The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 250

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

250

Shortly after the music video for “Christmas Again?”—the album’s second double title track—was uploaded, the Community exploded with countless interpretations.

[Title: (Burning House) 23:59 + Christmas Again? Analysis

I’ve been daydreaming about this and organized a few thoughts lol

1. “Christmas Again” is a time loop story
All my interpretations are based on the premise that Kang Yi-chae dies and returns to Christmas Eve multiple times.

People were already speculating about the loop in lines like “I’ve come back again” and “Christmas I’ve lost count of,” but the music video confirms it lol. Kang Yi-chae even pours oil to set the house on fire, but we never see it actually burn. However, at the start of the video, the house is already burning, so I’m guessing he burned it once before, killed the members and himself, and then looped back to Christmas Eve.
Kang Yi-chae sprays oil to set fire to the house, but the scene of it actually burning doesn’t appear later. However, seeing the house on fire at the beginning of the video, I assume that before the music video, he burned it once, killing the Members and himself, and then returned to Christmas Eve again.

“23:59” and “Christmas Again?” take place on the same Christmas Eve.
In “Christmas Again,” The Dun keeps repeating Christmas Eve over and over.
Only Kang Yi-chae (and probably Seo Ho-yoon) remember the loop.
Only Kang Yi-chae (and possibly Seo Ho-yoon) remember the time loop.

Which song comes later on the timeline seems to depend on how you interpret it.

But if it’s the other way around, they might have escaped.
If it were the opposite, there’s a possibility he could have escaped.

There are multiple interpretations for this.
But there are some symbols we can speculate about.
There are a few symbols we can infer.

When Yi-chae was giving his Christmas greeting, Seo Ho-yoon said, “You should say things like that next year.”
It seems to connect to that line.
It seems to connect with what you said.

When you translate the English, it essentially says Christmas has finally come.
When you translate it to English, it ultimately means that Christmas has finally arrived.

c. Kang Yi-chae and Seo Ho-yoon’s Suspicious Behavior
The way they were talking with Ji-won on the Balcony and all that..
Thinking back to when Ji-won was revealed to be a returner in the old Second Chance, it seems like Ji-won might know how to escape the loop
But I was confused because this seemed a bit odd.

If there are more interpretations, please share them in the comments!!]

Those who saw the most popular post among them gained enlightenment and smacked their foreheads repeatedly.

[Right, if you wait long enough, smart people will just post interpretations on their own lol thanks so much]
Ah haha… damn it, there’s no way The Dun would give us a proper Christmas song.

[Yes, the kids who were talking about the apocalypse, military revolution, etc. are really not going anywhere~~ hahaha It’s so good to stick to the original intention, it’s so funny haha

└I should’ve caught on when the album poster image looked so meaningful… The Dun just straight up hit the Noeul fans from behind]

[So the kids escaped?? I’m so distressed right now that I’m squeezing my heartㅠㅠㅠ]

Despite the completely contrasting atmosphere of the titles, the fact that they were interconnected and shared the same universe made the Noeul fans shriek with delight.

[Title: Evidence That They Escaped on Christmas Eve

In Closure, they’re not wearing a single ring
But in 23:59, Hyun-sung gave them The Dun ring

(Yi-chae’s confused reaction upon receiving the ring)
(Seo Ho-yoon smiling slightly from the side)

Based on this reaction, thinking about it.
They had never received a ring once during all the loop repetitions.

The timeline is Christmas Again → 23:59.

So The Dun escaped this insane Christmas
Everyone can relax now and go to sleep under the covers

└Thank you, I’ve been restless since yesterday and drinking cheap soju, but thanks to you I think I’ll be able to sleep peacefully
└These crazy Dae Pa-sung kids…
They’re setting otaku hearts on fire with something like this]

[Title: Sorry, but we couldn’t escape The Dun]

Timeline is 23:59 → Christmas Again confirmed
In Christmas Again, there’s a ring mark left on Kang Yi-chae’s index finger

Even though he received The Dun ring, he still couldn’t escape

└…I’m seriously losing it
└This is a completely open ending ah ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└Wow but Dae Pa-sung is seriously a pervert lololololololololol this was definitely intentional, Kang Yi-chae normally wears rings all over so there should be marks in multiple places, but everywhere else is clean and there’s only a red mark on his index finger…
└└Like they went beyond just putting on a ring prop, they literally left a mark on him you crazy bastards…]

Faced with the cyclical interpretation, fans were at their wit’s end.

