Face Genius Idol Takes Over the Entertainment Industry – 26

CHAPTER 26. The Poisoned Chalice (1)

Despite being an educational program, it aired late at night before bedtime, so Shin received a warm welcome from his mother as soon as he got home.

As soon as Shin appeared on TV, the phone at home rang off the hook, to the point where it seemed like the house phone had caught fire.

The calls were from the adults in the neighborhood.

The reaction was even greater than when Shin appeared on KBC’s Music Tank.

In fact, the music shows that adults preferred were the late-night ones. Programs like “Open Music Concert” targeted adults, unlike the shows Space members wanted to appear on.

Therefore, Shin’s appearance on an educational program resonated more with adults than KBC’s Music Tank. Moreover, the educational program Shin appeared on was scheduled in the same time slot as “Open Music Concert,” only on different days.

Yesterday, his mother had let him sleep since she thought he’d be tired, but today, she clung to him from the morning, sharing all the comments she heard about him.

“They say I raised a good son. They think you’re smart and handsome.”

“Well, I am handsome.”

Young, who was getting ready for work, made a gagging sound beside him, but their mother ignored it, caressing Shin’s cheek with care. It finally felt real that Shin had become a celebrity.

“Why has your skin become so rough?”

“What are you talking about? His skin is better than mine.”

Young kept interrupting, but their mother’s eyes were only on Shin. Since Shin enjoyed this attention from his mother, he said what she wanted to hear, promising to take better care of himself.

“Now that you’re a celebrity, you’ve become more pretentious.”

“Well, I’m off now.”

“By the way, Shin, is it okay for a celebrity to dress like that?”

Even when Shin tried to leave, his mother tried to give him one more thing, so he couldn’t get away from the front door. Young looked at him with envy, but there was nothing he could do.

“I’m really leaving now.”

“Okay.”

Shin was startled by a pat on his bottom and ran out the door. Since there was still time before the elevator arrived, Young, dressed in a suit, glanced at him.

“You look different.”

Even though Shin had only appeared on TV twice, he seemed different from before, making Young feel like his brother had become a stranger. He wondered if it was because of Shin’s workout, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

Unaware of Yong’s thoughts, Shin spoke casually.

“How’s your stock investment going?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

Shin had previously given Young a list of companies worth investing in. Although Young still looked doubtful, he had agreed to manage the investment with the money Shin gave him instead of an allowance.

“Who gave you the tips? Was it your boss?”

There were no significant results yet, and Young wondered if it would have been better to invest the money elsewhere.

“No, it’s not important. But it will definitely go up, so don’t sell and just hold on.”

Since it was rush hour, the elevator was packed. Young got in without further comment. The elevator was always crowded during the commute, but it was also quiet.

When Shin tried to get off on the first floor, Yong quickly held him back.

“I’ll give you a ride. Get in the car.”

“No, thanks. If I run, it only takes ten minutes.”

Shin preferred to walk or run for distances up to an hour to build his stamina. Although Yong didn’t understand Shin’s choice, there was no stopping him if he insisted.

“Okay, take care.”

“You too, bro.”

With a bright expression, Shin got off the elevator, making Young smile despite himself. Outwardly, Young made a gagging noise but secretly found it amusing.

Meanwhile, a schoolgirl in a uniform seemed entranced, but Young didn’t notice.

When Shin arrived in front of Hanul Entertainment’s building, he smelled cigarette smoke nearby. Looking around to see who was smoking, he spotted President Jo Junsung standing dazed in an alley with a cigarette in his mouth.

“President?”

“Huh?”

Startled, President Jo dropped his cigarette. Even though Shin acted mature, he was still a minor in President Jo’s eyes, so he quickly extinguished the cigarette.

“I’ll air out the smell, so go on in first.”

“Okay.”

Just then, President Jo’s phone rang. Shin was about to head to the practice room but stopped and leaned against the stairwell wall. He had a feeling that the call might be related to the ‘Future Entertainment News’ he had received.

“Hello! This is Jo Junsung, CEO of Hanul Entertainment!”

Hearing the lively voice of President Jo, Shin tried to remain as quiet as possible.

“A variety show? Of course! Yes! Yes! We can do it!”

Shin’s guess was right. At that moment, he heard footsteps coming up the stairs and saw Jinwoo looking up at him with wide eyes.

‘Shh.’

When Shin placed a finger on his lips, Jinwoo mimicked the gesture, and they both ended up overhearing the phone conversation.

“Either one will do? Yes. Understood.”

===

As soon as the phone call ended, Shin quickly dragged Jinwoo to the practice room. Jinwoo, still bewildered, had no idea what was happening.

“The president will explain everything soon.”

While Seunghyun would have persistently questioned him, Jinwoo simply nodded and began preparing for practice. Shin also got ready, but his mind was racing.

‘Jinwoo isn’t someone who usually makes such mistakes…’

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand.

There was only one answer. The PD must have edited it that way. They likely made Jinwoo the scapegoat because provocative content is what attracts viewers.

‘It’s entirely possible for an idol from a small agency.’

In the future, one of the survival programs that would become infamous for its malicious editing was not even the first instance of such tactics. They had probably been using it subtly before it became more blatant.

‘They must have been using it subtly and then blatantly from that point onwards.’

