Chapter 182: Just Show It
[Universe Dust Debate Self-Content ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Seriously, the audio never stops.]
I devoured a 30-minute self-content video in one go.
Why do these guys never stop talking?
It’s supposed to be a 3-minute debate, but they talked non-stop for 30 minutes ㅋㅋㅋㅋ They even said they were being too loud because their audio overlapped ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Were they always this comedic?
—“If you’re with Siwoo hyung, you can prevent both water loss and muscle loss” ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I burst out laughing when I heard that.
└Doubles, please send Seohan to variety shows.
└Not just dance shows—send Seohan to talk shows too.
└If he goes on a talk show, our Hamjji will get so excited he’ll sound like he’s got a motor in his mouth.
—I never once believed Seo Haim when he said Do Seohan talks a lot, but after watching today’s self-content, I get it now.
└Chatty Hamjji.
└Chatty Hamjjiㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└When he nodded proudly after the debate ended, it was so cute I almost kidnapped him.
—Cha Seongbin’s quote: “Do Seohan is royally cute when he’s royally small.”
└As expected, I’d pick ten Do Seohans any day—maybe no one would notice if one went missing.
└Seongbin keeps talking about forming a boy group; he’d probably search the entire planet to find them.
└앜ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Ten Do Seohans in a boy group—absolutely hilarious ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Ten hamster-sized Do Seohans could probably conquer the Billboard charts.
—I saw their debate self-content pop up in my algorithm and ended up watching it all—are these guys variety idols?
I only half-watched them back during Starf and forgot about them, but this self-content is so funny ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I think I might become a fan, can you recommend something else?
└You must watch Dusty Campus!
└The whole Dusty-whatever series is all bangersㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Our babies are so cute, please check them out!
└Our Universe Dust are idols who do great in their main job, love their fans, and even post self-content often—they’re total filial idols.
At the same time, PD Kim Yeongeun, who was browsing community posts under the pretense of monitoring, scrolled down with a pleased smile.
She had been planning a new YouTube channel for SBC’s in-house content and had already decided on Stardust members as potential guests.
‘These kids have a knack for variety.’
The community reactions were great, so she checked out a few of their self-contents, and all of them were entertaining.
She especially liked the balance between the oldest-line, led by Cha Seongbin, who lifted the mood without crossing any lines, and the maknae-line who kept reacting playfully.
She didn’t know if Doubles would push their members toward variety shows, but at least they didn’t seem to have much resistance toward group appearances.
‘I’ll try contacting them later.’
With that thought, PD Kim Yeongeun turned her head slightly.
Right next to her sat PD Do Seojun from the same Variety Department.
She pointed at the monitor and laughed.
“Aren’t these guys really funny?”
Glance—
PD Do Seojun’s expression stiffened slightly when he saw who was on the screen.
He nodded blankly.
“Yeah, they’re funny.”
“What, that sounded soulless. Ah, well, I guess guys aren’t that interested in boy idols.”
Kim Yeongeun chuckled as if understanding.
“My little sister’s a fan. She even plastered the walls at home with their posters~.”
That was actually how she first came across Stardust’s self-content.
Her sister talked about them so much that their names were basically drilled into her head—and when she finally watched, she found them surprisingly charming.
“She even bought dozens of albums just to collect photocards~. Anyway, she’s totally hooked these days.”
“Ah….”
Meanwhile, PD Do Seojun gave an awkward smile and glanced around.
He had appeared as a family member in the final episode of the Stardust Project, but since no one around him had actually watched it, most people didn’t recognize him.
Except for a few close acquaintances, he had never gone around mentioning that he was Do Seohan’s older brother—but lately, situations like this were becoming troublesome.
For instance—
“This kid’s the idol Do Seohan that’s popular these days~. Isn’t he adorable?”
“Wow, he’s really handsome. Celebrities are on another level.”
“But he looks kind of familiar… hmm. You look like him, PD-nim!”
For the record, he immediately deadpanned at that.
“We don’t look alike.”
“Oh my, even your names are similar!”
“Well, we’re both Do, so maybe there’s some shared blood.”
“Maybe you’re distant relatives!”
Fortunately, PD Kim Yeongeun didn’t seem to make that connection and just kept talking, unaware of his discomfort.
He couldn’t completely ignore her, so even without much interest, he responded politely.
“Who does your sister like?”
“Oh, my sister? She likes the youngest member….”
At that one line, PD Do Seojun’s eyes flickered.
Kim Yeongeun quickly scrolled and pulled up a group photo of the members.
Her finger pointed straight at the one sitting in the center.
“I don’t remember his name well, but… this guy!”
“Do Seohan.”
“Oh wow, pretending not to care but you already know all their names!”
Ha ha.
It’d be weirder not to know your own brother’s name.
Do Seojun laughed awkwardly and scratched his head.
“But I get why he’s so popular. He’s got such a cute face and a nice personality.”
Kim Yeongeun smiled warmly as she spoke.
Maybe because they were such young kids, she felt more of a fondness than excitement watching them.
“If I had a son like him, I wouldn’t need to eat to feel full….”
“He said he’s hungry though.”
“Sorry?”
“Ah, nothing.”
Do Seojun cleared his throat and looked away.
The conversation seemed to naturally come to an end there.
Just then—
Click.
As PD Kim Yeongeun hit the “back” button, her eyes suddenly widened.
“Oh? These guys….”
A striking headline sat atop the community’s trending posts.
Following her gaze, PD Do Seojun’s face turned cold.
What the hell is this?
