NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3
The Fall of Zero One
Various Controversies Within the Group
At this point, the name “Zero One” was used less frequently than the derogatory term “Zirral (number) One,” coined by anti-fans to criticize the group’s actions. Initially, it was a term created by malicious anti-fans, but it didn’t take long before it became widely known among fans and those involved in the idol industry.
Zero One faced severe backlash for various issues that are considered fatal for idols, such as deceiving fans, attitude problems, and character controversies. Additionally, the members displayed behavior that made one question if they had any camaraderie or friendship among them.
One member disappeared without any prior notice, and neither the agency nor the other members spoke about it. For over a year, there were no sightings, and fans couldn’t even know if the members were alive.
Two members were frequently seen at entertainment establishments, associating with rappers from Immersive Records, a label notorious for clubs, drugs, and various scandals.
A third member, after a supporting role in a web drama that became a hit, neglected idol activities to focus solely on acting. When asked about a comeback by an idol fan, he replied that the next drama project was planned for the first half of the following year.
A fourth member collaborated with an American artist, then suddenly moved to the U.S., declaring in an interview that he would only deal with “real music” from now on. Since then, he hadn’t returned to Korea and was only active as a producer in the U.S.
Finally…
### Anonymous Celebrity Gossip: “01’s Gyeo Yeong-in is the most pitiful.” [47]
ㅇㅇ 202N.01.21 │ Views: 1,537
He’s really… a case of being on the wrong team…
His love for his fans is unmatched, and there’s no other idol like him, but seeing the other members constantly causing trouble must make him shed tears. Even as a non-fan, I find it pitiful and sad.
[Comments: 47]
>> My bias is trapped in a failing group. Please leave Zero One and debut as a solo artist, Young-in.
└ #GoYounginSolo #LeaveZeroOne #LeaveFailureGroup
└ Do you think he’d succeed as a solo artist? Without the group’s name, he’s nothing.
>> Birds of a feather flock together. Who knows what he’s doing behind the scenes?
└ He doesn’t seem to be close with the other members, though.
└ Stop making baseless guesses and spreading them on Twitter.
└ How do you know what their relationship is like? They seem to get along well, so don’t worry about it.
>> If he’s part of the same team, he should manage the members properly. What’s Gyeo Yeong-in even doing to keep the team together? If he truly loved his fans, he would have straightened out the other members.
└ Seriously? Why is this Gyeo Yeong-in’s fault? It’s the problematic members who are to blame.
└ But I get why people say this. Honestly, Gyeo Yeong-in does seem a bit cold.
>> It’s true that compared to other groups, Zero One members don’t seem close. There’s hardly any relationship fodder.
└ That’s why there were rumors from the beginning. The members aren’t fun, nor do they have appealing relationships. They seem too business-like, making it hard to feel attached.
└ I totally agree. I initially liked their looks but then settled for another group.
>> As long as idols do their main job well, who cares about their relationships?
Despite not causing any scandals or controversies himself, Gyeo Yeong-in worked tirelessly to prevent fans from leaving. However, because he was in the same group, he ended up being criticized alongside the problematic members.
At this point, it felt like there was no lower the group could sink.
It was quite a feat for each member to consistently create scandals without overlapping issues. It was hard to believe they managed to gather so many problematic individuals in one group.
Yet, Zero One did just that.
When it seemed like there was no lower they could go, new scandals emerged as if to remind everyone that there was still a basement below the floor.
### HOT! Anonymous Celebrity Gossip: “Who said Zero One members wouldn’t make it to the crime section of the news?” [999+]
ㅇㅇ 202N.02.04 │ Views: 92,893
[“I’m scared to go to school” School bullying allegations against male idol L… Verbal abuse, bullying, extortion]
[Prosecutors, Thought It Was Drunk Driving… Towing Driver Gyun Woo Indicted on Charges of Methamphetamine Use]
[Idol group member C involved in affair with married woman, partner revealed to be a famous actress]
[Fans enraged by continued scandals of a famous idols… “Plagiarism idol” P assaults civilian in Gangnam]
Come out and apologize immediately!
[Comments: 999+]
>> ???: “Members involved in criminal activities should voluntarily leave the group to avoid tarnishing its reputation.”
└ If they do, only one member will be left.
>> With their behavior, it seemed inevitable they’d end up in the crime section.
└ Agreed. Even if it wasn’t the crime section, they were bound to fail.