There are no more vulnerable people than those whose dreams are held hostage. There was nothing to lose by editing maliciously.

‘And since Jinwoo has no idea about that world, he could have been easily manipulated.’

The possibilities were many, but the conclusion was singular.

‘Jinwoo’s trot insult controversy.’

A mere controversy wouldn’t be an issue, but the problem was what Jinwoo would face because of it. A slip of the tongue might seem insignificant, but it can linger for years, constantly souring one’s mood.

“Hyung? Are you worried about something?”

“Huh? No, I’m fine.”

While everyone else practiced diligently, Jinwoo noticed Shin spacing out and approached him out of concern.

‘I understand why the president feels this way.’

It was peculiar to finally understand why President Jo Junseong wanted to protect Jinwoo so much. Seeing Jinwoo’s innocent, worried expression with his gentle eyes, one thought kept circling in Shin’s mind.

Just then, President Jo entered the practice room.

“Everyone! Gather around! I have good news!”

As soon as President Jo arrived, everyone quickly assembled. Seeing the corners of his mouth lift as if they would reach his ears, everyone anticipated something big, like their participation in the autumn music festival.

“A variety show offer has come in!”

“Awesome!”

Even without knowing who was selected, the room was already buzzing with excitement. Only Shin, feeling uneasy, waited for President Jo’s words.

“The broadcasting station said they only need one of you, so I wanted to ask your opinions.”

It became clear whom he had in mind by the way he looked at Shin and Jinwoo. The positive smiles made it obvious. Everyone understood it could only be either of them. The issue was which one to send.

‘If I were still clueless, I’d have wanted to send Jinwoo.’

As the excitement settled, all eyes turned to Shin and Jinwoo. Even though President Jo asked everyone’s opinion, it felt as if the decision was up to Shin.

Jinwoo, with a trusting smile that showed he would follow Shin’s decision, made Shin resolve his internal debate.

“I’ll go.”

Shin’s voice carried more determination than greed. No one misunderstood him. Shin, who cared the most for Jinwoo, felt a sense of responsibility more than ambition as a leader.

“Yes, let’s do that.”

Jinwoo’s straightforward response brought a relieved smile to President Jo’s face. He had worried that the decision might hurt one of them, but it seemed no one was hurt.

“Our Jinwoo! What a great guy!”

“Indeed.”

Everyone knew Jinwoo had a great personality, but this situation revealed it to all. Despite his size, Jinwoo always gave off a vibe of the youngest member who needed protection.

Dongju, finding it admirable, clung to Jinwoo, who responded with a warm smile. Everyone felt that more opportunities would come and that Shin would pass on good chances at the right time. However, what weighed on Jinwoo’s mind was Shin’s earlier concern.

“Hyung. I think our team becoming famous is more important, so don’t feel bad.”

“Thanks for saying that.”

Shin smiled as if a burden had been lifted. Although his worry wasn’t about this issue, letting them misunderstand wasn’t so bad.

‘Why does it feel like I’m drinking a poisoned chalice?’

But with Jinwoo, Shin felt he could steer things in the right direction. If things went well, he might even turn this situation into an opportunity.

“President.”

“Huh?”

Shin had something to ask before President Jo left. He needed to know why they chose that particular direction for editing.

“Could I get a list of the other guests on the show?”

“Of course. I’ll let you know as soon as I find out.”

Shin had no intention of letting Space’s first impression be negative. From that day, he began researching ways to counteract malicious editing.

In han yawned widely, sitting in the break room. He had spent another night editing. He knew this job had no concept of day or night, but it was harder on his body now that he was over thirty.

“Inhan sunbae!”

Inhan smiled at Jang Mingyu, who sat across from him. Mingyu was a junior who had been on a winning streak by riding the right connections. Inhan found it odd to see him unusually excited.

“Sunbae, remember the rookie idol you mentioned?”

“Space?”

“Yes. We’ve cast one of them for the show.”

Inhan was surprised Mingyu remembered and used what he had said in passing. Mingyu had excellent memory and quick wit, not just riding connections but also effectively using them.

‘He’ll probably become a main PD faster than me.’

While it was sad to be surpassed by a younger colleague, Inhan prioritized talent and acknowledged Mingyu’s abilities.

“Who’s appearing?”

“A guy named Shin.”

“Oh, I’ve been curious about him. This is good.”

“I liked Maru, but since you recommended Shin, I trusted your judgment.”

Mingyu knew how to flatter even though he didn’t genuinely respect Inhan. Still, Inhan decided to take some credit.

“You won’t regret it. Trust my intuition.”

“Of course.”

Opportunities come to those who are prepared. In the entertainment industry, luck is also a skill. This applied to entertainers and to Inhan himself.

‘I have a good feeling about this.’

If there was a concern, it was that the main PD of Mingyu’s program, Lee Jinsang, was notorious for malicious editing.

With higher-ups in the broadcasting station tolerating such editing for its sensationalism, Inhan felt a mix of concern and anxiety.

‘This show competes with a new SBC program in the same time slot.’

That bothered him. But since Mingyu seemed unfazed and it was someone else’s business, Inhan decided not to worry.

Although he hoped nothing would go wrong, he accepted that such events were a matter of fate.