When I arrived at the dorm, all the members were already there except for me. I arrived at the appointed time, but since I was the last one to arrive, I guess they couldn’t help but be curious about the new accommodation.
‘It’s so predictable, anyway.’
Foolish guys. They would get bored of the dormitory soon enough, but they were so excited about their debut that they looked forward to everything. Haven’t they already experienced how dreadful group living can be through the program? Nevertheless, when I saw the members all hyped up as if they were on a school trip, I realized that they were still so young.
“….Seungbeom-ah, welcome.”
“Uh, hello.”
The first to greet me was Baek Kiryang. Seeing his face as red as if it were about to explode, it was obvious that he must have lifted his head like a meerkat and rushed over as soon as he heard me enter the lock’s password.
Next, there was someone running up to me from the living room.
“Hyung, you’re here? I’ve already ordered food! I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I ordered a variety of things. Just eat whatever you want. I’ll finish up anything that’s left.”
It was Do Yuda.
When I got to the common entrance, Do Yuda briefed me that he had already ordered the delivery, his eyes sparkling. Having lived with him in the SU Entertainment dorm, I was already familiar with his appetite, so it wasn’t that surprising, but I was starting to get a little worried.
“How many did you order?”
“I don’t remember the exact number, but I ordered all the standard menu items. For the main dishes, I think there would be about 10 servings. The
tangsuyuk
1
,
kkangpunggi
2
, and
palbochae
3
are side dishes, so they’re not counted.”
…..He ate too much.
That guy was the type to order a ton of food, then under the guise of not wanting to waste them, he’d stuff himself with all the leftovers that no one else could possibly finish.
“….You, really, if you keep eating like that and something goes wrong, what are you going to do?”
When I expressed my concern for Do Yuda, Zen interrupted me coldly.
“Born as human, eats like a cow. He strengthens my prejudice against Koreans.”
“Whether you call me a cow, a snipe, or a pig, just pick one! I’m getting confused!”
“Hyungs, don’t fight. Even my youngest siblings don’t fight like that.”
At Lee Danbi’s dignified words, one of the two chatterboxes quickly put on a grown-up expression and spoke first.
“I, the adult, apologize.”
“Don’t apologize first! It makes me look bad!”
The idiot Zen was making fun of the idiot Do Yuda. It seemed that even idiots had their own hierarchy.
I pretended not to hear their conversation, accepted Lee Danbi’s greeting, and walked inside. I glanced around the dorm, taking in the layout of the rooms.
‘Hmm.’
It was something I had thought about since the entrance of the apartment, but it was quite a nice accommodation. It was far better than the Lucky Center, where they crammed a bunch of sturdy guys into a small space.
‘If there are four rooms, one person could have a room to themselves. The rooms are pretty spacious too.’
In short, it was far too luxurious for a rookie group.
This was one of the great things about debuting through a popular survival program. Since the group already had the same level of recognition as top-tier idols even before starting our activities, the company was relatively less stingy with money and had to be more mindful of the fans.
‘I’m not sure if the company is actually treating us this well, or if Lee Hwayoung pulled some strings.’
I didn’t want to go through the nightmare I had in the beginning of Prism’s career twice.
When I closed my eyes, I faintly recalled Lee Chise’s kicking while sleeping, Jay and Cha Woon arguing loudly without even sleeping, and Seo Yuseong pressing their faces with a pillow so they couldn’t breathe. It turned out that having seven members sleep together in such a small space was much more unpleasant than I had imagined.
Of course, Prism also succeeded right after debut, so we were able to move out of that dormitory not long after.
‘Hmm.’
After thinking about those troublesome Prism guys, I looked at the Pantheion members, who were staring at me with innocent expressions, and it felt like a weight was lifted off my chest. Please stay this calm and gentle. Forever. Please.
As I gazed at the members with blurry eyes, they tilted their heads in confusion and quickly started expressing their thoughts.
“Our dorm is nice.”
“I actually came prepared, thinking it would be similar to Lucky Center, but it’s surprisingly spacious and clean, so I was shocked.”
“That’s right! Our fans also said they’re happy that we got a great place for our dorm. Our company is the best!”
There seemed to be some words mixed in among the chirping of the chicks that shouldn’t have been there.
I hurriedly grabbed Do Yuda’s shoulder and asked, “…The fans know about our dorm?”
“Yes. I don’t think they know the exact unit number, they seemed to know the general area and structure?”
“How? We haven’t done any filming at our dorm yet.”
When I hardened my expression and asked seriously, Do Yuda approached me with a phone in hand. He tapped on his phone and showed me his SNS feed.
Idol Insider: A common dorm where a rookie idol group lives wow (Real estate site photo)]
└ Wow, they’re really staying in such a nice place. I’m jealous. How much does an apartment like that even cost in Seoul?
└ It’s all our money.
└ Oh no, the reality check just hit hard hahahaha
Have you seen Nicholas’s watch? It was ridiculously expensive damn
└ That’s his money
“It’s not our dorm, but it seems like a photo uploaded to a real estate site for another apartment in this building has been spread.”
