A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 45

Reading the Future – A Seasoned Rookie Singer – Episode 45

That damned number 17!

Why did it have to be the day before the music show competition!

I was incredibly annoyed.

Perhaps ‘angry’ would be a more accurate description than ‘annoyed.’

After expressing his inferiority complex towards me with insults and actions that led to his elimination, why is he trying to frame me as the instigator?

To tell the truth, there was no bullying at all.

“Ugh, what should we do?”

The youngest staff member looked grim.

By now, the rehearsal would be over, so the news must have reached the main staff.

As if the thought had conjured it, the youngest staff member’s phone rang.

“Yes, PD-nim [PD-nim refers to a Producer Director, a common title in Korean broadcasting].”

The youngest staff member, thinking I’d be curious, answered the phone on speaker mode.

-Maknae [Maknae means ‘the youngest’ in Korean, often used to refer to the youngest member of a group], did you check the video that participant number 17 uploaded?

“Yes. I just confirmed it now at the hospital, about to leave.”

-Did Do-hyun check it?

“He was just getting in the car to return to the dorm, so he checked it…”

-Ugh, that bastard number 17 has gone off the grid again. He uploaded the video and isn’t answering his phone. He only sent a message to another staff member besides me. He said to sue him if we want. Isn’t he completely crazy?

“…He’s really hopeless.”

-Anyway, just convey that much to participant number 23, and we’ll handle the rest with a staff meeting and a meeting with Hu Entertainment, so just make sure the competition goes smoothly.

“Yes, I understand.”

After hanging up, the youngest staff member looked at me with a troubled expression.

“I’m okay. I mean, it’s just part of the job to encounter such lowlifes on TV.”

I really tried to sound calm, but the youngest staff member seemed to read my face and looked at me cautiously.

“No, but we should have handled things better…”

“It’s okay. Really, it’s okay. We just need to make tomorrow’s performance successful.”

“Still, even if the performance is successful, being caught up in such ridiculous claims could affect the voting rate…”

Ugh, it was frustrating that I couldn’t handle this on my own.

How can I resolve this? How are the production team and Hu Entertainment planning to respond?

With a slightly dazed state of mind, I arrived at the dorm.

It was past 10 PM when I arrived, and I told the staff I was going to the practice room to unwind a bit.

“Hoo…”

A sigh escaped me involuntarily. Why is this kind of trial happening to me?

I looked at the tarot cards I had placed in a corner of the practice room.

I was frustrated about why I was entangled and bound by number 17’s bullying controversy, so I shuffled the cards.

In my head, I kept asking the question, ‘What will happen to number 17?’

As I shuffled, three cards caught my eye. Knowing that there would be a three-day penalty, I still drew three cards.

[Ten of Swords]

From the first card, a man with ten swords stuck in him appeared.

Damn it. This card meant that I had been subconsciously under a lot of stress.

Of course, it also hinted at a new beginning, but something had to be overcome.

I flipped over the second card.

[Judgement]

The Judgement card appeared. An archangel was blowing a trumpet, and the dead were emerging from their coffins, signaling a new beginning. But why did this appear in number 17’s future? Does it mean number 17 will be resurrected?

Unable to grasp the meaning, I drew one more card.

[Justice]

The Justice card appeared. If I were to interpret it in sequence, number 17 is currently a major source of stress for me, and he will be judged. And the result of that judgment is that I will be victorious.

“It would be great if it turned out this way…”

I muttered to myself. I wanted the words I spoke out loud to have a stronger power.

After gathering the cards and putting them back in their case, I felt somewhat desolate.

My voice wouldn’t come out. Following the sprained ankle, number 17’s low-quality video… It felt like I was in a bad situation with a nasty guy, so even if I tried to focus on practicing now, it wouldn’t come out right.

“Haa…”

I kept sighing. My ankle was throbbing, and my head started to ache as well.

That’s when it happened.

Wee-ing!

An emergency alarm sounded.

What is it?

[Ah, can you hear me? All remaining participants are requested to gather in the auditorium.]

Suddenly, they’re telling us to gather in the auditorium?

A bad feeling washed over me.

* * *

The production team, including the main director, despaired as they watched number 17’s absurd video surpass 100,000 views in just two hours.

If it weren’t for number 17, the program would have been smooth sailing. But number 17’s appearance acted as a variable. In this video, number 17 invited number 31, who had been on the same team as number 23 Do-hyun but was eliminated for using abusive language, as a guest.

Number 17 and number 31. The two of them continued to make disparaging remarks about number 23 Do-hyun. Number 31 claimed that he was also a victim of subtle bullying and appealed for the unfairness of his elimination.

In the video where the two agreed, netizens [Netizens is a term for internet users, especially those active in online communities] questioned whether the program was favorably editing Do-hyun and suggested that Do-hyun’s back-and-forth for first place was because the production team was filming a documentary for Do-hyun.

