The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 104

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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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104

“What?”
“…What did you just call me?”

Is this guy insane?
The filming set was packed with staff members, yet Min Ji-heon had just called me brother. I forced my lips upward, but my face threatened to convulse from the effort.
Min Ji-heon then tilted his head with shameless audacity.

“Hmm… want me to call you something different? Jung Hoon brother, or Ho-yoon brother? What would you prefer?”
“….”
“Haha, your expression is hilarious….”

This cocky bastard….
I’d definitely seen him with the Camera Director.

“But wait, could what I just saw have been a shortcut…?”
“…What are you talking about, senior?”

I laughed it off smoothly and deflected. Then I stepped away, putting some distance between myself and the staff. Min Ji-heon trailed along beside me.

“You can’t just startle me like that out of nowhere, senior. I get that you’re immersed in your acting, but we’re off-camera right now. Every time Min Ji-heon acts up like this, it gets my blood boiling, you know?”
“Wow… your gradient anger is truly impressive.”
“Why did you come? I told you not to act like you know me.”

Min Ji-heon smiled softly.

“Come on, don’t be like that. I was just curious how you’re doing, that’s all.”

There’s something else going on here. I studied him carefully and threw out a direct question.

“Do you know Lee Kang-seok well?”
“Huh?”

Min Ji-heon tilted his head in the opposite direction from before.

“So you know well, right? You even gave me a carrot cake.”
“…Yeah, it must have been delicious.”
“Aha, since someone ate it first, I wouldn’t know about that part.”

Seeing him throw out such frivolous jokes, it seemed he didn’t know about the rumors. Then again, Lee Kang-seok probably managed his image in front of Min Ji-heon, so he might not know.
I shrugged and organized my thoughts.

‘I told him to act better than Lee Kang-seok, but… that’s not objective.’

There’s a more objective method than that.

‘I just need to make him unable to act.’

Besides, Lee Kang-seok had perfectly set up the board for me by being abusive to his manager. Send Lee Kang-seok down, raise the ratings relatively even if only slightly. If I couldn’t capitalize on this, I’d be an idiot.
After deliberating where to start, I looked up to find Min Ji-heon still hadn’t left, watching me with an odd smile.

“What.”
“Just…”

Min Ji-heon rubbed the back of his neck slightly. Whenever he did this, I always felt uneasy.

“Suddenly… I got curious. You said there’s originally a world out there. When this ends, will you go back?”
“Of course.”

The System Window remained silent as expected.
My career built over the past six months, the fans, and the members. There was a brief silence, but my resolve was always as firm as ever.

“I’m doing all this nonsense to go back.”
“Why? When you even got rejuvenated.”
“Does that matter?”
“It does.”

Min Ji-heon chuckled softly.

“And I think I’d prefer it if you stayed here.”
“…?”
“It’s fun… and I want to see how things unfold more.”

His tone carried an odd certainty. I stared at him, and Min Ji-heon averted his gaze.

“Well… fighting spirit.”
“Min Ji-heon.”

Min Ji-heon was about to leave as if he’d said all he needed to say, but I grabbed him urgently.

“Does that mean returning to the original world has disadvantages? Or are you saying staying here has greater advantages?”
“Hmm….”
“Why?”
“Uh….”

Min Ji-heon scratched his cheek. Then he let out a deep sigh.

“It’s awkward to explain…. I’m not the one involved, so I don’t really know…. Sorry.”

Talking with him felt like we’d be stuck on unsolvable riddles forever.
Min Ji-heon, whether acting or not, glanced at me cautiously.

“The more I see you, the more attached I get to you, so I feel a bit sorry for being happy like this. But we made a promise…. Should we wait a bit for the viewership ratings?”
“….”
“Our drama is doing well right now, after all.”

I frowned, but a staff member called Min Ji-heon from far away.

“Min Ji-heon, we’re starting filming!”
“Yes~. …I’m going?”

Min Ji-heon gave me an awkward smile, then walked toward the filming set. I opened my phone’s calendar and began calculating. Three weeks remained until the final broadcast, and I had to get an answer that day.

‘…What am I even waiting for?’

I didn’t forget to send a text to Kim Jae-yeon.

[There’s something I’d like you to look into.]

—After filming ended, a text came back from Kim Jae-yeon.

