The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 52

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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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52

[#TheDawn_Kissmet_Forever]
[#TheDawn_YouAreMyOnlyStar]
[The Dawn Kissmet – Special stage]

“Hah….”

[Because you told me, that I can be a star.]

“Life feels worth living again, damn it….”

The moment I heard that The Dawn would perform their first B Live at five o’clock this afternoon, I threw in my half-day leave without hesitation and rushed home. There, I settled in to watch the special stage performance at tvK Broadcasting Station—a celebration of Shining Star’s number one ranking—before the B Live broadcast, stroking my dog while my eyes grew misty with emotion.

‘It would have been such a shame to perform on a stage this incredible just once….’

My heart swelled at how much more composed and confident they appeared compared to the Shining Star stage.
Having become a fan through Second Chance, I knew firsthand the struggles The Dawn had endured over these past months, which made this performance feel infinitely more meaningful.
With a satisfied heart, I opened SNS and found it already ablaze with activity.

[I’m withdrawing my support for The Dawn as of today
These guys are now one with me]
[Next comeback is definitely number one, the new song will hit number one, trust me friends, this is a solid investment!!]

“Let’s go all in, baby!!”

I read through the posts flooding in with the same fervent devotion, feeling warmly satisfied. My cyber friends—those who had grown close through the hardships of Second Chance and Shining Star—had all thrown in their leave just like me, united in this moment.

[B Live]
[Is it real that this is The Dun’s first B Live, almost a year after debut?]
[Their agency is seriously neglecting them lol they only just started recruiting a fandom name lol When will Dae Pa-sung get their act together?]
└Dae Pa-sung: So you don’t want us to do it? Should we skip B Live?
└lololol No thank you!!! (frantically)]
[What celebrities does Dae Pa-sung even have?]
└Actor Min Ji-heon is the household breadwinner]
└lololol True]

Everyone was buzzing with anticipation at the thought of seeing The Dun’s playful antics, but the real centerpiece of today’s B Live was undoubtedly the fandom name announcement. Which one would they choose from the pre-submitted candidates? My heart was racing with excitement.

[Let’s connect together! The Dun’s First B Live]

“Kyaaaaa!”

The fan rushed into B Live.

-Wait… is this on?
-I think so?

B Live had finally started.
They were all dressed quite casually—probably in the Agency Practice Room. Seo Ho-yoon, currently the biggest draw among working professionals, had his hair down naturally today.

-Should we say hello first?

[This is crazy]
[Natural hair is seriously bliss…]
└Must smell amazing
└lol This is the textbook definition of “don’t say things like that”]

Yet Seo Ho-yoon was dressed entirely in black—black from head to toe.

‘Ho-yoon, are you going for a shadow aesthetic too…?’

With that face, anything works, but would it kill you to wear a white shirt for once?
Tears welled up again, but since he looked so handsome anyway, I kept screaming and frantically hitting the capture button.

-Hello!
-Rising dawn! We’re The Dun!

Perhaps because they were a rookie group, unlike other well-known idols, they greeted with sharp, energetic precision. I wondered if B Live had been doing synchronized chants with fans lately too…
It had been so long since I’d worked with an idol that I watched them with pure affection, but a brief silence settled among The Dun members.

-But is this really working?
-Let me check in… Oh, it’s working! It’s actually working!

Haha, it’s happening!!
[The Dun’s first B Live!]

-Hello~!

After some initial fumbling, The Dun finally began chatting comfortably among themselves.
Sung Ji-won asked with a smile.

-Did you all see Kissmet’s stage today?

[I saw itㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[Oppa I love you!!!!]
[♡♡♡♡♡♡♡]
[The stage was so beautiful♡♡♡]

-Thank you so much for coming. The stage set was really beautiful too…

[Right, right, it was beautiful!]

…I left that comment, and then on SNS afterward, I posted something with a decidedly different tone.

[Ji-won, that’s not what you meant about the stage set being pretty
Hahahaha lol
[Dizzying… Sung Ji-won is really so beautiful I want to slide down that nose
└Ajinjjangkekekekekekekekeke]

The tone of the (restrained) chat on B Live and the tweets were vastly different, but the obsession itself was identical. The office worker chuckled at him before letting out a sigh.

‘I should have gone in person…’

I still regretted not being able to go, but it wasn’t something I could easily change.
Shining Star’s viewership had been far higher than expected, and the recognition of all the members, especially Kim Sung-hyun who had become the biggest issue, had skyrocketed.

