19
Step Nineteen
:: Behind the Scenes ::
Star Fight [SF] Official
Due to personal reasons, trainee An Junsa has requested to terminate his participation in the competition program voluntarily.
Effective from xx/xx/xxxx onwards, the voting channel for trainee An Junsa will be closed on that day.
We sincerely apologize to the fan club of trainee An Junsa here.
[Attached photo of An Junsa in the official uniform of the program]
Comment: The rumor from last night has turned into reality.
Comment: It’s not that surprising.
I’ve been to the show.
If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to handle it either, unless my skin is tough.
Comment: Sad.
I wanted him to keep fighting.
Comment: I just pinned him.
So sad.
He won’t be on the show anymore.
Comment: If it’s not family-related, he’s a talented guy.
Maybe it’s the show itself that forced him to leave.
Comment: Comment above, wait to see episodes three or four.
You’ll know why he left.
Comment: I’ve seen many comments talking about that show.
I wonder what he did.
Comment: He did the same as other artists in that label have done.
Roots don’t leave the ground; branches don’t fall far from the tree.
Comment: Oh!
You mean about them seeking light to dry their laundry, right?
The news of An Junsa’s departure from the Star Fight competition show caused a stir because the show had been gaining more international attention lately.
He was a trainee in Class A that stood out in many ways.
Part of this was due to the situation with OMM Ent.’s former president, who was facing various legal issues, including drug-related charges.
Even if he hadn’t left the show, this young man had already become a target for online criticism until the competition ended.
It was likely that he would still have been mercilessly attacked by anti-fans even if he had been eliminated.
“What do you mean by withdrawing from Star Fight?
Are you out of your mind?” An Sangsu grabbed his son’s shoulder tightly, glaring at the young man with dissatisfaction.
He had been ready to do anything without consulting her first.
Didn’t he see her as a mother anymore?
The reason An Sangsu wanted her son to debut was because most of their old assets had been inspected and seized by the police.
Now she was no different from a broken person.
If her son hadn’t debuted, what would her life have been like from then on?
“Mom!
I don’t want to compete anymore.
That’s not my place.” Junsa shrugged off his mother’s grip.
“You fool!
What nonsense are you thinking to drop out of the show!” Sangsu scolded sharply.
“You didn’t watch the show.
You have no idea what I encountered there.” The young boy mumbled, his face alternating between red and pale, overwhelmed with conflicting emotions.
“What did you encounter?
The first and second tapes seemed fine and enjoyable.
Even though you’re not the center, you’re still in Class A.
You’ve achieved this much and you’re still afraid of what?
Or did you do something to cause trouble?” The middle-aged woman furrowed her brows, beginning to see through the haze of her son’s disappearance.
“What did you do?
Tell me.” Sangsu demanded, slapping his arm in frustration.
“I…
I just couldn’t handle it.
I’m going to debut with another company.”
“Debut with another company?
Where do you think will accept you as their trainee again!
Do you think what your old man did was just a small matter?” It was fortunate he was on that show, why did she have to have such a foolish son!
“If that’s the case, I’ll go abroad.” Junsa turned away, sweeping his gaze towards the small house that was once his childhood home before moving into the grand mansion.
He hated it here…
hated being seen as a mistress’s son.
Hated that his father wouldn’t allow him to use the Kim surname.
Hated…
he hated it here!
“Go abroad!!
What nonsense are you thinking of?
Do you think it costs little money?” Sangsu exclaimed.
“I have my own money.” Junsa didn’t want to argue with his mother here.
He retreated to his familiar bedroom, his emotions oscillating between red and white, his heart heavy.
“Junsa, Junsa!!
Mom won’t let you go abroad, do you hear me?
Junsa!!” An Sangsu followed her son closely, before recoiling in shock when he slammed the door in her face.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
“If you leave, what will happen to me, Junsa!” Her wrinkled hands pounded the door for a long time, until she ran out of strength and had to retreat to calm herself down.
Junsa looked at the door that had finally quieted down, took a deep breath, his tear-filled eyes suddenly cold.
