The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 148

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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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148

While The Dun was busy producing and uploading their own in-house content, PD Kim Hee-young, whose stock had skyrocketed thanks to Shining Star, found herself drowning in an increasingly hectic schedule.

“PD! When will the cast list be ready?”
“Kim Hee-young, have you secured the location shoot?”
“Kim Hee-young!”
“Kim Hee-young!!”
“Kim Hee-young!!!”

At first, I’d thought the program was over and I’d finally catch a breather, but soon work came pouring in from every direction like a deluge.
After spending the entire day in “I got it, damn it, stop calling me” mode—literally running until my feet burned—Kim Hee-young finally stumbled into an empty conference room and managed to catch her breath.
She downed an Americano with three extra shots in one gulp, then exhaled deeply as she slumped back into her chair.

“I’m going to work myself to death, seriously….”

She’d already surrendered her vacation long ago.
Kim Hee-young stared at the proposal in front of her.

【Shining Star Season 2】

The program had been structured from the planning phase of Season 1 with the intention of taking the winner and producing Season 2. Though it had somehow managed to wrap up with respectable viewership ratings, the Today incident had exploded so spectacularly that Season 2 seemed destined to fade into obscurity.
But now that all the Season 1 cast members were thriving and public sentiment had settled, Season 2 production was officially greenlit.

“I’m garbage.”

The bitterness of having to push children far younger than herself into a fierce crucible of competition weighed on her.
She told herself it was just work, that the idols would gain something proportional to their effort, but the more she rationalized it, the more her own pettiness burned through her chest like charred ash.

‘This time, absolutely no complications whatsoever.’

In the planning phase, everything was perfect.
Since the incident had blown up so spectacularly, even major entertainment agencies similar to D.go were keeping their heads down and staying silent, wary of public scrutiny.
PD Kim Hee-young’s eyes stopped at one name as she scanned through the recruitment list. It was The Dun.
They were undoubtedly one of the hottest groups on the list right now.
Starting from early last year—from single albums to Shining Star, self-produced content, variety shows—they’d been running such a relentless schedule that it made you wonder if it was humanly possible, and in the end, they’d made it big.
Just then, there was a knock, and the Assistant Director entered the conference room.

“You’re here? Did you see this?? Wow, The Dun’s self-produced content views are insane!”
“Really?”
“Yeah, check out the reactions here.”

PD Kim Hee-young took the laptop the Assistant Director offered and quickly scanned through several posts.
They were mostly about The Dun’s self-produced content.

[Title: The Dun’s self-produced content is seriously hilarious…

Apocalypse was supposed to be completely shelved, but they went all-in on this military base concept instead
Honestly, I thought it’d be way over the top. I expected it to be cringey
But

(Screenshot: Hyun-sung and Yi-chae doing a sexy dance)
(Screenshot: Ji-won self-destructing as “The One Who Turns Back Time”)
(Screenshot: Dae Pa-sung looking devastated)

No seriously lololololol why is it so funny?? lololol I was laughing the whole time because I’m so into this B-grade, sloppy aesthetic

Especially when they go bungee jumping, I lost it

Ho-yoon: I’ll call out the name of the person I love and descend.
Dae Pa-sung: Noel!!!!
Ho-yoon: Louder!!
Dae Pa-sung: I love Noel~!!!!
Ji-won: (satisfied) (satisfied)

Ji-won, did you raise Dae Pa-sung?
If only time could be turned back…

Anyway, next up was Kang Yi-chae, who’d been getting absolutely destroyed by Seo Ho-yoon today…
His appearance was disheveled, and his eyes gleamed with barely contained madness.
Seo Ho-yoon remained utterly indifferent to it all.

Ho-yoon: Leave.
Yi-chae: (Damn it) Why are you brushing me off? Aren’t you going to ask me anything?
Ho-yoon: I’d rather not hear it.
Yi-chae: (Absolutely furious) Can I call the instructor’s name~? ^^!!!
Ho-yoon: (Equally furious) I’ll call Noel before I cause a broadcast incident.

Kang Yi-chae’s teeth ground together, and suddenly he shouted the Leader’s name and jumped up.

Yi-chae: Hyun-sung, I love you~~!!!!
Hyun-sung, who was eating ice cream: …?????
The Dun members: ?????
Staff Member: ??????

Kim Sung-hyun had been exempted from the bungee jumping penalty and was eating ice cream when he suddenly got blindsided.

Hyun-sung: …Is this my penalty? Hearing Kang Yi-chae say he loves me?

Hahahahaha seems like he really hated it hahahaha whenever Kang Yi-chae called his name and said he loved him, he kept asking multiple times if he was being punished, like seriously hahahaha

I seriously can’t predict where these guys are going to go next…
Man, even thinking about it again makes me laugh.

