The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 84

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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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84

‘Wow….’

Regardless of whether the Director and Production Crew were excited or not, I was already regretting coming to this Audition Venue.

‘I never knew I’d crave cigarettes this badly….’

Besides, did the Assistant Director really think I’d smoke those pristine cigarettes I used to enjoy? With everything already so difficult lately, I wanted nothing more than to accept one immediately and light up, but I barely managed to resist, sucking on a lollipop instead—and the curses came naturally.

‘No, Ho-yoon. You did well holding back.’

Anyway, I quickly shed the gloomy sentiment and glanced around cautiously. Most were either whispering with serious expressions or reviewing their scripts.
Among them, only the Screenwriter had a beaming smile, while the Director studied my profile again with a grave expression.

“Seo Ho-yoon, is this really your first time acting?”
“Yes, this is my first time.”
“That can’t be right…. How is it so natural?”

It’s all coming from experience, after all….
Actually, it’s not really acting—it’s almost entirely pouring out genuine anguish from things that actually happened….

“I’m really torn. To be honest, I never thought a twenty-three-year-old would come audition for a role like this….”

‘Of course.’

Does it make sense?
Yet the Director, lost in his own emotional considerations, grasps at editing points like a judge on an audition program.

“…There’s a slight tremor in your voice.”
“….”
“You seem to have excellent observational skills.”
“…You’re too kind.”

‘Even that shamelessness seems a bit like Lee Jung-hoon,’ Director Yu muttered, already gazing at me with affectionate eyes. It was burdensome.
The initial tension had vanished entirely, and in the warm atmosphere, everyone laughed like children with delighted giggles.

“I’d love to see more ad-libbing if possible, but given our time constraints… it’s unfortunate.”

‘Hmm, so I’m being rejected.’

I’d gotten overly invested somehow, but honestly, being rejected was preferable. The director stroked his chin as if regretful, so I waited for his follow-up with indifference—but what came next was unexpected.

“You’ve wrapped up all your current activities, right?”
“…I’m sorry?”
“We can’t adjust our shooting schedule to accommodate a supporting role’s availability.”
“…Yes, my schedule is mostly open.”
“Understood. I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for your time, Seo Ho-yoon.”

I paused to process the meaning of those words, rolling my eyes before bowing and leaving the Audition Venue.

‘Shouldn’t the director be judging a survival audition instead…?’

The directing and scrutinizing were no joke.
…Well, I felt a bit uneasy about it, but there was still work to be done.

***

Even after the audition ended, I deliberately lingered at the Broadcasting Station Cafe without my Manager, having discovered that Kim Writer had a serious caffeine addiction.
After paying attention to various details and suffering a sugar crash myself, I ordered a mocha frappuccino and was killing time quite effectively when Kim Writer walked in.

“Wow! Isn’t this PD Lee Jung-hoon?”
“Haha.”

Perfect—Kim Writer had initiated the conversation first. I erased all the carefully rehearsed lines from my mind and greeted her with a gentle smile.

“Hello, Kim Writer.”
“You worked so hard at the audition earlier. Oh, do you have time right now?”
“Yes, of course I do.”

She’s even spooning it into my mouth. Well, I should accept it then. But something strange appeared in the System Window.

Ding!

[Manager, please wait!
Come back quickly!!]

‘…?’

I glanced at the System Window, then settled in beside Kim Writer to chat warmly with her.

“Thank you so much for earlier. Since it was my first time, I was quite nervous, but thanks to your kindness, I was able to perform as I’d prepared.”
“My, what eloquent words! Can someone who’s nervous even demonstrate their acting skills?”

Haha, warm laughter burst forth. Kim Sook-hee smiled with a gentle glow.

“Thank you so much for coming to the audition. What would I have done if I hadn’t seen you? Honestly, I pushed quite hard for Seo Ho-yoon, so I was worried your acting might fall short… but it turned out to be needless concern.”
“…Pushed for me?”
“Yes. Honestly, the production crew didn’t like it. You know how it is—actor acting is generally safer than idol acting. Of course, there are plenty of idols who act well—.”

