Chapter 588
Chapter 588
The production staff continued to explain the current situation and their future filming plans with great enthusiasm.
“You’ll be taking turns with the assigned chores. Starting tomorrow, we’ll also be bringing in local specialties and food from famous local restaurants…”
They weren't being defensive; they were being sincere.
The clincher came when the staff revealed the rough cut of the first episode they had been editing.
At the remark, “We’ll show you exactly in what context this extreme composition environment came to be,” even Bae Se-jin couldn't help but focus.
The monitors of the editing equipment, which had somehow been hauled all the way into these mountains of Gangwon-do, began to spit out footage with rough, placeholder subtitles…
And the content was something no one could have imagined.
[We asked TeSTAR.]
[Great creation comes from .]
“…??”
[Kim Rae-bin: Yes! I believe it is <Inspiration>!]
That was… a short, passing interview they had done a few weeks ago with people who claimed to be the behind-the-scenes crew while they were leaving an awards ceremony!
“W-wait a minute. Those people…”
“Yes. Actually, they were all part of our production team.”
“…….”
The members' individual opinions on ‘creation’ flashed across the screen in quick succession.
[Great creation comes from <Numerous Attempts>.]
[Lee Se-jin: Ultimately, mastering anything is what's important~ That’s my take on it!]
Numerous attempts.
At the time, Bae Se-jin had just let it slide, thinking it sounded very much like Lee Se-jin, but hearing it now…
‘…Wait, could it be?’
Bae Se-jin swallowed hard.
On the screen, various opinions appeared, ranging from his own answer, ‘Intense Contemplation,’ to Seon A-hyun’s ‘Time.’
Finally.
Cha Yu-jin filled in the blank with a bright, innocent face.
[Great creation comes from <Hardship>.]
[Cha Yu-jin: Am I right?]
He… had mistaken it for a quiz on Korean proverbs!
Then, he had cheerfully followed his older members off the awards ceremony's red carpet.
[Writer Lee: Oh, no.]
[Writer Park: Argh, Yu-jin!!]
[PD: Haha]
[PD: Hahahahahahahaha]
Then, a massive, cinematic subtitle appeared.
[TeSTAR’s Destiny]
[TeSTAR has decided!]
“…….”
“…….”
“So… it came from this?”
“Yep.”
Bae Se-jin squeezed his eyes shut!
“We structured the games and roles based on this…”
This whole situation… was an environment created by piecing together the keywords TeSTAR had provided in their answers.
“Actually, it wasn't all bad things. The environment was supposed to shift drastically depending on the game results.”
“…….”
“But as luck would have been, your game luck was incredibly bad… so the results turned out quite extreme.”
Extreme situations by chance? It was bound to be funny.
In truth, the staff had been slightly divided over the uneven food supply, but most thought it would be fine since it was only for a day.
In many variety shows, games are played with meals on the line, and it's common to get nothing if you fail.
Moreover, it was because TeSTAR seemed to be overcoming it so cheerfully.
However, they hadn't properly considered how anxious the cast would feel not knowing how long this situation would last.
“It’s hard to get a picture like this even if you try, but it happened so naturally… I guess we got too greedy. We’re truly sorry. Sigh…”
“No… I mean, yes.”
At this, Bae Se-jin finally nodded.
Since the production team was readily admitting their fault, it was difficult to say anything more.
In fact, there were a few key points he wanted to address that their answers had missed, but…
‘I think… this is enough.’
Once he realized that the other party also had their own hardships, dilemmas, and various circumstances, Bae Se-jin hesitated to pry further into the logic behind their actions.
If he were alone, he might have pushed further, but he was currently filming team content.
‘…Right!’
He decided to wrap it up here and return to the members with the news that the conversation had ended well.
It was just as he made that decision.
“Excuse me.”
Someone abruptly raised their hand.
“I have something I’m curious about.”
“…?”
It was Park Moon-dae, who had been standing silently behind him like a bodyguard the whole time.
“What happened to the CM song we made?”
“Pardon?”
“Rae-bin didn't participate in it.”
He’s just going to drop it like that?
Even Bae Se-jin, who had visited the staff like a bulldozer, was momentarily taken aback.
Then, Park Moon-dae took a slight turn.
“I was looking forward to Rae-bin composing, but since he wasn't on the list, I spent the night wide awake worrying that the advertisers might sue us…”
“Pfft!”
He slightly lowered his head with a blank expression, looking somehow despondent as if he had given up.
“We’re not getting sued, are we?”
“Of course not!”
‘H-he’s serious… but it’s not heavy.’
