Chapter 77
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 77
“Hello, everyone. I’m your Visible Radio DJ, Yoo Ji-ah. Today’s guests are people I’ve actually worked with on a program before.”
We were nearing the very end of this promotion cycle when we were scheduled to appear on a radio show.
While I wasn't exactly close personal friends with Yoo Ji-ah, we were at least on speaking terms. Perhaps because of that, the members of The Dawn seemed much more relaxed and immersed in the broadcast.
“Today’s guests are none other than the meteorically rising idol group—The Dawn!”
“Hello! We are the rising dawn, The Dawn!”
Visible Radio… definitely had its perks. It allowed fans to catch a glimpse of a more intimate and comfortable side of the members compared to regular broadcasts. It was a goldmine for creating what fans called ‘fan-service clips,’ and it served as a way to prove our live singing skills.
[Ugyak! ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ I’ve been waiting so long for today]
[Heol, Seo Ho-yun is wearing bright clothes today]
[That cardigan look is so good]
[What, did you finally throw away your black clothes??]
No… I still love them….
But I had no choice.
The members knew all too well about the fans’ pleas for me to wear something other than black. They had repeatedly told the stylist that today was the day I absolutely could not wear black…
And so, I ended up wearing something quite bright.
I didn't really see the appeal, but…
Well… if they like it, I guess….
Yoo Ji-ah smiled warmly as she watched the chat window scroll up faster than usual. Under her expert lead, the radio show proceeded smoothly.
“That’s right! And I heard you’ve prepared some songs. Can we hear a snippet from each of you?”
Since it’s considered basic etiquette to prepare something when appearing on the radio, we had practiced thoroughly.
[[You can’t find love here
but you can put your love in]]
[?????? Is this a dream?]
[I’m actually hearing ‘Put Love’ coming out of Seong Ji-won’s mouth...?]
[ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Ji-won, I love you ㅜ]
The song Seong Ji-won sang was by a foreign female artist. It had become a hot topic for its lyrics, which carried various suggestive nuances despite the sweet voice and smooth beat.
As Seong Ji-won sang it with great flair, the chat window was filled with the metaphorical wailing of fans in agony over his charm.
“Thank you.”
Seong Ji-won had been completely immersed while singing, acting like it was no big deal, but as soon as the song ended, his face turned bright red and he laughed bashfully.
Beside him, Jeong Da-jun adjusted his headset and gave a thumbs up.
I sang a song I’d picked out reasonably well, and as I turned my head, I locked eyes with Yoo Ji-ah.
……?
For a split second, I felt a strange vibe… but Yoo Ji-ah naturally moved on to her next line.
Thanks to her experience as an actress and her years of radio broadcasting, she was so professional that even the fans didn't notice anything.
[Ho-yun, your song choices are seriously amazing. How did a boy group member think of singing this????
└ A Disney medley sung by a boy group? Ah, I’m going crazy.
└ And he has a bad personality, ah.
└└ Ah, a princess with a bad personality is the best.]
[Ah, Daepasung is doing a good job lately.]
After several more stories and segments, the radio show concluded successfully. As if she had been waiting for the cameras to turn off, Yoo Ji-ah approached me.
“Seo Ho-yun-ssi.”
“Yes.”
“It’s really heartening to see you getting along so well with your members.”
“It’s all thanks to your consideration, sunbae-nim.”
“Oh my?”
Even at my slick, empty flattery, Yoo Ji-ah gave a beaming smile. Then, she stared at me for a moment with a meaningful expression that felt unusual. This was someone who had survived the entertainment industry for years as a soloist, not a group member, before moving into acting.
…She’s dangling a hook.
“Is there something you’d like to say?”
“Ah.”
Since I had plenty of things on my conscience, I tried to play it off with a brazen smile. But Yoo Ji-ah seemed to see through it. She realized something and gave an awkward laugh.
“Hmm~, not yet, I see.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s nothing. Get home safely with your members.”
Leaving me with those cryptic words, Yoo Ji-ah disappeared to talk to the staff. I was staring after her, feeling unsettled, when Kim Seong-hyeon gestured to me.
“Let’s go.”
“…Yeah.”
Strange. As we headed toward the van, everyone was trudging along, clearly exhausted.
