The Idol Who Returned from Hell Chapter 28

“Brother, wake up!”

“Ugh…?”

Someone was earnestly shaking my shoulder.

I barely managed to open my eyes, sticky with sleep, and confirmed the identity of the culprit.

“…Ha-ru, why.”

“Just get up and go wash your face first.”

“What time is it now…”

“11 AM.”

“Al-already?”

I hastily kicked off the blanket and sat up.

Warm morning sunlight streamed through the window, and birds chirped energetically outside.

In contrast, our dormitory had absolutely no sign of life whatsoever.

“Snore…”

“Grunt…”

After the self-PR video filming ended, we had received welcome news from MC Go Hyeon-ju.

“Before episode 5 airs, 〈Idol Stove League Season 2〉 will have a reorganization period for the participants. You can think of it as the time needed for rough vote tallying before the ranking announcement ceremony. I hope you use this break period to replenish your depleted stamina, eat delicious food, and bond with friends while getting plenty of rest. Oh, and participants who want to briefly visit home or go outside can write down the details on this permit and give it to the staff. Outside stays are limited to a maximum of two days, so please use them carefully!”

That’s why everyone had collapsed like this until such a late hour.

I too was sleep-deprived from staying up all night preparing for the group battle round.

Just when I thought I could sleep in for once.

“Brother, did you wash your face?”

“Yeah. But why did you wake me up?”

“Look at this.”

Chae Ha-ru, who hadn’t gotten excited easily until now, showed me his phone with sparkling eyes.

The moment I looked at the screen wondering what it was.

“Brother, your PR video views are already at 110,000 right now.”

“……”

I was momentarily speechless.

If my memory was correct, the average view count for previous season PR videos was 200,000-300,000.

And the view counts for popular participants who made it to the final debut were at most 400,000-500,000. But I had just hit an unbelievable number in just one day.

“Wait, let me borrow your phone.”

After borrowing Chae Ha-ru’s phone, I typed [Ryu Si-hwan] into the NeoTube search bar.

Then my PR video, the 〈HIT〉 stage video, and one newly uploaded video appeared in order.

[I heard that my song appeared on 〈Idol Stove League〉.]

The video’s owner was none other than singer Son Seong-gyun, who sang 〈At the End of the Day〉.

He was quite famous as a celebrity who actively communicated with fans through his NeoTube channel alongside his singing activities. That’s why he had quite a few subscribers and maintained his recognition despite being a veteran entertainer.

And such a person had directly mentioned my name while expressing gratitude.

[I’ve heard 〈At the End of the Day〉 on many programs, but I never imagined I’d hear it in a place where such young friends appear. But yesterday my close friend said ‘Hey, a participant on 〈ISL 2〉 covered your song,’ so I immediately checked it out. He really sang it well. That friend’s name is Ryu Si-hwan, right? Wow, he has a good voice.]

It was only a brief 5-minute video, but it was enough to give me good synergy.

Actually, fans of Son Seong-gyun’s personal channel had flowed into my PR video and were even leaving supportive comments.

‘The special nature of the radio concept PR theme that no other participants had done, plus the effect of indirect promotion by a famous celebrity, combined to produce this result.’

Not only the view count but also the like ratio was quite high.

The comments were about to surpass 1,000 soon.

“I thought my video was high too, but brother, you’re on a different level.”

“How many did you get?”

“About 70,000 now.”

Chae Ha-ru was also generating quite a substantial view count.

Since I had NeoTube open anyway, I watched Chae Ha-ru’s PR video.

“You did well. I was really worried you’d just stand there motionless.”

“You said you’d scold me if I just stood still.”

It was just something I said casually, but he seemed to have taken it seriously.

I also briefly read through the comments.

I was worried about strange hate comments being posted, but fortunately almost all of them were positive comments.

—??? I’ve never seen such a handsome guy’s profile before?

—Wow I just discovered this, if you look at Ha-ru’s profile he has all those long bangs down

—Crazy, we couldn’t see that face because of some measly protein strands? Someone kidnap Ha-ru and take him to a hair salon

—The headband holding his part in place is really my type

—Yes, this is the kind of interview-free-pass idol I wanted T_T T_T I was sad because everyone only prefers monolids these days

“You’re also exploding in popularity.”

“I was too scared so I didn’t look at the comments at all.”

“That’s good. It’s better not to look at the internet while you’re doing the survival.”

If you randomly do ego searching, your mental state could get shaken.

It’s a direct path to destruction.

Of course, I’m fine because of the experience I built up in hell, but the mentality of these guys who are living their first life could crumble easily like soft tofu.

In that sense, Chae Ha-ru made a very good choice.

‘By the way, those KNet bastards released the PR videos immediately without any prior notice.’

Usually these kinds of official videos are released after giving primary notice through advance announcements.

This season’s 〈ISL〉 was really taking transformative strategies.

It was annoying that every single one of them was successfully hitting the mark.

I quickly calculated the dates.

Episode 2 would air in two days.

I had no choice but to say the PR videos were uploaded at just the right timing.

The ‘All-Star Voting’ had already opened after episode 1 aired, but due to still insufficient data, the national managers would have had difficulty definitively choosing their one-picks.

In other words, they could discover more trainees to support by watching PR videos until this Friday.

And they would watch the final grade evaluation content appearing in episode 2 with even more immersed emotions.

Episode 2 would probably feature the confrontational dynamic between me and Seong-hwi in earnest.

Since it’s such a tasty scene for aggro, the probability of it being completely edited out converges to 0%.

It’s just a fight over whose side KNet will take more.

I sighed while looking at the TV screen installed on the dormitory wall.

‘No choice but to wait until Friday.’

* * *

Ding dong! Ding dong!

“I’m coming, I’m coming!”

“Sister, hurry up and open the door!”

