Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 221

Continuous surprise attacks. And continuous feedback. Let’s focus on what I can do for them first.

It’s around three in the morning now. I have several cups of coffee in my hands. It’s part of a scheme to instill discipline among the arrangement team members and turn them into practice fanatics. Since I’m in charge, I don’t want anyone to be eliminated due to a lack of will or effort.

Walking down the hallway lined with group practice rooms, I entered one where the lights were on. And then, silence. Everyone was looking at me with relaxed faces, but they instantly froze.

One, two, three… twelve in total. A satisfactory number. It seems their enthusiasm has increased because the song and choreography are perfectly done.

“…Wow, seriously. What is it, am I hallucinating?”

One of the trainees, who doesn’t have much contact with me, rubbed his eyes and then looked at me again, startled. Yes, I am a real person.

“Have some coffee and cheer up.”

Showing off the results of my social skills training, I handed out coffee one by one. Fortunately, there was enough for everyone.

“…Um, may I ask why you came?”

Why are they acting like I’m in a place I shouldn’t be? I heard that other people come to check on practice sometimes. I know everything from Lukács.

“I just wanted to check on your practice a bit.”

Ji Dong-hwa’s dawn classroom, a time when I, exhausted from my schedule, and you, tired from practice, struggle together to move forward.

While everyone was in shock, only those who had been in our arrangement team nodded as if they were used to it. It seems that those who had received arrangement training from me as if they were getting private lessons quickly lined up.

“Teacher, you came again today!”

Ji-sang, standing next to the squirrel guy, waved his hand. In my mind, I’ve concluded that he’s a mix of Ryu Iden and Seok-jun.

“Since there might be some who don’t want it, shall we go to the next practice room only with those who want it?”

But I know. That no one can refuse. Because countless cameras are pouring down on this place, they can’t bring themselves to say they don’t want to.

I will give you advice that will be blood and flesh [extremely helpful and practical].

* * *

I said it once, but it’s easier to identify what isn’t justice than to define what justice is. Stealing can be understood in some situations, but it can’t be called justice. Just like that thing the person in front of me might be involved in.

“Oh, Dong-hwa, haha, this is a bit awkward.”

“Did you get home safely?”

Of course, as just a contestant, I can’t do anything right away, but I can secretly spread information and ruin the program itself. If I can create chaos in my own way without making it obvious, it’s not a bad option.

“The song that Dong-hwa and the trainee arranged together is getting a lot of praise internally!”

Making a song that’s easy to listen to without aiming for anything special isn’t that difficult, so even though I barely touched it, the trainees arranged it well on their own.

“The trainees were so intimidated that day. During the final check.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Hey, I only didn’t say, ‘Aren’t you guys sleepy?’ but in reality…….”

I was just telling them the reality. I still don’t understand how they could be the only two arranging in a competitive audition setting. And it wasn’t even dawn yet.

“Anyway, please do your best today! Just give us a cold assessment [unbiased and critical evaluation].”

“Yes, then.”

Anyway, it’s only a temporary thing for now. Something that I’m not even sure will happen or not. Something that doesn’t immediately benefit me. For now, I have no choice but to quietly do my job and prepare for the worst.

To Ryu Iden, my preparation might seem like a ‘sudden acceleration,’ but people are different.

* * *

The song is complete, and it’s time to wrap up individual practice for the full-scale stage preparation. They say there’s an opportunity to change the existing evaluation, but it doesn’t really mean much.

In the first place, the evaluation isn’t directly linked to debut, and the members who survive through popularity votes will debut. Moreover, only 7 out of 100 people will debut, so it’s going to be a complete mess.

“…No matter how I think about it, it seems deformed.”

“What is it, Dong-hwa?”

Ji Eun-young sunbae [senior colleague] showed interest. Her ponytail hairstyle suited her very well.

“It seems like there are too many competitive elements in one group.”

The same question I had when I appeared on the survival show. It’s one group, and they’ll be cheering for each other when they debut, so why do the fandoms of those members cause conflict?

I know that competition induces immersion, and immersion leads to topics, but still, as ‘one group,’ isn’t it a loss if you think about the future? The idea that everyone except the member you’re supporting should fail doesn’t seem like the direction to aim for.

Ji Eun-young sunbae listened to my story carefully and nodded.

“Well, what you’re saying isn’t wrong? But, what can you do? These kids are only going to be active together for about 3 or 4 years, even if it’s not confirmed yet, and then they’ll disband. It’s too short to consider the future.”

Wow. I didn’t know. Ji Eun-young sunbae took a bite of her cookie and gave me a puzzled look when she saw my expression. Then, she seemed to realize and her face filled with shock.

“What, you don’t know about project groups? How do you know less than me, who’s forty?”

“I heard from a friend that he has a blank slate of knowledge about idol culture?”

It’s not a blank slate, I’ve been studying steadily these days, so it’s quite filled, Lukács sunbae.

“Oh my, he must have only studied composition. And aren’t idols these days originally like that? I heard that individual fan culture is more active.”

“That’s right. Agencies also consider that and reflect it in their albums. But I heard that Dong-hwa’s group is different. They say there are relatively few ‘akgae’ [malicious fans who only support one member and attack others].”

Hmm, I don’t even know what ‘akgae’ is. I should go home today and get a lecture from Lee Hyun-jae or Ryu Iden.

