The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 213

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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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213

As Kang Yeon-hu spoke, he seemed a bit tipsy and suddenly thrust the bottle he’d been drinking from toward me. When I waved my hand to decline, he pouted.

“Anyway, Seo Ho-yoon can sing well, and your dancing isn’t bad….”
“….”
“…or is it bad?”
“Looks like you set this up to butter me up.”

Kang Yeon-hu laughed, his shoulders bouncing.

“I’m joking. I really do think you’re amazing. I have a feeling you’ll go even higher.”
“Of course. Who else would make it if not me?”
“Your confidence is no joke either.”

It wasn’t confidence—it was simply stating what I had to do, what my future should be.
Moving from the second tier to the first tier wasn’t as easy as growing from unknown to second-tier status.
No matter how much a major entertainment agency pushed, if the public didn’t recognize you, it meant nothing.
That’s why, despite the criticism, entertainment agencies constantly churn out junior groups like a factory whenever an idol’s image grows stale, endlessly attempting new strategies. Because no one knows what will hit in a month, a year, or ten years from now.

‘It’s not luck.’

I’d decided it was what I called star quality.
The kind of thing that someone like Joo Woo-sung possessed—the guy who said I got by on my face and guts.
Kang Yeon-hu seemed lost in thought for a moment before speaking.

“The Dun’s foreign fan influx over the past year has been incredible, so if the opportunity comes up, I think trying a United States debut wouldn’t be a bad idea. We just kept pushing and ended up failing, though.”
“Yes, thank you for sharing your firsthand experience with us.”

Kang Yeon-hu gave me a sidelong glance with narrowed eyes.

‘What.’

WH Entertainment really was unnecessarily sentimental.
To see them treating me this well despite being called rivals.

“Well, I mean, Seo Ho-yoon will handle that kind of thing well anyway. I saw how smoothly he navigated the documentary interview too.”
“I also saw that comment from one of Kang Yeon-hu’s teammates who got excited after the stage and said it felt like they’d become the center of the world.”
“What?! Who said something like that?!”

Kang Yeon-hu either genuinely didn’t know or spit out the beer he was drinking.

“Why, why didn’t you stop them?!”
“Do you know High Five?”
“Wow, this guy really has no industry ethics!”

When I searched for information about Kang Yeon-hu, fans generally described him as calm and cool, but I couldn’t figure out where that composure and coolness actually existed in this display.

“You’re really annoying, you know that?”
“Of course. But that’s actually my favorite thing to hear. Didn’t you know?”
“….”

He sighed about never giving advice again, then I chuckled watching him wobble away while gathering the empty beer can he’d drunk from.

‘He’s sharp though.’

Based on the experience he’d accumulated surviving in this industry, it seemed he’d roughly figured out what kind of activities we’d be pursuing going forward.
That bastard Kang Yeon-hu will rise even higher in the future. He’s definitely not someone to underestimate.

‘But sorry, we’re going to make it bigger than you guys first.’

I curved my lips into a smile and pulled out my phone from my pocket.

‘Alright, time for phase two.’

Coming all this way just to perform for twenty minutes and leave didn’t make financial sense given the time, effort, and money invested.

[Me: Lee Ji-hyun]
[Lee Ji-hyun: Yeah the teaser right??]

I stared at the message that arrived like clockwork.
Lee Ji-hyun, did she install a Bluetooth function or something?

[Me: Yeah]
[Lee Ji-hyun: Yeah I’ll upload it when the patriotic fervor dies down a bit!!]

What the hell is this?

[Me: Yeah, so…]
[Lee Ji-hyun: You want to capture that European vlog aesthetic too, right?? Send it over and I’ll check it right away!]

“What is she doing?”

I marveled at Lee Ji-hyun—quick as a whip, sharp as a tack.

[Me: Hmm, Lee Ji-hyun, by any chance…]
[Lee Ji-hyun: I have no plans to lay down a picnic blanket in Gangnam yet!]
Me: Wow, haha!

I was very satisfied.
She wasn’t the top incentive earner every month for nothing.
I chuckled and sent another message.

[Me: Then I’ll send over the fan song data we shot today]

Phase two.
‘Always think of the fans, no matter where or when.’

***

[I wonder if our guys are eating kimchi…]

The Dun’s Korean fans were spending their days consuming the flood of videos and countless screenshots that poured in thanks to the K-pop concert’s real-time live broadcast being simultaneously streamed online worldwide.