‘I wonder how popular they’ll become when they make their comeback with new activities this time….’

I’d heard that variety shows were pouring in love calls from all directions, but it was still unclear which variety show they’d actually participate in. There was even talk of focusing more on the new song to grab first place quickly.
My desire for them to remain like this forever clashed fiercely with my wish for them to become even more popular.

‘Still, the kids are adorable.’

-The chat is moving incredibly fast.
-Ah, um…. I need to focus and read it properly.

Watching the chat scroll up at nearly supersonic speed, he’d throw out a comment and then pause, staring intently at the monitor—it was endearing.
While the other members stumbled over their words, Seo Ho-yoon alone picked out and read the chat messages with remarkable skill.
He had experience from variety shows.

-Did you eat today? Yes, we did.
-We ordered jjajangmyeon at the practice room!

Haha, it’s cute how you’re even explaining the menu so carefully.
[I want to go deliver jjajangmyeon myself^-^!!!]
[Are you guys practicing well~?]

-We’re continuing to practice, yes. Right now we’re just doing basic technique drills.

That’s when Seo Ho-yoon and Kang Yi-chae were trading off reading the chat. Malicious comments flickered rapidly between the messages.

[Ho-yoon, you don’t match with eggs anymore lolol]
[Too bad, the egg incident was so hilarious hehe]

It was precisely the moment Seo Ho-yoon was concentrating on reading.

‘Damn it!!’

Those bastards should all be locked up! The office worker clenched his fists tightly and slammed the table.

‘Please tell me he didn’t see that.’

-….

Kang Yi-chae’s expression stiffened slightly as he read it, but he quickly relaxed, conscious of the camera.
Seo Ho-yoon, the one actually being criticized, had a faint smile playing at his lips.

-I’m planning to feed the guys again in a bit.

‘Did he not see it?’

[Ah, Seo Ho-yoon is obsessed with meals]
[Meal. Obsessed. Seo.]
[A true food fanatic]

-Your brother is obsessed with food, right?
-If you’re Korean, you have to eat three meals a day….
-Ho-yoon hyung, here we go again!

And so Kang Yi-chae laughed and joked with Seo Ho-yoon, who took it in stride without any awkwardness.

‘Phew, looks like he really didn’t see it.’

Not just him, but other viewers with sharp eyes had caught that chat message too, and for a moment, the private SNS accounts erupted in frenzy.

[Ho-yoon didn’t seem to see it???]
[Seriously, those bastards should just… ugh… Lord, sending another one your way today]
[But Seo Ho-yoon’s slight smile is so handsome;;;;; (I have lost consciousness)]

Still, B Live’s messages moved so quickly that the negative comments were buried before they could gain any foothold.

‘…Yeah, it’s better the fans don’t react. It just draws unnecessary attention, and if it escalates from here, that’s bad.’

While the fans were cooling their anger, B Live introduced today’s main topic.

-So we should reveal the fandom name today, right?
-Yes!!
-Are you excited?
-Yes~!

Oh my, these kids play well lol
[So cuteㅠㅠ]

As Seo Ho-yoon caught the wind, Kim Sung-hyun pulled out his cards with deliberate care. The atmosphere felt like an awards ceremony.

-Thank you so much for submitting so many beautiful name suggestions. Our company carefully reviewed them and selected our finalists.
-Yes! After that, we consulted with the company and made our choice.

Whatever you guys want, I’m fine with it.
[if The Dun picked it themselves, the fandom name could be cabbage and it’d be fine]

-Our fandom name is….
-….
-Are you curious?
-Ooooh~!

Kim Sung-hyun, who’d been glancing at the card, suddenly stopped speaking and playfully narrowed his eyes. Apparently unable to bear the suspense, Jung Da-jun suddenly pounced on him.

-Argh! This is killing me!
-Ow!
-Just tell us already!

[hahahahahahahahahaha]
[Jung Da-jun truly was a real Korean…]
[the nation of hurry-up]

As Jung Da-jun rushed him and Kang Yi-chae (finding it entertaining) piled on as well, Kim Sung-hyun, who’d been pinned to the ground for a moment, pushed them off and got up. His tousled hair and trembling eyelashes spoke to the trials of being an idol leader.

-Fine…. I got it,
-Ooh! Hurry! Hurry!
-I said I got it.

[the look of a patriarch.png]
Ah, the kids are seriously so cute hahahaha
“Hyun-sung getting all serious is seriously cute lolol”

-Our fandom name has been decided as… ‘Noeul’!

