Prince From Another Dimension Becomes An Idol [EN]: Chapter 61

#61.

When the members returned to the dorm, Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon, the PD [Producer Director, in charge of directing the program] in charge of this program, and the writer were still there.

After greeting the two, the members immediately noticed the changed atmosphere.

“It’s a camera!”

“Wow!”

Louis and Woo-cheol immediately ran towards the camera installed on the TV.

The remaining members looked around the dorm living room and kitchen.

Cameras were installed on every door, table, and even on top of the refrigerator.

“Is there one in the room too?”

Heung-min opened the door and quickly found the camera at the end of the room.

At this rate, it seemed like the members’ dorm life would be filmed in every nook and cranny, leaving nothing out.

“But where do we change our clothes?”

“There are no cameras in the bathroom.”

Heung-min nodded at Do-jae’s answer.

“It’s going to be uncomfortable. It feels like someone is watching all the time….”

Heung-min scratched the back of his head, feeling awkward at the thought.

Do-jae quietly checked the camera positions and then lowered his gaze.

Unlike living a life where it ‘feels like’ someone is watching, Do-jae had lived a life surrounded by palace people, where someone was actually watching him.

Having cameras around was nothing to him.

“We’ll only be filming three days a week, so please bear with it even if it’s uncomfortable,” said Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon. Heung-min quickly replied,

“Of course. It’s okay. It’s just a little awkward right now….”

“I think everyone will adapt quickly. When I saw you at the meeting the other day, you all seemed to have good personalities. Just be yourselves. I’ll edit it all well.”

The meeting was just a brief greeting, but the PD praised and encouraged the members.

He had recently left the company and was working as a freelance PD.

MOST was a rookie with many days of activity ahead.

If he did well with this program, he would have many opportunities in the future, so he wanted to make a good impression on the people involved and the members if possible.

“We look forward to working with you.”

Gi-jun greeted the three on behalf of the group.

Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon smiled briefly and explained what was needed.

“We’ll also install cameras in the practice room. It’s best not to be conscious of the installed cameras….”

She explained that she would give each of the six members a personal camcorder so they could carry it around and film whatever they wanted whenever they needed to.

“Wow. Like vloggers?”

“Yes! That’s the feeling!”

The members asked questions and focused on what Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon was saying.

Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon had planned the main content of this program.

She wondered what kind of content would fill the gap during the hiatus for the production cost, or even bring in more than that.

The idea she came up with was to install cameras in the dorm like CCTV [Closed-Circuit Television, a video surveillance system], film the members’ natural 모습 [moseup, Korean for ‘appearance’ or ‘behavior’] 24 hours a day, and then edit and release them by episode.

It wasn’t the general public who consumed this kind of group content, but the fans.

It was a plan that was possible because she accurately caught the needs of the fans and believed in the charm of the members.

After completing the plan with the support of Team Leader Jung Hee-young, Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon immediately hired talented filming and editing PDs and writers from outside the company.

Surprisingly, the incident at the hospital became quite helpful.

“Noona [term used by younger males to address older females]! Then is this going to be uploaded to our MyTube channel?”

Louis was already calling Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon ‘noona’ in a friendly manner.

In fact, Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon was closer to Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol than Team Leader Jung Hee-young for the members.

Of course, she wasn’t as stiff as Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol, but the members had to be polite because Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon was so cautious.

However, Louis seemed comfortable even with Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon, and he had been calling her noona for some time now.

‘He’ll be calling Team Leader Kim hyung [term used by younger males to address older males] soon too.’

Do-jae thought for a moment, watching the sociable Louis.

Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon shook her head.

“Ah! It was decided in a hurry. I was going to tell you now, but the channel has changed.”

Although they hadn’t heard the details, the members vaguely knew that the reason for producing the program themselves was because they couldn’t get a broadcasting station.

It was a kind of sorrow for a small and medium-sized agency that hadn’t been able to secure a proper connection with a broadcasting station despite being popular enough to receive a rookie award.

But suddenly the channel had changed, so the members were puzzled.

“We’ve decided to release it exclusively on ON TV.”

ON TV was an internet broadcast that the members were familiar with, having broadcasted on it several times.

“ON TV?”

“Yes. We got connected with them at a good time….”

A person involved had contacted them after seeing MOST, who was going up and down in real-time search terms due to the hospital incident, and became interested in MOST.

They wanted to create content exclusively for ON TV.

When they mentioned the program they were planning, ON TV readily promised production support.