The video was spread to numerous online communities.

The production team had no choice but to issue an ultimatum.

To release the unedited videos of number 17 and number 31.

To show that they were trying to show the participants’ raw 모습을 [moseup-eul: Korean word for ‘appearances’ or ‘images’] without manipulation.

However, one thing was needed to verify that.

They couldn’t continue the live competition while fighting with the perpetrator.

In the end, the main director, who even received a call from the head of the entertainment bureau, had to accept the decision of a two-week hiatus.

The main director was experiencing hell as the entertainment program he was in charge of directing was collapsing due to malicious participants.

“Everyone, a video was uploaded today.”

The other participants looked bewildered.

They didn’t yet know what had happened.

Only Do-hyun, who had been with the youngest staff member, knew.

“It’s a video of participants number 17 and number 31. As the person who took on the main director position for the first time with this ‘I Want to Be Your First Singer,’ I feel very devastated.”

The sighs of the main director and other staff members echoed through the auditorium, sounding utterly miserable.

The other participants grasped the situation, and their expressions darkened.

They weren’t saying anything, but their expressions alone were enough to understand their feelings.

“The head of the entertainment bureau… has informed us of a two-week hiatus regarding this situation.”

“…! Then what about our competition tomorrow?”

“The music show PD must have been informed as well. Your precious 20-minute performances have been canceled.”

“Haa…”

“Crazy!”

“What happens to us then?”

“What about the voting?”

“Didn’t we say we were going to sue number 17? Why is it turning out like this?”

Everyone felt frustrated. Meanwhile, some participants glared at Do-hyun and Hyo-seop.

Do-hyun was also frustrated, but no one seemed to understand.

“We will decide how to handle it on our end… As of today, there will be no competitions for two weeks. Of course, we will not be accepting audience members either, and the competition will resume as soon as the situation is resolved.”

One participant asked at the main director’s words.

“Then where should we go?”

“For now, it would be best to stay at your respective homes and wait for contact from our staff. We don’t have anything to tell you because nothing has been decided regarding the proceedings after the hiatus.”

“Haa.”

“I’m really going crazy.”

The participants were already under a lot of stress as the competition progressed.

As a program that proceeded with real-time voting without eliminations, they must have wanted it to end quickly.

But all of that was canceled.

The two-week hiatus was only ‘tentatively’ decided, and it could be longer.

“First, it’s late tonight, so we’ll have you return home tomorrow morning.”

The main director finished speaking.

Two or three participants glared at Do-hyun as they passed by.

“Fucking…”

I faintly heard swearing.

But Do-hyun had nothing to say.

“We’ll return your cell phones! Pick them up here!”

It felt strange to receive the cell phone I had submitted in the afternoon.

Do-hyun scratched his head and went to the practice room.

Going to the dorm would only make him a target for others’ complaints.

Since he was planning to return home tomorrow morning anyway, it was better to sleep in the practice room, even if it was uncomfortable.

* * *

[Official Statement] ‘Neocheotga’ Decides on Two-Week Hiatus → Impact of Numbers 17 & 31’s Exposures?

‘Neocheotga’ has confirmed a two-week hiatus.

Last night, a video of participants number 17 and number 31, who appeared on KBC’s ‘I Want to Be Your First Singer’ (hereinafter ‘Neocheotga’), was uploaded to YouTube.

Through the video, numbers 17 and 31 exposed that number 23 had bullied them. Previously, participant number 17’s abusive language and actions had been revealed on the broadcast.

Immediately after the video was released, KBC stated, “The participant was eliminated due to his insubordinate attitude,” and “He was eliminated because he violated the rules. We will sue for defamation against speculation about the program participants by the broadcasting station and the participant’s agency,” taking a strong stance.

However, due to this controversy, ‘Neocheotga’ seems to have had no choice but to make the decision of a two-week hiatus.

‘Neocheotga’ stated in a press release this morning, “We have decided on a two-week hiatus regarding the program’s progress. There will be no real-time voting during the hiatus period,” and “We are sorry to those who were looking forward to the music show competition.”

One music industry insider said, “Even if the controversy is false, the impact on the program will be significant,” and “As it is an audition program, it is inevitable that it will be affected, so this decision seems to have been made.”

* * *

I cursed as soon as I woke up in the morning and saw the official statement.

“Fucking…”

It’s all because of numbers 17 and 31.

I thought the road to my fourth debut would be smooth, but that bastard number 17 has shat on it not once, but twice.

Haa…

A sigh escaped me involuntarily.

At first, I just thought he was a low-quality guy. I just thought I shouldn’t associate with him, that was all.

But I had nothing to say to that bastard number 17, who showed the audacity to commit a major fraud against viewers on a broadcasting station.

Because of that guy, my future was no longer smooth sailing.

That ridiculous bullying controversy!

I thought about posting on social media, but it was obvious that it would turn into a mud fight if I did.