“That’s the last schedule done. Now we can finally rest a bit.”
“Huh? Rest?”
Seong Ji-won tilted his head in confusion, repeating Kang Yi-chae’s words.
Even I found this a bit scary.
“We have to practice.”
“…….”
“Don’t you want to release the next album?”
Do you even want to be singers?
Everyone started trembling. Kang Yi-chae looked horrified and practically clung to Seong Ji-won, begging.
“Hyung, please… stop…. We’ve only slept two hours a day lately.”
“So you’re saying we should be grateful and work even harder. I see.”
“Why is everyone turning into Seo Ho-yun?”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”
I put Kang Yi-chae in a headlock, and we bickered as we headed to the van. Honestly, at that moment, I didn't realize the meaning of Yoo Ji-ah’s words would hit me so suddenly.
Before everyone was even settled in the car and the engine started, the manager handed me something from the passenger seat.
“Ho-yun, take a look at this.”
“Yes?”
I took it reflexively and looked down.
……Wow, this is a bit much.
It was something anyone who had worked at a broadcasting station would recognize: a script.
The title was Please Take Care of the Camera. It was obviously a follow-up to the recently popular Please Give Me Cider. The manager gave a sly smile and spoke.
“It’s a script by Writer Kim Suk-hee, who’s really hot these days.”
“And?”
“Heck, the writer of Please Give Me Cider?!”
Jeong Da-jun suddenly popped up, excitedly reaching for the script. I pushed his forehead away and glared at the manager. I could see the manager flinch as he watched me through the rearview mirror.
“Ho-yun, you know.”
I could almost hear the manager’s brain whirring as he cautiously tried to find a way to persuade me.
“Your talent is far too good to let go to waste.”
“And what exactly is my talent?”
“……Your face?”
After his eyes darted around and he hesitated for a long time, the answer he came up with was my face. He even phrased it as a question.
What nonsense.
Still, it wasn't that I didn't understand the CEO’s perspective.
If a member appeared in a hit project and gained public recognition, the group would naturally benefit. In the long run, it wasn't necessarily a bad idea.
However, we were rookies. I was practically a foreign object inserted into the group halfway through, and it hadn't even been a year since our debut.
…It’s still too early.
Even if our album promotions were over, did they want to risk splitting the fandom with premature solo activities?
“There’s a character here named Lee Jeong-hun. The CEO saw it and said this is the perfect role for you, Seo Ho-yun. He said you absolutely have to read it!!”
“I said I’m not doing it….”
“Hyung! Heol! Just read it once! It’s Writer Kim Suk-hee!!”
Jeong Da-jun, who had been pushed back by his forehead and was clinging to the back of the seat while gauging the atmosphere, started making a fuss again. Kim Seong-hyeon, who was at least somewhat considerate, covered Da-jun’s mouth and dragged him back, giving me a look.
He was telling me to take my time talking about it. Yeah, thanks.
“Just once, just read the script once. It’s such a waste otherwise.”
“Hmm…….”
“If things go well, you might actually pass and get the part.”
“I just have to read the script?”
“Yes, of course!”
Reading a script wasn't a difficult task in the first place. I had only hesitated on purpose because I needed to play hard to get.
I hummed as I watched the manager anxiously drum his fingers on the steering wheel.
“Then do me one favor.”
“Uh, what is it?”
“Set up a meeting with the planning team for me.”
“Huh?”
The manager’s confused eyes met mine through the rearview mirror.
“There’s a project I want to do.”
“……Your next album isn't that far off, though? Where will you find the time??”
Of course, album promotions are the heart and soul of being an idol. But it would be disappointing to say that’s all there is to it.
It’s better not to have a hiatus at all.
For a hard-working idol, they might make a comeback up to three times a year. That means once every four months.
Including preparation, four months fly by, but in the end, the time the fans actually see us is only the one month of promotions.
“We’ll have to make time.”
Regardless of the fans waiting for us, it was crucial to keep dropping content through self-produced variety shows.
The reason Lee Ji-hyeon had hit a wall before was also related to communication issues.
Gotta use the motor while the water’s coming in.
“Can I ask you to set it up for tomorrow?”
“Hmm… sure, of course! I’ll talk to them on my end first.”
