Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 308

308. About to Win (1)

September 4, 2022

“The answer is clear. What are you worried about?”

It’s a sad truth, but it’s still the truth.

Even if you try to rig something, you need money, right?

You have to pay to hire a hacker.

You have to pay to use staff.

To monitor 24 hours a day, you have to work overtime, and if you do, you have to take care of overtime pay.

If you want to hire part-timers, it costs even more money.

‘If they had that kind of money, they should buy proper meals. Rigging, my foot.’

As Yeonwoo started taking care of their meals, UTT’s faces literally blossomed.

Once they started eating well, they gained stamina, and with that stamina, their practice time increased.

They didn’t waste the few days of rest given between the second and third competitions.

“Still… Ugh, we feel like we’re barely about to become something, what if we fall again…?”

UTT’s history was almost entirely marked by failures.

It’s understandable that these timid people, especially leader Lee Seungmin, the king of timidity, would be anxious about such great luck and unbelievable circumstances.

“I’m also worried about the numerous overseas IPs. What if it’s a real hack? Like, they faked it with overseas IPs to avoid being traced…?”

“…….”

This guy has quite the imagination.

‘Does he think this is some kind of movie world?’

Well, there are overseas rights involved, and there’s an ambitious goal to target the whole world, so.

I know there’s a lot of money at stake here.

‘They said a 30-second beverage PPL [product placement] is worth tens of millions…?’

To be more precise, it should be called advertising costs for the broadcast time slot, including PPL.

Anyway, the fact that tens of millions, close to hundreds of millions, of won come and go in those 30 seconds is quite surprising.

Like the World Series held far overseas.

Or the advertising costs for the Super Bowl, the American version of the lottery, are a drop in the bucket.

Woo Dokyeom said that it starts at several million dollars there.

Anyway, *Hangye Doolpa* [Limit Breaker] isn’t quite at that level yet.

Wouldn’t it be more realistic to manipulate such programs…?

‘Ah. Is that why he can write those lyrics?’

A sudden realization came.

‘That makes sense…?’

Yeonwoo also knows from experience in writing lyrics.

Some might say it’s just slapping things together, but no.

From experience, the process of creating a song is never easy.

Especially writing lyrics is subtly, no, blatantly difficult.

From matching the number of syllables within the fixed measures, it’s already tricky. Moreover, you have to create sentences that contain concise meaning within those fixed syllables.

Splitting syllables and words to match the melody and measures is essential.

The process of arranging, attaching, and detaching them, while considering the compatibility with other lyrics and melodies, is necessary.

You also have to create a killing part [catchy, memorable section] that will make the song impressive and place it in the most appropriate place.

‘You have to build a narrative too.’

Anyway, it’s not an easy task.

But Lee Seungmin was different.

Not only does he write lyrics effortlessly,

He puts the right content in the necessary parts and pulls out amazing killing parts.

Moreover, there are no limits to the genres he works on.

From lyrical and calm ballads to relentlessly powerful dance songs.

Lee Seungmin masters a wide variety of genres.

‘As long as he doesn’t lose confidence, it’s like a cheat stat, I guess.’

The fact that he can do this much on his own probably means that talent plays a role, but the power of effort is also great.

The problem is that if this guy starts digging into the ground here, it will be like ruining a perfectly good meal.

‘I have no choice.’

It was difficult to leave him alone.

Yeonwoo started to say something he didn’t want to say.

‘I didn’t want to say it because I was afraid these people would start digging into the ground again if they found out. If I leave it like this, they’ll probably dig all the way to the mantle.’

In this case, it would be better to say it.

“That’s because of me.”

“Huh…?”

“It’s because of me.”

“…?”

*

‘I feel like I’ve become the final boss.’

It’s similar to the feeling of becoming a mastermind.

It feels like the genre has changed, but let’s just say it’s a feeling.

“Because of you, Yeonwoo…?”

Leader Lee Seungmin’s reaction also seemed bewildered.

However, unexpectedly, Lee Seungmin soon regained his composure.

“Ah, I almost got confused for a moment. So, you mean your fans… helped us?”

“Well, something like that.”

