Genius Idol’s Strategy to Conquer the Entertainment Industry

Chapter 282

September had already arrived.

Considering we couldn’t perform on music shows much during the first and second weeks, this album promotion, planned for a total of five weeks, was already at its midpoint.

The title track “Again” seemed to have received what people commonly referred to as a “public pick.”

The song was performing much better than expected, to the extent that it was still steadily holding high positions on major music charts—one might say it was achieving record-breaking success.

When transitioning from “Liberation” to “Dream,” various metrics like music video views, official account followers, and album sales were clearly on the rise.

This time, the growth was even more significant when moving from “Dream” to “Again.”

Thanks to this, we achieved a rare feat for a rookie boy idol group with weak public appeal. Even in the third week, where a significant portion of first-week album sales points were missing, we managed to win the first-place trophy twice on cable music shows, including Music Round.

Gyun Seong-ha, who had teared up while receiving the second first-place trophy, didn’t cry the third time and calmly delivered his acceptance speech, earning lots of affection from the Aeri fans.

Given the situation, it was even more regrettable that we couldn’t perform on terrestrial music shows early in our promotion.

‘I really think we could have won first place if we had.’

However, setting the comeback schedule like this was not only the company’s decision but also the members’ will. In hindsight, although it felt regrettable, it had been the best choice at the time, so there was no point in dwelling on it.

‘Ha… If only we had postponed or brought it forward by a week.’

[Your appearance is pure regret itself. Acting skill +1]

This guy was definitely boosting my stats just to mock me.

I really needed to let go of my regrets.

And finally, next week would be the recording day for the Idol Sports Competition.

The most challenging and strenuous part of preparing for the Idol Sports Competition, the cheering practice, was almost finished. Tonight, we gathered at the AJ building for a final rehearsal-like group practice late at night.

“I’m dying….”

We, who were active during the promotion period, were exhausted.

The time was so late that we could hear senior singers grumbling about how this was worse than preparing for year-end joint stages.

Despite that, few were late.

It was somewhat comforting that the Blue Team’s atmosphere, which had been a bit chaotic due to the choreographer’s excessive demands last time, seemed more organized today.

The Blue Team members formally congratulated us on our first music show win.

“Guys, congrats on your first place.”

“The song is really good. It deserved to be first.”

“All your songs are great. It’s a shame you didn’t get first place with the previous one.”

“But honestly, the song is not just a compliment. Don’t you think we could use it as our team’s cheering song this time? It’s perfect.”

“Yeah, I thought the same. We haven’t fixed our cheer song for this year, right?”

“Yeah. The rule is to reveal it on the day.”

A team cheer song is the representative song of a team, played loudly by the production team when a team member scores in a ball game or achieves first place in another event at the Idol Sports Competition.

It was usually selected from one of the songs released that year by a group belonging to the team.

It wasn’t common to have the same song exposed on a public broadcast multiple times in a short period, so it was advantageous if chosen.

“No…. Just hearing it during workouts is enough……”

Lai, the Blue Team leader, joked that he would die from his trainer’s fiery gaze whenever that song played during workouts, causing laughter to break out here and there.

Another victim of the “Again” health version, it seemed.

For reference, I was also one of those victims.

The other night, I went to work out briefly, and the trainer, with a cheerful laugh, thanked me for making a great song while separating my bones and flesh.

Reading the comments on Witube, where the trainers’ grateful comments coexisted with the resentful curses of the victims asking why such a song was created and released into the world, made me feel the duality of life.

Even if “Again” was acceptable, the health version of “Again” should never have been released.

Anyway, the production team would decide the team cheer song, so there was no need to worry much about it.

As for other matters….

“Raon, are you feeling better?”

“Did you visit the hospital last time?”

“Yes. I went to the hospital right away, and there were no major issues.”

“That’s a relief.”

“We were really worried back then, wondering what we’d do if you got hurt just before the comeback.”

“Thank you for worrying. I’m really okay.”

I could feel that the team’s attitude towards me had become much more favorable compared to before.

It was easy to distinguish between simple affection for my incredibly handsome face and a more profound interest involving other factors.

I had experienced enough of the former during my time as On Hae-jae.

Previously, it was closer to the former, but now it was definitely the latter.