[My good friend Godbanin.. knowing I like The Dun.. sent me a text
Friend: I listened to The Dun song this time!! lololol the song is so warm and cozy I really liked it
Me: Oh lololol you listened?? Right right hehe
oO (warm…? cozy…?)

Godbanin is… so lucky…
This kind of heartbreaking pain.. they’ll never know it]

Through SNS and video platforms, reactions and interpretations from international viewers came in far greater numbers than usual, not just from domestic fans.
Moreover, the music video’s best comments were entirely dominated by English, to the point where Korean was nowhere to be found. Even checking the latest comments, new languages from various countries were updating by the second.

[Hoyoonnnnnn Dajunnn I love you♡♡♡]
[I love everything about The Dun. They’re so cute. Love Kang Yi-chae and Kim Sung-hyun.]
[Sung Ji-won is beautiful… I doubt they’re even human w]

By pure numbers alone, the comment count had already exceeded tenfold the comments on the Falling Down music video released right after Shining Star.

[What is this… seems like there’s a massive foreign influx this time]
[You can tell they put effort into making this, but the performance is this good??;;]

By the time the album had been out for one week,

[;;;;Whoa the first-week count isn’t even finished but look at the sales numbers]

The sales figures tallied on the fifth day of first-week counting were staggering.

[Damn it!!!!!!! Argh!!!!! Aaah!!!!! I’m losing it!!!!!!!]
[People coming to see my singer who’s killing it with the season song release
People coming to see the face genius Seo Ho-yoon
People coming to see the soft and fluffy rabbit who’s incredibly sweet to fans]

While the Noeul fans were drowning in happiness, Lee Ji-hyun from the Dae Pa-sung Planning Team was making the rounds through various communities to gauge the reactions.
Since taking on The Dun, I’d participated in album releases more than once or twice, and each time my heart was anxious with anticipation and worry about the results.

“…This is insane.”

But this time was different.
I was taken aback by the various music chart rankings climbing rapidly from the start, and above all, I was shocked by the enormous sales figures achieved in less than a week.
I refreshed the page countless times just to be sure, but the results didn’t change.

“Wow… Is this a dream or reality?”
“Once we get the bonus, it’ll feel real.”
“If it’s like this, we’ll definitely get it.”
“Of course!!”

Listening to the conversation between some of the Planning Team members who also handled The Dun and the Planning Team Lead, I pinched my cheek hard. Fortunately, it hurt as much as I applied pressure, confirming this was reality.

‘I knew idol albums were selling well these days. But this kind of response to a season song album? And there aren’t even that many album versions?’

For a season song to generate this kind of response was truly difficult. It seemed the entertainment show had definitely drawn people’s attention and brought in new fans, which played a major role.

“There’s significant overseas fan influx. Perfect Singer already had high international recognition, but the momentum of Tangtang-ilji lately is no joke.”
“Life Experience Field was tremendous domestically. Actually, 23:59 is good enough as a winter season song just listening to it~.”
“Releasing with a double title was really the right call. Lee Ji-hyun, that idea was really good.”

The Planning Team Lead’s words—always quick to criticize normally, yet subtly glossing over praise whenever results were good, like a slippery eel—didn’t register in my ears.
I paused for a moment, organizing my thoughts, then awkwardly rubbed the back of my neck and spoke.

“It was Seo Ho-yoon’s idea.”
“Pardon?”
“The double title—it was Seo Ho-yoon’s idea.”

He’d frantically gathered information on every idol and brought this album as the first project he wanted to try. This was the album that resulted from that.
Amid the season songs pouring down like winter rain, 23:59 held its ground steadily, and Christmas Again? received praise for its hidden easter eggs despite weaker chart performance.

“Ah, this isn’t the time for that….”

After witnessing the desperate pleas of obsessed fans flooding the Community just moments ago, Lee Ji-hyun decided she needed to contact Seo Ho-yoon. She wanted to ask him to upload a photo to prevent excessive fan obsession.
But Seo Ho-yoon had already beaten her to it.

