The Road to Glory – Chapter 222 – [Side Story] Chapter 24. Mysterious Entertainment Beginners

Author: Dawn

There was one common concern among the production staff as the cast was finalized.

All cast members had little to no experience in entertainment shows.

While they were dedicated to their main professions like acting and music, the production team couldn’t expect them to have the variety show sense or hosting abilities needed for entertainment shows.

‘Shouldn’t we get a host even now?’

Even for ‘(Working Title) Wise Island Life’, there were many broadcasters who wanted to join. It’s not like no one wanted to join, so why insist on these four people?

PD Na Hyejoo also worried about this.

However, she finally confirmed the cast.

While she agreed that broadcast programs should be entertaining, she wanted to emphasize more documentary-like aspects.

She wanted to show the lives of four people with almost no entertainment experience going down to the countryside, feeling unfamiliar, making mistakes, sometimes getting into trouble, but gradually adapting.

She hoped it would show that life isn’t just a facet of comedy or tragedy, but rather about facing unfamiliarity and the process of adapting to it.

‘Growth’ isn’t wrong either, but since people don’t grow every moment – they also regress and stay in place – wouldn’t ‘adaptation’ be the right word?

Thus, she wanted to show the cast being awkward with reality cameras,

And looking lost like real rural migrants not knowing what to do next.

‘But more than expected…’

Things were going well.

‘Surprisingly well.’

After cleaning the house, dishes were being placed one by one on the outdoor table.

Kwon Jaeik’s contribution must be at least 50% in getting this far.

With stronger survival skills than expected, he looked around everywhere as soon as they arrived at the house

Searching for things to do.

Compared to him, the other cast members didn’t seem to have such strong survival skills.

Naturally, they thought only Kwon Jaeik would get frustrated and have to do everything.

But contrary to their initially relaxed attitude, the other cast members cooperated surprisingly well.

“Ah, here, the light bulb-“

“I’ll fix that, noona.”

“Ah, it comes out when you turn the screw. I’ll hold it for you.”

Lee Jeongmin was already famous for being good at everything – he even had a heavy machinery license – and Lee Sora wasn’t incapable, she just didn’t know how at first but did well when told what to do.

For a top star, she didn’t have any fussy personality, which was significant.

And surprisingly, even the boy showed remarkable activity that even Kwon Jaeik hadn’t expected.

PD Na Hyejoo had earnestly requested the villagers to act as they would when outsiders first arrived, and accordingly, they thought the villagers wouldn’t help them at all initially.

“But where did this light bulb come from? Our production team couldn’t have gotten it.”

“Haeil got it from the village head.”

“?”

As expected of a genius who creates something from nothing, he even ‘created’ items. It started from a really trivial moment when the villagers recognized the boy sweeping the front with a broom.

Not because they recognized him as the star Halo, but as Nam Gyuhwan grandmother’s guest from a month ago. And as the star of the village hall at that time.

“Little boss, when did you come?”

“No, you can’t clean properly with those small hands using that. Wait a moment. I’ll lend you one.”

Starting from someone lending a broom.

“Oh my, aren’t you the young man who sings well?”

“Hello, the kimchi you gave me last time was delicious. Really delicious.”

“! You liked it? Would you like more? I saved some for my children but if our singer wants it, I’ll get it out.”

“Thank you.”

The food kept increasing.

“What’s this? Where did you get this from farming?”

“Ah, a villager passing by gave it to us to eat.”

“Wow, this village is so generous. They just gave it to you?”

From side dishes like kimchi and jeotgal to seasonal fruits. Even-.

“A blanket?”

“They said to use it since early spring is still cool.”

“This?! Even snake liquor?”

Kwon Jaeik hugged the snake liquor to his chest. It seemed he wouldn’t say anything even if the boy never did any housework again.

It was an amazing achievement.

Whatever the house lacked, Halo was bringing it all.

The production team all subtly shook their heads at the villagers, but they couldn’t intervene because the boy was paying his dues.

“Could I hear that song you sang back then one more time?”

“Of course.”

The villagers had been deeply impressed by the boy who sang while playing guitar at the village hall.

“Will you do village broadcasts from now on too? Little boss’s broadcast is still fresh in my ears.”

“Did you like it?”

“Of course.”

When the boy would sing, the villagers would smile softly while listening to the songs or tear up with glistening eyes, providing plenty of broadcast footage.

‘This, this isn’t what…’

This wasn’t what they wanted.

The production team’s pupils shook, but whenever the boy sang, even they would end up just appreciating the music, and the household items increased exponentially.

‘Are these really entertainment beginners…?’

They were all too busy to be awkward with reality cameras,

And to wonder what to do next? Kwon Jaeik’s planning ability and Lee Jeongmin’s life skills were too high to be lost.

