is still so clean even after nearly twenty years since his debut, right? But some rookie lost his damn mind!”
The director looked like he was about to foam at the mouth, ranting about how "kids these days" only had WeTube, Inheart, and TickTackTok in their heads.
The production director quickly offered him a coffee loaded with sugar to steer the conversation back.
“Anyway, because of that, we had to cut his scenes entirely… the schedule got pushed back, and a slot just opened up. It was perfect timing that Se-jin contacted us then, so we could work together again after all this time.”
“Ah… thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. I just figured it was fate!”
“It really is~ Thanks, Producer Lee~”
“Hey, it’s only happening because Se-jin said yes~”
The director and producer chuckled. Meanwhile, Bae Se-jin’s nerves grew sharp.
“…Then, is the role you’re offering me the one that rookie was playing?”
“…! Ah, but the importance of the role is guaranteed!”
A hurried explanation followed.
“We met all sorts of people and held a ton of auditions, but we just couldn't find the right fit.”
They said they had managed to find that rookie after a long search, and because there was no one to replace him, they had even persuaded the investors to give him a chance.
“Netplus is usually pretty generous about these things, but even they asked if we couldn't use someone more well-known. It really is a great role!”
“And since he was a rookie with no promotional value anyway, no articles even went out! There won't be any talk about you being a ‘replacement’ or anything like that.”
“Ah, yes.”
Bae Se-jin nodded, but the producer and director watched his expression closely, worried he might be offended by being treated as a "fill-in."
However, that wasn't what Bae Se-jin was worried about.
Since the filming period is shorter, the release date will be sooner than I thought.
Seeing the results quickly wasn't a bad thing.
But at the same time, one thing went out the window.
The album promotion… is tricky.
This was because Netplus usually released all episodes of a drama season at once, or at most in two parts.
Because they needed to secure enough editing time, the release would be subtly delayed.
In other words, this drama would likely be released toward the very end of their current album promotions.
…Maybe in a month or two.
If so, it wouldn't really help with the album promotion at all.
“…….”
Bae Se-jin maintained his poker face and asked himself:
Did the other members really not know this?
The members, who knew far more about idol activities than he did.
The reason they let him join in on this uncertain venture—a drama or movie with an unknown release date—under the guise of it being "part of the album promotions" was…
…They were just cheering me on.
Whether it helped the group’s activities or not, they did it simply for their member, Bae Se-jin.
Bae Se-jin suppressed the surge of emotion rising in his chest.
“…First, let me take a look at the role.”
“Sure, sure!”
“Wow, Se-jin talks exactly the same way he did when he was tiny.”
Bae Se-jin pushed the documents aside and picked up what was underneath.
It was a fresh, neatly finished script.
He flipped through it with a look of grim determination.
I’ll do a good job.
No matter the role, he would pull it off perfectly.
That would be his way of repaying their support…
“…….”
“How is it, Se-jin?”
Re… repaying.
“Idols usually start with safe supporting roles… but with your acting skills, Se-jin, you shouldn't be treated like you're on that same path!”
“…….”
“Don't you think it would be great to strongly cement your image as an actor by playing a psychopath like this?”
“That,”
Bae Se-jin began to break into a cold sweat!
Meanwhile, TeSTAR was scheduled for three weeks of album promotions, starting with their first terrestrial music broadcast.
And the fans were starting to notice a change in the atmosphere.
And everyone came to a similar conclusion.
The fans filled social media with vague curses aimed at T1’s obviously malicious behavior, and these became great fodder for popular posts.
[TeSTAR currently facing economic retaliation from their original broadcasting station]
[Has TeSTAR been cut off by T1?]
Whether the posts neatly organized the fans' reactions alongside TeSTAR’s public schedule or used shocking headlines, the news they conveyed was ultimately one thing:
TeSTAR has been targeted by T1! It’s not just drawing a line! The two have completely split!
