Author: LyraDhani
The gods of myths are arrogant. They think outside the realm of human understanding, act without caring about others’ opinions, and achieve their desires without difficulty.
MYTH’s groups did not deviate much from this mold. Starting with Hellas’ leader Yur, this image had been maintained as MYTH’s defining identity. In the case of Polo, whose personality ran counter to that grain, I heard it took years just to get approval for a solo radio appearance.
Parthé could be said to be a distillation of MYTH’s spirit in its purest form. Their one-line description alone said it all: an ultimate being closest to humanity, yet absolutely incapable of becoming human.
Perhaps because of that, Parthé gave off the impression of sothing ticulously crafted from head to toe. Highly polished, in other words.
From their increasingly rare, perfectly synchronized group greetings, to their uniform-focused outfits, to their relaxed deanor, Parthé felt like a tightly woven worldview in human form. There was even a rumor that they deliberately avoided horror content because they didn’t want to show fear.
That was also why Song Minil didn’t get beaten down even when he occasionally made verbal missteps. Everyone knew how extre MYTH’s concept obsession was, so no matter how arrogant his remarks sounded, they were ntally translated into, ‘Wow… he was really well-trained’, or ‘Man, that kid must have a hard ti functioning in society.’.
But the current Parthé was different. They were drenched in politeness, filling every gap with careful words, projecting a kind of innocence that felt like a group appearing on a survival show for the first ti. Just like Spark in Season 1.
Spark didn’t go so far as to be extrely subservient to senior groups or bow 180 degrees. At that ti, we maintained an appropriate distance from all groups.
So, it was correct to interpret the current Parthe as mimicking only specific parts of Spark.
You ask if I’m overthinking it? If you have your work performance stolen three tis, you will end up like this, too. There’s a reason people say intuition is life’s big data.
The mont they stepped onto the stage, my suspicion turned into certainty.
Because Parthe’s outfit was white t-shirts, denim jackets, and jeans. The only differences from the outfits we wore in Season 1 were the addition of a jacket, the darker color of the pants, and the fact that they were wide pants.
‘MYTH… shouldn’t they really restructure their planning team?’
Sure, so people might complain or make comparisons if they wore luxury brands, but Parthé’s fans preferred their luxurious image. MYTH’s Parthe fans liked the human-rsace-like aspect of their idols.
If Blider, who shared a fanbase overlap with us, had targeted us as a rival group, it might make sense. What kind of group turns their back on their own fandom’s preferences in a fan-voted survival show? Don’t they have basic courtesy for those who vote?
‘Whether the person who planned this as the main stance… or the people just going along with it…’
Parthé wasn’t a rookie anymore. They were more than capable of voicing opinions. Doing nothing at that level was professional negligence.
‘Well, I guess only people with opinions bother making suggestions.’
I stared at the backs of the heads of the Spark mbers finding their seats after the group greeting. If it were those guys, the mont I said ‘Our concept this ti is luxury the’, they would rush in like a swarm of bees asking ‘Why?’, ‘Did you consider the dissonance from the existing image?’, ‘Do you think the pros of the new concept can offset the cons from the concept change?’. How reassuring.
In any case, it really pays off to raise people well. Whether it’s a junior or an idol.
*
As in the previous season, Yur was the MC. This ti, however, he wasn’t alone.
“Nice to et you, I’m Polo!”
Polo had joined. Yur definitely had been the only one in the waiting room earlier. The poor junior groups, who had been completely fooled, jumped to their feet and greeted him as if struck by lightning.
After a brief self-introduction from the new MC, the program explanation began in earnest. The overarching the was a competition among princes to determine who would ascend the throne, selecting the finest talents through a series of banquets.
“What sets Season 2 apart from Season 1?”
“Idol Dynasty Chronicle Season 2 provides various pleasures to viewers through a total of six stages. For the top scorer of each competition excluding the proclamation ceremony… we will produce a Sacho (Historical Draft) video containing the competition preparation process!”
That was a surprisingly powerful perk. Judging by the term Sacho, it seed they intended to roughly work on raw footage. Instead of short edited cuts produced for broadcast, it would be packed with content, featuring only one team exclusively.
High-definition content served up by the broadcaster with subtitles? A full-length look at your idols’ nervous monts you’d previously only seen in fragnts or edited highlights? Any fan would want that.
And imagine everyone else’s group getting one—except yours. No idol fan could stay sane watching that.
“What benefits does the final heir to the throne receive, Mr. Polo?”
