The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 44

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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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44

“What the hell… Why is the editing suddenly like this?”

The Dun’s fans were utterly exhausted by the recently aired broadcast.

[It’s true that he can’t do it.]
[(Hyun-sung’s face growing increasingly rigid as he watches Today’s performance…)]
[Yes… Thank you for your hard work.]
[(The comment Hyun-sung made after watching Today’s performance.)]
[I… honestly don’t really understand.]

Though the broadcast was meant to showcase The Dun’s handsome visuals, the more they watched, the more their irritation boiled over.
Devilish editing.
tvK Broadcasting Station was already notorious for devilish editing, so they’d braced themselves. But even with that preparation… this third episode seemed deliberately designed solely to roast Kim Sung-hyun.

“That’s a completely different outfit!”

It was excessively, extraordinarily severe.

“Why are they splicing every single word together?”

It was practically stitching together word after word. But the editing was so subtle and seamless that anyone who wasn’t a devoted fan would easily fall for it.
In the broadcast deliberately edited to expose malicious intent toward Today, Kim Sung-hyun was receiving an absolutely relentless barrage of criticism—enough to grant him eternal infamy.

[Junior’s character lolololol]
[Wow Kim Sung-hyun lololol his true colors showing lololol]
[Isn’t that overkill? Not reading the room and acting out like that is basically displaying his stupidity to the entire nation, right?]
[Why hasn’t he quit yet lololol watching Kim Sung-hyun’s face makes me so annoyed]

“You’re the stupid ones…”

They blocked them all and slowly posted on SNS. Today was the decisive day.
Shining Star’s Second Round Competition.
From what they heard, it was a cover song reinterpretation.

‘Please, please, anything but Today.’

If it were any other song, I could navigate around this controversy somehow. But if I selected Today and made even the slightest mistake, Kim Sung-hyun would be obliterated—reduced to dust and scattered into nothingness.

‘You guys, fighting.’

[Ahhhh I’m finally entering ㅠㅠㅠㅠ]

A fan of The Dun who had finally secured a spot on the Stage was holding up their slogan when they hesitated—self-conscious about the atmosphere. Still, since their SNS account was private, they spoke freely about the recent turmoil without reservation.

[There are only two staff members today but there are so many Kang fans lolol is this real.. The production crew must’ve added this to prevent fandom wars, right? Then why the hell would they include such a controversial element]

Ever since the school violence controversy surrounding Kim Sung-hyun had erupted, opinions within the fandom had been sharply divided. But she refused to be discouraged.
Though uncertain, she had been a core fan of The Dun since their very first song, and she wanted to believe in Kim Sung-hyun. And for good reason—after performing on a rainy day, he had bowed repeatedly, apologizing that the fans must be cold, and even brought canned coffee to share with everyone.

‘They say there’s no one to trust, but….’

Still, remembering that moment, she wanted to believe in Kim Sung-hyun until an accurate explanation came out. There had been conflict, but the controversial post hadn’t even been uploaded directly by the alleged victim, and it lacked specifics anyway.

‘The company needs to respond quickly! This small entertainment agency is driving me crazy.’

Dae Pa-sung Planning remained silent. Fan complaints were mounting, yet instead of communicating, they kept thoughtlessly posting promotional content for Shining Star on SNS.
That’s why she was even more terrified of the Today fans. She cautiously entered, glancing around nervously.

[@anajungbyeongwa Did you go in?? What’s the vibe like?]
[└It’s so bloody ㅠ I’m so scared..]
[└What should I do if the kids are upset ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠMy babies ㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[└I will cheer you on and hit you hardㅠ]

Right, I’d come this far—I couldn’t back down now. Already, Today fans were shooting murderous glares at anyone who appeared to be a The Dun fan.
I wanted to say: Our kids didn’t do anything wrong! But I was too scared, so I kept my mouth shut….

Especially in Episode 3 that aired previously, whenever Today appeared, there were continuous cuts of Kim Sung-hyun’s sour expression, scenes where he deliberately ignored what was being said, and shots of him dismissing Today.
You could tell the clothes were different—the production crew had immediately resorted to devilish editing once they sensed the Kim Sung-hyun controversy would blow up. The Today fans were ready to unleash boos the moment The Dun appeared.

