The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 134

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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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134

[A Popular Group Appears]

Just when I thought the opportunity had slipped away after hearing nothing for so long, the lineup finally dropped—barely making the cut.
The Noeul fans, having learned their lessons through the previous Kismet and Lia Purple collaborations and several other year-end stages, were fired up about tearing into Dae Pa-sung.

[This song is probably Kill the Lights
And the camera work is going to be trash]
[Still mad about that one pathetic solo stage… and it wasn’t even a full performance, it was ridiculously short
lol the collaboration was just them being shoehorned in anyway..
At least the kids tore it up so we calmed down a bit..]
[Dae Pa-sung being Dae Pa-sung, what else]

While their popularity grew day by day, Dae Pa-sung—still bearing the mark of a mid-tier group in capital and countless other aspects—was so accustomed to criticism that they faced more insults than meals.
Meanwhile, different opinions were being posted on private accounts.

[Guys.. don’t make me laugh
Is this bittersweet?
I’ve been a fan since their debut, so I literally ran over here and I’m crying two liters of tears right now…
└Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha It really looks like a braid, but it’s true so I want to paint it with a highlighter]

[Just one? But they did a collaboration too? The fact that they got into the year-end stage lineup itself? I’m so proud I’m about to lose it????]

[I’m a fan of a major group that does long year-end stages, but this has its own charm too.. Is this what they call desperation (laughs)?
└The smaller you are, the more thrilling it gets
└└Agreed
└└No don’t admit it, our kids need to blow up]

And so the mentally resilient Noeul fans, transforming their bitterness into laughter once more, settled in front of the television.
The Dun was certainly riding an upward momentum, and those who had wandered through the K-pop underground for years could feel it coming.
It was certain without a shadow of doubt that The Dun was the hottest (second-hand) rookie of the year, and there was no way a group so filled with hunger wouldn’t rise.

And as if to prove they wouldn’t betray that expectation, the members—grinding their teeth and pushing through practice except for a few hours of rest—managed to complete all their preparations.
The grand finale to the Apocalypse trilogy, that is.

Zing— thud.

The stage darkened, and the final year-end performance began.

[The Dawn – Kill the Lights]

That song with Kang Yi-chae’s name stamped across lyrics, composition, and arrangement.

[Ahhhhhhh it’s starting]
[Lyrics, composition, arrangement by Kang Yi-chae
…thump
└That man wrote the lyrics, that man composed it, that man arranged it
1)
└└way back into>
2)
Kang Yi-chae..]

Selling the fact that the group handled all the year-end stage arrangements themselves filled the fans with immense pride.
Yet there were still concerns.

[Seeing Kill the Lights too much lately;]
[Right, I was hoping to see Ocean Trend after so long]

This was precisely the issue.

Since it had performed the best and was their most recent active track, fans worried that despite knowing it would differ from music broadcasts and events, the stage might feel too similar to the original, potentially leaving viewers bored.
When they only performed Kismet, fans complained about why they weren’t doing Kill the Lights, but once they did, criticism arose again.
Still, most were thrumming with anticipation and excitement.

Beep beep beep— beep beep beep—

In that moment, an intro mixed with game-like sound effects flowed out.

Whoosh whoosh—

[??????]

The pipe organ sound layered over it created a grand feeling entirely different from the original Kill the Lights. As fans stood bewildered, unable to imagine what direction this would take, blue and green lights alternated across the members moving in rhythm.

Beep beep beep—

All the members unified their outfits in white, but what caught the eye even more was the black harness draped across their shoulders over the white tops.

[Yeah!!!!!!!]

Last year’s year-end stage had been a rider jacket.
Having tasted success, they’d pulled out another bold move this time.
Naturally, the fans welcomed them with cheers and raised fists.

[Ahhhhhhhhh
ahhh!!
ahh!!!!!]
[We got it—you guys better succeed]

Then, Kang Yi-chae, standing at the very center and gazing blankly at the camera, tilted his head to the side and pulled his lips into a smile.

[I see the timing?]

It began.

Simultaneously, Kang Yi-chae leaped up and delivered a powerful kick with his right foot, while the members behind him caught his back. Using that momentum, Kang Yi-chae returned to his original pose and began rapping.

[We took a breath together, now we gotta go again]

His rap pierced through with an intensity and heat, delivered with more force than usual, sharp and electrifying. Kang Yi-chae raised his arm, grabbed Sung Ji-won’s shoulder, and spun him roughly.
Kang Yi-chae raised his arm, grabbed Sung Ji-won’s shoulder, and turned him around roughly.

You just laughed, remember?]
You just laughed, remember?]