“A king must have a coronation. To celebrate the winner who’ll be recorded in history, we’ll provide funding for a luxurious fan showcase!”
“Wow!”
The surroundings buzzed at the exceptional benefit.
Not a press showcase but a fan showcase? They weren’t just throwing out the word luxury while only covering stage installation costs, right?
“This question isn’t in the script, but Mr. Yur.”
“Yes?”
“When you say luxurious showcase… how far does the support extend?”
As expected of Polo. Being knowledgeable about the market and having seniority, he was unstoppable. Unlike his smiling face looking troubled, Yur recited the benefits as if explaining insurance terms.
“Venue rental and stage installation costs, of course, and a small snack fee for participating fans will also be provided. That’s what we’ve been inford so far.”
His understanding of the program was impressive. He even paused before clarifying it was based on prior information, clearly marking it for easier editing. Exemplary seniors, truly.
“Cool. I want to win.”
Amidst of this, Lee Cheonghyeon, having beco one with capitalism, had stars in his eyes. I had no idea what made him like this.
*
Next ca the highlight of today’s shoot: the forr group self-PR stage, now called the Banquet Ceremony.
Performance order was decided by jegichagi. I beca our team representative for the cri of listing soccer as my favorite sport.
(TL note: Jegichagi is a Korean traditional outdoor ga in which players kick a paper jegi into the air and attempt to keep it aloft.)
“Shouldn’t Spark get bonus points for their outfits?”
Polo joked. And rightly so, among those who ca out to kick the jegi, my pants fluttered the most. Exaggerating a bit, my pants were more excessive than those of Parthe’s dance mber whose pants legs looked as wide as a waist.
“Can I request ti to adjust my outfit?”
“As much as you need.”
Thanks to Yul’s generous heart, I tidied up my Hanbok pants, swallowing my tears.
Although I did my best, my score regrettably stayed in 2nd place. 1st place went to Terkit, who showed movents defying gravity. It was such an incredible sight that I couldn’t stop clapping.
When it ca ti to choose the next order, I picked sixth. I had received opinions from mbers beforehand that any ti was fine, but I was curious how Parthe would react if we took the sa order as in Season 1.
Judging by their subtle but unmistakable fluster, a rough road definitely lay ahead.
Can’t be helped. When I get back to UA, I should ask whether they’re planning an IPO.
*
Among rough youths, Spark alone pursued the flower scholar look. Wearing different light orange translucent overcoats over Hanbok made of fluttering material, we caught two rabbits: the effect of rich fabric and sophistication.
Thanks to the preceding groups except for Parthe attempting intense image-making, Spark stood out even more.
“We’re the only one without smoky makeup… no hair wax either…”
“Even if you want a transfer, it’s too late. Our team is dood without you.”
At my words, Lee Cheonghyeon graciously agreed to stay. I don’t know when he’ll finally take to heart my advice: ‘Cheonghyeon, your face is most beautiful when you do nothing to it’.
When it was Spark’s turn, we went on stage holding a fan each. These were fans spray-painted white by Kang Kiyeon, with drawings in light ink by Jeong Seongjun, a Korean painting major.
I later learned that the dignified paintings hanging in the hallway of Jeong Seongbin’s house when I visited were also Jeong Seongjun’s works.
As I lightly tapped the fan against my palm to straighten it, soone in the distance said that Mr. Iwol looked like a Confucian instructor. It was unfair. Even by my real age standards, I could still pass for a Sungkyunkwan student.
“As far as I know, Spark are idols with many talents. So about this fan perhaps……”
Polo said, showing interest in the fan held by Jeong Seongbin standing next to him.
Before our activity record built up, there was no way for people to know our efforts unless we explained them ourselves. Even if we made it known that Spark touched everything from A to Z in ‘Idol Dynasty Chronicle’ Season 1, it was hard to expect people to recognize that A to Z really ant from floor to ceiling.
However, now it was different. People knew Spark didn’t do anything half-heartedly, and that we worked far harder than anyone imagined.
Once acknowledged, the need to explain directly decreased afterward. The other party showed interest first and wanted to hear answers from us. It was truly a human triumph.
“Yes, we bought and reford them ourselves.”
“At the dorm?”
“Spray painting isn’t good for the respiratory system, so we did it in the UA building parking lot. Everyone, please make sure to use spray paint in a well-ventilated space!”
At my comnt, Kang Kiyeon, who had been standing still, gave a thumbs up towards the cara. At this rate, Spark’s nickna might soon change from ho-industry idols to public safety ambassadors.
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