“My arms are about to fall off!”

“Open it before I break down the door!”

“I said I’m coming!”

Song Ji-won opened the front door without even properly drying her hair.

Then, along with the delicious smell of chicken, four friends rushed into the studio apartment.

“We’re not late, right? We’re not late, right?”

“There’s still 30 minutes until it starts.”

“I really thought I was going to be late and almost rushed the chicken restaurant owner.”

“Wash your hands first and then grab the chicken, you guys.”

Forget the past days when they had to watch online or separately because their schedules didn’t match.

To watch the even higher-flying 〈ISL 2〉 live broadcast, Song Ji-won’s classmates had all promised to clear their Friday night schedules.

Overwhelmingly pouring articles.

Trainees who had conquered the NeoTube ecosystem.

And the ‘match prediction’ that would officially open starting today.

There were countless fun elements to chew on, tear apart, and savor.

“Should we eat while watching or eat now?”

“Sister, are you really pondering this?”

Kang Eun-young provided the answer with a solemn and serious expression.

“If we run out while eating, we can just order more in the middle.”

“As expected, you’re a genius, Kang Eun-young.”

Even opening beer to enjoy the happy time, 30 minutes passed quickly.

The melody of 〈HIT〉, heard hundreds of times, came from the TV with the volume turned up.

“It’s starting!”

“What should I do, I’m nervous but so excited!”

“Where did the folding table go?”

“I’ll bring it out, so just move the chicken.”

Song Ji-won and her friends assembled in the living room in perfect coordination.

They didn’t forget to keep their phones turned on beside them either.

“Will the real-time match prediction pop up right away?”

“Probably? Last season, the live broadcast exclusive prediction came up before the episode 2 final grade announcement too.”

“I have to get it right this time…”

True to the name match prediction, the 〈ISL〉 series makes national managers predict various developments of the participants.

Especially for people who were avid viewers of Season 1, there’s something they must prepare for.

The ‘real-time match prediction’ that appears as a surprise event during the live broadcast.

The real-time match prediction that would probably appear in episode 2 was most likely to be guessing ‘the number of final A-grade participants.’ Because that’s how it was in Season 1.

Naturally, since it’s a one-time popup prediction, you have limited time to choose options and must compete with only limited information.

Because it was a quite difficult popup, the rewards that came with it were solid.

‘From what I remember, if you hit the real-time match prediction, the dividend was almost 5 times.’

In other words, money duplication is possible.

In the early episodes, there aren’t many elements for match prediction. So you have to maximize profits from these kinds of events to get ahead of others.

Song Ji-won bit her lips tightly and made a resolution.

‘I’ll definitely get the number right and send quick support to Si-hwan!’

Episode 2 started with level test scenes of trainees who couldn’t appear the previous week.

Among them, the most noticeable participant was naturally Seong-hwi from X2.

“As expected, he’s good, our Hwi!”

“Seong-hwi would be a safe asset too, right? High probability of getting A grade in the final evaluation?”

“I’m definitely taking Kang Seon-woo, Seong-hwi, and Ryu Si-hwan with me.”

“Ah, my head already hurts.”

“But what if the real-time prediction doesn’t actually pop up after all this?”

“Come on, KNet wouldn’t do that.”

[I think it was indeed a stage worthy of the name recognition. Participant Seong-hwi receives vocal A grade, dance A grade for a final ranking of 2nd place. Congratulations.]

[I’ll work hard to definitely get 1st place next time. Thank you!]

After that comment, Seong-hwi’s solo interview scene appeared.

[Production team) Were you disappointed that you didn’t get 1st place?]

[Seong-hwi) To be honest, I was disappointed. I came here to get 1st place. I never even thought I’d get 2nd place. I was just a little disappointed in myself. Even though it’s just a level test, I wanted to charge ahead from the start, but when they said I’m 2nd place…]

Song Ji-won, who had been gulping down beer, noticed something slightly strange.

Kang Eun-young beside her felt the same way.

“Hmm… I’m not sure if that interview was spliced together or if he really said it like that.”

“Right. Wouldn’t they usually cut comments like that since they could be seen negatively from the start?”

“I think he looks confident, which is fine?”

“Being confident is good, but honestly, if you’re too greedy from the level test stage, it might leave an excessive impression.”

Opinions were divided even among Song Ji-won’s friends.

Sure enough, when she looked at the live talk comment window, it was already burning with talk about Seong-hwi.

—What’s the problem here… Did Hwi diss other kids or something? He just said he was disappointed in himself LOL

—No, just his way of talking is unlikeable from the start lol. Who says ‘I came here to get 1st place~’ in their first interview, people should know how to be humble

—Having ambition is good but I also felt something off about it..

—But this could be evil editing, haven’t you all eaten KNet’s food once or twice?

└Whether it’s evil editing or not, it’s a fact that he said it like that LOL. Just something about the first impression is not great for me

└Agree lol. Seems like he’s too confident because he’s from a major agency

—These comments are dizzying, it’s only episode 2 and why are you already sitting there evaluating personalities, so annoying

It was safe to say this was the start of KNet’s favorite provocative editing.

Compared to the editing techniques they’d shown on countless programs so far, this was definitely weak. But it was uncomfortable that they included sources that could create divisions from one trainee’s first screen time.

Song Ji-won glanced at her friend who had been supporting Seong-hwi from the beginning and casually offered her a beer can.

“Hey, hey. Don’t worry too much. No matter how crazy KNet is, would they bury a kid who’s that skilled and popular?”

“Right? I’m also thinking ‘no way’ right now.”

On one hand, she was also worried.

If evil editing went in like this, wouldn’t Song Ji-won’s favorite also be in danger?

But as if to show everyone, Ryu Si-hwan really diligently and steadily secured his screen time.

And that while even generating a nickname.