Episode 170: Turning Point (1)
Project Trinity.
The big homework that had taken up nearly half of this year finally came to an end.
The viewership rating for the final stage was 1.3%.
It might look a little low to call it a successful finish, but considering that interest in idol survival programs was no longer what it used to be, it could still be expressed as a successful finish.
‘Well, from this point on, other numbers are more important than viewership ratings anyway.’
The main consumer base for idol survival programs is teenagers and people in their twenties, along with overseas K-POP fans, and the window through which such people access content is not TV but smartphones.
Those numbers are not counted in viewership ratings.
[Project Trinity records 81% share on Enflix!]
I was used to the term “viewership rating” that older men kept using, but the real fruit that Project Trinity had reaped was this.
An 81% share on the super-large OTT platform Enflix was a number I had rarely seen even before my regression.
‘Before regression, I remember Project Trinity was around 70%.’
Considering that even that was evaluated as “the program was a great success,” what words could describe this performance?
If we also consider the countless people who accessed it through illegal streaming sites rather than the official platform Enflix, the scale of attention that would pour toward the group ‘Trinity’ was almost impossible to gauge.
[Anyway, the winner is Team Y — no, now it’s the girl group Trinity]
It feels a bit much to say it was obvious, but there was no upset in the competition for those who would receive the benefits.
It wasn’t that the other teams had no chance of a reversal, but the buildup that Team Y had accumulated was far too solid to collapse over something like that.
At the endpoint where the kids discarded the name Team Y, they left no room for doubt and became the only team to pass the turning point and newly begin under the name Trinity.
And the report card of the kids who passed that turning point was,
[(-) 1. IDOL – Trinity]
It was nothing short of a great success.
The song that climbed the charts at 00:00 on November 1st showed no signs of coming down from the top of the charts.
As if to prove that popularity, the schedule of the kids — Trinity — was enough to remind me of memories from the past once again.
‘They even achieved a new record.’
The shortest time to reach 1st place after debut.
Trinity seized that title that even Orion had not achieved.
Well, the recognition they had built up from Project Trinity served as the foundation, and there was a slight gap between the airing of the final stage and the song’s release. On top of that,
‘There is some talk because they received the 1st place trophy on On Stage, but…’
Anyway, a record is a record.
Although there were negative comments, the fact that they smoothly took 1st place on three other major music shows in a row and achieved a triple crown was proof that there were far more positive views toward Trinity.
‘Well, by my standards it’s still only 3rd place though.’
Trinity’s record still fell short of not only Polaris but even Laira’s record before my regression.
Of course, that was something only I remembered, and especially Laira’s record had been greatly helped by Polaris’s halo, so I knew comparing it was meaningless. But if asked whether I was satisfied, honestly it was still a little lacking.
Still, I had no major complaints.
For me, who remembered that some group with the same name had stumbled from the very start of their debut song activities before my regression and ultimately crashed and burned, I couldn’t help but smile.
‘Who knows, though.’
After the promised activity period under the name Trinity ends.
If MyWay’s new girl group, newly formed mainly around Chaekyung, So Young-I, and Nari, might be able to surpass even Laira’s record?
‘As for Polaris’s record… that’s completely out of the question.’
Anyway, it was a fact that favorable winds were blowing on the journey the kids had taken.
Although most of the schedules were from Music On Net and its affiliate cable channels under the same parent company, the fact that even I found out about the kids’ news faster through articles meant there was a high chance that the status of the group Trinity would be the complete opposite of before my regression.
‘Next year’s Rookie Award, at least MAMA is probably confirmed for Trinity.’
Since the chart release date itself was set with that in mind, there was no need to say more.
The kids’ debut song IDOL had been the competition song for the final stage.
The fact that they deliberately waited not one day after airing but three full days and released it only after November began was clearly a move heavily conscious of next year’s Music On Net Artist Music Awards, which judged songs released from November of the previous year to October of the current year.
It was close to a formal procedure that anyone interested in this industry would know, but…
‘And yet it still works.’
