Japan was now half-crazed over “Geubaekpeu.” The fever was only growing stronger as time passed. Of course, Korea was bigger, but Japan was no pushover either. Gang Rojun and No. 58, who checked the reactions in Korea and Japan whenever they had a spare moment, knew that better than anyone.
And the “Produce” video uploaded on Japan’s YouTube had already surpassed several million views.
It wasn’t only “Produce.” Every song used in the evaluations was the same. Then what would happen if “Survival 100,” the theme song composed and written by a contestant of “Geubaekpeu,” was released in Japan?
At that moment, No. 58 felt a slight chill run down his spine as soon as he heard what Gang Rojun said.
‘R-right. No. 1 can write lyrics in Japanese more than well enough, can’t he?’
Rojun was currently the undisputed face of “Geubaekpeu” in both Korea and Japan. Compared to the other contestants, No. 1 must have dozens of times more fans. If “Survival 100” was released in Japan as well, and if it was released with Japanese lyrics—
‘The Japanese fans… are going to foam at the mouth and rush in.’
No. 58 was imagining something enormous. But with Rojun equipped with Japanese on a native level, writing Japanese lyrics didn’t seem difficult for him, and No. 58’s imagination had a high chance of becoming reality.
With his eyes wide, No. 58 grew excited.
“…Wow—right! Japanese lyrics! Why didn’t I think of that? But have you ever written lyrics in Japanese? Ah—you said writing lyrics itself was your first time, right?”
“Yeah. I haven’t tried it, but I think I can do it.”
As he answered the question, Gang Rojun had already mastered both Japanese and English perfectly. He was no different from a native speaker, and if he had the skill for lyric writing, it didn’t seem like changing the language would pose any great difficulty.
‘Of course, it won’t be easy. I’ll have to pay attention to the words and choose them carefully.’
Still, if he could complete both the Korean and Japanese lyrics for “Survival 100,” if Rojun gave birth to two versions, the usability of the new theme song would increase drastically.
Right then.
—Woooong.
Gang Rojun felt a vibration near his wrist. When he checked, “AI Simulation” had brought up a notification. Soon, interest settled in Rojun’s eyes.
—[Sudden Title Mission Activated!]
—[Related Titles: “Side-Hustle Rich,” “Global Genius”]
—[Reward upon completion: 50 Gift Coins]
—[Completion Condition: Finish writing Japanese lyrics!]
Because a mission had been thrown at him.
‘Something like this popped up once for the “Side-Hustle Rich” title too, didn’t it? Its combat power is exploding.’
It almost felt as if “AI Simulation” was cheering on Gang Rojun’s expansion of his world.
Then Gang Rojun asked No. 58, who was sitting beside him.
“PD U is going to release ‘Survival 100’ as a digital single too, right? He did with ‘Produce.’”
“Probably. I don’t know about Japan, though.”
“Anyway, when popular idols advance into Japan, they make Japanese versions of their songs and release them, don’t they?”
“Right. If the original song gets popular in Japan first, they make and release a Japanese version afterward. Sometimes it’s the other way around too.”
“Ah, I’ve seen Japanese-version songs made for Japanese promotions later released separately in Korean too.”
“Yeah. Sometimes they aim for it from the start and make both a Korean version and a Japanese version.”
The examples had multiplied and made things complicated, but Gang Rojun shrugged and summed it up simply.
“For now, after writing both the Korean and Japanese lyrics for ‘Survival 100’—it’d be better to release the Korean version in Japan first. If its popularity rises, we can say we made the Japanese version in advance as a gesture of thanks and throw it out there.”
“That would be the best.”
Rojun crossed his arms and recalled PD U Hanseok’s face.
“Well, PD U will be the one deciding. If he says it’s not good or it’ll be difficult, then it won’t happen. Anyway, I should write lyrics for both the Korean and Japanese versions.”
“……”
“When PD U comes in, I’ll ask him.”
“Y-yeah.”
Even as he answered, No. 58 thought once again that No. 1 really was a monster.
‘Because he has so much, he can answer something that difficult so easily.’
No. 58 had studied Japanese for quite a long time, and his ultimate goal was the way Gang Rojun looked now. Freely handling composition and lyric writing not only in Korean but in other countries’ languages as well.
‘As for composition, I’m still in the learning stage—but if it’s No. 1, he’ll master composition in no time too. Then… he’ll become a proper cheat character.’
For an instant, jealousy instinctively exploded within No. 58. But soon he shook his head slightly and turned that jealousy into a goal, or motivation.
‘Instead of wasting time envying him, let’s go even harder. I can’t get complacent just because I know a little composition. I’m going to study Japanese like my life depends on it too.’