“Where did the information that our dorm is this apartment complex first start spreading?”
“They said it was some kind of community … I don’t remember the exact name either. People are pointing out on SNS that it’s a privacy leak, but everyone avoids mentioning which community it is. I think they’re trying to block new people from finding out.”
“There are communities that you don’t know about?”
“Of course. I’m just scratching the surface. I have no idea about the depths. What do you even take me for?”
“A monitoring addict.”
“I just want to communicate actively with the fans! And I definitely don’t want to hear that from Seungbeom-hyung, who’s always staying up all night digging around the internet!”
“Nonsense. Don’t sacrifice me for your excuses.”
I am a man who enjoys the night view at dawn.
I didn’t have time to waste on the internet.
I ignored Do Yuda’s accusations and continued to read the posts on SNS.
Where on earth did the info about PT7
4
kids’ dorm spread from? Was it PPM?
└ Take down the post, you crazy person
└ Why do you keep bringing up community talk to the surface like this? Seriously, it’s too much;;; It’s not even a major community, just a place where bunch of creeps spreading false rumors and invading people’s privacy. F**k, they’re really malicious.
└ Seriously, this is the first time I’ve seen a new community this toxic. Who was the one who set the tone in the beginning? The moderators didn’t even take action and just left them alone, so now all the troublemakers who got kicked out of other communities are gathering there, causing trouble
└ Everyone on PPM is panicking and deleting their posts right now. I think they’re about to shut down the community.
└ Don’t even mention the initials.
— They’ve already drawn enough attention…. ugh, this is really frustrating. Those cyber wreckers trash will find that community and start spreading those posts as if they’re real. Meanwhile, the newbies are blabbering about ‘
it’s all our money
‘ without knowing anything … I just can’t deal with this anymore
‘What is PPM?’
When I tapped on the post that had the most replies of ‘
Please take down your post
‘ among the various posts, I was able to find out the identity of
BBM
. There was always someone like that, relentlessly spreading information without any awareness.
— It’s from Ppappamo, right hahaha why bother hiding it when it’s already beyond repair? The name itself is legendary. It’s only been around for a few months, but the posts are getting tons of views.
└ Are you paid to promote them? Just shut up and delete this.
If it was a new community, as people said, and it was a bad one that spread malicious rumors, then it was understandable that Do Yuda wouldn’t have known about it.
‘I can’t believe such a site has appeared without me knowing….’
The leak of the address of the dorm was not the act of normal fans, but it seemed to have been done by users of a community who treated information about
sasaengs
5
and us as entertainment.
The ad-supported SNS account for idol news screenshoted the post and spread it immediately, and the story that was supposed to remain in the shadows eventually made its way into the public eye.
It was definitely a topic that intrigued many people: how expensive a house the group, which has broken all the records of previous survival idol groups and is enjoying the peak of popularity, would live in, and how well the company would treat them.
— Is there anyone among the members of Pantheion who wants to adopt human? I’m not a fan though lol.
— Applying to be a House-Elf (1/999)
The general public, with the exception of fans, did not stray from expectations at all, hey consumed it as a joke without even caring where the information came from.
As I skimmed through the community’s reactions and sighed lightly, Woo Kangwon said in a worried tone next to me.
“Don’t worry about it too much. We probably won’t be able to hide where we live from now on, no matter where we move to, so there’s no point in stressing over it. The apartment’s security is tight, so hopefully nothing serious will happen.”
Woo Kangwon was right.
While it was indeed something that shouldn’t have happened, it wasn’t uncommon for idols’ addresses to be leaked to fans. In a world where you could uncover all kinds of personal information just by hacking an account, it was nearly impossible for a public figure who had their name and birthdate exposed to live in complete hiding.
Most of them just didn’t show it, but the majority of celebrities with a decent-sized fanbom have already had their living spaces invaded by
sasaeng
fans and just have to live with it.
Maybe the company selected a high-end apartment for our accommodation because of security concerns. Since the entrance to the apartment was strictly restricted to residents only, this apartment was likely the safest option compared to other places.
‘….I feel uneasy.’
Compared to the members of the Pantheion, I was quite tolerant. I remembered similar situations often happening during my time in Prism.
But despite that, I had no idea why I kept feeling so uneasy.
— Doesn’t it seem like they’re especially singling out our kids’ stories there?
I guess it wasn’t the fact that our dorm address was known that bothered me, but the very existence of the community itself.
“….Hyung?”
“Then, uh, what should we do?”
“…….”
“Leada, is there anything you can’t do?”
Oops. Since I was frowning the whole time, it seemed like my anxiety rubbed off on the members as well.
Of course, since those guys have never properly done any idol activities, they must be worried about the sasaengs rather than the community.
I nodded toward Woo Kangwon and hastily put on a calm face, “Kyungwon-hyung is right. What’s done is done, so let’s not stress about it. I’ll pass it on to the manager and ask them to do their best to block sasaeng fans from approaching us. It’ll be better than doing nothing.”
Ding dong!
While I was reassuring the members, I heard the doorbell ring.
“Food!”