“I almost had a strange misunderstanding. If Chan or Raon had heard that, they might have acted very funny.”

Maybe they would have looked at Yeonwoo with eyes like, ‘Even you, Brutus!’

Or maybe they would have looked at him like they were looking at the head of a secret society like the Illuminati.

“That’s them, I guess.”

Lee Seungmin burst into laughter as if he found it funny just thinking about it.

“Come to think of it, you were very famous, Yeonwoo. Then it makes sense. Hmm. I’m a little relieved…”

“Ah. I’m not finished talking yet. What power do I have to gather so many people?”

“Huh…? Why…? Aren’t you capable enough, Yeonwoo?”

I don’t know if he’s a good person or if his faith is great.

‘Did I achieve 100 percent trust?’

He’d believe it even if I said I was making *meju* [fermented soybean block] with red beans.

“I appreciate you looking at me so favorably. Anyway, the starting point is because of me. But it’s not just because of me.”

“Huh…?”

Yeonwoo slowly began to explain.

After listening to the explanation, Lee Seungmin looked like he was about to escape this world.

“So… ‘the’ Trevi Hazel Lee helped us? Really?”

“Yes. It seems that *Hangye Doolpa* [Limit Breaker] has already finished confirming it. So it must be real.”

“So people were drawn in because of that Trevi… really…? Wow…”

Lee Seungmin was already almost out of his mind.

Looking at his reaction, it doesn’t seem like he’s misinterpreting it.

Strangely, he doesn’t show any emotion.

[Current emotional state: Ecstasy]

It’s so obvious that I can’t even guess what he’s thinking.

“Well, the start may have been like that, but the reason why overseas users voted is not because of that, but because UTT is good…”

“Oh my god! Good heavens! Trevi Hazel Lee!”

“…Do you know her?”

“Of course! She’s an amazing musician! She’s my wannabe model! Crazy. She knows us? Oh my god!”

“You’re not feeling bad, are you?”

I thought there was no reaction, but was he buffering?

“Why would I feel bad?! It means she thinks highly of us, right?”

Why would he feel bad, he asks.

‘I definitely saw the person well.’

If he wasn’t this kind of person, Yeonwoo wouldn’t have helped with all his heart and soul.

Only the subject changed from Yeonwoo to Trevi.

He could be upset enough that the start of the popularity wasn’t entirely his own strength, but with the help of others.

He could ask in a fit of anger, ‘I did well, so why did you benefit from it?’

Regardless of the truth, he could be proud of the fact that he received help.

‘The reaction changes depending on what you value more.’

The reaction of someone who knows respect and gratitude for the other person and someone whose pride or face is more important will inevitably be different.

In this respect, Lee Seungmin passes.

He basically did the bare minimum just by not being proud when he was told that he had benefited.

“As you said, Yeonwoo, the start may have been like that, but it’s true that they came to support us. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then of course I’m just grateful. She’s watching us and even cheering us on from a foreign country. But… did we look that difficult? I thought we were normal…”

-Oh my god. I can’t believe a team like this was still buried. I can’t believe it.

-It was a good opportunity to rethink what effort is. This team must win 🙂 Effort doesn’t betray, friends!

-It’s touching. It’s really touching.

-I would have given up a long time ago. But UTT didn’t. Their efforts must be rewarded.

-I’m really grateful to Trevi for giving me the opportunity to get to know them. If it wasn’t for Trevi, I wouldn’t have known such a brilliant singer.

-Oh my god! How can such a talented singer be unknown until now? Damn boss! The higher-ups are always the problem! Justice must be upheld!

ㄴI agree. Those who work hard like that should be rewarded. Bad luck can’t bring them down):-(

ㄴGod damn you, boss.

-I want to treat them to a warm meal. I hope they know that the world is so warm. Ah. If they win first place in the competition, I might have a chance to treat them! Because it’s 1st place, wouldn’t they give them an overseas tour?

*Hangye Doolpa* [Limit Breaker] team was very experienced.

They searched every corner of the overseas community that Yeonwoo didn’t even think of finding, and eventually found a forum post about UTT.

The post, which had as many as several thousand comments, was all about anger at the hardships and adversities that UTT had experienced.

