The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 59

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

59

“The Dun was pretty much unknown to begin with, anyway. Sure, some stuff blew up this year, but still.”
“Shining Star just lucked into their spot when Today got caught up in that drug scandal.”

This was actually pretty interesting.
It had been a while since I’d heard backstage gossip about The Dun—not since the Today situation. Internet hate comments didn’t count, of course. Even top stars like Joo Woo-sung and Yoo Ji-a got those.
I’d almost turned around to eavesdrop on what they were saying behind the building, but I checked first just in case.

‘Oh, Kang Yi-chae.’

I was wondering if he’d get hurt by it.

“What?”

But this guy was still brushing sand off his hands with a completely unbothered expression.

Ding!

[As expected, it’s “Gichems”…]

“…?”

[That’s what people are calling Seo Ho-yoon and Kang Yi-chae together these days.]

Anyway, Kang Yi-chae didn’t seem particularly interested, but for me, staff gossip was just as pointless and entertaining as anything else, so I listened intently.

“I’ll admit his skills are decent.”
“Nah, Seo Ho-yoon though? Not really.”
“Why?”
“His dancing is completely stiff. Watching him do idol work just relying on his face is honestly ridiculous.”
“Yeah, seriously, anyone and their dog is becoming an idol these days.”

‘Is that… a compliment or an insult?’

Suddenly branded as ‘a guy who relies on his face and pretends to be talented without any real ability,’ I generously awarded myself a skill point in the art of gossip. Of course, since there was no credibility behind it, I gave myself a 5 out of 10.

Ding!

[Does it hurt your feelings?]

‘Well…’

I only had to check YouTube and videos would flood in with inflammatory titles like [Ho-yoon, do you want to be an Idol?], so actually hearing these things wouldn’t wound me.
Knowing this, Kang Yi-chae cracked a joke from beside me.

“Hyung, you just rely on your face?”
“I’m sick of this misunderstanding too.”

We were filming a comedy sketch together when suddenly the conversation veered in a different direction.

“But seeing how well you’re doing lately, do you have some backing?”
“If that were the case, it’d be ridiculous…”

I burst out laughing despite myself.
I really wish I had some backing and was dealing with these misunderstandings instead. We’re still doing our choreography by hand in our own workshop.
I quickly covered my mouth with both hands and checked the staff’s mood before whispering back to Kang Yi-chae.

“Hey, do you know who my backing is?”
“King God Emperor General Admiral Majesty me?”

While Kang Yi-chae spouted nonsense about me, the conversation stretched even further.

“Is it possible you’re in that kind of relationship with the Shining Star PD?”

It was true.
Past tense, though.

“….”

Feeling a sting of guilt, I turned my eyes to Kang Yi-chae, and his expression was just as rigid as mine. The rumors that had been dismissible as jokes before couldn’t be laughed off quite so easily with this particular accusation.

“You should stop spouting nonsense…”

I hummed softly and blocked Kang Yi-chae, who was staring intently in that direction. Otherwise, he looked ready to bolt forward at any moment.

“Wait.”
“….”

Kang Yi-chae raised one eyebrow but stopped in his tracks. He doesn’t listen to words worth a damn, but he reads situations perfectly.
I didn’t want the damage to spread to Kim Hee-young, so I was mentally scripting how to naturally shut down their gossip when Sung Ji-won suddenly appeared before them.

“Hello.”
“…!”

The Staff Members who had been gossiping startled visibly and bowed their heads. Kang Yi-chae and I exchanged glances.

‘Let’s see how this plays out.’
‘Yeah.’

Because,
I wanted to see how Sung Ji-won would handle this.

“Ah, h-hello…”

The Staff Member’s eyes darted around nervously. They seemed anxious, wondering if he’d overheard them. Sung Ji-won simply smiled gently.

“Yes….”
“….”

And he stared at the Staff Member very intently. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes had gone cold and sharp—it was clear he’d heard the entire previous conversation.
The Staff Members’ eyes darted back and forth, their discomfort unmistakable.

“Did you… have something to say…?”
“Pardon?”
“…No, it’s just you were staring so intently.”
“Hmm….”

Sung Ji-won’s smile deepened slightly.

