God Idol Project: Hope [GIPH]

Chapter 47: Let's Create Some Buzz

All the TEORRA members turned their heads toward Chorok-hyung. The idea that someone was deliberately undermining us was hard to believe.

It implied that someone had been pressuring others to block our schedules.

"Is it true...?"

"There's a possibility."

Park Ha hoped Chorok-hyung would say it wasn't true, but his response was brutally honest.

"I reached out to some contacts—higher-ups, not people directly involved in the field—so take this with a grain of salt."

Chorok-hyung likely reached out to broadcasting executives he knew. With his wide network, he could gather this kind of information.

"When they casually brought up TEORRA to some lower-level staff, the responses were evasive. The way they avoided answering seemed unnatural, like they had something to hide. This pattern showed up in more than one place. It's likely that someone has been deliberately influencing things."

"But who? And for what reason?"

To control broadcasting staff, you'd need a lot of power. You'd also have to convince them that siding with you would be more beneficial than siding with us.

Whoever was behind this would need the ability to subtly apply pressure and stand to gain if we failed. That narrowed down the suspects.

"It's probably either someone holding a grudge against the CEO or someone who sees us as a threat. What do you think?"

Whatever the reason for targeting TEORRA, the result would harm both the company and us personally. Chorok-hyung's theories overlapped in significant ways.

"It could be both."

"You're right, Iwon. It's hard to separate the two. It's unlikely to be a complete stranger."

"Are you kidding? Someone's actively working against us?"

"This feels like something out of a drama, but it's happening for real. This is insane."

Jion and Oran, even though they both usually took life in stride, seemed shaken by the realization.

For Jion, who tended to go with the flow, and Oran, who had learned how harsh life could be, this was beyond anything they'd anticipated.

"Chorok-hyung... Are you sure this isn't just a misunderstanding?"

"There's no concrete proof yet, but based on everything I've heard, it seems pretty certain."

Even as Chorok-hyung spoke, he kept checking his phone. It buzzed with messages, probably from the contacts he'd reached out to. Seohon-hyung muttered, still dazed.

"We're not even that big of a deal yet. Why would they target us...?"

"It could be because we're still small. It's easier to crush something before it fully grows. Maybe they're trying to cut us down while we're still sprouting."

"It has to be someone in the industry with power, someone who has influence and might see an idol group like us as a threat..."

It could also be someone completely unexpected, but that seemed less likely. With the information we had, I could think of a few people who fit the criteria. One of them was the CEO of POT Entertainment.

"My gut says it's another company that sees us as future competition."

Oran arrived at the same conclusion as I did. The other members didn't seem too surprised, either.

"They could have it out for us or the company. Either way, it's hard to pin down just one reason. I can think of at least five companies with more power than us and a boy group under their wing."

"What about Kiss Entertainment?"

The only company that had clashed with us was Kiss Entertainment, which had stolen our music video director. It made sense for Park Ha to bring them up.

"They'd have to think sabotaging us was worth the trouble. I don't see what they'd gain from that."

Oran was right—it was hard to believe Kiss Entertainment would go to such lengths just to mess with us. But who knows what kind of dirty tactics people in the shadows use?

"They're not the most straightforward company, but Kiss Entertainment's CEO doesn't strike me as shady. They're clear about their priorities."

Chorok-hyung had a good understanding of the entertainment industry. He knew what kind of business moves Kiss Entertainment made.

"So, they're just opportunistic?"

Everyone recalled the incident with the music video director. Even back then, it was clear that Kiss Entertainment was after something specific.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"So they just wanted a good director, and that's that."

Now it made sense why Chorok-hyung hadn't been more upset about Kiss Entertainment's actions. It wasn't just because he'd been too busy—he understood that it wasn't personal.

"To manipulate multiple broadcasters, you'd need to be on the level of the Big Three."

The Big Three entertainment companies were like the pillars of the idol industry. Their influence was so immense that it was hard to imagine going up against them.

Even though our company, Hanul Entertainment, wasn't small enough to be toppled by a single breath from the Big Three, they could easily destroy a rookie group like us.

The Big Three had the power to ban someone from appearing on TV for years. It was a well-known secret that people had been blacklisted by these companies before.

"If we rule out Kiss Entertainment, that leaves two suspects: POT Entertainment and QU Entertainment. But they both seem equally likely."

"With the information we have, there's no way to know for sure."

We were hitting a dead end. It wasn't something we could solve on our own, but at least we had a sense of what we were up against.

"We'll have to talk to the manager when he gets back."

Right on cue, our manager returned to the room. He'd been gone for a while, and his expression wasn't good. Whatever he'd learned on his call, it hadn't been pleasant.