“My poor babies….”

I waited for the Stage to begin, tears streaming down my face. After spending quite some time sharing merchandise and talking with the few other The Dun fans present, Yoo Ji-a appeared.

“Hello, everyone! I’m Yoo Ji-a.”
“Unnie, you’re so pretty!!”

Yoo Ji-a laughed. She truly lived up to her reputation as the nation’s beloved younger sister.
I watched Nightmare and Refined perform on stage, but my mind was elsewhere entirely.
They said this competition was a cover exchange, but surely not…
My last shred of hope shattered when Yoo Ji-a smiled brightly and called out The Dun.

“So, shall we hear it? The Dun covering Today’s ‘Make Love’! Please come up!”
“Kyaaaaa!”

‘Damn it!!’

I screamed louder than anyone else, but cold sweat poured down my back.
Why of all times! When tensions between The Dun and Today were running so high, why would they choose a Today song to arrange?!

‘Did the production crew push for this?’

As a The Dun fan, I felt wronged, but the coldest reactions in the venue came from Today’s fanbase.

“Today? The Dun is covering a Today song?”
“Wow, where’s their conscience?”
“What are they trying to pull?”

Amid the murmuring, The Dun came up on stage, bowing.
Kim Sung-hyun’s expression was completely blank.
White outfit, gray pants below. Just as I was about to be disappointed by the surprisingly ordinary stage costume, Sung Ji-won unexpectedly took the microphone and greeted the audience.

“Hello! We are The Dun.”

‘Yeah, his face makes sense….’

“Woooow! You guys!”

I screamed as enthusiastically as I could. The cheers were quieter than during the first round, and jeers leaked through here and there. The Dun had never been less popular than now.
School violence, sniping at Today, even devilish editing.
Even if you weren’t a Today fan, prejudice was evident in how the public looked at them. Yet The Dun’s members wore determined expressions as if they knew nothing of such talk.

‘You guys… you’re still handsome today….’

It’s fine. A person’s face reflects their character…. I watched their increasingly radiant expressions and tears streamed down my face.
The brief interview that followed was answered by Sung Ji-won.

“Yes, let’s hear your thoughts on today’s performance?”
“We covered Today’s Make Love today. Though we’re lacking, we prepared with all our effort. We appreciate your support.”
“How shameless!”
….

In that moment, jeers erupted from the audience seating.
Sung Ji-won hesitated briefly but handed over the microphone composedly. I could distinctly hear his voice tighten slightly.

‘No, my kids did nothing wrong!’

“We love The Dun!”

This was the roar of a devoted fan with years of dedication. Drawing strength from deep within, I screamed with all the love I held for The Dun.
Those around me flinched in surprise, but Kang Yi-chae laughed brightly.

‘My boys deserve only smiles…!!’

The fan felt wronged. None of this was her doing, yet she was being criticized for everything. It was unbearably unfair.
Just as tears threatened to spill, Seo Ho-yoon turned his head toward me.

‘…Is he looking this way?’

I waved my hand lightly.
As if to say, don’t worry.

‘Ho-yoon….’

As she gazed at him with a stinging nose, the stage lights dimmed, and The Dun took their opening positions.
The audience seating still murmured, but the moment the prelude to Make Love began, it fell silent as if by magic.

“Insane….”

The distinctive melody of traditional instruments flowed out.

‘It’s Oriental in style…!’

That’s right! If you’re an idol, you have to try an Eastern aesthetic at least once!!
Since Make Love was a light love song, I wasn’t sure how to connect the concept, but the attempt at something new itself wasn’t bad. At least there wouldn’t be direct comparisons to Today since it wouldn’t be too similar—I was composing myself with that thought.

Thump.

The lights came up on the dark stage. All the other members had vanished somewhere, and only Sung Ji-won walked out slowly. Over his shirt, he wore a brilliant yet flowing blue durumagi that billowed gracefully.

‘So that’s why the inner layer was plain…!!’

