Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: A Seven-Year Contract
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I pushed myself up, breathing heavily.
A thrill ran through my entire body.
The cheers directed at me, the sense of accomplishment from having pulled it off.
And even the pride of successfully syncing up with my teammates.
This was why I could never give up on being an idol.
“Here. Take my hand and get up.”
I took the hand Kang Ju-hyeok offered and got to my feet.
“Thank you.”
After a brief word of thanks, we stood in a line, waiting for Wi Yeo-jun to come on stage.
“That was a truly amazing performance.”
Wi Yeo-jun appeared, clapping his hands.
“First, why don’t you greet everyone.”
“One, two, hello. We are Team ‘Villain’!”
We bowed in unison with my count.
“A performance that really suited your name. I found myself holding my breath as I watched. Could you please explain the concept for us?”
Wi Yeo-jun passed the microphone to Kang Ju-hyeok.
“It’s a ‘bad boy’ concept, about a man who doesn't realize how precious his girlfriend is when she’s by his side loving and cherishing him. He treats her poorly, only to regret it after she leaves. Since there’s no one worse than that, we chose the team name ‘Villain’.”
Kang Ju-hyeok’s comment drew a burst of laughter from the audience.
The atmosphere was incredible.
“The chains represent lingering attachment and regret. We created a scene where he’s entangled in them but breaks free for the woman’s sake.”
“I see. That scene was truly spectacular.”
“Thank you. It seems all our meetings to create a great performance paid off.”
A series of standard questions followed.
“This has been the performance by Team ‘Villain’.”
We descended from the stage amidst a shower of cheers and applause.
“Did you hear those cheers?”
“I think we really nailed the ending, didn’t we?”
“We can probably look forward to the online votes, right? Don’t you think so?”
Excitement laced everyone’s voices.
It seemed they had been suppressing their emotions to remain calm during the interview.
“I’m just so glad we were able to give it our all.”
Hwang Jae-hyun’s eyes started to well up with tears.
It looked like he’d been struggling on his own after making a mistake during the B-rank video shoot.
“The results aren’t even out yet. Why are you already crying?”
Lee Seok-kyung patted his shoulder comfortingly as he spoke.
“Let’s not stand around here. Let’s head back to the waiting room.”
We quickly made our way to the waiting room.
[How did you enjoy today's RED CUBE performances?]
Wi Yeo-jun was giving his closing remarks.
We sat side-by-side on the sofa in the waiting room.
The sofa was small, forcing us to squeeze together, but after the performance, none of us had the energy to stand.
I felt it even more keenly, as I’d been so frantic trying to solve the problem that had suddenly cropped up.
‘That was a close call.’
[Since today was the first time the RED CUBE contestants took the stage, I have some good news to share.]
The words ‘good news’ caught my ear.
‘What could this good news be?’
* * *
“You’re all curious what the news is, right?”
“Yes!”
The audience members answered Wi Yeo-jun’s question in unison.
Having each picked a favorite after watching the performances, they were filled with anticipation, waiting for Wi Yeo-jun’s next words.
“It’s about the contract period for those who will debut through RED CUBE.”
Until now, the contract periods for idol groups formed by NTV had been two years at most.
This was because they were project groups created in collaboration with small and medium-sized agencies.
“Aren’t you curious how many years it will be?”
“Yes!”
The audience was dying of suspense, but Wi Yeo-jun didn’t answer right away, drawing it out.
“Awwwww!”
A sound like a collective whine echoed through the hall.
At that, Wi Yeo-jun began to laugh out loud.
“Since you complained, I’m not going to say anything for another five minutes.”
His tone was full of mischief.
“Sorry!”
“It was my fault!”
“I was just too anxious! I’m sorry!”
Voices of apology came from all over.
But Wi Yeo-jun just crossed his arms and turned his head away.
“We’re really sorry!”
“We won’t do it again! We said we were wrong!”
“Wi Yeo-jun is the most handsome man in the world!”
A satisfied look on his face, Wi Yeo-jun turned back to the front.
“You promise you won’t do it again?”
“Yes!”
“Alright. Then I’ll tell you now.”
After a short pause, Wi Yeo-jun spoke again.
He was still dragging it out.
His skills were comparable to a veteran MC.
“The contract period for the group that will debut this time is…!”
The screen on the stage wall lit up.
“Seven years!”
The number 7 appeared on the screen.
The sight of just the number ‘7’ on a white screen looked a little cheesy, but it was overlooked thanks to the heated atmosphere in the venue.
“Holy crap!”
“Seven years?”
“That’s insane.”
“Wait. How is this possible?”
Fierce reactions erupted from the audience.
The college student who had just become a fan of Seo Yoon-seul was no different.
She let out a curse without thinking, then clapped a hand over her mouth in shock.