If he listened to the judges’ words during the show, the outcome probably wouldn’t have been like this.
Realizing it now was too late…
He had no way to go back and fix his mistakes.
All he could do was bow his head and accept the consequences he had created.
The following week, someone with a good eye happened to see the second wife of the former CEO of OMM Ent.
dragging her suitcase, boarding a plane with her son and disappearing abroad.
It became a topic of gossip among the high society, only to fade away and be replaced by new social news.
….
[Today everyone did really well.
Enjoyed eating and drinking to the fullest.
We’ll have a day off tomorrow.] Im Heewoo took on the role of the substitute host.
While the main host and the judges were indulging in alcohol in the adjacent room, the responsibility of keeping the trainees in line fell to the head PD, who was more like a lion tamer than a drinker.
After the filming was done, all the trainees were taken to shower and change into fresh clothes.
Then they gathered in the large conference room, which had been transformed into a buffet banquet hall, prepared with a full spread of food and drinks.
“But the weight…”
[You’ve to control it yourself.
The show provides food.
Whether you eat or not is up to you.] The head PD held a mic in one hand and a chicken drumstick in the other, taking another big bite after the statement.
[Yum, so delicious.
And there won’t be any recording, trust me.
No need to worry about tarnishing your image if you eat a lot.] He ended with a smirk and went to sit and eat with the staff in another corner of the room, separated by a partition.
“…gulp.” The contestants fell silent, swallowing hard.
“Phew, tomorrow’s a day off.
We can burn it off tomorrow.” Kim Hajun floated towards the fried food zone, his feet barely touching the ground.
“Stop right there, buddy.
The word ‘tomorrow’ doesn’t exist in the weight-loss dictionary.” Kim Sujin came running, stopping his friend in his tracks.
“And you’re not eating?” Hajun raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting to the crispy fried chicken drenched in spicy sauce.
“Of course I am!” He let go of his friend and rushed to grab a plate and scoop up food before anyone else.
“Oh, shoot!”
Trainees who heard that today they could eat to their heart’s content hastily grabbed plates and piled up food into a heap.
Their recent performance had drained them of energy.
They needed to replenish fully, or they wouldn’t have the strength for the next mission.
It was truly a ghost freeing day, the stress and tension from the two consecutive missions now over.
Some were happy, some were sad, but it was just a matter of the past now.
“This is delicious, Big Brother!” Wang Qi ran over holding some fried chicken.
“I often see it on street food shows – the sweet and spicy sauce is amazing.
The chicken drumsticks are great, the squid is crispy, it’s sooooo tasty!” His eyes sparkled.
“If it’s delicious, eat a lot.
Have you ever heard that today’s the best day to make the most of it?
Eat plenty…
and don’t forget to burn it all off tomorrow.” Jacan smiled widely, like a benevolent mother bestowing blessings.
But just hearing it, the little contestant of the show shivered.
He looked at the piled plate in his hand as if he saw a demon.
“Brother…
why do you talk about scary things like that?”
“What’s scary about it?
It’s all true.” Jacan lifted a glass of fruit juice and took a sip, alternating with drinking water.
In his other hand, he held a plate of fried chicken salad with kimchi wrap and fried eggs.
“Why are you eating so little?” The growing boy looked at the perfectly portioned food, his face twisting again.
“It’s true that young bodies burn calories fast.
But if you eat too much, you’ll have a stomachache tomorrow.
I still want to have a day off without running in and out of the bathroom,” or puking out before bed because the food won’t digest.
That was not happening either.
“You talk like an old person,” Wang Qi smirked.
“Hey there, you little rascal,” Kim Jiseong, appearing out of nowhere, flicked his forehead before he could get too cheeky with the elder.
“Ow, ow, I’m going to eat with Sangah, staying here too long and I’ll get a bump on my head for sure,” Wang Qi walked off, carrying his plate to another corner of the room where a group of Lee Sangah’s team members were sitting.
The trainees relaxed themselves greatly because they hadn’t had the chance to behave comfortably without being recorded like this for a long time.