It was a delightful surprise while avoiding spoilers. Even if the stage fell apart, at least I could capture photos of Sung Ji-won in that durumagi—the thought sent me into a frenzy, waving my slogan wildly.
Sung Ji-won slowly touched the wisteria flowers installed as part of the stage set and began his narration.

[Even if I were you, I would have been anxious.
To you, I am merely a stranger.]

‘He’s insane… his voice is insane!!’

[But know this much.
No matter how many times it takes, no matter how many times I return.
I will set everything right.]

The words felt oddly significant, as if speaking to the current situation.
Moreover, the newly added prelude seemed to connect with The Dun’s first post-apocalyptic setting.
As if Sung Ji-won were playing a regressor in this performance too.

‘Could it be that they….’

The overall lights cut out, and with a spotlight, the camera turned toward Seo Ho-yoon.
Seo Ho-yoon, who had been sitting in his original position, opened the eyes he’d been keeping closed.

‘His face, damn it!’

It was paradise. I lost myself staring, momentarily forgetting the gravity of the situation, when Seo Ho-yoon swung his right hand and opened a fan. Above the fan, I could see his eyes curved into a delicate arc.

[A breeze passing through
When I turn my head, our eyes meet]

He turned his head and his eyes met Sung Ji-won’s. Then he hid them behind the fan.
Jung Da-jun slowly walked out from the side and asked.

[(I feel like I’ve seen this somewhere before
Could you possibly be from…)
No, that’s not important]

‘Did they attach their album concept to someone else’s song?!’

The returnee and Seo Ho-yoon, who had recognized him.
The confrontational structure between them was unmistakably the concept of The Dun’s previous single, “Second Chance.”
By attaching it to what had been a monotonous love song, they had essentially transformed someone else’s composition into their own group’s extended work.

‘Insane…!!’

As Seo Ho-yoon snapped his fan shut and stepped forward, the sound of wind rustling through fabric filled the air. Originally, this section should have featured energetic English lyrics with an upbeat tempo.

[There’s no need to worry]

But The Dun.

[The answer will come anyway]

They had completely rewritten it all in Korean.
Kim Sung-hyun, positioned in the center, walked across the fabric with a faint smile before passing through without a word. The fan watched him with a wistful expression.

‘Right, there’s nothing to do but hold back for now…’

No matter how good a person he was, the controversy itself was simply too massive right now. Even as I chewed my lips anxiously, The Dun’s performance unfolded with both brilliance and poignancy.

From where Kim Sung-hyun had been, Jung Da-jun walked across the fabric and raised his right hand as if gazing up at distant clouds.

[When I look at you
I feel as though I’m walking through those distant clouds]

Then, as he dramatically swept his jeogori upward and vanished between the fabric, Seo Ho-yoon appeared on camera from behind, snapping his fan shut with a sharp sound.

[Let us turn back and look again]

It was like a signal.

Thwack, thwack, thwack!

The drum’s rhythm began slowly, then intensified, accelerating the beat. The gayageum’s bright notes rang out in rapid tempo, and the fabrics suspended across the stage billowed violently in the wind.

At Seo Ho-yoon’s signal, something shifted on stage. And then.

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

Kim Sung-hyun tore away the fabric that had been draped over him and hurled it aside. He stood alone at center stage, wielding a long sword.
The fans’ eyes went wide.

‘What?! Kim Sung-hyun as the center?!’

The most controversial member—I thought they’d tuck him away in the corner! Yet The Dun mocked those expectations entirely, positioning Kim Sung-hyun at center. He stood at an angle, deliberately avoiding the camera’s gaze, and took a deep breath.

Seo Ho-yoon watched him with a calm, measured gaze, though the fans didn’t notice. And then….

Boom!

The moment the gayageum rang out again, Kim Sung-hyun’s eyes locked onto the camera with steely determination.

Whoosh!

The members mimed drawing their bows at Kim Sung-hyun on stage. Simultaneously, as he grabbed the fabric and pulled, it snapped away as if struck by an arrow. Had the timing been off by even 0.1 seconds, it would have looked ridiculous—but synced perfectly with the beat, it resembled a scene from a film. Jaws dropped.

‘What’s this quality?’

Yet this stage belonged entirely to Kim Sung-hyun, sharpened and ready.

