Damn Idol - Chapter 2

The trip from the hospital in Seongnam to my parents’ house wasn’t long. 

The familiar apartment complex came into view even before the taxi had driven a significant distance.

But instead of missing it, I was sick of it.

“Thank you, mister.”

As soon as I got home, the first thing I did was change the password for the front door lock.

Greedy relatives would be barging in soon enough.

The assets of a person who had become a vegetable were enough to avert their attention.

Well, some of them had already done so.

Ring-ring.

[Great Uncle] 

What a persistent old fart.

He never even visited me when I was in the hospital because he lived so far away, but he’s always the first to call.

He’s also the kind of madman who would break down the door and come in if I didn’t answer his calls.

Because of this guy, I had to upgrade the lock to a security door that couldn’t be opened by a regular locksmith.

It might sound like my relatives are just overly greedy, but that’s not entirely it.

Normally, when someone becomes vegetative, their property rights go to their guardian.

Sometimes, the guardian appointed by the family court is the child.

‘But I’m a minor, legally.’

A minor who was in a car accident with their incapacitated parents and is suspected of having PTSD.

There’s no way the family court would appoint me as their guardian.

So, for the first three lives, I had to live off the allowance adults gave me.

Even that allowance eventually stopped coming after a while.

But there’s a way.

There’s always a way, no matter what.

Especially for a regressor.

Ring…Riiing.

I threw my constantly ringing cell phone on the sofa and headed to my parents’ room.

Then I turned on the computer and sold all the stocks that my father had bought.

I shouldn’t be using my parents’ assets yet, but this much action won’t negatively impact my future.

No, even if it does have a negative impact…

-Sale completed.

-Sale completed.

-Sale completed.

I can’t stand this.

Dad, why did you even buy these stocks?

Every single stock that I just sold is one of the stocks that is going to plummet in 2017.

Not just a bear, but a crash.

With the money from selling my father’s stocks, I bought the stocks that my mother had purchased.

She had chosen all the stocks that would soar in 2017.

I guess I’ll have to convince my father to live off of an allowance when he wakes up.

Even though I may never see that happen.

After that, I continued to check, organize, and sort my parents’ assets.

The first time I started doing this, it was because I had the simple thought that I could buy 200 million albums with my own money.

Or I could pay someone to buy them for me.

Even though I knew that wouldn’t work, I kept doing it because having more money opens up more possibilities.

Since I’ve done this so many times, it doesn’t take me that long.

I quickly finished everything and opened the notebook that I had brought from the hospital.

I told Uncle Hyun-Soo that I was just doodling, but what’s written here isn’t doodles.

It’s filled with tons of information, the trends in the music industry, and plans that I can choose from.

The problem is, it’s all for Billboard.

[Physical Album Sales: 200 Million.]

Because of this ridiculous goal, I’ve been working in the U.S. all this time.

Of course, when I first started regressing, I did start in Korea. I didn’t have the skills or the cue to succeed in the U.S.

But after I tasted success in the U.S., I never looked back at Korea.

Billboard is the GOAT of the music industry scale.

Even one-hit Wonders can make enough money to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

But now it’s time to challenge this notion.

I have to become an idol in Korea.

Why?

Because there’s potential in being an idol.

After the 2020s, K-Pop idols started to rise to true global stardom, groups like〈LMP〉and 〈Prime Time〉.

These groups sell an incredible number of albums not only in Asia, but also in North America and Europe.

So, in some ways, idols have greater functionality than Billboard’s superstars?

Damn it.

Yeah, it’s a lie.

It’s true that K-Pop idols have potential.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean they got a leg up on Billboard’s heavy hitters.

To be honest, I don’t want to challenge this fucking idol thing.

I hate it so much that I don’t even want to think about the reasons why.

But the reason I’m challenging it is because I’m desperate.

GOTM was the best team, made up of the most talented members.

I used the information I gained from countless regressions to become a superstar.

Things that seemed like all luck to others were all part of my plan.

I was confident that I couldn’t ever possibly create a team that was musically and commercially better than GOTM.

And yet, my album sales were only 70 million.

What should I do now?

Should I just admit that everything I’ve built up until now was in vain?

I don’t have the confidence to accept that my dozens of regressions were all useless.

What kept me going in the infinite loop of time was the hope that I was getting a little better, even if it was just a little.

If I deny all that hope, I don’t have the confidence that I’ll be able to stay sane.

I don’t have the confidence to go back to the U.S., start over from the beginning, and avoid all the choices I made before.

So, the only option left for me is to become an idol.

The only option where there’s a possibility of selling 200 million albums, even if it’s just a tiny bit. The option where I don’t have to conclude that my efforts were in vain.

A Korean idol.

I know it’s a temporary escape, but I’m so dead on my feet I gotta take a breather, even if it’s just for a sec.

“…….”

As I thought about it, I think I came to a conclusion.

I don’t know the Korean market, and I don’t know much about idols either.

So, I’ll have to use this life as a throwaway.

It was the same when I first decided to form a band because I felt limited as an Asian solo vocalist.

