Face Genius Idol Takes Over the Entertainment Industry – 30

Run Towards Your Dreams (2)

“Even so, we’re not so short-staffed that we need to make the contestants do this kind of work. Let’s send him back to the waiting room.”

“Yes, understood!”

President Jo Junseong, visibly anxious, went over to Shin. Shin, noticing the main PD’s gaze from a distance, bowed his head and followed President Jo. It was a skill he had honed during his days as a supporting actor.

In the hallway, once they were alone, President Jo let out a deep sigh.

“Shin, no matter how much we’re in a weaker position, you don’t have to go this far.”

Shin felt deeply touched seeing President Jo’s upset expression. The directors he had met during his supporting actor days had always told him to do whatever it took to make a good impression on people, saying that was the only way he could survive in the industry.

So Shin had actively engaged with the staff, trying to get on their good side. But seeing President Jo protect him like this made him see his boss’s character in a new light.

“Yes. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

“Good. Even if there comes a time when we need to do menial work, let me handle it. You don’t need to step in.”

President Jo’s pat on his back felt reassuring. Shin now understood why Jinwoo hadn’t left President Jo even after becoming famous.

When they entered the waiting room, there was another male idol who had arrived in the meantime.

“Hello, I’m Shin from the group Space.”

“Oh! I saw you on TalkLike!”

“Hello!”

Most of the idols were from small agencies, so they greeted each other warmly. The main topic was Shin’s appearance on TalkLike.

Since Shin had listened to the songs of the idols he was appearing with before coming, he complimented their music, creating a warm atmosphere as the conversation flowed from one song to another.

However, one person ruined that atmosphere.

“Ugh, so noisy.”

‘Why is he here?’

It was Kang Jae, the notorious troublemaker from Black. Shin had never had an overlapping schedule with Black, so he was genuinely surprised.

‘Is it because our team got more recognition faster than expected?’

Even though Black was heavily promoted by DK Entertainment, they were still a rookie idol group with a long way to go. They were trying to get as much exposure as possible while their ratings were still decent.

Shin found it amusing to see Kang Jae glaring at him. Just as Seunghyun had said, Kang Jae seemed upset that Shin had stolen all the buzz.

‘It would have been disastrous if they had gotten the buzz instead.’

He wanted to tell Kang Jae this but couldn’t, so he decided to wait for the day when Kang Jae’s careless words would backfire.

“I saw your performance on this week’s music show.”

Among idols, there were many like Dongju who were naturally sociable. Since idols thrived on public love, it was only natural.

‘Minho is a rare exception.’

Even now, after they had grown closer, Shin didn’t quite understand why Minho had become an idol. But seeing him gradually change during recent performances made Shin proud. Minho certainly had the determination.

“Did everyone stretch properly?”

Worried about injuries, Shin initiated the topic, and a bright voice responded eagerly. Seeing the youthful face, Shin felt like he was looking at another Jinwoo. They all seemed adorable to him.

“Of course. Getting injured would be a big problem.”

“I heard you’re called ‘event idols.’ Where have you been?”

“Well…”

“I asked for a different room, but they insisted on putting us all together.”

Kang Jae’s irritated voice brought an awkward silence. Shin silently cursed the Black members.

‘Turning everyone into enemies with a single remark is quite a skill.’

If asked whether Kang Jae treated his fans well, the answer would be no. Yet, he was popular simply because he was a member of Black.

‘The tail of a dragon.’

Would you rather be the unpopular member of a popular group or the popular member of an unpopular group?

Kang Jae was a typical example of the former.

‘I wouldn’t like him either if he spoke to me like that.’

Even future Seunghyun, with his unpleasant personality, was nothing compared to Black. At least Seunghyun didn’t mistreat his fans.

Seunghyun, even in the future, understood the value of fans. However, Kang Jae seemed clueless about this both now and in the future. Shin inwardly mocked Kang Jae’s arrogance but outwardly maintained a friendly demeanor.

“Kang Jae, we meet again. It’s nice to see you.”

As Shin approached him, Kang Jae scowled. His manager tried to intervene, but Kang Jae, already showing signs of a diva attitude, openly looked down on Shin and spoke to his manager.

“Hyung, didn’t you say this was an idol special? Why is there a trot singer mixed in?”

His manager looked troubled, but Kang Jae seemed pleased with himself. No wonder he was called the “mouth of doom.”

In the past, Shin would have either confronted him or complained behind his back. Now, Shin just smiled brightly.

“Thank you for complimenting my singing skills. I’ll work even harder.”

Shin bowed his head as if genuinely grateful, which made Kang Jae’s face turn red. Accepting it as a compliment had the opposite effect on Kang Jae.

Just as Kang Jae opened his mouth to retort, a staff member called for them to come out.

“Yes! Coming!”

Shin cheerfully headed out first, making the other idols stifle their laughter. Kang Jae, who had prided himself as the representative of a rising group, felt his pride take a hit in this situation.

