The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 268

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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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268

[Are you serious right now???]
[Honestly, he stubbornly refused to dye his hair for three years, and now in year three he finally dyed it I’m so grateful Ho-yoon thank you so much I think I’m going crazy]
[He’s truly first-tier]

With just one concept photo released, Seo Ho-yoon’s name instantly appeared in trending search queries.
SNS and the Anonymous Community were flooded with new posts every time the page refreshed.
Noel shed a few tears before sending a message to her friend.

[Me: Anyone want to drink]
[Fan friend: Why]
[Me: Ho-yoon dyed his hair]
[Fan friend: Oh hell yeah that’s totally possible]

The two quickly gathered and passionately discussed the hair dye for quite some time. They were the type of fans who could chat all day long about just one concept photo.

“But doesn’t the reaction to The Dun seem strange lately? I don’t understand why people are criticizing them so much.”
“Oh, that….”

In the past, when comeback-related information appeared, it was mostly Noeul fans participating with some dedicated K-pop fans joining the conversation. But recently, everyone seemed to be paying attention to The Dun.
On the surface, a few welcomed them while most remained indifferent, but once you entered the communities, the hostility became absolutely intense.

“It kind of… feels like watching the reaction back when Black Call was rising.”
“Really??”
“Yeah. Ah… you weren’t really interested in Idol back then.”

Noel’s first favorite Idol group was The Dun, just like the contents of the letter she had sent to Seo Ho-yoon. That’s why she didn’t understand the dynamics of this world well.

Black Call broke record after record right after their debut. After that, whenever they made a comeback, album pre-orders skyrocketed, and they quickly entered the first tier.
Her friend, a K-pop veteran, patted the upset Noel on the back and held out her phone.

“Look at these posts.”

[Title: What do you mean The Dun is first-tier?

Hahaha, since the pre-orders are selling out, I think it’s time to turn it into a happy circuit haha.
I mean, idol album inflation this generation is insane anyway;;

└ Dude… does that look like it’s selling well to you?
└└ After seeing the pre-order numbers, all the Noeul fans are shocked..
Isn’t that just PR? We won’t know until the actual first-week sales come out. Seeing Noeul Fans have similar delusions every time is kind of pathetic..lol
└└ Hey… did you check the YouTube views?
└ When you look at pre-order numbers for idols coming back with The Dun, it’s not really album inflation either,,,
└ Noeul fans are all confused right now anyway, so posts like this are just proof of popularity, right? 🙂 Thanks~!]

Come to think of it, since this album was a full-length release, the pre-order numbers were jaw-droppingly high.
My friend spoke with a hint of excitement.

“People are arguing over pre-order numbers? That’s where it starts.”
“Wait. Now that I think about it, they seem pretty popular with the kids at our academy too.”
“Really? That makes sense—I saw a post about it too.”

My friend then showed me another post.

[Title: What’s really going on this time

Where is this influx coming from?? I thought the hardcore K-pop fans had already eaten their fill, but..
Where does it keep coming from?

└ Apparently it’s a rising trend among middle and high schoolers lately
└└ What?; Seriously what’s happening?
└└ Seo Ho-yoon and Kang Yi-chae are insanely popular with literally everyone..
└└ Especially with high schoolers—Sung Ji-won and Jung Da-jun.. the cute, healing type
The one driving seniors crazy is Kim Sung-hyun..
Lol I think I get why high schoolers like Kim Sung-hyun now hahahaha
Haha, looks like I’d be good at being a housewife and I have a nice body too… ^^]

Seeing posts about how they were gaining popularity across diverse age groups—not just hardcore fanatics or K-pop enthusiasts—made my mood, which had been rock bottom, lift just a little.
After chatting with my friend for a while longer, I headed home in good spirits.

And ten days later,
at 1 PM, The Dun’s official album music video was released.
That late night, Noel gathered with friends at a nearby rental accommodation.
It was the result of his friends being considerate—as a hagwon instructor, he couldn’t easily take time off.
They had all caught glimpses of the music video in bathrooms or sneaking glances away from their superiors, but none of them had been able to properly enjoy it yet.

