Chapter 55: My Own Strategy

Flinch.

At the sharp voice, Choi Juhee tensed up.

Here we go again.

So that’s why they sat me here.

I’m the shield again today.

Thinking along those lines—

‘Please help me! Everyone said it was innovative!’

She sent a silent plea for rescue with her eyes, but what came back was only a cold, unresponsive silence.

Haah, so that’s how you’re going to play it?

“……Writer Choi?”

Choi Juhee shot up from her seat.

She couldn’t hold it in anymore.

Might as well go to Coupang and fold boxes.

If it had come to this, she might as well say everything she wanted to say—so she thought.

“I fully understand your concerns. But the freshness and originality that you’ve always emphasized, PD-nim—I’m certain the kids who escaped us will fulfill all of that. The stage will be one hundred percent live. The instruments will all be performed without any sync. Having a high-quality band debut on our program will clearly be an advantage… Hmm?”

The senior writer beside her tugged at her sleeve.

She hadn’t even said a third of what she wanted to say yet.

Ah, why. Isn’t this what you wanted?

You told me to speak!

I was just doing as I was told!

Of course, those words only echoed emptily in her head.

The PD was the one with the final say in the program.

Music shows were no different.

Chun Hanyeong asked again.

“Isn’t a DJ just someone who plays music in a club? What’s someone like that doing in a band?”

“Wasn’t it just last month you said our program’s role was to break such prejudices? This is a chance to show viewers a new perspective.”

But despite the youngest writer’s effort—

PD Chun Hanyeong remained firm.

Even when the other writers belatedly joined in to shield her with words—

“They’re already gaining attention online.”

“Press release?”

“A DJ might seem unfamiliar, but that’s what will make the stage rough and unique.”

“At the end of the day, they’re just a punk.”

“It’s not old-fashioned—it has a retro vibe mixed in…”

“That’s exactly what makes it tacky.”

Not an inch was gained.

The main PD seat wasn’t won through a friendly card game.

Every attack was met with airtight defense!

“Even you, Writer Yoo? Come on, hear me out.”

The reasons sounded plausible enough.

They could make them up as they went.

Not enough buzz.

The concept doesn’t fit.

The DJ looks like a punk.

The masks look like something from a kids’ talent show.

Who do they think they are, doing a pre-release on our program?

And most decisively—

“Isn’t the appearance schedule too much?”

“Since Double T’s comeback was delayed by two weeks, the timing just worked out…”

“That slot already has an owner.”

“Sorry? Who…?”

“Rocoroco.”

“Huh? Who’s that…?”

“They exist. TOT Entertainment rookie.”

“…?”

The team to be slotted in had already been decided.

PD Chun knew that.

And he knew the atmosphere had turned painfully awkward.

At times like this, the only option was to raise his voice.

“What is this, some street market where anyone can just come and perform?”

“Well, not exactly…”

“Remember this. They’re out. Who’s going to like a group that wears masks? Is this ‘Masked Singer’?”

The sudden obstinacy, so unlike him, left everyone bewildered.

PD Chun Hanyeong—

Not the friendly type, but not a total lunatic either.

He let out a deep sigh and was about to add something—

“This time, Manny Entertainment… Never mind.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

It was the last shred of pride he had.

He was the main PD, after all. He didn’t want to start whining in front of the writers.

“Revise the list and send it to me by this afternoon. Meeting over.”

PD Chun hurriedly left the meeting room.

As soon as the door closed, sighs, complaints, and grumbles from the writers leaked out, but he deliberately ignored them.

He headed for his own secret hideout—one no one else knew about.

The Kids Who Escaped Us.

The masked concept was enough to spark interest, and with a DJ’s appearance, the complacent band scene would be shaken up.

He was dying to know what kind of band it was.

That was PD Chun Hanyeong’s honest feeling.

Next to the parking lot.

Squatting down in his private smoking area that no one else knew about, he muttered to himself bitterly.

“Damn… Life’s so beautiful, right? So happy, right? KBC’s super fair, right?”

The cigarette burned down in an instant.

After smoking two in a row, he thought—

‘Ah, I want to quit.’

A music show PD.

It had been a small dream he’d held onto since childhood.

