The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 24

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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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24

I’m not in a position to be choosy about anything.

“We’re still obscure.”

My blunt words made everyone’s shoulders sag. Riding this momentum with a chart entry had been good, but it wasn’t enough.

“To shed the ‘obscure’ label, we need to secure real recognition—even if our image takes some wear and tear.”
“Hmm….”
“Let’s do this program.”
“….”

Everyone looked conflicted. But Kang Yi-chae simply chewed on dried squid and answered lightly.

“I’m in.”

‘Easy.’

“I’m with it too. I want to think of this as our last chance and give it everything.”

Sung Ji-won pushed the momentum forward, his eyes burning with fierce determination.
Kim Sung-hyun and Jung Da-jun exchanged glances with the others before nodding in agreement.

“Let’s do it.”
“I’ll follow you guys.”
“Okay.”

The atmosphere was solidifying. Once things had roughly settled, I waited for the right moment and spoke slowly.

“Then listen to this. There are three crucial rules for us to break through—including this competition program.”
“What are they?”

These guys had been debuted for over a year now, but they were clearly still naive newcomers who didn’t understand the broadcasting ecosystem.
I raised my fingers.

“First rule.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t trust anyone from the Broadcasting Station.”
“…What?”
“They’re all foxes. Each one’s got snakes hidden inside them.”
“Brother, is this a self-introduction?”

I ignored him.

“Don’t give them a single opening to exploit. No matter how friendly they act, suspect everything. Especially idols, actors, Staff Members, crew—don’t even brush fingertips with anyone who could spark a scandal. Got it?”

Everyone let out hollow laughs.

“You set this whole mood just to say that?”
“Our Entertainment Company doesn’t even ban dating, though?”
“If you want to date, don’t be an idol.”
“…Wow, okay~.”

They all looked a bit taken aback. But I wasn’t joking. A dating scandal as an idol would be catastrophic.
Especially for a group just starting to rise—we had to be even more careful. I wouldn’t have blackmailed Joo Woo-sung over his relationship for nothing.

“If you get a note with a phone number, hand it straight to the Manager. Don’t even open it.”
“Hand over the note?”
“The only things you can open are fan letters.”
“We can’t even open them…?”

I sighed.

“Jung Da-jun, I quit smoking to become an idol.”
“….”
“So can’t you quit dating?”

I sucked down another red ginseng drink Sung Ji-won had given me, then grabbed Jung Da-jun by both arms and shook him.

“How does Brother’s blackened lungs have anything to do with dating…?”

That one stung.

“Both quitting smoking and abstinence come down to self-discipline.”

Everyone’s expression screamed “what do you expect us to do about it,” but I was serious. Perhaps because I didn’t smoke, I couldn’t fathom this suffering.
That’s when Kang Yi-chae spoke to me.

“Hyung… do you know that?”
“Why?”
“I entered the entertainment industry already feeling like I’d joined a monastery.”
“Admirable. Everyone should follow Kang Yi-chae’s example.”
“Haha, I dedicate this honor to our family hamster.”
“You don’t even have a hamster.”
“He’s my imaginary friend.”

As I applauded Kang Yi-chae, he scratched his head with an embarrassed smile. The other members’ expressions, however, were deteriorating.

“I understand the first one. Besides, no one in the group is dating anyway….”
“Yes. That’s fine.”

Jung Da-jun nodded in agreement.
Good, everyone seemed to understand well.

“Since you all seem to grasp it, let’s move to the second point. Watch your words. Always—in your daily life and especially inside the broadcasting station. Whether cameras are rolling or not.”
“Hmm… isn’t that a bit extreme?”

Sung Ji-won still didn’t fully understand the broadcasting station.

“The broadcasting station isn’t just filled with staff members—there are plenty of ordinary part-timers coming in and out. And among the staff, there’s not a single one you can trust. So keep your guard up with everyone except these members. Especially with gossip. If recordings get leaked, you’re finished. You know that male idol from years back who got ruined after his conversation criticizing a senior was leaked, right?”

