Chapter 91: Self-absorbed Idol

Right after Weekly Pocket Idol aired, we hit first place in topic rankings for the week.

Ranked seventh was none other than the name Do Seohan.

I’d been ranked a few times back in the Starf days, but seeing it after debut gave me a whole different feeling.

Even my real brother, who worked at SBC Broadcasting Station, texted me.

–What are you doing lol

–You okay?

That’s some very delayed concern, huh?

I was so annoyed I didn’t even want to reply.

Anyway, I might’ve lost my Honor, but the response was good.

On the Stardust community board, right on the day of filming, a flood of Weekly Pocket Idol-related posts popped up.

[Rediscovery of Mam-Seohan]

Why aren’t they putting him on variety shows?

We believe in Doubles?

–lololololol was our Hamjji a variety show specialist?

└Should’ve realized his talent back in the Mam-Seohan era.

└Ah, our Hamjji seriously has more than 50% screen share on Pocket Idol.

└At this rate, they should pay him appearance fees.

└22222

└I almost died from how cute Do Hamjji was the whole time.

–After Pocket Idol ends, won’t he get flooded with variety show offers?

└Honestly, Stardust carried all the screen time.

└In contrast, The Core got overshadowed.

└They were fun when they appeared alone, but they seemed drained after Stardust sucked up all the energy.

└By the end of the show, they all looked so dazed lolol

–It was supposed to be The Core VS Stardust battle, but felt like Stardust solo appearance.

└Ah, Pocket Idol was fun after a long while.

└It was crazy fun.

└Didn’t expect a scene more legendary than Bbi-ae-ae-ae to be born during the actual broadcast….

└Do Seohan totally hard-carried ㅠㅠ

While the Dusties were having a blast replaying Weekly Pocket Idol two or three times, the only ones dissatisfied were The Core’s fans.

Considering both teams appeared together, the editing clearly favored one over the other.

Though, given the nature of the show, it did seem like they tried to include both teams to some extent….

The impact difference was just too big.

We were doing all the crazy stuff, while The Core just stood in the back laughing, so their screen time got sliced.

Seriously though.

Shouldn’t you at least show the kind of passion that makes you hang from monkey bars?

“I live this passionately.”

As long as the Dusties were happy, it was fine.

Yeah, that’s all that mattered.

If anything, the problem was how much other people were enjoying this.

Every time I walked down the hallway, Doubles employees subtly acted like they knew me.

“Nice black history footage~.”

“Really enjoyed the show!”

“Please don’t talk to me.”

“Fighting!”

Especially the A&R team. I’d met them often because of arrangement issues, and lately, they seemed to be finding joy in teasing me.

Section Chief Kim Seyoung waved with a wide grin today, too.

“Ohhh, it’s Doubles’ slave!”

“…….”

He’s been calling me that for a while now.

I responded with a dead serious expression.

“The CEO’s behind you.”

“…! For real?”

It was a lie.

Section Chief Kim Seyoung flailed his arms and let out a deep sigh.

“Ah, can’t believe I fell for that.”

He’s just careless.

I lightly laughed and clicked my tongue.

I figured I’d probably need to ask something of the A&R team soon, so I was maintaining a decent relationship.

If they handed me another cryptic song like last time, it’d be a headache.

Since this was the legendary Doubles A&R team, I had a certain level of trust in them.

Section Chief Kim Seyoung spoke up, sounding half-proud.

“We’re already pulling all-nighters because of Stardust’s next album.”

“Ah, thank you.”

If I remembered correctly, Stardust’s 2nd mini album was a solid masterpiece, so there was reason to be excited.

Rowing when the tide’s in—they were working fast like proper rookies.

Once this promotion ended, we’d probably dive straight into the next album prep.

I didn’t mind being busy.

I liked working.

Being able to work this hard was only possible because there were people willing to call on me.

“Ah.”

At that moment, Section Chief Kim Seyoung glanced casually toward the end of the hallway and asked.

Right behind us was the office of the Doubles Management Team.

“By the way, what brings you here today?”

“Manager called me.”

According to Manager Lee Jaeyoon, it was supposed to be good news.

It seemed like there was someone else who had called me in.

