If I Fail to Debut, I’ll Get a Killer Disease

Following names have been changed: Ryu Cheongwoo -> Ryu Chungwoo, Big Sejin -> Keun Sejin. Keun (큰) means big/strong so in some places it will still be written as Big, however name wise I will use a full Korean version which is Keun Sejin.

Of course, a talent that attracts attention in the entertainment industry would be considered important. After all, there were many cases where a brief moment on the stage changed someone’s career.

However, looking at both the title and its contents, erasing the impression that this characteristic only worked on those who were already interested was a bit hard to do.

Especially since the exact amount of increase was not mentioned. It was simply ‘A little more’.

“Can I use this vague expression in the status window?”

Is that why this was a D-class characteristic?

However, the miracle of the status window interacting with my complaints didn’t happen.

I finally accepted reality.

Okay. A characteristic that attracted attention… It’s good. It would be great if it helped me debut.

Diiing!

The moment I got rid of the status window, a vibration came from my phone. I quickly checked to see if it was someone contacting from the production team.

But it wasn’t.

“Huh.”

It was a messenger talk.

[Lee Sejin (Big): MoondaeMoondae, do you not check the group chat? Hahaha.]

[Lee Se-in (Big): You are so cold when you don’t reply or read the messages that I am feeling cold.]

“……”

I should have turned off the notification for my personal messenger too, but I didn’t think of it. I had already read the message, so ignoring it could end up with my collar being grabbed when we face each other in the future.

[Me: I don’t usually look at my phone. I’m sorry]

[Lee Sejin (Big): Hey, what are you apologizing for? It’s embarrassing hahaha]

[Lee Sejin (Big): Please check the group chat soon man!]

Was there any special news?

I checked the group chat. There were over 500 new messages in the group that had the members from the last team match.

Of course, I didn’t intend on reading them all. I scrolled all the way down and only looked at the most recent conversation.

The team members were screenshotting and sharing comments from the last stage audition.

From the looks of it, someone had said the words ‘Everyone on this team is handsome~’ and it seems that the social life here included everyone going back and forth saying how their hyungnim and aunim* were handsome.

(T/N: Aunim = 아우님, a word that means younger brother and is used as a honorific to address people younger, though Nomdongsaeng (남동생) seems to be a more common way of saying that)

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[Lee Sejin (Big): That’s right, I see that Moondae also gets handsomer every time I see him on TV.]

[Lee Sejin (Big): Please think of our friendship and share your dermatologist]

It’s all thanks to leveling up, kid.

Of course, I can’t say that, so I just sent him saying I didn’t go one.

This guy who used words like ‘requesting confirmation’ to ask for a dermatologist…….

Maybe it’s just me. I was very tired.

At that moment, another vibration came.

[Seon Ahyun: Moondae-ya, are you doing well? Thank you for always treating me well even in the first team match. I will definitely repay you next time……(see more)]

A lengthy message showed up in the group chat.

Like a lie, suddenly everyone stopped posting a message.

It was unbearably quiet.

“…….”

After a short reply for human reasons, I immediately turned off the data.

When I see them again during the next shoot… I must say that I can’t see their messages because I don’t have wifi at home.

There were five days left until the production presentation, the next shooting.

***

Production presentation, a promotional event held before the 1st episode airs.

In fact, the 77 participants had little to do as individuals. All we had to do was sing 〈It’s Me〉 and get some pictures taken of ourselves.

Of course, the important thing here was the ‘getting pictures taken’ part.

This is because it has already been proven that the photos taken at this production presentation could play a big role in preoccupying the early turnout.

‘Thanks to you, I got paid and took some pictures.’

Instead of just taking pictures and selling them, I would take requests of what to take, so the pay was pretty good.

Anyway, to express how I felt standing at such a production presentation……. Yes.

‘I’ve seen all the faces here somewhere.’

I was familiar with the faces of the people who were holding their own cameras behind the reporters.

I think I had sat next to the majority of them during an event at least once.

To do some analysing… Let’s see, first of all, I saw the guys selling pictures one by one across the street.

Except for that, most of them were fans of existing idols. And besides that, half were looking for a new idol to be interested in while the other half were here just for fun.

For that reason, there weren’t that many people who only took pictures of one particular person.

After taking a picture in a way that about three or so participants can fit into one shot, I could see the lens moving slightly, whether perhaps they were going to crop each one.

