Debut or Die - Chapter 381

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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 381
The Entertainment Agency Survival show 【Wise】 was gradually expanding its viewer base from a frog in a well to fish in a reservoir.
Riding the wave of controversy from Episode 3.
[An actual elimination happens in LeTi Survival through seat-stealing (spoiler)]
[Current state of Wise.jpg]
[Ryu Gun-woo in danger of elimination]
The comments had shifted from the early broadcast period, now filled with arguments and questions.
-It’s not elimination, it’s elimination risk. Fix the title
-Wait, the guy with glasses is out?
-Someone explain
└A one-on-one death match between a top-tier trainee with fame and skills versus an ordinary person inserted mid-show, and the latter won
└Insane
└Insane my ass, anyone can see the first one did better
Viewers’ opinions clashed over whether Ryu Gun-woo performed better, Jin Chae-yul performed better, the CEO lost his mind, or if this was a real elimination.
And for good reason.
‘The broadcast edited it better than I expected.’
Unlike other death match teams that carried a sense of tension, this one received editing that was frankly no different from kindergarten.
[Ryu Gun-woo: Let’s all do our best.]
[Jin Chae-yul: Yaaay!]
[Oh Yoon-shin: (enthusiastic applause)]
[Three little chicks]
Even the BGM was pushed with the most innocent tone possible.
Ryu Gun-woo’s role was the same.
The scenes where I used my head to draw out opinions from yes-men were cut. It only showed me taking care of my teammates and creating the stage with one heart and one mind, working hard.
[Harmony itself]
[Jin Chae-yul: I really like it!]
[Oh Yoon-shin: Me too.]
[Ryu Gun-woo: Then I’ll write it that way.]
[Unanimous agreement in succession]
I came across as somewhat clumsy and blunt, but someone who accepts people well.
[Q: How was the leader?]
[Ryu Gun-woo: Everyone’s a beginner at this kind of thing… Since I’m older, I should pay more attention.]
My interview appeal of the ‘had no choice but to be leader’ variety flowed naturally with the narrative. It came across as pure, almost to the point of being naive.
“Hmm.”
Intrigued by it all, I cracked open a beer at this moment.
‘Doing the exact same thing at Ajusa would’ve made me look like a four-dimensional lunatic.’
Either way, the power of editing is remarkable.
In any case, this team got through the sweet practice period and finally ended the performance well too.
But then the CEO’s evaluation hits quite brutally.
[CEO Kim Tae-in: This isn’t something you can call fun.]
[!!]
[Producer with a stern expression]
Stop playing around.
What’s interesting is that this team’s edit didn’t make it look like they received unfair evaluation.
[CEO Kim Tae-in: Isn’t this the time when we should be desperately appealing to and showcasing what we do best?]
[CEO Kim Tae-in: (Gun-woo) gave up his parts too.]
[Ryu Gun-woo: ….]
[CEO Kim Tae-in’s sharp advice]
[Silence permeates the filming studio]
Instead, the atmosphere suggested the CEO had delivered a proper wake-up call to the amateur team that had lost focus.
‘That’s definitely editing with the CEO’s fingerprints all over it.’
So if a casual viewer just followed the flow, they might think, ‘Yeah, maybe they were a bit too comfortable…?’
They even gave a close-up of the tense Ryu Gun-woo sweating cold beads of perspiration.
Then the CEO shook his head slightly as if to say this wasn’t it, before declaring firmly.
[CEO Kim Tae-in: I announce the winner.]
And on the scoreboard appears ‘Jin Chae-yul wins’.
‘Exquisite.’
If you only watched up to this point, would you think public opinion might lean toward ‘Yeah, they’re in a survival show but seemed a bit less desperate’?
Not quite. One other element comes into play.
-They performed so well, what is this nonsense
The stage was excellent.
‘Can’t deny it.’
-The cute performance at Leti was very refreshing. What was it?ㅠㅠ
“I was literally watching it thinking ‘this is my vitamin right here,’ but then the boss went crazy.”
“I was shocked that he was even good at this… and his chemistry with the kids is insane…”
Once the narrative of unfair evaluation took hold, people with different preferences started arguing.
-The wording was harsh, but it does seem like Chae-yul’s concept was better received?
└Yeah Gun-woo was the leader anyway, Chae-yul just rode the bus
└??They performed the stage together though; and it means the leader’s choice was a bit complacent
-They pulled off the marine look and refreshing cute concept so well, and they got harsh criticism?
Honestly, the Supplementary Class did way worse than RGW, but the CEO got his feelings hurt because it wasn’t to his taste and dropped us, right? He’s joking around saying it’s my fault for hurting his feelings, lolol.
-They both performed well, let’s blame the CEO who made the rules!
And because viewers were making such a fuss, people who came just to watch the drama ended up checking out the stage performance too.
And the newly arrived people started adding their own comments.
Immersed in the perspective of a cold and objective evaluator.
