Debut or Die

Chapter 193

The Gold Disc Awards ceremony was held for two consecutive days, divided into music and album categories.

And male idols tend to be stronger in albums than in music, so they often show their faces in the latter.

This year, Testar was one of those cases.

This was because their album, which included ‘Present’, set a staggering record by selling more than 7th place in all-time idol album sales.

The music score was also excellent, but breaking the one-million-album barrier had a significant meaning.

First-tier male idol group in name and reality.

Even if there was an insurmountable wall above it.

– Still, they can’t get the Grand Prize because there’s Vtic??? I feel sorry for them

– Didn’t they still win ToneA’s Artist Award this year? Of course, I thought they would receive it since it was a T1 awards ceremony, but still?

– I don’t think Testar can win the Grand Prize yet, but maybe they can get it after Vtic goes down next year

?It’s been a while since the problematic guy was kicked out, but it’s still hell??? I don’t accept a failed idol’s wistful thinking, you bastard~

?It’s ugly, Tika

“Oh, you bastards!”

A VTIC’s fan huffed and threw away her smartphone.

‘I’m so pissed… What’s with that criminal bastard?’

She didn’t like him because he didn’t have skills, but it even got to this point, she was so mad she felt like she was going crazy.

‘Our innocent kids suffer the damages…’

Temporary hiatus due to cancellation of all schedules.

No appearances in the year-end programs under the excuse of a break.

Just looking at the pre-release, it seemed they had prepared something amazing for their comeback, but she couldn’t believe that it got delayed this much, and now it was just about to be released.

‘Seriously, he hasn’t caused any trouble since his debut…’

In particular, this fan, who had a tendency to be a solo fan, recalled her favorite.

“Jaehyun…”

It was the leader, Cheongryeo.

‘Our Shin Jaehyun… Even when he takes a break, he volunteers to take care of stray dogs, but he’s been having a hard time leading the guy who got involved with dirty s*hit like a club incident…’

Let’s think of it as a good thing, Cheongryeo’s fan changed her mind.

‘Yeah. We lost an incompetent guy who doesn’t do anything anyway, so let’s get a career-high with just the four of them.’

The fan, who gave a merciless review to the ex-member who was kicked out, logged on to SNS.

The accounts of VTIC fans, who had been somewhat quiet during the hiatus, were full of energy.

‘It’s a cheering-up atmosphere.’

This momentum had to lead to grades, so the fan eagerly scanned the texts to see if there were any strange nuances.

And she found a vacancy and licked her lips.

‘They must have switched.’

Some of the accounts she had been talking with disappeared before she knew it.

It would be filled with new people when the activity started soon, but it couldn’t be helped that there were people who had fled.

“Have they all switched to them?”

Recalling the group that had been making a buzz here and there for some time, the fan was overcome with a mysterious feeling.

A group with a junior who seemed to be quite close to Cheongryeo.

It was Testar from <Idol Inc.> season 3.

In fact, she also recently watched their reality show. This was because it was so popular on the Internet and she was a little interested in Park Moondae, who was close to Cheongryeo.

It was said that the video, which included all the elements people like from mukbang to gukppong, had secured even the ordinary people who were not interested in idols and middle-aged Wetube viewers.

– Ah??? Hotteok with ice cream on top? It’s irresistible

– Our handsome young people are promoting Korea’s delicious hotteok~ You’re good with your hands and your faces look great. Fighting^^

– ???Look at the faces of foreigners when they sing along to the song at Park Moondae’s store. I think I would be like that too If a chef from a distant country who was cutting kebabs suddenly picked a great song

– Oh my, what if they misunderstood that all Koreans look like that… I don’t know (smiley emoticon)

Thanks to the momentum, it was even scheduled to be aired on TV starting next week on T1 cable broadcast.

‘If my kids were asked to do something like that, they would do well, too.’

Cheongryeo’s fan grumbled, saying that it would be nice to work with a major broadcasting company.

But she couldn’t deny that it was fun. Their characters were alive even in scenes that just passed by.

