Debut or Die-Chapter 286
“Shall we start by organizing?”
“Let’s do that.”
“Yes!”
Big Sejin began writing the topic on the whiteboard in the corner of the conference room.
It was an emergency meeting hastily called past midnight.
[TeSTAR Comeback Date]
It looked like our comeback was set to clash perfectly with VTIC’s.
‘Normally the agency decides these things without input from idols at our level...’
But after all the drama, here we were, involved in every detail.
Well, that was the plan—and honestly, I prefer it this way. If someone else chose and our album flopped, we’d lose our minds.
“First... our comeback date is here.”
Big Sejin drew a long line at the date, then marked the early part of July.
Monday, July 5—the date we’d originally planned.
“We get a week’s worth of music show points, a full month on the July monthly chart, and Q3 awards consideration for July, August, and September! Looks good, right? Nice choice whoever made it.”
The agency and all the members had agreed unanimously. I nodded.
“I’m sure VTIC thought the same.”
“...!”
Of course they would. If you’re picking July, you go for maximum efficiency.
Seon Ah-hyun spoke up hesitantly.
“S-So... you think they picked the same date...?”
“They’ll go by Billboard, so it’ll be a bit different.”
Big Sejin had already noted it on the board.
[VTIC Senior Comeback Date]
[Billboard updates on Friday!]
“Friday! So that’d be Friday, July 2.”
“Hmm.”
That’s just three days before ours.
July 2 and July 5.
The two marks Big Sejin made looked annoyingly close. Everyone stared solemnly at the board—
Except one.
“Any problem? You don’t wanna face VTIC seniors?”
That was Cha Yoo-jin.
Of course, someone immediately stepped up to mark him one-on-one.
“Cha Yoo-jin, it’s not personal! I’m talking about how both teams lose out on many metrics when you split the share percentage.”
Kim Rae-bin proudly displayed the calculation he’d only learned preparing this comeback.
‘Nice to see he used what he picked up less than a month ago.’
In simple terms: no matter how much each group sells, since it’s the same period, they split the pie.
‘Both impact and short-term results suffer.’
But Cha Yoo-jin was unfazed.
“No way! We got first place last time! No problem. We just do our stage!”
“Last time?”
“Our debut album!”
Ah, that debut album that dragged on for weeks before finally hitting #1 on streaming.
‘Honestly, it was like VTIC went on tour and we looted their empty house.’
It had been impeccable timing—not the usual result.
Objections popped up around the room.
“That was just luck.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t immediate #1, so it’s kinda different~”
Ryu Cheong-woo gently soothed Cha Yoo-jin.
“Rae-bin just means we don’t need to take the hard route. It’s awkward for both VTIC seniors and us.”
At that point, I didn’t need to speak.
“Uhh...”
Cha Yoo-jin grudgingly accepted the majority decision.
‘So aside from Cha Yoo-jin... does everyone want to change the date?’
I glanced around and collected my thoughts.
Possible options.
“Moving the comeback earlier is tough. We have MV schedules and teasers to shoot.”
“Right, even if we pull it up, at most by a week.”
And even then, VTIC would dominate music shows that week and that’d be it.
“Okay. So our main choice is to push it back....”
Ryu Cheong-woo added cautiously.
“The company is suggesting August or September.”
“Hmm.”
Losing over a month before year-end.
‘It’s risky since beating VTIC in results is already hard.’
But it’s the safer choice to avoid a bigger clash. At least we could secure #1 on music shows for two to three weeks.
Still, I felt uneasy.
‘I can’t pick something that jeopardizes our path to the grand prize.’
I wanted a date beneficial to the awards rather than just music show wins.
But I needed a solid alternative to speak up.
‘Usually people would just pick August and call it a day.’
I thought fast to speak before the consensus solidified.
Then it happened.
“I don’t want to postpone that much.”
“...!”
Ryu Cheong-woo spoke first.
“Seriously?”
“Why?”
“It’s easy to get #1s now, but in the long run, sticking to our original plan is better.”
He laughed confidently.
“We should challenge for Artist of the Year.”
No way.
‘He’s serious....’
“Oooh~ Hyung!”
“What ambition.”
“I like that!”
It got a good reaction—he rarely said things like that.
When I met his eyes, I knew.
‘He’s really backing me.’
He took my grand prize plan seriously.
‘Good.’
Now it was easy for me to speak.
“Then, to preserve our schedule as much as possible... let’s analyze projected results.”
I set aside Big Sejin’s board and began organizing on paper.
“VTIC’s repackaged release won’t spike dramatically, since their gap is shorter.”
No need to stress seniority.
“Let’s assume their previous release sold 1.93 million copies.”
A monstrous number.
“And we....”
TeSTAR’s first week could hit about 1.3 million if everything goes well.
Also insane.
‘A million isn’t just any number.’
But there’s a gap to acknowledge.
“...If we cap at 1.3 million, we can’t catch up in album sales.”
“Mm...”
But that’s not the end.
“We outperform in streaming.”
“Oh, right.”
TeSTAR’s edge: broad appeal.
We keep conceptual themes yet deliver easy-listening tracks half the time, and we’ve snagged popular solo variety shows.
‘Starting with Ajusa really helped.’
So our long-term streaming performance looks promising.
