The Road to Glory Chapter 234 - [Side Story] Chapter 36. The Real and The Fake

[Sin Joohyeok: If I knew you’d be this good at variety shows, I would’ve asked you to appear together.]

Even after ‘Wise Island Life’ aired, Halo’s daily life hadn’t changed much.

The members’ faces briefly went pale when they received the sheet music for Halo’s EP 14 and Roh Haeil’s 2nd regular album, but this wasn’t the first time this had happened.

The label staff actively helped prepare for Halo and Roh Haeil’s comeback.

That’s not to say nothing had changed at all.

After Halo’s first variety show appearance, casting offers came flooding in like a tidal wave, and even personal contacts increased. However, that was the staff’s responsibility.

Until after the comeback, it seemed they would focus on album production. Unless Halo developed an interest, that is.

“Drama? Why are we getting drama casting offers?”

“There are tons of similar variety show offers.”

“The broadcasting station contacted us about setting Music Bank dates without even knowing when Halo-ssi’s comeback is. Do they know something about the comeback?”

While the label staff dealt with casting offers and various administrative tasks, Halo received quite a few messages from acquaintances around the time the teaser was released.

[Haeil filmed a variety show! Your noona will definitely watch it]

[Since when did you get interested in variety shows?]

[Are you busy these days? Maybe for a moment-.]

[Haeil-ssi, please don’t forget that I was your first PD…]

The messages that came alternately, as if planned, mostly had similar repertoires.

[Sin Joohyeok: You have no idea how many times I’ve been asked to bring Haeil to Running Man.]

[Sin Joohyeok: They interrogated me asking if I blocked you. I said I blocked you, but are you someone who can be blocked?]

[Sin Joohyeok: It was edited out of the broadcast, but it was no joke in reality.]

Halo, who watched a compilation of Sin Joohyeok’s scolding clips, replied that it was fun to watch.

[Sin Joohyeok: Was it fun?]

[Sin Joohyeok: Right, you’d find it fun. People need to know this though. That the really scary one isn’t me but you. How nice I was to accept someone who spoke informally at our first meeting.]

Halo snorted.

What’s nice about that.

[Sin Joohyeok: So, have you given it any thought?]

Sin Joohyeok, who rarely recommended things, made a suggestion.

Halo, who had only watched a few clips, asked.

[Was that fun?]

[Sin Joohyeok: Yeah, it’s fun though the editing is a bit brutal since there are many entertaining people]

[Sin Joohyeok: You don’t need to worry]

[Sin Joohyeok: Just come and do whatever you want]

No matter what picture the PD tries to paint, whatever Halo wants to do will fit into that picture. Sin Joohyeok became convinced after watching a variety show rookie carry the show in Wise Island Life.

That kid probably didn’t consider editing points or variety show elements like others, he just did whatever he wanted. And that happened to be what the public expected. A blessed broadcasting talent.

Even if he causes controversy(?), he won’t be called boring.

Thinking this, Sin Joohyeok burst out laughing at Halo’s reply.

[I respect PD-nim’s opinions and cooperate well though]

[Sin Joohyeok: LOLOLOLOL]

[Sin Joohyeok: You? LOL Who told you that]

[Sin Joohyeok: Did PD Na say that? LOLOLOLOLOL]

[Sin Joohyeok: LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]

Silly guy.

This bastard must have nothing better to do, sending consecutive consonants.

[Sin Joohyeok: I’m not saying come out now, but around your comeback time? How about it?]

[That’s not far off]

[Sin Joohyeok: ? 1]

[Sin Joohyeok: You’re making a comeback? 1]

[Sin Joohyeok: With Halo’s 2nd full album? 1]

[Sin Joohyeok: Check your phone 1]

[Sin Joohyeok: Hey hey hey hey 1]

No matter what Sin Joohyeok sent after being surprised by the bombshell statement, Halo ignored it to focus on work again. After recording, there was a mountain of things to do like the music video, stage performances, and album cover.

“Shall we start again?”

“Yes!”

#

After the first episode of Wise Island Life—hereafter ‘Wisland’—aired, behind-the-scenes footage was released in episode 7 of Welcome to my world on the following Friday, and that atmosphere carried straight through to episode 2 of ‘Wisland’ on Sunday.

