Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 142

142.

‘Fruit World’ is primarily aimed at children, but adults enjoy it too. Seok-jun leans more towards the former, but it’s not a major issue.

And it’s satisfying that Seok-jun has achieved his dream, something he desperately wanted to the point of tears.

Everything is understandable: Seok-jun’s crying and the worldview of ‘Fruit World’.

The only question is, why am I here?

This is the conference room of CK, a film distributor. I sat quietly next to Seok-jun, who was subtly whimpering and grinning, waiting for the person in front of me to speak.

“Hello, I’m Kim Yu-na, and I’ll be handling the distribution and promotion of ‘Fruit World: Banana Mic’ this time.”

Pleased to meet you. Now, I’d like to know why I was dragged here. I doubt I’ll be a voice actor.

“We’re waiting for one more person, so please wait a little longer.”

Just then, the door opened rather abruptly.

“Princess, 등장! [Deungjang – Appearing! (grand entrance)]”

…What kind of greeting is that? And the sound of rustling fabric. A familiar voice, familiar lines, and the sound of familiar clothes.

Only one person I know is like this: Mr. Nesquik.

“Long time no see, our Blossoms!”

Seok-jun and I stood up to greet Mr. Nesquik. He was dressed even more flamboyantly than before. I admire his courage to wear a purple dress in everyday life.

“More than that, Jun!”

“Mr. Nesquik!”

“Our dream! Our dream is finally, X발! [Xbal – F*ck/Damn]”

Was this an appropriate context to swear? Can I accept it because of his emotion? I read that swear words are stored in the limbic system, not the language center of the brain, so they must have popped out unconsciously.

I’m used to it from the songwriting trip. Besides, they both decided to become rappers after watching the same movie and got the chance to be voice actors in its sequel, so it’s not surprising he’s so moved he’s swearing.

“As expected, Mr. Nesquik too!”

“Crazy! When I heard the casting news in the studio, I almost lost it!”

However.

“Whoa, energetic.”

The production staff looks embarrassed.

“Like I saw on the songwriting trip, you’re amazing. How did Dong-hwa work with people like that?”

Kim Yu-na muttered admiringly. I’m sorry to say this, but now you have to work with them too.

“Did you cast us after watching the songwriting trip?”

“Yes, well, that’s how it is. The stage was quite popular in its own way. Besides, when I submitted a plan to try casting like this, the higher-ups didn’t seem to mind.”

I wonder if the higher-ups even know us.

“Anyway, nice to meet you, Mr. Nesquik! I’m Kim Yu-na.”

Kim Yu-na stood up and offered Mr. Nesquik her hand.

“Thank you so much! Really! I really respect you, Yu-na!”

“We’re meeting for the first time, though?”

“That’s not the point!”

After Nesquik and Seok-jun’s 덕후 [Deokhu – hardcore fan] pledge, when the atmosphere calmed down, Kim Yu-na began to explain step by step.

“First, you two aren’t the main characters, but I’m giving you roles that appear at the beginning. You tell the main character about the banana mic and explain the power of hip-hop.”

I’m really sorry, but I don’t understand.

“Oh my god! So the banana mic was real!”

“Wow, really! Wizney [a portmanteau of ‘wizard’ and ‘Disney’, referring to ‘Fruit World’ fans] guys! 떡밥 [Tteokbap – breadcrumbs/hints] from 4 years ago!”

How do you understand that? What’s a banana mic? I had a worldview lecture from Seok-jun, but I didn’t get any information about the banana mic.

“Anyway, you’re the guardians of the banana mic, and it’s a role that only does one song for a short time, so there’s almost no burden on acting. However, it’s the first song, so it needs to be used for promotion. I want to make it as catchy as possible.”

Everyone nods at Kim Yu-na’s words. There’s little burden on acting, but if the song isn’t good, there will be problems from the start.

“That’s why I cast people who rap like this. So the lyrics have to be translated as easily as possible for them to sing.”

“I’m sorry. I’m not good at English!”

“Damn it, I am.”