It was unchanged that Kingdom Entertainment was planning and producing the program itself, but thanks to this, they were connected with talented outside producers and had less worry about production costs.

“That’s a good thing.”

Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon nodded immediately at Do-jae’s words.

“Yes. It’s not a TV channel, but considering accessibility, it might be better than a TV channel.”

The main target audience, the younger generation, was familiar with the internet, and ON TV could be accessed from anywhere in the world.

It was the same as MyTube in that respect, but ON TV’s parent company was the IT company ‘Ontact’.

Ontact was operating the most used portal site by Koreans.

As ON TV was expanding its business area and trying to secure exclusive content, quite a large-scale promotion was planned on the portal site.

It was like enjoying a tremendous effect without paying for advertising separately.

Do-jae looked at Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon, who had thought and analyzed more than anyone else, with trusting eyes.

Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon gained a little more confidence from Do-jae’s gaze.

“The first broadcast will be every Wednesday from the first week of March, one episode at a time. A total of 6 episodes.”

The members nodded as if to remember the first broadcast date.

***

In a dorm surrounded by cameras, the members began their daily lives again.

“The little thing is subtly 신경 쓰이네 [shingyeong sseuyine, meaning ‘bothers me’ or ‘is on my mind’].”

Heung-min muttered while sitting on the sofa and using his phone.

He wanted to lie down comfortably on his side, but because the camera was watching, he felt like he had to keep sitting upright.

Woo-cheol, who was sitting in front of the sofa watching MyTube on TV, teased Heung-min.

“You’re so conscious of the camera, 형 [hyung, term used by younger males to address older males]. Are you sure you don’t have 스타병 [seutabyeong, meaning ‘star disease’ or ‘celebrity disease’, referring to someone acting like a star]?”

“What 스타병 [seutabyeong]? You keep pushing me that way these days…. Keep 까불어라 [kkabureora, meaning ‘messing around’ or ‘acting up’]?”

“Oh! 좋아요 [johayo, meaning ‘good’ or ‘I like it’]! I’ll keep 까불어야지 [kkabureoyaji, meaning ‘I’ll keep messing around’]!”

“You 이 자식 [i jashik, a mild insult meaning ‘you kid’]. And what does that have to do with 스타병 [seutabyeong] anyway?”

“If I say it’s related, it’s related!”

Heung-min looked quite 약 오른 [yak oreun, meaning ‘annoyed’ or ‘provoked’] at Woo-cheol’s words.

It was possible to refute a logical argument with logic, but it was impossible to refute an illogical argument.

“Don’t be too loud.”

Gi-jun threw the words out and went into his room, closing the door.

Without asking, it was obvious what Gi-jun would do in his room.

Heung-min couldn’t go against Gi-jun’s mood when he was about to start working, so he lay down on the sofa, saying, “I, an adult, will 참는다 [chamneunda, meaning ‘endure’ or ‘bear with it’].”

Do-jae smiled briefly, watching Heung-min and Woo-cheol.

Heung-min seemed to have already stopped being conscious of the camera.

“형 [hyung]. But where are you going?”

Louis asked, seeing Do-jae putting on his clothes again.

Do-jae drank a cup of water and answered.

“I’m going for a run.”

Woo-cheol and Louis were immediately shocked at Do-jae’s answer.

“허얼 [heol, an expression of disbelief or shock]. You’re going again today?”

“It’s really 완전 [wanjeon, meaning ‘completely’ or ‘totally’] 추운데 [ch운데, meaning ‘cold’] outside, 형 [hyung]! They say it’s -10 degrees?!”

Do-jae gave Louis, who was worried, the answer that he had dressed warmly.

“Running on a day like this. You’re really 대단하다 [daedanhada, meaning ‘amazing’ or ‘impressive’].”

Heung-min admired as if he was about to applaud.

“Then I’ll be back.”

“It’s still cold, so do it 적당히 [jeokdanghi, meaning ‘moderately’ or ‘appropriately’] and come back.”

Heung-min added to Do-jae’s greeting.

Do-jae nodded and tied his shoelaces.

As soon as he came out of the front door, a 칼바람 [kalbaram, meaning ‘knife wind’, a very cold and sharp wind] brushed against Do-jae’s cheek.

It was definitely cold weather to run outside, especially along the Han River where the 강바람 [gangbaram, meaning ‘river wind’] was fierce.

However, exercise was exercise, but Do-jae liked running itself.

Running as he wanted along the beautiful river.

