The TOP 6 Interview and the Shadow of School Bullying
Government-supported project. "We'll take a short break and then start filming. Come back at 40 minutes past."
At the shooting director's words, the staff began to stir. Myeongjeon slurped down her coffee while watching the scene. People scattering with disciplined efficiency to prepare for the shoot. Others sneaking off for a smoke. And those thinking, it won't start for a bit, so I can relax, fiddling with their phones. Just your standard shoot site.
"Ah, I keep getting nervous. This is driving me crazy."
But apparently, she was the only one thinking that. Turning her head, she saw the other three with faces slightly pale from tension.
"Come on, why are you so worked up?"
"Aren't you nervous?"
"It's just an interview at worst, and views won't even hit much anyway. No need to stress that hard."
Myeongjeon laid out the facts. Interviews for 2022 Band Pioneer TOP 6 barely cracked 2,000 views. 2023? Around 1,500. So 2024? Probably the same ballpark. Honestly, she wondered why they were even bothering with this interview. Uploading it to her own channel would probably outperform that.
Wait, there is a reason to film it.
She pondered filming a reaction video to the interview. Like, what it was like during the shoot, what questions they asked, this got cut, that made it in, this got twisted a bit... Milk some views out of that, maybe.
"Alright, let's get into the interview shoot~"
As she mulled it over, a staff signal came. The kids, who'd wandered off for distractions, plopped into their chairs in perfect sync.
"Hello. I'm Ha Suyeon, leader and guitarist for Group Sound."
"Hello! I'm Choi Iseo, handling bass for Group Sound!"
"Hello... I'm Jeong Hyeona, on keyboards for Group Sound..."
"Hello. Yoo Seoha, drums."
<Congrats on making TOP 6 in 2024 Band Pioneer! One word on your thoughts?>
"Hm. This might sound arrogant, but I kinda knew we'd make it. Just a gut feeling, y'know?"
⋮
<What sparked the band?>
"I didn't really think about it."
"I was the one who said let's do it! Nah, truth is, I never really thought about starting a band either."
"After the accident—yeah, I had a pretty bad one. Once I recovered, I picked up my guitar and headed to Nakwon Arcade, and that's when I ran into Iseo."
"I had no idea she played! But then she says she does, and we're chatting, and next day or whatever, I ask her to play. And holy shit... she was insanely good. Mind blown. So I straight-up told her: Hey, be my bandmate!"
"I was floored. What made her so sure? Looking back now, the skill gap was huge. Back then, she was like a hobbyist who'd done a year of lessons—decent talent, sure. But I molded her after that. Funny thing is, then these kids..."
"Not kids, unnies."
"...Unnies? Gotta call 'em unnies? Hyeona-unnie? Seoha-unnie?"
"No, don't do that..."
⋮
<Your resolve for 2024 Band Pioneer!>
"Kinda surreal making it here just a year after forming. But since we're here, I wanna go all out and cause a stir. We're taking first. Thanks!"
"Did they really say all that? She really scouted you like that?"
"You think I'd lie?"
Myeongjeon answered Park Dain's question as they watched the interview video. The other three giggled like it was the funniest thing.
"So after the accident and recovering, you went straight to buy a guitar? How obsessed are you with that thing?"
"Yeah, I guess I was."
"You never even let on you were learning before."
"No memories, and what little stuck around weren't good ones. Figured it was time to get my head straight and focus on guitar, so that's how it went..."
Myeongjeon neatly summarized the timeline. Not entirely accurate, but no need to spill every real detail, even if the kids would back her up. Telling secrets and expecting them kept was foolish. True secrets stayed unspoken from the start. Share only what could leak harmlessly; keep the rest locked inside. That was Myeongjeon's hard-earned wisdom.
But this, she could share.
"Oh, and there's this OST track I did recently. Our band's name isn't out yet, but it'll drop soon."
"For real? You had that?"
Myeongjeon showed them the pre-released OST. The kids gawked at the title.
"Whoa. I've been hearing this everywhere lately. You made this, Suyeon?"
"Not me—the band did. I handled the arrangement."
"It's blowing up on TikTok and shit. I was just listening casually, but everyone's losing it asking who the band is. Juhyeon's been pulling aggro too. And it's you guys?"
Myeongjeon nodded instead of answering. Park Hwiseok's strategy had nailed it, apparently. Even regular kids like these were buzzing about the band.
"Can we tell people?"
"Drop's soon anyway, so probably fine. They're probably leaking it already. Just don't go aggro-pulling online claiming it's us."
"Hya~ Hanging with a celeb now. Living the dream."
The kids teased her with that. Then Dain perked up like she'd remembered something.
"Hey, any offline shows coming up?"
"Probably."
"Hook us up with tickets then. I'll drag the whole school crew. Word's spreading about your band, kids are super curious."
"That cool?"
"Why not?" Dain asked. Myeongjeon shrugged. "Dunno, past stuff."
The girls burst out laughing.
"They don't care anymore. That was back then. After you apologized everywhere, even the haters backed off. Well, some still do."
"Who?"
"Kwon Jihye was saying she misses the days you were boozing and smoking, all that."
Why's she like that? Myeongjeon wondered, scratching her head a bit. Online round this week, offline next...
"Show next week probably. If tickets drop, I'll grab some."
"Thanks a ton~"
"Thank you!"
No audience? Still thank the viewers watching the online round. And treat the camera like a roaring crowd cheering as usual. Otherwise, the energy doesn't transmit right. Myeongjeon stepped off stage with that in mind.
Applause erupted from the staff watching the online round. Pretty hyped vibe.
"Great show!"
"Group Sound for first!!"
A few staffers randomly hollered. Laughter cascaded. Fans among the crew? Myeongjeon felt a little pleased. Who wouldn't like picking up fans?
But passing the staff to approach the judges, the vibe shifted entirely. Ominous.
"Group Sound, come here a sec? Important talk."
"We're in a super sensitive spot with this stuff lately. Honestly, not the stage for it yet, but since we're government-linked, we had to call you in."
The one speaking was the leader of a pretty famous rock band—some rapport from the memorial concert thing. Close enough for banter before, but now dead serious.
"What's up?"
"Can't say where it came from, but we got a tip about Ha Suyeon. School violence related."
Here it comes. Myeongjeon swept back her hair and glanced at the girls. Anxious eyes.
"They mentioned rumors or whatever, but with all the celeb scandals popping off lately... school violence is a hot button. Can't ignore it."
"But it's just rumors. Gotta hear from you directly, so we're giving you a chance to explain. Anything to say?"
The rock leader started, others chiming in. Totally reasonable. Can't sanction on hearsay; give 'em their say.
"What happens if we explain?"
"We'll investigate on our end. Suyeon, if you've got evidence, we'd need that too."
Myeongjeon had been stacking proof for this exact moment. Drop it, and they'd push through somehow. Controversy would brew, but it couldn't be buried outright. Korean society being what it is—plenty dismiss tough topics as "debate fodder" and "exhausting." Would suck more than now, sure. But unavoidable while living as "Ha Suyeon."
"No direct victim complaint on record, so we're cautious too."
As she geared up to agree, that line hit.
Hold up... This might not just fizzle as controversy. Could steer it toward resolution?
Something flashed in Myeongjeon's mind.