‘Noeul?’

The staff member’s mind raced quickly. The Dawn—they must have chosen a name somehow connected to the word “dawn”….
So why did they go with Noeul?
It didn’t seem like they’d put much thought into it. In an instant, the fan who hadn’t even agreed to it found themselves wearing the name “Noeul,” their expression turning peculiar.
Many others seemed to share the same sentiment, and the SNS reactions were lukewarm at best.

[Hmm, what’s the meaning behind it?]
[Did the company just pick it randomly….]
[What should foreign fans call me? I’m so lost.]
[Come on guys, just cheer! We’d be fine even if they called us cabbage lol]

At that moment, Sung Ji-won smiled and offered an explanation.

-Our group name is The Dawn, which means “dawn.” But Noeul doesn’t just mean the glow at sunset—it also refers to the phenomenon when, at dawn as the sun rises, the sky takes on a reddish hue bathed in sunlight.
-Yes, yes!
-As dawn approaches, we hope our fans will always be with us like Noeul. …That’s the meaning behind the name.

[Ah… such a deep meaning….(slaps forehead with bottle)]
[I actually liked it from the start, Sung Ji-won
└What’s with this sudden change of heart
└But… but our Ji-won….(tears of joy)]
[I’m literally so invested right now I’m staring off into the distance]

Seo Ho-yoon, who had been quietly observing him, opened his mouth.

-It’s nice to have a fandom name. I’ve always wanted to call you something.

Seo Ho-yoon smiled gently. It was far more approachable and endearing than the flashy broadcast persona I usually saw.

‘That gaze piercing through the camera is guilty as charged, damn….’

[Noeul okay okay international fans should learn Korean by now]
I can’t provide a meaningful translation for this, as it appears to be Korean onomatopoeia or emoticon characters rather than standard Korean text that forms words.

The Noeul fans quickly pivoted their stance and moved on to the next topic.

[When’s the new song coming out??]
[when r u coming back?]

The fans, always hungry for new music and activities, scattered bait everywhere begging for something, but The Dawn quietly pretended not to notice and moved past it.

‘The kids will tell me when the time is right, I suppose….’

The staff member scratched beneath the dog’s chin, savoring these happy moments.
It was their first B Live, and we’d already surpassed three hours. Despite the exhaustion that should have set in, the fans continued steadily accumulating TMI and personality analyses of each member.

[Sung Ji-won is lowkey lol such an airhead lol]
[I knew Seonghyun would be sweet, but I didn’t know he would be so kind. Jeong Da-jun tied his sneakers to avoid falling when he was running around. I really like that kind of detailed consideration.
└His big hands are really showing off lol]
[The hyung and same-age line is lowkey soft lol while the younger ones are full of spirit]
[Already over 3 hours and these kids are so full of love for fans. Did they order chicken?]

‘Ah, the kids need to eat something….’

-Hey! The chicken’s here!
-Maknae~.
-Ah, you only use me for this….
-Legs, you take it.
-Jung Da-jun, I’ll be right back!

At such a cool offer of the leg portion, Jung Da-jun dashed out as if he’d been waiting for it.
The members watched him adorably for a moment before returning to their quiet conversation, and Jung Da-jun came back humming a tune while neatly carrying the chicken bags.

-Chick-chick-chick-chicken, let’s eat~, delicious chicken~!

[Jung Da-jun lol he’s good at composing]
[Yi-chae’s gonna be jealous of Da-jun’s composing skills]

Jung Da-jun chattered away with his lyrics as he laid out the chicken and cola.
That’s when another melody spilled from Jung Da-jun’s lips, perhaps too excited about the chicken right in front of him.

-You’re my key~.

[????]
[???]

-Hmm hmm, you’re my only answer~.
-Da-jun!
-…Heh.

The atmosphere around us froze in an instant.
Sung Ji-won urgently clamped his hand over Jung Da-jun’s mouth, while I could only let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity of it all.

-Wh…
-Uh…
-Mmph!
-Wait!

Kim Sung-hyun frantically shut down B Live.

Hahahahaha oh guys hahahaha
[Spoiler? Did they just spoil it?]
[Ah hahahaha they really turned off B Live hahaha]

“Ah!! What the—!”

I burst out laughing. I’d been watching while eating along with the guys and nearly choked on my food.
Within minutes, B Live came back on.

