| Episode 123. Rumors (2)
I took a deep breath and read the post in front of me again.
Nothing had changed. It was exactly as I’d read it the first time.
Exemption from group activities, special treatment he didn’t qualify for, rotten personality…
I could guess why the controversy over the study room had come up. My school ranking for internal grades hadn’t been anything astounding.
But our school’s study room took both internal grades and mock exam scores into account.
So the person who wrote this post either didn’t know my school ranking on the mock exams, or knew and only wrote what was advantageous to them.
As for not going on the school trip or retreat, that was because I didn’t have the participation fee.
Instead, I went to school and self-studied like they told me to. I absolutely did not stay home alone and rest while everyone else was off doing extracurricular activities.
My family wasn’t that well-off, either.
And even if they were doing okay, so what? None of that money ever came to me. Just look at how I couldn’t go on the school trip because I didn’t have the money.
The part about not greeting my classmates was… true to an extent. But when they were short on people for soccer or picking cleaning duty members, I never ducked out and always participated.
The fact that they’d authenticated it with a graduation album gave the post considerable credibility. Thanks to that, many people had already carried the post here and there.
A story that was half true and half false became distorted and exaggerated as it went through comments and reposts.
≫ Summary of controversy around Awangsil cast member KIW
1. Didn’t properly greet senior groups, no respect for other groups’ stages
2. Only one among the members to appear solo on variety shows, led planning meetings himself even though there’s a leader, set his own schedule, power-tripped over internal staff
3. Got exempted from all group activities in high school through his parents’ connections, got special treatment for the study room, etc.
4. Especially talked about for his personality, apparently even as a student he wouldn’t talk to anyone unless they were useful to him. Seems like now it’s turned into politicking among the members + creating an atmosphere where everyone follows what he says
5. At the vacation spot, he ditched the members and deliberately loitered around places with only women
And in the end, it had reached this point.
The comments and related posts were no joke, either.
≫ Did you see the summary post on Kim Iwol’s controversy?
Talk about nonsense with zero logic
If appearing solo on variety shows is a push, then how do you explain Choi Jeho filming a music video before debut?
≫ He couldn’t fix the habits he picked up from getting special treatment in school, crawled into UA, and got caught doing the exact same thing
└ Seeing stuff like this makes me think the saying that people’s habits don’t go anywhere is true
≫ The level of “that” fandom shielding him even now
You can tell, right? lololol
≫ Parte fandom has put up with a lot until now
Honestly, I think it wouldn’t have been weird if this blew up at any time
└ Right… He openly ignores them, but we just stayed quiet because we didn’t want unnecessary talk coming out of a program our kids are on
≫ Didn’t he have a really sociable and sincere image?
This is kind of shocking
└ There are no idols who honestly show their true selvesㅇㅇ They all sell an image
└ The level of people who completely ignore all the praise PDs and members have given him until now and only believe testimony from someone claiming to be his classmate lololol
≫ If this isn’t the rolling stone pushing out the embedded stone, what is?
If I were Jeong Seongbin, I’d be pissed as hell
What’s the point of being leader when the company and members turn you into a figurehead leader?
≫ No, but isn’t getting special treatment at school a big problem???
Who knows if his school records and stuff were written in his favor too?
└ Reasonable suspicion
└ Exactly… I’m a current high school senior, and just hearing this makes me furious
≫ The woman-chaser thing is seriously such a turnoff
└ This is beneath you, Chuwol…
└ What’s this about him being a woman-chaser? First I’m hearing of it
└ He deliberately loitered near places where there were only women to draw attention
└ It was written in the main post from the start that the people involved knew Iwol went to pick up trash. I’ll be taking PDFs.
I could tolerate anything else, but I couldn’t stand the story about me power-tripping over a staff member. Just hearing the words “power trip” makes me want to throw up, is what I’m saying.
“Phew…”
I was angry, but I had to stay calm. Now was not the time to be thinking about Chief Nam’s power-tripping or anything like that.
“How am I supposed to resolve this?”
I had once been forced to write a letter of apology, but I had never done an explanatory broadcast before, so my head hurt. In the distance, the sun was rising heartlessly.
* * *
As soon as the morning alarm rang, the first thing I did was wake the members.
I sat them down at the dining table in the living room, put a piece of bread in each of their mouths, and asked.
“Hey, do you think I treat Seongbin like a figurehead leader, play politics in this group, and monopolize the right to speak through subtle gag orders?”
“…What?”
Kang Giyeon asked back with a look that said, What kind of nonsense is that?
“Speak frankly. It’s an important matter.”
“Hyung, did something happen?”
Jeong Seongbin asked worriedly. Honestly, these guys never once answered properly when asked something.
I let out a small sigh and answered.
“Yeah. I’m caught up in a personality controversy.”
“What?!”
Lee Cheonghyeon shot up from his seat.
“Why? Because you tattled to PD Yu?”
“That and a bunch of other things.”
“Did they find out you scolded us and told us to smile even if our limbs were shaking…?”