“Damn! I saw it earlier but why am I still so nervous watching it again?!”
“Hey, hey, hey—we can film a vlog right now, right?”
“Hurry, hurry! Ugh, the Arabic subtitles on the music video are so annoying—turn it off quick!”

One of his friends, who had been making a fuss about creating a Noel vlog, started recording on his phone, and soon the music video began playing.

‘Ugh, I’m so nervous….’

In the silence, a baroque palace emerged, and deep shadows fell across walls adorned with ornate golden decorations. The members held each other’s hands and huddled their bodies, creating a shadow that looked like a single mass.

“The set looks insanely expensive!”
“Insane, Dae Pa-sung must be making serious money!”

And the beat that began was bright, contrary to the atmosphere. Yet a sticky bass note wove through the gaps, forming an enigmatic melody.

“Wow, check out the beat. Yi-chae is a god, seriously.”
“I had a feeling from when Harame dropped. They really nailed the song this time.”

Soon the scene shifted, and unlike the luxurious palace from moments before, a house with exposed concrete walls appeared—one where all traces of habitation seemed to have vanished long ago.
The camera swept through the living room and kitchen, then moved toward the bathroom, where it pulled back the shower curtain to reveal an empty bathtub.
There, lying disheveled in a leather jacket, was Seo Ho-yoon.

“Ahhh!!!”
“This crazy bastard is so damn handsome!!”

Beneath the water-darkened purple hair, Seo Ho-yoon’s eyelids lifted open, and he parted his lips.

【Can you save me?】

Even though I’d seen it before, goosebumps erupted across my entire body.
In that instant, someone snatched Seo Ho-yoon’s hand and pulled him up. It was Kim Sung-hyun.
Seo Ho-yoon swept his wet hair back and began to sing.

【Whisper your faith to me
Just as you promised me
La- La- ah】

Soft, high notes flowed from the very beginning.
The camera pulled away from Seo Ho-yoon, focusing instead on Kim Sung-hyun.
Kim Sung-hyun, who had opened the window and was peering outside with a furrowed brow, licked his lower lip.

【Can you hold me?
Hold me close with all your warmth】

“Wow, are these lyrics insane?! These guys are seriously trying to kill the Noeul fans!”
“Oh my god, oppa!!!”

Including my friends, we only called him oppa whenever we felt like it, but there was no one younger than The Dun among us.
As emotions gradually intensified, another face overlapped with Kim Sung-hyun’s.
It was Sung Ji-won gazing out through the window. He wore a school uniform composed of deep navy and gray.

“Oh my god!!!!”
“Look, I told you in a message this afternoon that I’d ask about the school uniform when I saw the concept, right?!”
“I didn’t think they’d actually have him wear it! Wow, why does Sung Ji-won look so good in it?! Is he really 25?!”

At first, I thought that after seeing only the album concept photos and the music video teaser, they would push through with a decadent feeling and mature sexiness throughout.

“Dae Pa-sung, you clever bastards!”

But by including a flashback scene of past memories, they showed The Dun in school uniforms too.
And then came the group choreography with members wearing school uniforms with slightly different details. When the members held hands together and formed a circle, I tried to stay composed, but a scream escaped me.

【Our youth that will never come again
Whatever I don’t care
Come to me before I bite you
You promised me on the day the shooting star falls】

Next, Jung Da-jun appeared wearing a sleek Adidas zip-up, holding a glittering sparkler with a bright smile. Beside him, Sung Ji-won also smiled as he looked at him.
Colorful fireworks burst from all directions, raining down on the members as if light was shattering and falling from the night sky.

“Wow….”

It looked just like a star.

【Our dawn that will never come again
I don’t care even sky falls
Come to me before you change your mind】

The members exchanged glances and pressed their foreheads together, their faces glowing with radiance.

