Chapter 115: First-week Sales
[Do Seohan is a guilty hamster???]
I just saw the video that went up on JjaekJjaek and immediately fainted lololol
Why couldn’t I go to that fan signing event… Regretting… Despairing… Suffering… Feeling sad… Jealous….
Noona.
Noona.
Noona.
Damn….
Seohan, call me Noona just once too.
– Noona… drrrtak… Noona… drrrtak… Noona… drrrt… tak… drrrt… tak….
– But seriously, am I even at the age to be called Noona…?
└ Ah lololololololololol
└ Honestly, me too.
└ My conscience stings a little ^^
└ Will you call me Noona too, even if I’m a granny…?
– Seriously, my device shut off while I was watching the fan signing event video, but my cheekbones were up so high I had an existential crisis.
└ lolololololololol
└ Sudden deadpan.
└ I… guess I liked younger guys, yeah….
– Sly fox Do Hamjji is guilty….
└ Let me go, I’m telling you, he’s the one who seduced me first.
└ Your Honor, I’m innocent. That hamster seduced me first.
The day after the fan signing event.
Fan communities started filling up with fan signing event reviews.
Among them, there was one post that got the most views.
[170704 Stardust Fan Signing Event Review]
I totally failed to get into the 1st album fan signing event lol.
This time, I emptied my soul and my bank account with the determination that I’d go no matter what.
The result: I won.
Ah. I’ll live a good life from now on.
Though I’m not religious, I entered the fan signing event hall thanking and repenting to every god in existence.
When I entered, I had only one goal.
To seriously ask if the English interpretation of our 1st album title “Yuyeong” was really “You young,” since that had been debated among Dustys.
Because I’m “you old.”
Anyway.
I couldn’t ask all seven members, but the different reactions from each one were so cuteㅠㅠ.
Sharing for the public good.
My first victim was Junseo.
Our Junseo… doesn’t know memes… doesn’t know jokes….
Would he even know this? Of course not.
Me: Junseo, you know your 1st album title?
Junseo: Yes!
Me: Did you know “Yuyeong” is “You young” in English?
Junseo: (Doesn’t understand)
Me: Did you know “Yuyeong” in English is “You young”?
Junseo: (Falls into deep thought, still doesn’t understand) Yes, I know.
I don’t know what he thinks he knows, but he said he knew anyway.
Me: I’m “you old,” you know.
Junseo: ……(Looks at me with such pity)
Me: …Yeah, that’s right.
Yeah, I was doomed.
Suddenly became a woman with a sad backstory.
Ha Junseo didn’t know how to comfort me, fidgeted, then suddenly started earnestly spouting life philosophy.
Junseo: I think in life, it’s never too late! The moment you think it’s too late is the latest… Ah.
Me: (Gazing at him sentimentally)
Junseo: (Flustered) That’s not what I meant.
Junseo killed me twice.
The second attempt was with Seo Haim.
Our Choco Haim is… yeah… just pure sunshine.
Me: Haim, did you know “Yuyeong” is “You young”?
Seo Haim: (Jumps in place) Really??? Wow, amazing, I didn’t know that at all?
Me: (Seriously?)
Seo Haim: “Yuyeong” means “spacewalk,” right? So it can also be “You young” then??
Me: Yeah, apparently.
Seo Haim: Wow, so “Yuyeong” has a double meaning! I’m going to ask the company about it after the fan signing event. Wow, thank you for telling me, that’s so amazing, crazy amazing!!!
She shouted “amazing” at least twenty times,
And even wrote “Thanks for telling me about ‘you young’” in her TO FAN message….
How will our pure Choco Haim survive in this harsh world….
Lastly, our Sehyun.
Jin Sehyun: “You young”? Don’t tell me… you’re going to do the “you old” joke?
Me: (Busted)
Jin Sehyun: (Smirks) I know everything~ I know it all~
Hey, one of your mutual Kokyo friends is definitely a spy.
Be careful;;;
– Jin Sehyun is terrifying.
└ Teacher, I’m so scared.
└ But that meme wasn’t even that popular, Sehyun, how do you even know it?
└ Because he sees everything.
└ Aaaah, it’s summer but I’m already freezing.
└ Do you think Jin Sehyun only uses JjaekJjaek? He might… already be reading this post?
└ Is there a cold wave warning? Why is it so cold today???
└ Jin Sehyun, stop searching.
.
.
.
.
Inside the Stardust dorm.
I was quickly scrolling through the comments under the fan signing event review when the door suddenly opened.
Jin Sehyun poked his head in.
“Hey, Seohan.”
“Yeah?”
“Did you see the first episode of Boy’s Dream?”
I had been peacefully reading fan signing event reviews, but suddenly, hearing the name of another program made my eyes widen.
It was the program my hyung had just joined as the youngest PD.
I already knew there had been a lot of talk and trouble from the start.
“Come out and look.”
Jin Sehyun spoke with a serious face.
“It’s a mess right now.”
It seemed something had blown up.
– There was a time when things were difficult.