“I thought you Staff Members had something you wanted to tell me….”
“….”
“Since I didn’t quite catch it all before. Would you mind repeating it for me now?”

Sung Ji-won is seriously intimidating….
I froze. The staff froze. Kang Yi-chae froze. Sung Ji-won was still smiling brightly, but his expression screamed, “Say that again to my face if you dare.”
The staff member eventually bowed his head and apologized to Sung Ji-won.

“I’m sorry….”
“Ha ha… if you wouldn’t say it in front of someone, don’t say it behind their back either, okay?”
“I apologize! Time’s running out, so, um, I’ll be heading out first….”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”

The moment Sung Ji-won offered a polite farewell, the staff scattered like startled birds. Watching their retreating forms, I exhaled sharply—a sigh tinged with exasperation (though I had to admit, it was impressive). I reached up to run my fingers through my hair, then remembered my styling was set and simply lowered my head instead. As I turned, my gaze collided directly with his.

“Gasp.”

Sung Ji-won’s eyes widened gradually, then in an instant, his expression shifted back to the one we knew.

“Hyung… what’s going on?”
“Well, that is….”

Sung Ji-won stammered, clearly flustered.
I studied him and formed a reasonable hypothesis.
Could it be that this group’s mental fortitude is softer than I thought…?

“How long have you been listening?”
“From the beginning.”
“Ah, damn it… I got caught.”

Sung Ji-won scratched his neck, embarrassed.

“I was too hasty… sorry. If you guys spread weird rumors behind our backs without knowing how hard we’ve worked, it really hurts, you know?”
“Right? In front of Sung Ji-won hyung, they just bow their heads and pass by quietly.”
“Still, I know it’s shameful behavior.”

Sung Ji-won sighed deeply once more. Then he looked at me with grim determination.

“Ho-yoon.”
“…yeah?”

‘I’m doomed.’

I could instinctively feel the backlash heading my way.

“This time! Let’s show them what we’re really made of.”

‘What is he talking about?’
‘Hmm.’

I quickly flashed an S.O.S signal to Kang Yi-chae, and after gauging the situation for a moment, he took my side.

“Ho-yoon, let’s not push your brother too hard, yeah? He’s been swamped with schedules lately and hasn’t had much time to practice.”
“No way! I’m fine!”
“Ouch.”

Sung Ji-won roared. Looking at his gleaming, manic eyes, it seemed the window for verbal persuasion had already closed.
Kang Yi-chae, having shrewdly caught on to this, smiled and casually took a step back. He didn’t want any part of this, did he? I glared at him.

‘Hey, you were on my side.’
‘Come on, no need for both of us to go down.’

Kang Yi-chae just kept laughing and sealed his lips shut. Even if we bickered among ourselves, the outcome was already decided. Sung Ji-won was burning with fervor.

“I’ve made my decision!”

The Tiger Teacher’s comeback was on.

“I’m going to turn Ho-yoon into a dancing machine!”
“….”

So this moment had finally arrived.
I sighed, watching Sung Ji-won, whose fuse had been lit from an unexpected place, burn with determination.

“…Fine, whatever.”

I was planning to ask anyway.
From tomorrow on, I’d lose my freedom, but that was okay. I was going to ask Sung Ji-won or Kim Sung-hyun regardless.
This time, I had real confidence. And for good reason—.

[Seo Ho-yoon
You may not become a dancing prodigy, but you can move from utterly hopeless to average!]

‘This is so frustrating….’

[Vocals: A
Dance: C+
Variety: B+
Acting: B-
???: ???
???: ???
Charm: B+
※[Dance Focus Precision Set] is currently equipped.]

I had already purchased the [Dance Focus Precision Set] using points I’d accumulated from variety shows.
Dance experience multiplied by three! It was worth spending those 3,000 points. I could already foresee the hellish choreography training sessions with Sung Ji-won waiting for me back at the company, but I was fully prepared.

“Sung Ji-won, Kang Yi-chae, let’s head out.”
“…I really hate it when he smiles like that.”

No one would ever call me clumsy again.

***

“We’re coming out soon!! Let’s get ready!!”

Today, as always, Planning Team Junior Lee Ji-hyun—the perpetual coffee runner—had finished preparing beverages for all her teammates and organizing the response strategy meeting for The Dun’s music video, and was now scrolling through SNS to check fan reactions.

