Debut or Die - Chapter 362

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

A Fatal Illness if I Don’t Debut – Episode 362
========================
[Testa’s New Variety Show Airs]
(Preview Video)
Every time, the combo of fake PD and Testa is famous for pulling legendary fun gacha lolol
+Looks like they’re heading to the countryside!
========================
It was 11 PM on a weekday evening when many people were watching something live on air.
Kim Rae-bin’s fan had seen the preview that aired on television moments before and logged onto the Internet, where naturally the Online Community was already buzzing with related discussions.
-A combo you can trust
-Wow, my grandson is already cuteㅠㅠ
-This one’s actually healing I guess yeah our boys deserve a break for real
-This feels like only fans would watch
└?? There are a lot of people who like this kind of thing, what are you talking about?
└Feeling of hitting
In summary, with a production team combo that had always delivered legendary moments and the steady-seller content of rural home-cooked meals, the response was reasonably positive.
But Kim Rae-bin’s fan knew better.
Lack of controversy meant it wasn’t quite as hot.
‘This is basically just pure fans commenting.’
During the hotteok and deserted island episodes, things had been so spectacular they’d practically flipped the entire Internet, but now it was just ordinary.
A sigh escaped her.
“Sigh.”
Pretending her younger brother wasn’t there, she’d been watching the TV preview with him when he poked her back.
“What, their variety show’s coming out? Isn’t that good?”
“Ugh, if you don’t know, just stay quiet.”
This was a kind of signal.
‘A sign of mannerism!’
No curses or anger came out. She simply thought to herself.
‘Is it that time already….’
Kim Rae-bin’s fan was experiencing a slight sense of reality check.
As a freelancer who’d become a new working adult, she was gradually compromising her personality with social life, and so she felt similar sentiments bleeding into her fandom too.
‘Now that I’ve got seniority and have seen them win awards, I want to just relax and enjoy easy things like this.’
Right. She’d known since they all took a few days off claiming to have body aches. And besides, this activity’s title performance wasn’t exactly lacking.
‘At least their eyes aren’t dull.’
In the past, she would’ve raged saying things like ‘keep my favorite away from these guys who’ve lost their initial passion, they’re like medieval rabbits,’ but not anymore.
‘Yeah… they’re human too, what can you do about burnout.’
As long as they don’t show it in front of the camera. The stage is still incredible and their self-management is solid.
‘They seem to make up quickly even when they fight.’
During the Japan concert not long ago, Park Moon-dae and Lee Sae-jin seemed to have fought, but judging by how they showed no signs of it afterward, their professionalism remained intact.
She recalled her secret account timeline where there had been brief speculation about it at the time, then decided to stop thinking about it.
My younger brother got annoyed.
“Hey, so you’re not going to watch it?”
“I’m going to watch it!”
To put it all together… it was a bit deflating, but I was still hoping for a natural disaster twist like the deserted island episode.
‘What kind of spectacle could happen in a rural area anyway? Sun Ah-hyun will probably set the kitchen on fire….’
Still, given that PD’s track record was so impressive, she decided not to judge prematurely.
And on the day the first episode aired.
She was somewhat taken aback.
“…Hmm.”
Unexpectedly… it’s actually fun?
It started with the Production Team gathering Testa during the meeting and insisting this time it would be healing.
Of course, Testa didn’t believe them.
[Ryu Chung-woo: Um… I’m scared.]
[Lee Sae-jin: Come on, and then we’re actually… it was rural Alaska! Something like that, right?]
[Writer: It’s really not, truly!]
Eventually, due to the lengthy persuasion session, the meeting footage was fast-forwarded with tearful subtitles appearing on screen.
[Testa only believed the Production Team after hearing they said they’d accept a lawsuit if they were lying….]
“Heh!”
Kim Rae-bin’s fan nearly laughed too.
hahahahahahaha
-I’d do the same if I were Testa
The karma’s come back around lol
The self-reflective segment of the Production Team continued amusingly.