>> Oh… the time and money I invested in them feels so wasted. If they were decent people, they wouldn’t have done this to the remaining members.
>> Only Gyeo Yeong-in is left… I still have faith in you, Gyeo Yeong-in.
└ What’s there to believe in? He won’t be any different.
Zero One had achieved the “honor” of making it to the crime section of the news.
As the years passed, the group began to crumble beyond recovery.
From the beginning, there was a sense that the group’s foundation was shaky, but no one could have predicted the members would turn out to be so hopeless.
By the time the group was somewhat established, Gyeo Yeong-in had nearly given up on his fellow members.
Initially, he struggled to keep up with the chaos due to the overwhelming stress of their debut. Later, the relationships had deteriorated to the point where there was no saving them.
With character flaws, scandals, and accidents piling up…
It was questionable if they could ever be considered a perfect idol group, but since the warnings hadn’t accumulated to five times, a reset hadn’t occurred.
However, the idea of a “perfect” idol group was long gone. Did it mean it was okay as long as the individual was perfect?
That was the question Gyeo Yeong-in pondered throughout the group’s activities, but the status window didn’t provide an answer.
Just like the calm before the storm before the first reset.
Of course, Gyeo Yeong-in’s ominous premonition was once again accurate.
## [K Daily] Car Falls into the Sea on Coastal Road… Is the Deceased a Famous Idol G?
????????8,987│????5,318 comments
In the early hours of the 4th, a car driven by G, a man in his twenties, fell off a cliff on a coastal road.
According to the police and fire authorities…
### [Comments: 5,318]
noo***: It seems to be Gyeo Yeong-in from Zero One. May he rest in peace.
Just a few months before his contract with the agency was set to expire.
* * *
Was it mentioned that the situation was beyond exasperating?
“Shit. We’ve finally become a group where every member has made it to the crime section.”
Gyeo Yeong-in scoffed at himself.
The message on the status window indicating that the reset was complete is no longer registered in his mind.
Why couldn’t it have just ended with his death instead of another reset?
Damn status window. It’s useless in life.
“Answer me, for once. Don’t just show up when you feel like it.”
### Ding
[There are 2 unchecked update items.]
“…What?”
Gyeo Yeong-in sprang up from his bed.
This had never happened in all the countless resets he’d experienced.
“Updates…?”
What kind of trick is this? Is it beneficial or harmful?
Given the status window’s history, it’s bound to be harmful.
He couldn’t even begin to guess what had been updated.
Before he could decide whether to check it, the status window displayed a new message with a notification sound.
[Due to fulfilling your duties diligently until the end of your exclusive contract with the agency, you have been granted a bonus benefit.]
[Currently, ‘Zero One’ is celebrating its second debut anniversary. This is the optimal choice and starting point as nothing significant has happened yet.]
**[Become the Ultimate Idol!]**
Gyeo Yeong-in’s eyes widened. ‘What is happening right now?’
He looked down at himself belatedly.
In the confusion, he hadn’t fully registered it, but he was in the body of an adult, not a child.
It was so different that he hadn’t noticed until now. He must have been really out of it.
Is this the bonus benefit? Starting from the middle instead of the beginning?
“I’m not sure if I should be happy about this or not.”
With a conflicted expression, Gyeo Yeong-in blinked. Then, another notification sounded, and the status window displayed a new message.
[An additional clause has been added to the existing provisions].
[‘100 Clauses to Become the Perfect Idol’ has been updated to ‘101 Clauses to Become the Perfect Idol’ with the addition of 1 clause.]
[Clause 101│A perfect idol ‘group’ is not made alone.]
What the hell is this additional clause? And why is it saying a group isn’t made alone?
[A new set of clauses has been added.]
[‘50 Clauses to Become a Kind Idol Leader’ has been added.]
Another addition… What is this madness?
Gyeo Yeong-in screamed internally as he rubbed his face roughly.
## * * *
Although he understood in his head that he had died in an accident and then reset, it still didn’t feel real.
It felt like he was just floating alone in the vast sea.
This kind of death was a first… Was it really the first?
Gyeo Yeong-in felt surprisingly okay, leading to the absurd thought that it wasn’t much different from a reset.
But what overwhelmed him was a deep sense of emptiness.
Maybe this time he could have finally escaped the damned status window.
The only bonus benefit that mattered to Gyeo Yeong-in was one thing: escaping this damned status window.
His eyes were red from fatigue, reflecting his exhaustion. After sitting quietly for a long time, he finally let out a deep sigh.