Debut or Die - Chapter 191

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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A Fatal Illness if I Don’t Debut – Episode 191
In truth, when this reality program was first conceived, it was merely a simple travel and healing concept.
Once the Director’s American obsession was added, along with a segment where we’d react to American culture, the structure became remarkably predictable.
‘It’ll probably just end up being watched by some dedicated fans.’
That was my assessment.
Successful idols relaxing on screen—how could that maintain public interest for long?
So the reality production team seemed rather listless about it. They were people who’d already grown addicted to extracting provocative footage by tormenting the cast.
Which made them easy to manipulate.
-Wouldn’t the program be more entertaining with some dramatic turns? Like if we earned the travel expenses ourselves…?
-Yeah, wouldn’t it be?
They bit immediately.
The Director was already preoccupied with the rookie group, so he approved the revised concept without hesitation.
And the reality production team, predictably, began restructuring the “earning money to play” concept in the most provocative way possible.
…Which meant I never anticipated getting blindsided with a debt on the very first day of filming.
“Ah~ we spent so much that day, recovering from it was really tough.”
“That’s true. I learned the importance of responsible spending…”
“What did we eat that day? Lobster?”
“Lobster and king crab! It was really delicious!”
“Yeah, it was delicious…”
At Cha Yu-jin’s cheerful remark, several of the guys wore wistful expressions. Understandably so.
‘Those production bastards deliberately steered us toward the expensive course.’
-Oh~ you all can really go anywhere you want!
That’s how they phrased it.
The implication felt like “having fun on the first day will motivate you to work hard so you can play again later”—that was everyone’s consensus.
So on the first day, in Cape May, a resort city in New Jersey, we saw dolphins, ate lobster, and slept at a luxury resort.
And this was the bill.
“I never thought they’d charge us a flat 4,000 dollars.”
“Right?”
That’s roughly 4.5 million won in Korean currency.
If we hadn’t argued and negotiated that “the dormitory costs shouldn’t count since we need to sleep somewhere anyway,” reducing it to 1,800 dollars, we’d still be drowning in debt.
It was certainly a shocking start, but looking back, it was definitely entertaining.
It’s not like we didn’t actually have the money, and since it was betrayal and shock within the context of entertainment, there was nothing particularly sadistic about it.
‘The staff all burst out laughing…”
I remember Bae Sae-jin staring at them with a face full of betrayal.
Anyway, after that we worked like oxen, paid off the entire debt in four days, and managed to save 800 dollars for tomorrow’s theme park.
Better than expected.
‘…Earning money became addictive, so I got way too absorbed in it.’
With cash actually changing hands and coming into my own hands, it felt different.
We did play once more in the middle, but since we only snacked and ran around on the beach trying to keep costs down, it probably didn’t have much impact.
‘So this time, we need something with more excitement for good editing.’
“Alright, let’s use our money wisely tomorrow.”
“Fighting, fighting!”
“Testa did great today too~”
Tomorrow’s theme park visit really did seem like a golden opportunity. I’d have to blow through my entire savings and rack up debt again.
Just the entrance fees for the amusement park and safari would eat up 450 dollars, leaving me with about 350 dollars—spending 50,000 won per person happens in a flash.
‘Easy.’
All I had to do was win over Cha Yu-jin.
I untied my apron and hung it beside the sink.
Either way, I just hoped the program would turn out entertaining.

* * *
Testa’s reality show released two episodes together each week.
However, only paid members could watch the follow-up episode immediately, while regular users had to wait four more days to see the continuation.
It was a preview structure that clearly showed the intent to capture both money and buzz.
And that intent worked perfectly.
[Testa’s chaotic Warhol reality show released today lol]
The response to episode one, where Testa got scammed by the production team starting from the airport and ended up working a zero-interest, unsecured loan repayment job, was explosive.
The proportion of paid membership subscribers increased noticeably.
Moreover, Park Moon-dae had one more trick hidden in this.
That nuance became apparent from the moment Testa finally realized the existence of their debt.
[We have a small~ very modest shop we’ve lent you! You just need to make a profit there!]
[Kim Rae-bin: Ugh.]
[Ryu Chung-woo: W-will the type of business be predetermined? What kind of shop is it?]
[There’s nothing like that, but if the cost exceeds 100 dollars, it gets added to your debt!]
[Lee Sae-jin: What.]
Then an audacious caption appeared.