Anyways, there were more people than expected.

Slowly, the atmosphere of this program becoming successful by making the controversy a hot topic was secretly being created.

‘Unfortunately, even if I use the remaining points on Park Moondae’s appearance, I can’t go higher than B.’

The benefits of the production presentation would most likely go to those who have A- or higher for their visual star, so I had to work hard on the ‘It’s me’ performance..

‘As expected, the face is the trend…….’

The brief regret of not increasing the visual stats first passed by.

“We’ll start after the reporters enter!”

As we lined up in the formation we rehearsed at dawn on the outdoor lawn, the staff shouted for us to wait a minute.

As I was warming up my legs using the interlude, someone unexpectedly spoke to me.

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“I saw your stage.”

“Yes?”

It was Cha Yujin who stood diagonally in front of me. If my memory is correct, this was the participant who would take first place this season.

‘But what is he saying out of nowhere?’

I remembered that moment. It was like this last time.

Sometime during the filming of the broadcast stage for 〈It’s Me〉, Cha Yujin suddenly asked me if I couldn’t dance, and I answered that he could judge it by looking at the stage.

Maybe this stage story was an extension of that conversation.

If we talk about the stage between the participants now, there is a high probability that it will be the first team battle due to the timing.

If that’s the case, I’ll just have to admit it. It was good to think for myself. But still, it was just as absurd.

It’s not even a boy’s manhwa… Did he feel some sense of rivalry?

And even more unexpectedly, Cha Yujin raised his thumb.

“You did a great job!”

“Oh, thank you.”

“Let’s team up next time.”

“If it’s possible, then why not.”

No matter what this guy is thinking, it was really good to team up together.

I simply said okay without asking or questioning. Even if it was just empty words, there was no need to pay attention to it.

The conversation with Cha Yujin ended there.

“T-this…… would you like some?”

“Oh, thank you.”

“Gasp! Ahyun, don’t you have anything for me?”

“Wow, after he quit being the leader Keun Sejin can barely feed his stomach.”

“H-here.”

I took the jelly from Seon Ahyun who was nearby, chewed it, and finished warming up my legs.

While I was listening to all the noise coming from the gold team members, the staff gave out the signal.

“Get ready~”

The week before the tiring of the first week of filming soon flowed out.

Anyway, this stage would definitely be on Youtube, so let’s avoid choreography mistakes.

 ***

As soon as I safely finished the stage of 〈It’s Me〉 and left, I heard someone shout.

“Moondae-ya!”

Were they calling out for Park Moondae?

When I turned my head to check it out, it was one of the people with a camera.

The woman in the hoodie seemed to constantly press the shutter as soon as I turned around.

……Was she only taking pictures of me? When I inadvertently pointed my hand towards my face, the woman shouted again.

“Moondae-ya! Give me a heart!”

“……”

I never thought a day where I heard those words would come.

But opportunity was opportunity, so I somehow made a finger heart and lifted it up.

It was a little…… Embarrassing.

“Poke your cheek! Poke your cheek, too!”

On the side, Seon Ahyun was trying to sneak out to the other side. He seems to have already suffered from the camera calling for him before the stage.

I winked.

‘You do it too.’

It would be less embarrassing if even one more person joined me.

As if he properly received the signal, Seon Ahyun came back creaking. And in the meantime, Keun Sejin came in between us.

“What are you two doing? Ah, a photo~”

He raised the spoon well.

I was hoping I wouldn’t have to put my arm on someone else’s shoulders, but I decided to put up with it since there was a camera.

So suddenly, the three of us put our arms around each other’s shoulders and took a picture.

‘In the end, we are taking pictures in three even before the first episode.’

It’s been a while since we opened the group chat together.

It was a bit uncomfortable, but I decided not to avoid it since it had already spilled water since the first team match.

Anyway, as the woman slightly took her eyes off the camera to check if she got a decent shot, I could see her face.

Uh…….

She was the one who bought me some data.

When it was difficult to shoot an event in person due to the schedule, there were quite a few homepage masters who bought it, edited it, and uploaded it as if it were their own.

Well, that person was also in demand.

Let’s see, I remember him being sarcastic saying that I had no conscience about my prices, maybe because I was a data seller.

……Still, I never took pictures of anything personal like airport trips.

