Debut or Die

Chapter 36

The production team’s explanation was simple.

Take some time to relax by playing and winning prizes.

In other words, this is what they meant.

‘You guys should act cute and enjoy the school trip vibe and then we get to do some promotion for T1 products.’

Everyone probably guessed the nuance but compared to the aftermath of the ranking announcement ceremony, the atmosphere became better.

The product was good and the rules were loose.

“There is no ranking, so it will progress according to your will~”

“Ah…”

“If you come out, you can unconditionally win one of the prizes!”

“…Yes!”

The answering voices were more relaxed.

This was because it was a format where they had nothing to lose.

‘The fact that there is no MC also played a part in making us really feels like we’re taking a rest.’

…To be honest, I was tempted by the dryer too.

I lived in a one-room apartment so I had no place to put it, but I didn’t expect such large electronics to come out as products of this hasty plan.

‘I guess the program is going really well.’

As I thought so while looking at the picture of the kimchi refrigerator included in the product, the photos of the product disappeared from the screen and large letters appeared.

[Talent show: Random dance.]

[The one who stays until the end is the winner!]

‘You guys even left the font as it is.’

The Hamchorong font was brilliant.

Regardless of my impression, soon there was a five-second countdown on the screen.

Then some of the guys who were in good condition ran out and began to wait.

[Start!]

And famous KPOP chorus came out one after another.

“Ugh.”

“Hey, you’re wrong! We have to go in!”

“W-what?”

At first, the participants joined in mechanically, but probably because of the amount of time, they almost made a skit to determine the winner in the end.

After about 12 songs, the winner came out.

“Ah, thank you~”

It was Keun Sejin.

“No one asked, but I’ll tell you how I feel. I think the PR live sharpened my skills for this day. Hahaha!”

“Wow~”

Keun Sejin, who did similar content during PR, smiled brazenly and said that then he quickly put his hand into the draw box to pick a note.

“Now, my prize product is…”

[(Real) 1 box of boneless chicken feet.]

“I’ll give it to Moondae.”

The participants burst into laughter at Keun Sejin’s rapid change of attitude. Even the staff covered their mouths and laughed, so there was no angle that showed me frowning at Keun Sejin who looked this way and winked.

‘How long will this chicken feet image last?’

I had a foreboding feeling that if it continued being mentioned like this, it would follow me until I retired.

Anyway, the atmosphere became even more relaxed because Keun Sejin gave a big laugh.

“Give me the next one, please!”

“This is amusing, really.”

After four or five more matches like this, the majority of the participants were serious about the talent show.

And there were still a few expensive home appliances left as prize products.

Then the sixth talent show appeared on the screen.

[Talent show: Random karaoke]

[The one who sings the first verse is the winner!]

“This is an event for me.”

“Wow, I really want to go out, but haven’t I already won? What should I do?”

Ignoring Keun Sejin who was being noisy, I hesitated for a moment and then moved forward.

“Oh~~ Are you confident, Moondae?”

In fact, I wasn’t very confident. I didn’t want to make it a big thing.

This was just a defense in case showing a passive appearance after ranking up made me look arrogant.

…If possible, it would be better to win and take the dryer.

There were seven products left, so the chance of getting it was 14%, which was good enough for me to be hopeful.

With four participants facing each other, I waited for the countdown to end. The production crew quietly left a microphone on the floor.

[Start!]

As soon as the screen changed, an intro immediately flowed.

Boom Clap Boom Clap Boom Shake Boom Clap~

An addictive melody resounded in the auditorium.

“…?”

“What?”

The faces of the participants, who thought KPOP would come out, became blank.

Yes, what came out was a K-trot karaoke accompaniment.

“Uh…”

“Wait, wait.”

Participants listened to the intro with confused expressions, but they couldn’t tell what song it was just by listening to the intro.

This was because there were more than one or two trot songs that started with an exciting rhythm in the intro

“…”

I was in conflict, but I eventually sneaked forward and picked up the microphone.

“…!!”

“Moondae sings trot…?”

Gold 1’s murmur was heard all the way here.

“Maybe he just grab it?”

“Does he really know that song?”

I didn’t answer the shouts and just started singing at the end of the intro.

“It’s raining on Namdaemun Street in Seou~ There’s no one I’m looking for~”

“..!!”

The participants were whispering.

“Heol.”

“How did he know?”

How do I know? I’ve seen it a lot.

When I went to filmings a few times, I often saw the stage of trot singers.

Especially since it was often placed right before the idol stage, I had listened to quite a lot of songs that were popular with the elderly enough to show it later in the event.

The original singer’s performance… Hmm, I probably saw it twice a day back when I saw this kind of event a lot.

Later, the singer recognized me and winked at the camera.

I remembered uploading the fancam on WeTube out of conscience. Hmm, it helped me this way.

“Ah~ The one I’ve been looking for~ The one I’ve been looking for~”

Since it was quite a famous song, the participants sang along when it entered the chorus. I wondered if the singer felt like this at the event.

“I left Seoul~”

“Ooh.”

After I pointlessly sang the first verse following the mood, the participants applauded with admiration.

This was more than cheering… It was like a reaction you would show when watching a strange scene in a magic show.

It was a little embarrassing, but it was successful anyway, so I decided to focus on drawing the prize.

I greeted the participants a few times, then put down the microphone and grabbed the draw box.

When I opened the note, I could see a frozen silver body in the picture.

‘Maybe the dryer…!’