Even the sound wasn’t empty.

Everyone was busy talking about their lives since they hadn’t met in a while, and in between, the boy sang the ‘From Today On’ OST medley, which brought out behind-the-scenes stories from that drama.

About when Halo came to the filming set, when the boy, who was 17 in Korean age at the time, said Lee Sora was too young, and when Lee Jeongmin got an autograph and took pictures with the boy then.

“You came then?”

“Pay attention to your surroundings.”

Kwon Jaeik gave up cleanly when he couldn’t remember no matter how much he thought about it.

“By the way, we’re supposed to be temporary teachers starting tomorrow, have you all thought about what subjects you want to teach?”

To be precise, they would be entering classes like student teachers while being observed by the teachers. At Lee Sora’s question, those who were quietly looking at the night sky responded.

“I-“

Kwon Jaeik spoke first.

“Music?”

“You?”

“?”

“? I can teach music.”

The production team, who flinched, suddenly remembered.

That Kwon Jaeik was also a singer with two albums.

While fans beg ‘please don’t do everything you want to do,’ he released two hip-hop albums and even rapped for over an hour during a two-hour fan meeting.

“Don’t you think I’d teach well? Kids like me too.”

“…”

“Since even Jeongmin isn’t saying anything, shouldn’t I reconsider?”

“Lee Jeongmin!”

“Yes, senior.”

“Nothing to say?”

“Yes, senior.”

“…I guess not.”

Lee Sora laughed quietly.

Actually, it didn’t matter who taught what, but it felt strange because there was someone too big when it came to music right next to them.

“What do you want to do?”

“Me, math teacher? Wouldn’t it look cool drawing on the blackboard?”

“You’re saying math when you even get the multiplication table wrong.”

“When have you seen me get the multiplication table wrong?”

“Eight times seven?”

“…63?”

“…Since she’s an actress, please edit this out.”

The production team laughed at Kwon Jaeik’s words.

“No! It’s not wrong! I heard it as 9×7!”

“I said eight times seven though?”

“Your pronunciation was weird.”

“Oh, really?”

Kwon Jaeik raised the corner of his mouth as if it was preposterous.

Lee Sora, out of embarrassment, appealed to the two younger ones that she had heard wrong.

“I’d like to try being a fashion teacher. Believe it or not, I majored in fashion.”

No one told her that fashion wasn’t a subject in elementary school.

“Jeongmin, what do you want to do? You seem like you were good at studying when you were young.”

Lee Jeongmin, who actually was good at studying, pondered.

“Um… science? I majored in chemistry and physics in high school. Because I’m not good at memorizing.”

“Memorizing? Jeongmin, don’t you memorize all your scripts?”

“Haha… chemistry and physics are more fun too. So I was thinking about being a science teacher? I’ve become interested in quantum entanglement lately and have been looking into it.”

“Ah, quantum entanglement…. I know it well. But wouldn’t that be a bit tough for elementary school kids?”

“Haha, would it be too difficult? I thought it was an interesting topic.”

That seemed like it would be difficult even if you brought adults, not just elementary school kids.

“What about Haeil?”

Lee Jeongmin asked Halo, who was sitting holding a guitar.

Actually, more than anything, Lee Jeongmin wanted to know what Halo would do.

And if possible, he just wanted to attend his class.

“I guess Haeil will do music?”

At Lee Sora’s question, Halo tilted his head.

While everyone assumed he would teach music, he wasn’t sure.

“I wonder.”

“Why not?”

The attention of the three people and the production team focused on him.

Halo asked calmly.

“I wonder if there’s anything to teach in music.”

“!”

One of the production staff who had attended music academy for several years to overcome being tone-deaf flinched.

“But isn’t there stuff like that? Like melodies that appeal to the public. Money chord? How to make good music.”

“Those are things you naturally learn through various experiences. Everyone likes good music without being taught, right?”

“!”

Someone clutched their chest as if hit in the bone.

If it had been any other singer, they would have thought it was nonsense or showing off.

They would have scoffed, asking if they thought they were a genius,

But when a genius who had just proven himself again with the recent ‘Sound Exhibition’ said it, it just hurt.

“Yeah, I find Haeil’s music good naturally, without needing anyone to teach me why.”

“Me too, Haeil-ssi, I’ve been listening to your songs well.”

“Then Haeil, what would you like to teach?”

Lee Sora, who became an actor after passing an audition she applied to for fun with a friend without attending acting academy, thought that must be natural for singers.

Halo actually hadn’t thought about what to teach.

As he always says, he’s not good with kids and doesn’t like them either.

You could say he doesn’t seek out anything related to children.

But if he had to do something.

Something fun.

“Physical education?”

“Huh?”

Playing at the beach, going hiking in the mountains, sightseeing here and there would be fun.

