Debut or Die-Chapter 425
“Kim Raebin’s fan was checking TeSTAR’s movements as usual.
She usually dismissed the notion that a mere tour fancam was ‘fodder,’ but this time she had some real expectations.
‘If it airs on broadcast, I’ll count it as fodder.’
The problem was, when she actually tuned in, it wasn’t just ‘TeSTAR’s concert’ in the content lineup!
[Spacer – To the World]
‘They really bundled it in hard this time.’
She swore under her breath, watching terrestrial TV for the first time in ages.
[Make some noise!]
The opening and the first few stages were genuinely the concert live, but after that, in the slots for VCRs and concert-event performances, other groups popped in—and that infuriated her. Especially if they were gabbing like this about us!
– FuiSTAR... sticking on tight
– Probably gonna become variety idols like THOLIC lol young handsome universe brats doing comedy bits while idols perform
– Call it mass appeal, read it as image burnout, subject omitted
‘You freakin’ idiots!’
The haters, driven to desperation by all the insults, spewed their aggressive takes like a cornered rat biting a cat, but either way, upshot: they were screaming.
Of course, she bit her tongue and refuted as coolly as she could.
– Oh, claiming the washed-up idols are “rising hard” while insisting that first-tier brats are old news, what a rare sight
Since they were a survival-show group from the start, except for the hardcore survival-show addicts, nobody felt obligated to “support the juniors because they’re from the same agency.”
TeSTAR had even formed its own label by now—if they treated each other like strangers, it’d be fine. But the agency had been aggressively steering transfers this month.
And here was the inevitable result.
– Oh
– Not bad
– The stage’s fun, so why the fuss lol
“Fuck...!”
General audiences’ interest and favorable reactions to Spacer’s guest stage!
Even fans couldn’t openly criticize. It was an 11 PM prime-time broadcast, and non-fans were tuning in by the droves.
‘The agency must’ve hired some shill commenters too.’
If she didn’t think that, she’d rage.
...And that wasn’t the only issue.
– Shouldn’t we boycott T1 idols too?
– Isn’t it embarrassing to publicize then consume like this? lol
Trolled at a rate of one bait comment per page.
Despite furiously posting “victim-blame” replies, Kim Raebin’s fan muttered:
‘Do well.’
They always did at crucial moments, but this time they really had to.
Especially in a situation like this.
[—]
The screen changed, and at last the rightful owner of this performance title appeared.
Not the heated concert hall but a silent stage under new lights.
Click.
A stark, pale white spotlight.
Moonlight-hued, softly shimmering like half-dream beneath the stage.
And a dancer appeared.
A ballerino.
Slashing through hushed silence, a lithe performer in a classical black poets’ shirt and white mask began a solo ballet.
To a melody long unheard but familiar to fans.
(Quiet now
Forget song, forget dream)
The elegant cello intro of TeSTAR’s first-album title track “Midnight, and Beyond” filled the speakers via piano and strings.
(This is midnight.
Your midnight.)
No lyrics, yet you could hear them.
Movement and expression of uncanny, near-artistic quality, a flawless balance between existing choreography and classical ballet.
Yeah, everything was great.
‘...But TeSTAR themselves?’
Were they really bundling in ballerinos now? Was Tnet hosting a ballet survival show too?
Just as Kim Raebin’s fan, mouth agape in disbelief, was about to erupt.
The ballerino on the stage’s periphery gracefully smoothed their posture as the music ended.
And the white-gloved hand on the black sleeve removed the mask....
[Midnight Intro – Seon Ah-hyun (TeSTAR)]
– ????
– Oh
– Seon Ah-hyun?
– Thought that was a real ballerino
– It is Ah-hyun
“...??”
What is this?
Kim Raebin’s fan thought her eyes would pop out.
But it was real. If it wasn’t CGI, the masked ballerino had just been Seon Ah-hyun.
“......”
She checked again—it was correct.
And this was live... live broadcast?
Recalling the masked ballerino’s physique, she watched the screen’s sweeping orchestra then saw Ah-hyun, hair swept aside.
‘...On second thought, that body is definitely Ah-hyun’s.’
Even Me-hyun’s fans, though curious, hadn’t shouted it out—because it was so patently impossible!
Anyone could see it was a professional ballet performance.
‘When could they have practiced this?’
Could you cram ballet at that level in a short rehearsal? Even if Ah-hyun majored in modern dance, she only said she’d briefly learned ballet as a child!