Everyone’s complexion turned pale—they clearly knew.
Good, this should be fine too.

“Then the last one.”

The most important thing.

“No matter what happens, trust me.”

In truth, the first two points were merely groundwork for this final statement.
At my words, they all burst into laughter, thinking I was joking.

“Of course we trust Ho-yoon.”
“Absolutely, he’s a complete genius idol, isn’t he?”

But I didn’t laugh. The other members simply patted my shoulder lightly and moved on with their jokes.
Yeah, this conversation is a bit premature for now. Still, it doesn’t matter.
When everything falls apart later, they’ll all understand anyway.

***

“Hello! We’re The Dun!”
“Oh, yeah. Hey.”

The male idol, who was in his third year of debut this year, casually greeted us while staring at his phone. We maintained our composure and kept smiling as we handed out our non-commercial albums.

‘Ah, that bastard….’

I remembered him. He was famous for being a reckless player, and the one next to him was the guy who used to cling to me calling “PD, PD” all the time.

“The Dun? What’s that?”
“It’s our group name.”
“Deodeok?”

Having to greet these guys while pretending to be rookies made my skin crawl. Especially when they deliberately tried to intimidate us with such trivial remarks.
But everyone greeted them steadily. Kang Yi-chae in particular seemed completely unbothered.

“Ah~, I see. Haha… Well, do your best.”

His words sounded like encouragement, but they were dripping with ridicule. I thought it was pathetic. Everyone responded calmly, apparently accustomed to this kind of treatment.

“Thank you very much.”

As we made our rounds greeting people, notes came and went as expected. There were quite a few people at the broadcasting station who were openly flirting, though it certainly wasn’t wise behavior.
The highlight of this entire situation came when the 5-Year Debut Senior Members, who had been around for quite a while, passed by.

“Hello!”

I noticed they were staring at Kim Sung-hyun a bit too intently, and as they greeted us with a smile, they subtly handed him a note. The Manager’s eyes immediately narrowed.
Trying not to show it on the surface, a note slipped into my pocket as well. When I looked up, they winked at me.

I smiled and bowed first, but once they were out of sight, I turned back to the Manager and handed him a note.

“Manager, here.”
“Oh, me too.”

Kim Sung-hyun unexpectedly handed over his note without hesitation. I was relieved he was genuinely committed to the group. The Manager looked flustered but accepted both notes with practiced efficiency.

“Hey, why did you two suddenly become so popular?”
“We’re just shining for a moment, so it looks good.”
“I don’t think that’s quite it…”

We’d charted, sure. But we weren’t truly famous yet. If we were genuinely big, the Broadcasting Station staff would be desperately trying to squeeze out every second—no, every millisecond—of airtime with us.

“Wow… that senior from just now! I really admire them!”
“Want to quit being an idol?”
“Huh?? That’s not what I meant… Yes, I’m sorry!”

The members were murmuring, but I shut it down immediately. Honestly, whatever my members felt didn’t concern me. When young men and women—especially those known for their looks—gathered together, romantic feelings naturally bloomed, and dating itself wasn’t a sin.
But for idols, it was.

‘Sorry, but I want to make it big.’

For idols, especially rookies, dating was fatal. If it was ever exposed, it became poison. Established groups had the shield of their reputation to protect them, but rookies just sank to the bottom.
If caught… you were truly finished.
Kim Sung-hyun didn’t seem bothered at all, just shrugging his shoulders.

But with every step I took, the back of my head felt uncomfortably hot. The male idol who’d ignored us during the album rotation was now staring intensely at Kim Sung-hyun.

‘…Why is that bastard acting like that?’

I subtly shifted my body to shield Kim Sung-hyun with mine as we walked. I decided I’d need to check on this later, so I stepped into the Waiting Room where the other groups were gathered and took a few photos.

“…Hey, when do we go on?”

After that, as you know,

“Three more hours left?”
“We’ve already waited two hours….”
Waiting.
“…Let’s just practice.”
Waiting.
“…More practice?”
“Why not.”
Waiting.
“I’m hungry….”