[Junior Writer: Really, Park Moon-dae’s suspicion and worry right until the end was just….]
[PD: Our sins run deep. Really.]
And in stark contrast to that gloomy and satirical scene… Testa’s first filming day.
[Testa: Waaaaaah!]
The bus scene finally began, with the atmosphere running wild under the blazing sun.
[The persuasion was incredibly effective!]
[These people are really fired up….]
Testa on screen was singing on the bus, admiring the scenery, playing games—absolute chaos.
[Complete immersion]
[Bae Sae-jin: Don’t unbuckle your seatbelt because it’s dangerous!]
[Lee Sae-jin: That’s right, that’s right, everyone stay in your seats and keep your distance while having fun~]
[Cha Yu-jin: Yay!]
[A true contactless concert hall]
[~So much fun~]
Testa, captivated by the healing concept, was completely absorbed in the outing with their energy through the roof.
[Lee Sae-jin: A rest stop! Let’s grab some sweet potatoes at the rest stop!]
[Park Moon-dae: I have cash.]
[Cheers]
In a word, they looked far more excited than anyone could have imagined.
Hahahahahahaha
-The kids let go of themselves? LOL
-What should I do? I’m so excited that I can actually play this time haha.
-First time I’ve seen a reality show where the cast is this genuinely excited and enjoying themselves
Testa rode that momentum all the way to the Dormitory, and the moment the Production Team finished their briefing, they erupted into activity on camera.
[Cha Yu-jin : It’s so warm!]
[Kim Rae-bin : Don’t lie down right after eating!]
Watching them sprawl out in the Ondol Room with its yellow vinyl flooring, or get excited over toy-like coins, was genuinely entertaining—their energy was infectious.
[Lee Sae-jin : Oh my~ do you want to go with your hyung? Should we go together?]
And that buoyant atmosphere reached its peak when they brought out the dog.
[Mung-ge / Dog Age: 3 months]
[Park Moon-dae : (Fidgeting)]
[Wondering if this might be his younger sibling↑]
The baby pet effect was tremendous. Every SNS post erupted in screams.
-Ahhhhhhhhhhh
-Do you think Mundaengdaeng has a younger brother?ㅠㅠㅠ
-Wait… this duo shot is finally complete
-Two fluffy white puppy mochi babies!! Two of them!!
“Insane….”
Even Kim Rae-bin’s fans were left speechless.
‘If the puppy had the same hair color as Park Moon-dae, then this….’
Without even looking, every editing account was probably flooding with screenshots.
[Testa hyungs, hello (front paw pads)]
Moreover, seven grown adults cradling one tiny puppy and making a fuss in bewilderment was genuinely hilarious.
[Cha Yu-jin : More sweet potato, please!]
[Park Moon-dae : What are you saying? Eat any more and you’ll turn into a pig.]
[But his hands tell the truth]
hahahahahaha
Why are you naturally treating Eugene the same as a puppy and grouping them together lol
-They really all have such distinct characters..
The dog grew plump from all sorts of homemade treats. Eugene benefited from the spillover too.
She found herself watching the show obsessively.
The Production Team edited the footage skillfully, bringing out each member of Testa’s growth and narrative arcs adorably.
For instance, Kim Rae-bin didn’t stand out much in the initial scenes of the villagers’ welcome.
‘He’s got that first-meeting-with-parents curse look.’
That’s right. It was because of his decadent, sharp impression and piercings. But as time went on, his recognition skyrocketed.
[Kim Rae-bin : I’m here!]
[Kim Rae-bin : Then how about this!]
[Kim Rae-bin: I’ll take care of it!]
[(Fireworks) A Grandson of the Era, Working Hard (Fireworks)]
His respectful and pure demeanor and appearance came across so naturally.
It was the unique vibe of someone who’d lived that way since childhood.
Eventually, the residents even started slipping him snacks on the side, and it all made it onto broadcast without hesitation.