[Kimchi refrigerator]

“…….”

Crazy.

“Hey! Kimchi refrigerator!”

“What’s up with Moondae’s luck~!”

“It’s the refrigerator Moondae was looking for.”

Participants poured out and surrounded me with excitement. I looked at the note with a bewildered feeling and suddenly realized the reality.

‘…Don’t they give the goods without paying the taxes?’

I had no money to pay the taxes.

As soon as I received the product, I would sell it through a second-hand transaction, pay the tax, and fill up my bank account.

Anyway, it felt good to catch something expensive.

Keun Sejin, who was celebrating next to me, whispered softly.

“Moondae, let’s exchange products…”

“I won’t.”

“Yes.”

Eat your chicken feet.

* * *

After the last match, the talent show ended splendidly, and the filming of the team match began in a more relaxed atmosphere.

I wonder if it was difficult for the MC to proceed due to the adjusted filming schedule, and surprisingly, Youngrin took the lead and announced a new team match.

“<Re-listed! Idol Inc.>, it’s already the third team match. Participants, I’d like you to praise yourself for holding on from 77 people to 30 people.”

Although it wasn’t the MC’s lively voice, Youngrin proceeded with the situation calmly and seriously.

Above all, they were words from an already successful idol, so the participants seemed to take it more meaningfully.

Right next to me, Gold 2 was smiling and stroking his own hair. It was quite a spectacle.

“In this third team match, the team is built in a rather unusual way.”

Let’s see, so far, the team has been formed by the choice of participants, so it’s time for other factors to intervene.

But the element was a bit unusual.

“It’s the big data algorithm.”

“…What?”

“Big data?”

When the concept we usually saw on IT news suddenly appeared, the participants looked at Youngrin with puzzled expressions.

Youngrin smiled and continued speaking.

“<Idol Inc.> analyzed the patterns in which shareholders buy your stock. So the team is formed around stocks that a number of shareholders bought together at the same time.”

In other words, it meant that the money-spending viewers were tying us together and forming a team of their favorite participants.

“Detailed analysis data can be found on <Re-listed! Idol Inc.> website. Everyone, are you ready to meet your team members selected by the big data of shareholders?”

“Gasp.”

“It’s so exciting.”

Participants began whispering with silly expressions and looking around to see who they would be with.

I also looked around the participants in moderation.

‘First of all… I think Seon Ahyeon and Keun Sejin will be there.’

I knew it would be these two just by looking at SNS. Unsurprisingly, Seon Ahyeon waved to me with his eyes shining brightly.

Keun Sejin took a step forward and patted me on the back and said.

“Hey, I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

“Yeah. Okay.”

Keun Sejin giggled to himself at my blunt answer. I guess he thought my words were a joke.

“Looks like you’re ready. Then come out in order and pick up the box.”

Behind Youngrin, a table with black boxes was set up.

“There are badges in the box. After receiving the box, go down the hallway and enter the room marked with the badge.“

Then Youngrin called the participants in alphabetical order and began handing the boxes to them.

Of course, ‘Park Moondae’ was called quite early.

“Participant Park Moondae. Please take the box.”

I took a box that had the name ‘Park Moondae’ on it and went out the door.

Of course, a staff with a camera was waiting in the hallway. When I opened the box in front of them, a rabbit head-shaped badge appeared.

“…Rabbit?”

I murmured a little bewildered, then quickly closed my mouth, conscious of the camera.

Then I looked up and checked the rooms lined up in the hallway. Each room had a nameplate.

<Chicken>

<Cat>

<Deer>

<Puppy>

<Bear>

And I found the name I was looking for in the last room.

<Rabbit>

“…”

Overall… The naming sense that felt like a kindergarten class stood out.

‘Well, it’s just dividing the team.’

Presuming it was meant to be humorous, I immediately opened the door.

I wasn’t too nervous because all the participants who were likely to be on the same team would be called later than me.

‘I’m probably the first one.’

But as soon as I opened the door and stepped in, the person sitting on the floor suddenly raised his head and looked at me.

“…?”

It was Kim Raebin.

Why are you here…?

“Park Moondae hyung.”

Kim Raebin jumped to his feet with a happy face, then he slowly moved over and stepped aside.

It seemed he was being considerate by letting me sit in the middle.

But, there are only two of us…?

“I didn’t know I could be on the same team again. It’s really nice to see you.”

“…Right. I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

“Yes.”

It was a peaceful conversation, but complex reasonings flowed in my head.

‘Why is Kim Raebin on the same team as me?’

It was only in the previous episode 7 that I had an interaction with Kim Raebin.

So the percentage of votes after episode 7 was big enough to affect the ‘big data algorithm’?

‘Of course, it would be possible if we only considered the stocks of the previous ranking announcement ceremony, but…’

As I weighed the possibilities, I realized a simple fact.

‘Aha.’

It was because Kim Raebin was rarely involved with other participants.

I didn’t know how it was weighted, but it was quite convincing that he joined the team because the only participants involved with Kim Raebin were me and Cha Eugene.

‘Well, it’s good to have high-ranking participants.’

I neatly organized my thoughts and sat down on the floor. Kim Raebin immediately talked to me again.

“Hyung, the song you just sang at the talent show, it’s my favorite song too.”

“…Really?”

I wondered if I really needed to know that Kim Raebin liked trot, but anyway, we passed the time by chatting roughly until the next team member came in

Then, after quite some time, the next team member opened the door and came in.