Just moments ago, Do Yuda looked anxious, but now he suddenly dashed to the front door with sparkling eyes. I wondered if his quick recovery was thanks to my comfort, or was it because of the jajangmyeon. It was a question I was skeptical of.
Since winning was barely enough to break even, I didn’t bother trying to find an answer to that question. Instead, I looked around at my members, then I tilted my head. One of them had been missing since earlier.
“By the way, where’s Lee Hwayoung?”
“He went out earlier … he said he would be back after having a meal.”
“We ordered food, but he went out?”
“He said Korean food doesn’t suit his taste. Since Nicholas-hyung’s family is in Korea right now, maybe they went to a restaurant together?”
“Hmm, in that case, there might be leftovers. What should we do? Should I set aside the food that won’t get soggy before we start eating?”
Woo Kangwon spoke with concern as he looked at the piled-up food, seemingly at a loss. Then, Do Yuda slowly raised his head, his eyes flashing fiercely., and spoke.
“Why are there any leftovers? I don’t really understand.”
In response to Do Yuda’s comment, Woo Kangwon simply continued unwrapping the package in silence. Zen watched Do Yuda quietly for a moment before speaking.
“If you continue eating like that, you’re going to die.”
You can support this translation through Buy Me a Coffee!
Translator’s Corner:
Tangsuyuk (탕수육)
is a Korean Chinese meat dish with sweet and sour sauce. It can be made with either pork or beef ↩︎
Kkangpunggi (깐풍기
) is a chicken dish in Korean Chinese cuisine. It is a spicy fried chicken dish, typically covered in a sauce and served with vegetables. ↩︎
Palbochae (팔보채)
is the Korean name for
Eight Treasure soup
or
Babaocai
, a typical Chinese dish that is made by stir-frying various vegetables, seafood, and other leftovers. It contains seafood such as sea cucumbers, shrimp, squid, and vegetables such as bamboo shoots. Meat, tofu, eggs, and other leftovers can also be added ↩︎
You know how fans usually censored idol name to avoid it shows up on search right. Here Pantheion is written as ㅍㅌ8 (basically PT8, PT-Eight). Eight kinda more sounds like Eon, but I found it weird in english-pov since Pantheion is 7 members … so I wrote it as PT7 instead. ↩︎
Sasaeng (사생팬)
: is the South Korean term for
an obsessive fan who invades the privacy of Korean idols, drama actors, or other public figures in the entertainment industry
. One of the most notable activities associated with sasaeng fans is
stalking
. The term sasaeng comes from the Korean words sa (사; 私) meaning “private” and saeng (생; 生) meaning “life”, in reference to the fans’ intrusion into celebrities’ private lives. ↩︎
On topic of sasaeng … you know sometimes when I open twitter, I often see intl fans criticizing why kpop agencies are so scared about korean fans when they literally ignored every intl fans demands … well … you know … korean fans live in korea …. intl fans at best going to see their idol 5 times a year, while korean fans are living in the same country with them as most of the time. they can find out their address, their family, probably went to the same school, probably can have same acquaintances …. korean fans the one who attends music show every comeback, fansign, domestic shows …. of course agencies are trying their best to make the people who has the most opportunity to approach idols happy …. you never know which one is secretly crazy…….
I think reasons group like EXO is confident on keeping a member even though some of their korean fans are mad of is because the group already old enough, the fandom for each members already stabilized, and they’re really active as a group anymore, so each members can comfortably pursue solo activities, and come back once in a blue moon to release songs together. Plus, they’re famous famous so even if they lost fans, there are still support from the general public. Most groups don’t have the same advantage, that’s why you see a lot of idol who’s getting caught up in a scandal left their group sooner or later. Because apart from it can damage the group reputation, can you imagine how scary it is to stay in a group where the domestic fans hate you, just imagine attending a fansign where all other fans who have the other members as their favorite just think of you as a “nuisance” who ruined their idol’s reputation ….
This happened to my #1 idol too tbh, a long time ago. Her group’s fandom hated her for having too many scandal, and she ended up leaving the group. I’m still feeling regret until this day, but tbh, I’m just a fan, and the idol herself might probably know what’s the best for their situation. Not to mention it’s really hard to punish sasaeng. The idol I mentioned here had a lot of trouble with sasaengs too, and even if the agency took actions to report them, it’s not like they will get in jail. It’s not like there’s just one or two cases where idols themselves tried to expose sasaengs, but it backfired on them for “spreading ordinary person’s information”. And these kind of stalkers are def crazy, like “I will k myself if you reported me” crazy (this actually happened too). So, yeah. While most agencies are shitty, I think there’s also a severe case of locals turning into psychopaths sasaeng, that’s why they tried their best to appease the domestic fans’ demands.
Okay I’m rambling too much. I was absent-mindedly eating sausage for dinner … then I realized it tasted strange … so I looked at it and it’s already … idk, gone bad? Smell horrible (I LITERALLY JUST BOUGHT IT, WHY IT ALWAYS HAPPENED TO ME). I threw up what’s in my mouth right away, but nothing can be done for what’s already in my stomach, so if you guys don’t see me after this, it’s food poisoning.