By then, episode 9 of “Geubaekpeu” on the tablet had, before they knew it—
—[“Voting for Groups 2 and 3 has ended. In my hand are the results of your survival.”]
It was showing the scene where the remaining groups received their death sentence.
Groups 2 and 3, their faces stiff.
PD U Hanseok announced calmly.
—[“I will announce Group 2 first.”]
—[“…No. 19, you are eliminated.”]
Soon, the viewers’ chat began to increase.
—No. 19 cut!
—Whoa No. 19… he’s eliminated? The people in Room 105 are getting fewer and fewer…
—No. 19’s skills were kind of lacking, but the way he talked was funny
Starting with No. 19, the eliminated contestants left “Geubaekpeu” one by one. Before long, the elimination announcement ended, and the screen displayed the 24 survivors, including Group 1. The camera showed their faces in order, starting from No. 1.
—Wow, now there are 24!!
—Looks like the ones left are exactly what I predicted at the start lololol
—What’s the next mission gonna be??
PD U Hanseok, changing the mood, shouted to the contestants.
—[“From now on, there are many things to decide! First, we’ll reorganize the groups!”]
After reorganizing them into Group 1 and Group 2 with 12 members each, he briefed them on the fourth evaluation. Then, as PD U Hanseok explained the team battle, a disk roulette was set up beside him. It was to decide the mission for the fourth evaluation. The roulette was spun with a flourish, and viewers made countless predictions. At last, the disk stopped.
Then the mission for the fourth evaluation was announced.
—[“The mission for the fourth evaluation, a two-on-two team battle, is ‘rap.’”]
A few seconds later, a black screen.
Episode 9 of “Geubaekpeu” ended.
—No!!! Don’t end!!
—A two-on-two team battle with rap!!! This is gonna be so fun!!
—Ahㅠㅜㅠㅜㅠㅜㅜㅠㅠ They’re going to pick the audience for this fourth evaluation, right???ㅜㅜ I want to go…
—The competition rate for the Geubaekpeu audience seats is gonna be insane lololololol
—Other than No. 58, who’s good at rap?
—No. 26 is good too!!
—I wonder how No. 1 will do this time lolololol If he can even rap, he’s seriously an all-rounder???
—Aaaaaaaa I want to see No. 1 in person!!! Please let me get picked for the audience!!!!!
The viewers were in an uproar over the new evaluation mission.
The next morning, Saturday, at the drama department of SBC Broadcasting Station.
Even though it was a weekend morning, the drama department PDs who had come to work because they had things to do were chattering noisily.
“Wow—‘Geubaekpeu’ broke its viewership rating record again??”
“25.8%??! Is this a rating you can even see in this era?”
“Just when you think it’s about to peak, it breaks the record again. Crazy. At this rate, the final episode might even break 30%.”
“Come on, even so, 30% would be a bit hard, wouldn’t it?”
“Why? It’s totally possible.”
“Anyway, I’m jealous. So jealous. When am I ever going to surpass 20%?”
“You’ll retire from directing sooner.”
Amid the chatter, the PDs glanced for some reason toward the seat by the window. It was because a female PD deeply connected to “Geubaekpeu” was sitting there alone.
“Hey—PD Jeong, your writer’s show broke its highest ratings again. Why no reaction??”
It was PD Jeong Suryeong, wearing a cap pressed down over her disheveled hair, and as she sat at her desk focusing on something, she did not answer.
“……”
The reason she, who should have been on the set of “Rental Lover,” was here was simple. She had a meeting scheduled with the director and other higher-ups at the station. She could ignore the director, but the higher-ups were troublesome. In any case, while waiting before the meeting, PD Jeong Suryeong was reading a script.
A script by Gang Rojun. No, by writer Gang Cheolsu, and not “Rental Lover.”
She had already read episode 1. She was on episode 2.
After concentrating on the script for a while, PD Jeong Suryeong took off her cap. Running a hand through her tangled hair, she let out a hollow laugh.
‘Is this kid really a monster?’
Gang Rojun’s face filled her mind.
‘I don’t know when he wrote this… but why has he been letting it rot until now??’
She seemed disappointed that this script had only just now arrived in her hands.
“Then again, with that insane visual, he’s only just now come out into the world, so a script is nothing, I suppose.”
If he had not been discovered as a writer, this script might have been used only to wipe his ass. Knowing Rojun’s quiet personality, PD Jeong Suryeong thought so, and as she looked down at the script before her, she slowly analyzed it.
‘A unique subject, three-dimensional characters, clichés melted in at just the right moments. But the clichés aren’t obvious. On top of that, a sense of pace that doesn’t give you time to get bored.’
Perhaps because it was a full-length series and he had room to work with, the density was also packed tight. The result was—
‘Of course, it’ll need some polishing… but it’s fun. Fun enough that I get swept away reading it.’