[I don’t think you need to worry about that matter.]

“…Sigh.”

A signal that I could eat it for free.
And exactly four days later, the Lee Kang-seok incident exploded.

***

[The Entertainment Industry Never Has a Peaceful Day… Actor B’s Shocking True Colors Revealed]
[Lee Kang-seok ‘Power Trip Controversy’, Video of Him Hurling Insults at His Manager Spreads ‘Shocking’]

[Title: Did you see the Lee Kang-seok video?

His agency is desperately trying to take it down right now but it’s already spread everywhere lololol… wait, wasn’t Lee Kang-seok supposed to have that gentle, caring image?

└For real, it shatters the image
└Wow… I heard the recording and it felt like my ears got dirty..
└└He’s done for. His acting was just okay, but he got famous for that caring older brother image on Campus. He can’t even fall back on his acting skills.
└└He’s just finished
└Did his manager leak this? How much of a grudge must he have held lolol
└└He wouldn’t be that crazy, it’s still the company he works for..
└└Why not, it’s totally possible. Lee Kang-seok did say he manages his image, but he must have gotten careless. He probably thought his manager was someone beneath him anyway]

The spreading posts had already declared Lee Kang-seok’s end.
As his name climbed the real-time search rankings and Lee Kang-seok power trip parodies were created on YouTube, exploding with negative attention, a different rumor began to spread.

[Title: Did you know Lee Kang-seok was originally supposed to play PD Lee Jung-hoon in Cabu??

I know this from someone I know who works at the Broadcasting Station
Apparently Lee Kang-seok really, really wanted to play the Lee Jung-hoon role
It was almost a done deal, he just had to pass the audition, but then this rookie showed up and auditioned incredibly well

So Lee Kang-seok got kicked out and the rookie got cast instead
On the day his casting was cancelled, he threw a bottle at his manager and threw a tantrum

└Seriously??? Wow… now that I think about it, he really wasn’t suited for it. The casting director made the right call
└└Everyone involved must have known what kind of personality Lee Kang-seok has..
└Wait, so the one who got cast was Seo Ho-yoon? I thought he got in because he’s with the same agency as Min Ji-heon;
└└We all thought that too lol. No matter how you look at it, the age didn’t match the role anyway]

[Title: These guys, Seo Ho-yoon went through 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round auditions for Cabu

Had the highest score among all participants lol

└└ Wow, Seo Ho-yoon really got the role because of his acting lol Wow, the actor who lost to Dol for his acting is embarrassed, so what should I do??
└But seriously, I can’t imagine Lee Jung-hoon not being cast anymore]

Not that I won in acting exactly—it was just good luck—but public opinion swung in my favor.
Once the Lee Kang-seok abuse video spread and word got out that I’d originally wanted Please Camera, people started taking interest in the drama airing at the same time slot.
That week the controversy spread, Please Camera’s viewership climbed about two percent, recording fourteen percent.

“Yoo Jung-hwa.”

Final scene shoot.
I strode forward holding my employee ID, and when I spotted Yoo Jung-hwa chatting with Min Seung-tae in the distance, I furrowed my brow. Min Seung-tae was beaming, clearly delighted that things were going well and his relationship was so satisfying. Then he caught sight of me, his expression hardened instantly, he gave a curt nod, and walked away.
I exhaled deeply, relaxed my face, and slowly approached Yoo Ji-a. Then, acting as if nothing were amiss, I called out again.

“Yoo Jung-hwa.”
“Oh, PD? What is it?”
“You left your employee ID behind.”
“Ah, thank you so much!”

Seeing Yoo Ji-a’s smile, I cleared my throat and spoke.

“So… did things work out well with Min Seung-tae?”
“Yes. I hit him once and felt so relieved.”
“Good. I’m glad.”
“Wow, if my senior hadn’t helped me back then, I’d probably still be cleaning up the mess! I’m so grateful to you, senior.”

Yoo Jung-hwa chattered away with a bright smile. I focused hard on what the Screenwriter had said—”Yoo Jung-hwa thinks Min Seung-tae is such a waste, but since her junior is happy, she can’t help but feel like an uncle watching over her.”
Honestly, since I was genuinely thinking that way, the acting came quite naturally.

