translation by mourningmoor
<Survival, Music Genius>
It’s the day of the first filming.
It’s been four days since we returned from the jungle, and it’s also the day the hospitalized members were discharged.
Having thrown my hat into the ring as a hidden participant in a program where the cast had already been finalized, I headed to the TVH M&E Center without much preparation.
But I wasn’t worried.
After all, the most important thing in a survival program is ultimately “skill.”
After completing the check-in at the entrance and stepping inside, cameras immediately followed me, as if they had been waiting. Their intention was to capture footage of a familiar face.
Well, then I should respond properly.
From now on, I’ll fully embody the demeanor of a second-year genius idol—calm yet polite, reserved yet approachable.
“Kang Ichan, this way.”
With participant number 65 pinned to my chest, I entered the room guided by the staff.
Inside, the 64 participants were warming up in their own ways, waiting for their turn.
As I stepped in, all eyes naturally turned to me.
They looked surprised, as if they hadn’t expected me to be here.
“Isn’t he an idol? That… what’s it called, LIT?”
“Yeah. The rookie idol who’s been rising lately.”
“Rookie? He’s in his second year.”
“Wow, I guess even idols these days have quite a few singer-songwriters, huh?”
From people who only vaguely recognized my face to those who knew me well, it seemed my recognition was confirmed.
Amidst the curious gazes, a mix of intense emotions filled the room.
Of course, there were also a few who harbored negative feelings.
“Another idol?”
“What’s the big deal? There was an idol last season too.”
“But there was only one back then, and they got eliminated early.”
“He’ll probably get eliminated early this time too. In the end, it’s skill that keeps you in the game.”
Yeah, that’s the right answer.
In the end, it’s skill that takes you to the finish line.
Smirking, I greeted everyone I made eye contact with in an idol-like manner.
“Hello. I’m Kang Ichan. Nice to meet you.”
No one openly showed dislike as I bowed deeply. In fact, some even seemed to warm up to me.
Except for one person.
T.I.ONE’s Taei, sitting in the center of the waiting room, immediately made a sour face and clenched his jaw when he saw me.
On the other hand, Seokwoo from Sniper, another member of the “Loot” group, greeted me with a bright smile.
“Ichan.”
Seokwoo approached and gave me a light hug, smiling warmly.
“If I knew you were coming, I would’ve told you earlier. We could’ve prepared together.”
“Sorry, hyung.”
Just yesterday, hundreds of messages had been exchanged in the “Loot” group chat. But I only read them without joining the conversation.
I wasn’t keen on getting close to them.
Getting close means exchanging emotions, and that would mean having more things to worry about. Just look at what happened with Kim Jeongsoo. You end up getting involved in things you don’t need to.
That’s why I’ve been keeping a certain distance from the “Loot” members.
The same went for Seokwoo.
Even though he casually mentioned <Survival, Music Genius> in passing, I didn’t act like I knew about it. I didn’t want to start any unnecessary trouble before the show even began.
“I only decided to join a few days ago. When you mentioned it in the group chat, it wasn’t finalized yet.”
It wasn’t a lie. PD Jeong Haeseong only called me yesterday to confirm my participation.
“I also had to think about it since I just got back from the jungle and it overlapped with my vacation schedule.”
“Right. You went to Kiribashi, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I heard Senior Lee Hanwoo and the others got food poisoning?”
I slightly furrowed my brow. The news about the cast’s food poisoning hadn’t even been reported yet, and SBC wanted to keep it under wraps. So how did he know? This industry really has no secrets.
“How did you know?”
“I’m in the same company as Seokhwa hyung.”
Ah, I forgot. Kim Seokhwa is under Melody Entertainment, just like Sniper. Now that I think about it, Kim Seokhwa must have mentioned Seokwoo.
[You’re close with Seokwoo, right?]
[Uh, not really?]
[Don’t you guys attend the same events? I heard there’s a separate group for idol leaders?]
[Ah, you mean the “Loot”? Yeah, we’re in the same group.]
[See? You are close.]
How does that make us close?
We just know each other, that’s all.
Anyway, in this world, even the meaning of friendship is ambiguous.
But right now, it doesn’t hurt to appear close to Seokwoo. The cameras are rolling, after all.
“Is Seokhwa hyung okay? He seemed really unwell on the plane.”
“Don’t even mention it. He’s still hospitalized. At the earliest, he’ll be discharged tomorrow.”
Kim Seokhwa had the worst symptoms. Next was Lee Hanwoo.
“I heard your team members were hospitalized too?”
“Yeah, so our vacation got canceled.”
“Ugh. That’s rough.”
Seokwoo patted my shoulder in consolation.
Knowing well what a vacation means to an idol, Seokwoo wore a sympathetic expression.
“Anyway, glad you’re here, man.”
But since losing a vacation is also a common occurrence in this world, he quickly changed the topic with a smile.
“I was worried it’d be boring since I didn’t know anyone, but this works out.”
