Damn Idol – Episode 146
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I'd had more than enough issues related to my parents.
At first, it was hard.
I took second place in Seunomje while receiving nationwide sympathy, but that sympathy held me back.
No matter what I did, I couldn't escape the “pitiful person” frame.
Well, my skills were only at that level, too.
It was an inexperienced second life, after all.
After that, I put a lot of effort into controlling the media.
I tried to keep stories about my parents from leaking out, but it was impossible. I could block it for a year or two, but it was bound to leak eventually.
But as time passed, I came to realize something.
You just have to be good at music.
The only way to overcome issues related to your parents is through skill.
If you're ridiculously good, people don't see you as pitiful.
The story of my parents becoming vegetative even became part of the narrative underlying my music.
I'm not saying that's a good thing, but I don't hate it either.
So how was our stage today?
What impression would people get first when watching our stage…….
“Sion.”
“Hmm?”
“Why are you pretending to be calm?”
“About what?”
I feigned ignorance at Gu Taehwan's words, but…….
Damn it, I know.
That this regressor bastard with extreme mood swings was rambling again before going on stage.
That's right, he's talking about me.
“Sion hyung wasn't like this during Coming Up Next either, was he?”
“Be quiet.”
“That doesn't mean you do it for every stage though? What's the standard?”
“I don't know.”
Just then, Gu Taehwan glanced between me and On Saemiro and asked.
“The manager hyung is gone, and you're driving?”
We hadn't greeted the PD after the music broadcast ended.
With the issue regarding my parents exploding today, what would happen if we stood in the music show corridor?
We'd become like animals trapped in a zoo.
The CP, understanding that, had spoken to the PD and sent us off.
But seriously, we're not even in the mafia, so why do we have to rush to greet the PD as soon as the music show ends?
Anyway, after that, we had a brief meeting with fans.
Team Leader Seo Seunghyeon, no, I should call him Director now.
Director Seo Seunghyeon said meeting fans was fine, but it would be better not to take photos.
He said looking too nonchalant wouldn't be good either.
So except for the photo shoot, we had quite a fun time with the fans.
They really loved it.
The fans, and the members too.
Because it was the first time meeting like this from our perspective and from the fans' perspective.
But I was a bit flustered seeing all the fans carrying everything from folding chairs to water bottles in their arms.
They were even carrying leftover battery sockets they'd used.
Chairs I can understand, but why water bottles?
Of course, not everyone was carrying them, but when I looked, they snapped.
They said they hadn't thrown them away but put them in subway lockers.
After ending that brief fan meeting, we were on our way back to the dorm in our own car.
I was driving myself.
But as expected, Gu Taehwan is quick-witted.
He seemed to have noticed that something had happened between me and On Saemiro.
It had been a day where countless incidents happened without rest, but that probably wasn't the case for On Saemiro.
On Saemiro's parents had come to the dorm at dawn today.
I felt On Saemiro's gaze on me and nodded.
On Saemiro let out a short sigh and opened his mouth.
“Truthfully…….”
On Saemiro's story continued dryly.
I quite liked that attitude.
Maintaining as objective a state as possible is a great help when any hardship strikes.
My first meeting with On Saemiro wasn't great, but now I'm satisfied to see him growing firm.
The members seemed quite bewildered by On Saemiro's story.
“Sion, what about you? What did you talk about with Saemiro's parents?”
“I probed because no matter how much I thought about it, it was strange.”
“What's strange?”
“They could know the dorm location. But why did they come?”
“What do you mean?”
“Usually, these things happen in the early evening.”
3 a.m. is a time that requires willpower.
The process of waking up at dawn (or staying up without sleep), getting dressed, taking a taxi, and breaking into the dorm is a hundred percent hard to happen on impulse.
That's why I had temporarily removed the manager and security guards from duty.
Director Seo Seunghyeon would have a word with them, and I'd look into it personally as well.
But even if we can't find evidence based on facts, I'm certain that Choi Daeho is entangled in matters related to On Saemiro's parents.
“Choi Daeho would go that far…….”
That's a radical remark coming from Yi I-on.
Even after falling out, he had called him CEO-nim diligently, but now it's Choi Daeho.
I guess one day I'll hear him call Choi Daeho a son of a bitch?
“No need to worry too much. I think we're about 70% of the way there.”
“70%? Of what?”
“The process of overcoming Choi Daeho?”
Maybe it's even more than 70%.
“For now, I won't do anything until next Monday when the album drops.”
It's the same reason we didn't do the photo shoot.
Right now, showing a nonchalant appearance is dangerous.
“So, please take responsibility for issue-making until then.”
* * *
The stage presented by Sedalbaekil on SBN's Gayo Taste became a huge topic.
It was because it coincided with the timing of the issue related to Han Sion exploding.
Thanks to that, as an idol stage, it rarely received the algorithm's blessing.
Having seen that, MBS and KBN also hurriedly cast Sedalbaekil for their music shows.
Originally, Sedalbaekil couldn't do variety shows because of Choi Daeho, but now that was meaningless.
The entire nation knew about Han Sion's family affairs, and they knew Sedalbaekil was releasing an album.
Under these circumstances, not casting them for music shows?
That would be strange.
People might look at them suspiciously.
The last music show to cast Sedalbaekil was M Show's M-Mixdown.
As soon as M Show cast Sedalbaekil, they slyly released the Coming Up Next videos that had been switched to private.
