Prince From Another Dimension Becomes An Idol [EN]: Chapter 74

#74.

***

The next day.

On the way to the broadcasting station in the van for a music show schedule.

The atmosphere among the MOST members was ambiguous.

They weren’t as despondent as yesterday, but they couldn’t be completely happy either.

On community sites where idol fans gathered, those criticizing MOST and MOST’s fans were still arguing, their faces flushed.

‘They said they’d release the article before the broadcast starts.’

Kingdom wasn’t planning to just release a rebuttal article and end it, so they needed about a day.

Dojae calmed himself, recalling what Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol had told him.

Fortunately, Louis, who was relatively positive, seemed relieved that things would be resolved soon, humming the B-side track, , softly.

Today, at the comeback stage on , MOST was scheduled to perform not only the title track, , but also the B-side track, .

“Oh!”

At that moment, Woo-cheol’s exclamation burst out in the strangely subdued van.

Woo-cheol looked out the window with surprised eyes.

The van had already reached near the broadcasting station building.

“Look at that!”

As Woo-cheol pointed out the window, the members turned their heads.

Jeong Gil-ju, who was driving, belatedly confirmed what Woo-cheol had said and was subtly slowing down.

“Wow! Our fans?!”

Louis said, his eyes shining.

MOST fans were lined up at the entrance of the broadcasting station from early in the morning.

They weren’t gathered to see MOST’s van, holding their favorite member’s merchandise as usual.

The fans held papers with the same phrase written on them.

‘BEST TRUST MOST’

It was the same phrase as the hashtag that fans had been using on Twitweet [a fictional social media platform] yesterday.

When the van appeared, the fans started singing the chorus of together on the spot.

The fans’ voices faintly mixed into the van.

“It seems like the fans are really worried about us getting hurt. Even doing things like this…….”

Woo-cheol murmured in an emotional voice.

Since the article was published yesterday, MOST had not reacted in any way.

However, through social media and fan cafes, fans continued to send messages hoping that the members would not be hurt by the malicious comments.

Dojae quietly looked out the window and thought.

‘It’s a strange thing. In fact, we haven’t known each other for very long, and it’s not even a relationship where we can actually meet…….’

The fans’ affection and trust for MOST were truly amazing.

It was an infinite trust that he had never properly received even from his family.

‘Even though we are only connected by songs and stages.’

Dojae felt a lump in his throat.

He was the one singing, but somehow he felt like he was receiving more.

The other members were feeling similarly.

The members quietly engraved the phrase and the fans’ hearts in their eyes and minds.

“Ah. I want to tell them quickly that we’re okay and that it will be resolved soon.”

Woo-cheol was anxious, worried about the fans who were worried about them.

However, they couldn’t just step forward.

“Let’s be patient a little longer.”

Woo-cheol nodded at Gi-jun’s words.

***

Around noon, when the members had just entered rehearsal, press releases distributed by Kingdom poured out as articles.

The content was a direct rebuttal to the music chart manipulation articles and rumors, and a warning of strong legal action.

The gist of the content was that the executives, including a singer-turned-executive, who had built the company steadily for a long time, felt unbearable humiliation, and MOST, the party involved, was also deeply hurt by the absurd rumors.

As Kingdom took a strong stance, public opinion was divided.

1. Seeing that they’re going as far as suing, it must have been a rumor. It must be frustrating. When you think about it, Kingdom isn’t the kind of company that would do that.

2. It’s just denial without evidence. It’s possible to sue for defamation even if the facts are stated. They’re just doing media play without actually suing.

Of course, Kingdom had anticipated the latter reaction as well.

While comments from the former and latter groups were fiercely debated, another article came out in less than an hour.

The article explained the controversy from beginning to end in an organized manner, while also analyzing the causes of the controversy in depth.

[…The first reported article reported a speculative post uploaded by a netizen as is, pointing out that MOST’s song had an abnormally high number of users in their 40s when it entered the music charts.

However, this cannot be evidence of chart manipulation.

Looking at the users of songs that entered the top ranks of the music charts last year, it is true that there are overwhelmingly many in their 20s and 30s, but songs with a high percentage of users in their 40s and 50s were also frequently found.

Even if MOST is an idol group, it is an excessive speculation to suspect manipulation simply because the percentage of users in their 40s is high.

Furthermore, it is true that MOST is gaining popularity as an ‘idol I want as a son’ in local mom cafes and 8282 Cook [a fictional online community], which are communities centered on women in their 30s and 40s.

Kingdom has announced that it will sue the reporter who made the rumor into an article and the commenters who poured out excessive criticism.]

The content of the article was nothing new, and it was the same as what MOST’s fans had claimed in the community.

However, those who already believed that MOST had manipulated the music charts, those who wanted to believe it, blindly criticized MOST.

