<Episode 21>
“There seems to be a misunderstanding. I’ve never done an exclusive interview. It looks like some reporter fabricated it.”
“Excuse me? Then have you never said something like, ‘Do you know why the moon shines? It’s because it reflects the sun’s light. Idols are the same. We shine light on them, and they reflect that light to shine?”
At this point, it was no longer something that could be brushed off as trivial.
That was clearly something John Raid Lombardi had said to Han Suseok.
‘How does this person know that?’
He hadn’t said anything even remotely similar on Reverse Perspective.
That led him to suspect someone inside the company.
‘Ah… that’s a problem.’
This was the first time since possessing the body that an employee had caused trouble.
The first person that came to mind was the employee who had previously done a Q&A on SNS while showing their company ID.
‘They seemed to enjoy attention. Should I check them first?’
“Sir?”
“Ah… I’m sorry.”
Only after PD Yoo cautiously called out to him did he realize he had been lost in thought mid-conversation.
“I’ve never done an interview, so I was just surprised that you knew something I had said.”
“You really haven’t done any interviews?”
PD Yoo asked with wide eyes, clearly unable to believe it.
He seemed to think this was just an excuse to refuse to appear on the show.
“That’s right.”
To prove he wasn’t lying, he looked straight into PD Yoo’s eyes as he answered.
“I see. The article was so detailed that I assumed it was a real interview.”
“Detailed? For example…?”
“It mentioned that you were once involved in a romantic dispute back in college.”
That was something that had come up during the company dinner.
His hand instinctively went to his forehead.
‘It’s that reporter. It has to be her.’
The SNS Q&A incident could have been overlooked without punishment, but using his name to fabricate an interview was not something he could ignore.
‘Unbelievable. Really, of all things.’
Just when he thought things were settling down, another problem arose.
It was hard to believe… this hadn’t happened in any previous timeline.
“I thought you had done an exclusive interview with EVER Entertainment News, which is why I came.”
“Wait a moment.”
“Yes?”
“Did you just say EVER Entertainment News?”
“That’s right.”
“Excuse me for a moment.”
He stood up, grabbed the phone on his desk, and searched: John Raid Lombardi interview.
[Exclusive Interview with Spade Joker’s Creator, John Raid Lombardi – Reporter Kim Yerin.]
“Wow… is this person insane?”
It felt like his head had been struck hard with something blunt.
‘How could someone do something like this?’
She had eavesdropped on their dinner conversation and written an article.
And even labeled it an “exclusive interview.”
‘That’s bold. No… this is beyond bold. No matter how important views are, this crosses the line. It’s clearly illegal.’
He couldn’t calm down easily.
‘I almost blamed an innocent employee.’
A hollow breath escaped him in disbelief.
“Are you alright?”
Seeing him react like that, PD Yoo spoke in a low voice.
“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for letting me know. I’ve never done an interview with reporter Kim Yerin. I did run into her at dinner, and she asked, but I refused immediately. It seems she overheard our conversation and wrote the article without permission.”
“What? She did something like that?”
Even PD Yoo looked quite shocked.
“If it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t have known until now. Thank you.”
“Then… about appearing on the show…?”
Even in this situation, he was still trying to recruit him. Truly professional.
‘He doesn’t miss an opportunity. I guess that’s what it takes to be a PD.’
“I’m sorry, but that will be difficult.”
If he agreed once, more troublesome offers would keep coming.
Now, even without that kind of exposure, there was no issue scheduling Spade Joker’s appearances.
So it was better to refuse.
‘The time for bundling promotions is over, and I’m already overwhelmed with my own work. Adding broadcasting on top of that would be a disaster.’
“Ah…”
PD Yoo lingered, as if unwilling to give up, hesitating to stand.
Just as he wondered if he should ask him to leave, the PD spoke again.
“I’ll help you. You know how well-connected PDs are.”
He spoke with sudden determination, but it wasn’t clear what he meant by “help.”
“You mean reporter Kim Yerin? We can help you with that.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll be fine.”
Even without help, this was something he could handle.
He could release an official statement denying the interview and then sue the reporter.
“That’s fine, but if you appear on our program, we’ll make sure no other broadcasting stations approach you again!”
PD Yoo shouted passionately.
He really wanted to recruit him.
‘But why go this far for me?’
It didn’t make sense.
There were plenty of other candidates he could recruit.
“Spade Joker.”
Now even Spade Joker’s name came out of his mouth.
“What do you think about filming a reality program for Spade Joker?”
That was the most appealing offer he had made so far.
‘A reality show…’
Reality shows were usually filmed when idols were rookies.
But unpopular rookies couldn’t get such opportunities.
These days, self-produced content on platforms like YouTube has somewhat filled that gap, but reality shows still have a unique appeal.
They weren’t necessarily effective for attracting new fans, but they were great for maintaining existing ones.
‘The more content there is, the less likely fans will drift to other idols. Retaining fans is crucial.’
“PD Yoo.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t understand why you’re so determined to recruit me.”
That needed to be clarified.
He couldn’t rule out hidden intentions.
“To be honest, our program is in crisis right now. Observation-style variety shows are dominating.”
As he said, the current trend in variety shows was observational programs.
Some showed celebrities’ daily lives, others showed parenting.
It was essentially all about showcasing celebrity lifestyles.
“Because of that, our program’s influence has dropped significantly. At times like this, we need someone new and buzzworthy… and that’s when I saw you.”
That explanation made sense.
A new yet buzzworthy figure.
Celebrities weren’t new, and ordinary people lacked buzz.
‘And somehow, I ended up being both.’
“I really don’t want this program to end like this. Please help us just once. In return, I’ll properly prepare a reality show for Spade Joker.”
He hesitated.
‘One appearance in exchange for a reality show… that’s not a bad deal. We could even briefly show trainees, which would help when launching a girl group later.’
They were already renovating the practice room and office, so there wouldn’t be any major issues.
‘Good thing I didn’t delay the renovation.’
“When are you planning to film? And how much of my screen time will there be?”
A faint smile spread across PD Yoo’s lips.
“We’re thinking about filming in a week. Your screen time would be about 30 minutes. We’ll follow your day, from morning to evening. The cameras will be unobtrusive and won’t interfere with your schedule. If there’s anything you don’t want aired, just let us know.”
As if he had been waiting, PD Yoo explained everything in detail.
“Alright. Then I have one condition.”
“What is it?”
“I’d like Spade Joker to appear as well, even briefly. And a few trainees, too.”
If he was going to appear, he might as well maximize the benefits.
‘After Spade Joker’s next album, once the company stabilizes, we’ll run a few festivals and prepare for a girl group launch. It’s better to introduce the trainees beforehand.’
Becoming a fan didn’t require a grand reason.
Sometimes it was just seeing someone by chance and finding them beautiful or handsome.
And that was enough.
In that sense, building a fanbase before the debut wasn’t a bad idea.
“Of course. That’s not a difficult request at all.”
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