Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 397

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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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397. How This Idol Maintains Discipline (4)
A performance that paid respect to every drama, variety show, and actor gathered in this venue,
The breathtaking visuals revealed as the mask came off,
A catchy chorus that everyone could sing along to,
And Jeong Si-u, whose sculpted features matched the song perfectly.
Even if Kairos had stopped here and shouted “Thank you!”, the performance would have been successful enough, but Kairos had been given a total of seven minutes, and only about three had passed so far.
That meant Kang Ha-jin still had four more minutes to showcase Kairos’s visuals and talent.
Where am I?
Between the world and me,
One of us has to be insane
The live performance continued with Seo Tae-hyun, whose vocal tone conveyed emotion like no one else could.
They hadn’t bothered with special arrangements or changed the choreography, but with the backup dancers joining in, the stage looked even more vibrant.
I dreamed a dream I’d never seen before
And lost a hand I’d never held
I’m going mad, I know, that’s right
In truth, four minutes would have been enough to perform “Spring Never Comes” in full, but Kairos had abandoned the ambition to showcase every song long ago.
This stemmed from a conviction held not by Kang Ha-jin the idol, but by Kang Ha-jin the planner and director.
‘Make it clear who owns this stage.’
At the Upia Concert, at the university festival, and here now at this awards ceremony tribute stage.
Kang Ha-jin understood better than anyone that the true owners of this stage weren’t his group, but the actors and entertainers sitting before them. He was far more sensitive to reading the room and positioning than most realized, and that instinct had honed his sense for stage composition into something razor-sharp.
‘Question one: Is Kairos famous?’
Their popularity was growing, but whether they were truly famous remained ambiguous.
Even if Winter Tail had decent recognition for a boy group these days, there was still a long way to go by idol market standards.
Kairos was likewise rising rapidly within the idol scene, but expand that standard to the general public and their name recognition became negligible.
‘Question two: Are Kairos’s songs famous?’
This too was ambiguous.
Especially considering “Spring Never Comes” alone—it was a typical one-minute hit song that had blown up as short-form video background music. The public had heard at most the “Let it all perish” part, and everything before and after was just “sounds familiar, doesn’t it?”
If this is a world where I can’t find you,
So after lengthy consultation with Lee Do-ha, Kang Ha-jin boldly cut the beginning and end of “Spring Never Comes.” It started with the chorus, transitioned into the pre-chorus build-up phase, then returned to the familiar chorus.
Usually in performances like this, people would rewrite the lyrics with wit, but Ha-jin left the lyrics untouched. Having worked countless one-day gigs at award ceremonies as emergency staff, Ha-jin knew all too well how poor the live sound quality at these events could be.
If he altered the lyrics, TV viewers might enjoy it, but those in the venue might feel alienated by unfamiliar words. Such tricks only worked when a song was incredibly famous or the singer was ridiculously well-known.
So instead―
The performance came through exactly as the original, untouched. The slightly awkward breath control, still rough from being a rookie, actually proved the live vocals were solid. Being unable to wear a head mic due to the mask and holding a handheld mic instead turned out to be an advantage.
And as the song moved toward the highlight once more, Kang Ha-jin rushed down from the stage with his members.
“…?”
“Oh my, oh my, what is this!”
“What, what, ahahaha!”
With excited steps, they headed toward the table where comedians from Gag Friends were gathered. True to their profession, the comedians stood up and were enthusiastically enjoying the stage when the impossibly beautiful idols suddenly approached, and they laughed in surprise while quickly grasping the situation.
And the moment Kang Ha-jin, who had drawn near, handed the microphone to Nam Sa-ra, a comedian and cast member of “This Damn World” who had made the song a hit,
She responded with the quick wit unique to comedians, letting out a cheeky expression as she shouted in a comedic tone.
“Perish! Go to ruin!”
That very catchphrase had catapulted her from years of supporting roles into the entertainment industry’s reigning trend. It was the reason Kairos could be here—a single shot crafted for her and her program.
