Debut or Die

Chapter 116

The card news-type posts consisted of large catchy fonts and images.

[Do you know Onyx?]

[Rookie idol group that debuted this year]

Below that, Onyx’s records were attached. It was a record that a rookie idol, who was well-established with 80,000 copies in Initial Chodong and overseas performances, could achieve.

[However, Onyx can’t expect any rookie awards this year.]

[This is because there is a group that has achieved unbelievable results as a rookie.]

An entire page was devoted to emphasizing the appearance, name, and performance of the award-winning ‘Testar’.

And from the next page, there was a one-sided explanation of Testar.

[Testar is a group made in an entertainment show.]

It showed how heavily involved the broadcasting station was in <Idol Inc.> , there was even a talk about whether the program had a strong entertainment tone.

In addition, the controversial story of the writer’s relatives and the editing were listed following the title of the article.

[The power of the entertainment department and mass media has influenced the popularity of the music industry.]

And without missing a beat, the expected question’s defense page was also included.

[Q: Haven’t there been a lot of idol auditions so far?]

[A: Audition ‘Entertainment’ is the problem.]

[The problem is that the agency’s own audition is not aired, it’s a ‘full-fledged entertainment show’ made by producers and writers of the entertainment department.]

[Q: Aren’t there a lot of solo artists who debuted through audition entertainment shows?]

[A: It wasn’t formed through the program, the format was to discover existing artists.]

[Q: Aren’t there a lot of programs where you released songs and were active on entertainment shows?]

[A: They’re not evaluated in the Rookie of the Year category.]

And along with pictograms, there were photos of rookie idols struggling.

[Rookie artists bumping into each other with their albums alone on an unfair platform]

Finally, an additional page was attached.

[This year’s ToneA Awards Ceremony]

[Testar received four awards including the Rookie of the Year Award and four performances.]

[The other rookies didn’t get a single award or a chance to showcase a single song.]

The image of other rookies clapping was inserted into the background.

[The large company that sponsored ToneA was the company that sponsored the entertainment show that created Testar.]

The card news ended with a quote from the best-selling book ‘The Illusion of Fairness’.

This meant that they had taken care of the composition very faithfully by using images that people think were authoritative.

Moreover, the tone was sneakily turned over.

‘… It was linked to the entertainment industry’s infiltration of the music industry.’

Of course, when you came back to your sense, it was all just a bunch of crap.

This was because stage projects in entertainment were a one-time thing and it was intended to create episodes.

‘On the other hand, <Idol Inc.> is an entertainment show that was launched to create an idol group from the beginning.’

The format was completely different.

Besides, this was an unfair place, to begin with.

The issue of having a different starting line in terms of attention and opportunities was already a chronic problem for people from large entertainment companies.

‘Testar isn’t the only one with the problem of being very special.’

However, the problem was that there were a lot of people who originally disapproved of Testar itself, and public opinion in the community was not in a good state due to the talk of fairness that had emerged from the relative issue.

In addition, the article didn’t say that Testar’s records were unfair, but it limited itself to the topic ‘Rookie of the Year Award’ to lower the sense of repulsion.

So, the words that wouldn’t have been accepted in the first place were easily accepted thanks to the ‘people who want to believe it’.

– It’s not that Testar kids did anything wrong, it’s just that the current method is weird. I agree

?That’s right, it seems that the power of entertainment broadcasting stations has grown too much in the music industry.

?Like this, Loviewers laughed at me for wishing 80,000 copies Onyx to win the Rookie of the Year Award? They were being too much

– I’m getting sick of it. Why the hell are you doing this?

?It’s true that entertainment suck?? Loviewers, don’t snap and read carefully first~

– What is this… <Idol Inc.> ended up getting attention when they just released their debut album, but now they’re doing well and getting good records.

?Isn’ it such a waste of the Rookie Award?

-? But all of the audition programs are made by PDs and writers from entertainment departments? It’s not just Idol Inc

?Name one idol audition that pulled as much aggro as Idol Inc

Thanks to this, there was a commotion in the comments between those who sympathized and those who asked them to stop speaking nonsense.

The more opinions were divided in extreme ways, the more popular it became.

‘F*ck this, really.’

This was definitely not made by Onyx fans.

There were about 10 times the weight class difference between them and Testar, so they couldn’t get cocky.

This was made by a bunch of guys who just wanted to screw up Testar.

‘You’re going this far?’

Making card news was not an ordinary effort. Not to mention the diligence in posting on all kinds of social media and communities at the same time.

I don’t know how much hatred I had to keep to be able to do something like this. If it were me, I would just not watch it.

Honestly, it was a bit… creepy.

‘Don’t tell me, I can’t get the Rookie Award because of this…’

No, that was too much.

‘They can take it away only when it grows big enough to be on the news.’