[It’s so great watching Wise Island Life episode 1, reviewing the behind-the-scenes in Welcome to my world on Friday, and then watching episode 2. It’s a feast of easter eggs]

[Thank you, PD Na ㅠㅠㅠ Gathering people who don’t appear on variety shows, wherever you are, I’ll bow in all directions. Please live long and prosper and do up to season 100]

[Wow, the synchronization between the characters and actors is insane LOL The casting is crazy]

[Everyone was just themselves except Heetae]

└ Heetae grew up and matured

└ I prayed for From Today On Season 2, but I’m happy this came true instead

[What I felt watching Wise Island Life Episode 1 + Welcome to my world: We should be thankful Roh Haeil didn’t go to Baekil High (‘F.T.O’ school) because he was doing music. If Haeil went to Baekil High, Teacher Kwon and all of Class 3-2 would’ve debuted as Roh Haeil and Children]

└ LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL Before that, Roh Haeil wasn’t even an O.U character LOL

└ No, I think he appeared! He’s in my memory!!

└ Actually, Halo appeared there and was in charge of singing from the side

[Teacher Kwon and Sora-unnie getting swept up in The Sun’s my-pace + and Lee Jeongmin getting swept along with them.jpeg]

Until then, people took ‘Wisland’ as just a countryside diary of four top stars bumbling around.

They learned why ‘Wisland’ had the ‘music’ tag when the cast met a child after being appointed as temporary teachers at the school.

As soon as they arrived at the school, a child with shaggy hair came running and clung to Halo.

Whether others were surprised or not, Halo recognized the child.

“Have you been well?”

“Yes!”

The child then looked around and greeted everyone.

“Hello.”

Then came an inserted interview.

The child, who looked around as if unfamiliar with cameras, introduced themselves.

“Hello, I’m Jin Gyeowool. …I’m ten years old, and my favorite food is… I like everything my mom makes! And I like music too…!”

People who had been running around with the grill screamed at the child in a pink dress with clear eyes.

Until then, Gyeowool had only been seen as cute, but they gained attention during Halo’s music class… or rather, his deceptive class.

[When he said Mozart’s Musical Dice Game I didn’t think much of it, but he made it himself??]

[Did you hear Haeil muttering ‘This actually works’??]

[Do they really compose like that?]

[Wow I want to try too]

[Can I see the sketchbook if I go there?]

[LOL This guy’s not even pretending to be in a slump anymore]

At first Halo played it himself, but when he stepped back, Gyeowool took over the piano.

While the page turner was flipping through the sketchbook to find the right measure matching the numbers, Gyeowool played it alone.

“Oh?! How did you know?”

“Because you played it earlier…”

[?]

[Well, number 10 did come up once earlier]

[They memorized it in that short time?]

[Is this staged?]

[Couldn’t they memorize it?]

[They played the dice game like three times in between though, can they really memorize it? Is this kid a genius?]

[I see it… The second Halo…]

“Teacher, there’s no number 132.”

“Ah.”

As Halo approached to play the unmade number 132, Gyeowool intently watched him play.

They thought she was just a cute kid. But something unsettling was felt.

PD Kyung’s legs started shaking again.

Kim Sunchul had insisted she wasn’t a genius, but wasn’t that genius-level?

Halo says.

‘Now, you remember it?’

The girl answered.

‘Yes!’

Since Wisland was a story about the cast adapting, that was all there was to Gyeowool’s story, but as weeks passed and episodes increased, more and more stories about Gyeowool emerged.

And people directly began to suspect she was a genius when Halo acknowledged it.

While talking with the cast about how he met Gyeowool, her sketchbook naturally came up, and Gyeowool excitedly ran to bring her sketchbook as if wanting to show it.

People saw the drawing filled with musical notes.

This is insane, what is this. Is she really a genius?

At this point, the viewers’ and cast members’ reactions aligned.

Moreover, Halo soon interpreted this complex score himself.

Just as normal children start drawing in the center of their sketchbook and gradually spread outward, this score also starts from the center, he said.

And Halo played it on guitar.

“Can you look at my next one too?”

Gyeowool’s eyes sparkled as she showed the next page.

This time, the staff lines were properly drawn.

Halo glanced at it and smiled.

“It’s good.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You worked hard.”

Gyeowool’s face brightened.

‘Shit, how is this not a genius.’

