Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 238

People offered various opinions about . While the opinions themselves varied, the majority were unhappy with the idea of consuming real deaths as entertainment.

It was like they couldn’t get rid of the frog eggs all at once, so they had to live with them, but they didn’t want it to be consumed as a plaything.

However, as psychics with their own social media or YouTube accounts began to appear, and the broadcast openly called them Awakened or Hunters, public opinion was once again shaken when news broke that three hunter-related entertainment programs were being produced simultaneously in the United States.

Some argued that if they didn’t keep up with this change, as the whole world was moving in one direction, they would be left behind, while others raised their voices, arguing that wrong changes should be stopped.

―No matter how fast the world changes, this isn’t right. Consuming something that people do at the risk of their lives as entertainment is a collapse of basic human rights.

―I agree. If we continue like this, we’ll end up enjoying watching someone die.

―Then what are you going to do? LOL. Awakened people are appearing randomly, and monster eggs are forming in front of our houses. How can the country control all of this? LOL.

―Letting those who can handle it take care of it at their discretion is the best option for now. Other countries aren’t doing it because they don’t have a way to control it.

―Shouldn’t all Awakened be registered with the government and trained? Then those Awakened can go around and take care of it?

―Is this a caste system? What about those people’s freedom to choose their jobs? It seems like Awakened appear completely randomly, regardless of age, gender, or ability. Are you telling them to quit their jobs and go around killing monsters?

―They should do that much for the country.

ㄴYour ideology is so weird.

ㄴIf someone in your family, who has a clear dream or is too weak to leave the house, becomes Awakened, would you still say that?

ㄴI was wondering when family stories would come up LOL. I don’t have any Awakened in my family LOL.

ㄴThat’s not something to be proud of. In the future, being Awakened might become a new status and power.

―If the stories of the Hunters are broadcast, information on how to deal with frog eggs will also come out.

ㄴSigh, then make a documentary or an educational broadcast. Why are you making this into entertainment?

Amidst all this, when rumors began to spread that idol Woo Yeon-woo, who had been the center of attention recently, would appear on , people were even more shocked.

Those who criticized further raised their voices, saying that if a popular idol appeared on such a program, it would have a negative impact on other innocent children.

Even those who said that change was inevitable as the world changed were taken aback by the fact that a popular idol was aiming to become a Hunter.

―Is Woo Yeon-woo good at fighting?

―Did Woo Yeon-woo Awaken?

―If he had Awakened, I think he would have said so. He posted a picture with flowers on his social media yesterday.

ㄴI saw that too LOL. Someone asked, ‘Do you have the mental capacity to take selfies with flowers at a time like this?’ and he said that he is always mentally alert, so don’t worry LOL. LOL.

ㄴBut he’s applying?

ㄴIt was written that even non-Awakened can apply… Hmm…

―Looking at Woo Yeon-woo dancing… Fighting… I don’t know…

―He doesn’t seem to be afraid. I saw him at the haunted house before.

ㄴ2222222 Didn’t people say that Woo Yeon-woo has some strange aspects?

ㄴ33333 It was suddenly buried because of the frog eggs, but wasn’t Woo Yeon-woo originally the beginning, saying he sees ghosts or something?

―If he fights, it’s Yul-ri. A fighter who gets terrified when he sees a ghost and throws a punch!

―LOLOLOLOL It would be really fun if Yul-ri came out LOLOLOLOL.

ㄴIf Yul-ri comes out, Kesh will follow LOLOLOL.

ㄴNoㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ That Kesh bastardㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

ㄴStop cursing at Kesh. They’re dating quietly;;;

―It would be fun if Maeng Woo-shin came out too, hehe. His visuals are handsome Hunter visuals, hehe.

―I want Lee Il-baekㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

―If we’re talking about handsome, it’s Oh Jung-shin!

ㄴOh Jung-shin? Are you in your right mind?

ㄴㅗ

―Our CEO Shin Jo-woon would be cold and cool if he became a Hunter.

ㄴWhy would CEOs become Hunters LOLOLOL. They hire Hunters.

―Sunwoo-sil! He’ll show the rock spirit with his guitar!!! And beat monsters with his guitar, and I’ll become a fan that day. Of course, I’m a fan now.

ㄴLOLOLOL Why a guitar of all things LOLOLOL.

―Wouldn’t it be a good fit if Lim Yu-han became a Hunter with the opposite image?

ㄴI don’t want my favorite celebrities to come out… It’s too scary. Yesterday, a YouTuber in a foreign country got his arm cut off after claiming to be Awakened and trying to get rid of frog eggs.

ㄴCome to think of it, what’s Lim Yu-han doing these days? I haven’t seen him around?

* * *

“Hey.”

It was when I was standing in front of the elevator to go to a nearby convenience store. Someone approached Rembrary and called out. When I turned my head, Oh Jung-shin was coming over, wearing a hat pulled down low.

Rembrary greeted him happily.

“Have a good time, senior. Until all the frog eggs are cleared, no one will be interested in you even if you walk around with your bare face.”

Oh Jung-shin stared at Rembrary with his mouth open, then took off his hat annoyedly, feeling his pride hurt for no reason.

“Oh, you’re so great. So, are you going on that kind of show to get attention?”

“Where am I going?”

“I heard you’re going on . A program directed by PD [Producer Director] Kim Mu-rok.”

“Really?”

The elevator door opened with a ding. Oh Jung-shin followed Rembrary inside and asked in surprise.

“You didn’t know? Is it just a rumor?”

“I heard that kind of rumor?”

“There was a rumor going around that it was almost confirmed.”

“It’s not confirmed. I did get an offer.”

Oh Jung-shin pressed the first-floor button with a flustered expression.

“Are you going to do it?”

