Chapter 197
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 197
A portion of the script for Let’s Sing Together? was leaked.
Because Seo Ho-yun had intercepted the lines for his unit, the potential controversy was nipped in the bud. The youngest member of Lia Purple felt a sense of relief, and thus, Ho-yun’s "good deed" was officially recognized.
As the item description stated that "designated good deeds will be automatically exposed to random people in various formats," it was inevitable that parts of the script would be leaked to spread word of Ho-yun’s kindness toward the Lia Purple maknae.
[Is this for real?
This was the original script:
Yeon-ri (Lia Purple): Oppa, is the food good?
Gu Chan (Mars): Yes, it’s even better today. Probably because I’m in a good mood.
Yeon-ri (Lia Purple): How did we end up as partners? I’m having so much fun.
Gu Chan (Mars): Yeon-ri sunbae-nim, we’ve been running into each other so often lately. I’m starting to think it’s fate.
Yeon-ri (Lia Purple): (Laughs shyly) Oppa! You’re making me blush. Just call me Yeon-ri like you usually do.
Let’s_Sing_Together_Script1.jpg
Yeon-ri (Lia Purple): I’ve wanted to perform with you for a long time!
Gu Chan (Mars): We haven’t had many chances. I’m so excited to be doing this right before the performance...
Yeon-ri (Lia Purple): I’m nervous and excited too!
Let’s_Sing_Together_Script2.jpg
Source: Shared from elsewhere lol]
[Omg, this is shockingly, painfully boring...]
While it varied by program, usually when a reality show script was leaked, both the production team and the cast were bashed for "deceiving the viewers."
However, the reaction to Let’s Sing Together? was different.
[Did Yeon-ri scream "Jajangmyeon" because she couldn't bring herself to follow this script?
Ah, I’m literally wheezing right now.
So cute, lololol.]
[Is that why Gu Chan just went along with Yeon-ri’s nonsense? Hahaha, no wonder their conversation felt so disjointed. Sigh...]
The nuances clearly followed a script, yet nothing had actually matched up.
[What the staff wanted: Sweet, fluttering romance.
What Gu Chan and Yeon-ri did: Apocalypse survival mates.
└ I’m crying right now, help me lolololol.
└└ (Bonus) What the Ho-hu Ho-hu couple did: Sweet, heart-pounding, risky romance vibes ♡
└└ Stop making up couple names, please! Lolololol.]
The leaked script was completely outdated, written without any consideration for the idols' actual personalities, and above all, it wasn't funny.
Instead, the idols' determination to avoid the forced romance while technically following the script came across as hilarious and endearing to the public.
Naturally, Seo Ho-yun was cast in a new light as well.
[In the leak:
(Ho-yun: Glances at Yeon-ri)
Ho-yun: We’ve been running into each other so often lately. I’m starting to think it’s fate.
Ho-yun: You said you wanted to perform with me before.
Ho-yun: We haven’t had many chances until now. I’m excited.
These were originally Yeon-ri’s lines, but he took them because she looked uncomfortable.
└ Wow... that couldn't have been easy. Amazing.
└└ Wait, really?? ㅠㅠ He looks prickly, but he really takes care of people behind the scenes... Ho-yun is actually so kind...
└└ My heart is fluttering... ㅠㅠ Covering for her like that is so cool. ㅠㅠ
└ Lol, fangirls and their legendary reaches.
└└ Shut up and read the room.]
It wasn't that Seo Ho-yun was kind; he simply did it because he thought it was the perfect way to boost both himself and Kang Yeon-hu.
Of course, regardless of his motives, it was true that the struggling Lia Purple maknae had been saved.
[Title: So that’s why Seo Ho-yun was dropping those "guilty" lines.
He was saying them instead of Yeon-ri.
Ah.
Seriously, what am I going to do with this man? Facepalms repeatedly
└ Yeon-ri’s patience is incredible... If it were me, I would’ve screamed "Let’s get married" at Seo Ho-yun right then and there.
└└ Ah ㅠㅠ lol, why are you doing this to Yeon-ri? ㅠㅠ lolol.
└└ Sorry, that was just my wicked inner thoughts.]
[If this is true, did they just ignore the staff’s script? Lol, Seo Ho-yun’s power move is insane. lol.]
[If he was going to do it, he should’ve done it alone. Did he even tell Yeon-hu? lol. Looks like he didn't even get consent and is just desperate for awareness.]
[Eh, isn't this just staged? lol. I’m not feeling it... The script leak feels a bit much too. Isn't this just a play by the production team?]
Amidst the flood of reactions, there were, of course, negative posts.
And in fact, it was a play. It just wasn't the production team’s doing—it was Seo Ho-yun’s item at work.
