Meanwhile, at the same time:
“Sorry I’m late. My bad.”
Manager Kim stepped into Hyunseung’s personal workroom at the company, a convenience store bag in one hand and a laptop in the other.
“Huh? It’s not like you’re actually late for anything.”
“Look at you…”
“Did we make plans? No, we didn’t.”
Manager Kim let out a sigh.
“Hey, it’s Arin’s Music Center broadcast day.”
“So?”
“What do you mean, ‘So?’ We should monitor it together.”
“Why me?”
“What do you mean, ‘Why?’ You’re the one who brought her in and worked with her until she debuted—”
At that, Hyunseung waved him off.
“It’s out of my hands once the song’s released.”
“Sigh, I’m the one who’s disappointed here.”
“You really find plenty of reasons to be disappointed…”
After a brief back-and-forth, Manager Kim said, “All right, let’s do this,” and pulled a few cans of beer and some snacks out of the convenience store bag.
“How about we just throw on Music Center and have a beer?”
Before Hyunseung could answer, Manager Kim placed the laptop on the small table and launched the live-stream chat broadcast from the portal site.
“Ooh, looks like Arin’s going on soon.”
Manager Kim casually handed Hyunseung a can of beer.
“Tsk.”
Reluctantly, Hyunseung took the can.
Right then, the currently performing artist finished their song, and—
[ This Week’s Hot Debut – Jung Arin ]
Suddenly, the screen cut to Jung Arin’s album cover art, filling the entire frame. Manager Kim and Hyunseung naturally glanced at the real-time chat scrolling on the right side of the screen:
↳ So that’s the girl I’ve been seeing in entertainment news lately;;;
↳ Looks like LS is really pushing her; every news article is about her
↳ How good can she be if all these musicians keep raving about her?
↳ They’re probably just hyping her; ever heard of media play?
↳ Nah, nah, I watched some of her pre-debut trainee videos—she’s actually got skill
↳ Ugh, getting tired of the media play
Because she was a brand-new artist just starting to get noticed, there was no real reason for people to hate on her, but the sheer volume of recent news articles on portal sites seemed to be attracting some negative reactions.
“Still, this isn’t too bad a response…”
The scene changed again:
↳ Must be that major-agency money. The stage quality is insane. lol
↳ The production is good, especially for a debut stage. Not bad at all.
↳ This is why you sign with a big company. They say if you fail, at least fail at LS.
↳ True lol. I’ve had my heart broken too many times by small-agency idolsㅠㅠ
Even though they’d barely managed the stage production due to all the drama with Executive Director Park, it looked surprisingly solid on-screen. The lighting and set were pure and subtly sparkling, perfectly matching Jung Arin’s image.
If she can just perform without any mistakes…
Jung Arin lifted the mic close to her lips, and with a shaky breath, she began her first verse.
Then the real-time chat exploded:
↳ ?? What was that??? Did I hear that right?
↳ Am I crazy or was that actually a human voice?
↳ Lol okay, so it’s not just me…
↳ That intro tone color is insane. She’s legit nuts.
↳ Found my first love. I recognized it as soon as I heard her voice, haha
↳ The way she catches the camera shots is thrilling
↳ Wait, isn’t she a rookie? She doesn’t seem like one at all?
↳ I’ve been streaming her track nonstop lately—it’s so good, never gets old
↳ Ugh, why do I have the same eyes, nose, and mouth but look so different?
Even at a glance, the chat was on fire.
“What the…? She’s getting a crazy good reaction.”
Hyunseung tapped his foot in time with the beat as he scanned the live chat:
↳ When’s her live version dropping? I’m ready to stream it on loop.
↳ Someone’s gotta upload a fancam, right? I’ll be waiting ㅠㅠ
↳ How is she hitting those high notes so easily? Thought it was auto-tune for a sec.
↳ Came because of the rumors… guess I’m staying. *collapses*
↳ 2222222 ●▅▇█▇▆▅▄▇
↳ LS must’ve released her to lay down the law in the idol world
↳ This doesn’t look like a first performance at all. She seems so natural, like she’s been at it for years.
↳ I thought this was some kind of reverse run on the charts, but it’s actually a debut stage?! She’s like a half-veteran.
↳ So flawless it’s unreal. Expressions, breath control, vocal power. Is this real life?
Rather than focusing on the chat, Hyunseung kept his eyes on Jung Arin’s performance. The hints he’d dropped during the song production stage were incorporated into the show’s concept. And let’s not forget she had spent six years as a trainee in LS Entertainment’s underground practice rooms.
Six whole years. The experience from that time was evident in her precise eye contact, natural facial expressions, and her polished stage presence.
She’s really something, Hyunseung thought.
He’d already watched her improve significantly during the recording process, solidifying his belief in her potential.
Like an instrument capable of handling any performance.
Seeing her on stage now only made him more certain. A small smirk lifted one corner of his mouth.