[Seo Ho-yoon’s been performing so well lately…]
[The more I watch, the more I realize I’m crazy for this guy… sigh]

Seo Ho-yoon, someone who believed in drawing the sword only to use it, devoted himself to his primary job as an idol and spared no effort in filling the gaps in his abilities.
With each passing day, his performance improvements became visibly apparent to everyone watching.

[Wow, this is a combination of our songs haha]

[But those guys from our song’s variety show combo…
They’re really… not close
Watch how they greet each other from a distance~ and then drift apart~

Look at us saying hello from a distance and then whoosh, drifting apart.
└└Aren’t greetings normally done through Bluetooth?
└This generation obsessed with success and their Bluetooth greetings, huh..

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha damn, you’re right lol

After the stage and behind-the-scenes footage had everyone buzzing with excitement, Noeul fans smiled when they saw the eyewitness accounts posted the next day.
Really, it must be popular in Europe.
People really staring at Ssung-hyun lol

I mean, with his physique and all, he’s got that face that just kills it overseas
Anyway, there are other women there too]

There are other women there too, you know]

[Why has Jung Da-jun been so focused on filming with his phone since earlier?
[UNTRANSLATED LINE 137]
└This guy wants to try everything that’s trending, so he probably wants to make a vlog

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
I was thinking about going to the Louvre, memorizing art history, and having an elegant meal with steak and wine, but I was eating soft tofu stew.
[Ah, Seo Ho-yoon spotted at a Korean restaurant in Germany

And he even had two bowls of rice]
??: Why did you hide it?
[When Pop Pop asked Seo Ho-yoon about it, what’s hilarious is that he got caught hiding it

Ho-yoon: I was worried the Noeul fans would be disappointed

Of course, a video like ‘A bowl of soup, shaken, not stirred’ was also posted on YouTube.

Of course, videos with that “bowl of Korean pride, shake it don’t stir” vibe got uploaded to YouTube.

[‘What Happened at the German Airport the Moment This Korean Idol Arrived?!’ < These Korean pride YouTubers are all the same]
‘What is the identity of the Korean idol who visited soft tofu stew even in Germany?!’

'The Identity of the Korean Pride Idol Who Found Soft Tofu Stew Even in Germany?!'

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
According to the schedule, there was still a long way to go before entering Korea, but the sunsets were a little anxious as sightings in Germany stopped.

Though their schedule didn't call for their return to Korea for some time, when the sightings from Germany dried up, the Noeul fans grew restless.
It's a pity that there won't be any news for a day or two other than PopPop or selfies…]

but without Pop Pop or selfies, it's been a day or two without any updates, and I miss them..]

The Noeul fans, accustomed to an abundance of quality content, knew their complaints were excessive, yet they couldn't help but voice their longing.
[Ha.. why do I feel so sad when I get cut off like this when I go abroad?]
[Huh? But did you come to Korea? Anyway, there are still reports of sightings of all the other stones.]

[Huh? Wait, did they come back to Korea? What's going on? Other groups are still getting sighting posts though]
Seo Ho-yoon was looking back and smiling brightly on a street with a unique scenery where a purple sunset was setting.
But all such reactions vanished in an instant when a single photograph was posted on The Dun's official SNS.

The composition looked as though someone else had taken it, and it was deliberately not in high definition.

[??? What is this photo?]
After that day, alphabet letters were added one by one along with photos of other members.

After that day, photographs of other members were posted sequentially, each accompanied by an additional letter of the alphabet.
[Jarkon preview? The kids won't make a comeback yet]

[Is this a behind-the-scenes preview? They're not coming back yet, are they?]

And not long after, a notification went live on The Dun's official YouTube channel.
[what????]

[What????]

The Planning Team had ambitious plans to produce quality in-house content while they were in Europe, where even hastily shot footage came out atmospheric.

【Orbit】

But it was Seo Ho-yoon's passionate appeal to release another fan song—over a year had passed since their last one, and he wanted to put out another this year—that made the real difference.

[You crazy bastards~~~~!!!!!]

The fans, already starving for The Dun content and frustrated by the sparse updates compared to when they were in Korea, had been at their wit's end speculating about the alphabet letters. They were so thrilled that they would have even prostrated themselves before Dae Pa-sung, whom they usually despised.

Whoosh, whirrrr.
On the brightened screen, Kim Seong-hyun was riding a skateboard across an unfamiliar residential area, as if continuing with the previous fan song ‘Will You Go To Prom With Me?’.
[THE DAWN] materialized on the black screen, and the sound of wheels rolling across asphalt filled the air.

Pastel-colored rooftops flashed past, and a cheerful guitar melody rang out. Drums followed like a heartbeat, steady and gentle, while a dreamy yet luminous synthesizer spread throughout.