The members, who had only ever seen this line through YouTube Shorts, couldn’t help but burst into laughter, erupting in guffaws and applauding her. Nam Sa-ra, too, brought the scene to life by blowing exaggerated air kisses to the members in gratitude.
Don’t do that!
Just when the performance seemed to be wrapping up warmly, it took an unexpected turn.
While the members were thanking Nam Sa-ra, Ju Eun-chan had quietly returned to the stage alone, grasping the microphone stand that had been set up, and launched into a new song. The somewhat melancholic backing track had already transformed into an energetic band sound.
All eyes turned toward the stage.
Don’t do that
Don’t wait for that day
Don’t make me sad watching that day come to an end
The song Ju Eun-chan was singing was definitely not “Spring Doesn’t Come.”
And it wasn’t the OST from any famous drama or variety show either.
Yet everyone here knew this song.
‘Question three: What is Kairos’s most famous song?’
It was the answer to Kang Ha-jin’s third question, and
I want to live today and tomorrow too,
“Those who know it, shall we all sing together!?”
Full of excitement and anticipation!
Kairos’s biggest hit song filled the entire venue. People who recognized the song’s identity raised their voices enthusiastically.
Ah, but you know what—
“What’s that?”
This isn’t actually a carol!
The bright, punchy band sound of “This Isn’t Actually a Carol” erupted. The members freely moved between the stage, the celebrity seating, and even the host’s seat, inciting audience participation.
Someone might have questioned why a winter song in the middle of summer, but from Kairos’s perspective, there was something to say about it.
‘This isn’t actually a carol, you know?’
Though jingle bell sounds and classic carol melodies were heavily sampled throughout, this was decidedly not a carol. This December seasonal song, perfect for sweeping away August’s sweltering heat, was the final track Kairos had prepared.
My Day is Everyday Christmas
I want to live in anticipation every day!
There’s no such thing as one special day
I just want to wait for tomorrow
Though unintentional, the lyrics somehow conveyed a message about the light and shadow of this awards ceremony, delivered with clarity and precision.
Led by the comedian team who had become Kairos’s steadfast allies through that earlier ad-lib moment, the celebrities seated throughout the venue began rising to their feet one by one. Despite Kairos never once prompting the audience to stand, everyone swayed their bodies for this earnest rookie idol who had prepared such a heartfelt stage.
This isn’t a carol (for real)
It’s really not a carol (seriously)
Even the middle-aged actor who had played the elderly agent in Ha-jin’s parody sketch earlier was brought to his feet. Kairos’s celebratory stage concluded with such a perfect live response that there was no need to search for reviews afterward.
* * *
‘Reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews….’
Of course, the sentiment of ‘no need to even check’ belonged to Kairos’s perspective.
For Park Jang-mi, the Destiny girl currently overflowing with pride in Kairos’s real appearance, skills, stage presence, face, and sheer beauty (building pride?), such words held no relevance.
‘What the hell—why doesn’t Kairos have a country yet? Whether by face, body, character, skill, or that genius-level idea for stage composition, she’s such a perfect presidential candidate?’
Having not only witnessed Kairos tear up their congratulatory performance at the awards ceremony she’d happened to attend, but also gotten lucky enough to see her on the way home, Park Jang-mi was currently in quite an elevated mood. Perhaps because of this, the intensity of her fandom was somewhat more fervent than usual.
If this congratulatory performance hadn’t already flooded my Bluebird timeline by now, then either the platform had crashed or Bluebird Headquarters had gone under—one or the other. With that firm conviction, Park Jang-mi took a deep breath and logged into the app.
Kang Dae-jang
@strongjin
Oh my god, no way
Of course it is.
The moment she logged in, Park Jang-mi burst out laughing at her friend’s passionate exclamation.
