Chapter 165
Chapter 165
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 165
Chapter Title: Chaos on the YouQuiz Set
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Noh Jae-seok and Oh Se-ho's faces were etched with clear tension as they prepared for filming.
They kept glancing around nervously, at a complete loss.
This was a program that had easily surpassed 100 episodes.
But they'd never filmed in an environment like this before.
"Ahem... Clearing my throat..."
"Hyung, why are your hands shaking so much?"
Oh Se-ho showed his trembling hands to Noh Jae-seok, who was loosening up his voice.
To celebrities, reporters were terrifying existences.
It was like the inexplicable jitters you got just seeing the police, even if you hadn't done anything wrong.
Noh Jae-seok forced a smile at Oh Se-ho's reaction and said,
"We just do what we always do."
"I know, but... that thing you mentioned earlier? It feels like it's already happening, and it's making me uneasy."
Noh Jae-seok glanced at the production crew, then made a hush gesture toward Oh Se-ho.
"Sorry."
Oh Se-ho returned to his spot.
"What a shame..."
Noh Jae-seok, who had been reviewing the cue cards right up until filming started, wore a bitter expression.
He shook his head at the empty seat where PD Park should have been.
Just before YouQuiz filming began.
The guests booked for this episode finally got to see each other's faces.
And there, they encountered an unexpected figure.
"Sorry..."
Someone as hot right now as Yong-un—if not quite on his level.
Junsu, the A-Rank Hunter from Iron Army Guild.
The moment Junsu spotted Yong-un and Sena, he bowed his head in apology.
"I heard this kid has nothing to do with it."
"Yes, that's right."
Mu-hee answered Yong-un's question.
An outsider was apologizing, while those involved were trying to hide the facts.
Yong-un let out a scoffing snort at the ironic situation.
"What a waste of talent, clinging to a rotten rope."
"We're starting filming! Everyone, quiet please."
The guy with the "Maknae PD" nametag stepped out and demanded silence from everyone.
Once the surroundings were cleared, the maknae PD shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Shoot!"
A war unknown to ordinary folk.
The curtain on that war had just risen.
Those seeking to reveal the truth versus those desperate to bury it.
Yong-un already knew who would win. He smiled at Noh Jae-seok, who was signaling the start of the program.
Anyone who knew Noh Jae-seok and Oh Se-ho well would notice.
Their expressions and gestures today were markedly different from usual.
"Please welcome our guests."
Like the time a firefighter or some hero who saved countless lives appeared.
Noh Jae-seok's voice dropped low and grew heavy.
And out walked the guests responsible for that change.
Sena, Yong-un, Junsu.
The legendary guests who had sparked YouQuiz's second golden age.
Plus the Venom Witch and Mu-hee.
The Ghost Souls from Ghost Soul Annihilation—who had skyrocketed in popularity after the Armang Shopping Mall ad, right behind Junsu—walked out to applause.
They took their seats one by one on the prepared chairs, and Noh Jae-seok flipped to the next cue card.
His eyes naturally met PD Park's.
PD Park nodded firmly toward Noh Jae-seok.
'Sigh...'
Noh Jae-seok's composure cracked.
He had seen these cue cards before coming.
But even seeing them again, his first thought was that this was all wrong.
Swallowing a deep internal sigh, Noh Jae-seok looked at the many guests and opened according to the cue card.
"You're all already famous, but per YouQuiz protocol, please introduce yourselves once more."
"Hello. Nice to see you again. I'm Sena, president of Armang Shopping Mall."
"Yong-un here."
"I... am... Doe Mi-nyeo."
"I'm Mu-hee."
Names Sena and Mu-hee had come up with, deeming "Venom Witch" unsuitable for direct use.
And finally.
"Junsu here."
Junsu, the hottest guest after Yong-un, offered his greeting with a heavy expression.
"Second time around—feeling awkward?"
Oh Se-ho pointed at Junsu as he spoke.
