Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols - Chapter 68
Only Krnovel
| Episode 68. Business Etiquette Training (1)
Since the teaser was released, there has been a slight but noticeable increase in mentions of Spark.
As soon as the teaser was released online, my debut became inevitable.
All of us also entered hellish training.
Wasn’t it the case that the company didn’t have an atmosphere where they forced you to practice?
“Guys, are you having a hard time?”
“Yes, bro… … .”
“I’m having a hard time too. But my eyes are still open, so let’s try a little harder.”
Yeah, I forced them. They were already good, but the more time I spent on them, the better they got, so I’m squeezing them to the bone.
After the Park Joo-woo incident, he took the members’ conditions into consideration and whipped them delicately. To this extent, it is VIP protocol.
My accumulated fatigue is also rising significantly… … But I can still wake up in the morning, so I guess it’s okay.
As I was trying to take a drink of water to catch my breath, Park Joo-woo came up to me and asked.
“Brother, you’re practicing for the autograph session tomorrow morning, right… …?”
“huh.”
Spark’s ‘practice’ wasn’t limited to just the debut stage.
We created a separate comprehensive onboarding program for Kim Iwol’s debut.
As soon as the debut date was confirmed, I asked for the company’s understanding and had the members practice on stage during the day and practice for fan signings and fan meetings at night.
UA didn’t provide much education on fan service, and the reason Spark was involved in minor controversies during his debut was because of his responses to fan events.
≫ I wrote a review after going to a fan signing and quitting the fandom
Honestly, I didn’t know that my stone fandom was backwards.
When you were originally a pure-hearted person, you would close your eyes and ears and do all the fandom stuff, right?? I was the same.
I just covered for XX because my kids were shy lol
But at the fan signing that I went to for tens of thousands of won, not one, but five people said, “Ah… … thank you.” So XX got really excited
Ah, these are the XXXs who really followed in the footsteps of Yochung. I stayed up all night that day and quit the fandom the next day.
└ This is so annoying… I go to see them and buy clothes and get my nails done, but the manager gets everything set up at the salon and comes in a car driven by the manager, but he acts like he’s tired. It pisses me off so much
└ Can you tell me who you are a fan of, even if it’s just by the initials?
└ ㅅㅍㅋ
└ You spent the money and didn’t get the fan service you wanted, so now you’re blaming the stone ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ What did you leave to the stone?
└ I paid for the album with my own money and won the fan signing, so I can’t even ask for that much. I hope the person who wrote the comment doesn’t complain when they order a set menu and only receive individual items, and just eats what they get.
At that time, the community bulletin board was full of scary words. Even Manager Nam’s daughter was getting angry, saying she should get the PDF or not.
The reason Spark ruined the fan signing event was later revealed through Jeong Seong-bin’s mouth. It was because all the guys were extremely nervous.
They saw their senior idols get beaten up after opening their eyes wide at fan signing events, so they felt like they had to do something, but they had no idea what to do.
Some people took this honestly, while others thought it was a cowardly excuse.
But I understood Jeong Seong-bin’s feelings to some extent.
At that time, Choi Je-ho, who would say anything and at any time, was sitting next to Jeong Seong-bin.
Although Choi Je-ho had never made any outrageous remarks during fan signing events, Jeong Seong-bin’s concerns were understandable, as the members had said that they had been hurt by Choi Je-ho’s speech several times when they were trainees.
I, too, went into interviews with Manager Nam and my back got soaking wet more than once or twice.
Whether or not the older brother is a supporter has a significant impact. In that sense, Choi Je-ho was a good center, but he wasn’t a good older brother.
Besides, at that time, Kang Ki-yeon was the type of person who would lose his temper whenever he was nervous, so the only people Jeong Seong-bin could count on were Park Joo-woo, who had scraped together his sociability, and Lee Cheong-hyeon, who was younger than him.
So I guess you were focused at the event. It’s a good thing you didn’t say anything nonsense.
But that doesn’t justify their lack of fan service. Doesn’t someone who receives money have an obligation to do the same?
So let’s proceed.
Spark’s mock fan signing event.
* * *
Last weekend, I analyzed over 200 boy group fan signing reviews and post-its to create a list of FAQs and shared them in a group message room.
[★Notice★ 1. The last person to go out should check the gas stove. 2. Trash should be placed in visible areas… …]
me
[Answers to each question by tomorrow or the day after
Think of three at a time.]
[When a question comes in randomly
I’m going to practice answering.]
Cute pretty visual Lee Cheong-Hyeon
[I checked the youngest ones~]
Mental pillar Jeong Seong-bin
[Seongbin, Joowoo confirmed. :)]
Mental pillar Jeong Seong-bin
[I told Jeho hyung too! :)]
me
[Jeho *^^* You didn’t make your younger sibling do it because you were too lazy to reply, right? *^^* You’re not that kind of old fart who can’t reply, are you? *^^* If that’s true, I’m a little disappointed ㅠㅠ *^^*]
Center Emperor Choi Je-ho
[Oh, I didn’t order that]
Whether Choi Je-ho felt wronged or not, the day to check the guys’ preparedness came quickly.
To create a realistic space, we even brought a long desk and chair into the practice room, and the place we saw in the photo in the review was recreated.
Choi Je-ho, who was placing water bottles on the desk according to the number of people according to my instructions on the other side, asked.