He’d endured the brutal variety show scene as an assistant director, rolling around like a dog, all because of that damned dream.

Everyone said he was crazy.

So he decided to really become a crazy guy.

And in the end, he made it.

He finally landed the main PD seat of KBC’s flagship music program, Music Stage, the position he had wanted so badly.

To discover talented rookies and make singers shine with great directing—

So that more people would watch Music Stage.

I wanted to make it fun.

I wanted to show it to the world.

I wanted to show what real music was, what a real music show was.

‘I’ve just grown older for nothing.’

Of course, that had only been a youthful innocence.

A blind innocence toward music.

The passionate music-otaku PD was long gone.

No—had I even ever shown that side in the first place?

It didn’t take long to realize that reality and dreams were far apart.

It had been orders from those up high.

PD Chun, pull all bands out for now.

Sorry?

Manny Entertainment. Push them hard and only them. You know what I mean, right?

You mean that band idol group?

Replace all the bands on the list with other teams.

But their styles and concepts are totally different—

Tsk.

I begged, I got angry, I tried to persuade.

The only thing that came back was mockery.

You thought you could actually do something big?

But isn’t that the original purpose of music shows? To discover new talent, and through fair competition, show viewers—

Pfft.

With a laugh, the bureau chief replied—

PD Chun, you’ve got a flower garden in your head for someone who doesn’t look it, huh?

…Excuse me?

Enough. Prepare Manny Entertainment’s band idol debut project well. Until they close shop, don’t let any band on. No—kick out every punk who comes in holding a guitar. You get what I’m saying, right?

As I trudged out of the bureau chief’s office, I thought—

I didn’t know what was said or what deals were made. I wasn’t supposed to know.

All I could do was play dumb and give some plausible excuse to the staff.

‘A band DJ, that’s fresh. A traditional band, that’s romantic. But… sigh.’

Who could I blame?

Even after seeing the filth, I had arrogantly thought, I’ll be different.

I wanted to beat my past self to a pulp.

To wake myself up.

That kind of romance had no place in this field.

I lit another cigarette and got up from my seat.

‘If that’s how it’s going to be—’

Since it had come to this—

I might as well suck up properly.

If that was the way of the world here, I’d enjoy it to the fullest and then leave without regrets.

Expensive alcohol? I could drink that too.

Korean beef? Only reason I didn’t eat it was because it wasn’t available.

That was Chun Hanyeong’s resolution.

The orders came from the “great” people above.

They’d been doing it this way all along, and things kept running, didn’t they?

I decided to think of it that way.

It was the less miserable path.

That’s what I thought—

At least until I saw that friend who came along with Kim Minsoo.

Up until then, I was sure of it.

“What? Music Stage turned us down?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Who’s the PD? Youngkyu?”

“Well… Lee Youngkyu became a general manager at a cable channel.”

“Youngkyu’s already a GM? Ha, the broadcasting world’s really something.”

So we’d been turned down.

By Music Stage.

Hmm. I see.

That was my honest impression.

If they didn’t take our debut stage, weren’t they the only ones losing out?

I didn’t show it.

Because the members were fuming.

I was just thinking, Man, our teachers are scary when they’re angry—

When suddenly, the arrow turned to me.

“Taeyoon, you’re not angry?”

“Me? Well, you know.”

“How can you not be angry?”

To CEO Kim Minsoo’s question, I calmly replied—

“We can just go somewhere else, right?”

“Hoo… Taeyoon.”

I had only spoken honestly.

But CEO Kim Minsoo launched into a long speech—

Why our debut stage had to be on Music Stage, how favorable the PD was toward bands, how Music Stage was broadcast to so many countries.

Sure. All fine.

But doesn’t that make it even stranger?

“If the PD likes bands, why would they turn us down? Where else would you find such a perfect, excellent, traditional band like us?”

“Exactly! Damn it.”

I deliberately joked—

“Could it be that the teachers’ faces got exposed?”

Teacher Doraion picked up my words.

“Right? Hey, hey, Minsoo, what kind of security are you keeping?”

Teacher Guitariger chimed in—

“I told you, if you’re going to show anyone, just show Taeyoon. Who’d like it if middle-aged guys like us appeared?”