Kim Sook-hee pointed upward with her finger. That was where the audition venue had been.

“—But just from the director’s expression a moment ago, I already knew the answer.”
“I’m lacking in many ways, so I’m simply grateful you viewed me so favorably.”
“My goodness? Even that response is truly Lee Jung-hoon himself.”

Kim Writer expressed her opinions freely. As I simply smiled and observed this inexplicable goodwill, she broached the main topic.

“Actually, I referenced Seo Ho-yoon quite a bit when building up the Lee Jung-hoon character.”
“…Really?”
“I watched Shining Star diligently back then. You were truly on fire at that time… and you got the nickname ‘no-holds-barred.’ Of course, when building up the character, I drew from various other sources too… but strangely, I liked Seo Ho-yoon the best.”

‘Hmm….’

This was the first I’d heard of this.
I revised my thoughts slightly. Could it really just be a coincidence?
Yet suspicion still prickled at the corner of my mind—there was no way that a single broadcast could shape not just personality but also fundamental settings so similarly to my original self.
So.

“I thought the Lee Jung-hoon character was so detailed that you must have had a specific person in mind.”
“Hmm? Is that so?”
“Yes. For instance, perhaps you modeled him after an actual broadcasting station PD.”

I dangled the bait a little.
But Kim Writer simply tilted her head and smiled.

“Haha, there wasn’t really a specific motive. I just borrowed a bit from the personalities of people around me.”
“I see….”

It didn’t seem like a lie. She was deliberately drawing things out while sipping her mocha frappuccino, but the System Window kept popping up beside me… it was irritating.

Ding!
Ding!
Ding!

‘What’s wrong with this thing?’

It was spamming notifications like malware accidentally installed on a computer. I paused for a moment and stared at it. I could ignore it, but every single one was about wanting me to make a comeback.
As if they didn’t want me involved in this at all.
As if I wish I had nothing to do with this.

“Yes, I understand.”
“I really want to push for it….”
“….”
“….”

Given my nature, once I started something, I couldn’t do it halfway—I found myself absorbed before I knew it. But I never intended to become Lee Jung-hoon and actually film a drama.
I wanted to hand it off roughly to that actor Lee Kang-seok who was at the audition venue, but Kim Writer seemed to have already latched onto me firmly, already spouting scary things like “Should I modify some of the settings?”
I wanted to roughly hand it over to an actor named Lee Kang-seok who was at the Audition Venue, but Kim Writer seemed to have already taken a firm liking to me, already spouting the scary words, “Should we modify the settings a bit?”

“I didn’t get anything out of it.”

Just as she was touching her lips with a slight sense of letdown, wondering if she should send it like this, Kim Writer spoke up.

“…What?”
“…Huh?”

She lifted her head up abruptly at the unexpected words.

“Huh?”
“Huh?”

Kim Writer seemed even more flustered by my words and scratched her head.

“That’s strange. I thought Seo Ho-yoon and Min Ji-heon were quite close.”
“Why did you think that?”
“You mentioned watching Shining Star. To be honest, I don’t know much about idols.”
“….”
“I was mulling over my next project when I attended the wrap-up party for Cider Please. I happened to mention that I wanted to create an unusual character, and that’s when Min Ji-heon said something to me.”

‘What… what did he say?’

“He said there are many charming people on Shining Star. And that Seo Ho-yoon in particular has a very distinctive personality, so I should check him out for reference….”

‘What did he say?’

This was shocking. My emotions must have been written all over my face because Kim Writer laughed awkwardly.

“Well, I don’t know much about what you young people are up to… haha! Anyway, I watched the program reruns diligently, and the character of Lee Jung-hoon just came to me, and the script was written in no time! I have Min Ji-heon to thank for that. Plus, I got to discover a real gem like you, Seo Ho-yoon.”