【You promised me on the day the Milky Way poured down】

Kang Yi-chae appeared next, dressed in a black shirt, sitting at the end of the palace staircase from the opening scene.
The flashback had ended.
He slowly turned the music box in his hands—the one engraved with stars—and lifted one corner of his mouth into a bitter smile.

【Spinning round and round beside you like something broken
How can I live without you?
I will never change】

Kang Yi-chae, who had been fiddling with the spinning music box, tossed it carelessly over his shoulder and slowly descended the staircase.

【It’s fine whenever you want to come
Just hold me and smile
Anyways, always love you
in perfect way】

It was Seo Ho-yoon who picked up the music box rolling across the floor.
Just as Seo Ho-yoon, gazing at the spot where Kang Yi-chae had disappeared, covered his mouth with his hand,

【Can you hold me?】

The moment his hand pulled away from his mouth, thick smoke began to pour out.

【Hold me warmly
The way you used to】

“Whoa! Wooooah!!”
“That fake smoke is insane. This is definitely a scene that’ll be remembered forever, right?”

Seo Ho-yoon’s eyes widened slightly.

“But how does this guy not get flagged by the review board?”
“I’ve been wondering the same thing for the past year.”

【La- La- ah】

It was a different kind of sexiness compared to when Kim Sung-hyun had handled the first verse.
Whether it was because Seo Ho-yoon was her favorite or not, just hearing him sing made her toes curl and her ears tingle.
Noel scratched at her ears just like she had when she first watched the music video, unable to tear her gaze from the screen.

【Can you save me?
Whisper your faith to me
Just as you promised me】

Sung Ji-won, dressed in a white suit, walks through a corridor engulfed in blazing flames. The fire dies down wherever he passes.
He gazes up at a masterpiece hanging at the end of the hallway.
A small sigh escapes him, and as he touches his forehead, Sung Ji-won turns his head as if hearing someone call his name.

【La- La- ah】

And with a bright smile as if greeting someone dear, his face is captured in close-up as the screen fades to black and the title appears.

【Our Brilliant Dawn (From dawn To dawn) – The Dawn】

“….”
“….”
“….”

The final shot was Sung Ji-won’s jade eyes.
The impact was absolutely overwhelming.
For a while, everyone remained speechless, staring blankly at the black screen.

‘This is going to work.’

It absolutely will. There’s no way it couldn’t.

‘By interweaving past and present, they’ve highlighted both the pure, innocent side and the mature, sexy aspects.’

And if they’re lucky, they can legitimately see Seo Ho-yoon in a school uniform.
She was already excited imagining what outfits they would wear on stage.

‘Even the beat wasn’t too overwhelming.’

Recent songs were filled with beats that felt manufactured, powerful and relentless.
They were undeniably catchy and well-crafted, but it was difficult to say they possessed the broad appeal to captivate all age groups.
However, The Dun’s track was fast yet masterfully controlled in its rhythmic dynamics, refined as if composed by an overseas artist.

‘The music video interpretations that came out were insane.’

Noel’s heart raced far more intensely now than when she first watched the music video.

“Hey, can’t we watch it one more time?”
“Are you calling that a suggestion?”

Her friends, who had been insisting they needed to watch it at least twenty times—no, on infinite repeat until bedtime—were about to put down their phones and restart the music video when Noel suddenly jumped to her feet.

“I’m buying more albums.”
“Crazy, she’s totally hooked.”

Her instinct was screaming with unmistakable conviction.
‘Our Brilliant Dawn’ maintained The Dun’s signature sensibility while elevating its mass appeal to new heights.
This album would mark the peak of The Dun’s career and become their legendary era.
Though she knew little about the idol industry, her gut feeling was undeniable.

‘Forget my meager paycheck.’

With eyes glazed over, Noel logged into the internet without even checking her account balance and began placing additional album orders.

And even as she did, The Dun’s music video view count was skyrocketing.

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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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