The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 157

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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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157

The day Shining Star Season 2 Episode 1 aired.

[The Dun first place, let’s go first place, let’s go first place]
[Guys, do we really have to do this? But I’d already borrowed everyone’s phones around me. Let the games begin.]

The Noeul fans were already in full combat mode, body and soul.
Especially since reviews kept popping up saying The Dun had absolutely dominated the stage in the second round, and everyone’s anticipation was skyrocketing.

Shining Star Season 2

Finally, after countless commercials ended and the Shining Star Season 2 logo appeared, the recap of Season 1 aired.

We discover shining people by any means necessary.

All the fans were outraged at that caption.

[Did you discover them, you bastards? Here we go with the bullshit again]
[Are the production staff out of their minds?]
[But I can’t hate on Hee-young noona. I fell in love when I saw her at the production presentation. I want to be tangled up with her in a twisted, filthy way]

└Kim Hee-young’s nickname is that she’s a crazy woman in this area
└└That’s what drives me insane
└└Yeah, be happy..]

Among them, High Five fans were especially fed up.

[This is infuriating. Why do our kids have to be on this show?]
[This is a scam by a broadcasting company. What the fuck are they doing without stopping their agency?]

An essential part of a happy SNS life.
Block.
Most of the landmine words had already been blocked between fandoms, and even if someone did see them, they’d quickly scroll past with clouded eyes to avoid stirring up unnecessary conflict.

[Wait, Joo Woo-sung is in this?!]
[Han Chae-ri?!!]
[Crazy, and Ha Seo-yeon too?!?!! Wow, how did they know I love Seo-yeon unnie?]

With a rising young actor as MC and idols so famous that people jokingly said 99% of South Korea knew them serving as mentors, even ordinary viewers became invested.
Amidst all these varied expectations, Shining Star Season 2 began.

Shining Star Season 2, starting now!

The broadcast’s opening and early segments focused heavily on The Dun, the Season 1 champions who were also competing in Season 2.
Emphasizing the tight teamwork that had made Season 1 so thrilling, the footage unfolded alongside a touching piano melody.

-The Dun was actually facing disbandment. Our results weren’t good. Everyone was thinking we had no choice, that we should be grateful for what we had.
-I just trusted my brothers and followed them!
-We did it because it was fun. Living with the members was enjoyable, and we loved our fans.
-To those who believed in me, I feel like I’ve incurred a debt I can never repay… that’s how I think about it.
-Of course, we have to do well.

[Don’t suddenly hit me with the emotional button, damn it, I’m actually crying]
Ugh, memories from last year are flashing back… I was so proud and it was so hard back then…

The final broadcast of Season 1, which gave birth to Kismet—a song that still drew complaints about not having any promotional activities—remained a source of pride and heartache among Noeul fans.
Especially for Kim Sung-hyun’s individual fans.

[I’ll support Sung-hyun even in death]
[Godly Sung-hyun, I love you to the grave]

However, the broadcast itself wasn’t entirely solemn.
To boost ratings, the opening was crucial.
And Kim Hee-young, a veteran PD, knew this very well.
She deliberately inserted scenes with completely opposite atmospheres right after provocative, melodramatic elements, heightening people’s interest even further.

—So touching, those moments….

“Kyaaaaaaah!”
“Wait, don’t pull me!”

It started with Jung Da-jun’s scream.
Not summer, but in the dead of winter, they were tasked with completing a mission at a haunted broadcasting station, leaving all viewers bewildered.

[?????]
[No, this is how the meeting started hahahahahahaha]

Watching them squawk and tremble in fear was pitiful, but on the other hand, the fans got to see a different side of my kids that was refreshing.
Since this was a sight they’d never see in a lifetime otherwise, just as everyone was getting absorbed in the broadcast, The Dun finally made their entrance.

“So Ho-yoon and Ji-won should go!! Those two didn’t even blink an eye! And Yi-chae was so startled he trembled!”

[hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha]
[Jung Da-jun (freshly an adult) casually throwing his hyungs under the bus]

When Jung Da-jun quickly pointed out his older members, the Noeul fans burst into laughter.

※The production crew did not intentionally incite conflict
※This is a misunderstanding

The segment wasn’t particularly long, but the impact was tremendous.
Fans who’d been irritable before the broadcast now wore smiles across their faces.

