Debut or Die

“Oh~ Idol Inc.”

“It started this week.”

When the for the new season of Idol Inc came up, some of the guys watching the drama admired it with no sincerity.

They probably weren’t really looking forward to it. They were filmed in it, so I guessed they were just pretending to acknowledge it.

However, by the time the 30-second ad was over, that composure had turned into incredulity and shame.

[KPOP National Idol created by <Idol Inc.>]

[Global phenomenon going beyond Korea to the world]

[Testar(TeSTAR)]

[Meet the following stock idols!]

“Oh, my God.”

More than half of the publicity was focused on ‘how great Testar is and how will they appear in season 4’.

‘…They picked the easy way out.’

At the time season 3 aired, it was incredibly popular, and the debut group even did better beyond its momentum, so there was nothing like this in the early aggro.

‘Putting the ad at the end of this drama must have been intentional.’

They put up an for Season 4 right after Bae Sejin, a former participant of Idol Inc Season 3, made a surprise appearance at the drama.

It meant that they had aimed for this picture from the beginning. There was a reason why the company didn’t skip the proposal and passed it over to Bae Sejin.

‘So, what they picked as the initial audience’s traction… are Testar’s fans.’

“…Hmm.”

Even if the fan bases wouldn’t overlap, the fact that the fandom could leak was not a good thing.

T1 probably thought it wouldn’t matter if they induced the transfers because the kids who would debut in season 4 would belong to them anyway.

‘At any rate, it’s going to attract a real consumer base after creating such a buzz in the beginning.’

However, if Season 4 didn’t go as well as they expected… They might also try to use Testar’s opportunity again.

‘It’s not good.’

From my point of view, Season 4 was a ticking time bomb.

I already saw that sh*t happening during the Rookie Award due to the controversy over Ryu Chungwoo and being the writer’s relative, but if a fairness controversy issue happened in Season 4, it wouldn’t be weird if we got entangled in it.

Already, Testar had been overcoming the fatigue that came from all the noises since their debut by pushing with the album quality and image. It was no longer a problem.

‘We have to end it with this appearance.’

…And, if possible, I wished we had less airtime.

I already knew. It was a hopeless wish.

‘Those bastards, they even took individual cuts…’

They’d probably use us as much as they could until their own popularity was on track.

Sure enough, Keun Sejin, who was rummaging through his smartphone, smiled.

“Oh~ We also appear in other trailers.”

Just by listening to it, I could tell that the greeting voices of Testar and the screaming participants of this season were nicely put together and well-edited.

[I am Seon Ahyeon…]

[Kyaaa!!]

“I-I’m a little embarrassed…”

“Ahyeon hyung came out very handsome. Don’t worry, I think you’ll look fine!”

“That, u-uh…”

It seemed Kim Raebin’s words embarrassed him the most. I could understand.

On this day, I checked the reaction to Bae Sejin’s appearance in the drama and briefly checked the reaction to the new season of Idol Inc before I wrapped up my day.

So far, it became a hot topic without much conflict, but somehow I couldn’t shake off the thought that it was like the calm before the storm.

And a few days later, Idol Inc’s new season began to air.

* * *

“Hello, Loviewer~”

“Hello!”

With a lively greeting, Keun Sejin pressed a button on his smartphone.

[W LIVE has ended.]

Coincidentally, we had a bit of time, and the period came around, so we did a W live.

The topic… I’d be honest. I ran out of repertoires, so I just did some cooking.

Still, I believe it would be fine since it was meat. The guys in charge of eating liked it.

“Can I eat this?”

“Yeah. Eat.”

The last half of the beer can chicken, which was the menu of the day, went into Cha Eugene’s mouth.

‘You eat well.’

This guy had the best appetite among the members who joined the W live (due to empty schedules).

Me, Keun Sejin, Cha Eugene, and… Bae Sejin.

“You’ve worked hard, hyung.”

“I didn’t do anything, so what are you…”

Bae Sejin murmured, avoiding my gaze.

“No. Hyung helped the most in cooking.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

“Well, ahem, well then.”

