Because Geubaekpeu had put so much of a spotlight on him in episodes 1 and 2, and because that Kang Rojun had acted like a villain by skipping training and the like, the moment Rojun drew “choreography,” the viewers went wild.
There were still many reactions praising No. 1, but there were also plenty of people speaking negatively about Kang Rojun.
Regardless, episode 3 of Geubaekpeu continued. After No. 1, No. 10 stepped up and drew a ball, and what he drew was also choreography. The camera alternated between Kang Rojun and No. 10. It was intentional direction. In episode 2, red-haired No. 10 had been shown keeping Rojun in check, and now that they had drawn the same choreography, the show was throwing out bait for a rivalry between the two.
-No. 1 and No. 10 are totally going head-to-head in survival, 100% lololol
-Isn’t No. 10 the guy who talked mad crap about No. 1 in episode 2?
-That’s because No. 1 ignored him first
-He just answered, what do you mean ignored lololol No. 10’s annoying so I don’t like him
-No. 1’s got an attitude too so I don’t like him either lololol but his face is crazy handsome so I’ll let it slide
-No. 10 competed with the first choreography lololol This time No. 1’s gonna get wrecked by No. 10
After that, all 70 contestants drew their second-round evaluation assignments. The photos of the contestants appeared rapidly: 20 for choreography, 30 for vocals, and 20 for rap. At the same time, a briefing from the hired voice actor played over it.
-["For the second-round evaluation, the successful contestants gathered by assignment will compete against one another. The format is one-on-one survival. You will soon learn your opponent, the song you must perform, the choreography, and more!"]
After that, all the surviving contestants moved to the dorms, where their rooms were assigned and a random draw for beds took place.
-[Room 105/ No. 1, No. 19, No. 37, No. 58, No. 88]
The contestants in each room were shown on camera, their numbers stamped as subtitles at the bottom of the screen. For several minutes, there were shots of the contestants looking around the dorms and interview cuts of them. Then came PD Woo Hanseok’s voice, stopping the noisy contestants as they explored their rooms.
-["Starting with the ‘Choreography Team,’ please gather again in the hall with the stage."]
The next cut began with the “Choreography Team” gathered once more in the hall with the stage. The screen displayed all 20 of them in a row, including Kang Rojun, who was first, and red-haired No. 10.
-["From now on, please stand together with the number I call."]
At PD Woo Hanseok’s request, the contestants paired up. The camera first showed No. 1 standing with No. 10.
-["No. 1, can you dance at all?"]
-["Who knows."]
-["But the people in our room were saying No. 1 might be tone-deaf with his body and all."]
A brief exchange between Kang Rojun and No. 10 went out on air.
-["I might be."]
-["If you really can’t dance, that’d be hilarious. You were acting all tough, weren’t you? I can dance a bit, you know."]
The viewers took interest in that.
-Lolololololol No. 10 picking a fight with No. 1 again??
-I think that guy’s got an inferiority complex toward No. 1
-I don’t really like No. 1, so what No. 10’s doing feels kinda satisfying
-Did none of you watch episode 2?? No. 10 had every reason to be pissed lololololol
On screen, Kang Rojun answered calmly.
-["Saying you can dance a bit sounds like acting tough too."]
The faces of the other contestants who had heard the exchange appeared briefly.
-That’s savage lolololololololol
-No. 1’s got a temper
-It’ll be hilarious if he goes that far and then gets crushed by No. 10 lololololol
Then the voice actor’s narration played again. In short, it said, “The contestant you’ve just paired with is your survival opponent!” PD Woo Hanseok took over the baton.
-["No. 1 and No. 10 will perform the choreography for the song ‘brake.’"]
He announced all 10 songs for the “Choreography Team.” At the end, the voice actor explained the second-round evaluation format for the “Choreography Team.” All songs would be duets, and the two contestants in each survival match would divide the choreography between the first and second verses.
-Oh, that’s fresh lolololololololol
-If it’s survival with verse 1 and verse 2 of the same song, the skill gap will show clearly
-All 10 songs were hits, so the judges’ evaluations are gonna be harsh
At that moment, the atmosphere of Geubaekpeu shifted. BGM began playing, and ten members of a girl group appeared from the right side of the stage. As soon as the two girl groups standing on the stage appeared on screen—
-Why is Limesome here???
-Lololololol the chat suddenly exploded lolololol
-No way, a joint stage with girl groups??!!
The voice actor shouted powerfully.
-["Introducing the girl groups who will take on the female parts in the male-female duet choreography!!"]
