The Reincarnated Idol Hard Carries an Indie Band - Chapter 89

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Former Idol Carrying an Indie Band
Episode 89
Who’s The Real came to an end with the Maruru Band taking first place.
The Maruru Band, who had viewed Okdap unfavorably, showed signs of encouragement toward each other the moment the broadcast ended.
The Maruru Band walked away with the grand prize of one hundred million won.
The two eliminated bands left with nothing but fame, their four-month journey coming to a close.
Of course, Okdap’s real game was only just beginning.
Before the live broadcast ended and advertisements could run, a viewer apology statement inserted by the station briefly aired.
And Lee Jong Myeong, the PD who had truly caused the accident, stood with his head bowed in a corner of the Control Room.
“Ugh……. Hey, finish up the rest on your own.”
“Yes, sir!”
The technical director answered the CP with crisp deference.
“And you—come with me.”
The CP led Lee Jong Myeong out of the Control Room.
The two of them headed straight for the Emergency Stairwell.
The CP cornered Lee Jong Myeong and began his tirade.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I’m sorry…….”
“Sorry? You kill a man and you’re sorry?”
“S-sir. That was a mistake! It wasn’t like that, I——”
A sharp crack cut off Lee Jong Myeong’s words.
The CP struck his cheek, then lashed out several more times across his face.
The CP loosened his tie and undid his watch.
“A mistake? Don’t make me laugh. Why did you cut the live broadcast? Were you bored? Explain yourself.”
“…….”
“I said explain, you bastard!!”
The CP’s roar echoed through the entire Emergency Stairwell.
Overwhelmed by the force of it, Lee Jong Myeong couldn’t speak.
The CP didn’t stop, pressing him relentlessly.
“You think this is just some light broadcast accident? It’s a live broadcast—a live broadcast! The viewers followed along this whole time for this, and you cut it? And do you know the text votes didn’t even hit half the expected number? You don’t, do you, you asshole!”
“I’m sorry…….”
“What about the money? The money!”
Faced with his superior’s reproach, he couldn’t speak at all.
Lee Jong Myeong’s head hung toward the floor, bent without mercy.
Then the CP thrust his vibrating phone forward.
“You know what this is? Right now we’re getting hundreds of calls from advertising agency reps at major corporations. They’re saying it’s breach of contract and threatening to sue! Do you really think the advertisers who sank millions trusting a piece of shit like you are just going to sit back?”
The financial blow struck Lee Jong Myeong’s chest directly.
“You’re paying all the penalty fees. Sell every last thing you own and fill the gap!”
The CP spat out insults breathlessly and shook Lee Jong Myeong by the collar roughly.
“Because of you, our channel’s reaccreditation review with the broadcast commission……. Never mind, forget it…….”
The CP replaced what he was about to say with a look of utter contempt instead.
“From now on, hell starts for you. You understand?”
“…….”
“Pathetic bastard. When legal calls, just answer the phone. Got it?”
“…….”
The CP left Lee Jong Myeong in the Emergency Stairwell and slammed the door shut as he walked away.
Lee Jong Myeong collapsed onto the concrete floor without dignity.
All the achievements he had built up scattered across the cold ground alongside him.
A thousand thoughts crowded his mind in chaos.
He had turned someone’s shameful moment into mere entertainment.
For the viewers’ pleasure.
He had repackaged pure rivalry as the misdeeds of a single villain.
For the sake of good broadcasting.
And when the show threatened to grow dull, he had even invented scenes that never existed.
For the sake of a story.
And Lee Do Hyun lay cold and still atop the issue Lee Jong Myeong had created.
He had never thought once about the grief of the bereaved family.
Because he told himself it had nothing directly to do with him.
His zeal for creating entertaining broadcasts had been so fervent.
Yet he had completely failed to consider that essential part of a true director’s professional ethics: protecting the dignity and rights of the performers.
Thus Lee Jong Myeong, who had driven one person to death.
Had received curses and even blows from the CP, yet still faced countless more condemnations yet to come.
* * *
“It’s over!”
“Wow, it’s really over…….”
After finishing the live broadcast, we gathered our things in the waiting room.
“Hey, it already blew up?”
“Already?”
Heo Jun Sung checked his phone.
The YouTube main page he showed me was plastered with stories about the Who’s The Real broadcast accident, Okdap, Lee Do Hyun, and Dampa.
“The real-time searches are full of stuff about Dampa and that guy’s live broadcast too?”
“What did he say?”
We quickly checked the short videos.
And I couldn’t help but be startled.