It was safe to say that Bae Sejin was the only one helping, as Keun Sejin focused on making people laugh and Cha Eugene focused on eating.

In addition, to borrow Keun Sejin’s words, Bae Sejin was quite ‘cooperative’ today.

He had reacted a lot and tried to actively participate in friendly conversations that were not related to the progress.

And Bae Sejin’s efforts would come back with greater results than he thought.

Because his timing was good.

‘Bae Sejin did a really good job in the drama.’

It was a well-known fact that Bae Sejin used to be a child actor, but his image overall was that he was inferior to the other members due to his footage in Idol Inc.

So, in this drama appearance, his ‘acting’ skill was recognized again and his stock price recovered considerably.

It was like this.

– Bae Sejin, you scared me I thought he was really possessed

– The 10-million actor at age 11 doesn’t go anywhere???

– When we saw it together, my mother was so happy that the kid has grown up like this.

– I wanted to see you longer. Please work in a drama~??

He played a very sensible cameo role, so even if his appearance was short, it left a deep impression and his acting skills were great.

‘Good for you.’

So, if I had to pick an issue, it was Bae Sejin’s solo fans and anti-fans who might have thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be better for you to act?’.

However, since it was an eventful one-shot appearance, their noises didn’t rise to the chopping board, so this was enough for now.

‘It’d be nice if you could continue to show your good side in your own content.’

This atmosphere of him enjoying the group activities was enough.

‘From a moral point of view, I think it would be just right for him to start acting in earnest in two or three years.’

Well, actually, I didn’t know what the situation would be like starting from the end of next year.

If this was the end of my status abnormality, by that time, I wouldn’t have had to focus on such far-fetched achievements.

‘Of course, I have to focus on the present.’

So I tried to proceed with the monitoring of Idol Inc’s new season, which wasn’t even set in stone right now.

I thought Testar’s appearance in the first episode was just for fishing around, so I waited until it was piled up to the second episode.

“Moondaemoondae, what are you doing~?”

“I’m going to watch Idol Inc.”

“Oh~ That’s a good idea.”

I used the TV in the empty living room and moved to WeTube. The guys who had filmed the W live together slowly settled down around me.

‘They must have been curious inside.’

I was able to check the broadcast clip right away from the main page.

[<Re-listed! Idol Inc. 2> Stock Testar ★ Appearance Episode 1 and 2 Testar Clip]

These things usually took some time to be released, but it must have become a hot topic right away.

“Oh~ The thumbnail is Moondae!”

I was the official first-place winner.

Anyway, I clicked right away.

[What does <Idol Inc.> mean to me?]

On the screen, there was a solo shot of Testar members with serious faces against a dark background.

[I was so nervous!]

[To me, Idol Inc is…]

[…A new opportunity?]

[The turning point of my life]

It seemed they were trying to set the mood by saying ‘Our Idol Inc. is such an amazing program’ with these cuts.

“Ugh~ It’s no joke.”

“Cheesy!”

“…Sigh.”

The video continued straight ahead, leaving behind the people who were distracted by the taste of Idol Inc’s show business after a long time.

Testar, who was embarrassed when looking back at their season 3 appearance cuts, appeared with warm BGM.

“Hey, Moondae can’t raise his head. Are you embarrassed because of the chicken feet? Are you embarrassed because you ate the chicken feet so deliciously?”

“Shut up.”

And the scene was connected with this season’s participants who were watching Testar’s appearances on Idol Inc and their activities.

[Really, I want to make a stage like that.]

[I think it motivates me to challenge myself.]

“…Those were good times.”

“Cheer up, guys~“

“I hope it goes well.”

Members who watched this scene with sympathizing eyes sighed in the next scene.

[Season 3 participants appear on the set!]

[Kkaaaaaah ↗!!]

[※ This is not the sound of crows ※]

Since each member of Testar was captured well, they replayed it about three times to shed light on the scene of our appearance.

The finishing touches were the interviews with the participants.

[He was my one pick. I’m going crazy…!]