You can sell pretty much anything you want, haha.
But right after, Park Moon-dae, who had been listening to the production team’s words with an expressionless face, said this.
[Park Moon-dae: Then let’s sell hotteok.]
[????]
[Sun Ah-hyun: Hotteok?]
[Lee Sae-jin: Moon-dae, do you want to eat hotteok?]
[Park Moon-dae: No, I thought it would be competitive since it’s not a clichéd menu. The cost is cheap, and it tastes good too. I think it could work if we just hustle customers well… and I think you all do that well anyway.]
His tone was persuasive. Murmurs of “Oh,” “That’s not bad,” started coming from various directions.
These idols, who’d taken so many blindsides before debut that they’d grown accustomed to them, quickly understood the situation and began carving out their survival route.
The weakness that Testa might get bored and frustrated if dragged around too one-sidedly by the production team vanished entirely.
Instead, the production team began to panic.
[Lee Sae-jin: But will there be a place to sell it?]
[Sun Ah-hyun: Isn’t there a Korean Mart nearby…? I think there are a lot of Korean people in New Jersey… I think I heard that!]
[Park Moon-dae: Yeah. And I’m pretty good at making hotteok.]
[Lee Sae-jin: Oh~ Such confidence!]
[Cha Yu-jin: I’m in! (Expression of confidence)]
[Ryu Chung-woo: Nice. Oh, it’d look great with chocolate or ice cream on top too.]
Even Bae Sae-jin nodded with a tense expression, and the agreement was reached in an instant.
Ryu Chung-woo answered the production team cheerfully.
[Ryu Chung-woo: Okay. We’ll sell hotteok.]
[PD: R-really? You’re not considering anything else? I mean, there are plenty of options that aren’t even food~]
[Cha Yu-jin: Nope!]
With the member’s bright refusal, the PD’s gaze turned skyward in a cut scene.
[Anticipating Testa’s numerous trial and errors]
[We prepared many mini-games.]
[But ultimately, we couldn’t use any of them and had to ship them all back to South Korea….]
Cheerful country music played humorously over the blue sky.
[☆Testa Hotteok Shop Opening Decided☆]
[(Took 5 minutes)]
And so Testa began their hotteok business in a corner of an American beach… was the structure.
It was a choice that captured all three elements of mass appeal: money, food, and national pride.
[That staff member is so cute!]
[Hotteok? Crispy and absolutely delicious.]
And after various twists and turns, a short preview was inserted showing them selling hotteok while receiving praise from foreigners unfamiliar with Testa.
It wasn’t strange that people couldn’t resist this familiar variety show flavor and purchased paid memberships.
-The production team are literal devils lolololol
-ㅠㅠTesta’s surprise is so cute. Please tell us more about the behind-the-scenes!
-Wow idol reality shows do this kind of thing too? Interesting and hilarious lololol
-Foreigners’ hotteok reactions? This taste is… the taste of national pride!
-Didn’t expect it to be this funny hurry up with the next episode
Comments from excited viewers poured in.
Fortunately, those expectations were not betrayed.
In the following second episode, Testa demonstrated quite impressive teamwork as they began operating the shop.
And through the third episode, where they found time a few days later to visit the beach, the reality show progressed with joy and a brisk pace.
[What club are you guys? College students? High school students?]
[Something like that! We dance, we sing~]
Cha Yu-jin’s scene, smiling with a half-joking remark, delivered the true taste of what’s called ‘hidden strength meta’.
With episodes 2 and 3 faithfully delivering the anticipated moments, people’s reactions remained hot.
-Yo these guys really know how to work they won’t starve anywhere lololol
-The promotional samples and drink coupons they handed out at the beach was so smart Lee Sae-jin is a genius;
-Chung-woo is hot even by American standards… figured as much.
– Hotteok ice cream is really crazy. Is it only Americans who call for delivery? Lovers also have it.
-Cooking: Park Moon-dae, Kim Rae-bin
Orders: Sun Ah-hyun, Cha Yu-jin
Serving: Lee Sae-jin, Ryu Chung-woo
Hamster: Bae Sae-jin
The perfect combination
hahahahahahahahahaha
└Why is only Bae Se-jin a hamster lol?
└Our hamster works hard ㅠㅠ
As the entertainment-focused character traits were discovered, some of the members’ images became noticeably softer.
And finally, the touching moment when we surpassed one thousand dollars in sales and headed to the Theme Park.