Junsu gave an awkward smile in response.
"You were so kind last time... no awkwardness here..."
He had more to say, but Junsu glanced somewhere and held back.
A sudden silence fell after Junsu's words.
Silence stretching over five seconds.
It was so utterly quiet that calling it a broadcast disaster wouldn't be an exaggeration. It made Oh Se-ho double-check his cue cards.
But the cue cards were blameless.
"Hyung?"
Oh Se-ho quietly called to Noh Jae-seok.
Per the cue cards, Noh Jae-seok should have moved to the next question.
But Noh Jae-seok just stared at his cue cards in silence, unable to continue.
"Hyung? Ask Junsu..."
Oh Se-ho glanced at PD Park while nudging Noh Jae-seok.
Then Noh Jae-seok lowered his cue cards, raised his hand as if making a vow, and pointed at a guest.
Not at Junsu, as scripted.
His finger stretched toward Sena.
"How about you, Sena?"
Oh Se-ho and even the production crew froze at Noh Jae-seok's sudden move.
But Noh Jae-seok pressed on undeterred by the atmosphere.
"You and Yong-un are on your second shoot too, but things feel very different now, don't they?"
"Hey, Jae-seok hyung?"
PD Park started to say something to Noh Jae-seok.
But at that moment, Yong-un cut him off, answering the question.
"Very different. The vibe's heavier than last time. We kept it light and fun back then, but today feels off—heavy somehow."
Sena chimed in too.
"Since you mentioned it's our second shoot, I'll say it: I didn't even think my first one aired. You saw the episode that went out, right?"
Noh Jae-seok was the one caught off guard by Sena's bold remark.
He hadn't expected the conversation to veer this way.
But he quickly regained his calm, nodding as if he understood exactly why Yong-un and Sena were doing this.
"Fair enough. Yesterday by air date, right? I saw the articles. Must've been upsetting."
"Jae-seok hyung!"
PD Park raised his voice, sensing the flow going awry.
Writer Pyo slammed her sketchbook—held so guests and hosts could see—making everyone flinch.
"You trying to tank the show? This won't air as is. Stick to the cue cards."
"Halting filming for a bit."
In any program, not just YouQuiz, the main PD held absolute power second only to sponsors.
The guests, Noh Jae-seok, and Oh Se-ho all looked shocked at PD Park's declaration.
But it was short-lived.
"No, keep going."
Station Director Jo Kyung—who they thought had left the studio—returned and placed a hand on PD Park's shoulder.
PD Park looked up at him.
Director Jo Kyung's face was furious and resolute.
"Then we'll continue."
Noh Jae-seok, gauging the mood, tried to resume immediately.
"No, halting and restarting."
"PD...?"
"PD Park!"
Director Jo Kyung finally lost his temper.
The production crew, clueless about whatever went down between them, couldn't grasp the situation.
Should they heed PD Park, the program's top authority, or Director Jo Kyung, the variety department head transcending the show?
They couldn't decide.
Then PD Park shot up from his seat and yelled at Director Jo Kyung.
"This is my program! Even if you're the director, you can't mess with it!"
PD Park had crossed the line.
The entire crew held their breath, eyes on the two.
"Tasting petty success has driven you mad, huh? Knew it would. Gotta thrash around like that for it to feel good."
"Pardon?"
Expecting mutual outrage, Director Jo Kyung was instead eerily calm.
His fiery temper turned cool—that sent a ominous chill through PD Park.
And that chill soon became reality from Director Jo Kyung's mouth.
"The president ordered it. As of now, PD Park, you're off YouQuiz main PD duty. Come in."
PD Park's lips quivered at Director Jo Kyung's words.
What was this?
The director alone was overwhelming.
But the network president above him?
"Looks like I'm back."
A familiar face emerged from behind Director Jo Kyung.