You guys are absolute lunatics, seriously…
Even I, who usually keeps things tight, am getting swept up in The Dun content…

└After Dae Pa-sung got absolutely roasted last time, they’ve been putting out way more content
They’re probably a mid-sized agency, but how are they doing this?
└└I heard they hired a lot of planning team staff after the backlash, and apparently there’s some incredible talent there
Wow… I see, that’s interesting lol. Is the feedback still pretty quick?
Haha… that doesn’t seem to be it…
└Honestly, I usually just casually watch idol content, but The Dun members’ stuff is pretty good
└└It’s gotten pretty famous among other fandoms lately, The Dun members’ content.. Maybe because they self-destruct…
└Seo Ho-yoon’s deal is seriously insane
└└Right, mostly it’s just Kim Sung-hyun taking the hits
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

“…He’s pretty much a lunatic, isn’t he?”

After reading him completely, PD Kim Hee-young scratched her cheek.
The Assistant Director added on, producing the Japanese debut showcase shoe video that was still circulating as a popular clip, along with Seo Ho-yoon’s legendary fancam from Japan.

“Exactly. His popularity has really, really exploded lately. There’s even a term among domestic fans calling him a ‘rookie pick.’ He’s not the same The Dun we first recruited, you know?”
“Hmm.”
“The Dun is confirmed, but idol groups with some recognition have high barriers to entry, so we can’t be sure what’ll happen. Still, thinking about balance, we need to select other groups carefully too….”

If Shining Star Season 1 consisted mostly of rookies in their first or second year, with at most some fourth-year idols, this season was different.
The average was three to four years in.
The plan was to gather only idol groups with solid fanbases, both domestically and internationally.
When we asked every major entertainment agency to contribute one group, they all expressed reluctance—but none of them refused.
That’s because the viewership numbers changed drastically after the cast from the previous Shining Star Season 1 appeared on air.

“They’re just being stubborn about their pride.”
“Pardon?”
“Don’t you know the highest viewership from last season? That’s the highest among cable competition programs. Haven’t you seen the Shining Star Season 1 poster still hanging right in front of the broadcasting station?”
“Well, that’s true, but….”
“Look, their recognition isn’t rock bottom, so they might not feel desperate, but there’s a difference between third-tier and second-tier, and between second-tier and first-tier. If they’re the type to pass up a good opportunity to climb, we’re better off not taking them anyway.”

If they developed a half-baked celebrity complex and phoned it in, it would be bad for them personally, but it would be the worst for the program.

Moreover, even groups with solid footing as idols couldn’t guarantee their title tracks would always hit. No matter how much capital was poured in, they might not win public favor.

Ultimately, the most definitive way to boost one’s position while simultaneously confirming public choice was through a survival program.

‘If I don’t pick them, they’re eliminated. That sense of crisis.’

That crisis transforms into ‘I must protect my pick at all costs,’ and voting becomes half-crazed.
In other words, this was a program perfectly suited for South Korea, a nation addicted to the numbing heat of spice.
Though existing fanbases would absolutely hate it.

‘…I’m sorry.’

PD Kim Hee-young was, after all, a producer chasing viewership ratings.

“Look, if I had my way, I’d ask for Black Call.”
“…Are you insane??”
“Obviously I’m joking…. Would I really do that?”

Black Call had been quiet for a while, appearing only occasionally on variety shows, until they released their title track “Kings” late last year and shot straight to the top tier of the first-rank groups, creating a massive gap between themselves and the rest.
They’d become so prominent that broadcasting stations couldn’t casually request them anymore, and even if they did, their agency would never send Black Call to a survival program like this.
PD Kim Hee-young, embarrassed at the failed joke, scratched the bridge of her nose awkwardly before speaking.

“So you’re asking for the other groups instead.”
“Hmm….”
“Why?”

PD Kim Hee-young asked at the Assistant Director’s subtle expression.

“Oh, no. I’m just a bit worried about The Dun.”
“What?”

At the unexpected comment, PD Kim Hee-young frowned, and the Assistant Director shrugged.

“It’s true their recognition has grown significantly, but if they go up against the groups on our list, they could end up in real trouble…. We’re used to getting criticized, but The Dun is the primary architect behind Shining Star’s success, after all.”
“The Dun will handle that themselves.”

At PD Kim Hee-young’s indifferent response, the Assistant Director clicked their tongue inwardly.

‘No matter what, they must have grown quite attached, yet there’s no guilt at all?’

The Assistant Director saw PD Kim Hee-young as a cold person, but in reality, she was making quite objective assessments with remarkable composure.

“Well, since The Dun just got back from their activities in Japan, we can adjust the schedule soon. I’ll contact Dae Pa-sung Planning again….”

Listening to the staff member report something beside her, PD Kim Hee-young fell into thought.
She knew The Dun well.
Or rather, to be precise, she knew Seo Ho-yoon.

‘That damn bastard.’

