Chapter 29 - We Can Win
“Team Leader, do you think DP Entertainment interfered on purpose?”
Seo Na-eun asked cautiously.
“To crush us Newstarz?”
“That's entirely possible.”
Park Yeong-ho answered with a frown.
“Right now, we're in a situation where we have to promote on a grand scale that Newstarz will be reborn as a complete 5-member group and make their first appearance at Night-Bomb. I've already prepared things so that the news will spread all over the internet soon. However...”
While everyone watched with stiff expressions, Park Yeong-ho let out a sigh.
“Choux-pop is participating in place of She's On, who suddenly had to drop out... what do you think will happen if news like that spreads everywhere?”
“Relatively speaking, the Newstarz news will receive less attention...”
Because of Choux-pop's and She's On's status, it's bound to be that way.
From a marketing perspective, we're bound to suffer damage.
“Besides, we're bound to be affected on the actual stage as well. If Choux-pop shows an amazing performance and gets an enthusiastic response, from our perspective, who has to go on stage right after them, it's very pressuring.”
“……”
“Imagine if Choux-pop shows a much better performance than us, and the internet news and communities are plastered with talk about how Choux-pop was the best. If that happens... Newstarz will just be buried.”
The first stage of the reborn, complete 5-member Newstarz will be buried.
From Haram Entertainment's perspective, that is a nightmare-like situation.
“Honestly, I thought that going on stage right after She's On wouldn't be a problem. She's On is a group that's in the top three in Korea, and a comparison with our Newstarz isn't even valid. No one would say anything if Newstarz was worse than She's On.”
“……”
“However, Choux-pop isn't at that level. Although they're a more popular group than us, they're not at a level where a comparison isn't even valid, like with She's On. Besides, Choux-pop has Joo Ga-hee, who left Newstarz.”
As expected, Choux-pop is a cut above Newstarz.
Joo Ga-hee did the right thing by going to Choux-pop.
Even though we went through the trouble of recruiting Yoo Jeong-ah, we're no match for Choux-pop, which has Joo Ga-hee.
If that kind of evaluation bursts out from here and there... Newstarz will suffer great damage.
“Actually, from DP Entertainment's perspective, they probably don't have any thought of keeping us in check. Because they probably aren't wary of us to that extent. However, they probably do have the thought of wanting to use us as a stepping stone to leap even higher.”
“It must be their intention to use us as a stepping stone to raise their own status even more.”
“Yeah, if it's Team Leader Jeong Do-woon over there, he's more than capable of that.”
Park Yeong-ho frowned as he mentioned the team-leader-level manager from DP Entertainment.
“Anyway, since DP Entertainment has set out to crush us, we're bound to suffer damage. I'll look for a way to minimize the damage somehow, so you all should also prepare yourselves...”
“Team Leader.”
Right at that moment.
Baek Hyeon-woo, who had been listening to the story quietly with his mouth shut, opened his mouth.
“Why must we be the ones to suffer damage?”
“What are you talking about?”
Park Yeong-ho looked at Baek Hyeon-woo's face.
“Didn't you hear what I've been saying? If DP Entertainment comes out like that...”
“Isn't it just a matter of us doing better?”
“What?”
“If it's a situation where we're bound to be compared with Choux-pop, wouldn't it be fine if we just showed a better performance and crushed Choux-pop?”
“……!”
At Baek Hyeon-woo's remark, not only Park Yeong-ho but also the Newstarz members' eyes widened.
“If Choux-pop is trying to raise their own status using us as a stepping stone, then we just have to raise our status using Choux-pop as a stepping stone.”
“N-No, there's no way that will go as planned...”
“And, you said that Choux-pop participating as She's On's substitute would become a bigger topic, right?”
“Y-Yes?”
“Isn't it just a matter of providing an even more interesting topic than that?”
“A more interesting topic?”
The reason She's On's absence and Choux-pop's urgent addition can arouse people's interest is purely because the status of those two groups is high.
The news itself isn't interesting.
So, all we have to do is spread an even more provocative topic from our side.
“Let's spread articles that emphasize the bad blood between us and Choux-pop.”
“What?”
“We'll make it so that it's widely reported that Joo Ga-hee, who left Newstarz right before their debut, is in Choux-pop. And we'll also do some behind-the-scenes maneuvering so that rumors spread that her withdrawal process was a bit dirty.”
“……!”
The fact that Joo Ga-hee's withdrawal process from Newstarz wasn't clean is a story not well known to the public.
Even Baek Hyeon-woo didn't know at all until recently.
If we spread this story, there will definitely be a reaction.
“And let's also emphasize the fact that Yoo Jeong-ah was eliminated and couldn't get into Choux-pop when she was at DP Entertainment. That a member, Choux-pop didn't choose is debuting in Newstarz.”
“Y-You want to spread that too?”
“Because that's the only way a proper showdown narrative will be formed.”
