Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 587

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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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587. When Cherry Grows (2)
So this is the story of ‘Idol Seo Tae-hyun’ that Seo Tae-hyun himself never knew.
‘What creates a successful idol?’
Exceptional vocal talent?
Dance moves that bend joints with every passing second?
Charismatic charm that spawns countless viral moments?
Or perhaps,
A spotless past that never betrays the fans?
A diligent attitude that never lets scandals trend?
A compassionate nature so genuine it forces even taboo character marketing into existence?
I recalled that when I once conducted my first monthly evaluation at Miro alongside the three hopeless brothers (plus one Bear), I’d contemplated something similar to this.
Then and now, there are countless answers to this question, but the one I’ve always believed in remains singular.
‘Position.’
That’s how the world works. Regardless of what people say, it all comes down to fighting over your place at the table.
And I knew someone who’d been thoroughly crushed in this ‘position war.’
[Seo Tae-hyun seems quieter since his debut]
Back in Boy’s Supremacy, he was a super idol who could captivate people just by sitting still….
After debut, that star quality vanished without a trace?
He just became like a regular idol
Even though he was young back in Boy’s Supremacy, he’d say whatever he wanted and tear up the stage, so I liked him, but it’s disappointing in many ways
– His voice got way deeper than expected when his voice changed; I thought it wasn’t even Seo Tae-hyun
– This also seems like a failed image reinvention case
– His peak came too early
Seo Tae-hyun, who wanted to be loved, couldn’t abandon the ‘Cherry Boy’ image.
Even if he’d wanted to, those around him wouldn’t allow it. Especially not the second company that managed his solo activities.
This wasn’t unique to this worst timeline—across every timeline except the original one, Seo Tae-hyun experienced the same thing. Moreover, already lacking confidence in himself, he didn’t have the nerve to object when the company pushed an outdated Cherry Boy concept on him.
Twenty-eight years old, not yet enlisted.
177 centimeters tall, a reasonably handsome face paired with an incongruous baritone vocal range.
Too tall and muscular to pull off that delicate, fairy-like charm, yet too ambiguous in physique to captivate fans with overwhelming physicality and daring allure.
‘A faded star whose value as a product has already expired.’
That’s exactly how I evaluated myself in the present moment.
You know how it is sometimes.
Those characters who are lacking when cast as the lead, yet have too much presence to be a supporting role.
Too cute to fit into genre pieces, yet too awkward for comedy—a tragic bit player.
‘Well… that could be true.’
It wouldn’t be wrong.
After all, Seo Tae-hyun really did fail that way.
And as I’ve emphasized several times―.
[Isn’t Seo Tae-hyun insane?]
That’s what his life was like before I existed in it.
(Well, this timeline did have it, but regardless.)
* * *
Kang Ha-jin’s AiTube videos were generating explosive view counts and feedback across the board, but the hottest topic to emerge was undoubtedly Seo Tae-hyun’s current status.
[Is Seo Tae-hyun crazy?]
It feels like a sin that I’m feeling excited when I see Seo Tae-hyun
Why am I so excited in the Inderca review video? Am I losing it????
While two life-sized dummy-looking guys on either side are making a huge fuss
He’s calmly sipping coffee by himself and analyzing the broadcast, it’s seriously so damn sexy
– That’s weird, they definitely seemed like idiots, but re-reading it, they’re life-sized dummy-looking guys
└ Haha
– Yeah lol he doesn’t even talk much but somehow he’s so captivating
– I mean, with Kang Ha-jin and Lee Yu-gun next to him, the relative youthfulness is insane, but his personality is seriously manly
– They said it’s been at least 8 years since they all gathered, and he still remembers all the members’ food preferences, it’s crazy. He knew Ju Eun-chan has an allergy and was removing all the toppings on one side
[Seo Tae-hyun really grew up well]
(Seo Tae-hyun eating a pastry during Boy’s Supremacy era.jpg)
(Seo Tae-hyun quietly smiling in the Inderca review video screenshot.jpg)
What exactly is a man’s growth?
– 08:17 Seo Tae-hyun’s grip strength is seriously insane, he didn’t bother trying to open the cap, so Lee Yu-gun was about to go get rubber gloves, but he just glanced over and opened it right away, damn bro
└ And Lee Yu-gun going to get the rubber gloves in the meantime is so funny because he looks like the ultimate househusband type
└ In this case, it’s not househusband energy, it’s just housekeeping guy energy
– Ah, Taehyun!!!!!! I was really curious about how they lived ㅠㅠㅜㅜㅜㅠㅜㅠㅠ Reporting survival on iTube ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅜㅜ
– Wow so there really is a broadcast voice, Seo Tae-hyun’s usual voice seemed so baby-like, but here it’s a deep tone that’s so good
– The broadcasting station idiots who made this kid do Cherry Boy for 10 years should bow down and die
The same person, the same lines, the same situation—yet depending on where you focus, it becomes a completely different picture.
In the video Kang Ha-jin created, Seo Tae-hyun was a meticulous observer.
Whether in the In the Chaos reaction or the subsequent summit content at the Officetel, Tae-hyun mostly just listened to others or responded, rarely taking the initiative to become the subject of conversation himself.
– You guys
And the editing followed suit, deliberately keeping Seo Tae-hyun out of the spotlight.
Ha-jin didn’t add particularly funny subtitles for Seo Tae-hyun, didn’t create individual close-up shots of him. Aside from basic dialogue subtitles, Seo Tae-hyun was nothing more than a fellow cast member in nearly every scene—no more, no less.