[Resident: Phew, this kid seems to work the best! He eats so well~]
[Resident: Hey… want to try this one?]
[Kim Rae-bin: Thank you so much! I’ll enjoy it! If there’s anything else you need done, just call on me anytime.]
‘An idol with both elegance and nerd charm—isn’t this the dream combination of the heavens?’
She nodded, thinking that the rural area and Kim Rae-bin combination would definitely generate memes.
With each member’s character becoming so distinct, the content felt full just from their natural banter alone.
Testa, eagerly helping elderly folks they didn’t know, playing around, and cycling down rice field paths while delivering groceries.
[Park Moon-dae: Hyung, do you have an engine attached to your legs or something?]
[Ryu Chung-woo: Hahaha!]
Overall, from a fan’s perspective, it couldn’t have been better.
‘Even without a specific purpose, it’s surprisingly working out well….’
After years together, Testa had learned to chat naturally among themselves and drive the program forward without awkwardness.
Because of that, it looked good for ordinary viewers to watch without stress.
[Sun Ah-hyun: The weather really is nice. Don’t you think?]
[Park Moon-dae: Yeah.]
Electronic devices didn’t show up much on screen, and the unique sensibility of the rural setting gave it a subtle nostalgic, youthful feeling.
While it lacked the distinctive character of previous variety shows, Testa’s name itself had become valuable enough to be that character, so the viewership didn’t seem like it would be bad.
‘It doesn’t seem like they’ll abandon viewership and resort to moral victories through trending topics… right?’
From Sun Ah-hyun nearly setting the yard on fire while attempting a barbecue, to Bae Sae-jin slamming a book into the rice field path and screaming silently—the comedy was surprisingly well-handled.
[Cha Yu-jin: Fire! Fire! Fire!]
[Bae Sae-jin: The meat, don’t get sand on it! Put it out! Just put it out!]
[Lee Sae-jin: Kyaaaaa!]
Beep beep!
[※Screen Adjustment in Progress※]
[It took a full hour for seven adults to extinguish the brazier.]
There were tiny comedic moments coming from idols unfamiliar with this kind of lifestyle.
‘It has its own pacing, in its own way.’
And at the end, even touching moments.
[Lee Sae-jin: Smells good.]
[Park Moon-dae: Yeah.]
After finishing deliveries, Testa lay in the pavilion eating ice cream, all smiles on their faces.
A relaxed, bare-faced side revealed away from the hectic, grueling schedule.
Remembering that they’d recently halted activities briefly due to illness, even someone like me felt a slight pang.
“Man, that dog’s got it made.”
“Shut up.”
Kim Rae-bin’s fan shot a dismissive look at his younger brother and tried to refocus on the screen.
That was the moment.
[??? : Waaaaaahhh!!]
“…?!”
Suddenly, a vivid crimson subtitle overlay consumed the serene pavilion scenery.
And the cheers and screams of multiple people erupted across the screen in a cacophony.
[??? : We got it!! We got it!!]
[??? : Hahahahaha]
Then the screen went black for a moment… before brightening again.
The Production Team gathered in the yard, applauding.
“…??”
“What is this.”
And another subtitle appeared.
[Curious why the Production Team]
[is so delighted?]
Well, yeah.
[Find out next week.]
“Hey!”
Then the commercial break started.
“What the hell was that just now?”
“I have no idea!”
It had been ages since a mid-show commercial break had frustrated me this much!
‘Get lost!’
Fortunately, the broadcast returned quickly. And the preview continued normally.
[Park Moon-dae wants to make boiled pork?]
[I’m all for it!]
Testa continued to enjoy the healing content.
But they had overlaid a nostalgic OST from a famous drama as the background music.
[Those days~ were so good~ weren’t they~♪]
The screen even shifted to a sepia tone like a flashback scene.
“…!!”
An utterly blatant… manufactured preview.

* * *
The first episode aired.
And I was taken aback.
‘Why… is the response this good?’