Good.

The mood eased a lot.

Even so, CEO Kim Minsoo still wore a stiff expression.

It looked like lasers might shoot from his eyes.

He hesitated for a moment, lips twitching before he spoke.

“…Sorry. Taeyoon, my apologies.”

Phew.

That’s all that came out of the CEO’s mouth?

I think I was a bit disappointed.

Why do I like our CEO?

Because no matter where, no matter in front of whom, he’s always confident, composed, and bold.

So why was he showing such a shriveled side to us now?

Was it because of me?

Because I wanted to go on a music show?

CEO Kim Minsoo murmured on—

“It’s strange. PD Chun is famous for being a band otaku. Even indie bands could get on just fine, so why?”

“Really?”

“Yeah, that guy’s well-known. Played in a band back in college. If there was a talent show at the company sports day, he’d win first place every time.”

“As a band? Doing what? Vocal?”

“Bass, I think?”

What? Bass?

There’s one thing I can say with certainty.

There’s no such thing as a bad person who plays bass. That’s the truth.

When I said that, CEO Kim Minsoo smirked.

Only Teacher Bang Gicheol nodded along, saying, “Right. People who play bass are all smart, handsome, and cool,” siding with me.

But CEO Kim Minsoo still didn’t look convinced.

I blurted out, a bit defensive—

“It’s true.”

“Based on what?”

“Bass is sacrifice.”

“Huh?”

“Even if people say it has no presence, they endure it, supporting quietly in the background—if that’s not sacrifice, what is?”

“…Your sophistry’s getting worse.”

Here and there, wild guesses started flying.

No useful opinions, of course.

Naturally. We’re not mind readers—how could we guess what a TV station PD is thinking?

“I think that guy just doesn’t like me.”

“Out of nowhere?”

Where did that come from?

“It was in his eyes.”

“He’s probably just jealous because you’re handsome and look young, CEO.”

Normally, if I said that, he’d clap and enjoy it.

But seeing his lips still jutting out, I figured I’d better stop here. I have some sense.

Instead, I thought carefully—

Bass, band…

It felt like I was starting to grasp a clue.

“I’ve at least set up an appointment with the PD.”

“They agreed to meet?”

“When a company CEO asks to meet, they can’t refuse.”

“Can’t we just delay it by a week? That week’s slots could be full.”

CEO Kim Minsoo let out a long sigh.

“If we could, do you think we’d be having this meeting here? They said no.”

“Next week too?”

“Yeah. The week after. And the week after that.”

“That’s strange.”

“There are a lot of reasons, but none of them make sense.”

Right. It makes no sense to refuse us.

We’ve got Blackhole and Cheongseong, after all.

Even if we haven’t revealed it, shouldn’t they get the feeling?

“You said it was PD Chun Hanyeong, right?”

A stubbornness flared in me.

Whether it’s Music Stage or whatever, we didn’t have to go.

But—I’d make sure to find out why he was so intent on pushing me, on pushing us away.

“CEO, please take me along to the broadcast station meeting.”

CEO Kim Minsoo paused, met my eyes, and asked—

“Huh? You serious?”

“Shouldn’t at least one member go?”

Teacher Moon Jungbae nodded in agreement with my idea—though in a rather odd way.

“Yeah, good. Take Taeyoon. Show his face. Tell them he doesn’t wear a mask. Then it’s a 100% pass.”

“Ugh…”

It wasn’t strange for a band member to accompany.

The more people in persuasion, the better—and if needed, we could even show off our skills.

“We can’t go anyway.”

“Right, then the masks are pointless.”

“Taeyoon should go.”

After thinking it over, CEO Kim Minsoo finally spoke—

“Alright. We’ll go with you, Taeyoon. Take this chance to see how a broadcasting station works.”

“I’ll prepare well.”

I didn’t know if I’d succeed in convincing them, but at least I’d find out the reason for our rejection.

That was my real plan.

I was determined to know—

The man who claimed to love bands.

The romantic who played bass.

Why was he refusing us?

He hadn’t even heard our music—it was still an unreleased track.

There had to be another reason.

I began preparing my own strategy.

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