For example, in the second half of the second episode, there was also a scene where the business was suddenly suspended due to an unexpected rush of sales from the first day.

[It really tastes like heaven. I’d like to order one more ice cream hotteok. Please.]

[Bae Sejin: O-Okay.]

Bae Se-jin, who was carefully sprinkling chocolate on hotteok, was so nervous about the sudden attack by the foreigner that he creaked into the kitchen.

[Bae Sejin: Hotteok… I need another ice cream hotteok.]

[Lee Sejin: Gasp. Hyung, we just ran out of dough!]

[!!!!]

The shaking screen effect shook Bae Sejin’s close-up.

[Bae Sejin: T-Then… W-Wait.]

[Lee Sejin: Ah, I’ll tell them! I’ll give them a lot of ice cream as a service~]

[Bae Sejin: …No, I’ll do it!]

[Bam!]

Bae Sejin filled up the ice cream with a determined sports cheering song as the BGM.

[Oh~ Thank you!]

[…Ahem, you’re welcome.]

And in the end, the additional order situation was concluded by receiving the customer’s OK sign and making a proud expression.

The screen was also lively In the sales inspection discussion that followed.

[Suspension due to excessive orders!]

[? Start of discussion ?]

Doodoom!

[Focusing on the recipe]

[Kim Raebin: It is a matter of skill to work with 50 pieces of dough and only make 40 pieces. I will learn 50 senses through practice after the business closes…!]

[Korea’s generosity(?)]

[Lee Sejin: The cost isn’t too high anyway, so let’s give them a lot~ Show them how generous Korea is~]

[Let’s make money]

[Park Moondae: Whatever you say, don’t stop kneading. We need to sell something.]

The members actively expressed their opinions and seemed to get along well while bickering with each other, and their different personalities were also highlighted one by one.

In particular, Bae Sejin, who froze in surprise at the smallest mistake, and Kim Raebin, a broken hotteok machine, were walking around as cute memes.

It definitely meant that they felt attractive as celebrities.

‘So leaks happen in our fandom too…’

But even that ends today, Cheongryeo’s fan thought.

Now that the hiatus was over and the comeback had been confirmed, VTIC would continue drawing attention at a terrifying speed!

‘As long as they pick a good song, their decline is far away!’

Rather, due to the influence of the member’s withdrawal incident, there was a lot of interest like ‘let’s see how well you’re holding up’ or ‘You’ve worked hard, I am cheering for you’.

And for a long time after his debut, Cheongryeo had never betrayed the fans’ expectations.

[Ring~ Tiring!]

“Ah, here it comes.”

As soon as the suggestion that ‘Viewers under the age of 12 are not permitted to watch’ passed by, she turned her attention to the TV.

‘The live comeback stage at the awards ceremony!’

Perhaps it was filmed in advance, the singers seated in the waiting room were briefly caught and passed by.

And the moment it passed a certain point.

“Heol.”

Testar was caught on the screen.

Of course, it was not that Cheongnyeo’s fan was suddenly impressed that Testar came out. It was because their timing was perfect.

They just appeared on the screen… putting the commemorative cushions they bought at the amusement park on their chairs.

Squish, squish, squish!

They even covered up the amusement park trademark.

And the camera took a dim close-up of the animal’s face on the cushions attached to the chair.

‘What is that?’

When she opened the internet page with a sudden gut feeling, the live viewers were laughing and plastering ‘????’.

Even for those who hadn’t watched Testar’s reality show, it was a funny scene that appeared out of the blue.

And those who watched the reality show were having fun sharing the background knowledge.

– Over here, it’s crazy???????

– What’s the story behind that???

– It’s on Testar’s reality show

– Gah??????Thousand dollars of Impulsive buying, but they make use of it to the fullest

– Look at Korean young people who pay off their debts on the US trip by selling hotteok~

“Wow…”

While waiting for VTIC to be caught on the screen, Cheongryeo’s fan had no choice but to admit it a little.

Those guys were really great.

* * *

“I want to use the cat cushion.”