The response to the teaser photos and videos already released was scorching hot.

[Fresh fresh fresh ahhhhh so good ahhhhh]
[Dae Pa-sung is working hard wow this is insane]

The visuals in particular were so hot that they occasionally spilled over into completely different timelines, drawing attention.

[I’m not really into K-pop, but… which member is this who looks like you’d need to spend a million won in gacha just to pull a single 5-star card? (photo)
└Oh that’s Seo Ho-yoon
└lol same]

[I seriously love Sung Ji-won’s nose bridge
└Apparently Ji-won even considered removing this
└????????????? I threw up in front of Dae Pa-sung that day
└Oh, that was when they asked to remove it while at D.go
└Just set fire to it and came back]

…It was a bit intense, but it turned out fine either way. Lee Ji-hyun seemed dissatisfied and searched for other reactions.
This time about the newly released logo and light stick.

[Damn it, I told you I’d become The Dawn]
[No matter how I think about it, Dae Pa-sung was too much
Suddenly in just one day—an official logo on the light stick, even a teaser (expressing gratitude but with a suspicious expression)]
Dae Pa-sung works so frantically that it’s annoying, you know? lol

As expected, when Dae Pa-sung appeared on social media, nothing but curses poured out. I understood the sentiment well enough, but I couldn’t help feeling a bit deflated.

‘Still, it’s understandable… I’d be pissed too if I were them.’

[The official logo is at least not bad though]

The inverted triangle with horizontal lines drooping downward evoked the image of the sun rising at dawn. Below it was written THE DAWN.

[But the light stick…]
[Sigh]

The light stick was a risky move.
The design itself wasn’t bad, and it came equipped with the recognition function and LED mood lighting that modern light sticks were expected to have. But….

When the light stick was produced as a physical product, the inverted pyramid shape was a bit much.

[Are they trying to get people stabbed to death?]

While most other idols’ light sticks were rounded spheres, The Dawn’s light stick was far too sharp.

[You’d probably get arrested for carrying a weapon at the airport]
[If rival fans act up, stab them.. Is this Dae Pa-sung’s grand plan..]

‘…That’s, that’s…’

And it was heavy too. Just thinking about the hastily prepared light stick production project made my head throb.

‘Next time, I’ll redesign it next time.’

The unit cost would be astronomical too. While Lee Ji-hyun skimmed through the fan reactions and closed the SNS window, the clock’s second hand pointed to noon.

“It’s out!!”

Connecting the winter version apocalypse concept to the summer version refreshing concept wasn’t easy at all… but the results turned out beautifully, worth all the effort I’d put into it.

“Play it once, let me watch it again.”
“You’ve already watched it dozens of times.”
“I’m just double-checking there are no mistakes!”

Composition: Blue Tiger, Kang Yi-chae. Lyrics: Blue Tiger, Kang Yi-chae. Arrangement: Blue Tiger, Kang Yi-chae.
In other words, Lim Hyun-sung and Kang Yi-chae had done everything.

“I’m, I’m nervous!”

It was a trendy, refreshing song. In other words, it was a track that clearly conveyed the determination: ‘We’re taking first place this summer!’
After refreshing and confirming the rapidly climbing view count, Lee Ji-hyun clicked on the music video again.
In the center of the video where wave sounds crashed softly, Kim Sung-hyun stood.

[Whoooosh—.]

“Wow, it looks great.”
“Refreshingly handsome, right?”

Thanks to Director Jung’s meticulous editing, the visuals themselves came out beautifully.
Kim Sung-hyun, who had been quietly gazing at the ocean on the beach, stood up and brushed the sand from his clothes. Then, as he walked across the sand with soft steps, the title was overlaid on the screen.

[Ocean Train]

Unlike the previous concept, a light beat gradually covered his footsteps, resonating with a bouncy rhythm.
And the person who appears next is Seo Ho-yoon, wearing a blue jacket and white t-shirt. He boards the train, squinting as if dazzled by the sunlight.

