Chapter 12: The Future Starts to Change (6)

UNET’s cameraman, Han Yi-Soo, let out a deep sigh and raised his camera amidst the chaotic scene unfolding before him.

“Ah, it’s broken. Shit.”

The situation was grave. A chandelier and lights hovered dangerously above the heads of two newbie idols. Acting on instinct, Han Yi-Soo directly placed his expensive camera on a nearby table and rushed over to help.

Thankfully, no one was seriously injured, but one of the trainees involved in the shoot had a leg injury and needed to be transported to the hospital. Once the immediate crisis had been handled and everything had calmed down, Han Yi-Soo returned to find his camera lying on the floor, having tumbled during the commotion.

“Do I have to pay for this? I probably do, right? Oh no,” mumbled Han Yi-Soo to himself in frustration as he fidgeted with the camera. At this moment, Chief Producer Director Lee Won-Jae, who had been observing the situation, approached him.

"Mr. Han, did you manage to capture the accident on camera?"

"Huh? Oh, um, yes. I think everything was recorded. I’m not entirely sure about the video quality, but the audio should have captured everything. Why do you ask?"

"Give me the camera." With a sly grin on his lips, Lee Won-Jae took the camera from Han Yi-Soo to review the footage.

“Umm... Shouldn't we be careful about using this footage?”

"Just be quiet." Lee Won-Jae—infamous as the “King of Manipulative Editing” and the mastermind behind various hit survival shows starting with

Rapstar

—was adept at creating sensational moments for television.

'It's also going to be a big hit this time.'

Despite the trainees not being very well-known yet, he believed that getting involved in this program was the right decision. Furthermore, the footage he had just acquired was priceless: a member and a manager foreseeing a lighting issue, a lighting director scolding them, and an idol swiftly acting to save his colleague. The content was sensational, perfect for boosting viewership.

Having worked with Lee Won-Jae multiple times, Han Yi-Soo couldn’t help but express his concerns upon seeing the director’s expression.

"Director Lee, you're not planning to air this footage, are you? Broadcasting such an accident could lead to a backlash."

"Mr. Han, do you really think I’m not aware of that? I have a plan."

"But if this gets out, many people here could lose their jobs," Han Yi-Soo said as he cast a glance at the filming crew. At this moment, Chronos's manager, Joh In-Hyun, was locked in a heated argument with the director of photography.

However, it seemed that Lee Won-Jae was already on his phone, presumably discussing with UNET.

"Director Lee?"

Lee Won-Jae clicked his tongue after hearing Han Yi-Soo’s call. "Don't worry. I will handle it. Besides, people like them need to face the consequences."

Despite almost causing someone's death, the lighting director would, at best, get a minor reprimand. Lee Won-Jae might not be seeking revenge on behalf of Chronos, but in one way or another, the incompetent filming company would get what they deserved through his cunning method.

Good riddance!

"Mr. Han, I am going to meet with the entertainment reporters in Seoul. Wrap things up here and head back," Lee Won-Jae said.

"Uh? Okay, please take care," Han Yi-Soo answered. Following that, Lee Won-Jae left the scene with the broken camera in hand.

***

The whole incident on the set felt surreal; however, as I examined my injuries, I realized that the glass shards had penetrated quite deeply. Seeing my condition, the road manager who brought me to the hospital looked visibly shaken. Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but feel relieved—a minor leg injury was far preferable to a facial wound.

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"I’m sorry, Hyun-Woo hyung," Lee Jin-Sung said, looking uneasy beside me.

Hearing his apology, I simply chuckled and shook my head. "Is it your fault? You could have died."

Joo-Han, who was standing behind Jin-Sung, joined the conversation with a concerned tone. "Both of you were in danger. My heart dropped for a bit there."

"Thank you for saving me, Hyun-Woo hyung."

I had to admit that I was lucky as Jin-Sung was lighter than I had expected.

"So, how did the filming go? And what about manager hyung?"

"He's still at the site, arguing. He had warned them about the faulty lights earlier. He even grabbed the lighting director by the collar, causing quite a scene."

I couldn't help flashing a wry smile at Joo-Han's description of the events. In reality, there was a good chance the issue would be swept under the rug. Years ago, a similar incident had occurred, and although the company received compensation, the lighting director only faced minor disciplinary action before returning to work.

‘Would this situation be any different? At most, the company might face some backlash because an unknown trainee got injured.’

"And what about Goh Yoo-Joon and Yoon-Chan?" I asked.

"They're back there, checking the footage. They said they'd check ours too, so they stayed while the rest of us came here."

"They said we won't be reshooting since we were the last group."

"I had to force Yoo-Joon to stay there. He would have created a ruckus if he came," said Joo-Han.

"Thank you, Joo-Han hyung."

Had Goh Yoo-Joon come, he would’ve lashed out, even though it was not my fault. He was probably being kept in check by the manager. Well, that was good. I didn’t have the energy to deal with Goh Yoo-Joon's outburst at the moment. All I wanted was to rest.

Then, Joo-Han's work phone rang. "It's In-Hyun hyung."

"Is he on his way here?" I asked.

Looking at his phone, Joo-Han chuckled and then handed it to me. "The photos turned out great. Manager hyung just sent them to me."

"Oh..." I looked at the phone.