“If I have to.”

“Aren’t you scared?”

As soon as Oh Jung-shin finished speaking, the elevator door opened again with a ding.

Unfortunately, there was a frog egg right in front of the elevator on the first floor, so Oh Jung-shin screamed and stepped back.

“Why is this here again!”

“It seems like the spots are changing little by little.”

“I know that!”

Perhaps embarrassed that he was the only one scared while the other person was calm, Oh Jung-shin huffed for no reason. Still, when Rembrary nonchalantly walked ahead, he quickly followed.

“Aren’t you scared?”

“I’m not usually scared.”

“Why?”

“Because there’s nothing to be scared of.”

“What do you mean there’s nothing to be scared of, so you’re not scared?”

“It’s a matter of focusing on the chicken or the egg.”

“Whatever.”

Rembrary went inside the convenience store and picked out a cupcake, a cup ramen, and an instant cup of coffee before turning around. Oh Jung-shin had followed him to the convenience store and was picking out snacks a little ways away.

Then, when Rembrary finished paying and went out, he quickly paid and followed him…

“Are you following me?”

It was obvious that he was trailing behind, so Rembrary stopped halfway on the way back to the dorm and asked. Oh Jung-shin nodded with a frightened face.

“I’m scared.”

“You’re honest in unnecessary situations.”

“You have to take me to a safe place. You have an obligation to do that!”

“Why do I? I’ll take you there for now. Follow me.”

As Rembrary walked ahead, Oh Jung-shin followed behind him like a duck, as if the path Rembrary stepped on was the safest path, grumbling.

“Hey, since you said you’re going on , my manager keeps saying, ‘Should we send one from our group too?'”

“You can if you want to.”

“Did you forget that I just said I’m scared?”

Oh Jung-shin sighed deeply. Seeing Oh Jung-shin, who was always confident, completely terrified, Rembrary guessed what the atmosphere was like for people outside the internet. Inside the internet, there’s some bravado mixed in, but usually, it’s like that.

Thinking about that made him feel sorry. Should he participate in that program after all? If he showed his abilities there, could he give people courage and strength?

* * *

Four days after they started recruiting participants for .

Rembrary went to the agency for the first time in a while. It was because CEO Lim had called him separately, saying he had something to discuss with Rembrary.

“What are you trying to say?”

“It’s about your appearance on . The risk is too great. I guess they’re wondering if it’s better to have you appear or not.”

“I met Oh Jung-shin a few days ago.”

“Why? What did he say to you again?”

“He said there’s a rumor going around that I’m participating.”

“How did he know that? People are really something.”

“I heard that Oh Jung-shin’s agency is also thinking about participating or not.”

“What?”

Jong-woo shouted, then quickly stopped the car and gripped the steering wheel tightly, almost hitting a frog egg. His shoulders were shaking up and down, as if he was very surprised.

Rembrary took note of that appearance as well.

‘Here’s another scared human.’

Meanwhile. The car finally entered the company parking lot.

CEO Lim, whom he met after a long time, was fortunately still not smoking and was eating candy.

“Oh, Yeon-woo.”

The difference was that the candy was on the table, filling a large glass jar.

“This isn’t because of you this time.”

When Rembrary looked at the candy jar, CEO Lim said bitterly.

“Entertainment companies are all dying because of the frog eggs. No one is hiring singers for events, and no one is filming movies or dramas. What’s the point of entertainment at a time like this? All the entertainment programs have been canceled.”

CEO Lim sighed and waved his hand when he met Rembrary’s eyes.

“That doesn’t mean I’m saying you have to go on no matter what. It’s very dangerous this time.”

“More than the company?”

Is this guy doing this on purpose? CEO Lim glared at Rembrary, put a candy in his mouth, and forced a smile.

“Yes, more than the company. Sit down.”

When Rembrary sat on the sofa, CEO Lim handed over the promotional paper he had received from PD Kim Mu-rok’s side.

“Read it yourself. These are the conditions that PD Kim Mu-rok sent us, saying he would definitely keep them, even if he had to stamp them.”

Rembrary took the paper and quickly read through it.

1) We plan to reveal that Woo Yeon-woo is Woo Seong-woo’s younger brother at the very end, after hiding it. Please keep it a secret. Even if you appear on the show, please do not talk about this. It’s okay to look at him with strange eyes.

2) You often used the phrase ‘God’s blessing’ during interviews, so we are planning to go with the ‘Holy Idol’ concept for Woo Yeon-woo, based on this.

3) Viewers will evaluate the characteristics of the survival applicants in various ways and eliminate one person each week through voting. However, participants with good performance will not be included in the elimination voting candidates at all. There will be loser revival matches in between, but detailed plans related to this are still being coordinated.

4) The one winner will receive a prize of 2 billion won [approximately $1.5 million USD] and will be given an entire program to organize. There is absolutely no chance that this plan will go wrong, so rest assured. All the entertainment programs that will come out in the future will be hunter-related entertainment programs. With all the entertainment elements blocked right now, we are in a very advantageous position as the first runners in hunter entertainment.

5) We will not announce it during the program, but even if they are eliminated, people with talent as hunters will be hired by the government-funded organization ‘Nakru,’ so rest assured.

6) Woo Yeon-woo is being put in for entertainment purposes, such as topicality and intimacy, so he will never be sent to dangerous areas.

‘Kim Mu-rok, this guy doesn’t seem to know that I’m the most talented ability user.’

He told the PD that Woo Seong-woo was his brother at Nakru, but it seems he kept the rest a secret.

‘It seems like the word ‘Holy Idol’ was requested by Nakru.’

When Rembrary handed the paper back to CEO Lim, CEO Lim asked.

“How is it? Can you do it?”