Translator: Dreamscribe
'Produce That 100!' which officially launched in Japan, was growing in momentum among the younger generation, rivaling the fervor it had in Korea. Thanks to the Korean Wave, the popularity of Korean content like movies, dramas, and music was already sky-high, and that only amplified the momentum of 'Produce That 100!'
Naturally, 'Produce That 100!' was still holding firmly to the number one spot on Netflix Japan.
Currently, it was an impregnable fortress.
The sensation 'Produce That 100!' was causing in Japan was so strong that it even got featured on popular Japanese variety shows. In interviews with Korean idols who had debuted in Japan, the show was constantly brought up. Have you watched 'Produce That 100!'? It's wildly popular in Korea, isn't it? Who's the most beloved contestant in Korea? And so on.
Of course, there were also quite a few people who looked at it with disdain.
Especially in the Japanese entertainment industry, where one famous comedian criticized the show in a magazine, calling it "a program that eats away at the minds of young people." Naturally, the comedian's social media was immediately bombarded with backlash, telling him to mind his own business. In the end, he deleted his account.
At this point, it wouldn't be wrong to say that 'Produce That 100!' had sparked a major craze in Japan too.
At the end of Episode 8 of 'Produce That 100!', the line spoken by contestant No. 1 was.
[@juju_990]
[Does anyone know what that 'Rental Lover' No. 1 mentioned is? I tried searching, but I couldn't find accurate info!]
Unlike in Korea, in Japan the reaction took a very different turn and became a hot topic. In Korea, people were shocked to learn that Kang Rojun was the writer of 'Rental Lover', but in Japan, where the context wasn't clear, a wave of curiosity spread rapidly.
Since it wasn't just any contestant, but the show's star, No. 1, who had made the intriguing comment, it was only natural.
Japanese fans who watched 'Produce That 100!' began sharing 'Rental Lover' across social media and online communities. The word spread quickly, eventually catching the attention of Japanese media outlets as well.
"What Exactly Is This 'Rental Lover' Spreading Rapidly Across SNS?"
'Rental Lover' was heating up fast, and eventually, a Korean living in Japan stepped in and shared the answer on social media. The 'Rental Lover' that No. 1 mentioned was a one-act drama currently being produced in Korea. The writer of that one-act drama was contestant No. 1 from 'Produce That 100!' and the topic had become a major issue in Korea as well.
Soon, reactions from Japanese fans of 'Produce That 100!' came flooding in.
-No. 1 is a writer?? Oh my god… he writes too with a face like that??!!
-I want to watch it!! Isn't there a way to watch it in Japan??
-Netflix! Bring over Rental Lover now!!
-That's amazing. So, No. 1 is both an idol and a writer at the same time?
Even in Japan, the recognition of 'Rental Lover' was skyrocketing.
-I'm going to watch it! Even if I have to go on a trip to Korea, I'll definitely watch it!
The same was true for No. 1. No, for Kang Rojun as well.
At that same moment, in Korea.
Kang Rojun was on his way back to campus after finishing an early-morning shoot for 'Rental Lover'. Inside the van. Rojun was in the back seat filled with props from the shoot.
'Ugh- my eyes hurt.'
He rubbed his face with both hands. The fatigue was setting in. If he closed his eyes now, he could probably fall into a deep sleep. But it was a good kind of tiredness. Lately, the more he did, the more results showed, and the harder he worked, the more changes occurred.
'It's only natural I'm feeling creaky after lying around and suddenly doing a ton.'
Right after that, Rojun thought about exercising as soon as he got back to campus. He didn't have time for his mission today because he had left early. Soon, Kang Rojun pulled out his phone and launched 'AI Simulation'. He used his coins to enhance his stats.
-[Appearance (100/100)│Singing Ability (22.2/100)│Rap (17.7/100)│Dance (21.7/100)│Eloquence (11.1/100)│Acting (12.4/100)│Lyrics Writing (72.3/100)]
Before he knew it, his rap stat was just about to hit 20 points. His eloquence and acting, which he had neglected, had gone up quite a bit. Most notably, lyrics writing had already surpassed 70.
'If I keep going like this, I might hit 100 in lyrics writing in no time.'
Just as Kang Rojun was smiling in satisfaction.
-Vrrr.
-Vrrr.