- We’ve decided these pictures will go up on the official website.

The pictures our manager sent included two group shots, two subunit[1] shots featuring me, Jin-Sung, and other members, and one solo shot of each of us. As soon as I saw the first picture, I froze. My mind went blank for a moment.

“...Ah.”

There were almost ten pictures, but my hand was stuck on the first one. I was positioned in the center of the five people in the picture, a place I had never imagined being in the past.

“Suh Hyun-Woo?”

"Hyun-Woo hyung, what's wrong? Why are you reacting like this?"

It was a photo of five people I thought I would never see together again. My thumb that was hovering over the screen trembled.

‘What should I say?’

It was an indescribable emotion.

"Hyung, are you... crying?"

"No, I am not."

I tightly closed my eyes and swiped to the next picture. The following photo was a unit shot of me and Lee Jin-Sung, taken just moments before the accident. It was a photo I had never seen before.

The future had definitely changed. It wasn’t just about changing positions or group names. Now, I had the opportunity to remain a member of this group.

The overwhelming thought of the future ahead filled me with emotions.

"Hyun-Woo, you looked calm, but I knew you were scared." Joo-Han's hand provided a comforting warmth on my back. I brushed his hand away, albeit reluctantly, and handed him back the phone.

I said, "Anyway, thanks for your hard work. Jin-Sung, I'm fine, it's not your fault, so please shake it off."

Soon after, the other members and the manager came to the hospital and took us back to our dorm. Due to this big incident, Goh Yoo-Joon caused a commotion, gathering everyone while all of us were confined to our dorm.

"The lighting accident on UNET's show is ranked third in search rankings?"

"What? How did the news come out? It's already leaked. This is insane."

The news of an idol group involved in a lighting accident while filming a new UNET survival show swept across all portal sites. Details were scarce, as the identity of the idol group wasn't disclosed. However, the lighting director and the filming company quickly issued extensive apologies and temporarily halted operations for equipment inspections.

"How did this information even get out? The filming was supposed to be confidential."

"Maybe UNET subtly let the news slip?" I suggested, trying to make sense of the situation.

"It seems UNET isn't responding to the media frenzy. They might be using the incident as a form of noise marketing[2]."

"Using someone's injury for marketing? That's just wrong and infuriating," Goh Yoo-Joon commented, clearly upset.

I shrugged it off, assuming that the news had spread because my injuries were minor. If I had been seriously hurt, UNET would never have allowed the information to go public, unless they were completely irrational. My injuries were light, yet the situation had garnered enough attention to make headlines, leading to a buzz and some consequential disciplinary actions.

I felt a twinge of injustice but also a sense of relief as I had come to terms with the situation.

"Our company has decided to sue the lighting director and the company privately. If this becomes public knowledge, it will be clear that we were the group involved," Joo-Han informed us.

However, everyone found out that Chronos was involved in the incident three days later—four days before filming the audition scene where we had to wear Cha-Cha clothes. A video from the incident was leaked on a community site. It was posted anonymously, but it was obvious that UNET did it.

In the edited ten-minute video, anyone could hear the manager arguing with the lighting director about the equipment check after the members' interviews.

- Manager: One of our members said he saw the lighting shaking. You can just check it once. Isn’t it better than someone getting hurt and being responsible for it?

- Lighting Director: You are ridiculous. I, for sure, checked it thoroughly this morning. He hasn’t even debuted and lacks experience. He doesn’t know anything! Hey, you. I know the most about lighting, so mind your own business and take care of your kids.

I could barely hear our manager sighing in frustration. The video then skipped to the scene of Joo-Han talking to the manager.

- Manager: He got defensive, insisting that there was nothing wrong. He claimed to have checked the equipment and swore that a trainee without experience did not know anything.

- Joo-Han: Ah... really?

- Manager: He should at least check once more when someone says there is an issue with the equipment. It’s a safety concern. This is unbelievable.

Following this, the video showcased my conversation with the manager as I expressed my concerns about the lighting director's negligence. Then, came the harrowing scene of the accident.

- Han Yi-Soo: Ah, fuck! Are you okay?

The screen jolted, capturing the moment when the cameraman threw his camera aside and rushed over to the accident site. The camera, now on the ground and broken, failed to capture the scene properly, but the audio continued to record. Chaos ensued among the filming crew, and the other group members were left in a state of confusion.

And then...

- Hyun-Woo: ...Hey, are you okay?

- Jin-Sung: Huh? Ah... Umm, yes. I am just surprised... but are you okay, hyung? Thank you... hyung. Your leg! Your leg is bleeding!

- Hyun-Woo: Phew, that is a relief.

The video captured my voice, which was filled with concern when checking on Jin-Sung and his shaky response. Hence, the detailed clip of the incident spread like wildfire on social media, once again dominating the search rankings.

Countless articles speculated about the idol group and members involved in the accident. Initially, our company's staff was furious about the leak and considered pursuing legal action. However, as public opinion shifted in our favor, they subtly hinted that the key individuals in this incident were associated with YMM, specifically a member of the newly formed group, Chronos.

1. A smaller group of idols—a duo, trio, or even more—that comes from an existing group. It allows idols to explore more sides of their artistry outside their typical image. ?

2. A strategy that leverages controversial, provocative, or unexpected actions to gain widespread attention and media coverage. ?