The later it got, the livelier they became.
Some team members must have lent them playing cards, because these kids started a gambling circle in one corner, betting on chicken and soda.
Some were even playing high-low, ahem… umm, guessing big or small numbers.
Jacan didn’t join in any game with any group, afraid his bad habits would come out and scare the kids like when he won six rounds of spin the bottle in a row, collecting data on everyone.
The mixed-race young man dared to say that besides the singing ability honed from experience, his celestial fate was no less than anyone else’s.
OpenChat [SF] Ver.1 (3,452 people)
Chat: Many trainees were pinned from yesterday’s show.
Chat: Is there any info on Wang Qi’s OPC?
We got flagged by the little one really badly.
Chat: Responding to the above chat, there is.
Try looking for it on Twitter.
Seems like there’s a QR code for the base’s OPC.
Chat: Didn’t sign up in time, such a shame.
We’re Kim Doyun’s fans.
Heard that he shined so much on stage yesterday.
Chat: Really, like a lot.
Even being in Jacan oppa’s group, he still didn’t get overshadowed.
Chat: Hey guys, I asked this in an outside post before, but no one answered me.
Can I ask here?
Chat: ???
Chat: Is there anyone familiar with Jacan hyung’s voice?
I feel so familiar, but no matter how much I think, I can’t remember.
Chat: Oh, I feel the same way.
Chat: Reallyyyy.
The more I see him play the piano, the more familiar he seems.
Chat: Does Jacan play the piano?
Wow!
Is that true!!
Oh, why didn’t I go to the show?
Chat: Psst…
Don’t post this elsewhere, okay?
Let’s keep it just between us here.
Chat: But we’ll have to wait until episode 4 to see it.
I wonder if it’ll air in the original performance order.
Chat: Ah, Jacan oppa’s team performed last.
Chat: …
Chat: Oops.
I won’t say anything more.
Why am I so loose-lipped?
Chat: You’re typing with your hands…
Stay calm and go to bed first.
The company isn’t just aiming for small open chats like this.
Chat: Hey guys!!
Please pay attention to my question.
I want to know whose voice Jay hyung sounds like.
Chat: Miss, do you think our entertainment industry is small?
From Gen 1-6, how many idols do you think there are?
Chat: It’s just so familiar though…
Chat: Maybe it’s nugu, who knows (nugu 누구 = someone (*sometimes used to refer to an artist who is not well-known in the mainstream))
“Today’s meeting is over, right?” Dong Hyunin slightly adjusted his neck, relieving a bit of the fatigue.
It was already three in the morning, yet he still had to stay at the company.
He secretly admired his father, who had brought the company this far.
“Yes, I’ll send the meeting summary tomorrow.”
“Just send it in the afternoon.
You and the team deserve a break.
You’ve been working all day.” Today, the young president had to attend meetings from dawn until dusk because it was the month of the annual budget closing.
SKM Ent.
didn’t only produce idols or solo artists but also had several subsidiary companies both domestically and internationally, which were not entertainment businesses.
Therefore, even just listening to report summaries consumed a considerable amount of time.
“Understood, sir.”
“Anything else?” The young man leaned back, closing his eyes with exhaustion.
“The production team of Star Fight informed that Kim Jungeol’s son requested to leave the program due to personal reasons.
As for the legal matter, it’s progressing as we desired.
Our lawyer has submitted the next evidence for the court to consider.”
“Alright then, thank you very much.
You should go rest now.
I’ll leave soon too.” The young man opened his eyes and looked at his secretary, who bowed his head, before turning and walking out of the room.
Dong Hyunin sat in his office for a while before picking up his phone to check the latest news on social media.
He started by scrolling through the daily trending hashtags until he stumbled upon one that was quietly gaining popularity.
#WhoIsJacanStarFight
Let’s find out who Jay Can really is on the Star Fight program together, shall we?
I’ve been trying to match his voice with artists in the industry that I can think of, but still haven’t found anyone whose voice matches Jacan’s.