“…Why didn’t you hit him one more time?”
“You’d help me?”
“Should I?”

As I let out a soft laugh, Yoo Jung-hwa stared blankly for a moment, then gave me a thumbs up.

“PD, honestly, aside from your face, your personality is absolutely terrible…. If you look closely.”
“….”
“There must be other redeeming qualities….”
“….”
“Somewhere, if you search hard enough.”
“Yoo Jung-hwa, do you want to work tomorrow too?”

I asked with my arms crossed, and Yoo Jung-hwa raised an eyebrow. Her expression screamed that she was going to work herself to the bone tomorrow anyway—what kind of nonsense was this? I spoke to her in a flat tone.

“I was planning to give Yoo Jung-hwa a day off tomorrow and work alone….”
“…!”
“But looking at you now, it seems you want to work hard with me tomorrow too. Well, having extra hands is always helpful.”

And with that, I turned and walked away. Yoo Jung-hwa hurried after me urgently. I rubbed my eyes with my hand and ignored her.

“S-s-senior! You know I respect you the most, right??”
“Mm….”
“A genius face! Sharp mind! Early graduation, top of the class, and everything you touch turns to gold, PD!”
“I’ve already heard all that….”

I brushed off her words dismissively, and Yoo Jung-hwa gritted her teeth. I looked at her and chuckled.

“What about your personality?”
“…Pardon?”
“Isn’t it absolutely terrible?”

Yoo Jung-hwa trembled and took several deep breaths, then barely managed to lift the corners of her quivering mouth. In the end, she sold her conscience for the vacation I offered.

“…You’re absolutely an angel.”
“Hmm?”
“There are rumors at the Broadcasting Station…. That this PD is the kindest. Where are your wings?”
“I tore them off and left them behind.”

I laughed and removed my employee ID, shoving it into my pocket. Then I pulled out a candy from my pocket, unwrapped it, and chewed it while speaking.

“Go enjoy your vacation.”
“Yes….”
“Two days or so. I’ll cover it myself.”
“…!!”

Perhaps finding it petty and distasteful, Yoo Jung-hwa—who had been discreetly flipping me off where I couldn’t see—widened her eyes and nodded her head frantically like a madwoman.

“Senior, I’ll go pick up your wings!! I saw them in the smoking room! They’re a bit dirty, but they’re still usable!”
“Sure~. Our junior’s got quite the sharp tongue now~.”
“Who taught me that?”

Yoo Jung-hwa laughed heartily, waved her hand broadly, and disappeared. The camera captured me standing alone in that spot. I watched until Yoo Jung-hwa’s figure vanished from sight. I clenched my fist, then released it and laughed refreshingly.

“What a waste, truly.”

I delivered the line, turned around, and entered the broadcasting station. Behind me, I heard Director Yu calling cut and the sound of applause.

“Cut! That’ll do it!”
“Thank you for your hard work!”
“Perfect, absolutely perfect!”
“Wow, Seo Ho-yoon, thank you for your hard work on the final shoot!”

After finishing the final shoot, I was informed that we’d be monitoring episode 14 right away, so I sat at the outdoor seating and chatted with the others.

“This episode is really something special. The emotional arcs are all clean without feeling clichéd.”
“Even though Lee Jung-hoon’s screen time isn’t extensive, he subtly raises the tension in the drama appropriately. He’s a supporter to Yoo Jung-hwa, and a witty rival with back-and-forth banter with Min Seung-tae….”
“After all, he’s a character with a terrible personality and a big mouth!!”
“….”
“Seo Ho-yoon, you were perfect!”
“Yes, I’m truly delighted.”

I was casually listening to the conversation when suddenly the atmosphere around me grew unsettled. And then, abruptly, a large bouquet was thrust before my eyes.

[PD Lee Jung-hoon,
Thank you so much for your hard work!!
-Cabu Staff, All]

“Oh….”
“Congratulations! Your first shoot was truly difficult.”
“Wow~, the bouquet suits you well.”
“Thank you so much for preparing something like this.”

Whether the time was short or long, having spent it rubbing shoulders with the staff, their thoughtful consideration for my hard work touched my heart deeply.
When I turned my head to glance at my Manager, he nodded and distributed small cards to the staff members.