[Conflict rumors among rookie award-winning boy group? Attitude exposed in front of fans ㄷㄷ]
A clickbait thumbnail with the members’ faces blown up to full size.
The moment he clicked on the algorithm-recommended video, a familiar name popped up.
[The rookie award-winning boy group, Stardust.]
[Through the audition program Stardust Project, they made a dazzling debut, and though now in their second year, they are receiving great attention.]
A voice altered by modulation continued in a stiff tone.
[But perhaps they have failed to escape the limitations of a survival idol group hastily assembled for debut.
Static and noise continue to appear during their live broadcasts.]
The screen changed to an edited clip from the Yui App broadcast on the 2nd.
Cha Seongbin and Seo Ian were seen communicating with fans side by side.
It was a broadcast where the two were assembling mini Legos together, and in the scene where they checked the disastrous result, Cha Seongbin pointed out Seo Ian’s work.
‘Oh my, Ian. Is this supposed to be a rabbit?’
‘Why…? Does it look weird?’
‘It’s a relief you’re good at singing.’
‘I think so too!’
The repeated sighing and the seemingly embarrassing tone were played back several times for emphasis.
‘Sigh….’
‘What’s wrong with this again.’
[Netizens reacted by saying, “We don’t care if you fight, but don’t show it in front of fans.”, “Seems like making fun of your own member is a hobby.”, “They never looked close anyway. Typical survival idols.”]
The comment section was already a blazing fire pit.
The buzz factor was undeniable.
—Cha Seongbin pretending to be all cheerful while mocking his own teammate ^^ He really thinks he’s all that just because fans call him a genius ㅋㅋ
—Ian’s too nice, that’s why he lets it go. Sigh….
—But this isn’t just Cha Seongbin’s problem ㅋㅋㅋ Don’t you think Stardust’s self-content gives off bad vibes?
└??? What does?
└What’s so bad about it?
└Jesus, people who’ve never even watched Universe Dust’s self-content saying it’s “off vibes” ㅇㅈㄹ Go back to your own idols instead of trashing others.
—Totally agree that Stardust’s self-content feels off ㅋㅋㅋ You can see how they mock sweet kids like Seo Ian and Ha Junseo, but never talk down to tough ones like Kang Siwoo or Jin Sehyun. That can’t be hidden by editing ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Who are you talking about?
└Cha Seongbin and Do Seohan~~
└??? Do Seohan takes care of Seo Ian a lot though.
└Do Seohan’s solo fans seriously crack me up ㅋㅋㅋㅋ He’s the biggest beneficiary of that Salvation Duo narrativeㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└What nonsense. Seo Ian’s the sly one—Do Seohan was already in debut range anyway.
└What’s wrong with you people;; The kids are close, why make a fuss…. Sigh.
Although opposing comments were more numerous, the supporting ones remained because the cyber clickbait YouTuber kept deleting them in real time.
—People who rush in to leave hate comments after watching that trash YouTuber’s videos have no sense.
└It’s amazing there are still folks who believe that chopped-up editing garbage.
└Calling them “a survival idol group hastily made for debut” ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Like, do other groups form by neighborhood friends hanging out or what?
—(This comment has been deleted.)
—(This comment has been deleted.)
.
.
.
A famous cyber clickbait YouTuber had uploaded videos about the group.
The first was about alleged conflict among members, and since that video got many views, the next one accused Cha Seongbin of having a bad personality.
[Stardust’s Cha Seongbin criticized for attitude—mocking his own member on camera.]
Sure, he did it for the clicks, but we couldn’t exactly be happy that our rising popularity was being used that way.
It was an extremely malicious yet convincing edit.
Clips trimmed at the nanosecond level spread across communities and inevitably reached the members’ ears.
As soon as he watched the video, Jin Sehyun frowned.
“They edited it too perfectly.”
The scene of Cha Seongbin sighing was actually because the internet connection had cut off and Yui App crashed twice, and his supposedly harsh tone had been exaggerated with background music.
It was baffling how they had spliced together only the cuts where Cha Seongbin looked serious in self-content and Yui App live broadcasts while Seo Ian appeared nervous.
Viewed that way, it really did look like Cha Seongbin was picking on Seo Ian.
If only they used that editing talent for something good, they could’ve worked in broadcasting.
“It wasn’t like that at all.”
Cha Seongbin might be the type to joke around, but he always considers who he’s talking to.
With someone like Seo Ian, who isn’t quick to respond, he approaches carefully.
And.
What people don’t realize is….
“……”
Cha Seongbin’s the one with the softer, tofu-like mentality.
“Is Seongbin hyung in his room?”
“Seems like it.”
That’s how image works.
People keep mistaking our Ocean Sunfish for a pufferfish.
Cha Seongbin had shut himself in his room and hadn’t come out since earlier, probably shaken.
Ever since the Anonymous Account incident, there had always been people who went out of their way to bash him, and now they’d been given new fuel.
Seo Ian fidgeted awkwardly.
“Should I… go check on him?”
“Junseo hyung will probably go.”
“Yeah, that might be better….”
Even if they’d never actually fought, at this point, Cha Seongbin was bound to feel uncomfortable.
People dragging the team online were treating Cha Seongbin like some kind of criminal.
Seo Ian seemed to understand my point and nodded with a grave expression.
“I’m worried….”
“Yeah. It’ll be fine.”
Fortunately, that clickbait YouTuber was notorious for fabricating rumors, and true fans wouldn’t buy into that conflict story.
And above all—
There really was no problem among us.
“We were planning to go live tonight anyway.”
Just showing the truth would be enough.