The Reincarnated Idol Hard Carries an Indie Band - Chapter 36

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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 Former Idol Is Hardcarrying an Indie Band
Episode 36
“Hey, did you see that bastard Kang Min go on a music broadcast with Ocktop?”
“Yeah, I saw it.”
“Traitor.”
…….
A café in Hongdae.
Im Hyun Taek, the vocalist of Destruction, who had clashed with Ocktop at last year’s Band Slam.
Jung Bo Un, the guitarist and fellow member.
And Choi Woo Young, the former member of Skydiver, which was now defunct, occupied a table.
Their main topic of conversation was Ocktop’s music broadcast appearance.
“Man, these guys are doing well? Makeup and a fanbase and all.”
“Right? They said they weren’t idols, yet here they are on music broadcasts.”
“Total bullshit.”
Im Hyun Taek and Jung Bo Un tore into Kang Min and Ocktop without noticing the time slip away.
And Choi Woo Young, listening silently to it all.
He, who had once been Kang Min’s colleague, felt unsettled.
“Hey, you know Hyun Ui Ul Rim?”
“Hyun Ui Ul Rim? Of course I know it. Why wouldn’t I? Bo Un took you there before, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, I heard from the owner there that Ocktop is preparing an album right now.”
“An album? A full album?”
“Yeah, so I heard.”
“Acting all serious with their ‘full album.’ These bastards are just pretending to be dedicated to the band, aren’t they?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
As Choi Woo Young listened to the two of them badmouthing, he remained silent for a long time.
“I’m heading out.”
“Huh? You’re leaving already?”
“Yeah, I’ve got something to do.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“See you.”
“Take care.”
Choi Woo Young left first.
There wasn’t really anything he had to do.
Hearing the badmouthing about Kang Min felt strangely uncomfortable.
He couldn’t believe Kang Min was an idol.
That irritating bastard loved the band and this culture more than anyone else.
The Kang Min he knew wasn’t the type to suddenly sign with a company and become an idol in a band.
Judging from the information, it didn’t seem like Kang Min had joined any company at all.
Even a quick search turned up no sign of him being affiliated anywhere.
Yet his appearances on variety shows with Moon Ga Young, his music broadcast spots—
—showed a pattern of activity that couldn’t happen without agency backing.
It certainly seemed like he was an idol.
Just that, like the gossip suggested, the backing behind it all remained hidden for some reason.
Honestly, he and Kang Min weren’t that close.
The age gap was seven years, too wide to have grown close.
When that bastard left Skydiver because of him, it wasn’t a joke—he genuinely wanted to beat him senseless.
“What? You quit the band because of me? Who’s the reason I got kicked out of the band? You’re the one, Kang Min! You just raised everyone’s standards for no reason. And now what? You’re quitting?”
The words he’d hurled at Kang Min that day came back to him.
I was an original member and keyboardist, and after Kang Min joined, I couldn’t meet the members’ heightened expectations.
In the end, unable to keep up with the skill, I ended up being kicked out.
Kang Min loved the band more than anyone and had strong camaraderie.
That bastard, who prized cohesion, hated judging members solely on skill.
He’d said the heart was what mattered.
So he didn’t like the members who’d kicked me out, and he quit too.
Annoying bastard.
Yeah, Kang Min’s annoying.
He was wrong.
What matters isn’t the heart—it’s skill.
He can say stuff like that because he’s talented.
What does heart matter anyway?
That skilled Kang Min got recognized by the members faster than me, who’d been in Skydiver longer.
He debuted before me, even though I’d been in this industry longer.
Irritating.
Even if a new world arrives,
Even if new music comes,
No matter how much it changes,
I can still recognize you.
While thinking such thoughts, Ocktop’s “Rendezvous” drifted out from the street.
“Man, if music we made played out on the street like this, wouldn’t that feel amazing!?”
This bastard achieved that before me too.
Yeah, he’s annoying.
And I envy him.
The image of them performing and singing on the music broadcast kept flickering before my eyes.
He gathered talentless nobody aside from Kang Min and made a band.