[What’s the intro beat? Did they completely overhaul it??]
What’s with the intro beat? Did you completely overhaul it??

Every time The Dun created a new stage, the Noeul would resolve not to be easily surprised, yet they were always pleasantly betrayed.

If what Kang Yi-chae had sought to express in last time’s “Kismet” was brilliance, then in this “Kill the Lights,” he had amplified that splendor and added a few drops of cyberpunk essence reminiscent of 29th-century South Korea.
There was a reason the members had re-recorded with game beats added.
There was a reason why they added a game beat and had the Members re-record it.

[(Beep!) I can’t lose this game
Let’s burn all the way to the end
When light breaks through, that’s when it starts]

At that moment, the screen blazed so brilliantly it was blinding.

Boom boom boom boom… Boom!

The sound of helicopter propellers whirred through the beats, and the song gradually faded out, when
Kim Sung-hyun’s figure appeared on screen—the one anchoring the entire group from center, commanding their weight and presence.
He slowly lifted his lowered head and raised his hand.

[And I say it again….]

Then he grabbed Seo Ho-yoon’s arm from behind, spun around, and swapped their positions.

[YES!]

As the auto-tuned robotic voice descended into deep bass, Seo Ho-yoon burst into center with raw intensity.

[WE KILL THE LIGHTS!]

The Noeul fans reacted with keen understanding of what that position swap meant.

[omg!!!!!!!]
[ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!]

That was it.
Seo Ho-yoon hadn’t been rehearsing year-end stages and practicing songs for nothing.

[KILL THE LIGHTS!]

The Dun’s official “jack-of-all-trades” Seo Ho-yoon had been positioned as the dance break center. It was a section that would normally, without question, fall to Kim Sung-hyun. To take even a fraction less criticism, to match Kim Sung-hyun’s level even slightly, I’d practiced until my mouth tasted bitter—practicing, practicing, practicing.
If it had been up to him, Kim Sung-hyun would have naturally been the one to handle this section. To avoid getting criticized as much as possible, Seo Ho-yoon practiced and practiced and practiced until his mouth was literally sore, trying to match Kim Sung-hyun’s level even just a little bit.

[Seo Ho-yoon dance break center??? Are they insane????]
Seo Ho-yoon doing a dance break in the center??? Are you crazy????

The panicked fans wailed their real names across public accounts without even inserting a single typo to evade search algorithms.
Even in the VCR visible behind the members, the flag that Kim Sung-hyun had driven into the ground in the music video was choreographed to flutter in the wind, sending the fans’ hearts into further turmoil.

“I think I’m going to die….”
“You’re fine. People don’t die that easily.”
“What did Hyung do wrong?”

As much as Seo Ho-yoon was dying while Kim Sung-hyun laughed and rolled around, the mechanical dancer’s movement quality had transformed dramatically. Where it once showed signs of artificially synchronized choreography, now viewers could feel him riding the rhythm itself. Combined with Seo Ho-yoon’s own fluid dance lines, it commanded attention.
It wasn’t flawless execution, but the shortcomings were covered by the elaborate VCR, lighting, and facial expressions.

[Is Seo Ho-yoon insane?????
Don’t bite your lip, damn it]
[So
damn
sexy
]

The members lined up on both sides entered in perfect time. Not a single angle or timing was off.
Seo Ho-yoon’s gaze pierced intensely toward the gimbal camera approaching him.

[Wait a second
Why are you like this
Why are you like this…
I won’t say anything more, my future is still bright]
[What incredible freshness in this world, what gratitude]

Even with the harness fixed in place, the powerful choreography caused it to slip downward, but Seo Ho-yoon left it as is, took a deep breath, and flicked his hand. Instantly, the scattered members regrouped behind him in perfect formation.

[Gasp]

By this point, the perceptive ones had all figured it out.
Why that mechanical dancer Seo Ho-yoon had to be positioned as the center for the dance break.

“We have to take care of the narrative!!”

It was because Lee Ji-hyun, who placed extreme importance on narrative, had thrown herself into the year-end stage planning with relentless passion.

“How can you not prepare additional narrative to showcase on stage beyond the music video?! Isn’t weaving foreshadowing into the choreography basic? This is about showing respect to Kill the Lights!”
“…Yes, I understand, so please calm down for a moment.”
“This time, Seo Ho-yoon absolutely must be the dance center, no question about it!!”

Lee Ji-hyun, thoroughly energized by The Dun’s bonus from the Lia Purple collaboration, had thoroughly drilled Kim Sung-hyun and Seo Ho-yoon, resulting in this choreography being born.
To express how Seo Ho-yoon, who had successfully staged a rebellion within Kill the Lights, had won over all four remaining members….