Comment: Jacan is Jacan, isn’t he?
Comment: You could try picking some lower-level idol singers or those from mid-tier companies.
Comment: I’d like to entrust Jacan to everyone’s hearts.
We’re a small base fan club that was just recently established.
If anyone wants to enjoy pictures or artworks, or small handmade items, feel free to come and take a look.
Comment: Jacan isn’t exactly young anymore.
Heard he debuted before, right?
If you’re familiar, it’s not surprising.
Just watch the show for a while, and you’ll know.
Comment: No need to search so hard.
Once the rankings drop, he’ll come out and say it himself what he’s done before.
Call on the old fan base to help vote…
if there is one.
Comment: Haha, the comment above is too direct.
Comment: The two comments above clearly show they’re fans of someone else.
If you don’t like Jacan, just stay indifferent, or go peek at your own tag comments.
Comment: If you’re not going to cooperate, just keep your distance.
No need to type out cyber trash.
Comment: The truth should be easy to find.
A face like Jacan’s, you see it once and remember.
Plus, with this level of ability, even if he’s with a smaller company, he should still have some reputation.
But somehow, he’s hard to find.
Comment: I know right?
I’ve been thinking so much my brain is about to explode.
Comment: With a face blessed by the heavens like that, he might have had plastic surgery, so you can’t recognize him, haha.
Comment: What’s with all the commotion here?
Go check out the top trends fast.
A pregnant actress before marriage, with a baby bump!
And she’s had an abortion too, damn!!
Comment: Geez, hold on, Jacan oppa!
There are other urgent matters to attend to!
The young president furrowed his brow, watching as this hashtag slowly got overshadowed by a certain actress’s pregnancy scandal, despite her previously clean image.
Netizens were now intensely focused on monitoring the movements of that celebrity’s agency, temporarily neglecting the matter of Jacan.
While some continued to debate, the recent scandal was more sensational, so this tag was eventually pushed out of the spotlight in no time.
Dong Hyunin recalled the flash drive containing data about the molds he had received.
If he traced back their encounters, he would have to go back to when his close friend asked him to help welcome the close friend’s younger brother, Han Shinsu, the top-tier country-level actress, who his good friend was trying to court with all his might.
Han Shinsu…
Before becoming an actress, she had previously been part of an idol duo.
And the person she was paired with always wore a mask, never revealing their face publicly.
He believed the stage name he used was J.
J… Jacan!!!
“Why did you release it now?” The manager looked at the talented actress with a questioning gaze.
They had agreed to only release the information they had when the other actress crossed the line.
“Or had the other party gotten closer to Mr.
Choi?” This actress, besides snatching jobs from Han Shinsu, also seemed eager to vie for the man’s affection.
“Well…
I just thought it was the right time.” Han Shinsu observed the online movements with a calm face.
The actress in the gossip news had been a thorn in Han Shinsu’s side ever since she fully transitioned into acting.
That actress liked to spread rumors about her sleeping around.
The root cause might have been that Han Shinsu was immediately offered a role without auditions.
That role was likely coveted by the actress as well.
She didn’t think much, just kept notes in her mind.
No matter how sleazy the entertainment industry was, as long as she confirmed that she didn’t do it and had clear evidence, nobody could tarnish her.
As for how it was known that this actress was doing secret work behind the scenes…
Well, it couldn’t be helped that her former duo partner was such an all-rounder.
As soon as Jacan saw she was in trouble, he immediately offered his help, complete with a list of people to watch out for that filled up nearly three pages of A4 paper.
Before heading off to compete in the Survival program, Jacan had given her this information to use in case of emergency.
Because jealous humans would either kill you if they couldn’t beat you or come back to stab you in the back.
When the leaked news came out that she and Choi Taeyong were in the acquaintance stage, she didn’t know where that actress heard it from but one thing was clear—jealousy was burning her from the eyes to the brain.
That actress had gone as far as to coincidentally “bump into” Han Shinsu’s love interest at social events so often, even getting people to take blurry photos to spark minor gossip.