The phone in his hand vibrated several times with short bursts. It was a notification from the 'AI Simulation' app he had been looking at. The messages appeared right away.
-[The title "Recognition Monster" has met the condition and is enhanced by +1!]
-[The title "Recognition Monster" has been enhanced to +3, and the bonus coins have increased to 3.]
-[You have achieved +3 enhancement on a second title! A reward item "50% Discount Coupon for AI Automation" has been given.]
The enhancement of the title 'Recognition Monster'. It felt completely out of the blue. Or was it? Rojun tilted his head despite being pleased.
'Right, there's all this buzz about Rental Lover and everything, so I guess it makes sense to get an enhancement, but… why now?'
He thought it would have been more natural if it had happened earlier. At this point, Kang Rojun hadn't considered the situation in Japan. Regardless, it was a moment to do a little shoulder dance, wasn't it? He immediately checked his titles.
-[Titles: Side Job Tycoon +3 / Recognition Monster +3 / Global Genius +2]
Sure enough, the 'Recognition Monster' title that had been at +2 was now at +3. An additional bonus coin had been added. This meant that from now on, Rojun would earn 13 coins daily.
On top of that.
-[Inventory]
-[1] 50% Discount Coupon for AI Automation
He had also received a "50% Discount Coupon for AI Automation" as a reward. Although it wasn't a one-time free use coupon like before, it was still a highly valuable item.
'One-time free use coupon for AI Automation? That's gotta be a super rare item.'
Even the 50% discount would save a lot of coins. Kang Rojun smiled slightly and kept the item. By this time, the van had arrived at the Paju campus. After thanking the assistant director, Rojun first stopped by Room 105.
There was no one.
The campus was quiet overall. That was to be expected, since more than 70% of the 100 contestants had been eliminated. PD Woo Han-suk was at the broadcasting station, Teams 2 and 3 were filming interview cuts, and Team 1 was in training.
As he looked around the empty room for a moment, Rojun murmured.
"The voting for Teams 2 and 3 ends tomorrow? The number of participants will decrease again."
He began working out immediately. In about two hours, Kang Rojun earned 13 coins.
-[Coins owned: 646]
After showering, he immediately grabbed his laptop and moved to the lounge. Once settled, Rojun opened a file containing his past writings instead of working on his newly started work. No, his movie synopsis. This was due to PD Jung Soo-ryeong's earlier request.
'Send me all the full-length drama scripts, even the incomplete ones.'
Rojun scratched his chin as he looked at the sizable collection of scripts and screenplays.
'It still feels weird to call these scripts or screenplays.'
It felt like picking up a rock from the ground only for others to praise it as if it were gold.
Anyway, among the outputs, he excluded movie scripts. He also skipped the short pieces. What was needed were long-form dramas. There were ones with eight episodes and others with twelve. Back when he had a hideous face, he had gotten hold of sample scripts circulating online and rewrote them to look decent. Even now, they still felt like trash writing to him.
'Well, I'll just send them anyway.'
Rojun picked out about three relatively recent scripts and sent them to PD Jung Soo-ryeong.
After finishing that task, he immediately resumed work on the movie synopsis he had started. He continued on to character development. The actual screenplay writing would begin after this preparation stage.
'Let's not overthink it. Like the old days, just write whatever I want, even if it's crap.'
How much time had passed like that?
Before he knew it, it was past 8 PM, and the previously quiet lounge began filling with contestants one by one. They had finished their day's schedule. As they noticed Rojun intently typing away at his laptop, they glanced over curiously. But since everything was already out in the open, Kang Rojun didn't bother hiding it.
Just then.
"No. 1."
A staff member called out to Rojun from behind. Slightly surprised, he turned around, and the staff member spoke softly.
"PD-nim wants to see you for a moment."
"Okay."
Had PD Woo Han-suk already returned? Nodding, Kang Rojun packed up his laptop. Not long after, he exited the lounge with the staff. A few contestants who had been watching him.
"Did you see that? Just now?"
Let out open admiration.
"He writes too, with that face? The vibe is seriously insane."
A few dozen minutes later.
The place the staff led Kang Rojun to was a studio on campus. It was the same studio where writer Kim Se-hee had announced the results of the third round while playing 'Produce'. At the door, the staff member bowed and stepped away, and Kang Rojun opened the thick studio door.
