Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 15

“Whose mentor would you steal?”

“I…”

I pretended to hesitate and dragged myself out while looking at the camera.

The broadcast starts with aggro and ends with aggro.

Based on Producer Oh’s personality, he will probably cut it off here and move on, so I’ll give him an editing point.

The more I pull aggro like this, the more attention I get, that’s for sure.

“I won’t steal anyone’s.”

“!”

Producer Oh widened his small eyes as much as possible, showing that he was really surprised

“Why… Why won’t you steal any? Without a mentor, there are many disadvantages.”

However, Producer Oh quickly came to his senses and tried to persuade me.

“During missions, mentors help with music arrangement, choreography, and training, but there won’t be any of those advantages. Does that mean you’re okay with giving up on all of those advantages?”

Producer Oh looked at me with suspicious eyes, as if he couldn’t understand.

“Trainee Yun Cheong, are you that confident in your skills? So you’re saying you don’t need a mentor, is that it? Or, are you saying that, does it mean nothing if it’s not the CEO?”

I could feel it instinctively.

This is going to be a big subtitle.

With a meaningful BGM.

I could already hear it.

Subtitle: Trainee Yun Cheong who refused the mentor. The reason is…?

I have to answer well here.

Depending on what answer I give here, the editing direction of my character will be determined.

If I say I’m not confident, I’ll look like a weak-minded fool.

If I say I’m confident, I will look like a cheeky trainee who ignores all senior idols.

The former becomes a boring character, while the latter becomes a villain character.

And it wasn’t possible to go with such characters from the beginning of the broadcast.

“Not at all. Rather, I think mentors are really important, so I decided that I can’t take mentors from other trainees.”

I tried to look as calm as I could.

But I must not stiffen my face

“Then how are you going to prepare for the competition by yourself? Without the guidance of a mentor?”

All right, then.

As soon as I heard PD Oh’s question, I was filled with joy.

That was the question I wanted.

“Instead of stealing other trainees’ mentors…”

Take a big breath,

“I’ll make my own mentor.”

“…?”

exhale.

Producer Oh looked at me with eyes that seemed to say, ‘Has this person lost their mind?’

I put up with that unpleasant stare, looked straight at the camera and said.

“I will ask other trainees for help. I will use my colleagues who have been watching me all along as my mentor.”

“!”

Producer Oh, once again looked at me with surprised eyes.

But this time it was more of a positive surprise.

“I understand what you’re saying.”

“…Do you mind if I do that?”

I purposely asked PD Oh’s permission.

People like Director Oh enjoy seeking permission like this.

Why, you ask?

Because if you insist on doing things your way without seeking permission, they will want to suppress you and control you.

Such people are like that.

They prioritize ‘authority.’

“Honestly, it’s embarrassing, but….”

Sure enough, PD Oh’s expression immediately softened.

“I don’t think there’s anything impossible. I think it’ll also be fun. Don’t you think so, writer Kang?”

“I think I’ll be fine, too. In audition programs, trainees help each other. It doesn’t matter if you look at it as a little formal.”

Writer Kang, the main writer, also nodded.

I sighed with relief.

That’s a relief.

“By the way.”

Producer Oh smiled sinisterly.

“Then, trainee Yun Cheong, are you sure that other trainees will help you? This is a contest. And I don’t want to say this myself, but…. Other trainees are now considering Yun Cheong as a strong candidate for debut.”

I kept silent.

It wasn’t good for these words to go on air now.

The phrase ‘a strong candidate’ was certainly a flattering one.

However, when it came to appearing on the broadcast, there were more disadvantages.

Why, you ask?

There were two reasons for that.

First, you become a target for scrutiny.

To put it nicely, you become a target for scrutiny; to put it bluntly, you become everyone’s enemy.

Thinking about future votes, it was the worst direction to take.

Second, you become the ‘one’ in the mentality of ‘Surely she won’t fail, right? Other people will probably vote for her, so let’s start with the more urgent ones.’

This is something that actually happens in many audition programs.

Even candidates who seemed absolutely safe to everyone sometimes get eliminated

Why?

Because of this.

It should not be an object of reassurance. No matter what happens.

I held back the desire to shut PD Oh’s mouth.

However, it was not a good choice to show that I was not confident, saying, “I don’t think I can debut.”

People are not attracted to people who are not confident.

You might get a sympathy vote at first.