Then the netizens would speculate on their own.
Blurry photos?
Seriously, back then, even CCTV cameras could zoom in and see every hair follicle!
Maybe she wanted to see her go crazy or provoke a fight with Choi Taeyong.
So that when their relationship was rocky, she could swoop in and snatch the man from her right away.
Luckily, Mr.
Choi is quick to realize.
He immediately called her as soon as he saw the news and was ready to bring witnesses to confirm his innocence.
But recently, the lead role she had just secured and was about to sign the contract for was suddenly recast.
It was needless to say who replaced her.
Han Shinsu prepared to use it as leverage against that actress, just waiting for her to slip up first, so that she couldn’t trace it back to the source.
But she had to release it earlier than planned because she saw the fans’ hashtag trying to uncover the truth about her brother was gaining traction, so she decided to nip that in the bud and release the news immediately to overshadow the trend.
From sneaking around for insider information, it seemed her brother’s ranking was doing very well.
He definitely wouldn’t be eliminated in the first round.
So this hashtag should have disappeared from the search for now.
An artist who had already debuted and was now appearing on a survival show could certainly attract the attention of both old and new fans.
If everyone knew Jacan was the J from the HJ duo, Candies who still supported them would surely rush to vote for him.
But she and he had worked together for 5 years, not counting the time before their debut.
Why wouldn’t she have known what this younger brother wanted?
Jacan had wanted to prove himself, to use his unmasked face and musical abilities to lead him to the goals he desired, without relying on his past reputation.
So, all of you, just wait a bit longer.
If his ranking dropped, she would be the one to announce and ask for votes for her brother herself (haha).
“Ms.
Shinsu, that side is ready for the press release.
Should we do anything else?” the manager asked for her opinion.
“No need to do anything else.
Netizens are the best at digging up information, they’ll take it from here.
That’s enough for today, go rest.
If you forget, watch out!” Han Shinsu playfully wrinkled her nose at the manager, making her laugh and promise to vote twice, before leaving for home.
Rrrr
[Was that your handiwork, beautiful lady?]
“You seem so confident, Mr.
Choi,” the young woman answered the phone, not even getting a chance to speak before the voice on the other end accused her playfully.
[Well…
right now, I’m being accused by netizens of being the father of a child that was aborted.
How can I stay calm about that?
Because if I have to be the father of anyone, that child’s mother would have to be you.]
“Hmph, you can keep talking.
If someone brings a child and claims you’re the father, then let’s see!” she retorted.
[Young lady, this Mr.
Choi is very innocent.
I guarantee he’s been a virgin for 32 years.]
“…
Are you serious?” This story is quite hard to believe, isn’t it?
[Shall I have my mother come and confirm it for you?]
“Stop talking nonsense, please.
Did you call me just to confirm the person spreading rumors?” Even though they were talking, their main means of communication was through chat apps because her schedule was tight, and sometimes it wasn’t convenient to answer calls.
[No, I’m just jealous.]
“Jealous?
Oh…
how did you know that?” She didn’t expect it to be noticed so quickly.
[If I hadn’t known in advance what you and he are, by now I would have come to find you in your room.]
“If you already knew, you should also know that I only see him as a younger brother…”
[To be honest, I just missed you, so I called.]
“…” Oh…
she wasn’t prepared for that.
Argh!
Her face turned completely red!!!
Returning to the uncontrolled eating gathering of the trainees, the later it got, the more frantic it became.
The chicken gambling circle was becoming more prominent.
A deck of cards that started with 52 cards became over 20 lives when people wanted to join.
Finally, it turned into playing two-card poker.
Whoever had the highest score won.
But if the scores were the same, they’d do rock-paper-scissors to decide the winner.
Jacan didn’t want to participate in this game.
He sat observing from outside the entertainment circle.
“Aren’t you playing, big bro Jay?” Lee Sangah, now bored, got up to let someone else take his place.
He had seen the brother sitting there holding a drink, watching them play since the start.
“Watching you guys play looks more fun,” they joked back and forth.
