Episode 2: What’s Wrong with a Guy Being a Girl Group Fan?
Even if someone has zero interest in girl groups, for the average South Korean guy, there’s an inevitable, almost forced moment when they end up becoming a fan.
That moment? Military service.
“‘GraceOne’ debut stage, let’s go!”
“Vroom vroom, woooooo!”
“Kiyoooooot!”
I was no exception.
Before enlisting, idols to me were like stray dogs you see on the street—cute and pretty, sure, but I had no intention of taking one home.
I only knew the famous “breeds” like Shih Tzus, Malteses, or Poodles, but I didn’t care about the specifics. Unless it was a super famous member everyone knew, I had no interest in girl groups.
That was true up until my time as a private first class.
But when you’re stuck watching music shows all day after work for nearly a year, you start to get drawn into the idol world. Before I knew it, I was humming girl group songs while cleaning or waking up in the morning.
Then came the moment I truly fell for a group.
It was a show known as the “national girl group audition” — Girl X Girl.
At first, I thought the trainees seemed kind of average for a girl group, but watching them grow and get prettier through each stage, I found myself emotionally invested, cheering for certain members without realizing it.
By the time the top 11 were chosen to debut as ‘GraceOne’, I was so hooked I couldn’t imagine life without them.
My ultimate bias, my number one pick, was Min-young Jo, who finished third in the final ranking.
After ‘GirlXGirl’ and ‘GraceOne’ completely rewired my brain, my fangirling only intensified after discharge. They say late-blooming fans don’t realize how much they’re draining their bank accounts, and my obsession was worse than I thought. I genuinely believed I’d donate a kidney just to have a single conversation with Min-young.
For the first time in my life, after never having a real goal beyond the college entrance exam, I found a sense of purpose.
To buy GraceOne albums, merch, and fan meeting tickets, I worked as a designated driver. At 24, I was young for the job, but getting my license before college and serving as a military driver—thanks to my taxi driver dad’s advice—was a godsend.
I threw myself into fandom life with even more intensity than I had for the college entrance exam.
As a result, my college life after returning from the military was a total disaster. My grades tanked, and I eventually took a leave of absence.
But who cares about real life?
If I could just hold hands with Min-young once, it’d all be worth it.
I was completely, utterly obsessed.
Funnily enough, back in middle and high school, I used to mock my younger sister for stanning male idols, saying stuff like, “They’re probably using your money to mess around with girl groups, so snap out of it, you crazy girl.”
She outgrew her phase by her senior year, like a baby weaning off milk, but here I was, a grown man, turning into an idol superfan.
Now my sister throws shade at me.
“Pfft, Min-young’s probably using your money to mess around with male idols…”
“Shut up! My Min-young would never do that!”
“Wow… this is genuinely embarrassing. If I see you on the street, don’t act like you know me. I might actually throw up.”
But here’s the thing.
There’s a term in the fandom world: “Deokgyemot”—fans never get to meet their idols in real life. I was the textbook example.
I had never once made it to a ‘GraceOne’ fan meeting, fansign, or solo concert. I even got rejected during the first wave of fan club recruitment. The world was full of hardcore fans who were on another level.
GirlXGirl, the audition show with the highest ratings in history, was a cultural phenomenon. Back then, there was even a meme online: if someone said something dumb, they’d be “banned from watching GirlXGirl for two weeks.”
Naturally, fansign events, fan meetings, and concert ticket sales sold out in seconds. It was rumored that 100,000 people applied for the 20,000 spots in the first fan club recruitment.
Among those 100,000, there were some serious heavyweights—people who spent hundreds or thousands monthly, like top-tier players in a mobile game. My kidney-level dedication didn’t even come close.
There was one glimmer of hope: a lottery-style fansign coupon you could get by buying products or game items endorsed by GraceOne.
But I had zero luck with lotteries.
I blew a million won and still didn’t win.
Was this life a bust?
So, I waited for the second fan club recruitment, streaming their music like it was second nature, buying albums and merch to show my support, and praying to meet Min-young in my dreams.
Then, an opportunity arose.