I smiled faintly and bowed my head.

“Then, I’ll head in now.”

Ah, I’m looking forward to this.

As soon as I stepped into the office, Chief Song Jinha waved with a bright face.

His face was still shadowed by dark circles, but a subtle smile hung on his lips.

It really did seem like his promotion had been confirmed.

I lightly bowed and took a seat.

Since the response to Weekly Pocket Idol last week had been quite good, I figured he had called me separately for some variety show offer.

It was still a bit early for solo activities, but a light, one-day variety show appearance seemed fine.

I believed trying out a variety show alone wouldn’t be a bad experience.

But then—

“Seohan, have you ever thought about acting?”

I hadn’t seen that coming.

At the words that came out of Chief Song Jinha’s mouth, my eyes widened.

I was so caught off guard, I almost stammered.

“Pardon? Me?”

If he had said to go on a dance program alone, I’d have done it, but that sudden word, “acting,” left me stunned.

Acting, all of a sudden?

Wasn’t that a bit too random?

For a split second, the worst-case scenario flashed through my mind.

That exact vibe of getting roasted.

–Is Do Seohan trying to bail for acting now?

└Already? Just debuted?

└He was terrible at acting lolololololol

└People acting like he deserves it just because he appeared in one drama

└One appearance? Can’t you tell? He’s clearly testing the waters lolol

└Of course they’d push him. Not surprising for a center, lol

–You can just tell he never wanted to be an idol and always wanted to be an actor

└?? In what world?

└Are you a psychic or something? How can you see that?

└Our Hamjji is obviously dead serious about dancing, lol. Who are you to judge his intentions?

└Then why is his first solo activity acting ^^ If it were variety, sure

Ugh, this feels off.

Maybe he noticed my face quickly cooling down, because Chief Song Jinha waved his hands dismissively.

“You don’t need to feel pressured. It’s just a cameo offer—only for one or two episodes, really short.”

“Ah…”

“Just think of it as a chance to try it once, a new experience.”

A cameo… well, that was a relief at least.

I gave an awkward smile and sank into thought.

He must have read the reluctance in my expression, because the chief quickly added more.

“You know Writer Yoo Wonhee, right?”

“Ah, yes.”

Of course I knew.

She was one of the few star drama writers in the industry.

I believe she was currently working on a drama too.

“You know the new drama Romantic Management that started filming at TBN, right?”

I remembered it as a romance set in the entertainment industry.

If I remembered correctly, it surpassed 14% ratings after just three episodes.

It was one of those shows I had mentally bookmarked to binge later.

But then—

Why is Romantic Management coming up here?

“A cameo appearance in a drama like that… not bad, right?”

“That drama?”

“Yeah, apparently she personally picked you. Said she wanted you to make a cameo appearance.”

“R-really?”

Why?

No, more importantly—what did she see that made her want to cast me?

I froze up with a dumbfounded expression.

Chief Song Jinha asked again, urging me.

“What do you think?”

A rookie just two weeks into debut making a cameo in a super drama.

As Chief Song Jinha said, there was no denying that getting your face on a famous drama early in your debut could help build recognition.

It wasn’t like it would interfere with my schedule right away.

The filming would be done in a day or two, and I’d only appear in three to four cuts at most.

“I think it’s a good opportunity.”

It wasn’t too burdensome, and it seemed like a decent chance to promote the team.

After the promotions ended, there would be at least a one-month gap. If I showed up briefly during that time, maybe the fans would like it.

Or maybe they'd just bash it for being a solo activity—I couldn’t tell.

Since it was right after Starf, the fandom still felt strongly focused on individual members.

“Hmm…”

Honestly, this wasn’t the reason I came to negotiate with Chief Song Jinha.

My head was starting to get tangled.

After some serious thought, I carefully opened my mouth.

“Then… there’s something I’d like to try.”

“What is it?”

At my words, Chief Song Jinha slightly raised his head.

If I were truly going to agree to the cameo appearance, this was something I needed to get across.

I smiled faintly and brought up the plan.

“A fan song.”

“A fan song? All of a sudden?”

I was planning to do it eventually anyway—so why not move it up?

No matter what happened, it was a way of showing that the team came first.