PD Jeong Suryeong felt dizzy at the thought of using this as toilet paper. What was worse was—
“…This is the first of the three he sent me.”
It was absurd. Why was a kid whose goal was to become an idol so outstanding even at writing? With two more scripts left for her to read, and the thought of producing them, PD Jeong Suryeong’s smile deepened.
“I’ll have to move even busier, won’t I?”
At that moment.
—Swoosh.
A bald man entered the drama department in a hurry. It was the director, and he immediately called PD Jeong Suryeong.
“PD Jeong!”
She raised her head and tapped her wrist.
“Director, I’ve been waiting for fifteen minutes. When exactly are we having this meeting?”
“We’re going up now. More importantly.”
The director approached the seated PD Jeong Suryeong and lowered his voice with a rather serious expression.
“I heard just now that an inquiry came in from Japan about ‘Rental Lover.’”
“…From Japan?”
“Yeah. About launching it.”
“Where in Japan?”
The director’s answer was quick.
“Netflix Japan.”
PD Jeong Suryeong, on the other hand, smiled as if she had expected it.
“That took longer than I thought.”
The director narrowed his brow and asked back.
“What???”
Meanwhile, at another broadcasting station that was not SBC.
It was “JTVM,” ranked first among general programming and cable channels. Around the time PD Jeong Suryeong was talking with the director, dozens of people were gathered in the large conference room of “JTVM.” The people filling the U-shaped table were busy talking to one another.
The atmosphere was boisterous.
The dozens of people chattering away were, in fact, officials from various domestic entertainment companies.
From companies in the top five to those referred to as major agencies. Most were executives at the level of team leader or higher. At a glance, they seemed to be smiling and talking comfortably, but because they had a whole truckload of competitors present, every one of them was wearing a mask. Everything they said was superficial.
“Haha, I heard Seo Jinhui moved over to your side this time?”
“Well, that’s how it turned out.”
“Congratulations. Your actor lineup has gotten solid.”
“Oh, not at all. We still have a long way to go. Ah, I heard your ‘BMT’ kids are performing in America?”
“Just tabloid rumors, haha. Nothing’s been confirmed.”
Not a single person revealed their true intentions.
About five minutes later, the door to the large conference room opened.
—Bang!
A man with dark circles under his eyes appeared.
It was PD U Hanseok.
Thanks to that, the noisy chatter cut off instantly, and dozens of officials fixed their gazes on PD U Hanseok. Standing at the head of the U-shaped table, PD U Hanseok smiled faintly.
“Hello, I’m U Hanseok, the director of ‘Geubaekpeu.’”
After greeting them leisurely, he swept his gaze over the seated officials. A few people even waved their hands at him. It seemed they were fairly close. Soon, PD U Hanseok picked up a tablet from the things he had brought.
“Thank you for attending. First, I’ll confirm the agencies that have arrived.”
As if calling attendance, he named the entertainment companies he had sent word to. As a result—
“Yes, everyone is present.”
Not a single company was missing; they had all gathered in this large conference room.
At that moment, the door opened again and cameras entered. Looking closely, small cameras had also been set up here and there throughout the conference room. In other words, this meeting was also footage for “Geubaekpeu.” Of course, prior consent had been received from each agency.
“As I told you in advance, filming will be conducted alongside the meeting.”
Accordingly, the dozens of officials were captured on camera, and while looking at them, PD U Hanseok put strength into his voice.
“I’m sure you’re all busy, so I’ll get straight to the point. First, the first matter. You must have seen the news article about audience attendance for this fourth evaluation. I’m thinking of inviting all of you that day as well.”
Murmuring immediately grew louder in the conference room.
“Of course, whether you come or not is up to you. Agencies that will come to the site of the fourth evaluation and see the ‘Geubaekpeu’ contestants in person, please raise your hand lightly.”
Then, without a single exception—
—Swoosh.
Every entertainment company official raised their hand. Their eyes were thick with greed. As if he had predicted it, PD U Hanseok smiled faintly.
“I’ll take that as full attendance for the viewing. If something comes up, please contact us in advance. Next—this will be a rather important topic. How we will connect the domestic entertainment companies that dominate the industry here with our ‘Geubaekpeu’ contestants.”
All of the dozens of entertainment company officials, their faces now rather stiff, stared at PD U Hanseok, and PD U Hanseok—
“‘Produce That 100!’ is a survival audition program. So naturally, all of you should also be part of the survival. In the end, the agencies here will probably not be in the position of choosing.”
After pausing slightly, he opened his mouth again.
“You will have to be chosen. Chosen by the children of ‘Geubaekpeu.’”
In other words, he was telling them that they were the ones in the weaker position.