Translator: MarcTempest
Editor: Rxel
Chapter 268
The manager who went to get the coffee came back with a stunned look on his face.
“Hyung, what’s wrong? What happened inside?”
“Woojoo.”
“Yes.”
“Your nickname is Kim Deoksoon’s Man…?”
That was when he realized what had happened.
While Woojoo’s younger siblings and Minki Hyung were having a blast, the polar bear handed out the drinks with a pitiful face.“I’m sorry, Hyung.” Woojoo apologized with a smile. “I made it last year and forgot about it. I made it as a couple nickname with my grandma.”
“Couple?”
“My grandma is ‘Woojoo’s Granny’.”
Dowon Hyung laughed.
Soon, everyone burst into laughter as he told them what had happened.
People were staring. He went to get the drinks nervously and the part-timer whispered, ‘Are you Kim Deoksoon’s Man by any chance?’
He ran out half-crying, he said.
They chatted away while sipping their drinks. Minki Hyung checked his wristwatch and said, “It’s almost time for our appointment. Should we go now?”
“…Yes.”
The sound of the straw sucking the ice from the empty drink sounded like the wind.
Woojoo’s siblings gave him a bright smile as he got up with a sad face.
“Hyung.”
Jiho smiled brightly.
“Have fun and be sweet with the PD-nim~!”
“Awesome.”
“Ah, I wish I could see you two together.”
Woojoo asked Bijoo, who was shining his eyes, “Bijoo, do you want to come with me?”
“No. Then I might have to go to the army too.”
“…”
There was no one he could trust.
Woojoo waved goodbye to the teasing guys and shook his head. He turned to Rihyuk, who was the only one still.
“You’re the only one, Rihyuk. I’m going… What are you looking at?”
“The weather forecast. I was checking when would be the best time to go to the army.”
“…”
“You said I’m the only one? Pfft.”
The siblings giggled and sang, ‘Rihyuk is the only one~’.
“Wait and see. I’ll take one of you with me. For real.”
“Uh…”
“Minki Hyung. Let’s go.”
The siblings grabbed Woojoo desperately, but he left coolly. Minki Hyung also got out of the passenger seat.
Bijoo called Woojoo urgently.
“Hyung!”
“What.”
“You left your phone!”
“…”
Woojoo rolled his eyes at Minki Hyung, who was biting his lips, and ran back to get his phone.
Laughter erupted from behind him.
Sangam TBC Broadcasting Station.
“Welcome!”
A handsome man with a staff badge around his neck, Do Joongi PD, greeted them.
“Woojoo, your face is still shining.”
“Haha.”
“Don’t you feel excited to film our program? Haha!”
“…”
Woojoo needed to control his expression. Control his expression.
This was social life.
They entered the meeting room and the writers welcomed them.
“Hi!”
“Wow… Oh my, you’re handsome. I’ve been watching the video for research, but the camera doesn’t capture you well.”
“I thought Taehyun was lying.”
Woojoo tilted his head at the sudden name.
“Taehyun Sunbae-nim?”
He had been saying that ever since the pre-meeting. He said he had a friend who had served in the military and that he had to come. He said he would attract viewers with his visuals. He said his face sparkled like a club light.
“Yeah. He kept recommending you. We’ve been paying attention to you since then.”
“…Th, thank you.”
It looked like a touching true story of a top friend in the industry who worked hard for a nameless idol, but well.
He probably just wanted to see him suffer.
Woojoo asked the writer in a subtle voice, “How about Han Taehyun Sunbae-nim’s reappearance? He’s like an onion, you know, he has charm no matter how much you peel him. I heard he went to the navy last time. He’s good at swimming too.”
“Navy?”
“Yes. Navy.”
“Air force?”
“Oh. That Sunbae is good at flying planes too.”
The writers burst into laughter.
It seemed like Woojoo had succeeded in getting close to them even though it had been less than five minutes since they met.
While Minki Hyung and Woojoo sat down and drank water, a camera was set up on a tripod.
“I’m going to shoot a little bit for the data screen.”
“Okay, I understand.”
Woojoo used his phone as a mirror and showed his teeth.
“Huh… You’re so pretty when you smile.”
“Oh, thank you…”
Woojoo was just checking if he had chocolate chips.
He brushed his hair once, checked the camera angle, and the pre-meeting started.
The PD asked, “First of all, have you seen our program?”
“Yes. I binge-watched it after I confirmed my appearance.”