“So if no other major artist drops, both we and VTIC dip in week two, then from week two onward....”
Wait.
If it goes like this....
“...!”
“Mundae, why?”
I reviewed my notes—and realized.
‘I see.’
Obsessed with simultaneous releases at debut, I’d missed this possibility.
We’re not debuting anymore.
Almost unconsciously, I said:
“We ride VTIC’s tail.”
“Uh, wha—?”
“We delay by just one week. Then....”
Bae Sejin chimed in.
“Wait, that’s what we did at debut.”
Exactly.
“No. The event is the same, but the context has changed.”
I turned the paper toward Bae Sejin.
“After VTIC’s week 1 ends, their week 2 sales... our week 1 will surpass that.”
“...!”
“And streaming... once we chart and stabilize, our curve could even be slightly higher.”
I sketched a comparison.
[Album]
VTIC (Week 2) ‹ TeSTAR (Week 1)
[Streaming]
VTIC (Week 2) ? TeSTAR (Week 1) (Likely ahead)
Just looking at it, we’d win on music shows too.
‘Broadcast points can’t flip this.’
We comeback on Monday and hit radio promotions immediately!
First-week SNS buzz and MV views won’t lag.
We’re top-tier now.
“This recreates our debut scenario, except this time we secure week 1.”
Huge image boost.
“And even if week 3 flips, as long as we don’t get blown out, it’s a win.”
Big Sejin nodded.
“So it shows we’ve grown enough to go head-to-head with VTIC and not be outmatched?”
“Exactly.”
After January’s simultaneous release with Youngrin, we’re proving our class.
This time we face a grand rival on equal footing.
‘Plus the narrative callback to our debut will generate buzz.’
Social media and articles will hail it as the generational shift spark.
That’s the goal.
‘We can’t beat VTIC in album sales this year. Youngrin dominates streaming.’
So the only award to challenge is:
[Artist of the Year]
An award for the year’s hottest artist. With top streaming and album results, there’ll be no dispute.
It’s a gamble—but worth it.
“But VTIC’s fans will really hate us for this, right?”
“R-Really?”
“Of course. They’ll feel used.”
‘Downside we must accept.’
Such a duel brings backlash and fatigue.
“Mm, yeah, the fans might struggle too....”
“Hmm.”
But if actual results match my projections with VTIC tying, it won’t matter. The thrill outweighs fatigue.
‘Might even unite fanbases?’
Ajusa’s new season ends soon. Labeling VTIC as the external rival right as internal splits loom seems smart.
Just as I reached that thought, unexpected support arrived.
“If we do well, it’s OK! No worries. ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) Hyung, we’ll crush it! Fans will love it!”
That was Cha Yoo-jin.
He seemed thrilled by not delaying and starting soon....
“How about it? Hyung, we’re good, right?”
“Yeah. W-We’re good...!”
“That’s what I say!”
When it comes to pushing forward, no one does it better. I watched Cha Yoo-jin convert Seon Ah-hyun to our side, then spoke.
‘But that’s over the top.’
We needed unanimous agreement after reflection. We can’t sow discord post-comeback.
“I’ve shared my thoughts, but some may disagree. How about we each think it over, then vote?”
“Sounds good.”
I proposed a vote, and the members agreed.
A moment later.
“.......”
“Oh, unanimous~”
Surprisingly, it passed without a single dissent.
‘This actually works?’
I expected some pushback.
Even those I thought would oppose gave reasons one by one.
“I don’t think we need to fear in advance... I agree, we just have to perform for the fans...!” 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
“Conceptually, releasing at summer’s end wouldn’t showcase this song’s charm fully. Mundae-hyung, your call was spot on.”
The last was Bae Sejin.
“...Thinking about it, delaying because another group comes out feels like conceding.”
“.......”
Right.
Bae Sejin looked away. Ryu Cheong-woo finished with a smile.
“I’ve never regretted listening to your ideas.”
“.......”
I rubbed the back of my neck and nodded.
“Then shall we go with this plan?”
“Great!”
We tentatively agreed on the comeback date.
I still wondered about Cheongryeo’s dyed hair and their secret.
‘What on earth is VTIC planning?’
And I’d soon find out—whether I wanted to or not.
Two weeks later, VTIC dropped their first teaser.
[July’s Music Industry Earthquake... Mega Boy Group Aims for the Throne.]
In mid-June, when TeSTAR announced their July comeback, SNS exploded again.
An office worker running Park Mundae and Lee Sejin’s twin home kept tabs on the biggest rival’s moves.
“They’re crawling in the same month againㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ”
“After five years and a re-sign, seems our kids are losing it.”
‘Predictable.’
The worker, checking VTIC’s anonymous fan site, sighed at the tiring month ahead.
‘Why are they so desperate to release in July?’
What miraculous summer song did they think they had?
‘I guess the only benefit is overlapping data revenue, so time to crunch numbers.’
‘Both agencies seem to have lost their touch. Well, T1 never had any to begin with.’
That day, VTIC’s teaser appeared.
[VTIC — “H.E.L.P” Official M/V Teaser]
“...!!”
The worker’s mind filled with exclamation points.
‘This is....’
It certainly rode the summer wave.
But their chosen keywords were extraordinary.