At an awards ceremony of any size, it would be impossible to not give something like this to the original recipient.

‘Wishing to sh*t on Testar’s image. Wishing the fans to leave when they get tired.’

My mind went cold.

‘…Should I use a more extreme method?’

I put it on hold because I was afraid that innocent people would be involved, but now the people pretending to be fans were more of a problem than those guys.

And I couldn’t afford to worry about it for too long.

Because there were more crazy articles coming up.

[It’s Cheongryeo’s Insta, look at this?]

: These are the photos from T1A award ceremony, and there is Onyx.

(Cheongryeo’s Insta screenshot)

Good luck with the end of the year;

Am I the only one who felt the signal?

The comments were filled with Vtic fans pushing them away, telling them not to talk nonsense, but in fact, the article ended as soon as it was posted.

That article was a countdown sentence.

‘Why is this crap again?’

It was obviously posted on purpose. Adjusting the water level to an easily excused line was not a skill that had been used once or twice.

‘What are you thinking, you bastard?’

I opened the text message app in a fit of rage…, then I turned it off the next moment.

‘Let’s not react.’

It would be burdensome if that bastard added something more, anyway.

There was no way that the fans would like to meddle in such a sensitive matter. They might get pounced on later on.

‘He’s just trying to pick a fight with me.’

He was saying that I should cooperatively reveal everything I hid because he could totally screw me up.

Even if I contacted him now, there was a high possibility that I would suffer losses due to my anger.

‘…Solve this issue and make a contact with a clear mind.’

I blocked Cheongryeo. In other words, I was pissed off and blocked him from contacting me.

But I would have to figure out a way to deal with this bastard in the near future.

‘Let’s deal with this first.’

I called out the members who were unbothered because they hadn’t seen the SNS. Now, the guys who were getting ready to sleep were gathered in the living room with puzzled faces.

“Y-You called everyone…”

“Ah, did you prepare any presents to commemorate the first awards ceremony? I’ll take the biggest one. Thanks.”

“Taking advantage of the prejudice that the big one is the best gift, the probability that a small gift is a good gift…”

“…It’s not about gifts.”

“Yes.”

The tension suddenly melted away.

I suggested while looking at Ryu Chungwoo, the only one who looked slightly serious.

“About our SBC performance.”

“Hn?”

“Why don’t we change the arrangement?”

Everyone was perplexed.

“Now?”

“Only one song from the special performance.”

“…Is there a reason?”

Bae Sejin wanted to refuse right away, but his face was saying he would listen to what I had to say.

After thinking about it, I explained the situation.

I couldn’t talk without convincing them and I thought they would know by tomorrow at the latest anyway.

“Actually, on the Internet right now…”

As the explanation continued, the faces of the members hardened.

“It reminds me of Idol Inc.”

“I guess people are like that. Um… But why do you want to change the arrangement?”

In response to Keun Sejin’s question, I answered without hesitation.

“To give a shock.”

And I told them which direction I wanted to change.

“…!”

The members seemed a bit taken aback.

“I-Is-Isn’t it a little… too much?”

“I’m a little worried, too.”

But Keun Sejin voted yes.

“I think I have to be really prepared, but um~ I agree for now.”

“…!”

At this point, the persuasion was, in fact, halfway done.

“I think this is the most effective response to the current situation. Does anyone dislike it?”

“…”

Bae Sejin seemed to be glaring at Keun Sejin, but when his eyes met mine, his spirits dampened.

“…?”

No, if you don’t like it, I thought I’d listen to your opinion first.

However, there was no objection. Even Ryu Chungwoo just nodded.

“Let’s do it. I can’t even think about other people’s positions right now.”

“Hyung…”

Ryu Chungwoo seemed to be concerned about the public opinion that had been twisted up because of him.

“They are people like that. Even if it wasn’t for hyung, they would have brought up other issues, so don’t worry about it.”

Of course, let’s not tell the truth that the other issues wouldn’t have been at this timing.

Surprisingly, Seon Ahyeon responded.

“…T-That’s right. T-Those people don’t change, s-so don’t waste your energy on them…!”

Maybe he wanted to convey what he had heard during his consultation.

“Oh~ Ahyeon, wonderful words!”

“Nice words!”

“N-No…”

Seon Ahyeon’s face reddened. Ryu Chungwoo smiled and nodded.

“I’ll do that. Thank you.”

Bae Sejin looked at the warm atmosphere and then spoke out while shrinking.

“…Then we’ll change the arrangement like this…”

“Change it!”

“Does anyone have objection~?”

No one gave an opinion on Cha Eugene’s lead and Keun Sejin’s re-confirmation.

And Bae Sejin seemed to have given up.

In the fight between the ego that wanted to agree and the body that wanted to oppose it, the former seemed to have won.

“It will be a forced march. I will do my best.”

“Let’s do our best~”

So we agreed to change the arrangement.