After his comment about wanting to try cliff diving was relayed, Halo’s label staff had a full-body seizure. ‘Absolutely not.’ They shook their heads and made an X with their arms at PD Na Hyejoo, saying it absolutely couldn’t happen.

“Or maybe art?”

Though he’s not good at it, drawing the clock design last time was fun.

“That would be fun too.”

“I think you’d be good at it.”

The cast had good chemistry since there were two people who said anything the boy said was good, and one person who was indifferent to whatever he did.

“Ah, the stars are pretty.”

“Ah, earlier the staff mentioned there’s a perfect spot for stargazing, when should we go, noona?”

“Aren’t all stars the same?”

A harmonious scene.

The shadows cast by the cast members and the sky beyond them were beautifully captured on camera.

But viewers who later saw this scene and their added interviews laughed about how everyone had said the opposite things.

For good reason.

“Alright, everyone, a round of applause for focus. Everyone, let’s say hello. These people will be your teachers for this week.”

“Hi?”

Waaaaaah!

Kwon Jaeik, who claimed to really love children, gifted the children pressure and tears with his strong actor’s presence.

“Kids, you like soccer right? Let’s go let’s go woohoo!”

Kwon Jaeik, who took PE class instead of the music class he wanted, was confident about handling children well, but he made them cry several times with his absolutely unforgiving competitive spirit and teasing jokes.

It seemed like it would be uploaded as an example of ‘Why you shouldn’t leave children with men.’

“Men, really.”

Lee Sora, who was watching, clicked her tongue.

A sniffling child approached her.

“Pretty noona. I got hurt here.”

“Noo… noona? Are you talking to me?”

Lee Sora in her mid-30s immediately brightened up at being called noona by an elementary school student.

“Yes, kids, pretty noona is here. Where are you hurt? Let me see.”

“She’s really silly.”

“Teacher Kwon, please be nice to your once beloved student.”

Kwon Jaeik grimaced at Lee Sora calling him teacher.

“I wanted to become an unforgettable glance between you and me.”

Lee Jeongmin, who became a Korean language teacher reading poetry instead of quantum mechanics, was popular with the children. However, he was more popular with the parents.

You could freshly understand why the term ‘meet-the-parents pass’ exists.

And the really unexpected thing was.

The boy who had separately interviewed that he wasn’t good with children,

“Teacher! How do you do this?”

“Brother, play with us!”

“Teacher, let’s play the dice game again!”

Became Baegun Elementary School’s star.

“Damn, I’m jealous. Should I go sing my album too?”

“Ha, you’ll give the kids a shock.”

Even Kwon Jaeik, who loves children like his own country, was envious enough that the children followed the boy around like chicks following a mother hen.

“You go play with the kids too.”

And Gyeowool, who received Lee Sora’s affection as soon as they appeared, stuck close to Halo’s side. Holding onto his jacket hem as if afraid he might leave, Gyeowool didn’t play with the other kids.

Since Gyeowool was the only elementary school-aged girl in this neighborhood, and being small in build and preferring music to running around, it would have been difficult to join the group of boys playing soccer and running around. Lee Sora roughly understood the situation and treated Gyeowool more tenderly. (+) ^[1]

“I don’t want to, they make fun of me for being small.”

As expected. I see.

When Lee Sora was about to say something sympathetic, Halo’s words were heard.

“You can make fun of them later when you grow bigger.”

“Can I really grow bigger?”

“Why not?”

“!”

Gyeowool’s eyes sparkled.

‘Could it be…’

Lee Sora glanced at Halo.

His lips were curved up as if amused.

Of course, while Halo could just be a child without prejudices, having seen him be a bit gentler with the village’s five-six year old girls, Lee Sora asked,

“Haeil, do you perhaps not know?”

“Know what?”

She figured he didn’t know.

That Gyeowool was a girl.

Even though it was obvious just by looking.

Gyeowool, who had been looking at Halo with sparkling eyes, met Lee Sora’s gaze. Lee Sora softly smiled with crescent eyes and put a finger to her lips.

Let’s surprise him later.

It’s a secret until then.

Gyeowool nodded without knowing why.

Waaah-!

Kwon Jaeik, who made kids cry again today, looked enviously at the boy. He wished cute children would follow him around like that too.

But he knew that wasn’t possible.

Because he saw how the boy became Baegun Elementary School’s instant star.

The reason why children now followed the boy who was initially indifferent and didn’t try hard to get close when he first arrived (?)

It was because of the ‘Mozart Dice Game’ he showed during his music class.

Translator Note:
I will use “she/her” whenever Gyeowool appear from now on. Though I might use “they/them” if the story perspective is on Halo’s since he doesn’t know that Gyeowool is female. But since this would be hard for me without the help of an editor, expect some mistakes here and there.