Suddenly, a rumor flickered through her mind like lightning.
From the tour’s start, whispers not just about Ah-hyun but the entire TeSTAR!
– The vibe seems different—better. The stage feels more intense. Definitely recommend seeing this tour live
– Subtle changes that a fancam can’t convey
– Did they go camping and practice under a waterfall or something? lol
‘I thought they were just hyping themselves up because they had tickets, fueling each other’s envy.’
But it seemed they’d truly entered some awakened state.
‘There’re always athletes like that.’
– Wow insane technique X freak form was lit~
– Shut up!
Kim Raebin’s fan remembered her squabble with her brother and nodded inwardly.
This was delightful.
‘Whoever this group is, they must perform well. If they flop, they die for real.’
Unwittingly, the external threat had united TeSTAR’s individual fanbases.
Granted, it wasn’t exactly the scenario she’d imagined, but some parallels remained—like that awakened vibe.
‘Phew.’
On stage.
Seon Ah-hyun raised his head and took a step forward. The spotlight camera followed.
He appraised coldly. The performance had been solid.
Of course, his body had changed, so there were limitations. He couldn’t nail the hardest moves and micro-details.
Still.
‘This is... fun too.’
Newfound skills and experience fueled the stage’s exhilaration.
Effects rolled in as members dressed similarly joined him on stage.
[Welcome]
Seon Ah-hyun offered a faint smile and fell into formation.
Next came another old TeSTAR hit title.
Bureum (Nightmare).
Rearranged for orchestra, the once-minor key track took on a deeper, sinuous groove.
[Call it
Yell out that name now
Clinging like honey, won’t let go]
Previously only in the medley on this tour, this decadent number was now a special showcase.
And as always, the provocative sexy concept was powerful. Many members even temporarily changed their hairstyles for this stage, so the reaction was hotter than ever.
Kim Raebin’s fan was busy posting:
– Kim Raebin secret two-tone??? Can’t believe a male idol can pull this off
Plus the specially prepared closing remarks for broadcast.
[Thank you for enjoying the concert with us for such a long time. We now have only the final stage remaining.]
– Huh?
– Ah-hyun speaks so well
– What the—so cool
Seon Ah-hyun, with smoother, clearer diction than ever, held the cue card and the reaction # Nоvеlight # exploded again.
[Now, we will play “Promise.”]
Thus, TeSTAR’s concert broadcast concluded successfully.
Not merely for stellar performances, but also the unexpected surprises and unique highlights that drew attention.
Yet, ironically, that very reason magnified the agency’s “controversy.”
After the concert broadcast schedule ended, she returned home.
[You can’t buy the outfits worn at TeSTAR’s concert. (Jin Il-bo Talk & Feel)]
“Hm, the articles are getting harsher, huh?”
“Oh dear, they tied it well into our concert story.”
“...So they did.”
She didn’t know why they looked at her like that, but she wasn’t responsible.
‘I just planted the rumor, that’s all.’
She’d pretended to send an early holiday gift to the management office head to get intel.
“Predictable outcome.”
She shrugged and wiped off the moisture. Feeling refreshed after a shower.
Just like a shower naturally refreshes you, this fiasco was inevitably going to happen if nobody intervened.
The agency ignored the idols they were supposed to nurture and played around.
– T1 Stars, a rootless agency’s clothing-business collab
Still, compared to collabs like 127 Section with games, this was mild.
‘Idols do tons of fashion ads anyway.’
The real problem was the agency’s reckless “diversification of revenue” ambitions.
They hyped up this collab hard.
– “From Bronze to Platinum: affordable basics to exclusive premium—options for everyone”
– “Major quality differences in design and fabric by tier...”
They sliced the designs into multiple lines, apparently borrowing AJUSA’s tier system—even paying royalties to the show for it.
‘Just pure profiteering.’
If they’d stopped there, they’d have been called tone-deaf, old-school hustlers and laughed off.
The next blunder came with a single press release.
– “Only members can purchase certain ‘idol-designed T-shirts’”
They’d blatantly shown they wanted to milk fans again, making them uncomfortable—but it might’ve been salvageable.
If only they hadn’t followed it up with:
– “The ‘Platinum’ outfits Minha and Mirinae wore
– ‘Platinum’ tier items are produced only in the single size worn by the idols for the most beautiful look...”
If they hadn’t told the press that Platinum was only sold in the exact one size idols can wear.
They obviously aimed to stoke fans’ urge to collect, but it backfired spectacularly.