Seo Ho-yoon posts an anti-addiction meme on SNS.
The line is “Is it delicious?” <hahahahahaha
Kim Sung-hyun wearing The Dun ring and inhaling gomtang.
Jung Da-jun, ordering his third bowl from the side

That wasn’t all.
Seo Ho-yoon in a white hoodie and Kim Sung-hyun in a simple printed t-shirt uploaded a Tick-Tock challenge synchronized to the 23:59 song.

【May you always be by my side
I’m too shy to say I love you】

【I hope you will always be by my side
Always be by my side

“Natural hair is driving me crazy… crazy… crazy…”

Wow, Seo Ho-yoon’s dance line has gotten so clean;;; Kim Sung-hyun is still not at a human level, but even standing next to Kim Sung-hyun, it’s so harmonious…
└└I learned how to make it tickle without putting in any effort..]

I’ve mastered the art of looking cool without putting in any effort.
You dance so well with that face, that height, those big hands… It’s really… ridiculous, so I’ll have gomtang for lunch today.

Even in the low-quality-looking Tick-Tock video due to the heavy filters applied, Seo Ho-yoon shimmered brilliantly, and Lee Ji-hyun found herself momentarily speechless.
└└Lunch menu Minsu Son…]

“└└Let’s make Minsu’s lunch menu..]”

In truth, if I were to list out everything The Dun had accomplished to reach this single album, it wouldn’t seem particularly difficult on paper.

“…Yeah, there’s no need to mention it separately.”
In fact, if you list in text what The Dawn did to reach this single album, it didn’t seem that difficult.
What’s with the timing?

Each time the Members appear on variety shows, they do well, increase Noeul’s influx both domestically and internationally, and while the Fandom eats up the bait, the group creates songs that general people can also enjoy comfortably, plans concepts, and so on.

‘Easier said than done.’
Of course, Seo Ho-yoon did it.
If everyone could do all that, every idol would make it big.

Two days ago, I’d briefly met with Seo Ho-yoon in the meeting room to discuss the internal and external reception of his album.
“It’s not enough.”
“This is seriously incredible. Congratulations.”

“Pardon?”

Seo Ho-yoon poured caramel syrup into his warm Americano one after another, then calmly stirred it with a straw as he spoke.
“Ahaha! Really? I want to be the president next year, too.”
“Lee Ji-hyun, I’m planning to win the Grand Prize next year.”
“Haha! Really? I want to become a CEO next year too.”
“….”
“Hahaha.”

“…You’re serious…?”

Taking a sip of the Americano that made me wonder if his blood vessels would fill with sugar, Seo Ho-yoon smiled quietly.

“Lee Ji-hyun.”
The man in front of me was a man who knew very well how he was perceived by others, so he knew how to hide his true feelings with a refined smile and steer the situation to his advantage.

The man before me was someone who understood perfectly how he appeared to others, someone who concealed his true intentions behind a refined smile and knew how to steer situations to his advantage.

“You’ll hear from WH Entertainment soon. Make sure you accept that offer.”

As if to brush off his words that came like a prophecy, I shook my head and habitually opened the company email.

【Inquiry Regarding The Dun Year-End Stage Collaboration】
She tapped the desk with her pen as the situation seemed to fit like a ghost.

At how eerily perfectly it all aligned, I tapped my pen against the desk.
“huh?”
“Are you a shaman, not living a second life?”

“Never mind.”
I don’t know if Seo Ho-yoon will actually be able to win the grand prize he wanted next year, but in any case, Lee Ji-hyun is truly curious. Season songs are like this, what kind of reaction will there be when The Dawn releases a full-length album?

Whether Seo Ho-yoon would actually achieve what he aimed for next year remained uncertain, but regardless, Lee Ji-hyun had become genuinely curious. If the seasonal song was generating this much buzz, what kind of reaction would The Dun’s full-length album receive?

“Now we need to prepare for the year-end stage collaboration.”
Because he was a person who could make even what was considered a dream into reality.

***

***

[Lee Ji-hyun: Seo Ho-yoon, why don’t you lay out a mat?]
Since I was waiting for a music broadcast, I jokingly replied and asked if there was a place to lay a mat in Sangam-dong.
Looks like an email came from WH Entertainment.

Just then, Jung Da-jun, who had been clinging to Kim Sung-hyun until moments ago, now dangled himself from me instead.
“Put it back in.”
“Brother, try this!! You know I packed a three-tier bento box for you guys, right? Isn’t that basically housekeeping mastery?!”