Woojoo briefly summarized what episodes impressed him and what he should do here.
The production team smiled with their gums.
“As expected. You’re well-prepared. The conversation will be much easier.” He continued, “You know our program is divided into regular guests and one-time guests, right?”
“Yes.”
‘Men Go’ was a format where six regular guests and one to three guests were filmed together.
“You also know that guests usually receive basic military training from the army, right?”
“Yes…”
Most of the celebrity guests who appeared on ‘Men Go’ were either discharged from the military a long time ago or non-serving people.
Unlike the regular guests who were already accustomed to military life, they had no choice but to stutter and fumble when they were thrown in right away. That was why the guests often received short basic military training.
Woojoo had been discharged less than two years ago, and he had to go back and receive formal training with loud noises.
It was time to paint a gloomy future.
“Woojoo, we’re going to skip that part.”
“Really?”
“Well, you’ve just been discharged not long ago. And you have reserve duty soon.”
“Yes, that’s right!”
“We thought it wouldn’t be necessary, so we’re going to use that. We’ll just take a short scene of you entering and leaving the reserve duty.”
“Wow…”
The production team laughed when Woojoo opened his eyes wide.
“We’re not cruel enough to make someone who’s just been discharged go again. We’re not.”
“Wow…”
“If you want, we can send you…”
“No! I’m fine! I remember everything! My body is part of the military!”
He was going to take over the military YouTube videos from today. For real.
Their eyes narrowed and they smiled.
“Then Woojoo will do that. What about the other guests?”
The expected topic came up.
“What about the members? Do you have any friends you can recommend? Someone you want to take with you.”
“Um…”
Woojoo looked like he was thinking in front of them, but he had already made up his mind.
“I don’t think there’s anyone I can recommend or want to take with me.”
“Really?”
“Yes. PD-nim.”
Woojoo always warned his brothers, ‘I’ll take you guys, I’ll take you for sure’, but he didn’t really mean to take them.
Even if he had to go, he would go alone.
Even if it was in the realm of entertainment, the military was the military.
It was a place where things that were accepted as common sense in society were reversed, and situations that felt unreasonable were frequent.
He didn’t want to make their kids go through something they would have to face someday anyway.
It wasn’t a good experience.
But it wasn’t something he could say in front of the production team of the program supported by the Ministry of National Defense.
“First of all, two of them are minors.”
“Oh, right.”
“Bijoo has a bad knee. The doctor told him to reduce his practice last time because his cartilage is wearing out. So I don’t think he can do something like marching…”
“It’s better to avoid it if there’s a risk of injury.”
It wasn’t that serious, but Woojoo was grateful that they understood.
“Junghyun is perfect, but he has a my-way personality. He needs someone to take care of him quickly.”
“That’s hard in the army.”
“Yes. The viewers of ‘Men Go’ like things to be fast and snappy.”
“Well, if he’s my-way, we have some overlapping characters. Maybe we should find someone else…”
As the production team pondered, Woojoo asked the question he had been curious about.
“Where are you going this time?”
“We usually tailor the special to the guest. We thought about what kind of picture to put you in, and we decided to go somewhere other than the army this time.”
“Oh, really… yes?”
Woojoo blinked.
“It’s a military entertainment show… and you’re not going to the army?”
“We’re trying something new.” PD Do leaned back in his chair and said, “Entertainment has a lifespan, you know? Today’s program that everyone is crazy about might be abandoned by the viewers tomorrow. ‘Men Go’ can’t avoid that truth either.”
That was true.
Unlike last year, when every episode was a hot topic, the ratings of ‘Men Go’ were slowly declining.
“So we’re thinking of expanding ‘Men Go’ to areas like police and fire. To extend the program’s life. They’re also people who protect the nation.”
It seemed like they were trying to catch a glimpse of the viewers who were starting to get tired of the barracks entertainment.
“Wow… that’s a deep meaning!”
Woojoo’s face lit up as he listened to the explanation.
He felt it himself.
The joy in his heart overflowed and radiated out of his body.
“So I’m not going to the army?”
The writers burst out laughing at Woojoo’s urgent question.
He was serious.
“Well, technically, yes.”
“I’ll work harder, really!”
He wasn’t not going to the army!
It had been a long time since he was so happy after the success of Windflower.
“Where are we going then? Police station? Fire station?”
“That’s a secret.”
“A secret?”
“Anyway, I’ll let you know that it’s an area that requires some basic military training.”
“Yes! Yes!”