After the rookie girl groups appeared, episode 3 of Geubaekpeu introduced each girl group member, and among them, Hayoung also appeared, mixed in with Kang Rojun and No. 10. Naturally, the Limesome members, including Hayoung, who were watching Geubaekpeu, jumped up and down.
“We’re on!!”
“Wow—they gave us a really long shot!”
“Amazing, amazing! Our fans are promoting us in the OpenTalk!!!”
The promotional effect was tremendous.
Next came the scene where the contestants of each team decided whether they would show the choreography for the first or second verse. Of course, it started with Kang Rojun, who drew the second verse. Once everyone had decided, PD Woo Hanseok’s voice was heard.
-["All choreography practice rooms will be open 24 hours a day. Use them whenever you wish."]
Soon, an insert shot of the campus in the morning light appeared on camera, and the first cut from the day training began in earnest was No. 1, Kang Rojun. It was a scene of him waking up before all 70 contestants and going for a run.
Even after finishing an hour-long run, he threw himself into bodyweight exercises such as push-ups and sit-ups.
Thanks to the sweat, his firm body and the muscles beneath his white short-sleeved shirt were visible, and Rojun’s face was captured in detail as he swept back his wet black hair.
-Damn, having that face and working out too is just cheating
-Oooh damn.......
-He’s really even working out???
-Seriously.... In terms of visuals, No. 1 just crushes everyone
Tens of thousands of viewers went into a frenzy.
At the same time, at the broadcasting station JTVM.
It was the main control room inside JTVM, with numerous monitors mounted across the front wall. Behind the staff members sitting in chairs and busily operating something, a man with heavy dark circles stood with his arms crossed, checking several of the monitors.
It was PD Woo Hanseok.
He was checking the broadcast status of episode 3 of Geubaekpeu, and around him stood the writers, including Kim Sehui. The main staff of Geubaekpeu, including PD Woo Hanseok, were at the broadcasting station rather than the campus. Of course, the variety department head and executives were mixed in as well.
The main control room was quite crowded.
It was just as PD Woo Hanseok was staring at the monitor with a serious expression.
“PD-nim.”
A staff member sitting in front of the monitors turned around and smiled.
“The mid-broadcast rating for Geubaekpeu is 16.8%. At this rate, the overall rating might even reach 17%??”
It was still only the mid-broadcast rating, but the figure had risen compared to episode 2, and PD Woo Hanseok clenched one hand tightly. His expression said, We did it. Soon, the smiling variety department head patted his shoulder.
“It went up again! Congratulations.”
“It’s nothing. We’re only on episode 3. It needs to go higher.”
“Hahaha. Still, you punk, in this day and age, you’ve gone past 16% in ratings! Keep it rolling well and try to surpass 20% too.”
The excited Kim Sehui and the writers crowded around him, jumping up and down.
“This is seriously insane. 20%?? If that happens, Geubaekpeu will totally become legendary.”
“It’s already legendary!! It passed 16 percent!”
For several dozen minutes, the main control room was noisy, and whether his tension had eased or not, PD Woo Hanseok let out a long breath and moved. Since he had heard the answer he wanted, for now he headed to Geubaekpeu’s dedicated meeting room. The table placed in the center was filled with something. Regardless, PD Woo Hanseok sat at the head seat, and the writers took seats on either side of him.
PD Woo Hanseok was the first to speak.
“How are things on the campus side?”
The smiling writer Kim Sehui answered.
“Same as when episode 2 aired! All the contestants are watching episode 3 in the dorms!!”
As PD Woo Hanseok nodded, writer Kim Sehui stuck close to him.
“The viewer monitoring side is even more excited than during episode 2. The real-time OpenTalk has gone over 200,000 simultaneous users!”
“Phew—okay. What about Nutube?”
“What’s there to say?? The views and comments are going crazy. Crazy. Especially No. 1’s face reveal video—it looks like it could hit 10 million views.”
She was referring to the edited video related to Kang Rojun that had currently surpassed 8 million views. Then writer Kim Sehui changed the subject.
“We’re getting reactions from Japan too. Rumors are spreading on their SNS. Nutube’s influence is huge. The number of actual Japanese comments has increased quite a bit.”
“You’re ready, right? The video segment we’ll push to Japanese Nutube.”
“Yes, ages ago.”
In truth, PD Woo Hanseok had been preparing to target Japan with Geubaekpeu. The programs he had directed in the past had been the same, and he had drawn a decent response from Japan. A strong Korean Wave was already blowing through Japan, and even now, Korean idols were active in Japan or enjoying intense popularity there.
PD Woo Hanseok was aiming for the globalization of Korean culture.