The scene where Testa, who had resolved to only spend from savings, completely fell apart drew roaring laughter after editing.
The catalyst was Park Moon-dae himself, just as he’d promised.
[Park Moon-dae: That’s cute.]
[Lee Sae-jin: Whoa~ Moon-dae, if you buy that, we’re completely out of budget!]
[Park Moon-dae: …Right. Sorry.]
At the Gift Shop, Park Moon-dae reacted slightly dejected to Big Sae-jin’s comedic sketch routine.
As the editing layered countless exclamation marks behind Big Sae-jin, Cha Yu-jin jumped in.
[Cha Yu-jin: Let’s buy it! Let’s buy it!]
[Kim Rae-bin: Huh??]
[Sun Ah-hyun: Yeah, it might be okay…!]
[Cha Yu-jin: Work again! Earn again!]
[Bae Sae-jin: W-well, that’s true, but…]
Ryu Chung-woo had stepped away at just the right moment.
As Bae Sae-jin, the eldest member, grew flustered by Cha Yu-jin’s aggressive insistence, Cha Yu-jin deliberately played the victim.
[Cha Yu-jin: Let’s enjoy today! We’re working so hard anyway….]
[Bae Sae-jin: …Okay, just this once.]
[Cha Yu-jin: Yeah!]
And so Testa went shopping at the Gift Shop with the rationalization of “just this once.”
The Production Team’s cheerful subtitle appeared.
[Of course, it didn’t end with just this once♡]
That’s right.
Once you start, it’s easy—Testa went through similar patterns and began purchasing all sorts of souvenirs and snacks.
And eventually, they even started reaching for the Production Team’s finances.
[This much~ folks, you can earn this in just three hours of work!]
[Sun Ah-hyun: Well, that’s true….]
[Cha Yu-jin: Right!]
[Bae Sae-jin: (confused)]
[No interest either, so what’s the problem! Folks, it’s our first trip to America!]
As a result of falling for this scheme.
[Today’s settlement… wow! Minus 1,012 dollars!]
[!!!!]
It ended like this.
[You all need to work hard~]
With Testa clutching dolls, cushions, and hats in their arms, their dazed figures heading back to the Dormitory marked the end of Episode 4.
Hahaha oh no, the kids lost all their money, what do we do!!
-This is why loan advertisements are dangerous, everyone
The Production Team says they’re managing conditions for the “Scary Guys” tour, but they won’t let us work more than 7 hours a day while encouraging us to go into debt lolol
└Even when people are flooding in and they beg to sell a little more, they say ‘it’s for your sake^^’ but I’ve never seen someone be so wickedly kind
lol that’s real
And as it happened, the week Testa’s Theme Park spending spree ended was the same week as the Golden Disc Awards.
It meant Testa was entering the country that week.
The reality show viewers were already looking forward to that day.
Because it was an opportunity to laugh if they caught even the slightest incident.
-Add hotteok to the Testa cheering method
-Ah, just seeing their faces makes me want to laugh
I really want to see you guys soon, seriously lol
-If they even post proof of souvenirs, it’d be legendary
But those waiting for Testa’s domestic schedule weren’t only their fans.

* * *
“Phew.”
The evening of the day Testa entered the country.
The Rookie Idol sitting in the Company’s executive lobby had been waiting quite a while to meet Testa.
‘…They said they’d stop by the Company today.’
Since it was news delivered by their Manager, who had also worked as Testa’s Manager, it was reliable information.
The idol clasped their own hands together and thought calmly.
‘Get it together. I need to speak well today.’
Then the automatic door from the Parking Lot opened.
“…!”
What appeared next was… several tall men wearing hats and masks.
It was Testa.
‘They’re here…!’
The Rookie Idol jumped up and rushed toward them.
“Hello, seniors!”
The Rookie Idol from the same Company as Testa, a participant who debuted in 2nd place in Ajusa Season 4, bowed respectfully to them.
“Huh? Ah, yes. Hello.”
“Oh, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Yes! I’m truly sorry, but if it’s not too much trouble, would it be possible to speak for just a moment…!”
“….”
Extremely polite and desperate.
It was the attitude of a new employee facing their superior.
“Um….”
Among the members of Testa exchanging glances with slight bewilderment, Park Moon-dae let out a soft exclamation of admiration.
‘Oh.’
I sensed it.
The feeling that the Director was about to spill his story.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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