“Thank you.”
I could already see the planning team gritting their teeth, thinking, ‘Seo Ho-yun is making more work again,’ but…
I’ll bring in the money, guys!
As long as I produced something brilliant that resulted in bonuses for them, what did it matter? Financial therapy would quickly soothe any anger.
Having said my piece, I fluttered the script.
“Then I’ll read it.”
The manager nodded quickly, as if afraid I might change my mind. I stroked my chin as I looked at the manager, who had been quite obedient lately.
Another road manager was supposed to join us soon, the planning team was being carried by Lee Ji-hyeon, and I heard they were even forming a dedicated A&R team because they wanted to emulate the big corporations.
As expected, a person needs to throw a fit periodically.
I smiled with satisfaction. After pushing them once using Jeong Da-jun’s contract as leverage and acting like a brat every time I saw them, the company was finally starting to take proper shape.
And one more thing.
I glanced at the manager.
“Mmm-hmm, I’m in a good mood today~.”
…How cheerful.
How much longer can I use him?
I tilted my head slightly and looked at the manager. If our manager were just endlessly cheerful, I would have cut him loose long ago….
After thinking it over, I asked casually.
“Manager-nim, did you say you have a family?”
“Yeah! My lovely and respected wife~ and Grace Rosie~.”
“Grace Rosie?”
“That’s the name of our mixed-breed dog.”
“…….”
He had better naming sense than Ju Woo-seong, who had named his beautiful cat ‘Nyang-nyang-i.’
“But Ho-yun, why do you ask??”
“Haha, just curious.”
Well, whatever, it was good.
For the things I was going to ask for in the future, a man with a wife and a pet daughter (named Grace Rosie) was more suitable than a single man with no one to be responsible for.
I let out a short laugh and turned my gaze out the window.
Upon arriving at the dorm, I flopped onto the sofa to compose myself, but Jeong Da-jun kept hovering around me.
“…Um, Ho-yun hyung.”
“Read it if you want.”
“Kyaaa! It’s an honor!”
Jeong Da-jun grabbed the script and dashed into his room. Under Seong Ji-won’s active insistence, we had agreed to handle our individual tasks before meeting at the practice room, so the other members also quickly scattered to their rooms.
Left alone in the quiet living room, I whispered.
“Hey.”
[You want your stats?]
“Give them to me since you know what I want.”
Do I really have to say ‘Stats’ out loud to thin air at my age?
[Seo Ho-yun
A truly, truly, truly rude idol who always does whatever he wants.
Singing: A
Dancing: B+
Variety: A-
Acting: B-
???: ???
Charm: B+]
Did my variety stat go up a bit….
This promotion cycle had yielded decent results. Compared to the growth of others’ stats, it was a remarkable achievement.
I could leave dancing alone for a while, and the remaining question mark still hadn't revealed itself. And I had no intention of raising my acting stat.
Should I wash up first?
“Uah!”
I’d have to shower again after the practice room anyway, but feeling a bit grimy, I decided to take a quick shower. As I looked up, Jeong Da-jun was staring down at me from right in front of my face.
“……Hyung.”
“Whoa, geez, you scared me.”
Had he finished it already? Jeong Da-jun was holding the script preciousy, kneeling before me with a dazed expression.
“What, what’s wrong? Get back.”
“No, this is Jeong-hun. It’s Lee Jeong-hun….”
What is he talking about….
Who is Lee Jeong-hun?
An alarm bell rang in my head telling me it would be better for my health to ignore him and go shower, but at that moment, Jeong Da-jun grabbed the hem of my pants and clung to me.
“Jeong-huuuuun-ssi! You’re a perfect match!!”
“What are you talking about?”
“Hyung, listen. I read halfway through, and I swear to heaven, the person in here is exactly like you. The personality, the way of speaking, it’s just you.”
“Get lost.”
“Kyaaa! It’s too similar! Do you see this? I have goosebumps on my arm??”
Jeong Da-jun lifted his arm to show me, but I pushed it away, not wanting to see.
“Please act! This is a waste of talent!!”
Whatever….
I had no intention of acting anyway.
However, I was genuinely startled by the words that came out next.
“PD Lee Jeong-huuuun! Please!!”
What?