A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset - Chapter 520
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A Regression Guide for Idols Who Lost Their Original Intent Episode 520
“Why?”
At my question, Ryu Jaehee grinned mischievously.
“There’s an order of seniority. Even cold water has its hierarchy, so I can’t release a solo album first.”
Jaehee’s thoughtfulness was so endearing that I almost wanted to add another song for him, but I held back since it would end up being a full album at this rate.
Since Ryu Jaehee himself said he wanted to release a solo full album only after proving himself more as a singer, I had to respect his opinion.
“Fine, you punk. The main vocalist should release a solo album first. Can’t hyung make that much of a concession?”
“Well, even aside from that reason… if DTB Season 6 airs in July, shouldn’t hyung’s album come out at least in May?”
Ah, there was DTB. Since Season 5 showed a decline and the DTB fandom kept summoning me, causing some complaints, I wondered if I’d be highlighted that much in Season 6.
“Our youngest is even being considerate, telling hyung to avoid competing with DTB. But it doesn’t really matter. I’m the one who released DTBF, so why would I worry about Wnet?”
“Since hyung says that, I guess DTBF really does stand for ‘fuck’?”
“Hey, it’s ‘future.'”
Actually, I’d insisted so much that even I was getting fuzzy about what intention I originally had when putting in the F. Was it really Future, or was it Fuck?
“From what I see, thanks to last year’s season properly declining, Wnet will probably try to recruit hyung as a team producer somehow, right?”
Come to think of it, I’d heard from Yongcheol hyung that Wonbaek would be dropping out of the DTB team producer lineup starting this year.
For a program that was already in decline to lose one of its original team producers who was part of the program’s identity… it was obvious that Wnet, especially DTB, was in hot water.
“But if hyung is thinking of accepting a producer casting offer, you should have at least one solo full album out to reduce the online chatter about hyung’s qualifications as a judge.”
As expected, Ryu Jaehee had insight.
But since Wnet hadn’t even made a casting offer yet, it seemed funny to discuss whether I was interested or not, so I decided to put that aside for later. The release order could be changed after finishing work on both albums anyway.
“Then tell me straight. Are you really going with summer vibes as the main theme because you want to do summer vibes, or are you giving up on spring vibes you want to do because you’re considering my solo album release date?”
“The cherry blossom season special is too competitive, so I’m trying to target the niche market of summer specials this year. Please save the spring season evergreen song for the full album. I gave up the Christmas evergreen song to the group, so I can be greedy for a cherry blossom season evergreen song, right?”
I ruffled Ryu Jaehee’s hair as he acted cheeky and chuckled.
“Alright. If you really want to release a solo album with summer vibes, then I’ll have to come out in spring regardless of DTB or whatever.”
I lightly patted Jaehee’s back, telling him to let me know anytime if he changed his mind.
“But hyung, how was it when you went on a survival show alone without us?”
“It was quite a fresh experience. After only being evaluated as a group, having personal attention focused on me was a bit burdensome. Why, are you thinking of going on an individual survival show too?”
It was a light joke, but surprisingly, Ryu Jaehee nodded seriously.
“Not a survival show, but a terrestrial vocal competition variety show. I thought it might be better to raise recognition this way before releasing a solo album.”
When my expression became serious, Ryu Jaehee smiled awkwardly.
“Honestly, I have the lowest individual recognition in Rev. Only my character as the group’s youngest member is the most distinct.”
A hip-hop survival show winner who was a hot issue, a fixed panel member on terrestrial variety shows, a supporting actor in a hit drama, and someone who became synonymous with handsome men in Korea of this generation.
Among such members, the simple identity of main vocalist might stand out in songs but inevitably had weak external recognition.
At best, Ryu Jaehee’s vocal skills briefly gained attention when Seo Raon sunbae defeated male vocalists in their duet together.
“I received a proposal through the agency, but I haven’t decided whether to participate yet. From what I briefly looked at, it seems like a variety show where formidable people like veteran singers and rock band vocalists compete through songs, and they seem to need an idol vocalist too, though I’m not sure if as a comparison group or an underdog.”
From the description, I thought I knew what variety show it was.
It was also a variety show Ryu Jaehee had appeared on before the regression. Though he entered as a substitute when the originally cast group’s main vocalist bailed, Jaehee had done well there and raised his recognition.
He was eliminated two steps before the finals in the arrangement round for lacking song interpretation, but it was still a competition variety show that had imprinted the vocalist Yuje on the public.
Thanks to the fresh format, formidable participants known by name alone, and legendary stages that came out weekly, the program itself received considerable attention.