As I was composing myself, Kim Writer shrugged and stood up first.

“Then I’ll look forward to seeing you again. I hope to hear good news.”
“Yes. Please be careful on your way out.”

Kim Writer left after offering warm words of encouragement, but my mind was in turmoil.

“Why on earth?”

Min Ji-heon. An actor who championed mystique, someone I thought would never have any connection with me, a former variety show PD.
I remembered his downturned eyes and his slow, drawling manner of speech. The last time I saw him, he acted as if he had no interest in me whatsoever, so I was just going to ignore him and move on.

‘This doesn’t feel right.’

I drained the melted white mocha frappuccino and stood up from my seat when the System Window appeared.

Ding!

[Do not meet with Min Ji-heon.]

“…Ha.”

The tangled thoughts swirling in my mind quickly converged into a single resolution, and I immediately picked up my phone, searched for a contact, and sent a text message.

[Hello, Min Ji-heon. This is Seo Ho-yoon from The Dun, an idol group under the same agency.]

After taking a moment to steady my breathing, I typed out another message.

[If you don’t mind, could you spare some time for me?]

***

Min Ji-heon.
Undoubtedly the most successful actor in his twenties in the country.
After bouncing around the Chungmuro theater scene, he was unexpectedly cast by Dae Pa-sung Planning and gained recognition through a supporting role in a weekend drama, earning modest popularity.
Subsequently, a film in which he played a supporting role unexpectedly surpassed ten million viewers, causing his recognition to skyrocket, and he became a Korean Wave Star as the secondary male lead in a primetime drama.
Naturally, most of his subsequent projects were massive hits. Though he occasionally appeared in flops, his solid acting foundation meant he avoided the controversies that typically fell on leading actors.

[Did Min Ji-heon receive divine blessing?
└Why
└Acting aura]

…Thus, he was the sole pillar of Dae Pa-sung, recognized by the vast majority of the public.
If I had to define our relationship, it was merely that of senior and junior exchanging polite greetings from a distance.
But he was certainly not the type to show such dedication as to take a junior under his wing.

[Ssae-ham: Ahhh!!]
“….”

What is this?

[Ssae-ham: Huh, why are you texting me now? haha]

What is this sudden… familiarity?
Along with his deflating message, I received a brief time and location, and I headed to a small Korean restaurant.
I had already told the members and the Manager that I’d be meeting a younger acquaintance and would be back a bit late.
I arrived first, was shown to a reserved private room, and after waiting a moment, Min Ji-heon opened the door and stepped inside.

“Hello~.”
“Yes, hello.”

Still vague about it all… but something about him seems oddly excited.

‘What on earth is this?’

I greeted him with casual indifference while ignoring the warning window that continued to hover beside me. Min Ji-heon merely smiled faintly as if pleased, and immediately opened the menu the moment he sat down.

“Let’s start with some food.”
“Yes, I’ll have whatever you recommend, senior.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll order something appropriate.”

Min Ji-heon called over a server and spoke.

“Two C courses, two servings of yukgaejang, three servings of tteokgalbi, two servings of abalone bibimbap, and three servings of braised short ribs, please.”
“I can’t eat that much.”
“Oh, that’s what I’m eating. I was just about to order for Seo Ho-yoon….”
“…You’re eating all of that by yourself?”
“Yes.”

‘….’

I recalled Min Ji-heon’s manager calling him a pig back on Jeju Island. He wasn’t even an athlete, yet here was an actor consuming over ten servings in a single meal.
However, the server’s expression didn’t waver in the slightest, as if accustomed to Min Ji-heon’s appetite.
I quickly added one more menu item, and the server quietly closed the door and left. Min Ji-heon spoke first.

“I really did want to contact you first… but when I thought about it, I didn’t have your number. I was the one who gave it. I was wondering whether to call the company.”
“Didn’t you say contacting me would be a hassle?”
“Aha, I definitely said that back then….”

Min Ji-heon closed his eyes and laughed.