It took me four cycles, and it wasn’t until the fifth to find the most correct and straightforward path to success as a band.

I confirmed the members and regressed for another four cycles.

GOTM was a band that was formed after nine regressions.

I think I’ll have to do the same this time.

First, I need to debut as an idol as soon as possible.

Forget about the future. Just do everything I can.

Then, I’ll gather useful information, and as I regress repeatedly, things will gradually improve.

Maybe I’ll be able to gather members who can make it in the U.S. market and conquer both K-Pop and Billboard.

‘Let’s go for it.’

Having made up my mind, I checked the dozens of phone numbers written on the first page of my notebook.

These are useful numbers, so I always memorize them.

This time……

“HR Corporation.”

Yeah, this seems like a good choice.

***

BVB Entertainment – a large Korean entertainment agency.

The head of BVB Entertainment received a report from Team Leader 1 barely a day into their job.

“HR Corporation wants to talk?”

“Did you fall for a scam? Or did HR open a Korean branch without me knowing?”

“Neither. It’s a call from the main office. I checked already.”

The head of the office and Team Leader 1, who were usually close, looked at each other blankly.

“Why the hell?”

It’s not that unusual for a Korean entertainment company to receive a call from an overseas distributor.

It’s been quite some time since K-Pop successfully entered the overseas market.

However, this is a story limited to Asia.

As of 2017, K-Pop had yet to reach Billboard, the mecca of the music industry.

But what was the position of HR Corporation then?

The music giant—Billboard, a company that monopolizes more than 15% of America’s music and album distribution.

‘Are they interested in an artist? Maybe NOP?’

The head of the office, thinking of the company’s flagship boy group, checked the contact information and picked up the receiver.

“Hello. I’m the general manager of BVB Entertainment.”

The following conversation was not long.

As soon as the call ended, Team Leader 1, who had been listening from the side, asked urgently.

“What’s going on? It sounded like they were talking about sending staff over.”

“Nah, it’s nothing.”

“What is it?”

“They have a staff member who’s interested in K-Pop in Korea, and they asked if he could visit and do some interviews.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? HR is interested, and they’re sending staff.”

“It’s not an official dispatch.”

“Then what?”

“He’s a Korean-American, on vacation in Korea. I guess it’s just a personal interest.”

“Ah……”

They also asked subordinate employees to understand local customs when they went to China or Japan for work.

They requested to know about which idol’s poster was up at the cosmetics shop that sold Korean cosmetics.

They wanted to know which song was played the most and which album sold the best at the record store.

Rather than officially dispatching subordinates on business trips, they would rather personally ask for these trivial things.

HR Corporation was exactly at that level.

“Team Leader 1. Who’s that guy from A&R who studied abroad?”

“Team Leader Seo Seung-Hyun?”

“Oh, yeah. Ask him to do the interview. Be nice. It’s HR, after all.”

“Got it. When and who’s coming?”

“Tomorrow, 3 PM, name’s Han Si-On.”

“I’ll pass it on.”

***

At the same time that BVB Entertainment was receiving a call from HR Corporation…

Choi Ji-Woon, a lawyer from the largest law firm in South Korea, was sitting and waiting for Han Si-On.

The two of them were not personally acquainted.

They were just a client and a lawyer.

‘He’s just turned twenty?’

But to Choi Ji-Woon, who charges millions in retainer fees, the client was too young.

‘Is he a third-generation chaebol?’

But third-gen chaebols¹A member from a very wealthy and influential clan in Korea² don’t come to law firms by themselves.

They call the lawyers to their homes.

‘And the clothes he’s wearing are too ordinary.’ – Thought Ji-Woon.

Nevertheless, Lawyer Choi Ji-woon felt that there was something different about the boy in front of him.

He was not sure what exactly that feeling was.

“Mr. Han Si-On.”

“I heard from the front desk that you said you wanted to tell me the details of your request in private?”

“I’ll tell you this in advance, but I’m being evaluated on my win rate at the law firm. I might have to decline if I’m not confident that I can win.”

“Yes. I heard the explanation. I’ve heard you’re quite the figure here.”

Of course, that reputation was partly thanks to his father, who was a former prosecutor general, and his maternal grandfather, who was the chief justice of the Supreme Court. However, no one doubted Choi Ji-Woon’s abilities.

In the world of professionals, connections are also a form of ability.

“Thank you. I know my consultation fees are quite expensive… What brings you here?”

“Real estate prices have gone up a lot, so I’ll probably clear about 1.2 billion Won when I sell it.”

“Pardon?”

“If you add up the other invested assets and the insurance money you’ll receive in the future, it’ll probably be around 2 billion Won.”

“What are you talking about?”

“My parents’ estate. It could be even more if we include things that are difficult to liquidate.”

Lawyer Choi Ji-Woon made a dumbfounded expression.

Two billion Won is a lot of money, but why is he suddenly bragging about it? 

‘Is he trying to say that I shouldn’t underestimate him because his parents are so rich?’Ji-Woon thought.

At that moment, Han Si-On spoke up.

“Let’s split it 50-50.”