Furthermore, they released unreleased cuts too, and no matter who looked at it, it felt like they were blatantly putting out videos related to Han Sion.
At first, Titi had panicked, thinking M Show had gone crazy over views and was trying to spotlight Han Sion's dark personal history.
But unexpectedly, that wasn't the case.
Han Sion waking up an hour earlier than others to refine his vocal tone.
Choi Jaeseong, who had felt regret at Seoul Town Punk, joining him there.
That becoming the team's culture, and before long, all members of Sedalbaekil waking up early.
They slowly revealed these things.
The general public didn't feel much interest, but the fandom did.
–What theㅠㅠㅠㅠ Our kids weren't born geniusesㅠㅠㅠ It was all effortㅠㅠㅠ
–Wow, they really have no sense. They're releasing this now? Should've released it sooner!
–Doesn't this look like M Show is completely prostrating themselves to Sedalbaekil?
–Rightㅋㅋㅋ They're also scheduled to appear on Mixdown.
–Wow, we're going on all major music shows?!
–One of those spots should be mine, right?
–Did you see the fan reviews from those who attended the Gayo Taste live show this time…?
–I'm crazy crazy crazy jealousㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ They said they talked for about an hour in the parking lot after the music show endedㅠㅠㅠㅠ
–They said Jaeseong gave out photocards of [???] that he had.
–But they said they were all Sion's??
–They said Sion hyung carried around animal pajama photocards to retaliate if he got bulliedㅋㅋㅋㅋ
–Ha, I'm really freaking jealous. If only I were there too….
–Don't be jealous. They're not fans anymore.
–Huh? Why?
–They've attained enlightenment.
–Aha.
–Acknowledged and approved.
As someone said, this was M Show sending a signal of reconciliation to Sedalbaekil.
M Show shares profits from Take Scene, but now Sedalbaekil and Take Scene are no longer in the same weight class.
There wouldn't be occasions where the two teams were tied in one frame anymore, nor would they split the pie.
From M Show's standpoint, it was better to get along with Sedalbaekil.
If Sedalbaekil accepted this reconciliation favorably, they could even be given the position of “M Show's Idol.”
Whatever the hidden story, Sedalbaekil was a group created by M Show, wasn't it?
–So, I'll be producing this variety show.
–What did you say the format is?
–The writers need to look into it, but we're thinking of busking overseas. Performing missions in between too.
–A variety show where the Spanish public broadcaster is surprised by Koreans' singing skills, and Madrid residents are shocked?
–……
I couldn't deny it.
The one who could make that relationship more favorable was PD Kang Seokwu.
If the fandom was chewing, tearing apart, savoring, and enjoying the return of an era brimming with content, the perspective of the general public was somewhat different.
–He was a diligent young man.
–The parents must surely be watching as he advances magnificently.
–The song was a bit frenzied, but his talent was certainly felt^^
–My son came to mind while watching, and my eyes turned red.
In age groups other than the teens and twenties deeply interested in idol culture, the wave of sympathy was extremely strong.
No matter how great an achievement Han Sion and Sedalbaekil made in their main field, those people had a hard time feeling it deeply.
But Han Sion had planned to reveal his family circumstances around the album release from the start.
It had been revealed slightly earlier because of Choi Daeho, but he had kept it in mind.
Naturally, he had a solution for this too.
The first of which was…….
[The Masked Singer! It is
* * *
MBN's The Masked Singer was a program sailing smoothly.
Since it was a long-running signature program, there were times when its live viewership fluctuated, but its rerun ratings were quite high.
This meant that even if people didn't follow the broadcast in real-time, once they watched, channel switching didn't occur.
The format was like that from the start, wasn't it?
People watch because they're curious about who's behind that mask.
In that sense,
This also meant that Naemaeumui Miro hadn't come down from the King's seat for three weeks.
The reason Naemaeumui Miro caused such a huge topic was because of the competitors.
The lineup of singers who had appeared on The Masked Singer for the past three weeks was tremendous.
It had been like that since the first week.
Nuts, one of the top ballad singers.
Ben, said to be the top R&B singer.
Oh Jehyeong, who had been the best band vocalist in Korea in the late 90s.
Such people poured out.
But the structure was like this.
Naemaeumui Miro, who had defeated Nuts, Ben, and Oh Jehyeong.
The next week was the same.
Naemaeumui Miro, who had defeated Breed, Shin Jeonga, and Kito.
The 3rd week was the jackpot; incredibly prominent singers were all crushed by “someone.”
That “someone” was an idol with low fame but the best solo vocal skills among idols…….
[It was Take Scene's Juyeon!]
It was Juyeon.
Viewers were surprised because they didn't know Juyeon could sing this well.
But Juyeon's identity being revealed meant that Naemaeumui Miro had won again this time.
And the 4th week.
On The Masked Singer, if you win 4 times, you are given the opportunity to graduate with honors.
But there is a jinx regarding honorary graduation.
Among those who have challenged honorary graduation so far, only one person has succeeded: Do Jaeuk, called the God of Vocals.
The rest were forced to remove their masks after being miserably defeated by competitors.
People are truly funny; if you challenge honorary graduation, lose, and are forced to unmask, you somehow become strangely miserable.
To this honorary graduation,
“Dad! It's starting.”
“Yeah, yeah. I'm coming.”
That was being broadcast nationwide on TV right now.