Debut or Die - Chapter 470

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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 470
ĭter, a rookie group from a major entertainment agency that had ‘benchmarked’ Testa, successfully built up buzz momentum and then began executing a meticulous marketing strategy.
From this point on, the trajectory became predictable.
‘If it were me… I’d first consolidate the playing field.’
They’d already ignited interest, so now came the groundwork for image cultivation.
-ĭter’s planning team even has that famous producer from MS Entertainment, apparently they raided talent from all over and assembled them with gritted teeth
└Wow, insane
Haha, I guess that’s why… MS.. Starting from Zairop’s second year, the quality was getting worse, so everyone must have left for other jobs.
-They’re grabbing headlines from every angle right after debut, their publicity is seriously dirty…
└Do you suck at Mangi?ㅠㅠ It’s pitifulㅠㅠ
Hahaha, the Reviewer was doing plagiarism copycat stuff, so what do we do? I wish they had copied MS idols instead, but it doesn’t seem like they copied Testa.
└Seeing how they’re reacting, they must be feeling some serious threat
Details gradually emerged about how impressive the dedicated team for this group was and what process ĭter went through to become one cohesive unit.
-Insane, ĭter had 30 debut candidates in just the 5 months before, they nailed the perfect combination of 5
-Why ĭter’s visuals are so insane.jpg
-Wonderhole’s rookie boy group lineup that they polished after 5 years of endurance
Without individual human narratives that could be crafted through broadcasts like a survival group, they chose to emphasize commodity value instead.
‘A luxury brand image.’
A single group meticulously selected and created by a major corporation dumping massive capital and manpower into it.
The image of premium, cutting-edge quality certainly resonated.
Though it did attract considerable backlash from fans of other lower-tier idol groups who suddenly found themselves demoted to the budget category.
But even that harsh criticism, deliberately amplified to the point of making people cringe, paradoxically earned them sympathy instead.
-So you like it when they manipulate recommendation counts to push this up?
-What did these kids who just debuted do wrong, stop with the personal attacks
Lol, since you’re consuming plagiarism groups, the stone plate is gradually turning into X-like garbage. Why don’t you get it?
└Seems like it’s because of bastards like you
It was a complete mess, but whether they earned some people’s resentment didn’t matter. Their differentiation strategy was already working brilliantly.
-But seriously, Wonderhole is Wonderhole.. They completely changed their direction from variety show idols T-Holic but it’s not awkward at all, really smells like money
As expected, you can’t underestimate the skill that comes with experience on the stone plate lol
-I really like capital-style concepts like Testa, so it would be nice to see more idols like that. There’s more to enjoy, but Testa’s fans’ reaction was scary.
‘…But it’s only possible because they produced a solid album in the first place.’
They’d absorbed a wide range of ‘references’ throughout.
A rookie group with the perfect trinity of song, choreography, and music video, propelled upward with elasticity by capital and a major agency’s resources.
[Go, gogogo, yes, Go!]
The TikTok dance challenge concept was also well-executed.
An ĭter-exclusive filter that deliberately made the boss monster from the music video look crudely drawn with crayon.
The choreography gesture of shooting that monster, performed at precisely timed intervals, became quite the trend among teenagers doing TikTok.
-I never dreamed the conceptual boy group lineage would be taken over by Wonderhole…
-Wow, so fun
-Finally, a generational shift?
-There really hasn’t been a boy group that took off since Testa
Haha, it seems like it’ll flop because it has no mass appeal, but is everyone here working for the company or something?
Anticipation, sarcasm, resentment, affection….
And so ĭter succeeded in becoming a hot topic within the idol industry at this very moment.
Of course, the idol industry—especially the male idol scene—has seen its target demographic shift overseas, creating some distance from the general public….
‘A storm in a teacup is fine by me.’
The setup was complete.
We’d finally given the public something to talk about.
[Wonderhole’s monster rookie. Shooting dance challenge going viral, YouTube views exploding.]
We’d locked down several key talking points.
When we appeared on variety shows, the ‘why’ became clear—what image to use when consuming and highlighting this group—and that’s when it truly begins.
Public exposure.
[Today’s guests… my goodness, my goodness!]
[I thought I was hunting a boss, but turns out I shot my own heart? Our sparkling, radiant psychic idols, the Gildols, we’ve brought the rookie group from Wonderhole, ‘ĭter’!]
[Waaaaaah!]
“Hmm… sounds like that Ding Dong Dang Noraebang song.”