I’d already known that Dampa was quite sharp compared to how he acted.
But I hadn’t expected his deductive abilities to be this good.
And his words were already spreading across the world like ripples.
Real-time searches were now filled with Dampa, Who’s The Real, and Okdap.
And at fourth place was Lee Jong Myeong’s name.
The speed at which public opinion spread exceeded my expectations.
“That guy’s really finished now.”
Lee Jong Myeong’s downfall seemed certain.
But there was still one more mountain for us to climb.
After finishing our preparations, the waiting room door opened and several people were waiting for us.
“Hello. I’m the Director of the Entertainment Division at K-Net. Let’s have a word, shall we?”
“Yes, of course.”
Like public opinion, the station moved faster than I’d anticipated.
* * *
Inside the Entertainment Division Director’s office a few minutes ago.
Director Lee Min Hyung had been briefed on Lee Jong Myeong’s unilateral actions and the state of public opinion.
Faced with news like a bolt from the blue, the director chose to think coldly rather than show emotion.
“This looks like a setup those bastards from Okdap engineered. Where are those kids right now?”
“They’re still giving their reactions. They’re still in the station.”
“Call the TK Entertainment manager and tell them to come right now. Okdap’s plan might not be finished.”
Director Lee Min Hyung anticipated that Okdap might commit further misdeeds.
If they independently revealed Lee Jong Myeong’s past crimes, damage to the station itself would be inevitable.
They had to draw a line immediately.
“Keep those kids from leaving. Let’s go straight into negotiations.”
“Understood, sir.”
* * *
Thus Okdap, the K-Net Entertainment Division Director, the legal team, and the TK Entertainment manager all gathered in the VIP Room at the station.
The first to speak was Entertainment Division Director Lee Min Hyung.
“First, I sincerely apologize for the broadcast accident that occurred earlier.”
The director stood and bowed his head to apologize to a high school student thirty years his junior.
Cha Seo Ha and the Okdap members simply nodded in acknowledgment.
A clearly displeased attitude.
The director thought this wouldn’t be easy, but ultimately the other party was just a high school student.
“If the broadcast had continued, Okdap might have won. This is entirely our responsibility, so we’ve prepared this as an apology.”
The director handed a contract to Okdap.
“You know TK Entertainment, right? They’re the best company producing various genre artists in the entertainment industry right now. Of course, this isn’t a standard contract—it’s a special agreement with excellent terms.”
The director, along with the TK Entertainment manager, explained the premium conditions written in the contract.
Of course, Cha Seo Ha’s heart wasn’t pleased hearing this.
‘Do they really think we’re that naive?’
The only part of this contract where Okdap could gain anything was money.
The artist payout ratio was certainly far superior compared to standard contracts.
But that only mattered if there was revenue to split.
If the company worked with the station to bury Okdap, this condition would be worthless.
The real crux of this contract lay in control.
While not explicitly stated on the surface, it contained poison clauses controlling every action they took.
And those were clauses a person unfamiliar with contracts would never notice.
Cha Seo Ha already knew these people intended to use this to control Okdap’s ability to speak—silencing them completely.
“So, what do you think? Of course, we’ll provide additional compensation through the company.”
It was an unspoken threat to provide compensation that left legal evidence, ensuring complete silencing.
An ordinary high school student wouldn’t understand this coercion.
Cha Seo Ha pushed the contract back and answered.
“So what is it you really want? It doesn’t seem like you called us just to apologize.”
Director Lee Min Hyung thought Cha Seo Ha was no ordinary person.
When dealing with people like this, there was no point beating around the bush—it just wasted time.
And right now, what the station needed most was time.
The world was already starting to make noise.
Before the snowball grew larger, they had to contain it as quickly as possible.
Director Lee Min Hyung cut to the chase.
“Very well. We are currently in a risk management situation. While the broadcast accident was unavoidable, the station must make clear its complete uninvolvement in the Lee Do Hyun matter.”
“So you want us to release an official statement?”
“Exactly. Our leadership was genuinely unaware of that incident.”
There was no lie in Director Lee Min Hyung’s words.
The PD’s superiors truly knew nothing about that incident.
Okdap had no intention of dragging even the innocent station into harm’s way.
But a fair deal had to be mutual from the start.
The grief of Lee Do Young’s family.
And the unfair treatment of being cut off mid-live broadcast and denied the championship.
These couldn’t be bargained away with an unwanted agency contract and unfair terms.
“Writing a statement isn’t difficult. But there’s a condition.”
“A condition?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————