But that was it.

With the announcement of the lawsuit and the article refuting the rumors properly, most people shut their mouths.

As with the controversy, various articles were produced.

Yesterday, they wrote that there were suspicions of manipulating the music charts, and today, they were praising them as a trending idol, saying that they had captivated women in their 40s.

As the atmosphere changed rapidly, issued an apology.

It was an apology written by Son Jeong-gi himself, who had posted the article and properly ‘aggroed’ [provoked or deliberately annoyed people online].

***

[Yesterday morning, we reported on the suspicion that MOST’s new song , a singer under Kingdom Entertainment, had manipulated the music charts.

Although it was a speculative report with unclear facts, the article was written and edited in such a way that it could be perceived as if it were true.

We sincerely apologize to the singer MOST, the people involved, and the fans who were hurt by this.

We will strive to deliver more accurate information so that there will be no more confusion like this.

-Reporter Son Jeong-gi-]

The reaction to the apology was obvious.

-Trash reporter being a trash reporter

-Another trash reporter point earned for today

-Stop trying and just break your pen lol

-What about the hurt MOST received? Is anything you write an article?!

-Poor MOSTㅠㅠ How did they get caught by this guyㅠㅠ

-Is this how you end it with an apology? Can I punch you in the face and post an apology too?

-People who live off of other people’s misfortuneㅉㅉ No wonder they’re trash

-I’m appalled at how the reporters of Korea have become like this! It’s all because of the congressmen! Meanwhile, the country is falling apart! The National Intelligence Service last January..

-They posted an apology because they’re being sued

-The reporters who followed the trend and wrote articles should all be sued too

-Kingdom didn’t expect to go as far as suing, did they? It’s just the speculative article they always write..ㅋㅋㅋ

Yesterday, they were criticizing MOST, and today, they were criticizing Son Jeong-gi.

Son Jeong-gi frowned as he read the comments.

‘I was going to make some money…. My fate is also dirty! Shit.’

Originally, celebrities and their agencies rarely sued reporters.

Primarily, it was for the sake of managing their image, and there was also the reason that the lawsuit process was very cumbersome.

Of course, the biggest reason was that there was no good in falling out with reporters.

If you sue a reporter, it’s not just that reporter who has a problem, but you also incur the antipathy of other reporters.

‘I thought they would try to quietly get over it. I didn’t know they would make things bigger.’

So he never thought that MOST, who was even a rookie, would sue him and the commenters.

‘What? Feel insulted?’

Even after posting the apology, Son Jeong-gi was seething with anger.

The feeling of humiliation was even greater on Son Jeong-gi’s side, who hadn’t even made a killing and only got cursed at.

“Reporter Son, Reporter Son!”

Department Head Park Dong-man called out in a loud voice to Son Jeong-gi, who was suppressing his anger in front of the monitor.

‘I’ve already posted an apology, so it’ll be okay now.’

Son Jeong-gi was about to be told to stay quiet for a while even in the Digital News 3 team.

Son Jeong-gi sighed and stood in front of Department Head Park Dong-man.

“Reporter Son. You see.”

Department Head Park Dong-man’s voice, who had been raging a little while ago about why he was causing trouble by publishing such an article, had softened.

Son Jeong-gi was thinking that things had been settled once he posted the apology.

“The legal team says Kingdom is just going ahead with suing Reporter Son.”

“Yes? I clearly apologized…….”

“No, well. It’s a good thing you wrote an apology. But should we accept it just because you apologized? That’s not it, is it?”

Even a broken clock is right once, and now he was saying the right thing.

“The legal team will be contacting Reporter Son personally soon. Why did you do something you weren’t told to do? Huh? You have to check the facts before writing an article…….”

“The company is suing me, not the company? Then what do I……!”

Son Jeong-gi cut off Department Head Park Dong-man’s words, who was spouting nonsense.

Park Dong-man clicked his tongue and replied.

“Reporter Son has to take care of that himself? I’ve never been sued, so what can I say.”

“What about the company? Can the company’s legal team help me…….”

“Why would the company’s legal team handle a personal lawsuit? You should be grateful that the company isn’t holding Reporter Son more responsible. Huh?”

Department Head Park Dong-man drove a wedge towards the dazed Son Jeong-gi.

“You’ll be busy with the lawsuit for a while, so take a break at home and sort it out.”

“Yes?”

“Three months should be a good time to recharge.”

After saying that, Department Head Park Dong-man got up from his seat and headed to the pantry, leaving only Son Jeong-gi alone.

Just then, Son Jeong-gi’s cell phone rang frantically.

It was an unknown number.

“…Hello?”

Feeling uneasy, Son Jeong-gi answered the phone.

***

The call was from the police.

Son Jeong-gi, who had received a summons, took a half-day leave with a bleak feeling and left work.