"Joonhyun-hyung. I know it's tough to talk about, but we've pieced together some of the situation. Just tell us one thing—who's behind it?"

Chorok-hyung spoke on behalf of the group. The people our manager had spoken to were likely directly involved, so they would have had a clearer idea of what was going on.

"How did you... I wasn't sure if I should tell you yet."

"Don't keep us in the dark. We deserve to know what's happening to us. Knowing is the only way we can help."

"...You're more mature than I was at your age. Are you sure you're ready to hear this?"

We all nodded firmly.

"...It's POT Entertainment. I heard it from an employee over there."

Even though we had narrowed it down to two likely culprits, hearing the name of POT Entertainment made my heart sink. I had a feeling the road ahead was going to be difficult.

"POT..."

"Fortunately, the pressure hasn't been too strong yet, so I managed to secure at least one schedule."

Even when faced with grim news, our manager still focused on securing a schedule. He truly was a pro.

"Wow! Hyung, you're amazing!"

Park Ha showered the manager with praise. The outpouring of compliments, as over-the-top as it was, seemed to lighten the mood slightly.

"We're going to be guests on a variety show. The ratings aren't great, but beggars can't be choosers, so I've confirmed our appearance."

It seemed like he was reluctant to mention the show's name.

"What's the name of the show?"

"Hmm... It's called 'The Last Worker.'"

"Oh? 'The Last Worker'? I've heard of that!"

Park Ha seemed to recognize the name, though I had no clue what kind of show it was. I waited for someone to explain.

"I've seen it. It's a show where they bring in ordinary people to work a day on the job, then they do an interview and give job-hunting advice."

Seohon-hyung was the only one who knew what it was about. It seemed like a pretty obscure show. I wondered how he'd come across it.

"That's a variety show? Sounds more like a documentary. Is it even fun to watch?"

I shared Oran's confusion. The description made it sound like a cross between a variety show and a documentary. It wasn't clear how we were supposed to treat it.

"I heard the ratings are terrible. It'll probably get canceled soon."

"So what if it gets canceled! The important thing is that we can use it to get TEORRA's name out there. Right?"

"Canceled or not, Park Ha..."

"Come on! It's not our problem if it gets canceled. We have to focus on getting exposure, no matter what."

No one could argue with that. We were in no position to worry about others when our own situation was so dire.

"I did hear that there's talk of the show ending soon, though it's not finalized."

It must have been pretty boring if they were already discussing cancellation. Maybe that's why they'd agreed to cast us—they had nothing to lose by bringing on some rookies.

Wait...

"If it's going to end anyway, why don't we try something new? We could turn things around. If we manage to raise the ratings or generate some buzz..."

Popularity for an idol equates to influence and power. If TEORRA becomes famous enough, we could be in a position where no one could ignore us.

Maybe even POT Entertainment's influence wouldn't be enough to stop us.

"I agree with Iwon."

"Me too!"

"It's not a bad idea. If we pull it off, both we and the production team will benefit."

With Jion and Park Ha on board, and even realistic Oran agreeing, it seemed like I was onto something. It was clear that we'd need to do our best regardless, but having a specific strategy would help us focus.

"Raising the ratings won't happen overnight. But if we can create a buzz, that might be enough."

"How do we even create buzz?"

"We need to focus on being entertaining. The easiest way to do that is through humor. The show might be serious, but if we can add unexpected moments of humor, it'll work."

That's the easiest way? I'd been thinking more along the lines of showing our sincerity and creating emotional moments.

"Creating emotional moments is actually pretty hard."

Ah. While people might appreciate us working hard, trying to force a touching moment would come across as inauthentic.

Our sincerity could only take us so far. Plus, it's not like we were great actors. Viewers are more perceptive than you'd think.

"If we can surprise them, that works too. Make them feel curious, make them want to share what they saw. That's when the ripple effect kicks in."

"I remember that! I saw a video of a master craftsman once, and I immediately asked my friend if they'd seen it."

"That's exactly what I mean. If we can combine multiple elements like that, it'll be even stronger."

"Chorok-hyung, are you secretly a broadcast studies PhD? Wow!"

Chorok-hyung wasn't just familiar with the industry—he was analyzing it from the inside out, breaking it down and understanding the underlying dynamics.

"Let's discuss the details when we get back to the dorm..."

Seohon-hyung interrupted for once, cutting off Chorok-hyung.

"Guys, there's something I didn't tell you. Apparently, after filming 'The Last Worker,' all the guests came down with severe exhaustion and got sick..."

In that instant, I could almost see the mountain of suffering ahead of us.

No wonder it was called 'The Last Worker'—this job might just be our last!

<To be continued...>