Since there hadn’t been much interaction with the team members before, I wondered why they had suddenly changed.

It seemed that the human flaw I showed last time while doing acrobatics, which was somewhat like slapstick comedy, and the fact that I composed ‘Again,’ the most popular song among recently released idol tracks, earned me some extra points.

Just like how Go Kyung-yoon of Liften considered me a good person to know, I might have entered a similar category in their social network.

After practicing the choreography we had each prepared, during a break, Rai spoke with a smile.

“I thought Raon was just someone who liked to make friends like Juan, but seeing you like this, you might resemble him, but you’re not quite the same.”

“Pardon?”

To say that I resembled Juan, who loved chatting with anyone, was absurd.

There were people here who were also deceived by that ridiculous manipulated broadcast.

That accursed Pick Heart played a significant role in planting the false image that I was an extrovert.

Still, I was pleased that someone finally understood the truth, so I quickly shared my grievances with Rai.

“Right? I’m really introverted and shy, but people keep misunderstanding me, calling me an extrovert and all.”

“Yes. It might be overwhelming now because everyone here is your senior….”

While listening to my complaints, Rai, whose expression turned somewhat subtle, kindly spoke like a senior. At that moment, Jena, an AJ celebrity, entered the practice room with a few staff members.

When the senior artist appeared, the idols who had been chatting, some with only up to six years of experience, immediately turned their attention to Jena.

“Hello, senior!”

“Hello!”

The idols, including Rai, who was next to me, greeted with nods.

I hadn’t noticed it often since I saw her frequently at Pick Heart,

“Hello. Hi. I just dropped by this year too. It’s late, so let’s eat while we practice.”

As Jena and the staff placed a pile of snacks in one corner of the practice room, cheers of “Thank you for the food!” were heard from various places.

Traditionally, AJ-affiliated idols were primarily assigned to the Blue Team, so it was natural for Blue Team cheer practice to be held at the AJ headquarters.

Thus, it wasn’t Jena’s first time visiting the cheer practice site.

She must have come to take care of her juniors.

Those who were close to Jena gathered around her, while those who weren’t as familiar found it awkward and retreated to the side.

As Jena chatted with acquaintances, she caught my eye and greeted me cheerfully by name.

“Raon! How have you been?”

“Yes! You said you’d shoot a challenge video with us last time. Can we do it today?”

“That’s right. Let’s do it later then. Are you free after this? Or will you be too tired?”

“I’m fine.”

“Then I’ll watch your choreography beforehand. Just the hook part, right?”

“It only takes you ten seconds to learn the choreography. Can I just show you today?”

It’s rare to get the chance to teach something to Hwang Jena, the emperor of K-pop.

During Pick Heart, mentors like Jena and Muk Hye-sung were just celebrities nearby.

Seeing her after debuting, with a different perspective, made me realize how remarkable she was.

She went from being a kind celebrity to an incredibly amazing senior.

Jena, amused by my words, nodded readily.

“Oh~ okay. Contact me after this then. I’ll be here for work all day.”

“Wow… Hye-sung can’t even get you to call him ‘hyung,’ but you call Jena ‘noona’? You’re not even twenty yet.”

An AJ staff member, surprised, asked, and Jena proudly boasted that she was the one Raon called ‘noona.’

“Hye-sung oppa thinks of himself as an old man, so he can’t insist on being called ‘hyung,’ but I don’t think of myself as an old lady at all, so I asked to be called ‘noona.’ Honestly, I haven’t taught him enough to be called ‘teacher.'”

“But still, it’s a bit… for Hye-sung to be called an old man at his age and with that face….”

Murmurs of agreement spread among the staff.

“As a legitimate nephew, let me say this.”

As a fifth cousin of Muk Hye-sung, I found it hard to just listen to this in silence.

“He’s just handsome, but he’s indeed an old man.”

“!”

“But please keep this a secret from Mr. Muk. He’ll send a long text to scold me.”

After the laughter subsided, Jena moved to another area, and I saw Rai standing next to me, literally with his mouth agape.

“Introverted? Shy…?”

Rai mumbled, looking at my face.

[No way. Rai, the Blue Team leader, firmly denies the fact that you, the only one who believes you are introverted, are among the top three difficult people to approach. Lee Ji-seok’s favorability +3, current favorability +29]

This guy?