Inside stood PD Woo Han-suk with pronounced dark circles under his eyes. And then.
"Oh- you're here??"
A chubby man sitting in front of the equipment. No, Song Min-geun was there too. With a lopsided smile, he waved his hand, and Rojun gave a slight bow in return.
"Hello."
"Yeah, have a seat."
As Kang Rojun sat down, PD Woo Han-suk looked at Song Min-geun and asked,
"So, what is it you wanted to let us hear?"
"Haha, just listen first."
Wearing a smile, Song Min-geun operated the equipment in front of him, and soon, music filled the studio.
-♬♪
A ballad song.
Kang Rojun quickly realized it.
'Oh? This song, it's that demo track.'
The melody was familiar. It was the demo song for which he had written the lyrics. But this time, it was different. There were now full lyrics, and a singer's voice had been added. Moreover.
'These are the lyrics I wrote??'
The lyrics the singer was singing were the ones Rojun had written. As he looked a bit surprised, Song Min-geun's smile deepened. On the other hand, PD Woo Han-suk, who didn't yet know the background, listened to the song intently. About three minutes later, the song ended.
"What do you think?"
PD Woo Han-suk slowly nodded and gave a thumbs-up.
"It's catchy and brilliant."
"Right? It's killer, isn't it?"
"But why are you playing this for us- ah, could it be…"
As if confirming the guess, Song Min-geun turned to look at Kang Rojun.
"The lyrics you just heard, they were written by No. 1 here."
PD Woo Han-suk's eyes widened in an instant.
"Y-you already finished those lyrics and submitted them??"
Kang Rojun cleared his throat, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"Ahem. Yes."
Song Min-geun interjected.
"After receiving the lyrics, I got inspired and immediately recorded a guide, and listening to it, I really like it."
His eyes sparkled brightly. His look was full of genuine enthusiasm. Even PD Woo Han-suk was inwardly amazed.
'I've never seen Song Min-geun, with all his hit songs, express this much open joy. That means he really liked Rojun-ssi's lyrics??'
Whether composing or producing, Song Min-geun was known for being a heavyweight. When he got into work mode, he was known to become cold and sharp. So much so that even veteran singers with 30 years of experience would have to redo recordings multiple times. And yet here he was, smiling warmly at the amateur No. 1.
PD Woo Han-suk couldn't quite wrap his head around it.
Meanwhile, the smile never left chubby Song Min-geun's face.
"No. 1, to be honest, for the lyrics of that demo track? I received a lot from professionals. I even had a few that were already chosen and was just about to start production. But I scrapped them."
PD Woo Han-suk asked again.
"You scrapped them?"
"Yeah. The lyrics No. 1 sent were the best."
"Th-then."
Turning back to Kang Rojun, Song Min-geun delivered his conclusion.
"The lyricist for this song is officially No. 1."
PD Woo Han-suk let out something close to a laugh and looked at Rojun.
'This guy is debuting as a writer and lyricist while on his way to becoming an idol. What in the world.'
The situation was both absurd and fascinating.
'And the ones drawn to him are PD Jung Soo-ryeong and Song Min-geun. They're top names in the industry, even considered giants.'
Soon, Song Min-geun extended his hand for a handshake.
"What do you say? Deal?"
Rojun gave a small smile.
"I look forward to working with you."
The next day, Tuesday morning.
The location was the CEO's office of a major domestic entertainment company. In the spacious office, a group of executives and the CEO who appeared to be in his 50s sat on a five-seater sofa, while the CEO at the head of the table was looking down at a tablet.
An email was displayed on the screen. The subject read:
-['Produce That 100!' invites agencies!]
The email had been distributed to the marketing team, and and judging by the inclusion of 'Produce That 100!', the sender appeared to be PD Woo Han-suk. As he read through the email, the CEO rubbed his chin.
"Agency invitations, looks like Woo Han-suk is finally starting to move."
The executive sitting next to him replied.
"The timeframe is pretty long too. It seems like PD Woo Han-suk has summoned all the major domestic agencies, including us."
"Of course. Not just the big five in Korea, probably all the medium-to-large agencies too. This is a big wave, and it can't be handled in just a day or two."
The CEO set down the tablet and chuckled.
"He's finally laying the groundwork to let his kids go out on their own."
*****
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