– If you guys got interested in Seo Tae-hyun from this, please go check out his One Star channel, he’s Jin-guk. There are song cover videos and daily photos, and the vibe is seriously so warm and popular senior energy;
Why, don’t you know people like that?
That moment when someone captures people’s attention with just a brief cameo—neither lead nor supporting role.
The instinctive pull toward healers who quietly gather potions and cast buffs among flashy, eccentric characters running around in chaos.
Among the back-row group at school where no one looks easy to mess with, that one normal person who would pick up the eraser I dropped and say, “We’re pretty loud, aren’t we? Sorry.”
@ohposha
@ohposha
4iros Back then it was like that, watching the talk show
The more I watch, the more Seo Tae-hyun seems like Jin-guk
Even during Eun-chan’s severe social anxiety period
He only talked with Seo Tae-hyun, which is also telling
Even to Yu Gun, who had a rough relationship before debut due to fighting like dogs,
the fact that he consistently monitored and gave feedback was something else entirely…
Mong-ga is just Mong-ga, you know…
(Kairos ‘Summit Talk’ video conversation cut.mp4)
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ohposha
@ohposha
Even after Kairos disbanded,
the only one who remained in the entertainment industry
and tried to do something about it till the end
was Seo Tae-hyun,
and the fact that he even
received an offer for a trot survival show and was considering it…
Ah, my heart just feels so conflicted—both bad and good at once
(Kairos ‘Summit Talk’ video conversation cut.mp4)
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Thus, it was entirely the public’s role that discovered ‘Seo Tae-hyun’ rather than ‘Cherry Boy’.
tae_day
@tae_day
Finally, here comes my cherry boom
Everyone, let me introduce you to Seo Tae-hyun
Our Tae-hyun is truly sincere about singing, sincere about dancing,
a super talented idol,
and after group activities ended, while doing small theater plays and musicals
and all sorts of schedules, he’d always make sure to bring fan letters as gifts,
and occasionally even replied with handwritten letters on the official fan cafe—a truly filial idol.
(Photo of handwritten letter posted by Seo Tae-hyun on official fan cafe.jpg)
(Photo of Seo Tae-hyun commuting.jpg)
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tae_day
@tae_day
My fellow fans kept contacting me asking if I’d watched the whole video,
but honestly, I haven’t been able to progress
Why? Because I’m too upset and sad
Please help our Tae-hyun continue singing
If you visit my AiTube channel, I’ve uploaded all of Tae-hyun’s live broadcasts
and edited videos of his song covers
His solo track ‘Hit my luv’ is also a total banger, so please give it lots of love
2,394 shares 4,000 hearts
No, it was the fans who had been waiting with bated breath for his news who deserved the credit.
[Wow, Seo Tae-hyun really lived so diligently]
I got interested after seeing his video blow up this time, so I looked into it
and he seriously works non-stop every single year, so there’s an insane amount of material
variety shows, theater, musicals, supporting roles in dramas
he’s released three solo albums
made the music show rounds with such dedication and ran around to events
and even goes to abandoned dog shelter protection activities with fans every year
so Seo Tae-hyun appears on the Abandoned Dog Shelter’s AiTube channel too;;;;
no matter how much you dig, more keeps coming up like an onion
– Ugh, I can’t help it, I’m rewatching Boy’s Supremacy after all this time
– Oh Seo Tae-hyun’s cover song views are exploding lolol but his tone is really good
– It’s hilarious how broadcasting stations are excited about the Cherry Boy boom and keep reposting Seo Tae-hyun videos, why are you guys throwing a party anyway
– Ha-jin, what are you doing right now, this is it, turn on a One Star live broadcast, we noona will show you a million-viewer broadcast
[It’s so strange, maybe everyone really does have their right moment]
During Boy’s Supremacy he was too young so he ultimately couldn’t debut
and after debuting he grew too fast so he couldn’t succeed
but then he gave up on being an idol and went back to his hometown in Gangwon Province
and was preparing to be a manager
and now the noona fans are finally recognizing his value
and he’s being forcibly boosted lololololol
it feels good seeing his hard work finally shine through
but it makes me wonder if timing and opportunity really are everything for people
– Of course. A youthful beauty among tall giants at 180cm? That’s seriously rare.
– Tae-hyun, we noona didn’t know your charm back then, stop talking about retirement and come back please, seriously
No, it was simply the fruit of Seo Tae-hyun’s effort, earned by giving his all in every single moment.
“….”
Kang Ha-jin quietly scrolled down on his phone screen.
After uploading the long-form videos, the short-form videos he released multiple times a day were also showing increasingly steep view count graphs.
Among them, the ones tagged with Seo Tae-hyun’s keyword were especially breaking through the roof, something he could tell without even checking the numbers.
As he swiped through, he saw a new post had just been uploaded to the community he’d been monitoring.
[Why won’t anyone just complete Kairos already]
More than half the members have tasted the bitterness of society and grown up
so they have sound minds installed
and at this career stage approaching thirty
maintaining that looks, that physique, that personality, that attitude
this doesn’t make sense right now, seriously
– You broadcasting station bastards, stop just profiting from Seo Tae-hyun clip reuploads and bring Kairos to the screen right now, that’s what I’m saying, for real
└ Wow noona, how old are you, I haven’t heard the word “screen” in forever
You’ve never shined before?
Perhaps you were never born as a being capable of shining in the first place?
“Of course Seo Tae-il would lip-sync because he’s actually tone-deaf.”
You simply haven’t touched the earth yet—but you’ve never failed to shine, not even once.
Kang Ha-jin was about to prove that very thing to Seo Tae-hyun.

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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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