But it’s just a sympathy vote.

It’s not popularity.

The two are distinctly different.

“In this situation, will other trainees try to help Yun Cheong?”

That was a reasonable question.

But at the same time, it was an expected question.

“Yes.”

“!”

Producer Oh and writer Kang opened their eyes wide.

Perhaps it was because I spoke much more firmly than I thought.

“How can you be so sure?”

How can I be so sure, you ask?

…Well.

I hesitated a little before answering.

“It’s not that I’m sure, rather it’s that I think I have to be sure”

“You have to be sure, you say?”

Producer Oh raised his eyebrows as if he was surprised.

“Yes, because-“

***

In a eight- pyeong [1] bedroom.

On television, the most popular idol audition survival program these days was airing.

It’s called ‘Make a New Color’.

Episode 3 has just begun, but the response was insanely hot.

The clumsy trainees who show their raw appearance, devil’s editing, but barely crossing the line.

But the most important thing in an idol survival program is-

“Visuals and skills.”

A fan of a certain Colors’ idol group, who was sitting at home with a can of beer, muttered.

She identified herself not as a fan of a particular idol group but as a fan of the agency ‘Colors.’

She’s known as a ‘Colors’ maniac,’ a term used to refer to such fans.

She was proud of the name Colors’ maniac in her own way.

Why?

Is it because the Colors are doing a good job?

No.

In Colors maniac’s view, Colors couldn’t handle the job well. They only knew how to control the artists but didn’t know how to treat them well.

but.

“”…It’s like they have a supernatural eye.”

Honestly, I don’t know who the casting director for Colors is, but that person deserves to receive a full salary.

At least, she thought so

Anyway.

In fact, ‘MNC’ was something that I watched without much expectation.

Because there were already too many idols from Colors.

She didn’t want to dig up a new idol again.

The reality was too much and too hard for that.

I feel like I’ll collapse once I get off work, but a new idol group?

It was mentally exhausting.

So why am I watching it?

“…because it happens to be on Friday night again!”

It’s perfect for office workers after work to watch while drinking beer!

She looked at the screen muttering.

Honestly, inside, I don’t like Colors, but all the kids were outstanding.

“This is why I can’t let go of the colors…”

She sighed deeply and drank beer.

All 12 trainees were really talented.

It was heartbreaking that not every single one of them could debut.

However, even among them, there was one who stood out as the best, and there was one that everyone could see should debut.

That person is the one appearing right now-

Staff: You have to be sure, you say?

[Yun Cheong: Yes, because….]

It was Yun Cheong.

The experience of being a fan of Colors for 8 years was telling me.

“Becoming the special product of Colors with her visuals, talent, and dancing skills…!”

I couldn’t miss it!

However, talent and charm are in a different league.

So far, she had been watching Yun Cheong with a somewhat objective mindset like, ‘Oh, she’s not bad.’

That’s because he hadn’t shown any prominent character traits so far.

However,

something was starting to gently touch her heart now.”

[Yun Cheong: This survival is not the end]

Trainees’ unique makeup, light face, and clumsy straight black hair.

She looks young enough to be believed even for a high school student, but she said she was 20 years old.

[Yun Cheong: No matter who debuts, I don’t think this is the end. Actually, this is not an easy road. Sometimes there’s a thorny path, and sometimes there’s a flower path.]

If you just listen to the tone of her voice, She feels like an adult who has experienced life.

It was a strange atmosphere for a 20-year-old.

However, there was a power that made others listen with a nod.

[Yun Cheong: Because we’re the ones who will walk along that path together. We’re destined to support each other and be for each other.]

…the fangirl’s heart was slowly being touched.

[Yun Cheong: I’m sure everyone wants to debut. But I know that no one debuts ‘alone.’]

Yun Cheong was speaking confidently from beginning to end, but with clear eyes.

[Yun Cheong: We are one group, and I don’t just see the other trainees as rivals. I see them as future members.]

Staff: You sound very confident that you will debut, don’t you?

[Yun Cheong: Yes]

On television, Yun Cheong was truly smiling brightly.

[Yun Cheong: I think everyone believes that. Because they all deserve it.]

And that smile was touching the heart of a certain Colors maniac

[Yun Cheong: So, I want to take the other trainees as mentors. I believe they will gladly help me.]

1. One pyeong is equivalent to approximately 3.31 square metres or 35.58 square feet