‘He looks like he’s thinking, “Just you wait.”’

Shin found Kang Jae amusing. Jinwoo might have been swayed, but it wouldn’t work on him.

‘Has he even warmed up properly?’

He hadn’t seen Kangjae stretching. Shin’s mouth fell open as he saw the set that had been constructed. The set looked enormous in person, much larger than it did on TV, resembling a giant playground.

It felt like a large children’s play area, but instead of balls, it was filled with water that looked so cold that falling in would be out of the question.

Falling into that water in this weather would certainly lead to a cold.

“Just in case, let’s stretch one more time.”

When Shin showed them how to stretch, they all followed like puppies mimicking their mother. The main PD seemed to find this cute, as evidenced by the camera lights.

Unlike the others, Kang Jae was only focused on the set. It was admirable that he wanted to win, but it also made Shin worried.

‘Even if he gets hurt, it’s not my fault.’

Shin’s goal was to win safely. The first round involved passing through the set one by one, measuring their times, and then selecting the top three for the final round, where they would compete simultaneously.

‘Just hearing it sounds risky.’

The desire to win could blind one to other things. Even going alone would be risky, but competing with others would make it even more dangerous.

‘Considering that past contestants got injured, they probably kept the format because it made for better TV.’

It was a moment that made Shin wonder if they saw entertainers as people. But he didn’t need to hear the answer; he already knew it.

*       *       *

President Jo Junseong watched in awe as Shin moved swiftly across the set. There was nothing he could do to help in front of the camera, so he could only hope that Shin performed well.

‘Incredible.’

He couldn’t help but think, ‘He’s amazing,’ as he watched Shin’s agility. He had noticed Shin’s flexibility improving during recent dance practices, but seeing him in action confirmed it.

‘Hard work really does pay off.’

When he heard that Shin was running outside for hours every day, he worried about overexertion. But it seemed Shin had been preparing for this moment all along.

As Shin narrowly navigated the obstacles, President Jo clasped his hands in encouragement. Interestingly, he wasn’t the only one doing this.

‘Look at him.’

Somehow, Shin had managed to win over the other contestants, who were cheering him on. The staff operating the cameras also noticed this unusual sight.

‘He’s a unique character!’

Shin’s competitive spirit, combined with his fair play, made others want to cheer for him. There was no villain, yet he still garnered support.

Beeeep-

The sound of the whistle signaled the end of the round, and the timer stopped. The referee checked the time and announced it.

“1 minute 20 seconds!”

It wasn’t a record-breaking time, but it was the best among those who had attempted it.

Shin’s cheerful laughter brought smiles to everyone as they approached him to congratulate him. The only ones not smiling were those who hadn’t yet had their turn.

Contestants from small agencies like Space, who rarely got TV time, were nervous, hoping to get more screen time.

“Everyone, stay safe and good luck!”

Despite having just finished his run, Shin warmly encouraged the other contestants. President Jo found Shin’s behavior fascinating.

‘Has he been influenced by Jinwoo?’

There’s a proverb, “He who keeps company with the virtuous will become virtuous,” but in this case, it was more about “noble friendship.”

‘A pure and noble friendship.’

It was a proverb that perfectly described Jinwoo and Shin’s relationship.

“Hoo-”

While some contestants smiled at Shin’s encouragement, others looked more troubled.

Kang Jae, for instance.

‘I need to repay this humiliation.’

Kang Jae had joined this program because he was the only one in Black with athletic ability. He had been mocked by his members for his appearance on TalkLike, and he wanted to restore his pride.

‘I need to beat that guy and win to laugh in his face.’

Beeeep- Kang Jae achieved a time good enough to make it to the finals.

With Kang Jae’s turn complete, the three finalists were decided.

Kangjae barely contained his smile. He finally had a chance to get back at Shin.

‘Even if I get hurt, it won’t be my fault.’

Kang Jae didn’t intend to injure anyone to win, but he kept the possibility in mind. Shin’s athletic ability wasn’t to be underestimated, even in Kang Jae’s eyes.

He decided to push Shin with all his strength during any physical confrontation. With mattresses below, a fall wouldn’t result in a severe injury.

Meanwhile, Shin noticed a tricky section during his run. It was a climbing segment with obstacles. While there were mattresses below, a gap could cause someone to fall directly to the floor if they were unlucky.

‘If there’s a scuffle here, it could be dangerous.’

Realizing the risk, Shin decided to alert a staff member.

“Shin! You’re doing great!”

If President Jo hadn’t enthusiastically cheered him on and patted his shoulder, Shin would have gone to the staff immediately. Feeling uneasy, Shin spoke up.

“President, could you tell the staff over there to fill that gap with mattresses? It looks dangerous.”

“Got it!”

Trusting President Jo, Shin resumed warming up. Fortunately, he hadn’t sustained any minor injuries. If he handled the final round well, everything should end safely.

After confirming that President Jo was talking to the staff, Shin drank some water to stay hydrated.