“Cha Eugene, you broke the cat cushion! Be content with the dolphin.”

“I hate the dolphin.”

Cha Eugene had his eyes on Kim Raebin’s cushion bought from the shop. My head hurt as I kept looking at the situation.

I lifted my cushion.

“…Use the puppy cushion.”

“Nice!”

Cha Eugene happily took the puppy cushion and politely held out the dolphin with both hands.

It was definitely ugly, but I was going to crush it with my butt anyway, so it didn’t matter.

‘Huft.’

I laid down the cushion and sat down. I could hear another idol hurriedly holding back their laughter next to me.

‘Laugh a lot.’

It was a good sign that the viewers would laugh, too.

Since it seemed we had done a good job in promoting the reality show, let’s focus on the award ceremony now.

Like the seating arrangement.

‘VTIC is right next to us.’

Since Testar was more popular than last year, it was inevitable that we received a good seat.

Besides, it wasn’t Cheongryeo that bothered me. It was the guy next to me.

‘What’s with him?’

Next to me, Bae Sejin had a very grave expression.

Fortunately, because it was an awards ceremony, everyone would misunderstand that it was because of the award, or else there would be all sorts of speculation.

Holding back a sigh, I covered my mouth just in case and spoke quietly.

“Hyung, your expression.”

“Ah…!”

Immediately, Bae Sejin regained his usual expression. Certainly, his ability as an actor was outstanding.

‘Keun Sejin… Well, there’s nothing to worry about.’

The guy who was laughing and teasing Cha Eugene was no different than usual.

Well, it was only natural. I remembered the conversation I had with these guys yesterday.

– I won’t pay much attention, but I’d like to ask for a cover if the situation turns weird

– H-How??

– Hmm… If it looks like there’s going to be a problem, can you just change the subject?

In fact, in terms of the skill distribution, it was no different than just asking Keun Sejin rather than Bae Sejin, but as a courtesy, those words were delivered centering on the older one.

– Okay~

And as expected, Keun Sejin ended the reaction like without saying any further words.

However, Bae Sejin seemed to get a sense of duty from this conversation.

– Ahem, yes. Don’t worry!

After answering like this, he was high-spirited all the way through the awards ceremony as if he was escorting his younger brother who had been bullied on the way to the school.

‘Isn’t that what’s causing trouble?’

I probably shouldn’t say it.

But it was admirable that he was trying to be mindful, so I decided to ease the tension.

Like this.

“Come to think of it, Sejin hyung’s cushion has a ribbon on it.”

“That’s right. Sejin, that guinea pig character is cute.”

“…Yeah, I think so, too.”

“Yes. Did you buy it because you thought of it after watching the VOD reaction?”

“…!!”

Bae Sejin’s face turned red.

The VOD reaction was this.

A video of Testar’s reaction to the first concert rehearsal which was included in the VOD sales of this concert.

‘I heard they’ll release it to promote the VOD.’

And when Bae Sejin reacted, he lost it.

This was because the rehearsal video that came out was the unit stage fully equipped with costumes ranging from jean jackets to ribbons.

In addition, inquiries from the film production crew came out.

– The ribbon really suits you!

– …No

Watching Bae Sejin do this and run away on the screen, Cha Eugene had mercilessly burst into laughter.

Hmm, Bae Sejin yelled loud as if he recalled the same scene.

“No! It’s just similar to a hamster…!”

“Oh, a hamster.”

“It’s not that I’m a hamster! I-It’s because the fans call me that!”

“Guinea pigs are big hamsters, right?”

“Ugh.”

At the members’ innocent question, Bae Sejin sank. He wouldn’t be able to get out of it for a while.

‘They must have looked harmonious, so it’s killing two birds with one stone.’

I smiled and looked away from Bae Sejin.

Then, my eyes met with the people at the next table who were just entering.

“…!”

“Oh! Moondae-ssi~!”

The two VTIC guys who appeared together with me in a variety show last time smiled and waved as soon as our eyes met.

And right next to them stood the guy who tried to hit my head with a hammer.