“Yeah.”
“We even stamped our commitment to go back on a show a few months ago, but things sure do work out differently, don’t they~”
Several of the most popular variety shows.
And we appeared on variety programs that T-Holic directly produced, showcasing that fresh rookie image a few times.
We didn’t appear too often.
We picked and chose from what was available, selecting only the top three or four most prestigious slots.
Plus, befitting rookies, we came across as slightly awkward yet stiff and polite—not exactly explosively entertaining….
Yet the image still imprints itself.
‘Major Entertainment Agency, successful debut!’
-T-Holic really rides the wave hard
-Guess debuting under a major agency is the answer after all
-Still, the kids seem nice and decent. All the dance members are handsome
As ĭter gradually seeped into public consciousness, they began to be accepted simply as ‘a new concept group’.
‘Oh, T-Holic’s juniors? I’ve heard the name at least once.’
‘Don’t they do some weird concept thing? All idols do that these days. But I guess they’re what’s trendy right now.’
Securing this position was a clever hit-and-run.
“….”
I skimmed through the press articles related to ‘ĭter’s successful debut’ and reached a conclusion.
They’d succeeded in solidifying their position.
‘Now they’ll promote this achievement overseas and steadily absorb the global K-pop fanbase.’
If we’re following the textbook playbook, that’s exactly what they’ll do.
This meticulous game board, befitting a major agency with deep roots in the industry, was laid out cleanly on the foundation of draining Testa’s marrow.
Ah, and they timed it perfectly—striking when Testa was at its weakest.
And at this very moment, we—the ones being struck—were….
“Time to wrap up our activities.”
“Yes.”
He didn’t really react to that.
We were simply finishing our group activities as scheduled during the final stretch of our three-week domestic schedule, promoting the album.
Why?
Well, for one thing, it was impossible to schedule more group activities just to counter that Rookie Actor group right now. We were already squeezing out the maximum.
Actually, when you think about it.
‘Reacting would be stupid.’
We had to maintain a strategy of ignoring them as much as possible.
‘Because any reaction we give just becomes buzz for that group.’
As long as they remained the challengers, the underdogs, the rookies, the rising stars… this dynamic was inevitable.
Whatever gesture Testa made, they’d frame the narrative and build their image far too effectively.
‘They probably even hoped for that.’
They likely thought that since we were from a new agency with strong artist influence, we might take some action.
Or maybe they hoped Testa would get frustrated and post something meaningful.
But because we kept our mouths shut, it just ended with ‘ĭter achieved a successful debut.’
That was the right call.
Of course, damn it….
‘Though I can’t say we weren’t annoyed.’
In fact, Big Sae-jin went boxing instead of Pilates yesterday.
I’m guessing he wanted to hit something other than a punching bag.
‘Anyway….’
So for Testa, choosing the quiet waiting meta, all that remained were the individual activities we’d already scheduled.
For instance, those guys appearing in variety show series.
“So, Ah-hyun is still fishing?”
“Yes…!”
Oh, by the way, Sun Ah-hyun surprisingly decided to do a fishing program on a boat.
It was even quite a wild concept—with limited equipment, it felt more like a ‘survival’ content vibe….
“Isn’t it tough?”
“E-everyone is so kind… I’m learning hard…!”
“Mm. Good.”
Sun Ah-hyun had good stamina and naturally lacked fear, so it seemed to suit him surprisingly well….
‘He was always only mentally weak with peers his own age anyway.’
So he handled stomach-turning tasks like catching insects barehanded or diving in his underwear without flinching, apparently leaving a good impression on middle-aged viewers.
-Flower deer what’s going on
-Oh unexpected, Sun Ah-hyun is pretty unfazed?
└After watching 3 episodes straight: Correction—not unfazed, but insane steel mentality
-Is he there with the face of a prince?ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
Connected with the unexpected character he’d shown in the hidden route in the game, it seemed to have the effect of drawing in casual fans.
Certainly, Sun Ah-hyun, who spent all day on a boat without his complexion changing once, looked like he was in some drama.
‘Does he not even get motion sickness?’
Well, it would be absurd for someone who practiced spinning aerial moves every day during middle and high school to suffer from seasickness.
In any case, this meant that Testa’s individual activities themselves were successful, separate from the rookie group.
“Ah, Bae Sae-jin hyung also has drama filming this afternoon!”
“Oh!”
“F-fighting…!”
“…Um, thanks.”