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

A fan beside him wept, waving her slogan.
As Kim Sung-hyun swung his sword at the approaching fabric, it billowed magnificently. It truly looked as though he were deflecting arrows with his blade.

‘The narrative unfolds so seamlessly….’

The fan couldn’t close her mouth. As Kang Yi-chae fired the final arrow, Kim Sung-hyun dropped to one knee and fell.

Yet the eyes captured by the camera burned with ferocity.

‘….’

The fan knew nothing of his circumstances, yet their heart ached inexplicably. It was as if the desperation and resolve shone through in his gaze without a single word spoken.

The moment Sung Ji-won appeared before them with the cloth and lowered it, the two vanished without a trace.
Second Chance’s apocalyptic concept remained intact.
As the audience gasped, a shadow appeared on stage, and Kang Yi-chae descended gracefully to the stage floor with a wire harness, like a Taoist sage from an old film.
He fluttered his traditional robe and grinned wickedly at the approaching camera.

Screech!

An accordion
1)
burst forth, cutting the stage’s tempo at a perfectly timed moment.

[Upon the fragile thread of our fleeting bond
I walk the tightrope precariously]

Newly added lyrics with a historical drama flavor!

“Kang Yi-chae!”

Who arranged this! Who made Kang Yi-chae look this incredible!
The fan was on the verge of fainting.
Kang Yi-chae soared across the stage.

[Mending the thread that threatens to snap at any moment
Twisting the rope again and again]

As Kang Yi-chae spun around and strode backward with commanding steps, the remaining members of The Dun surrounded him, bowing their heads as they unfurled their fans. Kang Yi-chae, nestled between the white fans, looked every bit the Taoist sage.

[After all, the outcome is already decided, isn’t it?]

‘I’m going crazy… I’m going crazy… this genius idol is driving me insane…’

Sung Ji-won spun around from behind Kang Yi-chae and appeared.

[You will remember me!]

Seo Ho-yoon and Sung Ji-won layered their vocals in harmony.
Unlike the original, their voices climbed cleanly over an octave higher.
A chill ran down my spine.
The high notes were far richer and more dramatic than in the original.
As the gayageum cut off sharply, Jung Da-jun and Kim Sung-hyun rose again, gripping the fabric.

[There’s no need to regret
The answer is me, after all]

Their voices soared endlessly higher, and finally the fabric spun so dizzily that it formed a single line, depicting the shape of a tree.
Kim Sung-hyun sang with a sorrowful expression before it.

[When I see you
I feel as though I’m walking through those distant clouds]

A wistful flute sound and the gentle whisper of wind filled the air.
Seo Ho-yoon moved across the stage with measured steps. Fallen fabric now scattered across the floor like clouds. Everyone slowly raised their fans and bowed their faces behind them.
White light clung persistently, as if enchanted, following the curve of Seo Ho-yoon’s back.

[I’m not afraid.]

The fan’s eyes welled up as they watched the stage. Seo Ho-yoon touched the tree that Sung Ji-won had been fiddling with at the beginning, then lifted one corner of his mouth. As if speaking directly to the fans.

[Because I know you.
So….]

It connected with the line Sung Ji-won had spoken at the beginning. Seo Ho-yoon slowly plucked a flower and let it fall to the ground. Simultaneously, the flower fluttered down onto the white fabric.

[Shall we start again, us.]

—Pluck.

With that, the lights slowly faded to black.
A perfectly Eastern-styled arrangement that made you forget the original,
Stage movements that filled the entire performance with just a small number of members,
A stage that faithfully captured The Dun’s original concept.
Setting all that aside….

‘They performed overwhelmingly well.’

Any lingering desire to salvage a photograph evaporated in an instant. Everyone fell into stunned silence before a deafening roar erupted from the crowd. The Dun fans, naturally, but even Nightmare, Refined, and Mars fans waved their slogans and screamed in unison.
Perhaps they recognized themselves as being on the same side.
The fan turned around, unable to shake off the exhilaration coursing through them.

“Wow….”

The Today fans had turned ashen, drained of color.
It was as though someone had poured carbonated satisfaction directly over them.

1) A Korean traditional percussion instrument similar in form to cymbals.

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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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