Chapter 65
Production Team: There’s been a lot of controversy recently with the Let’s Go Together team.
[Ha-eun:] Honestly, I’m on a different team, so I only found out after seeing that stage.
[Yoo-hyun:] From an outsider’s perspective… it was a bit surprising. Ryu isn’t main vocal level, sure, but it’s not like she’s so bad that all her parts should be taken away.
[Soo-in:] If the parts that were taken had gone to Cheong unnie, then honestly, I wouldn’t have found it that strange. Cheong unnie is the main vocal. But for it to go to Joo-hong instead? That’s a bit…
[Joo-sun:] I didn’t think it was all that strange, though.
Production Team: Why didn’t you think it was strange?
[Joo-sun:] Because when Ryu unnie was hogging most of the parts before, no one thought it was weird. But now that she got fewer parts, suddenly it’s strange? That feels inconsistent.
[Kyung-ah:] Honestly, I didn’t think this would blow up like this. Because I went through something similar. I also competed against Ryu for main vocal once. Back then, she won, so I gave up a lot of parts.
Production Team: That’s true.
[Bo-ra:] This is a competition. If taking more parts is such a big deal, then why wasn’t it a controversy before, and only now?
[Baek-young:] No one did anything wrong here. This time, Ryu got fewer parts. Next time, she might get more again. That’s what being in a group is. That’s team life.
[Geum:] Isn’t someone just deliberately trying to stir things up against Joo-hong and Cheong unnie?
Caption: A conspiracy theory?
[Geum:] Otherwise, how could this blow up so much?
[Baek-young:] I could understand Joo-hong being criticized a bit, since she did get a lot of parts. Fans of Ryu might be upset. But the arrows turning toward…
Production Team: Yoon Cheong trainee got the most backlash.
[Baek-young:] That’s the strangest part.
[Bo-ra:] Most importantly, what the people involved think matters most. If Ryu unnie and Joo-hong agreed to this, then… why is this even a controversy?
Caption: So we asked the people involved.
[Ryu:] …
Caption: Kim Ryu trainee can’t hide her heavy heart…
[Ryu:] I just feel like it’s all my fault. I feel so sorry to my Colorists.
Production Team: What exactly are you sorry for?
[Ryu:] Honestly, when Joo-hong asked me for that favor… I was a little taken aback.
Production Team: Favor?
[Ryu:] Oh, Joo-hong asked if I could give her some of my parts. So I asked which ones she wanted. And she wanted the killing parts.
Archive footage:
A few days ago…
[At the time of part distribution, Joo-hong trainee’s interview]
Production Team: Why did the part distribution suddenly change?
[Joo-hong:] I asked. I begged Ryu unnie. Since the last stage is getting closer, I wanted to show more. I’m in a middling rank… so I wanted a chance. Thankfully, Ryu unnie accepted.
[Back to present.]
Production Team: So why did you agree?
[Ryu:] At first, I was really taken aback… but Joo-hong asked so desperately. It was hard to refuse. And also… the team atmosphere was kind of like that.
Production Team: Was there a problem with the team atmosphere?
[Ryu:] No, nothing like that. It’s just… everyone else is pretty close, except me. After Hion—who I used to rely on—left, I felt really lonely. I didn’t want to ruin the team mood by rejecting Joo-hong.
Production Team: Did other trainees pressure you to give parts to Joo-hong?
[Ryu:] I wouldn’t say that exactly. I think… maybe I just scared myself into thinking that. Haha. That’s why I feel guilty toward my Colorists. If I hadn’t gotten scared, if I’d just said no, I wouldn’t have hurt the people supporting me. This happened because I was too weak.
Production Team: What does Joo-hong trainee think?
[Joo-hong:] I…
“Joo-hong.”
Before Joo-hong’s interview.
I called her aside.
“Yes?”
“They’re definitely going to ask you during the interview what you think about this controversy.”
“Then I’ll just tell them everything! That Ryu unnie actually suggested—”
“No.”
“Huh?!”
I grabbed Joo-hong’s hand tightly.
“That’ll only backfire on you. Right now, you need to hold back. Because remember, you already said in your previous interview that you asked her. If you suddenly contradict that, they’ll ask why you lied before.”