Eventually, Jung Arin’s performance wrapped up. The next act began, but the live chat was still busy raving about Arin:
↳ She sets my heart on fire and just leaves?! I’m going to Music Center to riot
↳ Holding my breath until the live audio is released
↳ Hey, can someone file a national petition for an encore?
↳ No such thing as an encore on a music show, but maybe the producers can invent one?
But as the final act—KOK—took the stage in a grand, eye-catching performance, the hype died down. With all acts finished, the day’s performers gathered on stage for the closing.
– It’s the first week of May on Music Center, live broadcast!
– Only the announcement for first place remains!
Famous artists took their positions around the MCs. KOK and The Supers stood at the very front. Jung Arin, outside the camera’s main angle, stood quietly at the far edge.
– Now, let’s reveal our first-place candidates on the screen!
At the MC’s signal, the scene changed:
– The first contender for the first week of May is KOK’s “Firework”!
KOK’s faces appeared on the large screen, and a thunderous cheer rose from the audience.
Kyaaaaaaa—!
As “idols among idols,” KOK confidently stepped forward. The Supers also waited for their name to be announced next.
– And the next candidate is…!
The MC drew out the suspense, flipping a cue card.
– Jung Arin’s “Adolescence”!
A name no one had expected rang out.
“What?!”
Manager Kim shot to his feet.
“Who? Who did they say?”
He’d been certain the 1st place showdown would be between KOK and The Supers. They never even considered a ranking for Arin, given this was her debut broadcast—it seemed impossible.
But sure enough, Jung Arin’s startled face appeared on the screen, confirming the truth. Even the other artists on stage were murmuring among themselves, looking around for the rookie who’d been named alongside KOK.
– Jung Arin, please come forward!
Looking confused, Jung Arin glanced around before finally stepping to the center at the MC’s beckoning, all of it captured live.
“Agh, you dummy…” Manager Kim exclaimed, hands on his head.
↳ Arin’s reaction is priceless, so cute.
↳ Finally she looks like a rookie. That gap from her stage persona is wild.
↳ I mean, look at her. Obviously she’s the newbie here, lol.
↳ But how does she beat The Supers to become a 1st-place contender?
↳ This feels a bit rigged, tbh.
↳ Seriously, can a brand-new rookie be in the running for #1?
↳ Sure, she did great, but first-place candidate on her debut?
Because no one had seen this coming, the live chat exploded with speculation—and plenty of disbelief. Manager Kim himself could hardly believe it, so it was no wonder the viewers were skeptical.
If by some wild chance she actually wins, we’ll have to release a statement with PR… Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
– Let’s see who takes home the win! Show us the scores, please!
Amid the confusion, the MC announced each category of points one by one:
– Digital music score!
[ Jung Arin – “Adolescence” ] [ 1148 points ]
[ KOK – “Firework” ] [ 931 points ]
At the sight of Arin’s higher score on the big screen, Manager Kim temporarily forgot his worries about press statements; his face lit up. It was practically a law of nature that male idols score lower on digital charts. Ballad singers or female idols typically benefit from broader appeal when it comes to streaming, whereas male idol tracks often do well initially but then drop off quickly in the rankings.
Of course, KOK did better than most male idol groups at charting and maintaining long-term hits. But thanks to Lee Du-seok’s media blitz, perhaps, Jung Arin’s digital score was shockingly high.
I feel a bit sorry for KOK, but…
LS Entertainment has a clear line divided among its teams, and people tend to favor their own side. So Manager Kim couldn’t help being glad about Arin’s stronger digital performance.
“Hey, don’t block the screen. Sit down and watch calmly,” Hyunseung grumbled, tugging at Manager Kim’s sleeve.
“How am I supposed to stay calm at a time like this? You lukewarm fool…”
“Standing up won’t make her #1.”
Manager Kim nodded. “Well, that’s true,” and sat back down.
↳ Everyone knows male idols’ digital numbers are generally weaker, come on.
↳ Still… it’s KOK, right? Isn’t that an exception?
↳ Ugh, KOK losing? Must be a mistake in the count.
↳ Nah, I’ve seen how much streaming Arin’s getting. She’s actually doing well.
↳ If Arin wins #1, the show’s message board is gonna explode.
While Manager Kim was elated, the chat was getting heated.
If Arin actually wins, there’ll be an uproar…
He felt like he was walking on a tightrope as he waited for the next scores.
– Next is the viewer preference score!
The MC continued reading out the categories.
– Broadcast appearances score!
And finally, the album sales score. The totals tallied up on-screen with flashy sound effects.
– Now, let’s see the final total!
With a completely unexpected rookie in the running for #1, the atmosphere on stage was tense. Jung Arin clenched her eyes shut; KOK gave a relaxed smile to mask their nerves.
– The winner for Music Center’s first week of May is…
The MC shouted dramatically, also looking nervous.
– Congratulations!
Pop!
Confetti rained down onstage in dead silence.
↳ Wait?!?!?!?!?!?!
Even the rapid-fire chat came to a screeching halt.
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