The Gates Opened on the First Day of Debut Chapter 16

[Wasn’t the unwritten rule of idol survivals school uniforms?]

 

[Jang Hyuksoo… he really seems like a crazy b*stard (p)]

 

[The venom is insane. I don’t even have a clue how badly he wants to succeed lol] 

 

The reactions weren’t bad.

 

Because it was a program made by Jang Hyuksoo, most of the reactions were like, ‘Well, he should at least do this much.’

 

The camera zoomed out completely from the center, Han Theo, and the intro to EX-Class K-POP Idol’s theme song, HUNT THE STAGE, flowed out.

 

[The song is good. though?]

 

[No, crazy lol what’s with the dance lol it’s so hard lol]

 

[Still, it looks like they dance pretty well?] 

 

Unless you’re quick-witted, you probably wouldn’t know it was all thanks to editing.

 

By borrowing the power of editing, even someone with two left feet can be made into a main dancer.

 

I smirked and thought.

 

[Oh, spotted a handsome kid]

 

[The one at 0:34 just now is exactly my type]

 

[I thought the center was the only one, but there are quite a few with decent visuals?]

 

[Ah crazy I just stepped on a landmine lol]

 

[Why do they have to act up saying they’ll do a job that doesn’t suit their aptitude and make things hard for me…]

 

The reactions in the chat window were divided into two.

 

When a handsome trainee appeared, they liked it, but when an ugly trainee appeared, they were enraged. 

 

‘My screen time is…’

 

From 1 minute 10 seconds to 13 seconds, about 3 seconds.

 

They did a close-up on my face, so only my face appeared for 3 seconds.

 

They probably focused on my face because I couldn’t dance.

 

[What’s with 1:10? He’s not bad?]

 

[For real, a classic handsome guy lol Looks slightly cute too]

 

[I felt it, I felt it. My intuition from 20 years of K-pop fangirling is tingling. That guy is really going to be big…]

 

[Making such a fuss over a mere 3 seconds lol]

 

Fortunately, my face wasn’t on the ugly side, so the reaction wasn’t bad.

 

When there were tons of trainees with not even a single second of screen time, 3 seconds was highly satisfying footage. 

 

I looked back and forth between the performance and the chat window.

 

After the broadcast ended, I immediately accessed the internet on my phone.

 

Articles about EX-Class K-POP Idol were pouring out.

 

[PD Jang Hyuksoo’s New Idol Survival! This Time the Concept is ‘Hunters?’]

 

[Official Site Crashes! The Attention Pouring into PD Jang Hyuksoo’s Idol Survival, EX-Class K-POP Idol]

 

[A Massive Appearance of Experienced Idols on EX-Class K-POP Idol! ‘Shining Boys’, ‘Winter Boys’, ‘Dream Boys’… Is the Boys Craze Blowing Again?]

 

Since there was almost no released information but high buzz, everything from meaningless articles to nonsensical ones poured out.

 

Compared to other idol survival auditions, EX-Class K-POP Idol featured many experienced idols… meaning those from flopped idol groups.

 

But even so, talking about a ‘Boys Syndrome’ this and that was nothing more and nothing less than a play on words. 

 

Laughing at the absurdity, I accessed social media and community sites. 

 

They were also talking about EX-Class K-POP Idol on social media and community sites.

 

On social media and community sites, remarks that were much more explicit and higher in maturity level than the official broadcast chat window were going back and forth without hesitation.

 

[Ah harnesses are good but honestly speaking

It’s a bit cringe because they’re making middle schoolers wear it too lol

RT142 ♥453]

└Fr lol Just wear school uniforms

└Jang Hyuksoo made them wear it to push the center. Look at HTO. He’s flying around in a harness

└Right the kids who suit it really suit it lol Doesn’t look like a trainee

 

[Ah f*ck lol Looking at the profiles and found my ex-oppa lol Why is oppa coming out of there?