“Th-then what do I say…?”
Joo-hong looked completely lost.
Of course she did.
“There’s only one way.”
“…?”
“Make it messy.”
[Joo-hong:] I honestly… didn’t think it would turn out like this.
Production Team: What didn’t you expect?
[Joo-hong:] I was just doing what I was told…
Production Team: Who told you to?
[Joo-hong:] …
[Joo-hong:] The PD.
“?!”
The PD doing the interview almost fell out of his chair.
“Stop. Stop. Stop. Hold on. Hold on.”
He looked completely dumbfounded.
“What? My fault? MY fault?!”
“…”
“Why… why are you dragging me into this?! Are you crazy?!”
Joo-hong stayed silent.
The PD, blindsided by this sudden suicide-bomber tactic, was about to press her when—
Ding!
His phone buzzed.
“Yoon Cheong trainee. Can we talk for a moment?”
It was Writer Kang.
I had a pretty good idea what this was about, so I followed without fuss.
When we got to the conference room, there was an unexpected person waiting.
“Hello.”
“Ah… hello.”
“Yoon Cheong trainee. This is our first time meeting in person, right? Have a seat.”
It was President Hong.
Next to her was Director Kim, who looked pretty tense.
…Probably because of Hong’s presence.
This woman never moves unless it’s something big. If she’s here in person, this must be serious.
Hong Yeon-seo was a former top idol herself and has produced multiple number-one groups.
There’s no way she’d bother with a small scandal.
Her showing up means she considers this important.
“So, Yoon Cheong trainee, you’re aware of the recent controversy, right?”
“Yes, I am.”
“I’ve already heard from PD Oh and Writer Kang. They said you’re not at fault in this.”
…So they’ve been covering me? Huh.
I glanced at them again. I thought they only cared about saving their own skins.
Maybe not.
“Kim Ryu trainee being absent during song selection—that was partly my fault.”
Huh?
“She was with me in a private meeting at the time.”
Ah.
So that’s where she went? Makes sense now.
Some of the puzzle pieces were finally clicking into place.
“So I do feel some responsibility for this. However…”
Hong’s expression hardened.
“I don’t know if I can take responsibility for the part distribution. Could you explain what happened?”
“…Initially, the parts were divided fairly. Everyone had about the same amount.”
“Then why did Ryu end up with so little and Joo-hong so much?”
“It was Ryu’s request. She asked us to let Joo-hong take her parts.”
Hong looked at PD Oh for confirmation.
But PD Oh just shrugged, still looking bewildered.
Clearly, Joo-hong had followed my advice well.
The classic drag-someone-down-with-you move.
Just say the PD told you. That way, the interview would have to stop.
“Well, I didn’t see it on camera. But there is something else.”
“Something else?”
Hong shot him a questioning look.
“Yes. In her individual interview, Joo-hong said she begged for it. She said she wanted to stand out before the finale and admitted to being greedy for parts.”
“I told you before, didn’t I? Joo-hong personally begged Ryu, and Ryu gave in because she had no choice!”
Director Kim practically shouted.
“But when we asked Joo-hong, she said even that interview was at Ryu’s request.”
Hong didn’t take the bait.
She stayed calm, collected.
“Of course she’d say that. Anything to make herself look better.”
“…”
Hong pondered for a moment. Then she turned to me.
“Yoon Cheong trainee. Did you bring what you mentioned?”
“Yes.”
“!”
Director Kim’s eyes widened.
You still don’t get why I’m here, do you?
I pulled out my phone.
And played the recording I’d prepared.
[Recording:]
“I’m okay with this. Joo-hong, I want you to shine this time. I’ve been selfish before, so now I really want to yield to someone else.”
“…Uh… if you put it that way… thank you!”
“But there’s one condition.”
“Huh? Oh, that I say I was the one who asked? Why?”
“I don’t want it to look like I’m favoring you over the others. There are already rumors about me and Cheong not getting along. I don’t want to add fuel to that fire.”
That much was enough.
I stopped the recording.
And looked straight at Director Kim.
“This is what I brought.”
To completely bury your precious niece.
