GAVS36

Chapter 36 Broadcasting Station Meeting

After finishing his morning classes, Dojun took a different route than usual.
His destination today was none other than the TVM broadcasting station.

The meeting was scheduled for 1:30 PM.

“Arriving early leaves a better impression than showing up right on time.”

Dojun, aware that his selection was somewhat of a “favor,” didn’t want to give anyone a reason to dislike him.
So he arrived at the station a bit earlier than the scheduled time.

Despite it being a weekday afternoon, the area around the broadcasting station was bustling. A crowd of high school girls, eager to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars, were gathered near the building.

As Dojun tried to push through the crowd and enter the building—

“Excuse me, you can’t just walk in here.”

A large security guard, stationed to control the entrance, stopped him with a stern expression.

It was clear he was there to manage the overly excited fans.

Dojun glanced at the guard and spoke calmly.

“I have a meeting scheduled with PD Jeon Jonghyun at 1:30 today. I was told my name would be on the list—Kim Dojun.”

Despite his straightforward explanation, the guard still eyed him suspiciously—probably due to his school uniform.

“Let me confirm your name on the list.”

The guard touched his earpiece and spoke into his radio, then nodded after a brief pause.

“You’re on the list. I just need to verify your ID as a final check.”

Dojun handed over his ID card. The guard frowned slightly.

“Could you remove your cap and mask? I need to confirm your face.”

“Ah, sure.”

As Dojun removed his cap and mask, he instantly felt a wave of attention fall on him.

The source? The crowd of high school girls waiting outside for celebrities.

“Oh my god, who is that? He’s gorgeous!”
“Is he a new trainee? Maybe a rookie idol?”
“No way a face like that flew under the radar. I’ve been a stan for six years and I know every pretty face.”

Realizing the attention, Dojun quickly put his mask and cap back on.

“Is that good enough?”

“Yes, you’re clear to go. Here’s your visitor pass. Sorry about the hassle—since it’s music show day, we’re a bit stricter.”

“That explains all the students outside. Stay warm out here. Thanks for your work.”

With a polite bow, Dojun stepped through the now-unblocked door.

Inside, the lobby was surprisingly calmer than the chaotic scene outside.
Without hesitation, he scanned his surroundings, walked to the elevator, and pressed the button for the 15th floor.

It wasn’t even 1:00 PM yet.

“Maybe I came a little too early…”

But as usual, things didn’t go exactly as expected.

As soon as the elevator doors opened on the 15th floor, a camera setup greeted him.

“Looks like they’ve already started pre-filming.”

Having watched The Game of Geniuses Season 1, Dojun recalled that early interviews were part of the process and braced himself.

A man waiting outside the elevator approached him.

“Are you Kim Dojun?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“This way, please.”

Dojun followed him down the hall. The man stopped in front of a door and gestured toward it.

“Go on in.”

Dojun nodded and carefully opened the door.

Creak—

Inside, several people stood around, and a few cameras were already set up.
In the center of the room stood a single chair.

“Hello.”

Just that one word in his deep, distinctive voice drew everyone’s attention.

Dojun quickly assessed the room.

Thanks to his prior research, he instantly recognized the man at the center of the setup:

“Jeon Jonghyun PD.”

A rising star in the world of survival reality shows.

Jeon gestured to the chair. Dojun calmly sat down.

With a neutral expression, Jeon spoke first.

“You’re here a bit early.”

“Was I too early?”

Dojun wondered if he’d made a mistake but responded casually.

“It’s fine. Let’s get started.”

Jeon briefly paused, then shifted to a more professional tone.

“Hello, Kim Dojun. First, congratulations on being accepted into The Game of Geniuses Season 2 as a general contestant.”

“Thank you very much for the opportunity.”

“We’ll need to film your face, so could you remove your mask and cap? Then give us a quick self-introduction.”

“Of course.”

Dojun removed his mask and cap as requested.

Gasps filled the room.

“Whoa…”

Female staff blushed, while even the male staff looked stunned.

Dojun brushed his hair back and sat up straight.

“Hello, I’m Kim Dojun, and I’ll be competing in The Game of Geniuses Season 2.”

Even PD Jeon looked impressed.

“Wow… you’re incredibly good-looking.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ve seen a lot of celebrities in my time, but I’d say you’re in the top five.”

Dojun smiled modestly.

“I think people are going to talk when this airs. I picked you casually, but your impact might be bigger than expected.”

Switching back into professional mode, Jeon refocused.

“This won’t take long. We’ll go through a few pre-interview questions, then wrap it up.”

“Understood.”

At Jeon’s signal, the room shifted—staff focused up, the atmosphere sharpened.

“Your name is Kim Dojun, and you’re currently a high school senior, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“Your academic record is quite impressive. You’ve won Golden Challenge, the School Knowledge Tournament, and several math and science competitions—all first place. We honestly thought it was fake when we first saw it.”

“I just got lucky.”

Dojun answered humbly, keeping his tone measured.

“You also just took the college entrance exam, right? How did it go?”

“According to my preliminary score… I think I got perfect marks in every subject.”

“…Wow.”

The word “perfect” drew stunned murmurs from the staff.

Jeon, visibly pleased at this new selling point, scribbled in his notebook as he continued.

“You’ll be the youngest contestant this season. Do you think you can hold your own against adults?”

Dojun nodded confidently.

“I’ve never played a game involving alliances, betrayals, or social strategy before. But when it comes to pure logic or one-on-one challenges, I believe I can beat anyone.”

Jeon grinned and handed Dojun a sheet of paper.

“This is the participant list. Any names you see as threats or potential winners?”

Dojun scanned the list briefly.

“I think the Season 1 participants are likely to be strong overall.”

“If not you, who do you think has the best chance of winning?”

After a brief pause, Dojun replied.

“I’m not certain, but maybe… Hong Juho, the winner of Season 1?”

“So you’re predicting him to win again?”

Dojun shook his head.

“No, quite the opposite. I don’t think he’ll win this time.”

“Really? Why not?”

Curious, everyone turned their attention to him.

“Because of jealousy and sabotage.”

“Sabotage?”

“Yes. I watched Season 1, and Hong Juho dominated the game. That makes him the biggest threat in Season 2. I think other players will target him early—because that’s just how these games work.”

In competitions like this, the strongest often become the first targets.

PD Jeon looked pleased with Dojun’s sharp insight.

“That’s the end of the interview. Thank you for your time.”

“Thank you.”

Dojun stood and bowed politely to everyone in the room.

Jeon approached him afterward.

“As you’ve likely been told, we’ll be filming intensively due to everyone’s schedules. You’re okay with the 12-day live-in shoot, right?”

“Yes. My school has already approved it.”

In the past, variety shows filmed once a week for months. But with OTT platforms, the trend now was short, intensive shooting schedules.

Episodes 1 through 6 would be released first, with the rest released in three-episode batches over the next two weeks—just three weeks total.

“Filming starts next Monday. It’ll run for 12 days. Don’t forget.”

“Got it.”