RT8 ♥35]

└Hey you too? Hey me too lol

└Oppa really… hah… I wasn’t going to say this but what are you doing stuck between kids ㅠㅠ

└I’ve been gaslighting myself that he’s the maknae but I can’t do it anymore… being among really young kids makes him look so old ㅠ

 

[[HOT] The story of reuniting with my old ultimate bias of 10 years on an idol survival

Can this be processed as a workplace injury?

My heart has been torn to shreds…

I turned on the broadcast trying to forget my old ult and like some young and fresh kids but my old ult is dancing in front of my eyes ㅠ

But looking at him again makes my heart flutter, and it makes me feel sorry thinking how desperate he must have been to think of coming on a survival, but him debuting seems a bit much…]

└Don’t worry your old ult will never debut lol

└You pissing me off, what did you just say?

└No you said him debuting seems a bit much too ;; why are you getting mad

└It is a bit much… it is a bit much…. but my heart just fucking hurts ㅠㅠ

 

[[HOT] Decided on my pick

There’s a lot of talk about HTO but… I have Hongdae disease so I’m absolutely not picking the center lol

I looked through them excluding the ones who look obviously popular and the experienced ones

Why did I exclude the experienced ones?

I came to see young and fresh kids, what’s up with these Ahjussis… please leave, seriously ;;

Anyway, after filtering and filtering, the pick I decided on

KCW

He appeared from 1:10~13 in the Music Day performance

Seeing that he has 3 seconds of screen time means he caught Jang Hyuksoo’s eye to some extent

His face is just somewhat handsome right now, but if he gets some camera massage and eats some celebrity water, he’ll be no joke lol]

└You do you

└Didn’t know Hongdae disease affected the brain

└But KCW is handsome for real lol

└That’s because there are too many ugly guys. Acknowledged as relatively handsome

 

Having checked all the reactions on social media and community sites, I turned off my phone.

 

“Not bad.”

 

It wasn’t bad for this level of buzz when not even the first episode had aired.

 

With a satisfied smile, I slowly closed my eyes.

 

*    *    *

 

“Welcome back, trainees!”

 

The vacation, which could be called long or short, was over. 

 

Hearing the MC’s high-pitched voice, it finally felt real that I had returned to EX-Class K-POP Idol.

 

“Since everyone seems to be ready, from this moment on, I will explain the second main quest!” 

 

The large screen above the podium changed.

 

[The second Main Quest has arrived.]

 

[Main Quest: Guild Match]

 

Guild Match? 

 

As an unfamiliar term came out, the trainees tilted their heads. 

 

The MC continued the explanation, maintaining his high voice tone. 

 

“Everyone remembers the guilds you created after the stat evaluation stage, right?”

 

“Yes!”

 

Naturally, there was no one who would have forgotten. 

 

Since we even used the dorms together with our guild members. 

 

Unless it was someone like me who hadn’t even stepped foot in the dorm due to practice, they would have gotten close to some extent while sharing the same room among guild members. 

 

“Many trainees created guilds, so I think you must have been very disappointed that the first main quest was an individual evaluation.” 

 

The trainees exchanged meaningful glances with the trainees in their guilds.

 

The only person glaring at their own guild member like they wanted to kill them would be Yoo Sung.

 

Ignoring Yoo Sung’s gaze, I focused on the MC’s words.

 

“The opportunity to be active with your guild members, which will blow away your regrets, has finally arrived!”

 

Guild Match—the name was grand, but to put it simply, it was just a team battle.

 

The only slightly unusual point was that guilds became a single team to perform a stage. 

 

“Uh… may I ask just one question?” 

 

A trainee listening to the MC’s explanation cautiously raised his hand and spoke.

 

Even if he stayed still, the MC would explain everything anyway. 

 

“I don’t have a guild I belong to, so what happens to trainees like me?” 

 

“Good question!”

 

At the MC’s praise, one corner of the questioning trainee’s mouth twitched.

 

That’s… useless.