【"Hey, is this being recorded?"】

The footage, shot while traveling between Germany and Italy, was filmed by the members themselves, giving it a slightly rough quality.

As Kang Yi-chae's murmur ended, the main melody began to flow.
I dreamed of holding your hand】

on the opposite side of a folded earth】

It was a fan song sent to Noeul, recorded in advance before departing for Berlin.

【You laughed when I told you—it was so annoying】

Next appeared Sung Ji-won at some café terrace in Rome, taking a huge bite of a sandwich. Beside him, Seo Ho-yoon ate tiramisu and coughed from the powdered sugar.

Do you wanna be together?】
It felt like I was catching a glimpse of a moment when the members of The Dawn were having fun with each other.

It felt like glimpsing a joyful moment of The Dun members playing together.
There is no way you would say something like that】

you would never say such a thing】
Kim Seong-hyun, who was looking at him with his arms crossed and a happy expression, turned his head and gave a thumbs up when the camera closed up.

Kim Sung-hyun, arms crossed and gazing at him with a satisfied expression, turned his head and gave a thumbs up as the camera zoomed in on him.
When I answered, the silence was too long.
【Nah You are going far away,
the silence grew too long when you answered

but It's okay】

Next, Kang Yi-chae's face filled the screen in a selfie. As he waved his hand, Sung Ji-won suddenly appeared beside him and grinned.

【Anyway, I'll catch you】
The synthesizer sound became more and more intense, like a youth who was anxious, frustrated, and ready to explode if touched.

The synthesizer's sound grew increasingly tense—anxious, suffocating, like youth on the verge of shattering at the slightest touch.
But What can I do?】

But what can I do?】
A pitch-black river gradually overlaps the scene.

A pitch-black river slowly overlapped that scene.

【When you call, I spring forward】

On the bridge, Sung Ji-won gazed at the moon floating on the unfathomable black river.

【I imagined the earth folding to embrace you】

Seo Ho-yoon stood on a pristine white beach where waves crashed,
Like the moon revolves around the earth】

Like the moon orbits the earth】

Jung Da-jun stood at the window of a bright white house flooded with sunlight,

【I've never once thought badly of you】

Kim Sung-hyun stood inside a cathedral where fragments of multicolored light poured down,
I always feel like I'm being dragged along
【I will waste my youth on you

I've never truly hated it】
From behind the camera, Kang Yi-chae’s voice can be heard calling ‘Hyung!’

Behind the camera, Kang Yi-chae's voice called out, "Hyung!"

【I guess my world goes around you】

Seo Ho-yoon turned and smiled softly.

【As the Moon Orbits the Earth】

The screen faded to black again, and the words [THE DAWN – Orbit] appeared.

[I…]

The Noeul fans, who had been staring blankly, pressed their foreheads with their hands.

[I was in Italy that day…]

It was incredibly satisfying.
[I'm overwhelmed right now
[The era of the metaverse has arrived…]
[I'm so overwhelmed right now.
Don’t mess with otakus.
What about an idol who releases fan songs regularly once a year?]

How does the Idol sound to you, releasing a fan song regularly once a year?
[Wow, the members filmed it themselves and Dae Pa-sung just rushed the editing… This is seriously amazing…]

[I’m disturbed…..]
The fans quickly replayed the fan song.

[I am now heterosexually charged “complete”

[Mom, I want to marry Seo Ho-yoon]
[UNTRANSLATED LINE 305]
[My heterosexual battery is now “fully charged”

└Brother, please don’t smile anyway. You look at other women too
After going to Berlin, I often found delicious restaurants or stayed at hotels to communicate with fans, so I thought it would be the same this time.
“└└Insane counter lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol”

As the Noeul fans clutched their heaving chests and swooned, a live notification suddenly rang out.
Since arriving in Berlin, they usually turned on the live stream to either discover delicious restaurants or communicate with fans from the hotel, so they assumed this would be the same.

Kang Yi-chae was even tuning his guitar himself.

[What are you guys doing????]

Kang Yi-chae was even tuning his guitar directly.

[You guys are busking?!?!?!]

“Hello, Noeul.”

Seo Ho-yoon greeted them casually, then seemed to pause as he chose his words carefully.

“We’re currently….”

Yeah yeah, oh man, what are you doing? You guys are awesome, you’re so cool.

“We don’t have any money.”
However, Seo Ho-yoon just made a calm expression without further explanation.

“So, from now on, I will start busking for dinner.”

But Seo Ho-yoon simply maintained his composed expression without offering any further explanation.
It was ‘creating legendary self-produced content.’

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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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