[What... lol. Why would the production team leak their own script and take the heat? That’s self-sabotage.]
[Hey, look at Kang Yeon-hu’s Nutube views after the show aired~ Kang Yeon-hu seriously blew up thanks to this variety show, lolololol.]
[Guys... let’s turn off the internet and go for a walk... haha.]
Furthermore, following the script leak, additional rumors began to circulate.
[This is just a "heard it from a friend" rumor from a staff member working in broadcasting, lol.
Apparently, there was originally a script for Yeon-hu and Ho-yun to cry while talking about Shining Star.
They were aiming for that "rivals opening up about their pain and acknowledging each other" trope.
└ That is so extra.
└ If that had aired, the internet would’ve been on fire...]
It was true that the script included a brief mention of appearing on Shining Star Season 2 and a few questions from the MC.
However, because the post was slightly exaggerated, both Noeul and High Five fans were horrified.
They had only just managed to put the Shining Star talk to rest. If a scene trying to force a "touching moment" had aired, both Kang Yeon-hu and Seo Ho-yun would have been torn to shreds.
[Ho-yun, thank you for changing it to romance instead...]
[Seriously, thank you, holy shit...
Though it also feels like he’s just teasing Yeon-hu...
└ Ah, lolololol.]
In any case, once the controversy died down, everyone was busy rewatching the broadcast and laughing.
[Title: Regardless, Ho-yun, you’re still a madman.
"Hyung, I’m hurt. Just call me Ho-yun like you usually do." < Who actually says that line in real life?
└ Ho-yun is just enjoying himself.
└└ Ah, that’s hilarious, lolololol.]
[Then Kang Yeon-hu must have known Seo Ho-yun was saying those lines on purpose... lol. Thinking about it is so funny.
Viewers: Is that guy crazy?
Kang Yeon-hu: Is that guy crazy?
└ Whether he knew the lines or not, nothing changes...
└└ You caught me...]
It was very rare for a cast to avoid criticism and instead see a surge in popularity after a script leak.
All four of them saw their awareness skyrocket with distinct images.
The Lia Purple maknae and Mars’s main vocal became the "idols of this era working hard to survive,"
Seo Ho-yun became the "witty madman,"
And Kang Yeon-hu became the "pitiful victim(?)" caught up in that madman’s antics.
Once it became a hot topic, people went further, rewatching the episodes multiple times to deduce which parts were scripted and which were genuine.
[This part looks like a line.
No, if this isn't Yeon-ri’s line, then Seo Ho-yun is a literal psychopath.]
[Ah, lololol, I’m dying, lol. But looking at The Dawn’s self-produced content, Seo Ho-yun is totally capable of doing this voluntarily.]
[I mean, this is the guy who calls Kim Seong-hyeon "Baby" and Jeong Da-jun "Bangbang-i"...]
In the meantime, everyone was slowly being won over by each unit of this chaotic program.
[The progression of Yeon-hu going from flustered -> disgusted -> resigned is so cute... lololol.]
[Yeon-ri and Gu Chan... they were flustered at first, but then they just accepted it and started discussing the stage while doing poppin'.
Guys, we didn't ask you to work this hard.]
[Meanwhile, the source of all this, Seo Ho-yun.
So relaxed~
└ If I were him, I’d be annoyed too.]
At the same time, attention also turned to Kang Yi-chae, who appeared very briefly.
[Wait??? He composed almost everything for The Dawn??
└ Yeah, Shabby Confession too.
└└ Kang Yi-chae is already top-tier among idol composers, lol.
└└ Is he crazy? If it were me, I’d make a song called I’m a Korean Millionaire and just flex.]
[But the fact that Kang Yi-chae never uses lyrics about money or girls is what kills me...]
Appearing in Episode 2, Kang Yi-chae churned out "guilty" remarks like a machine while interacting with Seo Ho-yun, then turned those very words into lyrics. Even Seong Ji-won, who was suddenly summoned to the recording studio via a phone call, added rich harmonies to the song with a dead-serious expression.
[Our Jadon... the cute little piglets are the same even on national TV...]
[Why is The Dawn so full of weirdos... lol.]
Kang Yeon-hu remained silent as he stared at his phone screen, where endless posts about how much people were looking forward to the stage dominated the real-time trends.
Beside him, Seo Ho-yun spoke, his eyes curving into a deep smile.
"Not too bad, right?"
"……."
.
.
.
As the curtain rose, cheers erupted.
The stage, sparkling with a flashy disco ball and retro lighting, looked like a performance space in a small, quiet pub abroad.
As if I had just stepped out for a casual drink with friends on a Friday night, I wore a white T-shirt with a black leather jacket and sunglasses tucked into the neckline, pretending to chat with the dancers.