[The sun shines on your back
Come on, board this train]

“Wow, Second Chance has a completely different image. The Dun basically keeps Seo Ho-yoon fixed at center, right?”
“He stands out, after all. Kim Sung-hyun generates more buzz, but with Seo Ho-yoon there, The Dun’s color really comes into focus, I’d say.”
“Right. When he appears, there’s a presence to him. It’s always like that in meetings too….”
“….”
“….”
“Let’s stop thinking about it.”
“Yeah.”

The Planning Team shuddered at the memory of the last meeting. Just thinking of Seo Ho-yoon, who had uncannily pinpointed every weakness in their logic… The Planning Team Lead was still grinding his teeth.

“From what I’ve seen, Seo Ho-yoon isn’t your average guy.”
“Anyone can see that. He’s on his second life, that guy.”

It was a joke, but half of it was actually true.

[I’ve merely turned the first page
Let’s see where this story of ours goes]

The train departs, and Jung Da-jun, standing on the opposite platform, comes into view. He’s grinning widely as he dashes toward that ocean ahead of everyone else.

“They really nailed the setup with Jung Da-jun becoming the ‘key.'”
“He definitely suits the refreshing concept. Maybe because he’s young, he absorbs the character concept right away.”

[The ocean train crosses the sun
Even when waves crash over us
Tide gets high and low
It’s just the natural order of things]

Kim Sung-hyun appears again. Jung Da-jun grabs the hand of Kim Sung-hyun, who hesitates and refuses to board the train, and pulls him along.

“That’s why they did it this way….”
“They were aiming to resolve the controversy.”

It was a scene depicting Kim Sung-hyun’s anguish from the Shining Star controversy. Kim Sung-hyun probably filmed it without giving it much thought, but when Noeul fans saw this, they’d go absolutely crazy, crawling across the floor.

At that moment, the screen switched, and Seo Ho-yoon was seen boarding from the opposite side with a frown on his face. Kang Yi-chae, who was already on the train, greeted him with a smirk, seated Seo Ho-yoon, and then took over the next part himself.

[Splash, Splash!
Try pulling up the box that sank into the deep sea
There’s no need to be afraid]

Lee Ji-hyun stared at the screen for a long moment.

‘As expected, Kang Yi-chae really holds the team together. Not just his composition skills… his aloof personality seems to resonate well with the fanbase too.’

[Tide gets high and low
It’s just a part of us]

When Kang Yi-chae playfully mimicked firing a gun, the train heading toward the sea began to accelerate.

“Wow, the CG looks amazing!”

‘We spent some serious money on it!’

Lee Ji-hyun clenched her fists tightly.
The train raced on and on, finally derailing and plunging into the sea. As if time itself slowed, the windows on both sides shattered in slow motion and water poured in. Yet Sung Ji-won gazed at it all with indifference, making no attempt to escape.

[You are my only answer
You are my key-]

“Sung Ji-won’s vocals are seriously… insane.”
“I’m genuinely curious how you managed to recruit him.”

[The you I kept searching for endlessly
You are the one]

As the lyrics connected to Second Chance, the Noeul fanbase clutched their chests again, and comments showing intense emotional investment stood out.
The moment the highlight ended, all movement froze as if time itself had stopped.
The camera that had been capturing Sung Ji-won’s frozen profile, the bubbles, and the floating objects inside the train suddenly plunged to the bottom.

Glub, glub…

This was the scene where Kim Sung-hyun had struggled filming underwater. He thrashed about as if in agony, then spotted a small glowing box far below and swam toward it. As if entranced, he reached out and barely managed to snatch the box, when someone’s hand pulled him up to where he could finally breathe.
As Kim Sung-hyun exhaled sharply, the box was in his hand. When he turned his gaze, he saw Sung Ji-won nodding with wet hair brushed back, and Jung Da-jun collapsing beside him with a wide smile.
They carefully opened the box. At the same moment, light burst forth and the beat began to hum again, gradually building.
Meanwhile, Seo Ho-yoon, who had been sitting in the train cabin, tapped his fingers and stood up. Then, as if he’d anticipated it all along, he offered a serene smile.

[This is it.]

Kim Sung-hyun opened the box, quoting Kismet’s lyrics with ‘This is it,’ comparing the moment to ‘the instant a star is born.’
The crisp beat returned, and the train’s moment arrived. Seo Ho-yoon and Kang Yi-chae joined in, walking coolly down the train cabin’s corridor.

