The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol - Chapter 17

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

Chapter 17
Filming locations typically had multiple cameras rolling simultaneously.
The reality was that trainees and even rookie idols struggled to locate cameras beyond the one directly in front of them due to their inexperience with camera positioning.
‘Of course, I knew exactly where each camera was positioned.’
Camera placement followed basic rules.
Side cameras were typically positioned at forty-five-degree angles to the left and right.
Cameras equipped with telephoto lenses were for close-ups, requiring greater attention to movement details and facial expressions.
To be honest, finding the camera with its light on was child’s play—easier than lying down and eating rice cakes for a paparazzi.
“People often tell me I have great instincts!”
“Haha. You’re a born idol, truly. Kids who work this well wrap up shoots faster, which is always nice.”
The Camera Director, beaming with satisfaction, began organizing the filming equipment.
“Everyone worked hard. We’ll wrap up the MimeTalk shoot here.”
The filming ended in a warm, harmonious atmosphere.
The TX Music Broadcast went live the following evening at exactly six o’clock.
☆☆☆
‘Our Hae-in oppa is appearing as a special MC on the music broadcast?’
Han Mo-yang, a university student, was studying for midterms coming up soon, but news about her favorite idol was irresistible.
‘There will be other exams, but Hae-in oppa’s MC appearance is only today!’
Han Mo-yang boldly closed the book she’d been reading and decisively turned on the television.
When she tuned to the TX Music Broadcast channel for the first time in a while, the opening was perfectly timed to begin.
[Hello, viewers. This is TX Music Broadcast’s Show Music, your host for Thursday’s program!]
A captivating voice resonated through the TV speaker.
“Kyaaaah! Hae-in oppa wore a school uniform today? So handsome…!”
An involuntary shriek burst from her lips, echoing sharply through the one-room apartment.
‘Isn’t this the first time he’s worn a school uniform since his debut days?’
Seeing her favorite idol in a school uniform for the first time in ages was refreshing, and it complemented Yu Hae-in’s refined features and dignified presence perfectly.
“Our oppa really looks good in everything. He just keeps getting more handsome.”
As she gazed fondly at her favorite, Nari from the girl group HERA, standing beside Yu Hae-in, flashed a bright smile.
[Hae-in sunbae! Hello.]
[Nari, hello. It’s been a while.]
[Have you been well? Thank you for coming as a special guest today.]
[I’ve been happy thanks to my fans’ love. Since this is Show Music where we have a connection, of course I had to come. Have you been doing well too?]
“Ugh, oppa, your fan love is still going strong!”
True to music broadcast tradition, the MC role went to a trending idol of the moment.
‘Hae-in oppa doesn’t really have the seniority to appear here anymore. Still, seeing him do MC work after so long is cute.’
Recalling Yu Hae-in hosting TX Music Broadcast’s Show Music two years ago, Han Mo-yang’s smile grew even wider.
[Actually… I was so excited about the new trainees debuting today that I couldn’t sleep last night! And I just noticed, Hae-in sunbae, you’re wearing such a fresh school uniform today.]
[Haha. Does it suit me?]
[Of course! And now that I think about it, I’ve seen this uniform somewhere before?]
[You have a keen eye as always, Nari. The reason I’m wearing this uniform is to introduce our new junior trainees who will be debuting.]
[A junior trainee? Oh my! Could it be…?]
Nari’s eyes widened in exaggerated surprise, her hands gesturing dramatically.
‘It’s a bit over the top, but there’s something charming about watching it.’
Han Mo-yang, thinking that perhaps it was because the idol had a cute appearance, refocused her attention on her bias.
[That “could it be” is correct! Everyone…! ‘Star picking5’ begins next Friday at 9 PM.]
“Ugh, what. Star picking popping up again.”
Now that she thought about it, the school uniform her bias was wearing was identical to the controversial one from Star picking4.
[Finally it’s here!]
[Yes. I’ve been watching as an MC, and there are so many versatile trainees. Please make sure to catch the live broadcast!]
“If oppa tells me to watch, I have to watch!”
She had no particular interest in other idols who weren’t her bias.
‘Especially trainees who haven’t even debuted yet…’
But if her bias was appearing as an MC, watching the live broadcast was inevitable.
“As long as I can see the handsome face of oppa Hae-in, nothing else matters.”
[I absolutely have to catch the live broadcast too!]
[Well then, let’s start with the Show Music opening where you can get a taste of Star picking5. It’s the theme song ‘Cheer me on’ sung by 100 trainees!]
A beat tailored to the addictive trend of the times flowed through the speakers.
‘Trainees who haven’t even debuted on stage.’
Intense white light beams shot across the center of the darkened stage.
The silhouettes of trainees standing in a line, dressed in the familiar uniforms, came into view.
Though she had no particular expectations, Han Mo-yang held her ground, driven by her love for her bias.
As the camera slowly zoomed in toward the center, the trainee’s face became clearly visible.
Above a sharp, refined jawline lay a high, distinct nose bridge that anchored the center of his face.
Beneath long, delicate eyelashes were dark, deep eyes that conveyed both a sharp and intense impression.
“…!”
‘Damn. Am I losing it?!’
Before the shock could fully settle, the first verse rang out.
I’m going to seduce you
Thump-thump-thump-thump.
It was a sweet vocal tone she’d never heard in her life.
The voice, sounding like a whisper that carved into the crevices of her heart, was so seductive that her heart raced wildly.
It was just one line of lyrics, but she felt enchanted by a single breath.
“This is seriously insane.”
Every moment is filled with you