The man who had helmed over 100 episodes of YouQuiz with a benevolent smile, making it a long-runner—the embodiment of YouQuiz himself. Main PD Hwang was returning.
"Wha... what?"
PD Park stared at Director Jo Kyung in shock.
Director Jo Kyung leaned in and whispered in his ear.
"You wrecked the board you built. Thought it'd all go your way like when you ousted Hwang PD? Delusion. That wasn't skill—it was just your daddy being the director next door. You little shit."
"No... no way..."
"Got it? You're done, you shit. Sucks that trash like you drags me down too, but what can I do? Gotta reclaim my seat somehow."
Director Jo Kyung sneered down at PD Park.
Then he bellowed loudly.
"Security! There's an outsider on set! Drag him out!"
"We'll... drag him out!"
"Th-this can't be decided so fast! It's fraud! Fraud!!"
Security rushed in, hauling PD Park away.
His hysterical screams weren't exactly pleasant to watch.
The main PD getting axed and dragged out mid-shoot?
Even Noh Jae-seok, with over 30 years in broadcasting, had never seen the like.
"Short break, then resume under PD Hwang. Possible, PD Hwang?"
PD Hwang had inserted himself into the mess PD Park created.
Despite not knowing what needed fixing, he nodded with a subtle smile.
"It's what I did every day. Give me 30 minutes. Sorry, guests and MCs. Just 30 minutes. Apologies for the unsightly mess. Sorry!"
PD Hwang bowed repeatedly.
Then he gathered the crew for an emergency meeting.
"Writer Pyo."
Director Jo Kyung stopped Writer Pyo as she followed PD Hwang.
She flinched hard, her nerves shot, trembling.
Director Jo Kyung spoke to the writer, who stared off into the distance.
"You're done too. But you didn't push back, so I'll preserve your career. Pack up after this shoot and leave."
"......Who?"
"What?"
"Tell me whose power, and I'll go. Who? Sena? Yong-un? Who?"
Accepting her fate, Writer Pyo mustered courage.
But Director Jo Kyung just chuckled.
"Whose power? The viewers. The public."
"What does that..."
"More precisely, the power of truth? The guests' strength plays a part, sure, but what moved the president was the truth that moved the viewers."
Writer Pyo pulled out her in-ear monitor in disbelief at Director Jo Kyung's words.
"Never thought I'd hear that from you, Director."
"Never thought I'd say it. Didn't imagine this was possible... If I had, I wouldn't have fucked around. Touched something I shouldn't have. Damn dog..."
Before leaving with her in-ear, Writer Pyo checked Director Jo Kyung's nametag.
['Acting' Director Jo Kyung]
"We're not the only ones crashing."
"Fuck..."
"That seat you clung to by cutting off tails. Let's see how long it lasts."
Writer Pyo walked straight out.
Noh Jae-seok, watching from afar, let out a sigh full of regret.
"Might've been destined anyway."
"What do you mean?"
Oh Se-ho asked Noh Jae-seok casually.
Only then did Noh Jae-seok smile.
"You can fool one or two, but not hundreds or thousands forever. And if you do fool them, the karma that comes back bites harder than this."
"Like a sweet dream one night?"
"Nice phrasing. A dream. Those who succeed through greed sometimes blind themselves with it. Like today."
Oh Se-ho, whose face had been grim throughout, finally smiled.
"Still, relief. I was worried the show might vanish."
"Not worried—on pins and needles. Can't help liking it, though. Seeing Hwang PD back eases my mind."
"Hyung, want me to grab some coffee?"
Oh Se-ho beamed.
Noh Jae-seok grinned brightly and pointed at the guests.
"If you're buying, get for everyone. Or don't bother."
"Everyone it is!"
"Nah, here's my card. Use mine."
"Hey, I'll pay too."
"Shut it, use mine. Crew too. Wait—since we're all breaking, let's go together."
Noh Jae-seok and Oh Se-ho stood and headed to the nearby coffee shop.