I can’t forgive Kang Min for going into a place like that.
Honestly, if you asked me if the music they produced is good, the answer is yes.
But that’s not a band.
Playing puppet with songs and concepts given by others, pretending to have Rock Spirit in their hearts.
Pretending to love the culture.
Can that even be called a band?
It’s the same as when some idols with no skill but flashy visuals get criticized.
Or when rappers who only did love songs back in the day got attacked.
It’s exactly the same thing.
Yeah, Ocktop is definitely fake.
* * *
The members of Destruction had recently heard from Jang Deok Chul, the owner of Hyun Ui Ul Rim, that Ocktop was preparing a full album.
Of course, Jang Deok Chul had brought it up with the intention of telling them to stay friendly with kids who were working hard even preparing a full album.
He felt bad that Ocktop was being criticized in the band scene.
From the position of an elder in the scene, he wanted everyone to get along.
But that intention completely backfired.
—Info) Heard from a friend that Ocktop’s preparing a full album ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ claiming to ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
A post about Ocktop went up on a band community forum.
Im Hyun Taek, Destruction’s vocalist, casually disclosed the information just as he had done at Band Slam.
And that post became a new cesspool, roasting Ocktop alive.
—ㅋㅋㅋㅋ They’re so desperate to seem legit
—Dance tracks with hip-hop in them, I’ll bet my wrist and all my savings
—Ugh…. dropping a full album and us underground with hunger and rock spirit and all that, then going on variety shows making a fuss….
└then Ocktop fans will be like oh our Ocktop babies worked so hard ㅠㅠ doing that shit
└ugh fuck that’s disgusting
—Yo tell Ocktop to stop showing off
—But can you just leak album release info like that? Wouldn’t the label sue or something?
└The person who leaked is wrong not the one sharing it?
└Aren’t both wrong?
└idk lol
—Just release it ㅋㅋ who’s gonna listen anyway
—But idol bands don’t last long anyway. There’s only like two bands in the history that lasted, right?
└Those two are also legit when you look into it
└Nah that’s not it;;;
—Go ahead and release it I’ll laugh at it so hard
—Thinking about how a shitty album will become a meme among band fans, I kinda hope they release it soon ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ah can’t resist new entertainment ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└already pumped ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Ocktop’s dark history vol. 2~~~~
The rumor that Ocktop was making an album spread this way—absurdly.
Of course, there was no problem at all.
There was no label to object, and most importantly, Ocktop didn’t care.
“Man, what was he thinking posting this? How embarrassing is it gonna be when the album drops?”
“What is it?”
Heo Jun Sung, who’d come across the post, muttered to himself. Kim Ji Hu, who heard it, came over and asked.
“Oh, something like this went up.”
“Oh…. I’m actually looking forward to it? What’ll the reaction be when people hear the album?”
“Probably get deleted?”
“I hope they don’t delete it.”
Kim Ji Hu and Heo Jun Sung were confident in the album.
Because of that, rather than feeling hurt by these reactions, they actually found themselves anticipating it.
The songs Cha Seo Ha had made and played for them so far were of excellent quality.
So excellent that they’d even discarded several tracks as a shame to waste.
In that flow, why would the public’s negative reaction even matter?
“By the way, Cha Seo Ha’s amazing.”
“Why? Because of the songs?”
“No, whoever it is is spreading the word about our album for us. If we weren’t being hated, would this even happen?”
“Oh, you’re right about that….”
“He’s amazing.”
* * *
All Ocktop had shown so far was one three-song single.
And two broadcast appearances.
Officially, that was everything.
Ocktop, receiving far more attention than the output they’d shown.
The public was pouring in curiosity and affection.
The band scene spewed hate and contempt.
And broadcast stations and entertainment companies revealed their greed.
“Yes, ah. I’m just an acquaintance with them. …Yes, ah, yes, yes. Well then, I’ll pass along the message.”
—…….
“Ah, I don’t have proper information on that part either.”
—…….
“Yes, I’ll hang up then.”
Jo Hyun Seop had been on a long phone call with someone.
After finishing the call, Park Min Ji, a part-timer, asked him.