Woojoo smiled brightly, and PD Do turned his head and smiled.
The writers too.
Why were they like that?
It seemed like they had something up their sleeves, but Woojoo decided to let it go for now.
As they talked with the guests again, Woojoo’s head was busy.
It was different if it wasn’t the army.
Woojoo came up with a plan in less than a second on how to drag his kids into the water with me.
“PD-nim.”
“Hmm?”
“What about this?”
As Woojoo explained the idea he had come up with, the production team also sparkled their eyes and applauded the good idea.
“Hehehe.”
“Huhuhuhu.”
They nodded their heads with a satisfied smile.
Only Minki Hyung made a ‘what a devil…’ expression next to him.
That was how he finished the pre-meeting with the production team of ‘Men Go’ in a pleasant atmosphere.
“Okay. See you then.”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”
They said goodbye in a friendly mood.
Twinkle-
Woojoo was about to save the writers’ contacts, but his phone screen twinkled.
Lee Hyunjo [Woojoo-ssi ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و]
Lee Hyunjo [It’s me, Hanjo!]
Lee Hyunjo [I finally got a phone!]
Woojoo lifted his head after staring blankly at the screen.
He met eyes with the PD who was looking at his screen with him.
“…”
This shouldn’t happen.
Without realizing it, his cheeks and lips curled up slightly.
Company workroom.
The phone next to his laptop kept flashing without a break.
Hanjo [No way]
Hanjo [How could you do that???]
Woojoo [I had no choice]
Woojoo [The PD was watching, how could I say you’re a stranger]
Woojoo ignored the long message that blamed him for a moment.
Woojoo [But congrats on getting a phone]
Woojoo [Wow! I’m so excited!]
Hanjo [F*** you]
Hanjo [My hand slipped]
Woojoo [If you slip one more time, we’re done]
Woojoo [Got it?]
Hanjo [Got it…]
Hanjo [I guess I have to go then…]
Woojoo chuckled at the sight of Hanjo sending a sullen emoticon.
But he couldn’t help it.
Of all times, the message came when the PD was watching. Of all times.
It was such a bad situation.
“Hehehe.”
As Woojoo smiled contentedly, the speakerphone voice got louder nearby.
The younger ones were on the phone while the leaders were chatting.
-Who was that laughing just now? Sounded like an old man.
“It’s Woojoo Hyung!”
-I knew it would be Hyung! Who else has such an old laugh!
“Kyaruruk!”
-Geez! Gakgak!
Woojoo rolled his eyes, but the younger ones were excited.
Today was a historic day when Street Boys won first place on the music show.
“Congrats on the first place!”
They shouted ‘Yay!’ in response to Woojoo’s greeting.
-Well! When there’s no tiger in the cave, the fox is king, right?
-If there’s no New Black, we’re the king!
-We’re the number one boy group Street Boys. Hot!
-Namu, can’t you read the mood? Who asked you to go that far?
Namu was still being roasted as usual.
Woojoo smiled as he watched the younger ones chatting.
He also teased Hanjo, who was going to appear on Men Go with them.
“Wow! A group chat!”
After the call ended, a group chat called Mint Choco-dan was created.
They went crazy when Woojoo greeted them with a New Black emoticon, saying ‘Nice to meet you’.
They bought it one by one and said, ‘Our money will flow into New Black’s bank account!’
Woojoo smiled at their words.
While chatting, he also asked casually about his military junior.
Woojoo [Is Eunsung doing well?]
Unlike the successful Street Boys, APLB, a rookie from a small agency, was quietly buried.
What if he was disappointed because it was different from his expectations…
Rex [Eunsung Hyung? We’re best friends now!]
LB [Eunsung Hyung is so funnyㅋㅋ]
LB [Picture]
Kiwon [Hyung, you’re not close with him]
Rex [Kiwon, don’t hit him too hard, Namu’s bones are melting]
He wouldn’t be sullen.
He was laughing and having a blast in the picture.
He even talked back to the senior group, they said.
Well, good for him. Woojoo smiled warmly.
He was like a capybara.
Woojoo nodded as he heard the overall atmosphere of the music industry.
He was glad they were all doing well.
He also finished almost all of his work on the laptop.
“Are you ready, Hyung?”
“Yeah.”
“The A&R Team said they’ll be here soon.”
Woojoo looked at the document on his laptop, where the cursor was blinking.
[4th Album Plan]
Now that things were going well for them and everyone around them, it was time for them to run again.