The music channel that aired GirlXGirl and managed GraceOne’s label posted a job opening.
They were hiring staff, including road managers.
Confident in my driving skills and figuring it’d be good work experience before diving into the job market after graduation, I applied with a “nothing to lose” mindset.
Of course, my biggest motivation was the hope of seeing GraceOne and Min-young in person.
But I wasn’t an industry veteran, I didn’t major in anything related, and I had no connections or recommendations. There was no way I’d get hired.
Or so I thought.
[Web Message]
Hello, this is VIP Entertainment.
Mr. Kang Hyun-jong, congratulations! You have passed the final interview for the road manager position.
I got the job?
Vroom vroom, woooooo!
The evening before my first day at work, I finally told my parents, who I’d kept in the dark about the interview process, that I’d landed a job.
“Dear Creators, I have something important to share over dinner.”
My mother, a.k.a. Creator-Mom, waved her hand dismissively.
“Honey, I don’t want to hear it. Tell your father, and he can fill me in later.”
“First Creation, my wife’s in a bad mood lately, so if you’re about to say something that’ll ruin dinner, keep it to yourself.”
“No, Father, this is the kind of news that’ll make even a runaway daughter-in-law come back with an appetite.”
“Now I’m really curious about this news that could bring back a nonexistent daughter-in-law. Spill it.”
“I got a job.”
“A part-time gig?”
“No, it’s a three-month probationary period, but it’s not just a part-time job.”
“Don’t go.”
“Why not?”
“I’m worried about a company that’d hire someone like you, who hasn’t even graduated and has no clear vision.”
“Honey, at least ask him what company it is.”
“My wife’s curious, so go ahead and tell us.”
“It’s Min-young’s company.”
“Min-young… who’s that again?”
Sigh. “You know, the idol whose pictures are plastered all over his room. Grace-something…”
“It’s GraceOne, Mother. I got hired as a road manager, using my driving skills.”
“The first child to come out of my womb has done a lot of crazy things, but this has got to be in the top three.”
“Come on, honey, top three? It’s not that bad, is it?”
“That’s how shocked I feel.”
“Hmm… I’m surprisingly calm about it. At least it’s not costing us money.”
After about five seconds of silence, my dad called out to my mom in the most world-weary tone.
“Honey.”
“Yeah?”
“I knew this would happen to our kids ever since you were chasing after Lee Seung-hwan.”
“Hey, don’t drag my Seung-hwan oppa into this. He’s on a whole different level.”
“Mother, wasn’t Seung-hwan a teen idol back then? If anyone should understand me, it’s you.”
My dad, chewing his rice with the enlightened gaze of a Tibetan fox, responded.
“First Creation, we sent you through middle and high school just fine. Why are you like this now?”
“Ask the Ministry of Defense. I’d love to know why soldiers get obsessed with girl groups.”
“Well, back in my day, it was Kim Wan-sun.”
“You dare mention another woman in front of me?”
Smack!
My mom slapped my dad’s lips with her palm before continuing.
“Fine, I get the fandom thing. But following her into a company? That’s a bit much. You’re not some stalker.”
“It’s not just about seeing Min-young. Since I’m on a break from school, I figured I’d gain some life experience and broaden my horizons.”
Reluctantly, my parents gave me their hesitant support.
But my moment of triumphant joy was short-lived.
I wasn’t assigned to GraceOne’s team. Instead, I was placed with another artist already under the agency’s management.
It was ‘Free Sense’, a girl group in their third year since debut.
I remembered them from the music shows I used to watch religiously during my military service.
They were active for a while but seemed to fade from the spotlight at some point.
Originally a five-member group, they’d gone through member changes and departures after each album cycle, leaving only three members now.
It seemed the experienceed managers who used to handle them had moved to GraceOne’s team due to a shortage of staff, and newbies like me were brought in to fill the gaps.
From the looks of it, Free Sense’s fate depended on the success of their next album. If it flopped, they’d likely be sidelined or disbanded.
Heck, there might not even be a next album…
A quick search showed they’d released a single three months ago but hadn’t promoted it on TV. Their last music show appearance was nine months ago.