“Give it a try. So what if formidable singers all appear. You just have to beat them all.”
I felt bad about not being able to help with Jaehee’s arrangement back then because I was busy producing another group. So this time, wanting to see a different result, I readily pushed Jaehee forward.
Since I didn’t watch that program religiously, it would be difficult to help with each round, but I was planning to do everything I could to help Jaehee win at least that arrangement round I couldn’t help with back then.
Ryu Jaehee trailed off with a voice lacking confidence.
“Would I be able to get attention if I go there… I’m going to showcase my vocal skills, but if I only show my limitations there…”
“Hey, competitions are about fighting spirit. You said it’s on terrestrial broadcasting. Then it’ll at least be more decent than DTB.”
Actually, whether terrestrial or cable, any competition would probably be more decent than DTB. Survival shows that curse and diss people to their faces aren’t common. Of course, I only used proper and kind words.
“Go flip it coolly as an underdog. An idol rapper won, so what reason is there that an idol main vocalist can’t win?”
Since Ryu Jaehee had provided intelligence outsourcing, I could at least provide confidence outsourcing in return.
While I was busy giving Jaehee confidence outsourcing, the phone rang loudly.
“Damn, this bas… tard is calling again.”
I barely swallowed the curse that had reached the tip of my tongue. Seeing my reaction, Ryu Jaehee blinked and asked.
“Did a sasaeng get hyung’s number?”
“No. There’s one shameless debt collector.”
Should I answer this or not? Since they’d definitely say the same thing anyway, when I rejected the call, another call came immediately like lightning.
At the loudly ringing bell again, Ryu Jaehee asked in confusion.
“Did hyung take out a loan from loan sharks?”
“Ha… I wish it were loan sharks. At least loan sharks can be repaid with money. This can’t even be settled with money.”
I dry-washed my face and mentally hit my past self’s mouth. Of course, I only did it in imagination since it would hurt if I actually hit myself.
Why did I agree back then and make things complicated? If I hadn’t said okay then, I wouldn’t have to suffer like this.
Parachute seemed to think it was about time for a comeback and was demanding songs from me, not debt collection but song collection. I wondered where his conscience had gone. That guy I dislike only does things I dislike.
If it were someone else, I would have cursed them out even at the cost of Chosim points, but the problem was that this Parachute bastard knew about Gyeon Hajun being left out when he was in the New Born debut group and the reason he was pushed out.
He’s blackmailing me with that, damn it.
The biggest reason Parachute was attacked was that he shamelessly took the place after pushing out Gyeon Hajun, who had been a debut group member sharing hardships for years, and if Parachute revealed this, even we who had kept quiet to avoid getting involved in that incident could be properly dragged into a mud fight this time.
Come to think of it, the KICKS guys were also a problem. If those bastards had properly embraced Gyeon Hajun, Parachute couldn’t have blackmailed me like this.
Two years was enough time to be forgotten, but it was also enough time to flare up again with just a small spark.
The fact that everyone involved in this matter hadn’t retired from the entertainment industry yet – what a fantastic collaboration.
“Aha.”
Ryu Jaehee, who had stretched his neck to scan the missed call name on my phone screen, quickly grasped the situation and nodded.
“But didn’t you say you’d give him a song back then? You still haven’t given it?”
“I was going to give him a song. I just wanted to use a pseudonym so the public wouldn’t think we’d reconciled. But Parachute keeps insisting that my name has to be credited.”
“That side benefits from receiving hyung’s song and getting the image of reconciling with this side. Then only KICKS would remain as perpetrators who haven’t been forgiven by the victim.”
Ryu Jaehee properly identified Parachute’s thought process that I absolutely couldn’t understand.
Wow, so it wasn’t just that he wanted my song, but there was such a sinister intention hidden? It was a way of thinking I couldn’t understand at all with my mindset.
“Damn, then that bastard will never give up on the composer credit.”
As I’d resolved before, I absolutely didn’t want to do anything good for Jung Iseo, if only because it was annoying how he tried to use me.
After listening to me and thinking for a moment, Ryu Jaehee tapped the table with his finger and asked.
“So hyung wants to give Parachute a song under a pseudonym, right?”
“Yeah, that’s the only way my planned ‘Give Hajun a Chance for Revenge’ project can begin. Though I can’t even start it right now thanks to someone.”
I gritted my teeth, determined to end this persistent bad relationship somehow this year.
Ryu Jaehee leaned toward me and subtly began.
“Hyung, do you know the saying ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’?”
Right, it was time to receive the price for the confidence outsourcing I gave in the form of brains. It could be called a fair give and take.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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