MAMA is the award ceremony that opens the door to the trophy party, being the first among many award shows.
If, in the middle of that, Trinity leaves a clear mark throughout the year?
‘There’s no way the other award shows won’t be affected.’
Even while knowing that this was Music On Net covering their eyes and pretending for Trinity’s benefit, they had no choice but to let it pass.
That much worldly logic doesn’t change whether one has regressed or not.
While I was thinking that,
Slide.
The car’s speed gradually slowed,
Buzz buzz.
At the same time, unmistakable presences that couldn’t be hidden came through the window.
Not only that,
“Hyung, we’re almost there.”
Su-hyeok’s tense voice delivered the final blow.
At the signals announcing that the ‘stage’ was getting closer, I lifted my head from the various articles I had been reading.
Flash! Flash!
Flashes so intense they could be felt even through the heavily tinted windows poured down.
It was the kind of place that made even Su-hyeok, who had experienced quite a few schedules, unable to hide his tension.
Before putting down my phone ahead of this quite important stage for me, I brought up my own reflection on the screen.
Even more so than during Project Trinity’s final stage.
If I had to compare, it was drawn like a picture with a face full of strength, similar to when I had dyed my hair bright blue around this time last year.
‘Not bad.’
Click.
Along with that thought, the small shutter sound rang out and the picture-like face was engraved on the screen once again.
It wasn’t that narcissism had suddenly appeared in me now.
I simply had someone I wanted to show this appearance to.
[(Photo)]
[Does my hair look good today?]
[I’m heading out]
The number in front of the message sent through the messenger did not disappear.
It couldn’t be helped.
‘She said she finally picked a script.’
The other party was also doing her best in her own way.
It was a shame, but the excitement about the future that the person most precious to me would walk was greater than that regret.
“Oh, Hyung, did you take a selfie?”
“Yeah.”
“Um… can you send that to me too…?”
Just as I was about to put my phone down after shaking off the regret, Su-hyeok asked that.
I wondered if it was a joke to ease the tension, but the eyes reflected in the rearview mirror were quite serious.
It wasn’t hard to understand his intention.
“To send to your noona?”
“…Yes.”
He looked quite earnest, as if he had made some kind of deal.
Well, there was no difficulty.
I already knew well that Su-hyeok’s noona had become my fan in this life, and that was one of the new pleasures of this life that hadn’t existed before my regression.
Still, I should set a condition.
“It’s fine to send it, but upload it to the café later. With your ID.”
“Yes.”
No matter how special Su-hyeok was to me, and even if it was related to him, specially treating a particular fan could cause problems.
Of course, I knew she wouldn’t leak my selfie or anything, but just in case.
Just as I was about to send the selfie I had just taken to the chat with Su-hyeok,
[Zia♥ : (emoticon)]
The name I had been waiting for but hadn’t expected passed across the thin bar at the top of the screen.
Since no message followed after the single emoticon, it seemed that was the only message she could send while breaking through the strict surveillance of her senior.
‘Still, this is enough.’
There was no better motivation for a natural smile to appear on my face.
With lighter hand movements, I finished sending the photo I had intended to send and finally put my phone down.
“I’ll be back.”
“Yes. I’ll be watching closely. The timing is perfect.”
And the car that had been moving slowly finally stopped.
After lightly moving my neck to loosen my body, I stepped out with my glossy dress shoes through the smoothly opening door,
“Han Yujin!”
Flash flash flash flash flash!!
Along with a scream-like shout coming from somewhere and a wave of pouring light, beyond the long stretch of purple carpet, the name and logo that were extremely familiar to me came into view.
[2025 Music On Net Artist Music Award]
I had returned across time.
To one of the halls of fame where my name had been embroidered countless times.
***
Meanwhile, at the same time.
There was one person stamping her feet, unable to control her trembling.
‘Ugh… Look at how handsome he is…’
What threw a stone into Woo Zia’s heart was the sight of her partner filling the entire smartphone screen she held in her hand.