-They performed well, but it seems the CEO has different tastes, and since it’s an entertainment agency survival show, there’s nothing we can do about it
-Both the member who showed a new side and the member who executed their assigned concept well performed well, but since it’s a death match, that Honor Class member seemed a bit loose
-This is better than Ryu Gun-woo’s first stage, I don’t understand what the CEO is talking about
“That’s enough.”
I lowered my smartphone. There was nothing more to see.
I have no regrets about being used as kindling for the sake of buzz. The platform itself is growing because of it.
‘I’ll flip the script in the next team match anyway.’
Whether it’s a misunderstanding or not, the fact that my attitude is dividing opinions right now on this stage is actually beneficial.
‘When the negativity gets resolved, the payoff will be that much sweeter.’
Besides, the other guys on my roster are sailing smoothly through all this.
“Hmm.”
I leaned back against the sofa, resting my arm on it. Let me organize my thoughts a bit more.
First, Kim Rae-bin’s death match aired in the first episode and immediately sparked reactions.
-Is Kim Rae-bin really not a LeTi trainee? lol He’s totally got that LeTi vibe
-Producer?? lol You’re definitely debuting, why are you trying to hide from the cameras
-I thought him winning and losing to Ryu Gun-woo’s Supplementary Class was bait lol
The guy who crushed it in the death match was originally someone with no screen time, and thanks to his appearance, he settled in as a participant without any backlash or resistance whatsoever.
The criticism I took during 【Ajusa】 feels like a lie now—everything’s going smoothly. Though I do hear comments about my attitude being unusual.
-Why is Rae-bin acting like that lol Why’s he acting like a private first class lmao
-He’s an intern below the stage but becomes the boss once he’s up there, I love this
The coaching paid off.
Moreover, the ‘Shin Jae-hyun VS Cha Yu-jin’ matchup that’s moving into Episode 4’s preview is already generating buzz just from the practice process and mid-evaluation.
If I sort it chronologically, it’d feel like this.
-Ah that Supplementary Class is totally incompatible with LeTi lol Why’d they even come
-What, why are they so good
-Wait, Cha Yu-jin’s winning?;
-No way, Shin Jae-hyun’s still incredible though… but he got the short end of the stick from Ryu Gun-woo so the CEO bastard… Hmm, that’s sketchy
It’s entertaining.
Usually, in-house survival shows have predictable flows. Most of the time they’re set up with predetermined winners from the start.
But this 【Wise】 is full of variables, and viewers are starting to get immersed in the unpredictable next chapters.
The upset victory of the Supplementary Class—a fresh development.
This is how the program itself becomes engaging.
-It’s really unexpected, the whole game’s flipped;
-For viewers it’s just pure entertainment
-I don’t know much about idols, would it still be fun to watch?
└Yeah, it feels like you can enjoy it just watching it like a drama?
The spark meets the kindling and ignites into flame.
And the broadcast even drove the final nail in at the very end.
Right after the preview, they plastered this across the screen.
[Recruitment of Applicants]
[We are now accepting new challengers to pursue their debut through the 【Supplementary Class】.]
[Please visit the 【Wise】 Website and click the button at the bottom. We appreciate your support.]
They literally put up a poster in front of viewers saying they’d increase the variables even more. On an even bigger scale too.
‘The strategy’s solid.’
Actually, this was something I proposed and Chung-ryeo breathed life into.
That’s a decent idea. Low risk. I’ll push for it.
‘From the company’s perspective, there’s nothing to lose.’
We get noise marketing out of it, and if things go south, we can just cut everything. Plus, if someone with potential applies, we can keep them on the back burner for next time.
But this isn’t the end.
What was supposed to come at this point was an absolutely massive announcement that follows right after.
[!Global Voting Begins!]
[Send your support to the participant you’re rooting for. Your votes can determine who survives.]
Viewer voting had officially started.
But they didn’t specify exactly what power the votes held, which only drove people more insane with speculation.
Just how much would an entertainment agency survival show actually reflect the viewers’ will?
‘Announcing eliminations and new participants at the same time—these bastards know how to play the game.’
Regardless, thanks to all this chaos, I was steadily reaping the benefits the survival show had to offer.
Pre-existing recognition and fanbase.
And even the participants’ character archetypes.
Of course, my own character was becoming increasingly defined as well.
-Literally the embodiment of a calm, affectionate large dog… a complete package with nerdy glasses guy X campus romance fantasy all compressed together. Never seen anything like it
…In other words, a nerdy large dog.
‘Why, exactly.’
It was somewhat amusing that despite my image being so different from my Park Moon-dae days, people still kept comparing me to a dog—but regardless, my recognition was skyrocketing smoothly.
Soon enough, stepping outside meant people would recognize me, and before long, there were people camping out in front of my Officetel.
This point was becoming problematic.
I got up from the sofa and casually glanced out at the balcony.
“Hmm.”
I could spot a few suspicious figures loitering in taxis down there.
‘Ryu Chung-woo’s going to end up suffering from this.’
Apparently, since he was a former national team member, he’d managed to get an Officetel with decent security, but there had to be limits.