[Kim Sung-hyun actually doing aegyo in front of a ghost while getting emotional…

└When’s he gonna get caught for real…
└└What are you talking about
└└He’s gonna get caught by me
Haha, that’s hilarious!

Then the camera showed the remaining The Dun members monitoring Kim Sung-hyun and Jung Da-jun.

The Dun sub-vocalist Seo Ho-yoon: Haha
The Dun Main Vocal Sung Ji-won: ^^ (munching happily)
The Dun main rapper Kang Yi-chae: Wahahahaha *cries* (laughs until exhausted and collapses)

They were enjoying refreshments with slice cake while wearing star-shaped sunglasses the production crew had prepared.

[Ugh, these bastards are so infuriating I could die]
[If I were one of the dancers (Sung-hyun/Da-jun), I’d quit the team right away and file an official complaint with the company]

Without offering any comfort to Kim Sung-hyun and Jung Da-jun, who barely managed to complete the mission and crawled back, Seo Ho-yoon casually pulled out a note.

[What?]
[It must be a song choice.]

In an instant, posts flooded the community feed.

[Wait, were they choosing? Was there a close-up just now??]
[Humble Confession and Say You Love Me

└ㅋㅋ Did you capture it at that moment? Thank you, thank you]
[Oh, when I saw it in the preview, it was Say You Love Me]
[Wait, both came up?? But why didn’t they choose Humble Confession??]

While everyone was taken aback, Verse proceeded with their mission.

Verse’s main vocalist Se-rang: Wow! I really love ‘Humble Confession’!

And once Humble Confession was selected, the Noeul fans’ reactions turned cold.

[Ah… they must have picked it first.]
[It doesn’t look like they played a game over the song choice—more like they yielded.]
[Ah…]

Since Verse had more seniority than The Dun, speculation arose that the junior group had graciously stepped aside for appearance’s sake.

Ah haha
Fucking hell.
[Isn’t it a bit wrong to choose a shabby confession?? This is composed by Kang Yi-chae, sung by Sung Ji-won, and even appears in Seo Ho-yoon’s drama. I just added Jo Oh-onna to the song.]
Lol, I guess I really wanted it.

But that wasn’t actually the case at all.

[No, looking at the broadcast cuts, it’s obvious it’s nothing special—why are they making such a fuss; realistically speaking, weren’t we the ones who got shafted?]

Since no detailed explanation emerged about the song selection, Verse fans felt somewhat wronged as well.
However, ultimately since it was Verse who performed Humble Confession, such opinions faded before they could gain traction.

[Whoa, the face-off is starting!]

After each group finished selecting their songs, the face-to-face stage performance began immediately.
It seemed the production team prioritized building momentum with upbeat music first, as the dance units appeared on screen with tense expressions as they prepared.

“Let’s do this well… us.”
“Yes!! Let’s gooooo!!”
“Tissues! Tissues!!”

In that moment, Kim Sung-hyun and Jung Da-jun couldn’t stay still for even a second—stretching, chugging water repeatedly.
Then, when Jung Da-jun finally spilled water on his chin, Kim Sung-hyun quickly grabbed tissues and wiped it off for him.

Look at Jung Da-jun spilling water all over his chin because he’s nervous lolololol Hyun-sung’s pupils dilate and he immediately brings him tissues aw so cute lolol
Hahaha, I can’t tell if this is childcare or dealing with a coworker… hahahaha

Because the production front-loaded the narrative and filled the runtime early, The Dun’s dance unit segment felt like only three seconds.
Still, the Noeul fans’ hearts felt warm.

[Yeah anyway we’re #1 overall~]

[Title: Sung-hyun’s dancing is so good it’s insane

I’ve always been the type who thinks idols just need to be handsome
It’s fine if their skills are lacking
If they’re handsome, they’re only embarrassed on stage

Everything else can be managed somehow…

But this guy—even with a mask and hat covering him, he’s just a celebrity
His dancing lines are just pure handsomeness incarnate
Why does he dance so smoothly and effortlessly like that…

└Wasn’t Sung-hyun originally in a dance crew? He was pretty famous, there’s a video
└└Why didn’t I know? Please give me the video link
└└ㅇㅇ
https://www.Neotube.com/watch?v=ChumS1n?_ChuMWang
Lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol damn, what’s with Kim Sung-hyun’s fresh-faced look in this video, I wasn’t expecting it and I’m dying laughing lol lol lol lol
lololol baby reporter lololol
└I think Joo Woo-sung is the #1 dancer among idols, but later I’m more excited about Kim Sung-hyun
What’s so funny?
└└Please let’s not feed into this, Sung-hyun and Joo Woo-sung fans are crazy, just move along]

Next came the vocal unit.