– In terms of editing, there were many things that felt unfair to me….
– The things you see aren’t everything, after all.
On screen, Lee Junhyeok lowered his head with a sad smile.
As if he were quite exhausted by the public opinion so far, the way he spoke weakly made him, at least on the surface, look like the perfect victim of malicious editing.
Lee Junhyeok gave a faint smile and carefully opened his mouth.
– Still, I want to try having courage once more.
This time, it was both a declaration that he would debut no matter what and a challenge to Starf and TBN, who had framed him with malicious editing.
Episode 1 of Boy’s Dream was edited for Lee Junhyeok, by Lee Junhyeok, and all about Lee Junhyeok.
It directly targeted last year’s malicious editing by Starf, and from the very first episode, they poured almost the entire screentime into one person.
Although he had been eliminated in Starf’s first round, the impact of his elimination back then had been so strong that any viewer who had watched Starf at the time remembered Lee Junhyeok’s name.
From the way he used to nitpick his teammates, to his insincere attitude in training.
And finally, the nail in the coffin—his incident of digging up background information on teammate Do Seohan.
It wasn’t just one or two scandals that had erupted.
Now, saying all of that was distorted editing? Naturally, the public began to wonder what the truth really was.
[They say Lee Junhyeok was a victim of malicious editing?]
He says so himself lolol, but I’m not sure.
Didn’t that whole chaos start with the leaked audio recordings in the first place??
How could that have been malicious editing?
[Boy’s Dream is openly going full spicy mode.]
I was watching Episode 1 of Boy’s Dream and was shocked at how insanely spicy it was.
Look at the comments they inserted every time the trainees danced:
– This is supposedly a big agency, right? Is it okay to do it like that…?
– He’s already debuted once, but still.
– I don’t know why that person even came.
– I don’t see the desperation.
They even mentioned Starf in Episode 1.
– The things you see aren’t everything.
– That program… it was a war of stars.
– It was brutal.
Lololol is this the first time I’ve seen a terrestrial network openly throwing shade at another station like this?
SBC just smacked TBN on the back of the head, huh?
Is this for real?
– But the buzz is insane lolol. Everyone’s watching even though they say they’re not.
└ Just from the controversies here, lol, looks like the noise marketing is working perfectly.
└ Maybe they aimed for this from the start.
└ It’s not just spicy—it’s too spicy….
– Boy’s Dream’s trainee lineup isn’t bad either. The Starf kids are definitely from a big agency so their visuals and skills are solid, but these guys are better than I expected too.
└ Might actually start watching from Episode 2.
└ I should stop watching survival shows lol.
└ And yet I got sucked in again—Raye, you better debut.
– What’s really up with Lee Junhyeok….
└ PD’s pick.
└ PD’s pick? Not “crazy pick”?
└ Lolol what are you talking about, it’s obviously PD’s pick—who else gets a storyline like that from Episode 1?
└ Lolololol 1000000% PD’s pick.
└ You must be a Lee Junhyeok fan lol. How can you defend this?
└ It’s not malicious editing—his personality was actually that bad. His fans still have their eyes and ears covered.
After Episode 1 aired, the Boy’s Dream dorm was like an icebox.
It was as if someone had poured cold water over everyone—utter silence inside.
Since it was a time when cameras weren’t rolling,
One trainee, who had been holding it in, let out a dry laugh.
“The buzz is insane.”
“I thought I was watching cable, not terrestrial TV.”
“Legend, just legend….”
Everyone glanced at Lee Junhyeok and frowned.
“Must be nice having so much screentime.”
“So was it really malicious editing?”
“Probably not. There was a lot of talk back then.”
“His eyes are already giving off bad vibes, what do you mean….”
Some snickered that he had gotten the true PD’s pick, but Raye didn’t think so.
‘Editing like that from Episode 1….’
Could that really be called a PD’s pick?
It was so blatant it was almost off-putting.
In reality, Lee Junhyeok was now at the center of the buzz, becoming the punching bag for the program.
If that was what he wanted, then so be it.
‘He did leave himself open for it in the first place.’
Raye thought that as he glanced toward Lee Junhyeok.
Lee Junhyeok had been sitting in silence with a cold expression this whole time.
Then, someone slid into the seat next to Raye.
It was Lee Dokyung.
“What do you think of Episode 1?”
“It was intense. Really felt like, ‘So this is a survival show.’”
Raye gave a short laugh and turned to look at Lee Dokyung.
This wasn’t just someone else’s problem.
In Episode 1, Raye had been completely torn apart by the judges for his pitiful skills.
Whatever kind of growth storyline the Boy’s Dream PDs were aiming for, judging by Episode 1, there were actually fewer trainees who had received praise.
Since it had been obvious this would be spicier than the agency’s own internal survival, he supposed he had to accept it.
But the younger trainees, new to this scene, didn’t seem to think that way.
“At this rate, won’t people be too scared to do anything from Episode 2 onward?”
“Hey, one wrong move and you’re the sacrificial lamb. Especially if you get tied to that PD’s pick over there.”