“I should talk to him about this.”
[You mean… with those people?]
“No, with Ryu Chung-woo.”
The timing was perfect anyway. He’d just gotten back after finishing his club meeting and was here.
I asked him the moment he came out of the shower.
“Chung-woo.”
“Yeah?”
“Doesn’t it bother you, all those people out there? There’s supposedly space at the agency dormitory, so I was thinking I should move out for a bit so you don’t get caught up in this.”
But he frowned slightly before answering immediately.
“No, that’s fine. More than that… are you okay, hyung?”
“Hmm?”
What was he talking about?
“…Being misunderstood by people you don’t know isn’t exactly pleasant, is it?”
Ah, so that’s what he meant.
It seems he watched the third episode broadcast alone as well. And it looks like he checked the comment reactions on his way here too.
‘Good grief.’
I’m curious what kind of reaction he’d show if he found out that I had personally appeared on that kind of program.
I just laughed.
“Broadcasting goes through so many people’s hands that misunderstandings are inevitable in the process. You can get criticized far worse than your actual mistakes.”
“….”
“But you also receive greater recognition in return. You can prove yourself more properly.”
My eyes meet Ryu Chung-woo’s. I nod.
“I like this work. Especially when I’m on stage.”
“…I see.”
He lets out a sigh whose meaning I can’t quite grasp, then quickly recovers with a smile.
“Then that’s something to celebrate. You’ve found work you can pursue passionately, hyung.”
Listening to this, it really does feel like we’re exchanging family blessings.
I set aside the peculiar feeling and took a seat.
“Thanks.”
“No problem. Keep it up, hyung.”
We bump fists. Ryu Chung-woo asks as if he just remembered something.
“Hyung, do you have any plans tomorrow? Or do you want to grab a drink?”
“Hmm, I think I need to go out.”
“Work again?”
“Yeah.”
In a sense, it’s similar.
[Finally??]
‘Right.’
I wave to Ryu Chung-woo as he heads into his room, and finally summon that window.
There’s no need to put it off any longer.
[Colleague: Awaken Lee Sae-jin?]
-Use 1,000 Exp
Bae Sae-jin’s awakening.
This time I don’t hesitate and press the button.
Light bursts forth.
[A leap toward the extraordinary….]
“Huh.”
Even if it fails, it’s fine. My fame stat is sufficient, so I can keep pushing until it succeeds….
[First Awakening Successful!]
That’s it!
It’s still satisfying that this one doesn’t glitch and works consistently.
I try to check Bae Sae-jin’s status in the colleague list with my fist clenched.
…if only this hadn’t appeared.
[Colleague: Lee Sae-jin Event Triggered!]
[Lee Se-jin realized… ∑(ㅇㅁㅇ)]
What?
The popup trembled, then burst with a shower of golden fireworks that exploded across the screen.
[Colleague Rename Event Complete!]
[Lee Sae-jin → Bae Sae-jin]
“….”
I needed to stop overthinking and pull up his contact information immediately.

* * *
“Here, actor….”
“Thank you.”
Lee Sae-jin readily accepted the water bottle the staff member offered.
The Manager had disappeared somewhere in the middle again and hadn’t been seen for hours.
Because of that, my return home was being delayed, but I accepted the situation without complaint.
‘I wasn’t expecting anything anyway.’
As long as I could work, that was enough. And there was plenty of work.
I reviewed tomorrow’s filming content once more, passing the time….
What is this?
“Ugh!”
“…Sae-jin?”
Lee Sae-jin lowered his head.
My head throbbed sharply, and as a tingling chill ran through me, my vision cleared….
And it revealed itself.
‘What?’
It wasn’t as if something foreign had been crammed into my head.
Rather, as if a veil had been lifted, or as if I’d put on glasses, countless pieces of information suddenly became vivid and clear in my mind.
Monologues and conversations, and thoughts.
Events.
-Why did Ajusa even show up?
-I want to continue… no, never mind.
-My brother is changing his name to Mother’s surname.
-I’m Bae Sae-jin from Testa…. Thank you for the filming today!
For a moment, it was overwhelming.
But as time passed, that clarity became genuine, settling firmly into my mind.
“….”
Lee Sae-jin—no, the person who had recovered Bae Sae-jin’s sense of self—staggered to his feet.
“Are you alright?”
“…Yes.”
There was no pain.
I didn’t bother explaining to the staff and sat back down.
No, to be precise, I didn’t have the luxury of explanation. I couldn’t even begin to understand what situation this was.
‘Why am I here—actually, it’s stranger that I’m not here. But…’
In the end, it was only after the Manager returned that my sense of self, which didn’t align with reality, organized itself and established my identity.
And at this moment, Park Moon-dae was receiving absurd news.
From the Communication tab in the status window.
[Bae Sae-jin has no contact information yet…]
“Hah.”
I stared at the blank contact field for my colleague Bae Sae-jin, then made a clean decision.
‘No contact? Then I’ll just make one.’
I’d go find him directly.

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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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