Seok-jun and Nesquik continued the conversation neatly. The production staff will do the basic translation, so what’s the worry?

“Of course, we’ll do that for you. Anyway, the reason I called Dong-hwa is because I saw you take the lead in self-production at Blossom. I wanted Jun to help you write the lyrics. I wanted to meet you today and tell you about the settings you must include.”

Oh dear, don’t trust Seok-jun. He’s good at writing lyrics, even if he looks like that.

“Hyung-nim! Please help me! You can scold me! I really want to do well this time!”

You didn’t show that much passion when you were making the album, you 망할 놈 [Manghal Nom – Bastard/Jerk].

“Then let’s start the presentation. I’ll start by explaining the plot of ‘Fruit World: Banana Mic’.”

After listening to the general presentation, we stayed in the conference room provided by CK for a while and talked.

“Did you see it earlier! The atmosphere at the beginning! A completely cozy atmosphere! It was a color that was hard to see in ‘Fruit World’!”

“Besides, that intense beat! The scenes I saw when I was young kept popping up in my head! X발! I can’t believe the moment to see this again in my life has come! Crazy!”

Since we watched a 맛 뵈기 [Mat Boegi – Preview/Taste Test] of the beginning of the movie at the end of the presentation, conversations like that have been going back and forth. When two or more people deeply immersed in one field gather, it becomes noisier than anywhere else in the world.

Listening to their shouting, I carefully looked through the synopsis. I know what ‘Banana Mic’ is now. It was just an infinite power device that is impossible to realize in reality.

The worldview of this work was very strange. The world was run by music as an energy source. The world’s single government banned everything except rock music for efficient energy production. Among the citizens deprived of the right to listen to music freely, a music resistance formed to fight against this government’s dictatorship. The plot was a bit dizzying, with the idea of winning against rock music through hip-hop.

It’s obvious what kind of plot it 은유 [Eunyu – Metaphor] is: a criticism of monism that doesn’t recognize differences.

Based on that, the visuals were also very colorful, with vibrant colors and neon signs spreading.

Among them, Seok-jun and Nesquik played the role of the leader of the resistance, a couple who raised the main character when he was young.

“We’re so excited to be the leaders of the rebels. Really, I can’t believe I can put my name on this.”

“It’s a role that gets caught in the beginning and rescued at the end, though.”

“Still, hyung-nim, it’s a pleasure just to be able to come out.”

I know that, so can you speak a little slower? I’m used to talking to you when you were normal.

I nodded and checked the English lyrics and the translation. They’ve translated it completely literally. Am I supposed to write lyrics based on this?

“Jun, the lyrics have to come out in two weeks. What should we do? I think you can write it well enough on your own.”

Seok-jun looks moved by my words. What are you looking at?

“Hyung-nim! To see me like that!”

It was just an objective evaluation. I don’t particularly cherish you, Jun.

“You’re still kind and friendly even after a long time.”

That’s enough. Can I ask why Chun-gwang doesn’t give us commercials? I still have the recording.

“Things have been going so well since the songwriting trip that I don’t know how much I’m enjoying my life these days.”

No one asked, but Nesquik started talking about his well-being. Maybe the stream of consciousness led to that.

“After that day, I got along well with Chun-gwang, so I went to grab my father’s hair with him once.”

That’s great. You committed an illegal act.

“At that time, I was officially recognized as a child who was kicked out of the house. I’m so happy.”

Everyone has different values. You can be happy even if you’re abandoned.

“It would be great if this song became famous and we could do another stage together later!”

Swearing is based on the spirit of rebellion against society, so it goes well with the resistance.

“…You can’t swear in the lyrics.”

“I know that much. I have to protect the innocence of our babies watching Wizney.”

But Seok-jun’s innocence is being shattered in real time. He’s still a kid, Mr. Nesquik.

“Anyway, give me some time later, Dong-hwa. It’s okay to do it non-face-to-face. Let me get my lyrics checked too, to see if they can be broadcast.”

I think there’s a serious problem at the point where you have to get that checked.