“They can hear you. Keep your voice down.”
“Let them hear.”
Provocations toward Lee Junhyeok and anger toward the PD.
Somewhere between the two, the heated conversation seemed likely to get on Lee Junhyeok’s nerves.
Lee Dokyung gave a faint laugh and lowered his voice.
“It’s gonna blow.”
“Hm?”
“Lee Junhyeok’s personality is seriously nasty.”
At least Lee Dokyung, who had experienced Lee Junhyeok before, was certain of that.
No matter how much he tried to rein in his temper, there was no way he’d let that slide.
Sure enough.
Lee Junhyeok’s patience lasted only up to that point.
“Hey.”
Lee Junhyeok suddenly shot up from his seat.
“I don’t care what you were whispering about, but I never asked for this kind of editing.”
“……!”
“Don’t badmouth me—go talk to the PD, you punks.”
He spat out curses, glaring coldly at the trainee who had started the badmouthing first.
The trainees who had been chattering just moments ago shut their mouths, faces going pale.
“…….”
Lee Dokyung clicked his tongue and whispered in Raye’s ear.
“You messed with the wrong person. Next time, he’ll probably hit someone….”
Maybe because he’d been burned so badly during Starf, he didn’t throw punches when the cameras weren’t rolling.
Instead, Lee Junhyeok spewed his words with a chilling expression.
“Hey, you idiots.”
“…….”
“Do you seriously not know? There’s been a rumor going around since last week—that the youngest PD here is completely nuts. Even during filming, that bastard was out for blood, only picking the most provocative shots to use.”
Lee Junhyeok jabbed a finger, still unable to vent his anger.
“You think this is someone else’s problem? Any one of us could be screwed at any moment.”
The trainees swallowed hard, gauging his reaction.
With his face flushed red, Lee Junhyeok clenched his fist.
“I’m telling you, he’s totally crazy. So don’t take it out on me—go to him!”
“…….”
“Go find that psycho PD and—”
Right then.
Knock knock—
Someone knocked, then flung the door open and stepped inside.
At the same time, the trainees who had been grumbling earlier instantly fell silent.
“…….”
Step, step.
Walking in with a cold expression was Boy’s Dream’s youngest PD, Do Seojun.
Lee Junhyeok flinched in surprise and stepped back.
Raye swallowed nervously, watching.
No way.
The soundproofing here was good—he couldn’t have heard….
“Hello, I’m the slightly crazy PD.”
…He heard.
Do Seojun stood in front of Lee Junhyeok, looking at him.
“Got something to say to me?”
“Well…”
“You seemed to have a lot to say. I came in so we could talk directly.”
Lee Junhyeok just moved his lips without making a sound.
Do Seojun sent him a cold look.
It was the kind of look that said, ‘If you hadn’t run your mouth in the first place, none of this would’ve happened.’
PD Do Seojun smiled faintly and patted Lee Junhyeok’s shoulder.
“The higher-ups are thrilled, you know. You have to set up a rivalry with Starf for the noise marketing to really hit.”
In reality, the terrestrial idol survival show that everyone had mocked as doomed had generated unprecedented buzz.
That was enough. Even if the PD took the heat, for the network it was a boon.
Apparently, no matter what they do, survival show PDs get cursed out anyway.
Do Seojun kept smiling as he spoke.
“Episode 1 seemed to be edited in a pretty favorable way.”
“…….”
“You said you hate malicious editing, so I prepared this instead. What, you don’t like it?”
At his words, Lee Junhyeok kept his mouth shut, looking conflicted.
“Then what do you want me to do? I can’t just send you home….”
That chilling line made the trainees dart their eyes nervously.
Right next to Raye, Lee Dokyung watched, then dropped his jaw in surprise.
A sudden, unpleasant sense of déjà vu swept over him.
Wait.
What is this?
That face looked awfully familiar.
And then he remembered.
Crap.
He’d seen him at the finals.
The family video messages.
Why didn’t I realize sooner?
Lee Dokyung looked up at Do Seojun with a pale face.
The bone structure was a little sharper than the person he knew, but the faintly curled lips and absurdly handsome face—
Along with that low-toned voice.
“You have a lot of girlfriends, don’t you?”
“You have a lot of girlfriends, don’t you?”
“You have a lot of girlfriends, don’t you?”
Ah, PTSD hitting hard all of a sudden.
The threat someone had once made overlapped in his mind.
“I’ll give you a chance.”
Do Seojun smiled at Lee Junhyeok.
“Say it now, if you want to withdraw from the show.”
Wow, he really reminded him of someone.
“…Do Seohan hyung?”
Lee Dokyung let out a dry laugh and muttered softly.
At the same time.
Dding—
Dding—
From the Dusty members’ phones, the Private Message alerts kept ringing.
Whenever something good happened, the members would always rush to brag to the Dustys.
Today’s first runner was Seo Haim.
Choco Haim: Dustys
Choco Haim: Dustys!!!!
Choco Haim: Did you see the first-week sales???
The first-week sales count for Stardust’s 2nd mini album had just closed.