Among idols?
No, I mean from every person I’ve ever met.
Even in situations fraught with adversity, his mind and mental fortitude to solve problems through unconventional means were distinctly different from others.
PD Kim Hee-young sank back into her chair, thinking of Seo Ho-yoon.

‘What exactly is he?’

His face was devastatingly beautiful, but his skills were somewhat lacking.
Yet he was bold and paid no mind to others’ opinions.
When he pushed Today to the very brink of hell, Seo Ho-yoon had offered a faint smile in response to her question.

“Wouldn’t other people think the same way? It’s not that they lack the thought—it’s that they can’t do it because they have a conscience.”
“…And you?”
“I don’t have one.”

“Wow, even thinking about it now gives me chills.”
“Huh??”

‘How can a person be like that?’

PD Kim Hee-young twirled her pen absently.
He was certainly a captivating person.
Both the audacious drive he threw himself into and the gentle kindness he let slip so casually.

‘Why is he even an idol?’

Honestly, no matter how much she analyzed him, Seo Ho-yoon wasn’t the type desperately yearning to be an idol like the others.
He wasn’t someone who craved unconditional love from fans, nor was he someone who couldn’t forget the thrill of performing on stage.
He was just someone trudging along, driven by obligation or duty.

“…But then again, he seems desperate for something.”
“Sorry??”
“Never mind.”

PD Kim Hee-young tilted her head in confusion.
Judgments about people could never be made lightly.

“…Seo Ho-yoon, or rather… The Dun.”

This time, it’ll be harder for Seo Ho-yoon to pull strings behind the scenes.
PD Kim Hee-young scanned the list once more, drawing lines through it methodically.

Yet there was one thing I was certain of: anyone who crossed paths with Seo Ho-yoon would inevitably become entangled with him in a way that was inescapable. Whether for better or worse.

“Even without my help, they’ll manage just fine on their own.”

Because he’s a strange one.

.
.
.

[Seize 1st place in Shining Star Season 2!
A survival program returns after a long hiatus!
Claim victory in Shining Star Season 2.
Success: Vocal stat increases significantly
Failure: Seo Ho-yoon’s confidential information leaks]

“Damn….”

I cursed the moment I saw it.
Quests had always been brutal, but this penalty was the worst possible outcome for someone with as many secrets as I had.
I’d pressed and cajoled, but it just played dumb and threw the Quest at me before vanishing.

‘Sigh….’

I was already steeling myself before facing PD Kim Hee-young of Shining Star Season 2.

“Wow! Our Season 2 is starting!!”

I’d come to the broadcasting station for a pre-production meeting for Shining Star Season 2. Dragging my reluctant feet through the entrance, I spotted Joo Woo-sung chatting with a woman near the smoking room, which was sparse at this early hour.

“Oh.”

He noticed me and waved his hand playfully.
When the other members bowed slightly, the woman beside him smiled faintly and returned the greeting.
She was a fairly famous actress who’d made a name for herself three years ago in a youth drama.

“Take care.”
“Yeah, see you later, Woo-sung~.”

As we drew closer, she flashed a light smile and hurried away from the spot.
She was famous, so of course I knew her, but….

‘…What was it again?’

There was something.
I rubbed the back of my neck, lost in thought that hovered on the edge of memory, when Sung-hyun’s excited voice reached me from beside me as he spotted Joo Woo-sung.

“Senior! I watched that concert clip from last time!”
“Oh, the video’s already up?”
“Yes!!”

Joo Woo-sung responded by patting Sung-hyun’s shoulder a couple of times, then turned his head toward me.

“Hey, are you still mad?”
“…Huh?”
“This guy forgot.”

I tilted my head and then it came back to me.
Right, Joo Woo-sung had called me when I was sick in Japan.
Joo Woo-sung let out a scoff as if he couldn’t believe it.

“I got cursed out by a junior for the first time in my life. You bastard.”
“That’s quite a valuable life experience, isn’t it?”

I spoke with a slight laugh, and Joo Woo-sung stared at me with cold eyes.
I sent the members ahead first, then turned back to Joo Woo-sung.

“So you’re mentoring on Shining Star?”

I wish he’d just go to the military already.

“Yeah. I’m going to get absolutely roasted.”

Joo Woo-sung muttered that and scratched his cheek slightly.

“Well, I guess it doesn’t matter anymore….”
“…?”

What’s the big deal about being a mentor?
Sure, there might be talk since Joo Woo-sung and the competing group weren’t that far apart in career years, but skill-wise, he was absolutely unquestionable.
More pressing than that were the slight discomfort and the need to resolve a trivial curiosity, so I glanced around before asking.

“…Did you work on something together with that person earlier?”
“Huh? Oh.”

No matter how I thought about it, there was no connection between Joo Woo-sung and the actress.
Since no one was around, Joo Woo-sung simply rolled his eyes once before speaking matter-of-factly.

“Yeah, my ex-girlfriend.”
“….”

He said it so calmly.

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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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