* * *

The end of ‘Heung’ [Heung – Excitement/Fun] activities. Days of matching choreography in the practice room continue for the follow-up song activities.

The title of the follow-up song is ‘Luminous,’ which is a fan song in the literal sense. The lyrics were written with the members, the song was composed with the members, the arrangement was done by my hands, and the finishing touches were also done by my hands, so it’s a completely handmade song.

“Oh, Ha-min hyung’s choreography is too hard.”

I nodded firmly at Lee Hyun-jae’s words. Chae Ha-min and Ryu Yi-deun, who choreographed together, seemed to have a lot of greed.

So it’s a stage made entirely by our hands to convey our gratitude to the fans. It will be difficult to make a big profit economically, but it’s okay because it’s not a stage with that intention.

“Hyung-nim, please look at the lyrics. I think it’s okay.”

Seok-jun showed me the lyrics in between and asked for my opinion. Fortunately, his 말투 [Maltu – way of speaking/manner of speech] is slowly returning to normal.

“…It’s good. You’re definitely good at writing lyrics.”

It may be that my 팔이 안으로 굽는다 [Pali Anueo Gupneunda – An idiom that means ‘bending an arm inward’, referring to favoring one’s own family/friends], but it was definitely better than what he showed me last time. It also shows that he comprehensively reviewed the context of the lines and the movements of the characters.

For example, when translated directly from the original language, the part that was written as ‘You only lie, it becomes more and more precarious’ was translated as ‘Stench from their mouths, time to 들 [Deul – Lift] weapons.’ It seems that he considered the fact that the character frowned in the actual scene, waved his hand in front of his nose a few times, and then lifted the shovel.

“으아아악! [Euaaaak – A scream of joy/excitement] I succeeded!”

The moment he heard the answer, Seok-jun 벌떡 [Beoltteok – Suddenly] got up from his seat and shouted. The madness of a person who has achieved his dream is gradually spreading, and soon he is running around the practice room like crazy.

Is he that happy? He’s a really pure human being.

“Hyung, Dong-hwa is making a face like our father.”

“The expression he makes when he looks at Jun is almost like a parent.”

“Hyun-jae’s expression when he tutors is also a bit like that.”

Chae Ha-min stopped talking for a moment and thought about something intently. Ha-min, you always come to strange conclusions when you think intently, so I’m scared.

“…Wait a minute, why don’t you look at me like that, Dong-hwa.”

What are you talking about, you crazy rabbit? It’s weirder to see a friend like a son, Ha-min.

“I want to be a son too!”

I’ve met your father and come back, so I don’t think that’s possible. I even had tea alone with your mother.

Ryu Yi-deun adds a word, 흥미 [Heungmi – Interest] 동 [Dong – Aroused]했는지 [Haenneunji – Whether or not].

“Then let’s be sons too, Dong-hwa hyung. Let’s be the official mom of Blossom.”

…Well, I’m biologically male, Yi-deun hyung. Shouldn’t we consider the sociality of language?

Personally, I would rather be called Blossom’s official zookeeper, which the fans gave me, than be called father.

Lee Hyun-jae, who was listening quietly, smiles 살풋 [Salput – Softly].

“Then Dong-hwa hyung 무성생식 [Museongsaengsik – Asexual Reproduction]했네요 [Haenneuneyo – Has done].”

What kind of 소리 [Sori – Sound/Nonsense] is that, like an amoeba.

“Please call me Ray from now on! I’m Seok-ray!”

Even in the midst of all this, Seok-jun doesn’t stop running around the practice room. Ray is the name of the role he’s playing this time, and his 과감 [Gwagam – Bold]한 [Han – Adjective marker] 결단 [Gyeoldan – Decision]이 [I – Subject marker] 돋보인다 [Dotboinda – Stands out].

“He likes it so much, I hope it goes well if possible, right?”

You’re making a face like a parent too, Ha-min.

I 따졌다 [Ttajyeotda – Argued/Retorted] while looking at Chae Ha-min’s pleased expression.