This unnie was the type who stubbornly stuck with Kairos alone while everyone else’s eyes wandered elsewhere, insisting “How could you possibly do this? Do you truly not understand what genuine taste is?” So it was even funnier. Those six characters conveyed the intense catharsis she must have felt today.
Park Jang-mi quickly scrolled down.
Kang Ha-di
@kang_HD
XX0809 Hwangryong Series Awards
Kairos Congratulatory Performance 1
(Work Homage Performance Full Video.mp4)
Shares 36K Quotes 2,304 Likes 40K
‖
Kang Ha-di
@kang_HD
XX0809 Hwangryong Series Awards
Kairos Congratulatory Performance 2
(Spring Doesn’t Exist + This Isn’t a Carol Performance Full Video.mp4)
Shares 41K Quotes 3,999 Likes 53K
“The likes are insane…?”
Since Kairos was a team that produced so many hot moments on Bluebird, their share and like counts were already quite impressive for a rookie group even on normal days. You could tell just from how often you’d see Destiny fans casually switching accounts to try and boost the retweet numbers when they saw good engagement.
Still, even so—the ceremony had barely ended, yet the full video’s shares and likes had already surpassed 40,000?
Park Jang-mi quickly checked the quote mentions to gauge public sentiment and soon discovered the reason.
Yoon Ii
@yoon_ii
They carefully selected only the scenes where the otaku fans went crazy
Honestly I think that’s pretty incredible from an otaku perspective
Kang Ha-di
@kang_HD
XX0809 Hwangryong Series Awards
Kairos Congratulatory Performance 1
…
Shares 859 Likes 1,388
Sina
@siina
Return’s lead actor Kim Heon is 65 years old this year.
When he first got the Return offer, he asked the director if he’d lost his mind
If it flops, I’ll just retire anyway—and with that acceptance, she opened a second golden age,
received invitations to award shows,
and at the congratulatory stage of that very award show, the hottest idol right now
performed as the opening act with a stage themed around the teacher’s action scenes
If this isn’t drama, then what is? …Read more
Kang Ha-di
@kang_HD
XX0809 Hwangryong Series Awards
Kairos Congratulatory Stage 1
…
Shares 2,399 Quotes 1,222 Likes 25,999
Yeon-hwa
@dusghk01
I watched this live stream the whole time
and I almost cried watching it
Not just drama, but variety shows and comedy too—
covering everything like that is so moving
Kang Ha-di
@kang_HD
XX0809 Hwangryong Series Awards
Kairos Congratulatory Stage 1
…
Shares 999 Likes 1,894
“The fans seem really satisfied.”
Most of the accounts reacting in the replies were drama or actor fan accounts, or everyday personal accounts. It meant that Kairos’s stage this time had resonated perfectly with both the drama world and the variety entertainment world, as well as the general public.
I wasn’t confirming a massive hit based solely on SNS shares and likes. Even on the way here, articles praising Kairos’s congratulatory stage and celebrity reactions were flooding in everywhere.
However, Park Jang-mi wasn’t satisfied with merely this level of response. The killing point of today’s congratulatory stage still had much more to come.
She refreshed the timeline without hesitation.
Then, the clever mentions she’d been waiting for—the ones that pinpointed the exact ‘highlights’—suddenly filled her timeline anew.
Jeong Shucream
@ice_ciu
What are you doing, world
The divine one says everything must perish
(Jeong Si-u ‘Everything must perish’ cut video.mp4)
Shares 5,831 Likes 10,000
Bad Kids
@BaddieKiz
A group with unparalleled visuals across the Three Kingdoms on Stone Board,
yet wearing masks for 3 whole minutes of a 7-minute stage?
That’s basically showing off
(Kairos members wearing masks_capture.jpg)
(Kairos members removing masks_capture.jpg)
Shared 4,508 Likes 6,311
One Daydream
@haru_dream_
The part I thought the congratulatory stage composition really nailed
In the video during the chorus of this song
The names of the actors and staff who participated in the award show
They created the ending credits with those names…
I got teary-eyed watching this character’s story with my loved one for some reason.