On my first day of work, my dad drove me to the company in his taxi.
“Son.”
“Yes, Creator.”
“Fighting!”
“I hope you have a smooth day with no troublesome passengers, Father.”
“The fare is 7,800 won, sir.”
“…You didn’t even turn on the meter, driver.”
“If I had, it would’ve been over 10,000 won.”
“I-I’ll pay the 7,800 won!”
“No need.”
Is this really GraceOne’s company?
Standing in front of the building that holds traces of my idols, I take a deep breath in and out.
A pleasant breeze blows from behind, carrying a sweet fragrance.
I’ve never smelled it before, but could this be Min-young’s scent? I muse, indulging in my fangirl fantasy as I turn toward the entrance.
Thud!
“Ow…!”
“Ouch!”
Someone crashes into my back and falls flat.
It’s a girl with light purple hair, her face hidden by a hat and mask.
She doesn’t even apologize for bumping into me—instead, she glares as if I did something wrong.
It seems she was running while pulling something out of her backpack, as cosmetics and hair rollers spill out of the open bag.
If I were a typical guy, I might’ve helped her pick them up, but…
Fan Rule Activated!
To avoid even the slightest hint of inappropriate behavior, I don’t say a word and head straight into the company building.
Posters and merch of GraceOne are displayed all over the hallways and offices.
Wow, their beauty is unreal!
It feels different from seeing them at home.
These once-ordinary trainees have transformed into goddesses ruling the universe.
It takes some effort to suppress my overwhelming emotions.
“This way,”
Says Team Leader Jeon Min-yong.
“Yes, sir.”
Following his lead, I greet the other staff members and then step outside with him.
He used to manage Free Sense but was promoted to team leader during this reorganization.
However, since a manager’s reputation is tied to their artist’s fame, he’s probably not thrilled about being stuck with Free Sense instead of moving up to GraceOne’s team.
He’s 32, about 180 cm tall, with dark skin and a masculine build. His tone and demeanor seem a bit sharp.
“We have two practice rooms in use. Our kids are in the other building.”
“Please feel free to speak casually.”
“No, I’m more comfortable being formal.”
“Oh… okay…”
“I used to speak casually, but getting too close too soon can be awkward. People tend to quit just as you start getting friendly. You know this industry has a high turnover rate, right?”
“Yes, I’ve heard.”
“And what does that mean?”
“It’s tough…?”
“People get drawn in by the glamour, but being a manager is as 3D [dirty, difficult, dangerous] as it gets. The younger they are, the faster they quit.”
He’s probably itching to say, “Kids these days lack grit,” a sentiment carved into the Lascaux cave paintings.
“I’ll work hard.”
“Did I come off too negative? If you stick it out, the job has its charms. Watching your artist climb up step by step is rewarding.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Tch, I need to get some investors and start my own company…”
He mutters self-deprecatingly before returning to his usual tone.
“The kids are in a non-promotion period, so there aren’t many schedules. We’ve got a morale-boosting event in Gangwon tomorrow… Today, there’s nothing much, so just hang out with the kids and get a feel for the vibe.”
“Yes, sir.”
I meet Free Sense in a basement practice room a block away from the main office.
Team Leader Jeon gathers the practicing members.
“Girls, let’s introduce ourselves to the new road manager.”
“Hello, I’m Kang Hyun-jong. I’m 24. Nice to meet you.”
The members introduce themselves one by one.
The leader and original member, Lee Seung-ah (22), Kwon Ah-hyun (21), and the youngest, Baek Jin-ah (19), who joined during their second mini-album.
Wait… that light purple hair looks familiar.
I didn’t see her face because of the mask and hat, but the hair color and outfit—it’s definitely the girl who bumped into me earlier.
It’s Kwon Ah-hyun.
“Oh, so you’re the new manager oppa.”
She says, as if she’s already tattled to the others about our collision, giving me a look like, “That’s the kind of grass you shouldn’t eat.”
[TL Note: In Korean, this is an idiomatic expression implying “something/someone dangerous, suspicious, or best avoided.”]
“I told you about that guy earlier? It’s him.”