Bae Sae-jin had already entered official filming as well.
Cha Yu-jin, who had finished all his individual schedule shoots first, lingered beside Bae Sae-jin, who was holding a script, and asked.
“Do you like filming, hyung?”
“Well, it’s not bad.”
“The part—is your role fun? What kind of person is he?”
“Um… the protagonist’s friend.”
Bae Sae-jin pulled the script closer, answering bluntly. Perhaps he was worried Cha Yu-jin might tear through the script.
“Friends come in many types! But in my opinion, it’s either the best friend or a small part. Or the worst friend?”
“…It’s neither, actually. They form a deep bond in a short time, you see.”
Bae Sae-jin struggled to explain as indirectly as possible.
For reference, the reason for his evasiveness was explained the day after the first meeting.
-Hey… I got the contract!
-Yaaay!
The one who had triumphantly raised his fist froze at the next question.
-Ah! What role did you get cast as?
-….
-Hyung?
-Um, there’s an NDA, you know? I can’t tell you the exact role! It’s not that I don’t trust you guys, but someone might overhear, and just to be safe…!
-Relax, Sae-jin. I understand.
Since he said so, I’m letting it slide.
And Bae Sae-jin continued his vague explanation to Cha Yu-jin with a serious expression.
“And it’s a supporting role, but there’s an impressive scene—impressive in many ways. It’s quite good.”
“Umm.”
“…It’s the kind that gives the protagonist a catalyst for awakening! That sort of thing!”
For reference, having skimmed through the original webtoon, I can think of a few candidates. Though they all happen to be roles that die mid-season.
‘So that’s why he’s so careful about the NDA.’
“OK. If you’re happy with it, that’s fine.”
“Yeah!”
Cha Yu-jin shrugged, and Bae Sae-jin hastily covered the script and turned his head away.
“But more than that… are we really just leaving those guys alone? The ones copying us…!”
“Um….”
He’s clearly trying to change the subject, but I’ll let it slide.
“For now, since what they want is for us to react, we’re just leaving them be.”
“Right. I understand that, but… we can’t keep doing this forever, can we?”
“Hyung….”
“Yeah, I agree with what you’re saying!”
“…!”
Bae Sae-jin turned around with a slightly startled expression.
Big Sae-jin, freshly showered, perched himself on the edge of the table.
“I bet when the next comeback rolls around, if you think ‘Hmm, the buzz isn’t as strong as expected,’ they’ll cling even harder to Testa—maybe even deliberately overlap schedules.”
Bae Sae-jin’s expression grew serious. But Big Sae-jin grinned widely.
“Come on, we already know all this anyway, so what’s the point? We just need to start preparing now.”
And he turned to look at me.
“Right, Moon-dae?”
That’s right.
I looked down at my smartphone.
Spacer Kwon Hee-seung: Hyung Moon-dae! Haha Congratulations to the Testa seniors on another legendary activity!!
-Spacer Kwon Hee-seung: We want to come back quickly, so we are preparing hard!ㅠㅠ
Spacer.
Just as I’d paired Mirinai with Young-rin’s company rookie last time… I was planning to deliberately build up Spacer’s weight class to entangle them with that side as well.
‘I need to position them properly.’
I quickly finished my thoughts while reviewing Spacer’s profile.
And truthfully, even setting that aside, I was already planning to meet with Kwon Hee-seung.
The real reason was that now Testa had released this album… the company finally had results to show.
[‘Testa(★★★★★)’s Album: 【Roll the Dice】’ Released!]
Album Grade : S
Music Chart Ranking : 3rd (Daily Peak)
Album Sales : 1,823,281 copies
Total Revenue : Calculating
Since we’d only finished domestic promotion and hadn’t done tours yet, the display was limited to this, but the important part lay elsewhere.
The moment performance and revenue were secured, they were immediately reflected in the company grade.
[Company Grade(D+) → Company Grade(B-)]
Promotion successful!
It was swift.
Many additional things changed and were given as rewards, but the most important thing was this popup.
[Mission Achieved!]
Mission : 【Stars Orbit Entertainment】 B- Grade Achievement
-‘■■■’s Fragment’ can now be recovered
This had been accomplished.
“….”
The System’s fragment.
The one that had caused ‘Mission Failure’—collapsing the building and swapping bodies between me and Big Dal.
It seemed I could now recover it from that bastard first.
‘Mission Failed’ appeared before I could even process what was happening.

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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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