When the song began, the dancers playfully pushed me forward.
I scratched the back of my head as if embarrassed, then grabbed the microphone fixed to the stand in front of me.
A smooth blues sound flowed, and the bright lights shone as if to pierce my eyes.
【I didn't see that coming】
It was the start of "Still Do," composed by Kang Yi-chae with lyrics contributed by Kang Yeon-hu.
【Didn't think you'd show up too】
Following Cheong-beom’s advice, Kang Yi-chae had watched dozens of romantic comedies to create various demos. He eventually fell in love with the genre itself and wrote this song about the moment of accidentally running into an ex at a pub.
Perhaps, no matter who stood on this stage, no one could bring this song to life as well as I could.
【Not a single apology when we said goodbye
Tomorrow, we might pretend we don't know each other
But just for today, let it slide】
Just then, Kang Yeon-hu appeared, waving casually with a khaki flight jacket draped over his shoulders.
【Hold my hand, babe!】
A roar of cheers erupted from the audience.
Thanks to this variety show, the rival dynamic from Shining Star Season 2 was slowly crumbling. Not just the respective fandoms, but general viewers were finding the chemistry between me and Kang Yeon-hu charming.
With Kang Yeon-hu’s shout, the drums went thump, thump, thump! and the melody shifted into retro-based funk-pop.
【Swept away by this heat
Is this thumping the beat or my heart?
Are we starting over or what?】
I had to admit it—I couldn't deny his skill.
His years as a trainee hadn't gone to waste; his vocals were incredibly stable.
In fact, when I checked Kang Yeon-hu’s stats, his singing was an A+, only slightly below Seong Ji-won.
【I know I confused you a lot
But since we ran into each other here anyway
We are not done yet】
Moreover, Kang Yeon-hu was truly enjoying the stage right now.
The guy who, until recently, had been filled with worry, anxiety, tension, nervousness, and distrust, was now smiling purely as if he had forgotten everything the moment he stepped on stage.
He acted like someone desperate to hear these cheers for just a moment longer, blinded by the lights and swept up in the heat.
That’s what it means to be an idol.
I let out a small smirk and pulled the mic stand toward me with both hands, casting a glance toward Kang Yeon-hu.
【Who cares about that!】
The drum beats hammered into my ears.
【Let's make a toast!
Tomorrow, let's just say we weren't in our right minds】
I had intentionally kept the choreography simple, with actual moves only for the highlight.
Under the swaying lights, Kang Yeon-hu and I matched our steps.
【Grab my waist!
Forget everything and stay by my side】
Then, the member with the most overwhelming "star quality" stat in The Dawn made his entrance.
"Aaaaaaaah!!"
The screen at the back opened, and Kang Yi-chae stepped out.
The screams pierced through my in-ears.
Since he had gained significant awareness through this broadcast, we had brought him out as a surprise guest.
【Hi, my love.】
Wearing an oversized white shirt, Kang Yi-chae winked at the camera pressed close to him and spat out his rap as he strode forward.
【Your innocence, thinking this is a coincidence, is the same as ever
Actually, I have no intention of being satisfied with just this moment
I can't just let this slide】
Since most of his screen time had consisted of him wearing a pineapple hat, spinning around in a chair, humming strange lyrics to a beat, or just bickering with me, his appearance as a perfectly normal, handsome guy had a huge impact.
Seeing Kang Yi-chae take his share of the spotlight so effectively without needing any help made me feel naturally proud.
【I'm planning to tell you tomorrow
Yes, I adored you, and I still do】
As he shifted his gaze, his eyes met mine. Kang Yi-chae smiled mischievously, tapped his heart, and blew a heart toward the camera.
That’s what it really means to be an idol.
As proven by his notebooks, which were now too numerous to count on both hands, he swept the stage with an overwhelming aura.
【Eh, let's talk about that next time】
His part finished, Kang Yi-chae spun around and lightly pushed me and Kang Yeon-hu forward.
【Who cares about today!】
At that moment, with a bang!, shiny gold and silver confetti fluttered everywhere.
The screen was filled with the two of us, looking slightly hazy as if captured by a film camera.
【Let's make a toast
Tomorrow, let's just say we weren't in our right minds】
I took the sunglasses hanging from my neckline and placed them on top of Kang Yeon-hu’s head. As the sunglasses wobbled and fell perfectly onto his face, a startled Kang Yeon-hu burst into laughter.
In this moment, he looked like he was enjoying everything.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as well.
Right, I did make a promise to Chae Jeong-woo.
【Let's make a toast again!
Tomorrow, let's just say we weren't in our right minds】
Did you really think I’d do anything bad to you?