(This isn’t a carol, it’s a capture from the latter half of the stage.jpg)
(This isn’t a carol, enlarged capture of the latter half stage display board.jpg)
Shared 3,299 Likes 4,100
Ha-rang
@dohajin_luv
Black hair!!!!!!!!!!1
Black hair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
With Kairos comeback coming, everyone!!!!!! black hair!!!!!!1 returns!!!!!!!!!!
Insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Kairos members with darkened hair collectively_capture.jpg)
Shared 1,399 Likes 2,889
Kang Dae-jang
@strongjin
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm
Kang Ha-di (not Kang-preu but my favorite)
Appeared as a presenter for the OST award
The suit looked insanely good
Escorting Teacher Im Sun-wol
whssk he’s such a mature man that my heart’s struggling right now ugh tlqkf
(Ha-jin appearing as OST award presenter with a veteran entertainer.mp4)
Shared 4,300 Likes 5,881
Mm. Quite satisfying.
Even accounts from different genres that I didn’t follow were full of reviews and praise about Kairos’s stage, but honestly, the enthusiastic reviews from people in the same industry hit the sweetest spot.
Park Jang-mi, who hated squeezing out forced talking points even for her own kids, found the biggest advantage in never having to worry about that since taking on Kairos.
“She’s been in Phase lately, so she finally logged into her main account after a while. I guess fans really do throw a party when there’s bait to sink their teeth into.”
Looking around, it seemed like all the unnis who’d left home, who’d emptied their homes, who were getting ready to go out—they’d all been dragged back into the master bedroom by the scruff of their necks. Park Jang-mi, who’d been most wary of the gloomy atmosphere before the comeback, was absolutely thrilled with this timeline where everyone seemed to snap back to attention after just one congratulatory stage.
“They said Ha-jin and Do-ha participated a lot in this album too…. We need to hit a career high this time, honestly.”
Park Jang-mi, who’d loved Lee Do-ha since his underground mixtape days, was burning with a sense of mission that whatever the concept and title of “In Praise of Youth” was, it absolutely had to perform better than “The End of Youth.”
No matter how much Miro supported its artists’ musical activities to the fullest, in the end, a company was just a company.
First we need good results, and only then can we give them more work—that’s how our Do-ha and Ha-jin can truly spread their wings and chase their dreams!
She was one of those fans who felt that Do-ha’s music, which had once carried a strong hip-hop flavor, had gradually discovered mainstream appeal and idol sensibility through his collaboration with Ha-jin, and she desperately hoped their studio would remain operational until retirement.
【TaeriDay(ChelUnnie) ‖ Yayayayayayayayaya】
After taking a moment to calm her excitement, Park Jang-mi’s phone buzzed with a new notification—a group chat with friends she’d met through Bluebird who had become real friends and fellow fans.
Entering the chat, she could see a long-time named fan who had loved Seo Tae-hyun since Boy’s Supremacy making a fuss. Having been invested in this community for so long and maintaining such broad connections, this person served as the group’s reliable information hub.
【?】
【What’s up】
【TaeriDay(ChelUnnie) ‖ The kids’ new schedule just dropped】
【? Where? Official?】
【TaeriDay(ChelUnnie) ‖ Nope but it should be on the official soon】
【TaeriDay(ChelUnnie) ‖ Actually I did see it on the official】
【BadKids(ChanPreu) ‖ New schedule? Whoa what?】
“New schedule?”
But there was one fact that even Park Jang-mi didn’t know yet.
【TaeriDay(ChelUnnie) ‖ (Festival Lineup Poster Image)】
【TaeriDay(ChelUnnie) ‖ It’s the Haeundae Summer Wave Festival】
【TaeriDay(ChelUnnie) ‖ Apparently it’s that festival where they do crazy water activities like WaterX】
Kang Ha-jin’s discipline training for Destiny was far from over.

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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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