The Malicious Member is Back! - Chapter 86
Ten minutes into the commercial break, the second episode of **Targeting Star** began. About twenty minutes in, Kim Chunyong returned home with the chicken he had picked up.
“I’m back….”
“Hey, you little punk, did you catch the chicken and cook it yourself? What the…?”
Kim Bomi started to chew out her brother but stopped mid-sentence when she saw his pale face.
“Kim Chunyong. What’s wrong with you?”
“What’s…?”
“You look like someone punched you where it doesn’t show. Mom, look at his face. Right?”
“Hmm? Yeah, Chunyong, you don’t look well. Did something happen outside?”
“No! Seriously, nothing happened. I’m just happy to be back around the neighborhood.”
“That’s a lie if I’ve ever heard one….”
Kim Chunyong forced a smile to reassure his family and then set the takeout chicken on the table.
Before and after getting the chicken, he had checked the online reactions to the first episode.
[⎿How can an idol trainee be named Kim Chunyong? How can an idol trainee be named Kim Chunyong?]
[⎿I’ll give him credit for having the guts to come out with that name….]
[⎿But isn’t his smile okay? It’s not that bad.]
[⎿With those sharp features, not smiling would be a disaster. crazy lol.]
There were insults and compliments, but overall, it wasn’t too bad.
Kim Chunyong nodded while munching on a chicken neck.
Having experienced much worse during his time as an “infamous” member, the comments didn’t hit as hard. In fact, some of them were even helpful.
Negative comments like [I hope that punk crashes into a guardrail soon] or [This thug-looking jerk probably has unexposed bullying cases] were the kind that left a mark.
However, even someone like Kim Chunyong, who had a strong mentality, had a reason for the concern on his face.
“Hey, you know…”
“What is it? Aren’t we playing rock-paper-scissors?”
“Just take this bribe first, then listen to my question.”
Finally, Kim Chunyong handed out chicken drumsticks to his family and asked them ‘that’ question.
“What is it? What’s so important that you’re buttering us up like this? Make it short and sweet.”
“I’m not giving this just to lie, you know.”
“So, I’ve been thinking about this…”
Kim Chunyong’s voice lightly trembled. His worried and somewhat fearful expression was apparent.
His family, sensing the seriousness, waited for him to speak.
What on earth could have him in such a state?
After rubbing his face with his hands several times and sighing twice, Kim Chunyong slowly began to speak.
“My name is really…”
Is it really that old-fashioned?
The parents, who had given him his name, froze, while Kim Bomi and Kim Nari covered their mouths.
“Pu-huh…!”
To stifle their laughter.
“I really like it, you know? But why does everyone think it’s so outdated? It’s not like it’s a name like Choon Sik or Yong Pal, right? Be honest with me…”
The first thing Kim Chunyong saw on the community boards wasn’t criticism about his performance or dancing but rather his name.
[Title: Targeting Star is freaking amazing LOL
Content: I was watching it with my little brother, and one of the trainees’ name is Chunyong? Kim Chunyong? So old-fashioned I won’t ever forget it]
[⎿Oh my god, how can an idol trainee be named Chunyong LOL]
From the teaser to the first episode, the reaction to Kim Chunyong’s name was overwhelming.
He hadn’t even dared to click on the post titled [Is Gao Yan’s name important when there’s ‘Kim Chunyong’?].
‘It’s not about my contract with X, nor about Liu Wei or Logan. I never thought something like this would bother me so much.’
Kim Chunyong shoved a chicken wing into his mouth and let out a deep sigh.
“Seriously, what’s wrong with having the name Chunyong?”
Pfft-
“Oh, come on! Don’t make me laugh while I’m drinking soda!”
“Kim Nari, did you just say my name is funny?!”
“Geez, you have such a victim complex!”
As Kim Chunyong poured out his worries to his family and gauged their reactions, as well as the reactions of the other trainees, monitoring for <Targeting Star> was also underway in an office at Music Days.
* * *
Lee Hyeon Jeong maintained a neutral expression as she scrutinized the enormous screen in front of her.
On it, Jang Si Woo was giving a short interview after finishing his first ranking stage.
– “I hope to continue showing you many great performances….”
Perhaps because the lighting in the individual interview room was a bit dim, Jang Si Woo’s teardrop mole wasn’t very noticeable.
Noticing this quickly, Lee Hyeon Jeong wrote a comment, ‘Adjust the lighting in the individual interview room,’ a wry smile crossing her face.
“…What a despicable person.”
“But it’s the first broadcast. We should draw some attention to our kids.”
“What? But the editing is almost complete….”
“Are we enemies? I’m asking for a favor here. This is nothing. I provided our raw gems, didn’t I?”
A week before the first broadcast, Do Jae Chan’s request had thrown the editing team into chaos.
“Guys, we need to re-edit all the AG pure-bloods’ parts from scratch.”
“Writer, just kill us now!”
Thus, the production team made sure to give the AG trainees an abundance of screen time, to the point of excess.
It was the only way to satisfy President Do Jae Chan.
And to some extent, it was also a protest against AG.
See what effect the overflowing screen time for the AG trainees has had.
[AG C&T @HARDWARE_store
Our 47.5-second man is doing such an amazing job on stage, everyoneㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ #SonJaeHa #Debut]
[ㅇㅇ @DANFOAKDFJ
Wow, honestly, I acknowledge Son Jae ha; I thought he was just a pretty face, but he sings and dances well too.]
[깜고킬러 @BLACK_catneeeero
-
- Starting today, I’m betting my life on Baby Cat Si Woo♡ Getting a camera right away.]
[Title: Ji Hwa Sung is amazing
Author: ㅇㅇ
Views: 3059 (HOT!)
A 19-year-old blonde guy who mixes his own music and even raps? We need to vote for this guy, seriously…
Remember him, guys <Targeting Star> blonde high schooler Ji Hwa Sung]
[⎿Honestly, I prefer Ahn Jin Woo’s face though;;]
[⎿(Author) Oh, use your mom’s phone to vote for Ji Hwa Sung and your phone for Ahn Jin Woo ㅡㅡ]
“Oh, they’re so cute.”
Based on this, it seemed like Do Jae Chan’s plan was working. However, Lee Hyeon Jeong knew that this wasn’t the full extent of the reaction.
Her finger moved to the top left corner of her phone.
She navigated to the members-only board, which she hadn’t bothered with when they only had the preview up.
With her Music Days account, which had more than three posts and 20 comments, she entered the board where screenshots were restricted and began to see hidden posts.