If the data did not sell, I would post it free of charge in the fan community or youtube.

‘Well…… Anyway, I didn’t have much to say even if I was cursed at.’

Even if the companies left it alone for business purposes, it is true that this was an area that ignored their personal rights.

Maybe it was because of that crime that I would suddenly die if I couldn’t debut.

As if someone was telling me to experience how the idols felt as they were being photographed.

“Park Moondae is really cute!!”

“…….”

Wow… I really was not used to it.

Come to think of it, the male idol I was filming was involved in a drunk driving accident at the end of last year.

‘He was the main vocalist…….’

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Maybe Park Moondae… I guess it will change.

I waved my hand as I was engrossed in this strange feeling.

Anyway, the production presentation data was precious, so I hoped that they would work hard to film it.

‘It would be better if they uploaded the photos before Friday.’

Because this friday, the first episode of 〈Re-listed! Idol Joint-Stock company〉 would air.

***

Tnet Headquarters. The editing room located in the corner of the 9th floor was full of office workers who stayed up all night.

Ryu Seorin, who recruited Park Moondae was one of them.

“Seorin, your eyes are red. Have some coffee.”

“I don’t have time. Just give me the coffee.”

It was her 7th cup today.

The faces of everyone who was looking at the video data while drinking coffee like water were exhausted.

Ryu Seorin’s shooter Jeon sighed.

“Editing the first episode is important.”

“……Yes. You can see the direction of the program.”

What to show and what to cut.

“Yeah, it’s fun when there is a story for everything.”

“It’s fun when people can immerse themselves in it even if they started watching without having an opinion for it.”

It was fun when there was a narrative in an audition program. And if the narrative was easy to read, viewers would stick with it.

This was almost considered orthodoxy.

“That’s right. So… Think up until the 4th episode, and then we can build there from the 1st episode.”

“That’s right. The result of the first team fight will be the ending of the episode… We have to catch the flow of the story and the characters of the kids.”

Of course. Neither Ryu Seorin, or her shooter had the authority to decide that.

‘After all, the most important thing is what the main producer thinks.’

She took her hands off the video for a moment.

“Are you going to rest?”

“…I want to make a suggestion.”

“Oh, editing?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm~ It’s okay. You did that in season 1too…… Was it Lee Go-yoon? PD Jung accepted what you said about editing that general participant.”

Should she give it a try too? At the words of shooter Jeon, Ryu Seorin snorted inwardly.

‘I did it because the timing was good.’

Now was just that time.

Fatigue-stricken people would sometimes forget their sense of authority because of their comradeship.

“This time… well, I don’t have any kids to push for, so it’s a good suggestion.”

“Yes. You just need to think about the ratings.”

Since the previous season ended prematurely due to controversy, there were hardly any requests from powerful agencies.

If so, what kind of participant should be shown so that viewers would feel catharsis when the teamfight is aired.

“It’s important to get a kid that people like, but you also need a kid they don’t like. How about talking about that? You’re good at it.”

There were bones in the playful words. Ryu Seorin shrugged her shoulders.

“Hey, what kind of production crew makes all those things? People are like that. I want to keep liking the kids I like, and keep hating the ones I hate.”

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“Hmm.”

When tied up by the crew, the shooter Jeon bit her mouth.

“We’re just making it easier for viewers to immerse themselves.”

“That’s true.”

The shooter Jeon gently lowered his tail. This was because Ryu Seorin definitely knew what she was doing.

So, she changed the topic and started again as if she knew everything.

“Is that why you chose an underdog this time? That’s because the editor has a lot to touch.”

“……”

Underdog effect.

Just as David defeated Goliath, it meant being enthusiastic about the thrilling reversal of the weak beating the strong.

And it was one of the most interesting narratives an audition program could show.

Of course, it took a lot of tweaking by the editor to get the right effect. It had to be well put together.

“Are you going to suggest them? He is attracting some attention.”

“Well… look.”

Ryu Seorin shed a little, but she was virtually positive.

‘No matter how much I think about it……I have to give it to them.’

Ryu Seorin had already made up her mind as she recalled the video she watched.

“Fighting~”

She responded moderately to shooter Jeon who kept saying things she didn’t even enjoy, and went to the main PD to talk to her.

“Here, PD-nim,”

And, she was half-sure that she was probably thinking the same thing as the main PD.