The atmosphere didn't turn grim, but now it was impossible for the production team to move on without answering.
Bae Se-jin watched with his mouth agape as Park Moon-dae began to grill the staff.
Up until now, I had been watching the production team work hard to explain the situation to Bae Se-jin.
As time passed, the atmosphere improved.
‘I knew it.’
Bae Se-jin’s combat power drops the moment he starts empathizing with someone else’s situation.
It seemed he had accepted that while the staff might have crossed the line a bit, they couldn't stop and kept hitting the accelerator because we were reacting and handling it so well.
As for the cast suffering more than expected, he seemed to have brushed it off with the subconscious thought of, ‘Isn't it a rule of thumb to suffer like crazy when appearing on our variety shows?’
‘They were just excited.’
I could pretty much see how things were playing out.
However, I also knew the ulterior motive behind the staff being so cooperative and even showing the rough cut of the first episode.
I inwardly rubbed my chin.
‘This… they must have talked about it among themselves first.’
About whether they had gone too far.
Then, when Bae Se-jin contacted them, they clearly got cold feet and prepared these anticipated answers.
Just look at how they were hitting the PD on the back earlier.
‘They were planning to offer the PD as a sacrificial lamb to set the mood.’
Well, the atmosphere cleared up, and we received a sufficient apology, but… did they think they could only answer what they wanted to answer?
‘What about the CM song?’
Did they tell the advertisers that they made it without the team’s official producing member and messed around with the feedback?
This was a matter of the team’s career and was the most serious part of Bae Se-jin’s critique, yet they were slickly avoiding this one answer.
Of course, neither that PD nor Ryu Seo-rin are people who take capitalism lightly. On the contrary, they are the types who fully enjoy the taste of it.
They must have prepared a countermeasure.
But they just didn't want to tell the cast yet.
‘Maybe they set it up so it would be resolved naturally as filming progresses.’
That was my guess as to why they avoided this topic as much as possible. They were afraid the filming would look unnatural.
But what happens if I just go, ‘Oh, okay. Let’s be understanding. The staff is working hard’?
Instead, it wouldn't look like we were being understanding.
The staff would think they had prepared well and successfully handled the cast’s complaints with great skill.
‘That won't do.’
So, I poked them directly.
“Ah… about that.”
And the truth the staff finally confessed, unable to avoid it any longer, was…
“Actually, about the CM song… the advertisers didn't even know TeSTAR was composing it.”
“…….”
“…….”
“What?”
“From the start, we intended to use it as BGM for the PPL in our program.”
In other words, it was a self-made CM song that came as a supplement to the PPL.
It wasn't the pinnacle of an advertising marketing campaign that the company's fate depended on!
“T-then what about the CM song auction?”
“Actually, the auction was for the weight of the PPL. It was about how much sincerity and effort they would show, considering TeSTAR, the K-POP Grand Prize winners, were appearing.”
The advertisers didn't even expect TeSTAR to compose the CM song themselves.
I turned my head to see Bae Se-jin standing there with his mouth hanging open.
‘Should I call these people… scammers…?’
Wait a minute.
A sudden thought occurred to me, and I looked up.
“Then the songs we’ve made so far…?”
“They probably just thought our outsourced contractors were making them.”
If that’s the case.
Then those infuriating, insane feedbacks we got for the first song were, by any chance…
“Yes. The person in charge at the advertising company really did give those….”
“…….”
“They probably gave them thinking it was some unknown outsourced party, right?”
Good grief.
So those feedbacks full of nonsense… were the reality for a rookie, unknown composer.
‘Damn it….’
It was practically a social exposé documentary.
I rubbed my eyes roughly.
“……Won't the company that put in the PPL complain that their image is being ruined?”
But Ryu Seo-rin remained nonchalant.
“Well… it’s not a criticism of the PPL product or the company. We can't be responsible for the public opinion that naturally arises because of a specific person in charge.”
“……Ah, I see.”
It could be summarized as: ‘Who told them to use such a blockhead as their representative?’
“Anyway, that’s how it happened.”
Ryu Seo-rin added, hesitating slightly.
“Since it was made in a poor environment in just one day, we thought you’d be freer from the evaluation of the final product than if you had made it in the best environment.”
“…….”
“Even if people want to criticize the song for being bad, we can counter with, ‘Can you really say that after seeing that environment?’”
If the song turned out well, it was thanks to TeSTAR; if it failed, it was the staff’s fault.
‘They did use their heads to reduce the burden in their own way.’