“Our dear Juu, I guess that comment really stuck with you.”
“Are they saying it’s a forced-sales controversy because you mobilized all of us and made us buy the hot compress bags you ordered from home shopping?”
“That was paid with the company card. There was a quantity limit too. I bought those for you and Giyeon to use in the first place… No, wait. Do I actually have a personality problem?”
“What are you talking about? Get a grip, hyung!”
Lee Cheonghyeon grabbed both my shoulders and shook me.
Sorry. I’m a bit easily swayed.
“…Is it a big problem?”
Kang Giyeon, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, cut in.
“I’ll take care of it, so you don’t have to worry. But if there really is a problem with me, then that’s not something I should explain away, it’s something I should fix. That’s why I asked.”
“…”
“Then I’ll take it that no one has any complaints, and I’ll head to work first. Come slowly.”
“What? Let’s go together!”
Jeong Seongbin jumped to his feet.
Sorry, but I don’t have time to wait for you guys. Just imagine how anxious the UA staff must be.
I told them to at least finish eating and left the dorm first, leaving the guys behind.
* * *
The atmosphere at UA was as serious as expected.
But no one grabbed me by the collar first or reprimanded me.
Because after forcing my way through the sasaengs camped out in front of the dorm, I looked more wrecked than anyone else in the world.
Honestly, it had been really hard. Going to work while hearing, “Iwol, do you like women that much?” or “You bastard, stop causing trouble and leave!” was not easy.
The manager got scolded for not even going to pick up the kid. Only after I explained that I had come out early on my own did the reprimand aimed at the manager end.
I explained in detail to Min Jugyeong and the CEO that none of the claims were true. The school record I’d printed at the neighborhood PC café was a great help.
It also helped a lot that the company already knew my parents weren’t close enough to me to exert influence on my school.
If no one believed me, I was prepared to bare my back, but fortunately, they believed me easily.
“Still, I’m truly sorry that I caused this kind of talk to come out. I’ll take responsibility and settle it.”
“No, Iwol. For this kind of thing, it’s better to respond with the company involved.”
Of course it was. Any statement released by the company would be thoroughly refined before going out.
But…
“I think the fans will be put through too much emotional strain. I think it would be proper for me to explain it to them personally.”
I promised that I would absolutely not make any rash remarks, and that if necessary I would receive the company’s review in advance, then left the meeting room.
And after confirming that there was no one around, I called the system to mind.
‘Get me one more work supply.’
+
[SYSTEM] A work instruction has arrived from the “Supervisor.”
▶ Didn’t you request supplies last time? You already need something else?
+
This is because you started this unfair hate craze. If you want to see me become an idol, cooperate appropriately.
I requested my CSAT score report and mock exam score reports from the system.
Then, using the company copier, I diligently printed out the messages I had exchanged with staff members before quietly returning to the practice room.
* * *
“What did the CEO say?”
“The company will contact the Awangsil side.”
“Not that. The explanation.”
“I decided to do it.”
At my answer, Choi Jeho shrugged. He seemed to have something he wanted to say, but had decided there was no need to say it.
After that, we only practiced. Fortunately, all of them focused well.
Until a phone vibrated.
“…Isn’t that a phone?”
“Sorry, it’s mine. They said I should keep it with me until this matter is resolved, since there might be urgent calls.”
I asked for their understanding and checked my phone.
It was Yu Hansu.
No wonder. I’d been thinking you were awfully quiet lately.
“Guys, I’m going to take a quick call.”
Behind me, Kang Giyeon asked whose call it was.
I didn’t answer and walked straight out of the practice room.
“Hello.”
— Oh, Iwol.
The voice that came back sounded friendly as could be.
I could feel it without seeing him. A smile must have been blooming all over Yu Hansu’s face.
— Looks like you’re in big trouble?
Not “you’re screwed,” but such a mild expression. It seemed he was still clearheaded enough to assume I might be recording.
To meet his expectations, I pressed the record button and silently listened to what Yu Hansu had to say.
— I told you to be careful of people. This industry is small. It hasn’t even been a year since you debuted, and you’re already falling out of favor like this—what are you going to do?
You told me to be careful of people, but what am I supposed to do when the system is the one that caused trouble? Do you think human words work on that thing?
I felt an overwhelming urge to request IP tracking on several of the posts right this instant.
But it would be useless. Even if I filed reports, everything took time. It would easily take a few weeks for a complaint to be received and an investigation to begin.
The public, on the other hand, did not wait. Even right now, posts demanding that I be removed were going up on the Awangsil board.
Yu Hansu, of all people, must have known this ecosystem very well. That was why he had slyly decided to get in on it at this opportunity.
In other words, that man was currently in the perfect position of power.
Even if I exposed that Yu Hansu had abused his power over me here, what would I be but an idol countering a power-trip controversy with an appeal that he was a victim of power-tripping?
— Don’t be too heartbroken, Iwol.
Yu Hansu said sweetly.
— This is how you learn.
Ha.
Maybe I should just have it out with this guy and then plaster the front page of the entertainment news with my photo…