Starting next month, we’d have to prepare for the next album, so the schedule might be tight…

But if I approached it like securing one more included track for the mini album, it didn’t seem like a bad idea.

“I want to try making one myself.”

If possible, with our own hands.

Jeong Chaeyoon, the youngest writer of Weekly Pocket Idol, had worked as an assistant writer for dramas before joining the SBC Variety Department.

Life had been hectic, and she ended up on a path slightly different from her original dream of being a drama writer. Still, she kept in touch with people from back then.

One of those people was star writer Yoo Wonhee.

The first-floor cafeteria at SBC Broadcasting Station.

The two, catching up after a long time, naturally landed on a shared topic of interest.

Dramas.

Writer Yoo Wonhee sipped her Americano and spoke.

“I’m working on a drama right now.”

“I’m watching it so, so faithfully. Didn’t it already hit 14% viewership? If it’s a 16-episode series, won’t it easily surpass 20%? That’s huge for cable, seriously.”

“The drama’s doing well, but I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

Even star writers had their own burdens.

Jeong Chaeyoon nodded intensely and stuffed a bite of injeolmi toast into her mouth.

“What’s bothering you?”

“The mood of the show?”

She had been writing romcoms for over ten years.

Since Writer Yoo Wonhee mostly dealt in lighthearted vibes, the quiet tone of this particular work felt like a barrier throughout the writing process.

While fans were raving about the realistic romance of Yoo Wonhee’s new project, the writer herself was filled with doubts.

“So I was thinking about who might work well as a cameo to shift the tone a bit…”

She could have cast a top actor if she really wanted to.

Even the cameo lineup of Yoo Wonhee’s dramas could rival the main cast of other shows.

But then—

While eating, she randomly had Weekly Pocket Idol playing last Friday, and something caught her eye.

She casually brought it up.

“You know Do Seohan, right?”

“Oh, yes! Of course! Why do you ask?”

Jeong Chaeyoon’s eyes widened as she replied.

He was a rookie she’d met just two weeks ago during a pre-meeting.

Stardust’s center and main dancer, Do Seohan.

A kid with a youthful face and chaotic energy who had dominated the previous broadcast with his absurd antics.

Writer Yoo Wonhee carefully studied Jeong Chaeyoon’s expression and asked.

“What do you think of him?”

“He’s polite… works really hard. We talked a few times off-camera, and he seemed like a really decent person.”

Even during the meeting, he came across with rookie passion, but also seemed surprisingly mature for his age.

Though why that kind of kid did weird voice impressions the moment the camera turned on, she couldn’t understand.

In any case, Jeong Chaeyoon firmly supported the business of all idols.

Even so, what came out of Writer Yoo Wonhee’s mouth was a shock.

“Wait, you’re casting him for a cameo? Are you serious?”

Casting an idol as a cameo in Yoo Wonhee’s drama.

Not that there was any real reason not to…

But whether in a good way… or a bad way…

‘This’ll explode in popularity.’

Jeong Chaeyoon blurted out, her eyes wide.

“It’s not a role where acting skill is super important, right? But still. What made you go with an untested rookie for a cameo… Honestly, it’s a pretty unusual case.”

“That’s true.”

“Do you think he’ll… do okay on set?”

Even for cameos, there were actors who could own the set in one cut.

And the clumsy ones stood out from a single shot.

Writer Yoo Wonhee waved her hand at Jeong Chaeyoon’s concern and laughed.

“Acting skill doesn’t matter. That’s exactly the kind of role I needed.”

“What kind of role is it?”

“A self-absorbed idol.”

Ah.

At that single word, Jeong Chaeyoon gulped.

Writer Yoo Wonhee smiled lightly and continued.

“Like, he really thinks he’s so cool, but he’s not an actual jerk. Just kind of clumsy. The kind of character you want to hate but just can’t.”

She’d watched Do Seohan film from the front row during the last shoot.

Back during the hanging-on-the-bar segment, that smug expression full of bluff replayed in her head.

A self-absorbed idol?

Yeah, that.

He’s the one for it.

You couldn’t deny it.

“You really nailed the casting.”

With that level of realism, it might as well be his daily life acting.

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