Chapter 143:
Chapter 143
How about not accepting these things anymore?
‘No matter how I think about it, Choi Ian is too young for this role.’
As the reporters were busy taking pictures and uploading articles in real time, a man sitting at the back of the theater watched Ian leave the theater with his arms crossed.
‘The situation is what it is, so there was no Chinese capital involved. Then that means there was no influence from Yewen Li…’
The role of Kim Chuntaek that Ian took was a role that many actors wanted to play as the synopsis circulated. But the casting was mostly influenced by the writer Yoon, and she only gave priority to a few actors that she verified.
‘I heard that Yoon was the first one to pick him? Could it be…’
Was it his real skill? That drama by Yoon? The man shook his head.
‘It’s hard without any connections. His agency is small and his face is half-half. He’s handsome but he doesn’t have any sponsors, right?’
The man assumed that Ian had a different sponsor than Yewen Li. He tapped his ankle as he waited for the lights in the theater to dim.
‘Let’s see how good he is.’
The screen turned red and the opening of ‘Heebin Jang’s Wife’ played. The man unfolded his arms and stared at the screen.
‘Han Dongjae’s acting is still similar… I thought he would show something different in a historical drama.’
Han Dongjae, whom he expected, was doing a decent job, but there was no special improvement in his acting. The man watched the drama with a dull face until Ian’s face filled the screen. He raised his eyebrows.
‘This… better than I thought.’
Kim Chuntaek leaving the palace, and looking at Kim Soa with a languid gaze. The man leaned forward from his comfortable position and looked at Ian’s face on the screen with interest.
‘He has an amazing screen presence…’
Kim Chuntaek only appeared for about 10 minutes before the end of the press screening, at the end of the triangular saga of Sukjong, Inhyeon Wanghu, and Jang Heebin.
But his powerful entrance scene that made him forget the previous plot, and his low voice that matched his historical acting were impressive.
“Wow, Choi Ian’s face is no joke.”
“Doesn’t this look like it’s going to be a hit?”
“The directing is good and the synopsis says the characters are attractive too.”
Not only the man, but also the reporters on site murmured. As they opened their laptops to write their reviews of the press screening, the man got up from his seat.
‘Really good, huh? He must have been chosen for his skill…’
Until now, he thought he was just one of those common idol group members who had outstanding looks. He only became interested recently when Awi’s popularity soared, but honestly he didn’t care about male idols.
‘The drama also smells like a hit. The problem is who gets him first…’
He glanced at the busy reporters and left the theater early. He stopped for a moment and looked at his phone’s contacts. Then he made a call somewhere.
“Hello, director. How have you been?”
The man smiled meaningfully.
“I found a good kid. How about having a meal with me sometime?”
***
“I’m sorry, but we already have everyone coming.”
(Please make more seats for us. I’ll write a good article for you.)
“What should we do? We have to be careful about quarantine… Well, I’ll try to arrange something for you. You’re Park from ‘Daily Entertainment’, right? Yes, yes.”
The agency staff hung up the phone and shrugged his shoulders. He couldn’t leave work because of the incoming calls even though it was way past quitting time.
“Why are they suddenly calling like crazy? What’s going on?”
“Excuse me, do we have any seats left for our showcase?”
“We might be able to make some if we try… Would you mind sitting in the back row?”
The staff next to him whispered quietly. The more reporters came, the better. The staff looked at the seating chart and tried to fit as many people as possible.
“Isn’t it around now that Ian’s press screening ends?”
“Oh? Now that you mention it…”
The staff refreshed the entertainment news section. Articles about ‘Heebin Jang’s Wife’ press screening started to pop up one by one, and when they refreshed again, they piled up.
“It seems like the response was better than we thought?”
Seo Suryeon, who was watching from behind, smirked. Whether it was a drama or a movie, something hit would change his value. At times like this, holding on was the answer.
“For now, don’t accept any ads that come in and talk to me.”
***
“Isn’t this where we had our debut showcase?”
“That’s right, it’s been a while.”
Awi arrived at Hannam-dong early in the morning for their comeback showcase. It was because of the audio rehearsal and the camera rehearsal for the live broadcast.
“I thought it would be nice if the seats were full up to the second floor next time we came here.”
Lee Juhyuk looked around and said. Not only Lee Juhyuk, but everyone thought it would be nice if the seats here were full of fans when they had their first showcase here.
“We should have fans filling up this place.”
“I hope it ends soon.”
They looked closely and saw that there were signs on the social distancing seats that said not to sit on the seat backs. Park Dongsu squeezed in between the gloomy members.
“Guys, your gifts are here.”
“Wow!”
The members excitedly headed to the waiting room. On the table, there were food supports prepared by the fans and custom in-ears and microphones that they had chosen the design beforehand for their third anniversary of debut. They were neatly packed in boxes.
“Awesome.”
“So cool.”
On the boxes, there were the group logo of Awi and their names printed neatly. The members looked for their own microphones and held them in their hands.
Ian also opened the box with his name on it. There were a microphone with crystals that would sparkle under the stage lights and a receiver placed orderly.