 

I know he asked the question because he wanted to get caught on camera even one more time, but if he makes it that obvious, Jang Hyuksoo can’t give him a favorable edit even if he wanted to.

 

“The minimum number of members to participate in the Guild Battle is five! You must have five guild members to participate in the Guild Battle.”

 

The trainees began murmuring at the MC’s explanation.

 

Because most guilds had two, or at most four members.

 

If the minimum number of members is five, do we have to additionally recruit missing guild members now?

 

If we couldn’t fill five people, could we not participate in the Guild Match? 

 

What about the trainees without a guild?

 

The cameras diligently captured the trainees’ questioning expressions.

 

“Oh dear, do not worry! In order to carry out the Guild Match safely, the production team has prepared an unconventional benefit!” 

 

An unconventional benefit!

 

The trainees’ expressions brightened.

 

“The unconventional benefit that will be provided to each guild is… a ‘Special Mercenary Recruitment Ticket’!”

 

Like the Guild Match, the name of the Special Mercenary Recruitment Ticket sounded grand, but it was nothing much.

 

Simply put, it means allowing trainees who aren’t guild members to temporarily join a guild.

 

Because everyone has to participate in the Guild Battle for the sake of fairness.

 

“Each guild simply needs to use the Special Mercenary Recruitment Ticket to fill their missing numbers with mercenaries! You will choose in the order of the highest-ranking Guild Masters. Now then, we will begin recruiting mercenaries right away! Trainees without a guild, please gather over here!”

 

I turned my head toward Yoo Sung, who had been glaring at me every chance he got since earlier.

 

Yoo Sung was staring blankly at the trainees moving in a swarm.

 

I gestured to Yoo Sung.

 

“Over here.”

 

Spotting me gesturing, Yoo Sung furrowed his brow.

 

However, he strode over to my side without saying a word.

 

He seemed to have realized that it wasn’t something he could avoid just by being stubborn.

 

“Ah, to add to that, once the Guild Match ends, you can freely leave the guild, or you can dissolve it entirely! However, please note that if you leave or dissolve the guild, you will not be able to receive any of the benefits received so far and the benefits to be received in the future!” 

 

Hearing the MC’s words, I nudged Yoo Sung’s shoulder and said.

 

“Endure it just this once.”

 

“What.”

 

“I said endure it just this once. Stop furrowing your brow.” 

 

I gestured toward the camera with my chin and said.

 

Letting out a deep sigh, Yoo Sung smoothed out his furrowed brow.

 

“Have you thought about it? Who to recruit.” 

 

“Hmm… Well, what about you?”

 

When I asked back, Yoo Sung’s eyebrows twitched.

 

It seemed he was trying to manage his expression, conscious of the camera, but it didn’t seem easy.

 

“What’s the point of asking me… You must have everything thought out.”

 

“I can’t say I don’t. Right, first of all….” 

 

I said, glancing at Han Theo standing tall among the trainees without a guild.

 

“Not Han Theo.”

 

“Not that guy, right?”

 

My voice and Yoo Sung’s overlapped.

 

For the first time, our thoughts aligned.

 

Han Theo didn’t create a guild.

 

Meaning, he was a trainee who could be recruited with the Special Mercenary Recruitment Ticket.

 

Sure enough, trainees with guilds were looking at Han Theo with greedy eyes.

 

They probably want to recruit him because he’s handsome, has good skills, and high buzz…

 

‘Guys who only know one thing and not the other.’

 

I snorted inwardly at the trainees glancing at Han Theo.

 

Han Theo is a double-edged sword.

 

You might think that keeping a shining light by your side will allow you to shine by receiving that light, but the reality is that you get devoured by the light, and even the faint light you had fades away.

 

“The trainee we will recruit is…”

 

Among the trainees without a guild, I looked at one trainee sending me fervent glances.

 

“A guy with decent skills who listens well.”

 

Okada Hiro.

 

Since it turned out like this, I have to use him as much as I can.

 

Smiling at Okada, I thought to myself.