The situation Park Moon-dae had anticipated from the moment he saw the news of the T1 board members' arrests was now being shared with the public in the form of rumors.
In fact, if things went wrong, the group’s image could have been damaged.
A celebrity being "cut off" by a platform. Doesn't it feel like their buzz will drop, their appearances will decrease, and they'll eventually fade away?
But it didn't go that far.
This was because TeSTAR’s results were too good.
That was it.
In the entertainment industry, attacks on one's "status" could be defended with numbers and buzz, and Park Moon-dae trusted that logic.
That was why he knew no special defense was necessary in this situation.
Because it was more fun for netizens to immerse themselves in TeSTAR’s side!
How cathartic was it? That feeling of quitting your job and becoming even more successful!
However, not all fans were purely enjoying these reactions.
Crossing a platform was no light matter.
And when one or two individual appearance schedules for the members were announced in that situation, the atmosphere shifted to one of understanding…
Furthermore, the members even spoke about it openly on W App.
[We wanted to show ourselves in more diverse schedules this time… so we each tried filming some things individually.]
[That’s right.]
[We are! Working this hard~ everyone!]
They spoke very euphemistically and softly, but everyone could tell they weren't saying, "We really wanted to do solo activities this time."
It meant they were filling the time they couldn't spend as a group.
It was at that moment—when group fans were heartbroken and individual fans were shouting "jackpot"—that Bae Se-jin’s article broke.
[TeSTAR’s Bae Se-jin, the ‘Ten-Million Child Actor’ returns in Netplus’s highly anticipated <Doll Hunter>]
Bae Se-jin, who was the only one without any individual schedules like variety shows or events, had finally revealed his schedule.
The public reaction was favorable. He was a good-looking celebrity with no acting controversies.
And thanks to the groundwork laid beforehand, TeSTAR fans were also relatively calm.
Still, acting was a very "proper" individual activity.
There would surely be malicious fans waiting with eagle eyes to catch any flaw in Bae Se-jin’s attitude toward group activities.
“Se-jin, even if you’re a bit tired today, make sure to look here.”
“I know.”
So, TeSTAR was carrying out their activities even more diligently, looking out for one another during lives and schedules.
However, one member had something else on his mind.
It’s about that time.
It was Park Moon-dae.
Since TeSTAR’s debut anniversary was in a few days, the end of June was already approaching.
Accordingly, the summer weather was fast approaching as well.
And he knew… one specific piece of information related to "this summer."
Sure enough.
One day, while he was repeatedly checking…
[T-Holic’s junior group is coming... Wonder Hall, “New boy group, <Iter (ĭter)> to debut”]
The article appeared.
As expected.
Park Moon-dae immediately summoned his status window to check.
The "Hint" he had drawn.
[Wonder Hall’s Rookie (B)]
- 202X. This summer, a new male idol rookie is scheduled to debut from Wonder Hall.
A large-scale project with an investment of 20 billion won over 3 years, this new team’s unconventional planning is gathering anticipation within the company.
The hint was correct.
It really is useful.
And there was one more thing to note. This hint was a high grade—a golden "B."
While it was true that more specific hints had higher grades, that wasn't all.
It was likely because it was that useful.
So, Park Moon-dae thought:
This rookie group is probably going to be quite a hit.
The comment reactions in communities were already showing decent momentum.
Of course, the reason was the brand power of Wonder Hall and T-Holic.
The demand for the easygoing, comfortable, "cool classmate or senior" concept that T-Holic had was still there.
No matter how much TeSTAR was a public-friendly idol group where everyone knew their individual names, that was built through variety shows and songs, not through their concept.
Park Moon-dae made a cold judgment.
I’ll have to keep a steady eye on their trends.
But the following week.
When their debut teaser was released.
Even Park Moon-dae hadn't imagined this reaction would come out.
“…!”
The juniors of the national idols, T-Holic… had chosen a completely conceptual route.
Just like TeSTAR.