“Hearing about you from here and there made it rather entertaining. And I was also waiting to hear from you….”
“…?”
“Did you go to an audition?”

He cut straight to the point before the spoon was even placed. Since I didn’t dislike people who skipped the preamble anyway, I nodded.

“Thanks to you, senior, it went well.”
“Ah, is that so.”
“Senior Min Ji-heon, Kim Writer mentioned that you recommended me….”

I was about to speak more earnestly when an employee entered and began setting the table with practiced efficiency. The flow of conversation was interrupted as side dishes and main courses spread across the surface.
After the employee left, I was just about to restart our discussion when Min Ji-heon picked up his chopsticks, his eyes gleaming with unusual brightness.

“Senior, why did you….”
“Hmm, why does this taste even better than before….”
“…why did you recommend me? I still don’t understand the reason—.”
“Wow!! What is this, it’s delicious too. The Chef here has really improved, hasn’t he?”
“—Are you even listening to me?”
“…Oh.”

He clearly wasn’t listening, this bastard.
When I felt a slight irritation rising, Min Ji-heon glanced at me nervously and quickly pushed a side dish toward me.

“…Seo Ho-yoon, try this first. …Unless you don’t want to, okay. I’m sorry.”

It had been a long time since I’d met someone this self-absorbed. Eventually, I closed my mouth and simply stared at him, and Min Ji-heon quietly muttered something about how even the most beautiful mountain looks better after a meal.

“Wasn’t the whole point of choosing this place to talk quietly?”
“Well… no, it’s because this restaurant has good food.”
“….”

So he was telling me to shut up and eat.
I took a deep breath and composed myself. It had been a while since I’d encountered this type of person—one I found difficult to deal with—but it didn’t matter.

‘I’ll shake out all the dirt.’

After all, there’s no one in this world without some skeletons in their closet. If something suspicious comes up after a conversation or two, I’ll grab onto it and shake it out like shaking dust from a blanket.

“This is delicious….”

Min Ji-heon… I had no idea where all that food was going, but he ate endlessly. Even I, someone with a hearty appetite, grew tired watching him and set down my chopsticks. Since I’d eaten beforehand to curb my hunger, I hadn’t touched much of the food anyway.
In the meantime, I glanced at the System Window. The System Window, which would normally display dialogue boxes and excitedly ramble on, was strangely quiet and subdued.

[…Leave this place.]

‘No, I don’t want to.’

Given how suspiciously the System Window was behaving, I decided to dig deeper into Min Ji-heon.
Only after he scraped the last bowl clean did Min Ji-heon finally set down his utensils, and I looked at him.

“I apologize. Whenever I see food, I lose my composure. I can’t help it.”
“It certainly seems that way.”
“…You’re quite honest.”

Min Ji-heon’s eyes widened. The conversation had taken an oddly disjointed turn, but it didn’t matter. At least we were talking again. Min Ji-heon wiped his mouth and nodded slowly.

“Anyway… I asked why you recommended me.”
“Yes. To be honest, I’m not that close with you, am I?”
“That’s true enough.”
“But I was curious why you’d go out of your way to do that. Maybe the CEO pushed for it.”
“Ah. The CEO’s influence wasn’t entirely absent, but… I was simply curious about something. That’s why I recommended you.”
“…Curious about what?”

If I knew that, maybe I could figure out where that script and setting came from, whether Min Ji-heon knew something about it, and why the System Window kept warning me.
I’m not sure what about my question made him laugh, but Min Ji-heon smiled at me with an amused expression.

“You don’t know anything at all.”

…I don’t know anything?
What kind of nonsense is this?
As the staff cleared the table and brought out tea as a final dessert, Min Ji-heon wore a mischievous expression and drawled out his words.

“Let’s see… you seemed older than me.”

He spoke as if he were some fortune teller reading someone’s fate—the kind you often see in dramas.

“Can I call you Hyung?”

This is…
What kind of absurd nonsense is this now?

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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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