“…Then let’s do it this way.”

…Kim Sung-hyun had choreographed movements where the members followed Seo Ho-yoon’s actions.

[The Dawn is Coming!]

The moment Seo Ho-yoon raised his right hand, all the members behind him saluted in sequence with the beat.

Snap!
Snap snap snap!

[We can’t lose this game
I’ve already bet everything]

The highlight melody rang out, and Seo Ho-yoon, with downcast eyes and a faint satisfied smile, spun his body around.

Tap, tap!

Then the remaining four behind him spread to the sides in sync with steady footsteps, raising their hands diagonally toward him as if expressing flags.

[Flip everything and change the game!]

Seo Ho-yoon threw his head back to gaze upward, then strode through the path created between the members.
The answer to the divided opinions questioning whether all the members truly trusted and followed Seo Ho-yoon even after Kill the Lights’ music video was released was contained in this choreography.

[Yes, I Killed the light]

In the end, Seo Ho-yoon had succeeded in taking control.

[Don’t terrorize otaku]
[I was wrong please save me]

Noeul’s fans let out delighted screams, their eyes locked on the screen.
In that moment, as a member emerged from the aligned formation, the ranks scattered in an instant.

[We can’t leave this scheme!]

It was Jung Da-jun, taking the stage to deliver the finale.

[You’re at that end]

While Seo Ho-yoon had dominated everything, Jung Da-jun danced alone, and the members turned their backs to him one by one.
Only Jung Da-jun moved as though uncontrolled. Red light seeped into his platinum blonde hair.

[We,]

Jung Da-jun’s eyes widened slightly, one corner of his mouth tilting upward at an angle.

[Why don’t we see just how far we can go?]

That expression resembled someone—as though he were channeling them perfectly.

[KILL THE LIGHTS!]

As he made a gesture like a finger snap, the lights cut out with a sharp snap. The speakers erupted with roaring cheers.
The crowd’s screams tore through the air.
The MCs continued speaking, but no one could focus.

[…They tore it up]

For Noeul’s fans, the next stage didn’t matter.
What was urgent for them was collecting the breadcrumbs scattered across this stage.

[Seo Ho-yoon’s salute to The Dun, and the kids matching his salute
In the end, Seo Ho-yoon was the one who fixed everything
Ah, I think I’m going to faint
└And Jung Da-jun is the one who scatters everything…]
Jung Da-jun, what the hell is this ending? Are you the mastermind behind this?
Ah, I’m going crazy
Ah!!!!!!!
└And then our god goes down and bounces around again]
[Damn, the way Ho-yoon strides forward is so cool…]

[Who came up with the choreography for the salute?!!!!
└It’s obvious without even looking—Kim Sung-hyun and Jung Da-jun
└└Why?? Did a behind-the-scenes video come out??
└└Dae Pa-sung doesn’t have the budget to add new choreography
└└Ouch]

The Noeul fans exchanged meanings and interpretations scene by scene, and as if their worries about the stage and their criticism of Dae Pa-sung from just minutes ago had never happened, they praised the performance.

[It’s a live performance and these guys must have insane stamina. There was a rumor that they practice singing while running on a treadmill, and it seems to be true]
[Is Seo Ho-yoon Hermione?
How did he prepare for three songs simultaneously—”Let’s Spend That Night,” “Start Loving From Today,” and “Kill the Lights”
└And they all became hot topics. Absolutely insane]
[Sung Ji-won’s high notes really soar so cleanly. Has he entered the heavenly tier as a vocalist now?
Of course
Our Ji-won is a Best OST Award winner]

It was admittedly a short stage, and The Dun didn’t have many opportunities to be revealed to the public, but even within those constraints, we did everything we could.
Sharp group choreography practiced with gritted teeth to the elaborately arranged spicy beat, and choreography that poured out narrative.

[Wow, what a truly perfect way to wrap up the year…
└I absolutely don’t regret canceling all my year-end plans…
└└I just feel sorry for those who couldn’t see it…]
[Ah… ㅠㅠ How do you not love these guys?
How can you not love these guys who grit their teeth and prepare!!ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[I’m a Noeul fan!]

Even as Seo Ho-yoon grumbled that he was about to cough up blood, all the grueling practice paid off.

[I’m a Noeul fan!!!]

I wrapped up the year with a satisfying abundance of rewards.

1) Parody of the film ‘She Writes the Lyrics, He Composes the Music’ (2007.02.08.)
2) Parody of the OST ‘Way Back Into Love’ from the film ‘She Writes the Lyrics, He Composes the Music’ (2007.02.08.)

—————
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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