[Waves are pushing at your back
Come on, board this train]

From the opposite direction, Kim Sung-hyun, Jung Da-jun, and Sung Ji-won emerged with serene expressions.

[Tide gets high and low
(It’s going to be fun, I promise you)]

The train continued sinking into the ocean while the members walked forward unbothered, the scenes interlacing.
Finally, when the members met in the middle of the train, one last tremendous surge of water crashed over them, and the train was destroyed.

Crash!

The members dancing with abandon on the beach sand alternated with shots of them laughing joyfully inside the train.

[You are my only answer
You are my key
The one I’ve been searching for all along
You are the one]

[It doesn’t matter where our final destination is
We simply ride the waves and enjoy]

Seo Ho-yoon drew close to the camera, smirking as he covered the lens with his hand.

[So come on, board this train]

“….”

Whoooosh….

As if returning to the beginning, the music video showed Kim Sung-hyun’s profile as he sat alone on the beach. He fiddled with the box before letting out a soft laugh at someone’s call, setting it down and rising to his feet.

Let’s go. Now.

The camera angle gradually focuses on the box resting in the sand. The box engraved with ‘Memory’ was empty inside. Above the box that Kim Sung-hyun had feared so deeply, yet which contained nothing after all, text overlaid itself.

[The Dawn – Ocean Train]

“Wow… it came out beautifully!”

‘It’s decent.’

Lee Ji-hyun assessed the story she had created herself with a matter-of-fact ‘it’s decent.’
Noeul’s members were currently pouring out tears at the music video’s visuals and the song itself.

[his face is actually insane]
[ah pure paradise itself]

Lee Ji-hyun gazed at the screen beyond her glasses, carefully observing the fans’ reactions. Not just about the visuals—other narratives were emerging as well.

[Ah, but am I the only one who feels sorry.. Where is the post-apocalyptic setting?]
Well, what can you do… it’s summer… it’s a bit awkward to do a post-apocalypse in summer…

“Haha.”

Watching him, Lee Ji-hyun let out a quiet laugh.

‘They’re underestimating the otaku.’

She had long since mastered the art of maintaining mass appeal while embedding hidden symbols throughout her work. Everyone would be caught off guard by the visuals, but once they came to their senses, they’d dig deeper into the music video, and interpretations would surface by tomorrow.
Lee Ji-hyun nodded with satisfaction and stretched languidly.

‘At this rate, the apocalypse trilogy coming out in winter should be fine too.’

While she calculated in her mind, the others were already marveling at the music video’s explosive impact.

“Check the comments, check them!”
“Yes!”

After refreshing, the Planning Team all stood up and applauded as they watched the comment section ignite.

“The firepower is….”
“…Wow, it’s incomparable to last time?”

Silence had lingered in the Planning Office for quite some time, but gradually, laughter began to bloom. Everyone harbored the same thought in their minds.

‘This time, we’re getting a bonus!!’

“Well then, good work everyone. Let’s head home and get some rest, then come back tomorrow.”
“But isn’t today a work day?”
“…Right, it’s dawn. Haha! The Dun really did choose a fitting name.”

Ignoring the Planning Team Lead’s dad joke, Lee Ji-hyun continued scrolling through comments, monitoring the responses. Several malicious comments were already appearing.

[Is Seo Ho-yoon going to pull off some crazy moves again? Don’t muddy the waters—just step back~~]

‘Hmm~. He’s gotten more popular…. The hate comments are showing up steadily too.’

Lee Ji-hyun didn’t want to dampen the team’s excitement, so she simply reported the comments with a vaguely uneasy feeling and closed the window.

‘I hope Seo Ho-yoon is doing okay.’

While the Planning Team Junior was worrying needlessly, I lay sprawled across the Practice Room floor, breathing heavily, rubbing away the dark circles that had descended to my jaw with the back of my hand. A bright blue System Window floated before my eyes.

‘Done.’

The result of nearly living in the Practice Room every day, cutting back on sleep to dance.

[[Dance Intensive Precision Set] has expired.]
[Congratulations! Your Dance rank has been upgraded from C+ to B-!]

The desperate effort of a stubborn fool had finally borne fruit.

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