“And if the reviews are good… you’ll feel a sense of pride, like, ‘Wow, even if they don't know it’s TeSTAR, and even without the main producing member, the song we made is getting rave reviews!’”
And after gradually getting the viewers used to the composition process, they would explode the potential with the real composition content.
Which was…
“The <Doll Hunter> OST.”
“…!”
That was actually the real main advertiser and the main content of this program.
Bae Se-jin’s pupils trembled.
“B-but. Just before I joined, the drama production company said it ‘looked fun’ and the PPL was decided on the spot…”
“That was acting to bait you, Se-jin.”
“…….”
Bae Se-jin slumped into his chair.
It seemed he didn't even feel betrayed anymore.
‘…It must have been funny.’
I briefly admitted to myself as I imagined the moment all these twists would be revealed.
“You’ll be able to compose the main content in a truly proper environment!”
“That’s right! Don’t you worry.”
“…Yes.”
The meeting with the production team ended well, and we were able to leave their quarters and return to the mountain cabin.
‘It was okay.’
We clearly understood their intentions and received a firm apology.
The PD even saw us out, saying he was ‘going out for a smoke,’ and shared his thoughts quite candidly.
“Since TeSTAR is doing so well… I guess I thought you were at a level where you didn't need to walk on eggshells around us. I figured, ‘If they really hate it or find it difficult, they’ll say something~’”
“…….”
So, he had cherry-picked the characteristics of skillful entertainers and top-tier idols to build a mental formula for TeSTAR.
I’m glad he’s reflecting on it.
I stared at the PD.
“Do you think that was a wrong judgment?”
“…I suppose so?”
“Then I can cook starting tomorrow, right?”
“…You still have to play the games, though.”
I stared at the PD again without a word, and he soon relented.
“Ah, I’ll let you keep retrying until you pick the kitchen duty!”
“An excellent choice.”
Clap, clap, clap.
And so, that conversation also came to an end.
Though the PD acted a bit pathetic until the very end.
“…I was planning to reveal the secret of the CM song after the Loviewer online listening party…. Could you please keep it a secret from the other members until then?”
“No.”
“…….”
“I’m a very honest person with my members.”
“I know that all too well….”
Not a chance.
“I’ll make sure to act surprised even if I know, so don't worry.”
“…!”
I looked back at the staff with a faint smile.
“Please have some faith in TeSTAR.”
“…Of course. All of us on the production team have immense faith in our variety genius, TeSTAR!”
Quite the silver tongue.
Anyway, the staff members who had been peeking through the door also chuckled, and we exchanged goodbyes with the PD with smiles on our faces.
“Get back safely!”
The aftertaste wasn't bad.
Even though a bit of a commotion broke out back at TeSTAR’s lodging.
“Ah, guys. Did the talk go well?”
“You… don't be shocked when you hear this.”
“…??”
From the members shuddering as they heard twist after twist, to Kim Rae-bin, who was hardening his resolve at the news that they would escape the ‘Hocance’ hell tomorrow.
By the time we finally went to bed after all that chaos, it was already dawn.
“…….”
Bae Se-jin lay still, and after confirming that I wasn't asleep, he spoke quietly.
“Park Moon-dae.”
“Yes.”
“You… were amazing.”
Hmm?
“I mean, how you draw out the answers you want to hear without ruining the atmosphere of the conversation.”
So that’s what it was.
“It’s just a minor skill.”
People who have a knack for talking like that usually have exhausting personalities. Everything has its pros and cons.
Besides.
“This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't decided to speak up in the first place, hyung. What are you talking about?”
“…!”
If this guy hadn't spoken up, most of the members in this team would have probably just endured it and tried to finish the filming well.
‘But they would have ended up feeling fed up.’
And what would have happened then?
If things had continued like that… maybe they really would have fallen out with this production team next time.
In that sense, his inflexible ethical nature had contributed to the team in a unique way.
Quite significantly.
“It’s a relief that you calmly said what needed to be said.”
“…Thanks.”
Bae Se-jin was silent for a moment.
Then, he added in a slightly brighter voice.
“I think it was good that we talked today.”
“I think so, too.”
“Me too.”
“…….”
“…Cha Yu-jin, why aren't you sleeping?”
“This is a three-person room. It’s my choice.”
“Haha!”
They say that night, Bae Se-jin slept very sweetly and comfortably, even though it was only for three or four hours.
And a short while later.
While TeSTAR’s struggle in the mountain cabin was being broadcast, they finally began composing ‘in earnest.’
The OST for <Doll Hunter> Season 2.
A mental world covered in snow.
Jung Yi-sol’s theme song.