[^^ Yeah, what~]
Haha, yeah ^^
[Ji-won, show us how you do it]

Even during Verse’s rehearsal of Humble Confession, the Noeul fans remained completely composed. This was because Seo Ho-yoon and Sung Ji-won, who appeared next, were the perfect vocal combination.

[Vocalists
True angel vs. Character S-tier

└Ah, Character S-tier is so funny, is that right?
└That’s what makes him lovable, right?]

lol just the vocalist from The Dun was pretty good
Their harmony? It was… not bad either
(Dog meme leaning against the window with tears streaming down)]

Haha, it seems like I was way too moved compared to what was said lol

[I guess I did a good job of not making a shabby confession… Fans also get to hear the new songㅠㅠ]

It was all the result of Seo Ho-yoon’s calculations playing out perfectly.
Finally, as if to crown the finale, High Five’s main vocalist and leader appeared. Backstage, they had endlessly confirmed the lyrics and exchanged opinions about the choreography.

“The expectations are a bit burdensome… but I want to do even better. For our fans.”

Watching Kang Yeon-hu’s radiant face break into a slightly bashful smile as he answered the staff member’s question, The Dun’s fans remained unmoved.

[If it’s burdensome, don’t come out

└LOL Wow, this can only be said on scaffolding.
└└It’s possible in public chats too
└└True Seo Ho-yoon anti-fan energy]

In this season of Shining Star Season 2, High Five was a group so mismatched in tier that they stood out alone, and just as High Five fans harbored complaints, fans of other groups also cast unfavorable eyes, worried their own idols would be overshadowed.

[haha..]
Hahaha…this is crazy…

However, the moment High Five’s song began, everyone had no choice but to stop their frantically typing fingers.

[They’re good]

Solid skills. Exceptional sense. A dazzling stage composition despite having prepared it in such a short time.

[Wow..?? Is this why they’re so popular?]
[This is frustrating…]

This was the reason Seo Ho-yoon had prayed that High Five had at least one member with decent character.
In the end, thanks to Seo Ho-yoon’s quick thinking, The Dun claimed first place, and the footage showed them bowing respectfully to the audience and the groups on either side.

[Look at them nodding to their seniors. Oh my, our babies are also polite..ㅜ]

The Noeul fans, never ones to miss an opportunity, worked through several public channels to frame The Dun as respectful. They even quickly captured screenshots and posted them on social media.
Meanwhile, the program aired a commercial break before moving on to the next segment.
It was the rap unit—with no information revealed except that Kang Yi-chae had claimed first place.

[Ah, Yi-chae?? I’m looking forward to this]
[Yi-chae definitely did well]

As a Noeul fan who had watched The Dun’s self-produced content, this was a natural reaction.
He was the type who could befriend a monkey and survive on a deserted island with nothing but his wits, and his genius had been proven multiple times through The Dun’s songs.

[…????]

“….”

Since all the other Shining Star participating groups besides The Dun had at least six members, Kang Yi-chae was alone in the waiting room.
What actually surprised Noeul was,

[Crazy]
[Why is he so quiet]

The silence of Kang Yi-chae.
I had thought he would smoothly strike up conversations with the staff even alone, casually observing his surroundings with ease.

[Ugh Kang Yi-chae sitting there all alone breaks my heart]
[I’m normally an atmosphere maker who runs wild in crowded places… but it’s so awkward… ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]

Kang Yi-chae sat on the sofa, too absorbed in scribbling something to notice the camera capturing his expression.
The camera slowly zoomed in on him.

—What was Yi-chae holding…?

[???]

In Kang Yi-chae’s hands was a crumpled piece of paper, its edges worn smooth from constant handling, covered densely with rap lyrics.

“Ah…”

Only then did Kang Yi-chae notice the camera, playfully narrowing his eyes. But he couldn’t hide the involuntary hesitation that flickered across his face.

Among fans, Kang Yi-chae was a “genius.”
That was the image Dae Pa-sung promoted, and his public persona reinforced it perfectly.
The fact that he had noticeably fewer parts in dance practice videos, or that articles frequently appeared claiming he’d completed compositions in just a few days, all supported this narrative.
So when fans witnessed Kang Yi-chae’s “dedication”—something they’d never seen before—SNS erupted into frenzy.