Yoo Jeong-ah looked at Baek Hyeon-woo with a surprised expression.
However, Baek Hyeon-woo paid it no mind and continued to speak.
“After we form a showdown narrative by emphasizing the bad blood between us... all we have to do is defeat Choux-pop.”
“A-Assistant Manager Baek, that's easier said than done...”
Park Yeong-ho stuttered.
“If we create that kind of atmosphere and then end up getting evaluated as being worse than Choux-pop, it'll really be the end. Can you handle that?”
“Isn't it just a matter of us doing better and winning?”
“Do you think that's possible?”
“It is possible.”
Newstarz has members with outstanding talent.
And... there's Baek Hyeon-woo, who can confirm with his own eyes whether that talent is being properly displayed.
“For the remaining time, I will take responsibility and raise their level of perfection as much as possible.”
“Assistant Manager Baek…”
“If it's Newstarz, it's possible, Team Leader.”
Saying that, Baek Hyeon-woo turned his head and looked at the Newstarz members.
Their Mental Condition stats were unwavering.
We will follow Baek Hyeon-woo and face off against Choux-pop... they had all made up their minds like that.
“We can win.”
He said so, filled with conviction.
***
The next day.
After handing the practice menu to the other members, Baek Hyeon-woo took only Kim So-yeong and headed to TVX.
This was because a schedule had been set for Kim So-yeong to appear on 'Idol Weekly'.
Until now, Kanade had appeared frequently, but this was the first time Kim So-yeong was appearing.
“I can't do entertaining talks, so I'm a bit nervous.”
Kim So-yeong, who had arrived at the waiting room early and even finished her styling, was worried.
“How can I do an entertaining talk like Kanade...”
“Kanade probably doesn't think about that kind of thing at all...”
Kanade is just showing herself as she is.
“Still, I want to show an entertaining side of me somehow.”
“Um…”
Normally, Kim So-yeong projects a confident image, and is also considered to be in charge of the girl crush concept.
No one would imagine that such a Kim So-yeong would be having those kinds of worries in the waiting room.
“So-yeong-ah, you don't need to worry about it that much.”
“Yes?”
“It's okay to not try so hard to show an entertaining side. If you get too tense, it actually becomes less fun.”
PD Seo Dong-cheol also pointed that out last time.
That Seo Na-eun and Kim So-yeong were model students with too strong a sense of responsibility to work hard and show a good side.
So it was Seo Dong-cheol's view that they weren't fun in variety shows.
“Just showing yourself as you are is enough.”
“Manager-nim…”
“Even without imitating others, you're charming enough, So-yeong. I'll guarantee it.”
As he spoke to her like that while meeting her eyes, Kim So-yeong made a flustered expression.
“You sometimes speak too directly, Manager-nim.”
“Directly?”
“If you look at a woman with such an ardent gaze and tell her she's charming, it sounds like you're hitting on her.”
Baek Hyeon-woo immediately denied the unexpected reaction.
“No, that wasn't my intention.”
“This is a big problem. An idol has to keep her distance from the opposite sex, but what should I do when my manager keeps hitting on me like that.”
As Baek Hyeon-woo made a flustered expression, Kim So-yeong chuckled.
“Hehe, it's a joke.”
Saying that, Kim So-yeong fanned her face with her hand.
Her own face had turned red from her own joke.
“As expected, I shouldn't do things I'm not used to. I probably shouldn't make these kinds of jokes on variety shows, right?”
“It would probably be risky...”
“I understand. From now on, I'll only do it to you, Manager-nim.”
“You'll do it again?”
“I have to practice until the jokes come out naturally. So please exchange jokes with me sometimes.”
“……”
Does she intend to keep teasing me like this in the future?
As an attempt to break away from being a model student, it's not bad, but it's a bit much to just keep being on the receiving end like this.
“Still, it's a fact that I think So-yeong as she is is charming.”
“……”
Kim So-yeong's complexion, which had calmed down, turned red again.
“This person, really...”
As Kim So-yeong muttered that and turned her head.
A loud noise was heard from outside the waiting room.
“What's going on?”
“Isn't that Black D?”
Black D is a girl group that debuted from DP Entertainment early this year.
Today on 'Idol Weekly', one member of Black D was scheduled to appear as a guest along with Kim So-yeong.
Peeking his head out of the waiting room, he saw an idol, who was as tall as Kim So-yeong, pointing her finger at her manager.
It was Da-yeon, Black D's main vocalist and the one in charge of their girl crush concept.
“Why isn't it a solo waiting room?”
“Da-yeon-ah, the broadcasting station just told us to share it, so what can we do.”
“This waiting room is already small as it is, and you're telling me to share it with another kid? Are you kidding me?”
“Still, asking them to provide a new waiting room just for you...”
She was in the middle of getting annoyed at her manager after finding out she had to share a waiting room with Kim So-yeong.
Watching that prickly sight, Baek Hyeon-woo clicked his tongue inwardly.