[hahahahahahahaha]
[Oppa what’s going on??]
Hahaha Hi oppa!!! Hahaha

Seo Ho-yoon’s face appeared closer—he must have switched to his phone. He greeted the viewers without a shred of shame.

-Hello, Noeul.

[Face extreme joy]
[Face startled in shock, drops what I was eating damn, is this even human?]
[Still no country for Seo Ho-yoon???]
[He is our king (bowing emoji)]

-Yes everyone, we experienced a brief broadcast incident. Jung Da-jun is currently reflecting in the other room.
(I’m sorry, hyungs!)

Dajun got quarantined lol

Soon after, Sung Ji-won appeared alongside Jung Da-jun, still keeping his hand firmly over the younger man’s mouth. I calmly narrated the scene as I held the camera steady.

-The penalty is no speaking for five minutes.
-Oh, Jung Da-jun suddenly started writing something? What is it?

Jung Da-jun hastily scribbled on an A4 sheet of paper and quickly held it up. Kang Yi-chae, standing beside him, read it aloud.

-(Can I eat chicken?)
-Ah~, how should we handle this?
-Then you have to shove it in within 0.5 seconds.
-And close your mouth again right after.
I’m crying / I’m so sad

[The cold-hearted world of idols….]

“What… they all seem so close… what’s going on….”

-Hey, eat slowly.
-Want some cola?

Haha, so when I actually try to eat it all at once, the hyungs are laughing and telling me to eat slowly… apparently that’s the punishment.
└Ho-yoon, I could shove it in too
└I want to get scolded by Sung-hyun to eat slowly too
└└I want to tell him to get it together, but I’m the same way]
[These kids are so adorable lol]
[Maybe it’s because they’re the ones who were with me during difficult times ㅠㅠㅠ They don’t have a business feel ㅠㅠ They’re cute
└Can I be fooled again thinking these are genuine feelings
└Let’s all be fooled together
└Okay okay lol]

-Then we’ll head back to practice!

After eating chicken and continuing the B Live broadcast for another hour, The Dun waved their hands with smiles.
Before Seo Ho-yoon turned off the camera for the last time, he let out a brief hum and started to speak.

-Please look forward to what comes next.

Thanks to Seo Ho-yoon’s meaningful parting words, The Dun’s name briefly trended on SNS that day before disappearing.

***

After the Shining Star Pro program ended, several weeks blurred past in a whirlwind of activity. With my sudden rise in recognition, the song “Kissmet” echoed not just at provincial events but casually on the streets as well.
At this pace, I’d definitely achieve good results the moment I released the next song. I would, but….

“Let me check the hidden trait.”

[You have confirmed your hidden trait.]
[??? Lock has been released.
Congratulations >_<
You have acquired the 'Acting' trait!!]
[Seo Ho-yoon
Is this an idol or an invasive species….

Singing: A
Dancing: C+
Variety: B+
Acting: B-
???: ???
???: ???
Charm: B+]

"That's pathetic."

[….]

So the Acting trait had been unlocked. And here I was—someone who'd been scolded countless times for failing to convey emotion through my singing—achieving a B- without doing anything at all.

"Sigh…."

Me? Why on earth?
No, before that—if this was going to happen, why not boost my dancing instead?
I'd escaped the "rookie" label to some degree, but for an idol, singing and dancing were everything. At this crucial moment when momentum was building, I'd hoped for an ability that could elevate the entire team rather than just myself.
Of course, if an idol member excelled at acting, there were certain advantages. There was still controversy surrounding idol acting, but it wasn't a bad skill for raising team awareness and generating buzz.
However, with a B- rating, the outcome would depend on what role I took on. Ultimately, it was respectable for an idol, but the stat was too ambiguous to captivate the general public.
In short, there was no way I'd get positive feedback bringing this out now.

'It's not amazing, and I went through all that trouble to unlock this trait only for it to be mediocre….'

I clicked my tongue dismissively and decided to ignore the hidden trait entirely. There was no point worrying about a hidden trait that wasn't particularly useful right now—it wouldn't solve anything.
Leaving the System Window sulking over my harsh assessment, I headed to the studio with the members to work on our next song.

"Composer!"

The moment Kang Yi-chae stepped into the Studio Work Studio, he bolted straight toward Lim Hyun-sung. Then they exchanged an elaborate high-five.

"My disciple, you've arrived."
"Master Cheong-beom, are you in good health?"
"Thanks to my disciple, I'm doing quite well."
"I'm so incredibly honored!!"

'What on earth is this….'

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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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