I mean, I knew it would do well, but I didn’t expect it to be embraced so universally by the public.
‘I thought there’d be at least some complaints about it being boring.’
Thanks to the magic of editing, the first episode made excellent use of contrasting moods, coming together cleanly and without a dull moment.
Of course, it was a good thing, but there were some side effects.
-What were the Production Team even doing lol
-It’s funny but sad please tell me they didn’t go too far the kids are loving this lol T_T
-I’m dreading next week
-This is killing me something brutal’s gonna come out lol
-It would’ve been fine if it stayed like this T_T oh no what if the kids suffer
Because the first episode turned out so well, viewers were even expressing discomfort about the tonal shift that would come.
As a result, the Production Team seemed to be in a slight state of alert too.
‘Are they regretting hitting everyone with a plot twist?’
That probably wasn’t it.
Honestly, the pacing was fast and since it was the first episode, they put effort into the editing, but healing content gets boring quickly anyway.
Still, looking at it now, I suspect the Production Team would’ve naturally switched back to healing content in the final stretch without me having to push for it.
After all, the demand had proven to be decent.
‘Well… but if the end result is the same anyway, isn’t the version with more ups and downs more entertaining?’
The Production Team should be grateful. I shrugged my shoulders.
At that moment, Bae Sae-jin, who had been monitoring reactions beside me, opened his mouth.
“Our filming… ends today.”
Ah, so that’s what this is about.
“Yes. We need to start wrapping up soon. If people find out where we are, they might gather and make the neighborhood chaotic.”
“…Right.”
He nodded with a serious expression.
“Still… this was pretty nice too.”
“It really was.”
In the latter half, we made a big feast and invited people to a celebration, and the image of the Production Team suffering as money was spent lavishly was entertaining.
‘Of course, by the end they’ll have handled the money issue well.’
It showed various flavors in many ways, and now that it’s over, I feel satisfied. I nodded.
“But there’s still one thing that hasn’t been revealed.”
“Hmm?”
Bae Sae-jin furrowed his brow and muttered.
“In the end, who was the culprit who took the carrot coins? That’s what caused all of this in the first place.”
Ah, so he’s been thinking about that.
‘I left it intentionally unresolved.’
After confirming the camera was absent because it was in the middle of a data transfer, I answered quietly.
“Obvious, really. It had to be an insider.”
“…!”
Bae Sae-jin’s face flashed with bewilderment.
“W-wait… you’re saying it’s one of us!?”
“Yes.”
I murmured quietly.
“If it were someone else, it’d be boring. Having it be one of us gives better screen time and a more impactful twist. It has to be one of us.”
Bae Sae-jin listened with a dazed expression, then seemed to understand.
And suddenly he asked with a tense face.
“…Wait, are you saying it’s me? Because, you know, I’d need acting skills for that.”
As if that were likely.
“No, hyung. It doesn’t seem like you.”
“Why??”
Why get defensive when I said it wasn’t him?
“You weren’t composed enough.”
“…?!”
If Bae Sae-jin were the culprit, he would have responded with perfect composure and common sense.
Seeing him overcommit with that usual unfocused seriousness of his, there’s no way it’s him.
“Actually, there is someone suspicious.”
“Who?”
I turned my head and looked at the person outside the room.
‘So it really is him.’
Big Sae-jin.
The guy, still looking cheerful, was putting on an energetic display.
He has excellent acting skills, sharp judgment in the moment, and good social awareness. He’s the perfect fit to pull off being a spy.
In fact, the main reason I didn’t bring him along during the coin duplication was precisely this.
‘If he happened to snitch to the production crew, it’d all be over.’
Bae Sae-jin caught my gaze and seemed to realize, his mouth falling open.
“L-Lee Sae….”
“It’s just a suspicion. Let’s keep it between us.”
“…Ahem, well. Okay, got it.”
I decided to stop there.
Since he loves screen time so much, it’d be better to save the final betrayal moment for broadcast.
At that moment, I was certain of it.

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