Not understanding the difference between merch and clothing, the result was:
– Are they insane?
– Idols are broadcast as flat screens, so they’re all in peak condition—but “only the most beautiful size”? lolol
– You pay that money then shrink your body to fit? Or live in the garment?
Then a staff interview surfaced saying, “We’re planning a ‘real-wear certification’ event,” and public opinion plunged into the abyss.
– Got it: only people with idol bodies can wear it. Loud and clear.
– Going to the store and getting body-scanned to refuse sale—trauma ON
– If I try to buy there, they’ll cut me off at the entrance...
They only earned hatred.
‘What idiots.’
Actually, they could’ve ethically cashed in by marketing “only idols can fit this,” but they missed the psychological target and inflicted a lethal wound on themselves.
‘If they wanted to profit from dividing tiers, they needed to be more subtle.’
Why does Tnet’s survival-show brand keep people watching despite the backlash?
Because it’s provocative, sleek, and self-parodying—a content draw.
‘But these clowns?’
Nobody at that agency could do any of that. We’d cleaned house when we formed our own label.
And those who stayed were all in operations—but who greenlit this clothing venture? The executives, chasing portfolio and profit.
Therefore...
‘The inevitable outcome.’
A complete wreck.
“Is that it?”
It was.
“Just that?”
She was innocent.
All she’d done was post an anonymous comment fitting the context.
– “Platinum tier: from AJUSA, signifying the highest grade—sold only in the idol’s one size...”
– “There are people of many shapes with many charms in the world.”
“That’s incitement!”
“No, I quoted the article verbatim.”
“...Sure?”
“Yes.”
She’d even used a VPN to be safe. No risk of getting caught.
Well, since the agency founders were just vultures, it was a foregone disaster.
“...And the outfits we wore in the concert broadcast were originally slated for Platinum-tier sale too, right?”
“Wow, our agency really is something else.”
“So that’s why all these articles popped up...”
Thanks to them, the concert broadcast’s success only fanned the flames.
So did this hurt us, tied to the agency?
‘Maybe briefly a bit.’
After all, it was their marquee brand.
– TeSTAR must’ve agreed to this too, right?
└ Those idiots even knew what they were doing?
But it wouldn’t last long.
When things blow up this big, headquarters steps in.
“Hm. They can’t let it affect our stock price, right?”
“Probably.”
Besides...
‘From TI Entertainment’s view, its subsidiaries just need to run their own show.’
For headquarters, other ventures are better off with other affiliates. Only the execs cared about side businesses.
So unlike those execs, TI Entertainment’s experts in this venture would act.
They’d salvage whatever brand value they could.
By promoting the agency’s best-selling idols.
“Looks like a damage-control article is up.”
She refreshed the news page and saw headquarters moving.
[TI Stars’ Unauthorized Actions, Artists’ Discomfort]
[Tussle A, “No contract—still in discussion.”]
Everything got blamed on the agency’s clueless management.
Beautiful, how the perpetrators paid the price. The board was cut loose by HQ.
‘Some of them won’t keep their posts.’
And to quickly bury this scandal, they’d surely stage an event for their main act.
Ryu Seong-woo cracked a grin.
“What does that mean?”
She grinned too.
“They’re releasing an album.”
“Ooooo!”
The expected development.
“We’ll release it for the top-performing team first. Need to cover this with good news.”
“Then....”
Bae Se-jin didn’t have to say it aloud: TeSTAR, obviously.
“And that was easy thanks to Ah-hyun killing it on broadcast today~”
“Right, you did great!”
“Thanks...!”
Flattery flew across the studio at this late hour.
‘The fools who messed around got wrecked... we get an album.’
Nice atmosphere.
Just then.
Brrring—
Her phone rang.
“Already? A call?”
“Could it be TI?”
At 2 AM?
She was skeptical, but also a little excited.
She glanced down at her phone and realized something.
‘If it’s about the album, shouldn’t they call Ryu Cheong-woo instead of me?’
Exactly.
And sure enough, it wasn’t the album call. It was someone she never imagined calling.
“.......”
“Mundae?”
She answered.
“Hello.”
It was VTIC’s voice.
...But someone who’d never called before.
“I hope you’ve been well, Mundae-ssi.”
It was Joo Dan-yi.
A guy heading to the military calling at this hour....
“I have a proposal I’d like to discuss. I believe it’s a no-lose game for anyone involved.”
She already wanted to hang up.