“But when we practice, who plays the role of the fan?”
“I.”
“you?”
Choi Je-ho asked back in a trembling voice.
But think about it.
I might have to sign for at most 3 months, or I might not have the chance to attend a signing event at all.
And you guys have to do autograph sessions for at least 7 years.
Which of you two should practice signing harder? Obviously, you two.
“Is that a good choice? I don’t think it’ll be easy to meet a fan like you.”
“What kind of fan is a fan like me?”
“Would you like to hear?”
Even Kang Ki-yeon took care of Choi Je-ho.
It seems like everyone is doubting my acting skills.
This is ridiculous. I had to read the shape of your lips so I watched the fan sign cams over and over again.
There must be about 15,000 sparklers that I have seen in videos. Thanks to that, I can imitate the gestures of the fans sitting in front of me without even looking at them.
There’s nothing I can do.
Let me show you. The dignity of the first place winner of the Hanpyeong Industries HR Team Manager Bae Nam’s voice impression contest.
The first batter at the first Spark (mock) fan signing event was Jeong Seong-bin.
Jeong Seong-bin seemed slightly tense, as he clenched his fists tightly.
Unlike the other guys, he seemed to be taking this situation quite seriously. He is a guy who never disappoints.
I was deeply moved and handed Jeong Seong-bin the scheduler I had prepared as a prop.
And he laughed out loud and shouted.
“Seongbin, I caught you, my favorite!”
“……yes?”
Jeong Seong-bin, who was trying to pretend to sign, froze and looked up at me with a creaking sound.
Why can’t this special feeling last even 5 seconds? I said with a serious expression.
“Seongbin-ah, are you crazy that your fans chose you as their favorite? Do you want to go from favorite to (former) favorite during the fan signing event?”
“No, I was just so flustered for a moment… … I’m sorry!”
“Confusion comes from lack of practice. Remember that.”
I gave a warning to the other four people sitting next to Jeong Seong-bin and then sat back down in my chair.
Now, the atmosphere between us was more than just tense; it was tense and serious.
“Post-it! Check the answers to the Post-it questions!”
“yes yes!”
Wake up, you guys.
After this is over, I have to practice showing off my long legs for the fan meeting.
* * *
Kang Ki-yeon didn’t think much of it until Kim I-wol asked her to practice for the fan signing event.
It’s not that I was indifferent. It’s just that I was doing what I had to do, so I didn’t feel any special emotions.
It was surprising that he had time to consider such things. Kang Ki-yeon felt that Kim Yi-wol’s obsession with perfection was sometimes fanatic at times.
But now, we have passed the point where we feel strange about his eccentric behavior.
Rather, considering Kim Iwol’s personality as a perfectionist, this elder’s eccentric behavior becomes understandable.
Because when looking at the photos posted on SNS, it seemed natural for Kim Il-wol to arrange the table, water bottles, and chairs exactly as in the photos.
but…….
“Oh my… … Cheong-hyeon, you’re really handsome… … .”
Kim Yi-wol, who was talking to the second member, Lee Cheong-hyeon, was obviously not in his right mind. Or he was possessed by something.
The acting of covering his mouth and making a moved expression was really excellent. If Kang Ki-yeon had only believed in indigenous religions, he would have definitely thought that the older brother was possessed by a ghost.
“Hey, if you keep praising me like that, what if I end up becoming a bad habit?”
My friend who is accepting it is… … .
He was originally a strange guy.
Kang Ki-yeon gave up thinking.
“It’s okay. If power is determined by appearance, then our Cheong-Hyeon is the president.”
“Really? Can’t you do that to the other members later?”
“Sorry, just pretend you didn’t see that.”
I was so excited.
Kang Ki-yeon held back from shaking his head. He didn’t know what kind of trouble would happen if he shook his head presumptuously during the virtual fan signing event.
However, despite Kang Ki-yeon’s efforts, Kim Yi-wol turned his head towards the remaining members.
There was no light to be found in Kim Yi-wol’s deep, dark eyes.
“Hey guys.”
“……yes.”
“Why are you smiling during a fan signing event? Didn’t I tell you to keep smiling brightly unless there’s a good reason? Do you want to hear things like, ‘Spark’s first fan signing has become a closing-off event’?”
“Just smile, just smile!”
“Yes, Choi Je-ho, especially you. Then why haven’t you laughed yet and made me say the same thing again?”
“… … .”
“Let’s understand it perfectly when I say it once, okay?”
Kim Yi-wol’s face radiated murderous energy, and only his eyes smiled kindly. It was a smile that Lee Cheong-hyeon called ‘false kindness.’
Kang Ki-yeon swallowed hard. If he got caught by that guy who was obviously a swindler, he definitely wouldn’t be able to go home safely today.
The third member to appear at this timing was Park Joo-woo.
Since Park Joo-woo was very shy and had received a lot of private lessons from Kim I-wol, everyone held their breath and watched the two of them—but still with smiles on their faces.
I hope that their proud main vocalist will never be dragged to a vocal practice room to receive harsh private lessons.
“Hello, Joo-woo!”
Kim Iwol’s lively greeting came out again without dying down.
Then Park Joo-woo answered with a faint smile.
“Hello, bro. The ring really suits you.”
what?
Park Joo-woo to… … Kim Yi-wol?
In such a kind and affectionate tone… …what?