PD Kyung, who was watching Wisland, jumped up having a fit.

To his eyes, she could only be seen as a genius or prodigy.

Unlike the mentee of ‘Me. Mento’ who was starting to make him doubt if they were really a genius.

PD Kyung bit his nails and hurriedly opened the community.

Though the ratings were still moderate, they were showing a steady growth curve which was fine, but who knew what would happen next week.

And finally he found it.

The comparison post he had worried and worried about.

[Who seems more genius-like between Me, Mento’s Dajung vs Wise Island Life’s Gyeowool?]

└ No contest. The only thing that could beat a 10-year-old’s composition sketchbook is Halo’s practice notes

└ 222

└ They’re both amazing but since they’re the same age and live in different places, it’s kind of comparable

└ Are you comparing 10-year-old kids because there’s nothing else to compare?

Though most were criticisms saying not to compare them, they didn’t register in PD Kyung’s eyes.

[I don’t know much about music so I’m not sure who’s more of a genius, but if I could choose one teacher… wouldn’t it be Doc… LOL]

└ Urgh

└ What could be above The Sun

└ I was staying quiet but you guys are really mean LOL

└ Don’t just post this on Halo’s fan community, they’ll go crazy saying who are you comparing LOL

└ But are Halo fans that scary? I don’t really get it?

└ (Helicopter burning ceremony.jpeg)

└ That side is a religion, even idol fandoms back off

[Poor Dajung ㅠ Could have met a better teacher ㅠ]

└ This is why connections are important in society

└ Is Dajung really pitiful? Even without Halo, since their family is rich couldn’t they just get 1-on-1 lessons from a university professor?

└ University professor vs Halo go go

PD Kyung’s fingers trembled.

Unable to hold back, he posted a rebuttal.

[Still, wouldn’t someone with current teaching experience be better for teaching? Just like being good at studying is different from being good at teaching]

└ Is this Sunchul?

└ Willing to pay 50,000 won for Kim Sunchul’s lecture

Would need to break my savings for Halo’s lecture (but can’t attend anyway)

└ Even lectures would need ticketing LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

└ Honestly, if there’s going to be a lecture, it needs to be at Olympic Park

“These bastards really.”

└ That’s just because you’re Halo fans, I think Kim Sunchul is better though?

When PD Kyung posted his comment, replies flooded in. As if coordinates had been marked. These guys with nothing better to do. PD Kyung cursed as he began his internet battle.

└ ?

└ I mean, Liv maybe but Kim Sunchul is a bit…

└ I think Halo’s deification is going overboard but still Halo over Kim Sunchul

└ Does the Grammy look like trash to you? Is releasing 13 albums in a year possible?

└ LOL What changes just because he won a Grammy? LOL Since when did the Grammy become the standard for being the best? LOL Grammy is just one of many awards

└ So has your singer ever won a Grammy? Have they ever made it to Billboard?

└ Come talk after releasing 13 albums, Sunchul

“They just don’t get it.”

PD Kyung pondered before opening SNS.

The ‘Me, Mento’ page appeared.

He inhaled and exhaled.

Usually when posting something, it should be discussed with the PR team, but this was going to be a personal request to viewers, and since he was going to say something nice, it should be fine.

So he posted a comment under the promotional post for the next episode of ‘Me, Mentor’.

[Hello, this is Kyung Yoongi, the director of Me, Mento. First, I sincerely thank all the fans who have shown so much interest and support for Me, Mento.

Recently, there has been an increase in cases of comparing our cast members with cast members of other programs and criticizing their qualifications online/offline and on mobile.

I believe our cast members have extensive experience as both artists and instructors over many years and are more than qualified to be mentors.

Also, calling young cast members the second OOO can be an act of denying their individuality.

Such frequent comparisons and malicious criticism hurt and offend the cast members.

So I earnestly ask you to please stop.

Thank you always for your interest and love.

I ask for your continued warm encouragement and support going forward]

Though he wondered if the words came across too strongly, he felt reassured when Kim Sunchul immediately gave it a ‘like’.

I’m doing well.

PD Kyung turned off SNS. Not having slept for a while due to backed up editing work, fatigue was finally starting to set in.

When he wakes up, those community guys would have reflected and deleted their posts on their own.

Not knowing the repercussions his statement would cause, PD Kyung smiled as he fell asleep.