And even admiration for the efforts to overcome it somehow.

The PD explained it this way.

“The public doesn’t want easily won victories. Just easily winning first place and winning a huge prize. Receiving good products is rather counterproductive. Why do they have to be in first place? Why do they have to win? This is important. This is a very important point that makes viewers fans of the team.”

The PD added that the reason why there is *akpyeon* [evil edit], which is malicious, devil’s editing, is similar.

“I’m not advocating *akpyeon* [evil edit] at all. Don’t misunderstand. But *akpyeon* [evil edit] makes the situation dramatic. It makes it dramatic and intensifies the conflict. When conflict arises, people tend to lean emotionally to one side. It’s a kind of device to attract viewers. *Akpyeon* [evil edit] intentionally creates conflict and hardship. The problem is that there are people who are harmed?”

They are cursed for words they didn’t say, and criticized for actions they didn’t do.

“Because it’s sensational, viewers will be fooled once or twice… but artificial and forced conflicts honestly don’t last long. That’s why I hate *akpyeon* [evil edit]. If sincerity is not included, shallowness will always be revealed.”

In that respect, he praised UTT as a team with the best storytelling.

There’s no need to edit it sensationally, it’s just the current state of hardship and adversity as it is.

It’s not that other teams are bad.

But if other teams are just coffee, UTT is like TOP [a higher quality coffee brand]…?

If they only sold their stories without skills, they would have been buried as they were, but UTT also had skills.

In fact, the *Hangye Doolpa* [Limit Breaker]’s PD had a very encouraging reaction after seeing UTT’s results.

It was no different from saying that they had succeeded in attracting the overseas fandom they wanted.

They attracted overseas fandom and focused attention.

“Yeonwoo and Trevi may have been important opportunities, but the power of the story that UTT has is what has attracted people since then.”

Yeonwoo recalled the memory of PD Gong saying that.

The problem is that the story is a bit sad.

But the person in question didn’t seem to know that at all.

“We were a little… it was hard, but we’re okay now. You’ve helped us a lot, Yeonwoo, so we’re living a very luxurious life these days. But do we look that difficult?”

“…….”

What should I answer?

Lee Seungmin’s digging has fortunately stopped, but Yeonwoo has one more concern.

*

*Hangye Doolpa* [Limit Breaker]’s popularity increased day by day.

The results of the second competition were not leaked due to the confidentiality clause, but I heard that there is already a controversy over who will be the first place in the second competition.

In some communities, a fight broke out over this topic.

“I only hear about *Hangye Doolpa* [Limit Breaker] wherever I go these days. There were people who asked me who would be in first place.”

Lee Gyuhan also looked tired, as if he had been harassed here and there under the charge of being Yeonwoo’s manager.

[It’s the most talked about program these days. I voted too!]

A ghost living in the house said that.

“You? How?”

[I did it with Yeonhwa’s ID. Ah. Do you know that Yeonhwa and I have the same pick?]

“…….”

I knew she started watching TV, but I’m embarrassed to suddenly hear TMI [too much information] about my mother, Kang Yeonhwa.

The reaction was good from the first episode, but now *Hangye Doolpa* [Limit Breaker] seemed to have firmly established itself as a program that received almost national attention.

When the results of the second competition came out, all kinds of communities were turned upside down again.

-Wow… what’s the number of overseas votes?

-I was watching the website and YouTube and wondering, but our UTTs really got first placeㅠㅠㅠㅠ

ㄴRigging~

ㄴRigging parrot ㅎㅇ

ㄴThey announced the voting results in great detail, what rigging are you talking aboutㅋㅋ I asked my friend who likes K-pop overseas and they said it’s popular with local K-pop fans

ㄴIt’s not rigging, my mom and mom’s friends like UTTs so muchㅋㅋㅋ They say they’re so pitiful and cute… They’re the adults’ favorite pickㅋㅋ;;

There was some noise, but if there is popularity, that level of slander always follows.

*Hangye Doolpa* [Limit Breaker], which was steadily progressing, was now only one round away from the third competition.

And.

An unbelievable thing happened.