‘When I was in the empire, the only place I could run was on the treadmill….’

Practice would start again tomorrow.

It would be difficult to take time out for exercise separately.

‘I have to run a lot today.’

He liked the feeling that something was starting again, once again.

Do-jae’s feet were light as he ran along the Han River.

***

When Do-jae, who had finished exercising and showering, entered the room.

Gyu-seong was lying on the bed listening to music.

Gyu-seong took out his earphones and greeted Do-jae.

“Did you have a good workout?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re really 부지런하다 [bujireonhada, meaning ‘diligent’ or ‘hardworking’]. I need to exercise too….”

“You’ll have to do it from tomorrow, even if you don’t want to.”

“That’s true. Ha…. I ate everything I wanted during the vacation, so I think I gained some weight. I’ll get scolded when I meet the trainer tomorrow.”

Do-jae smiled instead of answering.

Gyu-seong’s cheeks were 통통하게 살이 올라 [tongtonghage sari olla, meaning ‘chubby’ or ‘plump’], even though it wasn’t a long vacation.

He had worked hard preparing for his debut, but basically, Gyuseong liked to eat.

If Do-jae was a 미식가 [misikga, meaning ‘gourmet’], Gyuseong was originally a 대식가 [daesikga, meaning ‘big eater’ or ‘glutton’].

‘Honestly, I think he’ll get scolded a lot.’

Do-jae swallowed the words because he didn’t want him to worry about tomorrow’s work from today.

Watching Do-jae pull out a chair and sit down, turning on the computer, Gyuseong asked.

“But what did you talk about with Gi-jun 형 [hyung] earlier? He didn’t seem upset.”

“Ah…. After the meeting earlier?”

“Uh-huh.”

If it were someone else, they might have thought that Gi-jun was angry after seeing his 냉랭한 [naengnaenghan, meaning ‘cold’ or ‘icy’] expression.

However, it had already been several years since they had been together 24 hours a day.

The members knew how to distinguish when Gi-jun was really angry and when he wasn’t, even with the same expressionless face.

Of course, that didn’t mean that his 무뚝뚝한 [mutukttukhan, meaning ‘blunt’ or ‘curt’] impression felt 살갑게 [salgapge, meaning ‘friendly’ or ‘amiable’], though.

“형님께서 [hyeongnimkkeseo, a very formal way of saying ‘older brother’]…….”

“Huh?”

“No, 형이 [hyeongi, a more casual way of saying ‘older brother’].”

At that moment, he really wanted to call him ‘형님 [hyeongnim]’, so the words came out wrong.

Do-jae, who quickly 정리 [jeongni, meaning ‘corrected’ or ‘sorted out’] the title, continued.

“He asked if I would like to work on the title song this time together.”

“Work on the title song together?!”

“Of course, I’m only doing the arrangement.”

That was another reason why Do-jae ran in -10 degrees weather and 마음을 다잡은 [maeumeul dajabeun, meaning ‘composed himself’ or ‘steeled his resolve’].

“대박인데 [daebaginde, meaning ‘amazing’ or ‘awesome’]? That 까다로운 [kkadaroun, meaning ‘picky’ or ‘fussy’] Gi-jun 형 [hyung] asked you to work with him first….”

The members knew better than anyone else that he wouldn’t have asked them to participate in the song work just because they were the same members.

“You said you would, right?”

“Of course.”

Gyu-seong celebrated as if it were his own business at Do-jae’s answer.

It was a really good opportunity to put his name on the title song.

Do-jae put on his headphones and played the file he received from Gi-jun.

‘Opportunities are there to be 잡으라고 [jabeurago, meaning ‘seized’ or ‘taken hold of’].’

He had been studying composition from time to time, but he hadn’t completed a song properly yet.

If he did well, it would be a meaningful work for both the team and Do-jae personally.

Do-jae focused on the sound that flowed out in an instant.

Until the lights in the dorm were all turned off as the members fell asleep one by one.

Do-jae’s computer screen was shining brightly.

***

A few days later.

Do-jae, who had finished listening to foreign language classes all day and even vocal lessons, turned on the computer again and continued working.

And finally, Do-jae turned on the messenger and clicked on Gi-jun’s name.

[형 [hyung], I’ve 수정해 봤어요 [sujeonghae bwasseoyo, meaning ‘tried to revise’ or ‘made revisions’] again as you said in the practice room earlier]

There was a gleam in Do-jae’s eyes as he sent the completed file.

***