Debut or Die-Chapter 255
After accepting the insane deal that the status screen would disappear if I failed the target within 500 days, the rest of the holiday passed peacefully.
Actually, I planned to return to the dorm a few days early and conduct a major analysis of global popular-music trends and domestic trends for the next album...but before I knew it, I was busy producing holiday food.
“......?”
“Oh my, Mundae, you shape those songpyeon so beautifully~ And our Sejin, your mandu are unmatched?”
“Mom!”
“...Thank you.”
Apparently, thinking so hard from the Truth Confirmation through the mission fried my brain a bit. I craved things I could do without thinking.
So I spent the time monitoring a variety show I wrote off as TeSTAR’s Island Life but read as Survival Season.
[Cha Yoo-jin: Waaah!]
[Ryu Cheong-woo: Guys, watch your step!]
“They edited it really ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) spectacularly.”
“...I know.”
Watching them gear up, climb the hill, and receive supplies by helicopter somehow reminded me of an impassioned sport or expedition.
And the feast that followed as a reward.
[Nom nom nom]
[Enjoy, indulge, TeSTAR...☆]
It was more visually appealing than mindless healing. The contrast between suffering to get supplies and the reward made it look even better.
“They must’ve gotten good reactions until the end.”
A quick check of online responses confirmed it.
I thought this would be a boring cuddly show but it was surprisingly substantial
Watching them heal heals me—rest well, guys
I wish they’d make this a regular: a survival setting where if you escape the set you get a reward?? It’d be fun even with other groups lol
┗ If it weren’t TeSTAR... the filming would’ve cut as soon as they were stranded...
┗ lol honestly only TeSTAR could pull this off—the realism helps
┗ ?? I get you’re a TeSTAR fan but isn’t this disrespectful to other idols or entertainers;;ㅠㅠ
┗ You’re the one disrespecting TeSTAR
This level of back-and-forth meant it really took off.
‘They can’t suppress the “fun” consensus, so they push that it’s not just thanks to TeSTAR.’
A good sign.
What surprised me was that this impact didn’t end domestically.
‘Even selling hotteok didn’t do this.’
It wasn’t the variety show where the director openly insisted on aiming at the U.S., yet this domestic pilot thrived.
[TeSTAR in a deserted island and- DISASTER? (shocked emoji)]
The network’s summary clips blew up in views, and within days English titles and subtitles appeared.
Stranded and luxury vacation.
An inherently fun premise, easy to understand, so overseas fans actively recommended the summaries on reaction channels.
[Americans overwhelmed by TeSTAR’s stranded variety show!]
[This is K-pop idol variety! Explosive fun surprises overseas YouTubers (K-subtitles)]
It even drove traffic to nationalist-style translation channels, sparking new content in a virtuous cycle...though it was cringey.
[YouTuber: Oh fuck, did they trap themselves in a hurricane?? On a deserted island??]
[YouTuber: I thought K-pop idol reality would be sweet and cute...]
[YouTuber: Oh my god! Look at them freaking out lol]
[(Automatically joining fandom upon seeing this~ Welcome.)]
Adding these subtitles might sell, but it’s inevitably embarrassing to watch.
“Hmm.”
“...What are you watching?”
“Oh, just our show’s overseas reactions.”
“W-what! You watched that too?”
Sejin’s eyes lit up. True to the guy who found his own clumsy escape scenes, he was deep into this.
“Oh, not this person... someone who picks good vids. Hold on.”
Sejin flipped the TV to YouTube, went into one of his subscribed channels. He really enjoyed YouTube life more than I thought.
The video he played was pretty good.
[Hello, this is K-pop Manse.]
No distortion or exaggeration, background on which YouTuber he translated. No forced nationalist subtitles.
“This is fun.”
“...Aha! Right.”
Amid all the solemn titles and channel names, he’d found this gem. You can’t find that by keywords.
I watched that channel’s videos for a long time. It was relaxing.
But in the process I noticed a pattern.
‘There’s a flow.’
If a foreigner first learns of TeSTAR through this show, they usually ask for music-video recommendations in the comments.
[If there are any other videos I should watch, please recommend in the comments. Don’t forget to subscribe!]
Then K-pop fans swarm to recommend, mostly “Spring Out.”
Wow, you’re reviewing TeSTAR! (laughing emoji)
Their true talent is on stage, not variety??????????? Please watch this MV first! (link)
“Spring Out” is a must-see. I can’t wait for his reaction. (birthday-hat emoji)
The steam-punk-Korean blockbuster vibe went down well, no pushback.
‘We aimed for that from the start, though.’
It felt rewarding to see overseas fans using it so well.
And if that reaction is good, next is “The Visit.”
The two songs are connected in a series! I guarantee it’s your taste☺
They guide viewers through teasers with all the members’ solo tracks before the main piece—a thoughtful approach.