‘As expected, the Newstarz members have good personalities.’
At the same time, he also felt sympathy for that manager.
He had forgotten because he had never once experienced power abuse while working with Newstarz, but originally, a road manager was an extreme job where you had to endure power abuse from celebrities.
“Stop it. What are you doing in the hallway.”
“Ah, Team Leader...”
At that moment, a man wearing glasses walked down the hallway.
He looked back and forth between Da-yeon and the manager, then said in a cold voice.
“I spoke to them and secured an empty room. You can use room 405 as your waiting room, so move there right now.”
“Ah, as expected, things only get done when Team Leader Jeong steps up.”
Da-yeon glared at her manager and immediately left, and the manager hurriedly chased after her.
Watching their departing backs, the man with the glasses made a pathetic expression.
‘So that's Team Leader Jeong Do-woon.’
He noticed immediately after hearing him being called Team Leader Jeong.
It was definitely Jeong Do-woon, the team leader from DP Entertainment that Park Yeong-ho had mentioned.
“What is it?”
Jeong Do-woon frowned upon discovering Baek Hyeon-woo and Kim So-yeong, who were peeking their heads out of the waiting room.
“Hello, Team Leader Jeong.”
Baek Hyeon-woo personally stepped forward and greeted him.
Even if Jeong Do-woon was plotting to raise Choux-pop's status using Newstarz as a stepping stone, he still had to at least greet him.
“I am Assistant Manager Baek Hyeon-woo of Haram Entertainment.”
“Ah, no need for a business card.”
Baek Hyeon-woo tried to hand him a business card, but Jeong Do-woon refused, waving his hand.
“What am I going to do with a road manager's business card. Especially a Haram Entertainment manager's business card.”
Jeong Do-woon, who had ignored Baek Hyeon-woo like that, then turned his gaze to Kim So-yeong.
However, he just scoffed and turned his head.
It was an attitude that showed they weren't even in his line of sight.
However, right at that moment.
“Ah, PD-nim!”
Jeong Do-woon's attitude changed completely.
This was because a middle-aged man in a turtleneck was walking down the hallway.
It was PD Seo Dong-cheol, who represents TVX's variety shows.
“Have you been well? You're healthy, I trust?”
“Oh, Team Leader Jeong, it's been a while. Are you here because of Black D today?”
“Yes, that's right!”
“Black D's momentum is good these days. It seems Choux-pop is also getting more popular, and as expected, your ability is amazing, Team Leader Jeong.”
“Oh, it's all thanks to you giving us many opportunities, PD-nim!”
The cool image he had shown in front of Baek Hyeon-woo and Kim So-yeong was nowhere to be seen.
Seeing him bowing and scraping with a servile smile was absurd.
“PD-nim, I vaguely heard that you're doing a new idol variety show at TVX soon...”
“Ah, let's talk about that later.”
Jeong Do-woon stealthily tried to bring up work matters, but Seo Dong-cheol cut him off sharply.
Until just a moment ago, Seo Dong-cheol had been saying all sorts of nice things to Jeong Do-woon.
However, that was nothing more than empty pleasantries with no substance.
In reality, the PD named Seo Dong-cheol was a person of endlessly cold character.
“Ah, then PD-nim, soon...”
“Yeah, let's talk later.”
Cutting off Jeong Do-woon, who was trying to continue the conversation without giving up.
Seo Dong-cheol turned his head.
“Hyeon-woo-ssi, let's talk.”
“……!”
Leaving the startled Jeong Do-woon aside, Seo Dong-cheol approached Baek Hyeon-woo.
“When would be a good time for you today? Is now okay?”
“Well. Right now is a bit...”
As Baek Hyeon-woo glanced at Kim So-yeong in the waiting room, Seo Dong-cheol took another step closer and spoke.
“Not even 5 minutes? Actually, I played golf yesterday, and it's been really uncomfortable.”
“You played golf too? I told you it would be bad for your wrist.”
“Still, I have you, Hyeon-woo-ssi. I played trusting in you, Hyeon-woo-ssi.”
Seo Dong-cheol patted Baek Hyeon-woo's shoulder and gave a knowing smile.
“Give me just a moment of your time. We can talk about the broadcast in the meantime. How about it?”
An attitude that was clearly different from when he was dealing with Jeong Do-woon.
At that sight, Jeong Do-woon made a flabbergasted expression.
However, Seo Dong-cheol was no longer giving Jeong Do-woon his attention.
“Room 405 is empty right now, so you can use that.”
“Room 405?”
“Yeah, I left it empty on purpose. It's a hassle to come up to my room every time, isn't it?”
Room 405.
I think I heard that number earlier.
“I heard that Black D's Da-yeon-ssi is using that as her waiting room.”
“What did you say?”
Seo Dong-cheol turned his head and looked at Jeong Do-woon.
“What is the meaning of that?”
Jeong Do-woon's complexion turned pale.