“Aww~.”

‘Aww?’

Hasn’t he picked up too much from Kang Yi-chae?
“Aiueo.”

“A-i-u-e-o.”

The maknae, who’d apparently learned from someone and now came equipped with shamelessness, smiled softly despite my bewildered gaze as he opened the bento box, when Kang Yi-chae suddenly let out a scream.

“Argh!!”

The guy who’d been lying face-down on the sofa, pressing his face against a cushion while playing a rhythm game on his phone, irritably sat up.

“It crashed again in the middle. Man, I’m getting so many calls.”
At first, Kang Yi-chae was very proud and proud, but the phone rang endlessly even after changing the number, making Kang Yi-chae very uncomfortable.

At first he’d boasted and acted all cocky about it, but with calls continuing to ring even after changing his number, Kang Yi-chae’s mood had become quite irritable.
“You’re bothering me.”
“Ah, Hyun-sung. Can you punish the people who are bothering me?”

“Aww~.”
The calm voice of our water dumpling leader asked us to return the cell phone from behind, but Kang Yi-chae chewed it refreshingly.

From behind, our calm-voiced Leader—our little mandu—asked for the phone back, but Kang Yi-chae cheerfully ignored him.
“look.”

“Look.”
[UNTRANSLATED LINE 287]
[Hyun-sung, what’s with the ring you wore with Ho-yoon in the 2359 Challenge???]

Most of the messages were questions about the group ring.
In fact, the ring was not prepared during the planning stage, but was prepared by Kim Seong-hyun on his own and given as a gift to the members.
Most of the messages were asking what the group ring was about.
In reality, the rings weren’t prepared during the planning stage—Kim Sung-hyun had gotten them himself and gifted them to the members.

Kang Yi-chae giggled and wiggled his fingers.

Hyun-sung: I matched couple rings with Ho-yoon.
“Wow… I’m impressed by the aggro.”
“How’s that?”

“Hey! What are you guys doing?!”

Kim Sung-hyun reached out in panic to snatch the phone back, but Kang Yi-chae turned his back and defended himself skillfully while continuing to type.
[Seonghyun: But I was a little jealous of Lee Chae, who is so pretty that it doesn’t hurt when I put it in my eyes. She’s a cute bastard.]

[Seonghyun: But I was a little jealous of Lee Chae, who is so pretty that it doesn’t hurt when I put it in my eyes. She’s a cute bastard.]

[Lee Chae, wipe your feet and go to sleep]

[Yi-chae, wipe your feet and go to sleep]
While Kim Seong-hyun, who took advantage of the opportunity to get his phone back, was belatedly making excuses to the Noeuls, Jeong Da-jun, who was munching on the three-tiered lunch box he had made, took something round and purple in color with his chopsticks and held it out to Seong Ji-won and said.

Taking the opportunity to reclaim his phone, Kim Sung-hyun began making excuses to the Noeul fans, while Jung Da-jun, who had been munching on his three-tiered bento box, poked something round and bluish-green with his chopsticks and held it out to Sung Ji-won.
“Take care of my gift, Dajun?”
“But honestly, Yi-chae, you’re really good at drawing attention. I should’ve realized it back when we all matched those group t-shirts during the rural variety show….”
“You’re taking good care of my gift, aren’t you, Da-jun?”

“Really?”
Seong Ji-won sneakily avoided the beef, which I couldn’t figure out why it was blue, and came in front of me and held out his cell phone.

Ji-won, who had quietly sidestepped some beef of questionable color, held out his phone toward me.
“okay.”
“Ho-yoon, let’s take a selfie together.”

“Wait, what about me?”
I posed according to the angle of Seong Ji-won’s outstretched arm.

I adjusted my pose to match the angle of Ji-won’s extended arm.

“Hmm… this looks good.”

After taking several photos, Ji-won’s gaze suddenly drifted to the ring on his ring finger, and he smiled softly.

“Looking at it makes me feel happy.”
I laughed and pushed Seong Ji-won’s shoulder with my shoulder.

I let out a quiet laugh and gently nudged his shoulder with mine.

“Yeah, I feel good too.”

Surprised by my response, Ji-won’s eyes widened before he smiled beautifully and threw out a joke.

“….”
If I go back after doing it, will it be deleted?

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————