“Phew…”
Deputy Seo Pilgeun of the A&R Team took a deep breath and entered the meeting room.
He greeted Woojoo and the other members who were sitting at the head of the table.
“Deputy! Welcome!”
“Hi.”
“Please take a printout and a gift when you come in.”
He swallowed a laugh as he took the PPT handout and the gift package. It seemed like a gift from Japan.
Today was the preliminary meeting for the album production with the A&R Team and the members.
After the staff came in with sad faces, thinking, ‘It’s time to split up again.’
“Shall we start then?”
The members stood up one by one and explained their direction for the 4th album.
The overall concept, choreography, design, etc.
The theme was hip-hop.
The A&R staff, who were either rolling their pens or folding their arms, listened quietly and rolled their tongues inward.
‘They’ve really broadened their horizons.’
Their progress was amazing.
They were so lost at the first meeting, but now they were sharp enough to not be ignored.
They snorted at Rihyuk’s skill, who had neatly arranged the rough budget.
And Woojoo, who was already good at it, looked like a real producer now.
“Our goal is to release the album in mid or late August.”
“Will you pre-release it at the concert, and then do the music shows?”
“Yes.”
“How about your stamina…? Can you do it?”
“We can do it.”
As he said that, Woojoo turned his eyes to the staff.
“Are you okay with that?”
“We have to make it possible. It’s what our producer said.”
“Thank you always.”
The A&R Team leader smiled at Woojoo’s words. The staff also smiled faintly.
‘It’s time to run again.’
‘It’s hell of work.’
‘If I see a ghost, I’ll grab it and ask what’s trending in the underworld these days.’
As they made a sad laugh, good news came out of Woojoo’s mouth.
“And, this time, I’m thinking of hiring some external help.”
“External help?”
“Yes, we’ve been working with only the people in the company for a while. According to our analysis, if we go on like this, the color of the 4th album won’t be much different from the previous albums.”
“Then…”
“Since the theme is hip-hop, we’ll contact some external producers…”
Their faces brightened as they exchanged glances.
‘Are we not going to split up?’
‘Is this liberation? Are we liberated?’
‘Oh God. We’re alive.’
The A&R staff, who had anticipated the Emile Bell, began to feel energized.
“That’s right! That’s a good idea. Let’s go for a new vibe this time.”
“Okay. Okay.”
“Oh, it’s going to be busy! We have to find the people to work with before we start the song contest, right?”
“Right. Let’s narrow down the candidates first.”
“There are already a lot of people who come to mind.”
“Me too! Me too! There are people I really want to bring and work with.”
“Let’s spread the news quickly through the composer community.”
The staff spewed out words like a machine gun.
The New Black members blinked their eyes at their passionate appearance. Woojoo smiled awkwardly and said, “Um…”
“Um, you don’t have to rush…”
“Launch it today! Launch it today!”
“We’ll get ready right away!”
The A&R staff shouted in unison at Woojoo’s words to proceed slowly.
“Slowly? What are you talking about? Woojoo? Your work is my work.”
“We can’t delay the work!”
“Yeah, whatever.”
“We have a tight schedule! We need to do it right now! Right now!”
While the A&R Team members were busy tapping on their laptops, Woojoo, who was sitting on the upper seat, quietly sipped his banana milk.
A deep smile played on his lips as he lowered his head slightly.
“Did you hear? New Black is looking for people to work on their new album.”
“What? Really?”
“That’s awesome.”
“Is there any announcement? If that’s true, I want to apply too.”
“If I pass this, can I really work with him, New Black’s Woojoo? I’ve always wanted to do that.”
“Wow… I could become a royalty millionaire.”
At a bar in Seoul.
The topic of the composers was none other than New Black’s new album.
They were buzzing with excitement, saying that success was guaranteed if they got in.
Soon, their eyes turned to the person who was silently drinking.
“Hey, Pilgeun. Is this for real? Your company is doing this? Working with him, New Black’s Woojoo?”
“You told me everything is true, right? They don’t care about experience this time.”
“Yeah.”
Seo Pilgeun smiled smugly.
“Apply a lot. Our company is fair, regardless of experience.”
The boss can go to hell. Haha.
But the composers who didn’t hear his last words started to chatter with eager faces.
Seo Pilgeun smiled contentedly at the sight of his industry colleagues who were dreaming of heaven and paradise.
‘Come on. You noobs.’
Then he raised his glass as if to say ‘cheers’ to their future.