“Here, please take this! Ho-yoon prepared it all night.”
“…What is this?”

As the Staff Member accepted it with a bewildered expression, I clutched the bouquet and beamed brightly.

“It’s nothing special, just a token of my gratitude.”
“Wow, gift certificates…!!”
“How did you even prepare all this?! Wait, did you really pay for this out of your own pocket?”
“Ha, it’s really nothing much.”

The Staff Member’s eyes widened, and another Staff Member behind him gasped out in amazement.

“…And handwritten letters too??! Did you write each one individually?”
“Yes.”
“Incredible…. And they’re all different….”

It was just a few short lines anyway, so it didn’t take much time. I kept adjusting the bouquet as it kept slipping down, and I bowed repeatedly to the Staff Members who gazed at me with touched expressions. I even noticed a few of them recording it and uploading it to SNS.
As I calmly took in the sight of the final filming set, Director Yu removed his glasses beside me and dabbed his eyes with his fingers.

“Seo Ho-yoon… truly… you’ve become a real person…. I don’t know what I’ll do when you’re gone….”
“You should spend more time with Min Ji-heon then.”

Make sure to work him hard while you’re at it.
Anyway, I chuckled and gazed at the large bouquet. My chest fluttered slightly, but my mind was already racing ahead with calculations.
The crude conditions Min Ji-heon had set.
The first was to surpass Lee Kang-seok, and the second was to achieve the viewership target.

‘I achieved the first condition when Lee Kang-seok tanked.’

“I hope the viewership numbers turn out well~.”

So now it was the second condition.

“Indeed.”

Since the drama’s final episode was approaching, it seemed the highest viewership would depend on how well this episode performed. Around the end of episode 14, a call came through from the Control Room.

“Yes, yes. Ah… yes?!”

Director Yu jumped to his feet. Everyone stared at him in shock as he covered his mouth with one hand and ended the call.

“Why! Director, why!”
“Hey, we, we….”

Director Yu still couldn’t find his words, his eyes darting frantically across the staff and cast members before he thrust both hands into the air and shouted.

“The viewership rating is 18 percent!”

In that moment, a smile bloomed across my face.

“E-e-eighteen percent?!”

Everyone erupted in cheers. We’d been running on caffeine like it was an IV drip for days of relentless shooting, and now adrenaline was exploding through us all.

“This can’t be real. Isn’t this the highest viewership rating among all the dramas airing right now?”
“We hit the jackpot….”
“Congratulations so much!!”

Seizing the moment, my Manager quickly turned on the camera and filmed my reaction. I bowed repeatedly with a radiant smile on my face. For the record, it was a genuine smile, not a business one—the joy of having accomplished the mission Min Ji-heon had given me.

“Let’s have a celebration dinner today…!”
“No way! We still have plenty of filming left to do tomorrow. Go rest up.”

Director Yu cut it off cleanly, though he himself seemed to regret it the most.
I received congratulations all the way until I left the filming set, clutching a large bouquet of flowers.

“Thank you so much for everything.”
“Seo Ho-yoon! This isn’t the end—see you at the wrap-up party~”
“Ha ha, yes. We’ll celebrate again then.”
“Seo Ho-yoon, you worked hard.”

After finishing my farewells with the staff, including Yoo Ji-a who waved with a smile, I climbed into the car. My Manager, still riding high from the excitement, continued chattering away.

“Man, this is seriously huge. The Agency keeps calling.”
“You worked hard too, Manager.”
“Phew, you’re the one who worked hard! That bouquet was so touching. When I think about everything you’ve been through, I still get teary-eyed….”
“Really? Then let me film your tears.”
“…You’re really something else, Ho-yoon.”

Thanks to Lee Kang-seok bursting it open for me, I got to enjoy it for free. I thought the ratings would have to wait until the finale to break 18 percent, but it happened faster than expected.
I sank deeper into my seat, answering the Manager’s remarks while fidgeting with my phone.

‘Come on, let’s go.’

Min Ji-heon was certainly an odd guy, but he wasn’t the type to break a promise. Though his whims ran rampant, he seemed to have his own standards at his core (though I couldn’t understand them), so if I’d met the conditions he’d set, he’d keep his word.
Just as I was organizing my thoughts,

Bzzzzt.

My phone vibrated.

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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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