And the next day, at the end of the meeting at the company, a confirmation came down. Thanks to that, we received the song without delay and started practicing again.

“I suppose it can’t be helped.”

Kim Raebin looked a little regretful that he couldn’t be the one who make the song, but he understood the situation.

And within a little over a week, we fixed the movement and choreography.

In the meantime, it seemed all sorts of talks had come out on the Internet as expected. The articles also seemed to have been published.

I even heard that Onyx won a Rookie of the Year Award at a small awards ceremony that Testar didn’t attend.

[Onyx tearfully won the Rookie of the Year award at the ‘Seoul’s Choice Awards’]

It was 100% done by voting, and it seemed each community broadcasted it live and drove the vote with words like ‘realization of justice’.

In addition, I heard that VTIC fans secretly voted together while voting for the Grand Prize.

It didn’t matter if it was just an awards ceremony like that, but the problem was that the fans’ exhaustion accelerated and the aggro was excited.

When the fans participated in the vote, they set up frames such as ‘Do you want to take away this Rookie Award when Testar doesn’t even appear?’.

Thanks to that, the preparation for the stage went very smoothly. Some of the members who were a bit conflicted about the stage format also had their eyes lit up.

And the day of SBC Music Awards Festival.

A very decisive event happened.

“Hello~”

“Hello!”

When we ran into Onyx and greeted them with a smile and passed by, I heard the word.

“…Didn’t they just say something about the realization of justice?”

“I heard it, too.”

“M-Me too.”

…Honestly, it was a topic that they could talk about only when they were with themselves.

Well, of course, things must have felt good right now. They got an award, and their competitor was doomed.

But the problem was that we had guys with good ears here, so this side also heard it.

“Wow, I can’t wait to perform.”

“I feel the same.”

“…Me too.”

Thanks to this, everyone was able to wait for the stage with excitement, abandoning all their internal conflicts.

Those guys get rid of our guilt and even bring us together, what a bunch of nice people.

* * *

SBC Music Awards Festival was usually aired on Christmas evenings, but this year it was pushed forward due to the operation of a special program.

Thanks to this, it was organized at an ambiguous time of Friday night in mid-December. It was the time when the drama was over.

– What’s wrong with the date

– I thought it would be a drama special, but it’s a random idol;

– Sbc only calls idols. It’s no fun, throw away the ratings and only aim for WeTube

– Who will show up

– Wow, I don’t know who they are

Of course, the majority were the people who waited for the first year-end music program this year.

However, thanks to the popular drama that ended, there were quite a few people who turned on SBC out of habit.

Indifferent remarks from non-fans were thrown into the comments.

– Badump

– Is there no special performance this year?

– Solier is so pretty.

– It seems there are kids worth seeing in part 2

– Wasn’t there a rookie’s special stage in Part 1? I think I saw a commercial

– Carol arrangements are boring. It’s strange that they do that every year

– Does Vtic only appear in part 3?

– I’m going to go watch something else??

People chattered and skipped through the first part.

Except for the opening, it was mostly the rookies in their 3rd year or groups that were just starting to make their name known.

Then, a short VCR appeared.

[KPOP Rookies’ performance!]

[Testar Park Moondae: Let’s experience each other’s performances by drawing lots.]

[Solier Minjung: Wow! I think it’s going to be fun!]

[Onix Pox: There’s a song I really want to try!]

– I think this is the special performance in part 1

– Testar isn’t supposed to be in this grade right?

– I guess they’re a ‘rookie’?????

– I think public TV is definitely a bit salty for cable people

– Right! Testar came from a cable variety show~

– I only know Testar’s song…

– Are there 5 teams? Please don’t show them whole. It’s boring.

No matter what the live comments say, The VCR ended with the last caption after drawing lots and showing the screaming groups.

[What will their performance be like?]

And the song performances that felt like they had been heard somewhere continued.

Everyone chose one song that would likely make a big hit.

– Still, I know the chorus part.

– You’re doing useless things, why don’t you just do a cover of a famous rock?

– It seems that the hearts of those caught in Testar’s song have been swept away????

– Wouldn’t it be fun if someone does it better than Testar?

– Hu-uh It’s not about entertainment, it’s about ‘skills’ You shouldn’t just say things like that.

– ???????????

While people were laughing and chatting, the three teams entered after a short performance.

And a caption appeared under the dark stage.

[Testar – The one who enjoys (Onyx)]

– Heol! Testar is here!

– Of all the songs, it’s Onyx’s??????

– Looks like those two picked each other???

– What a joke of fate

– I think it’s SBC’s fabrication

– Ah, I’m curious????

However, when the introduction began after a short prelude, the comments were a little taken aback.

– They didn’t arrange it?

Right.

Testar performed Onyx’s debut song.

Without touching anything, just like the original song.