[I… I was just screaming from my throat!]

[I couldn’t control myself. Hehehe!]

[Moon Puppy in person! Really! I thought my heart was going to explode!]

I bet on my beer can chicken that the poor last contestant was going to be torn apart on the Internet for calling her direct senior by nickname instead of honorific.

“Hmm, it’s more embarrassing than I thought.”

“Why?? I like it!”

While the members’ opinions were divided, the fierce welcome on the screen calmed down a bit as the members of Testar took turns delivering words of well-wishing remarks and support.

First, Cha Eugene.

[WOW!Everyone, cheer up! Don’t be nervous, enjoy the moment, and work hard!]

There must be a few people who pretended to be upset, saying that he could say such a thing only because he’d never been cursed out, but it was okay because that complaint would have come out no matter what Cha Eugene said.

Next was Bae Sejin.

[…I hope you can get what you want from here.]

Hmm, they could instigate him, saying that he could only say such obvious things because his skills were not good enough, but that attack could backfire and fail.

Next… Keun Sejin.

[<Idol Inc.> is a big audition. Therefore, I think it’s a place where you can’t help but think that things didn’t go the way you thought like you expected.]

He was laying the groundwork for ‘you might fail’.

[But you can’t deny that it’s an opportunity, so I hope you do everything you can so that you don’t have any regrets. I’ll be rooting for you!.]

The focus was on the challenge itself rather than achievement.

Hmm, there was no problem here. The program also slightly raised its status without being offensive.

‘This guy is still quick-witted.’

Anyway, it had been all right so far. There was no weird editing, and it seemed there were a lot more people who liked it.

But my turn hadn’t come out yet. I was the last one.

“Moondae hyung!”

“Oh~ The last one!”

It wasn’t until the playback bar almost reached the end of the video that Park Moondae on the screen picked up the microphone.

[While appearing here…]

And suddenly, soundless flashbacks started to appear.

“…?”

[There were times when I felt my limit. Whether it’s my ability or my situation.]

The scenes of Park Moondae dancing to Popcorn, practicing without sleeping during the midterm evaluation, and stretching after practicing the choreography passed by one after another.

And… There was also a cut of him sitting on a bed alone with a complicated expression.

“…”

It was unaired footage. It was probably the scene when I realized the past of ‘Park Moondae’.

[But sometimes you can go beyond those limits.]

The scene of Park Moondae on the stage smiling briefly while shouting slogans among the participants from the same team was briefly captured.

[I hope you will be able to look at yourself with a wider perspective when this filming is over.]

When the screen returned, Park Moondae, who had become Testar, bowed his head.

[Thank you for listening.]

After that cut, the tearful participants of this season were captured. Of course, it was accompanied by the emotionally arranged BGM of this season’s theme song.

“…”

“…That.”

Bae Sejin carefully opened his mouth.

“I don’t think you said it like that.”

Right. It was pure fabrication.

I was asked ‘You won first place, so please make it a little longer!’ and I finished the cheering with an easy-going tone amidst the goodwill of the participants.

Oh no… It meant there was no nuance that connected Park Moondae’s past activities like a panorama.

Of course, there were no tears from the participants.

The kids were just having fun.

But it wasn’t surprising.

“It’s really just like Idol Inc.”

“That… yes.”

With this conversation, everyone in this room was convinced of the situation.

However, it seemed that ‘everyone’ on the Internet was not.

“Moondae, there are some articles?”

“…Really?”

[<Idol Inc.>’s new season is on the way. From Dark Horse to Winner… Will Park Moondae’s reversal gets reproduced?]

[The public’s number 1, Park Moondae’s wise advice. <Re-listed! Idol Inc. 2>]

[<Re-listed! Idol Inc. 2> Park Moondae, who was a bad stock, passing on the secret of his rapid rise?]

‘You bastards.’

It was the taste of Idol Inc’s aggro after a long time.

Author's Thoughts

I am back^^.

English alphabet will be in bold instead of blue color from now on. I wish I had thought of that earlier. Sorry for the inconsistent format.