[Wow, they spent a lot of money. Your fans have some firepower.]
‘Really?’
He was happy to receive the gift, but the microphone in his hand felt somehow heavy.
‘I was so happy when I received something like this for the first time, but now it feels like a burden…’
When he was Kim Yongmin of Diamond, he didn’t know how much he envied the other popular idols who had long lists of supports while he waited for the next comeback that he didn’t know when it would happen. So he was only happy when he received his first support.
Looking back, he realized that it was a choice, not a given, to receive something that fans gave because they liked the singer.
[You’re talking nonsense again.]
It wasn’t like the company didn’t pay them properly, or they didn’t earn enough from Awi’s activities. He could afford to buy these things himself by now.
‘But if I don’t take it alone, the members will feel awkward.’
Should he say something? Ian hesitated and opened his mouth.
“You know…”
Before Ian could finish his sentence, Lee Juhyuk, who was stroking his microphone box, cut him off.
“I’m sorry to say this now, but how about we don’t take these things anymore?”
“Huh? I was going to say that too.”
Ian looked at Lee Juhyuk with wide eyes.
“As expected, I knew you would.”
Lee Juhyuk reached out his palm to Ian, and Ian clasped his hand. Park Seodam carefully put his microphone back in the box and said.
“Are you talking about these supports?”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I think we’ve received enough. It’s not like we can’t make money…”
Lee Juhyuk’s words were followed by Ian’s.
“We don’t even use many of the gifts we receive. Right?”
“Yeah. There are some that are duplicated and some that are too many that I piled them up at my grandmother’s house.”
Except for Ian and Lee Juhyuk, the members felt something strange at that moment. They had just taken them because they were given, without any thought.
“That’s true… This is not something we have to take. Why didn’t we think about not taking it?”
But having no thought meant thinking as if it was natural.
Kim Hyun scratched his head. He remembered hearing stories from some of his friends who he had known since trainee days that they fought over who got the limited edition and how the popular member had a different level of gifts.
“I searched the price and it was so expensive that I never used it and just left it at the dorm.”
“That’s so lame. But I have something like that too.”
“Hey, you too?”
“Yeah. We make a lot of money, why are we so stingy?”
Cho Taewoong and Kim Juyeong pointed at each other with their index fingers and giggled.
The members’ reactions were better than expected, so Lee Juhyuk smiled with relief.
“Actually, I’ve been thinking about not taking them since last year. But I was afraid you guys would feel awkward if I didn’t.”
“Ah… I get it.”
He doesn’t take supports but why does he? The other members don’t take them but he takes them every time. They imagined the hate comments that would unfold in front of their eyes and looked gloomy.
“I think fans spending money for us is enough with buying albums or goods. What do you guys think?”
“Me too.”
“Let’s flex with our own money.”
“Good.”
Ian, Cho Taewoong, and Kim Juyeong raised their hands. Park Seodam and Kim Hyun also followed suit.
“Yeah. I heard stories about people fighting and comparing who got more or less gifts. Let’s not do that.”
“Hey, we don’t do that. Anyway, I agree.”
“How about we still accept fan letters or fan arts instead of these expensive gifts?”
“That’s good.”
Park Jinhyuk nodded as well. Lee Juhyuk grinned.
“Then let’s not take these gifts anymore. You heard that, right, Dongsoo hyung?”
Park Dongsoo nodded.
“I got it, I’ll pass it on.”
The members each picked up their phones.
“Isn’t it better for us to post on the fan cafe first?”
“How about midnight?”
“Good.”
“Whoever posts the last at midnight will buy breakfast tomorrow?”
“Deal.”
Park Dong-soo smiled contentedly as he watched the members who were betting and worrying about how to write on the fan cafe.
‘They are amazing.’
He was proud of them for not fighting and exchanging opinions smoothly without him telling them anything.
***
The fans were determined to do their best as they filled the seats. They thought that if the cheering was weak, the members would lose their spirit because of the low number of spectators.
It was a rare occasion for AWY members to meet their fans directly. The fans remembered how the members always said they missed them and the stage was harder without their support on Y app live broadcasts. They shouted louder even before the show started.
“Wow… can you hear the sound outside, guys?”
“Yeah. It’s crazy.”
“Awesome. This is it.”
“How long has it been… I think I’m going to cry.”
The members who were waiting backstage smiled at each other. They gathered around Lee Ju-hyuk and stood in a circle.
“Let’s do well for AWYdom. We are who we are.”
“AWY!”
They shouted their group slogan and turned around. Ian put on his in-ear monitor and tried to calm his trembling heart.
***
The fan showcase was also decided suddenly, so they had to hurry and film a cheering video during practice. But when they heard the fans screaming and cheering, the sparse audience seats looked full.
Ian wanted to hear the cheers more clearly, so he took off one of his in-ears. He didn’t mind when the in-ear hit his body or flew away because of his dance moves.
‘I need their support.’
He smiled brightly at the sight of the shaking light sticks and the constant screams.
‘I love the stage.’
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