From behind Charming Man, two other handsome men burst out from either side.
The dazzling yet powerful and dynamic dance movements were excellent qualities even by the standards of someone who had been a fan of countless idols.
“Wow. They really dance deliciously.”
Perhaps because she hadn’t expected much at first, the trainees who appeared early on were honestly quite good.
“Are these really trainees?”
As more trainees joined, the unfamiliar stage movements and their careful, hesitant footsteps began to show the cracks.
The close-up shots of the trainees’ faces vividly captured the interplay of tension and anticipation.
As the lift rose completely, all one hundred trainees finally came into view, their synchronized formation sharp and commanding.
The choreography was strangely uncanny yet crisp and precise, delivering a rush of pleasure and catharsis with each movement.
‘They’ve practiced hard.’
As the first verse’s highlight section approached, the camera zoomed in on Charming Man at center.
Cheer me on on my shining day
The clean three-note high note sent electricity crackling through my entire body.
“…!”
Charming Man flashed a bright, refreshing smile as if basking in sunlight.
Thump-thump.
I’ll give you everything, so choose me
The sweet harmony between the foreign-looking prince-like trainee and the handsome vocalist—this was what ten years of idol fandom instinct was telling me.
Good-looking and talented too?
‘These guys are definitely going to make it.’
The moment ‘Cheer me on’ ended, I logged into the Idol Community.
The real-time reactions were even hotter than I’d expected.
>Did you see the trainees on TX Net Show Music just now?
– Are these really trainees?
– I didn’t expect much since the survival show was so overdone, but what’s going on with Season 5?
– Who’s the center, Charming Man?
– What’s with the foreigner? Why is a prince singing there?
– Our Seonyu is so good ㅠㅠ Please vote when voting starts. (__)
>’Cheer me on’ audio release petition
– The song’s addictiveness is insane. Hope it drops soon.
– Their theme songs are always decent. The problem is they manipulate the results.
If they rig it again this time, they’re seriously screwed.
– When does today’s stage go up on YouTube? That three-note high note was so satisfying.
It’ll probably come up around midnight.
ㄴ ㄱㅅ
>Honestly, isn’t the center not really center material? The kids next to him dance so much better in comparison.
– Yeah, it’d be better if Kim Sun-yu was center.
– Seriously. They picked the center based on looks. The audition sense is completely dead.
What the hell are you talking about? At a center position, it’s all about face/height, no question.
– He’s got main vocal vibes, why is he getting hate? The kids next to him just happen to dance exceptionally well, and the center’s vocals are insane?
The center position works well when it’s someone who dances well, since they can hold the group choreography together.
Who made that a rule? So idols should only have dancers as the center?
>Please give our Su-gyeok a shot! From Harmonie Entertainment, which you can trust!
– Okay, let me give it a try.
– Major entertainment companies are reliable.
>What’s with the gray-haired trainee in the very back?
-Was amazed by how he flew across the stage.
-Normally you put the skilled ones up front, right? Why is he this good?
-Is this like finding a hidden gem?
-That decadent charm is insane. He’s my pick lol
>Is Yoo Ho-seung really following on DalStagram?
-10 million followers, that’s elite tier.
-With that many followers, he’d basically debut on fan power alone, right?
Then isn’t that unfair? Aren’t they starting off having already received 10 million votes?
“Wait, is that actually true? By that logic, Kim Sun-yu and all trainees from Major Entertainment Companies would be unfair too.”
Yeah, that’s right. TX Net itself is notorious for being unfair and rigged, so you have to watch it with the understanding that unfairness is built into the background.
Not just the Idol Community, but other sites like YouTube were in complete chaos over the rookie’s appearance.
“This is entertaining.”
From a third-party perspective, the vicious back-and-forth was pure entertainment.
‘Now that I think about it, when Yu Hae-in first appeared, it was no joke either.’
Recalling those days of keyboard battles that lasted all night, Han Mo-yang carefully clicked like on a comment she enjoyed.
“Well. It’s not like I’m the one commenting, and these are trainees that Yu Hae-in is promoting anyway. This much is just fan support.”
The moment the music broadcast video was uploaded to YouTube, Han Mo-yang had already watched it ten more times.
☆☆☆
The day after the TX Net Show Music broadcast aired, we put on our group school uniforms again and got our makeup done.
In one corner of the Waiting Room, the Production Team with cameras was conducting interviews with the trainees.
“Wow, I’m so nervous.”
“This is actually my first time performing in front of real people.”
“I’ll show my best skills on today’s press conference stage!”
The response to the music broadcast was hotter than I’d anticipated.
By morning, countless articles with sensational headlines were pouring in.
[Star picking5 at the Center of Attention]
[Theme Song “Cheer Me On” Enters Top 100 on Real-Time Music Charts Immediately After Release]
[Idol Survival with Influencer Yoo Ho-seung Participating]
[Who is Center Charming Man?]
[Following Luminous Stars Members, Major Entertainment Company Trainees Make Their Entrance]
Thanks to the explosive interest, the trainees wore somewhat excited expressions.
‘The reviews were better than I expected.’
The center position was inherently a place where criticism was inevitable in proportion to the attention it received.
I’d resolved to take any criticism in stride, but whether it was thanks to the song’s strategy or something else, the reactions when I searched were milder than I’d anticipated.
“Hey. Charming Man, how are you?”

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