Therefore, Geubaekpeu needed to expand its worldview overseas, and the fastest reactions would come from Japan. Of course, Korea would remain the main focus, but it was time to gradually build up the overseas side as well.
‘Its popularity has been proven by the ratings, and if it does well in Japan, Geubaekpeu’s influence will surge several times higher than it is now. At that point, we can expand the global worldview even further.’
Japan would be the starting shot. If Geubaekpeu reached Vietnam and various other overseas regions after that, the ripple effect of Geubaekpeu in Korea, its main stage, would become even more tremendous.
It was still in the design stage, but it was worth challenging.
At least, that was how PD Woo Hanseok thought as he plotted something enormous. Then Kim Sehui and the writers asked PD Woo Hanseok questions.
“PD-nim, shouldn’t we slowly tell the contestants too? That Geubaekpeu will go up on Netflex Korea first, and then launch on Netflex Japan.”
“We’ll brief them. We’ll also tell them about the decided Geubaekpeu theme song—and that their first domestic schedule will be with that theme song, along with schedules in Japan.”
“The contestants are going to lose their minds.”
PD Woo Hanseok stroked his chin and murmured.
“The best timing to tell them will be after the next survivors are confirmed following the viewer vote.”
Meanwhile, at the campus in Paju.
All the contestants were in the middle of watching Geubaekpeu. It was the same for Kang Rojun and his peers gathered cozily in Room 105. Just like during episode 2, they had placed the tablet on Rojun’s single bed.
Just now, episode 3 of Geubaekpeu had shown Rojun exercising. Though his expression was calm, Kang Rojun felt awkward for no reason.
‘Ugh—what is this, some sports drink commercial? I just did the mission, but they edited it like I’m someone who works out like crazy.’
Soon, his peers in Room 105 added a comment each.
“The part where we work out together will probably come out around the next episode.”
“But is it because I’m seeing it on video? No. 1, your body looks even better. How much do you have to work out to get king abs on your stomach??”
“They say you have to absolutely kill yourself. To get a body like No. 1’s... it’s crazy intense.”
Kang Rojun scratched his chin.
‘I don’t know about the muscles, but most of this came from doing manual labor.’
At that moment.
-Bzzzz.
-Bzzzz.
He felt several short vibrations. They came from the smartwatch on Rojun’s wrist. After briefly checking it, he stood up.
“I’m going to the bathroom for a moment.”
After leaving the room, Kang Rojun checked his phone while walking down the hallway. The “AI Simulation” had sent quite a few notifications. Wondering what it was, he checked them right away. It began with bonus coins.
-[You have completed the hidden mission “Make the Viewers Go Wild!” We have given you 20 coins as a gift.]
-[You have completed the hidden mission “Secure Over Ten Thousand Fans!” We have given you 30 coins as a gift.]
Next were matters related to titles.
-[The recognition of the title “Recognition Monster” meets the conditions, and it will be enhanced by +1. We have given you 20 coins as a gift!]
-[Due to the +2 enhancement of the title “Recognition Monster,” your bonus coins will increase to 2.]
They were notifications that were enough to make Kang Rojun smile. But then, another vibration rang out.
-Bzzzz.
The “AI Simulation” displayed a new notification.
-[You have completed the title mission “Build-Up for Your First Step Overseas!” We have given you 30 coins as a gift.]
-[The title “Global Genius” has met the conditions and will now be applied!]
-[With the title “Global Genius” applied, 1 bonus coin will be added to the coins acquired from missions.]
All of a sudden, he had gained nearly 100 coins, a title had been enhanced, and another had been added.
Slightly surprised, Kang Rojun thought,
‘Why is everything pouring in all at once?’
He immediately checked the main screen of the “AI Simulation.” It had been upgraded quite a bit.
-[Titles: Side-Job Tycoon+2/ Recognition Monster+2/ Global Genius+1]
-[User: Kang Rojun/ Age: 24/ Height: 182.8/ Desired Occupation: Idol/ Coins Owned: 300]
-[Side Jobs: [1] Screenwriter, [2] Actor]
-[Global Languages: [1] Japanese]
What stood out above all was the title “Global Genius.”
‘Did I do some build-up for stepping overseas?? Or is it because I learned Japanese?’
Or there might have been another reason. Whatever it was, for Kang Rojun, it was a nice situation. Soon, Rojun looked over the titles that had increased considerably.
‘I already have three titles. Side job, recognition, and global.’
In just two months, Kang Rojun had—
‘And on top of that, there’s the “AI Automation” that can do anything. Even I can see this is a total cheat character, can’t I?’
He was truly becoming a monster.