‘And if they ask again, they show the “127 Section” game-collab trailer....’
Through the shared universe from “Better Me” to “Magic Boy.”
After that loop, everyone volunteers to be a “Lover.”
[Hello, subscribers! As you know... I’m totally obsessed with this big K-pop star TeSTAR! I’m a Lover, seriously!]
[Today I’ll react to their latest track “Nightmare.” 1, 2, 3 Play!]
K-pop reaction gets decent views, so many YouTubers exaggerate, but it was impressive.
‘Top groups usually have this route.’
VTIC had similar routes starting with “Night Sign.”
In any case, TeSTAR exerted significant influence on global YouTube trends.
And that wasn’t all.
[TeSTAR’s Trials and Rise]
Videos with similar English titles describing TeSTAR’s dramatic journey circulated with massive views.
“....”
I checked the highest-view one.
[One of the eldest and leader, Ryu Cheong-woo, was originally a national archer for Korea, gold medalist in the Olympic men’s team event.]
[But due to severe aftereffects of a childhood car accident, he retired from the national team the year he came of age.]
It summarized how TeSTAR, with that backstory, competed on a merciless audition program to debut, then achieved phenomenal success.
It also showed how they recovered from a recent terrible car crash and held a charity concert.
In short, a dramatic success story.
‘Americans love that rags-to-riches arc....’
The self-made, tumultuous-story flavor was rich like bone broth.
[The oldest, Bae Sejin, was a famous child actor in a major Korean film.]
[He played a traditional child shaman with stunning acting, winning at film festivals...]
“Ha....”
Sejin covered his face watching his childhood ritual-seance footage.
“Aren’t you proud?”
“Are you kidding?? I was awful.”
Growing up with higher standards, it looked embarrassing.
Still, despite some exaggeration, it was well made.
They cross-edited news of the accident to capture the fandom atmosphere then.
“Hmm.”
“...Everyone was worried.”
[And when the final member was discharged, they made an astonishing plan.]
[It was an online charity concert for long-term hospitalized children.]
The charity concert—well, since TeSTAR is foreign to those kids, it focused on “good influence,” which is fine.
Celebrities from other countries get a “cultural difference” pass even when weird scandals break.
‘But I need to control our image.’
Just in case, I checked comments on mobile.
A group who wants to execute the former manager for life
He deserves to rot in jail forever.
He threatened people by stopping cars at night? A vile monster
“.......”
The comment section was ready to burn the former manager at the stake, charity concert or not. Even in a foreign language, the vitriol was clear.
‘Anger is universal, huh.’
Still, it wasn’t entirely bad. It’s right to hate a violent criminal for his crime.
He had no particularly tragic backstory, so no sympathy.
‘Though they’d have hit him anyway.’
Moreover, his future looked bleak.
I heard the former manager was indicted for attempted murder by implied intent after that outrage.
He became the focus, had no backers, even turned a big company enemy—he bungled the criminal trial.
“By the way, they said he was sentenced to 17 years, right?”
He received the full term with no reduction, likely same on appeal.
Sejin nodded stiffly.
“Right. He deserves life, not 17 years.”
“....”
Even if he’s released, he couldn’t live normally.
Because while managing, fans repeatedly caught him on camera; a simple search shows his face.
Like other cases, even three years in prison would’ve ended his chance at a normal career here.
And now it seems he couldn’t live overseas either.
A video about TeSTAR’s backstory featuring the former manager’s face racked up eight million views.
‘The more TeSTAR rises, the harder life post-release will be for him.’
And that will come to pass.
I shrugged.
“He probably won’t see his face again, so think of it as closure.”
“...Yeah. It is a holiday.”
Sejin’s mother smiled warmly beside him.
Yes, it was a lovely scene.
‘Rest up before the work begins.’
I planned to dive into album prep the moment the holiday ended.
I paused in thought.
What did the fans trapped in this TeSTAR-fandom algorithm pool really want?
‘A well-crafted song, obviously.’
Sure, deep lore and easy listening are good, but I needed a more primal approach.
Tough, cool choreography; a visually stunning, intense music video; and exhilarating, high-budget sound.
Things you can just watch and enjoy without overthinking.
Nothing better cements viral global momentum. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦
‘In short, we need to pour money like water.’
That was the one thing the company bosses actually excelled at, so no problem.
But I’d no longer tolerate these leeches who tried to hitch a ride and disrupt the big picture.
‘What a waste of time.’
I still had to follow through on what I told Sejin, who gathered litigation materials.
—I’m thinking we can achieve the same effect through a different kind of lawsuit.
Anyway, the company almost got screwed when they tried to sidestep attention from the former manager.
‘Time to pay him a visit.’
I spent the rest of the holiday planning a pleasant meeting with the director.
On the first day after the holiday ended, I scheduled a meeting with him.