“Really?”

“Yes. Surprisingly, the agency is trying to promote them evenly. It feels like they’re safely raising them with the money TOT earned. And there’s no one being sidelined on stage. Dong-hwa is also filming and selling self-produced content like crazy.”

“Really? That’s amazing. When I listen to the songs Dong-hwa wrote, I’m reminded of the composer I used to enjoy listening to. That person was really talented. I think it would be great if Dong-hwa wrote a ballad song with determination.”

“Come to think of it, it’s amazing. His dance lines are also very clean, teacher.”

“His vocals are good too. If he develops a little more, he’ll be flawless as a soloist?”

“It feels a bit like cheating.”

Suddenly, the coaches are all praising me with one mind. I don’t know what they’re talking about with their skills several times higher than mine, but I’m so uncomfortable.

Within the team, I’m somewhat close to the eldest brother, so I’ve never experienced this kind of doting atmosphere. When filming in other places, I could step back thanks to Lee Hyun-jae or Chae Ha-min, but there’s nowhere to escape.

Um, I want to run away. It’s a round table, so it’s not like last time where I could avoid eye contact by being at the ‘end seat,’ so I can’t even avoid eye contact with needlework.

“And his hobby is cross-stitch.”

“He goes to Korea University.”

“What kind of rare species is he?”

“I know, he’s mysterious? He’s even majoring in philosophy. Ugh, what kind of hybrid is he?”

I just kept silent, following the contents of Ryu Iden’s advanced social skills training, with a subtle smile that implied, ‘Is that so, haha.’ In times like this, listening to Ryu Iden doesn’t hurt so much.

“Look at that, that’s also programmed behavior.”

“Machine…….”

“He might not be human.”

I really don’t know what to do with my body. I want to get up and run away right now, but I’m holding back because of the appearance contract.

“No, looking at his red ears, he seems to be human.”

“They say only beasts that know shame are human.”

They’re definitely teasing me now, what should I do? As they say, this isn’t coded. I wish Ryu Iden was here to grab their collars, but it’s a pity.

“Everyone, the conversation is also being filmed! For the backstage video!”

“Oh, even better. Our youngest is getting the spotlight too.”

“I know. Shall we praise him for another 10 minutes?”

“Then Dong-hwa’s ears will burn and disappear, is that okay?”

I opened my mouth with difficulty. The air was so thick that it was hard to open my mouth, but I mustered the courage.

“…It’s not okay.”

“Oh my! Our youngest is finally expressing his opinion!”

“Ah, that’s a little cute.”

Please, everyone, leave. I want to film alone.

* * *

After a difficult waiting time, we began to watch the trainees’ individual videos one by one on the large screen.

“Oh, he’s cute. I think people will like him.”

“But his skills are still the same. I can understand that vocals don’t improve quickly, but if his dancing is at that level, it’s hard to say he’s been working hard…….”

“I know.”

I just watched quietly without saying anything. It’s obvious that he hasn’t been working hard, so I was annoyed and had nothing to add.

“He’s just naturally talented.”

“That’s right. If he refines a little more, it wouldn’t be strange if he debuted.”

And there’s not much to say about people who were originally good. He was originally good, so what more can I say? But, I made sure to add a word to the faces I often saw when I raided the practice room. With the thought that effort should be rewarded.

“I saw that person every time I went to the practice room. I went there briefly at three in the morning, and he was there then too.”

“No, that’s one thing, but why did you go there at three in the morning?”

I went a little crazy on the way home from work. I was so curious about what the other trainees were like since our arrangement team was lazy. Ryu Iden said I was in a state of sudden acceleration.

“…I wanted to say it in this place if I saw someone working hard.”

But saying it as it is is for slander, so let’s distort the facts a little.

“Wow, seriously, what is it. That’s touching?”

“…That.”

“No, I know everything. You actually like the kids a lot.”

No, when I see lazy people, I wish they would leave a little.

But people who don’t know the reality were looking at me with warm eyes, with clear eyes. It felt like the gazes had some physical substance, piercing my cheeks.

“Anyway, I think that person’s skills have improved a lot.”

“That’s right, me too. I can see that his dance lines have been refined.”

Continuing the appreciation. It was hard to focus on watching the videos of 100 people, but whenever I saw familiar faces in between, my mouth moved on its own.

Humans who work hard should be treated well. And I’m someone who the PD [Producer Director] directly promised to edit well, unlike them. If I mention them, the amount they receive will increase even a little.

“Ji-sang trainee, apart from being good, was always with Eun-gu trainee in the practice room.”

Since they’re from the same agency, they’re bound to be on the broadcast.

“Kwon Han-jin trainee, his dance skills have improved a lot. He stood out in the practice room, and above all, I can guarantee his arrangement skills.”

Reformation exists. Yoon Sung-ho of God A directly proved it, so I believe it without a doubt. Although he was someone who made unethical and amateur mistakes, his efforts were commendable.

“Then what grade?”

“Yes. I think he should get an A. His dancing is still lacking, but his arrangement and vocal skills are really good.”

Yes, he can make mistakes. If he consistently shows that he’s trying to change, even if he can’t undo what happened, people’s views can change, can’t they?

When I think about it, I feel like a lot has changed in this area too. What would it have been like in the past? Maybe I wouldn’t have cared much and ignored it. It’s all Chae Ha-min’s fault.