The sophisticated suit tailored to the award ceremony’s dress code was a different look she hadn’t seen despite living so close to him.
‘I want to send a message… I want to send it so intensely…!’
She could go on endlessly with modifiers to describe that appearance.
Nevertheless, the reason Woo Zia held back her fingers and only sent a single emoticon was because of the ‘surprise gift’ she had prepared.
If she wrote down all those words, she felt like she would accidentally reveal the existence of the surprise gift. So she gripped her smartphone so tightly that her already white hands turned even whiter and barely suppressed the overflowing desire in her heart.
‘I have to endure… I’ve hidden it so well until now!’
If it had been an ordinary event, she wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to hide it.
But in the show unfolding now, many people besides Woo Zia had lent their hands.
‘Ahjeong unnie and… also…’
Just as she was about to list the names of the two people who had played the biggest roles among them, a message from the remaining person coincidentally arrived.
[Long-legged : Yujin is walking the carpet now]
[Long-legged : Wow, the suit looks so good on him]
[Long-legged : As expected, when the person is good-looking, the clothes shine too]
Unable to write the title she should properly use — “Aunt” — she had chosen “Long-legged” as a substitute. Woo Zia regained a bit of composure from the message.
That’s right.
This event that had been prepared was a plan that had started from the proposal of the person she had first drawn the line with.
It was an event she really hadn’t wanted to ask for help with, but one she couldn’t refuse.
She couldn’t ruin such a grand plan with her own hands.
So she clenched her teeth and trembled, unable to even hide her shaking legs. Another helper looked at the trembling Woo Zia with an expression that said she was cute.
“You’re shaking a lot, aren’t you?”
“Yes, ‘President-nim.’”
“Puhaha.”
Seo Yoonje, one of the few people who knew the relationship between the two, eventually burst out laughing at Woo Zia’s trembling voice.
It had already been a long time since Woo Zia had started feeling like a daughter to Seo Yoonje.
‘Seeing her like this, I can’t help but feel for her.’
The sight of her strong spirit — which clearly showed the years she had lived stubbornly — completely gone was enough to make Seo Yoonje smile warmly, but
“Still, we have to do what we have to do.”
Seo Yoonje still had one task left.
A private event using a public occasion.
It was an absolute taboo that should never be done, but that was exactly why she had to confirm the period at the end of this unbearable show.
It was a show that many people had squeezed together with unbelievable power, but the finishing touch depended on someone else’s hands.
“Zia, read this.”
“But this… is it really okay to do this?”
Seeing her look slightly scared, a playful urge rose in Seo Yoonje.
“Originally it’s not okay. If you want to flip it even now, you can. You just have to not look at the contents.”
A stylish black paper envelope decorated with gold thread fluttered between Seo Yoonje’s thumb and index finger.
Just as she said, if she didn’t look at the contents, it could be turned back into blank paper at any time.
But,
“But… don’t you have the confidence to go up on the main stage and act without showing it?”
Seo Yoonje lightly scratched at Woo Zia’s insides.
“It’s not that, but…”
No, she pushed her from behind.
From the beginning, Seo Yoonje had seen through it clearly.
That Woo Zia was not the kind of person who would back out after coming this far.
In the end, Woo Zia accepted the forbidden envelope.
“?”
Then Seo Yoonje took a step back.
“Hmm. I don’t have the confidence to pretend I don’t know even after knowing the result. I’ll leave that to ‘Actress-nim.’”
At those words where the hidden playfulness exploded, a small resentment flashed in Woo Zia’s eyes, but that feeling couldn’t last because the temptation of the forbidden thing in her hands was far too strong.
In the end,
Slide.
Along with the thread sealing the envelope being undone by Woo Zia’s slender fingers, the secret operation truly began to move.
[2025 Music On Net Artist Music Award]
Operation name ‘Han Yujin Show’.
The operation to give the big gift of ‘the first award of his life given by his lover’ to that lovable man who possessed a talent that couldn’t be measured as devil or angel.
***************
TL Note:
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