“And you came to sit with me because you have something you want to talk about, right?” his gaze remained fixed on the card game.
“Are you some kind of demon or something?” Lee Sangah stared, amazed.
This brother always had something that surprised him.
“Well…
I do have something I want to talk about.”
“There are no cameras following us right now, no hidden cameras either.
We can talk just now.
Also, that guy is no longer on the show.
I think you’d want to clear your conscience a bit.”
“Do you really know…” His eyes widened, turning to look at the person beside him with a shocked expression, his neck stiffened as if he had seen a ghost.
“Just a little.” Truly, he knew everything.
“And what do you want to talk about?” Jacan leaned back on the sofa, very relaxed.
Unlike Lee Sangah, who was stiff, needing to adjust his breathing for a while before he could speak.
“If you want to vent, just tell me.
I’m ready to listen to everything.”-
Shoot!
This brother was too scary.
Whoever was his enemy, they were as good as dead!
“I…
Actually, I was sent by creditors to cause trouble on this show or whatever, to make this show a drama.
Even if I’m voted off in the first round, all the debts will be considered never happened.” Lee Sangah hesitated to speak, revealing a story that no one else knew except himself and the creditors who sent him.
“…” Jacan listened quietly, not saying a word, allowing the young man to speak freely.
While Lee Sangah might be biased against foreigners, he wasn’t foolish enough to spill it in front of the cameras.
Who would go around stirring up trouble for the entire nation to despise?
Especially when these variety shows loved to include the dramatic parts.
But he had to do it because his creditor was also on the show.
Without outstanding performance, the conditions for canceling the debt agreement might become void.
And this creditor wasn’t just anyone.
He was a distant relative of An Junsa, a trainee in the idol class who he had just met when Star Fight opened for auditions.
Being in the subsidiary company of OMM Ent., he was randomly selected to participate in the competition.
Now he knew who the real creditor was.
He never thought a big-name company like Big Five would clandestinely lend money.
He was thinking he might have a chance to build a fan base for himself or, if lucky, even debut, he could use the money to pay off his debts and start fresh.
Who could have guessed he would be called in by the creditor’s parent company to discuss what to do after participating in the show?
‘Do whatever it takes to make yourself stand out in a negative light.
Make the production team keep an eye on you or turn it into a drama on social media.’
‘But if I do that…
what about my future as an idol?’ Before he even started, he had a bad reputation hanging over him.
If he got eliminated, could he still be an idol?
‘It’s not something you can negotiate, or else pay the debt.
Right now, the principal plus interest amounts to 190 million won (about 137,500 USD).’
‘190 million won!!
It’s insane!
My mother borrowed only 114 million won (about 82,500 USD).
You guys are ripping us off!’
‘Your mother borrowed two years ago.
With the current sky-high inflation rate, the interest rates have had to adjust accordingly.
That’s just how it is.
You need to come up with the 190 million won for us.
If you don’t…
your mother’s organs might just fetch a decent price.’
‘I’ll do it, I’ll do it!
Just don’t do anything to my mother!’
As he waited for the class advancement audition, he saw a foreign young man stride in with a calm, serene face, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Handsome and beautiful all at once, the man seemed to radiate the aura of an idol.
This guy’s definitely getting a debut…
how envious.
They were both on the same show, yet he couldn’t accomplish what he wished.
Envious…
no, the man was more deserving of admiration.
When he was given the punishment of a 70% airtime reduction for three episodes, Lee Sangah felt a conflicting mix of emotions he couldn’t quite describe.
Part of him was afraid, but another part was relieved, knowing the creditor wouldn’t be able to exploit him until the third episode.
And his attempts to sabotage Wang Qi had instantly made him a problem child in the production team, exactly as the creditor wanted.
He watched the attitude of the creditor’s son, An Junsa, carefully, until he was confident that he could do whatever he needed to during this reduced airtime.
So, he was determined to tackle the missions given by the show with everything he had, even if not all of it would be aired.
There was no way he was going to let this opportunity slip byeasily.