“Who was that?”
“Oh, a broadcast PD calling because they want to cast Seo Ha and the friends.”
“Again?”
“Yeah, and they also asked if the album’s really in production.”
“So?”
“I said I didn’t know.”
“Wow, they’re really amazing. Getting so much attention.”
“Amazing for what? They don’t care about going public. And when the album production news leaked, they didn’t even mind. They act like they couldn’t care less, so… I don’t know what to do.”
Since appearing on the music broadcast, rumors had circulated.
That Jo Hyun Seop, a legendary figure in the industry long ago, was stepping back into the game.
And that the artist he was launching for the first time was the idol band Ocktop.
Even the news that they’d jumped straight into full album work right after the single.
With such rumors floating around, Jo Hyun Seop was too busy denying them on every incoming call.
Jo Hyun Seop and Ocktop were a combination that industry insiders had no choice but to keep an eye on.
A first-generation idol producer and a promising group with skill and visuals.
There was no guarantee they’d be a massive hit, but this moment, with rising interest, was the perfect timing to use on broadcasts.
The problem was that Ocktop rejected every offer that came their way.
It seemed like they wanted something, but Cha Seo Ha couldn’t figure out what.
What scheme were they brewing?
—Ding-ding….
“Ugh, another call.”
“You’re having a rough time because of those Ocktop kids, boss.”
“Rough? Yes, I’m taking the call.”
* * *
I heard Boss Jo’s been getting a lot of calls lately.
Casting us for broadcasts or wanting to sign us as exclusive artists.
And hearing that we’re making an album, some want to do it together with a company or something….
The industry, smelling money, was making moves, but all of it was unnecessary to us.
Most contract offers were from idol production companies.
And most broadcast appearances were talk shows, panel participations—places with nothing to do with music.
We decided to save those kinds of appearances for later.
My friends asked, and there’s one place I have my eye on….
—The Killing Band on Nabiteumo Live!! ┃ Monday Terrorist, Line 3 Marathon, Helsinki Sidekick, Blah Blah T-shirt, etc.
Episode 1 finally dropped.
A newly planned content on the YouTube channel Dango Music called “Killing Band.”
To put it plainly, that content ends after just three episodes.
It’s not like there was some internal incident or anything—just pitiful view counts.
Who watches band content in an era like this….
—During college I used to go see Nabiteumo performances a lot…. I miss those days^^
—I taught my kid how to use YouTube. Nabiteumo was really good back then, and thanks to my kid I’m writing comments like this and it’s a happy time
—I’m 50 and listening with my daughter. It’s heartwarming and good
—Back then we’d run around going to concerts, but these days my knees ache…. Time’s cruel
—I used to play guitar a bit back in the day. Now I’m old and it’s not easy. It’s nice to see Nabiteumo again after so long
Nabiteumo, who debuted in the mid-90s, is one of the first-generation Korean bands that pioneered what’s called Joseon Punk, Korea’s rock culture.
While never becoming mainstream in the overall music market, their hit songs were still registered in karaoke as beloved songs across generations.
And Bullyangyang Pa, called Nabiteumo’s equal rival.
Likewise a band like the father of Joseon Punk.
These two bands were invited as guests for episodes 1 and 2 of Killing Band.
And both episodes flop.
Episode 3 gets slightly better view counts.
Because a band with more mass appeal and better staying power appeared compared to the two described earlier.
That band is the one I met on last week’s music broadcast—Jo Hyun Woo’s band.
But even though it performed better than the previous two bands, compared to other content on the Dango Music channel, the traffic and retention were just too poor.
Anyway, I want to go on that show.
My friends were waiting for Ocktop to get criticized again.
Honestly I thought this was enough, but if the guys want it, I gotta do it.
But sometimes I get scared.
Getting criticized is ultimately to spread the word about us, right? The goal isn’t just getting criticism itself.
But lately it feels like they’re starting to enjoy getting criticized, and it gives me chills.
Still, since we decided to hit bottom before climbing up, let’s hit it properly.
The bottom’s still rock, isn’t it?

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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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