[KANG!!!YI!!!CHAE!!!! I!!!! LOVE!!!! YOU!!!! SO!!!! MUCH!!!!]
[What is Kang Yi-chae doing practicing??? Honestly, I thought he’d be playing games in the waiting room]
[This is insane, I’m just sitting here and suddenly why are you motivating me like this you bastard]

A Staff Member, sensing a golden opportunity, immediately launched into an interview.

Q. You’re participating solo in rap. How do you feel about that?

Kang Yi-chae listened intently to the Staff Member’s question, then widened his eyes and shrugged.

“It feels a bit strange. I’ve always been with the members before.”

The Staff Member quickly moved to the next question.

Q. The paper was pretty full.

At that, Kang Yi-chae lowered his gaze and stared intently at the paper in his hands. Unaware that this only further captivated the fans, he soon broke into a knowing smile.

“I want to show the fans a good side of myself.”

[Crying/Sobbing sounds]
Yi-chae! Nooooo! T_T

The camera then shifted to Kang Yi-chae, who was waiting backstage with the previous group’s song playing in the background.

“…Mm.”

A profile shot of Kang Yi-chae appeared, his expression devoid of any smile as he observed the opposing stage.

[Hey, guys
I’m sorry to bring this up now
but can I just say Kang Yi-chae is a cool-looking handsome guy?

└Please, I’m begging you (but honestly same)
└Damn it, I didn’t want to say this at a time like this either, but his side profile is seriously incredible]

[Wow, I never noticed this because he’s always hanging around with The Dun members, but when Kang Yi-chae is alone like this???? Ah, this extreme cold-faced delinquent vibe, what do I do]

Had Kang Yi-chae known that fans were writing such comments on social media, he would have chuckled with delight.
But for now, he was simply focused on the performance unfolding before him.

“Kang Yi-chae!”
“Yes.”

Kang Yi-chae nodded at the staff member’s signal and pulled his hood up over his cap.
Preparations were complete.
He quietly ascended the stage and waited for the staff’s introduction.
Soon the curtain fell, and he could see the audience cheering, not yet knowing who he was.
He slowly raised the microphone.

“Hello there….”

Screeeeeech———

In that instant, a piercing howl of feedback from the microphone rang sharply through the air.
As the audience’s expressions darkened, the hearts of Noeul fans nearly sank,

“Uh, uh….”

Kang Yi-chae flashed a composed eye-smile.

“Don’t be intimidated.”

Yet his voice carried no hint of intimidation whatsoever.
Kang Yi-chae scratched the back of his neck lightly before raising his hand high.
Using it as a signal….

【It’s chasing time!】

The performance began.
From that moment on, it was entirely Kang Yi-chae’s time.
As if all his effort had borne fruit, he seized the audience’s attention in an instant.

【Don’t go low on me
A thrill pushed all the way to the end
If I’ve come, bow your head low】

Despite the absence of flashy stage effects or editing, it felt like watching a film.

【You can’t deny what you are feeling now】

The highlight of Episode 1 was the moment when every audience member waved their hands in unison, following Kang Yi-chae’s gestures.

[Was it like this…? Was it like this…?]
[He’s insane…]

It was a performance that left not only Noeul fans but also other fandoms and casual viewers speechless. Eventually, intertwined with the history of Shining Star Season 1 The Dun that appeared during the opening, “The Dun Kang Yi-chae” trended on SNS in real-time.

[Wow, he literally matched his own name to the highlight section with “It’s chasing” — “Yi-chae-ing”]
[Insane… he made the audience repeat that phrase so they’d end up chanting his name…]
[The audience doesn’t even realize it… that they’re literally calling out Kang Yi-chae’s name right now…]

As Kang Yi-chae poured every ounce of energy into his passionate performance, the Noeul fans’ hearts swelled with emotion.

[This is an emergency…]
[Am I crying right now?]
[The fact that beneath all that genius lies pure hard work… it’s driving me insane…]

And so, the highest number of votes was recorded for Kang Yi-chae.

“Ahahaha….”

After the identity reveal and ranking announcement, Kang Yi-chae peeled off his hoodie, apparently feeling the heat.
Despite the damp half-sleeve shirt clinging to his sweat-soaked body and his wet, pale grapefruit-colored hair plastered to his forehead, he still gleamed brilliantly.
Instead of giving remarks, he blew kisses to the audience and responded to their cheers.