Most of the participants were either from indie bands or underground singer-songwriters, so there weren’t many connections. Plus, for them, the appearance of an idol singer wasn’t exactly welcome.
But my case is a bit different.
I have Mana’s guidance.
As expected, the atmosphere in the waiting room began to shift subtly.
It’s a cliché to say this, but anyone who faces me directly can’t help but feel a sense of awe. If they harbor even a bit of malice, they’ll feel fear.
This way or that, it’s not bad. It means I’ll reign above them.
Looking around comfortably, I spotted another familiar face.
When I made eye contact, he smiled shyly and bowed deeply.
It’s Go Dajin.
I warned him so much before coming here, and yet he greets me like this…
I had no choice but to smile back and bow deeply to Go Dajin.
Flustered, Go Dajin bowed again.
Seokwoo, who found this amusing, furrowed his brow and asked.
“You know him?”
“He’s a trainee from our company.”
“Wow, you even bow this politely to a trainee?”
Normally, I wouldn’t do this. Among the existing trainees, the oldest is the same age as Roa. I usually just greet them, pat their shoulders, occasionally buy them meals, and often treat them to ice cream.
Go Dajin is truly a unique case.
“He’s older. Much older than me.”
“He does look like it.”
Seokwoo nodded.
“Still. You’re pretty cool. It’s not easy to be this polite to a trainee, no matter how old they are.”
This is why I talked to Go Dajin before coming here.
PD Pyo had already decided to send Go Dajin to <Survival, Music Genius> and had completed the application process long ago. The strategy was to push Go Dajin, with his unique appearance and musicality, into the indie scene.
From the company’s perspective, it wasn’t a bad idea. It was also a pretty good idea for Go Dajin personally.
However, there were potential risks if Go Dajin were to appear on mass media, so from my perspective, it wasn’t exactly welcome news.
I thought about stopping Go Dajin from participating, but in the end, I decided against it.
A grand mage shouldn’t block someone else’s path just for their own convenience.
So, I chose to participate alongside Go Dajin.
Now, I need to paint the picture well.
First, I had to consistently modify my behavior patterns.
Go Dajin’s behavior pattern was already set. He’s so obedient that he acts like my servant. This is where the first problem arises.
How would it look if Go Dajin, who’s much older, bows deeply to someone as young as me?
Wouldn’t it seem like I, a young brat, am arrogantly disregarding an older trainee?
[Go Dajin, let’s avoid each other as much as possible at the broadcasting station, okay? Let’s just stick to distant greetings.]
[Why, why? I’m your servant…?]
[You’re the only one who knows that. And in front of people from this world, we have to follow this world’s rules.]
I explained the situation in detail to Go Dajin until my mouth hurt. Even though I’m 318—no, 319 years old, in this world, I’m 20, so I have to act accordingly.
So, please, let’s just stick to distant eye contact.
He seemed to understand.
[If I mess up, you’ll get criticized, right?]
[Exactly.]
[I’ll never let that happen. Master. No, Ichan-nim.]
After making that promise, this guy kept staring at me with sparkling eyes. This is going to be exhausting.
So, I had no choice but to return Go Dajin’s attention with even more care. Kang Ichan, who’s kind to trainees. Kang Ichan, who’s polite to trainees. Kang Ichan, who takes good care of trainees from the same company.
If this act drags on, it’ll be tiring, so for now, I’ll distance myself from him.
And there’s another person who’s even more exhausting than Go Dajin.
“Looks like it’s starting soon. Come over here, Ichan.”
Seokwoo, who had brought me next to Taei, offered me a seat.
Kwon Taei. T.I.ONE’s main vocalist and one of the idol industry’s representative singer-songwriters.
T.I.ONE’s fan club, “One Tier,” already calls him a “music genius.” Apparently, he joined <Survival, Music Genius> because his fans wanted him to. But among fellow singers, his reputation is mixed.
“Hello, sunbaenim. I’m Kang Ichan from L.I.T.”
I bowed politely, and Taei stood up with a bright smile.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Kwon Taei.”
At first glance, you’d be fooled. His true feelings are different, but he’s a pro. The cameras are rolling, after all.
“Please, speak comfortably. I’m two years younger than you, sunbaenim.”
“Then, should I?”
We exchanged friendly smiles and even shook hands, and Seokwoo also smiled brightly.
“Oh, this is great. There are only three of us from idol backgrounds, so let’s stick together and do our best.”
Seokwoo’s inner thoughts were also a mess.
《Ichan. Don’t fall for this guy’s act. He’ll change once the cameras are off.》
《Kwon Taei. This bastard. He’s arrogant because of his fandom.》
For now, T.I.ONE has the upper hand in the fandom wars.
Even though Sniper is a year senior, they can’t compete with T.I.ONE. Naturally, LIT’s fandom is still small compared to T.I.ONE’s.
So, from now on, I’ll crush him with pure skill.
With a smiling face, politely and gracefully, I’ll take everything he hopes to gain from this program.