I’d heard that idol music programs involved unusually long waits during filming, but since this wasn’t my specialty, I hadn’t truly grasped it until now. I never expected it to be this bad.
Still, having so much time to practice was a blessing. I glanced sideways at the Quest window.

[Complete one week of a music program!
Finally stepping just slightly beyond obscurity—The Dun.
Appear on music programs to boost your recognition!
Appear on 5 music programs
Success: Charm +30, Dance +20, Singing +10
Points 1,000]

Hmm, not bad at all.
The system was being lenient this time. I quickly suppressed the nagging thought that this was the calm before the storm and cast it far away.
While practicing as Kim Sung-hyun meticulously taught me the dance steps beside me, a staff member opened the door and called out.

“The Dun, please prepare for your appearance.”
“Yes, understood!”

The staff member’s face was just as exhausted as ours. Since this was just a rehearsal, they seemed intent on doing a quick check.

“Let’s do well today.”
“Of course.”
“That’s the spirit.”
“Oh, Hyung! What’s that about.”

Jung Da-jun answered with vibrant energy, his voice crisp and clear. Unlike his dejected, drooping demeanor from before, his face now radiated unwavering resolve.

“Hello!”
“Thank you for having us!”

I greeted everyone I encountered on the stage, and as I climbed onto it, I could see the fans filing in for the pre-recording.
I counted roughly twenty-five people. Still, there were more than I expected.
After carefully checking the name tags pinned to our uniforms, I neatly arranged the microphone cables. Jung Da-jun bounced excitedly while waving at the fans.

“Hello, we are The Dun. Thank you for your support.”

Kim Sung-hyun greeted the staff while also bowing respectfully to the fans. I hesitated, then simply waved my hand slightly—and received a response.

“Ho-yoon! You look handsome today too!”

Honestly, I felt a bit… guilty. We had sat down and waited in that cramped waiting room, but these people had been standing the entire time.

“….”

I was about to leave without saying anything, worried about giving them ammunition to criticize me, when words suddenly spilled out before I could stop myself.

“…Um, have you eaten?”

Of all things to say first. I could have come up with something better. I felt a slight regret, but the fans’ responses came pouring in.

“Who cares about food right now!! I got selected for the audience!!”
“Pfft.”

A laugh slipped through my lips.

“Still, make sure you eat well. We’re all just trying to survive.”
“So kind… yet so strange… I sense the scent of a stranger….”
“Did Ho-yoon’s brother just wear his skin?”

When Jung Da-jun and Kang Yi-chae reacted with shock, laughter erupted among the fans. Sung Ji-won nodded in agreement and laughed.

“As Ho-yoon said, please make sure to eat well. We will too.”

When a staff member signaled that rehearsal preparations were complete, Kim Sung-hyun bowed to the fans once more.
For the sake of the fans who had been working hard since dawn, I couldn’t afford to take the rehearsal lightly.

[This strange sense of déjà vu—I fear it not]

We grabbed the main stage and gave it everything we had, just like the real performance. I have no idea how I looked at the camera or whether I danced properly. After rehearsal ended, I heard we needed to prepare for the pre-recorded shoot next.
Despite all the effort for this brief rehearsal, seeing the faces of fans I adored made it feel strangely worthwhile.

‘Will I get to see them again later?’

As I came down with repeated bows, Kim Sung-hyun casually remarked something.

“This is your calling.”
“What are you talking about?”
“No, I was a bit worried. But there was no need to be.”

What was he saying?
I wished Kim Sung-hyun would include subjects and objects when he spoke. He chuckled and walked off without another word.
I was about to head back to wait for the next pre-recorded shoot.

“Hey, Sung Ji-won.”

It was a voice I hadn’t heard before. The man who had been glaring at Kim Sung-hyun earlier.
He approached with his blonde-dyed hair swaying, flashing a bright smile at Sung Ji-won.

“Did you lose your mind? Now that you’ve made it, you don’t even greet your seniors?”
“….”

Sung Ji-won’s expression, which had been gentle until moments ago, hardened.

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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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