But she relaxed when she saw similar reactions from those around her.
‘Still, seven years.’
As a survival show fanatic, she always had to prepare for a farewell even as she was falling for a group, because of the limited time.
She would resolve to keep supporting them after they disbanded, but it was never as easy as she thought to watch them become parts of different groups.
Eventually, her support dwindled to simply cheering them on in her heart.
After repeating this cycle several times, she wanted to find a group she could settle down with.
But her heart was never moved.
‘Maybe I’m just addicted to the process of forming a group through a survival show.’
Idol survival programs show the unvarnished struggles of contestants vying for their debut.
Watching that process naturally makes you want to root for them.
The college student had reached a point where she couldn’t become a fan without that process.
That’s why she had expected this program’s group to be another fleeting one, but hearing about the seven-year contract filled her with a new resolve to make sure her favorite debuted, no matter what.
‘I have to get him to debut, whatever it takes. The others must be thinking the same thing. This is going to be more intense than ever.’
There were countless things she needed to prepare for Seo Yoon-seul’s debut path.
‘I’m going to be so busy starting today. I need to do more than just make a fan account. First, I have to organize a mass voting campaign…’
Her leg began to tremble with a sense of urgency.
Since Seo Yoon-seul wouldn’t be coming back on stage anyway, all she wanted was to get out of there as quickly as possible.
* * *
The audience members weren't the only ones shocked by the news of a seven-year contract period.
The contestants were in shock as well.
“Seven years?!”
“Wow. Then it’s basically the same as other idol groups.”
“Wait a minute! What happens to our contracts? What about our current agencies?”
The waiting room walls were so thin that their voices carried right through.
“Did he just say seven years?”
“Yeah. He said seven years.”
The reaction in our waiting room wasn’t much different.
“Then what happens to our contracts? I mean, there’s no way our agencies would have let us come here for a seven-year deal.”
Choi Seon-il muttered, a thoughtful look on his face.
He seemed to think there was no reason for an agency to accept such a proposal.
But if you thought about it for a moment, there were plenty of reasons.
Did he really think NTV wouldn’t offer any compensation?
For one, it was promotion for the agency and its trainees.
With the natural promotion, if a trainee was eliminated, the agency could debut them using the recognition they gained. If they made it to the final lineup, that was its own form of promotion.
They could use viral marketing, claiming they had created a group with trainees talented and charming enough to be chosen as final members of RED CUBE.
‘Besides, they’ll probably help out with the agency’s other artists, too. They’ll likely offer contracts for reality shows and things like that.’
“But Yoon-seul, you don’t seem very surprised.”
Kang Ju-hyeok sidled up next to me and said.
Honestly, since I already knew, there was no reason for me to be surprised.
When RED CUBE made the offer, besides the fact that it was a new opportunity, the seven-year contract period was another reason I was so drawn to it that I never even considered turning it down.
“Because it’s a good thing for me.”
At my answer, Kang Ju-hyeok let out a short “Ah,” and nodded.
Most of the RED CUBE contestants had agencies, but I didn’t.
I had been all but kicked out of my previous agency right before I received the offer to appear on the show.
‘If the contract period was only one or two years, I’d have nowhere to go once it ended.’
Even if RE-V became successful and another agency took me in, it might not be the best option.
By then, I’d be twenty-two, which is a bit of an awkward age to debut as an idol.
Plus, it would be my third debut.
“That’s right. You don’t have an agency right now.”
“No.”
“Right.”
Kang Ju-hyeok nodded slightly and crossed his arms.
“Seven years… I wonder which agency it will be.”
[Everyone, there’s still one more important fact remaining. The agency. That’s just as important as the contract period, isn’t it?]
As if on cue, Wi Yeo-jun made a related comment right as Kang Ju-hyeok finished speaking.
“Oh!”
“That’s right!”
“Tell us the agency!”
Those who had been momentarily distracted by the seven-year contract period began to regain their senses at the mention of the agency.
[If you end up with a bad agency, it’s hard on the fans too, right?]
I was a bit taken aback that he would make such a comment so openly.
Of course, it was probably in the script RED CUBE had written for him.
‘Then again, they have every right to be confident.’
[The agency that has decided to partner with RED CUBE is none other than JR Entertainment.]
JR Entertainment.
It was a company large enough to hold its own against the major agencies that people had recently come to recognize as the big three.
Although the company had grown more thanks to its artists’ self-producing talents than its own management, its scale was by no means small, so it was bound to be seen as a very good deal.
It wasn’t a small agency, nor was it a new one created by NTV.
[So, contestants, you’ll have to work even harder, won’t you?]
Wi Yeo-jun began his concluding remarks.
The competition stage was finally over.
‘Now all that’s left is to wait for the combined results of all the votes.’