“Thanks, Bye!”

Then, flashing a radiant smile, he bent his body down and gave continuous high-fives with the audience in the stand seats before exiting the stage.

[Damn, he’s so cool]
[If it were me, when I saw myself in first place on the screen, I’d be like “I got into Harvard? Thank you so much” and ramble on with some canned response, but this guy just walks off smiling]
[I’m losing my mind, seriously.
If you like Kang Yi-chae’s style, you just go completely crazy for Kang Yi-chae]
If you like a style like Kang Yi-chae’s, you just end up going crazy for Kang Yi-chae himself.

All communities were on fire for several days without stopping due to Kang Yi-chae’s endless stardom.

.
.

“…Is Lee Chae really a genius?”

Meanwhile, The Dawn, who were all watching the show together in the dorm, looked at Kang Yi-chae with emotion.
Meanwhile, The Dun, watching the live broadcast together at the dormitory, gazed at Kang Yi-chae with deep emotion.

“When did my bird grow up like this??”
“When did my junior grow up like this??”

It was obvious that Kang Yi-chae, the person involved, had no thoughts or was nervous, but the members were quite moved.
Kang Yi-chae himself, the person in question, clearly hadn’t given it much thought and probably hadn’t even been nervous, but the members were quite moved.

“Jeong Da-jun, I know you’re bursting into tears, but stop it. Stop.”
“Jung Da-jun, I get that your tear ducts are exploding, but stop it. Stop.”
“Sniff sniff….”

Kang Yi-chae, who was used to being proud of herself but felt awkward receiving praise from the members, seemed burdened by the bright eyes of the impressed members.

“ha….”

After trying to comfort Jeong Da-jun a few times, he quickly gave up and sighed.

“Okay, I’ll be honest. I get sick of myself like this sometimes… Are you afraid of my talent?”
“Fine, I’ll be honest. Sometimes I get tired of being like this myself. I’m afraid of my own talent, you know?”

Kim Seong-hyeon’s eyes, which had been looking at Kang Yi-chae as if he were looking at a grown son, returned to their original state.

“Ah~!! Kang Yi-chae, how did you write those lyrics?”

He must have been amused by the members’ bored looks, and he praised himself more and more excitedly.

“It chasing~!”
“It’s Chae-zing~!”
“Can someone please shut this guy up?”
“Da-jun’s given up.”

Even Sung Ji-won quickly abandoned Kang I-chae, and the members coldly left the living room.
Even Sung Ji-won quickly abandoned Kang Yi-chae, and the members coldly left the living room.

“They don’t accept it.”
“They won’t accept it.”
“Stop trying to appeal. Everyone already knows you’re a genius.”
“Huh?”
“What? Why?”

I tilted my head for a moment at the unexpectedly firm words.

“I’m just somewhat talented? The real genius is composer Cheongbeom.”
“I’m just moderately talented, I suppose? The real genius is Composer Chung-beom.”
“…What? You really think that?”

what?
What was this?
Was Kang Yi-chae a deceiver?

“Then what about other ordinary people’s compositions?”
“So what about compositions from other ordinary people?”
“Garbage.”
“….”

Huh… … .

‘Is this really a joke…? .’

Kang Yi-chae was a person whose self-objectification was quite accurate.
Kang Yi-chae had a remarkably accurate sense of self-awareness.

‘hmm.’

The standards are very high.
His standards were incredibly high.

‘Why don’t you try cheering?’

I quietly approached Kang Yi-chae and tapped her on the shoulder.

“Lee Chae, you are truly a genius. A genius who works hard.”
“Yi-chae, you’re really a genius. A genius who actually puts in the work.”
“….”

I gave Kang Yi-chae, who blinked and looked at me, a serious and wonderful smile like an older brother.
I flashed Kang Yi-chae, who was blinking at me, a dignified and cool smile befitting an older brother.
Come on, fall for it, Yi-chae.
Just like Lim Hyun-sung, I know you’re secretly weak to praise.

“……brother.”
“…Hyung.”

And he looked at me with slightly pathetic eyes.

“Seriously, change your habits….”
“Seriously, fix that habit….”
“….”
“Plus, what’s with that line? Does that actually work on Joo Woo-sung or Composer Chung-beom?”

okay… … ,
Yeah…,

—————
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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