When I opened my eyes I was a Superstar – Chapter 137: Across the Ocean (1)

“I didn’t wake you did I, sir?”

-No. I just got home.

Manager Oh Baek Ho had a small house right next to the dormitory and was living with Gu Chul Min.

“There is something I need you to look into. It’s too late today…would you be able to come over early tomorrow morning?”

Do Wook carefully asked in an apologetic tone.

The entire staff, including the KK members, actually had a day off tomorrow for the first time in a while. Do Wook felt bad that he asked for Manager Oh Baek Ho’s help on his day off.

-What’s wrong?

Manager Oh Baek Ho asked, concerned.

“Ah…there’s a post online. I’ll send you the link right now. I think it needs to be looked into.”

-Ok. I’ll take a look and I’ll head there early tomorrow morning.

“Ok, Then I’ll leave you to rest. Thank you.”

Once Manager Oh Baek Ho and Do Wook finished their phone call, Ahn Hyung Seo and Park Tae Hyung had a concerned expression. They both had seen the online post.

“We’ve seen this gift too. Why is it tossed there like that? I don’t understand.”

“I know…Chul Min said…he would take care of it…”

The gift and letter in the photo was one that had arrived with the packed lunches the fans had sent during the award ceremony. The members looked through all of it while rehearsing, and it was supposed to be moved to the van since they couldn’t keep it in the waiting room.

Park Tae Hyung had heard Manager Oh Baek Ho telling Gu Chul Min to do it, so it was even more puzzling.

Do Wook said as he looked at the two of them in turn.

“We can look into it tomorrow. Let’s forget it for now.”

Even as he nodded his head, Ahn Hyung Seo read the comments and sighed.

“The backlash is no joke. It’s half congratulating us on the grand prize and half cursing us.”

Do Wook wasn’t feeling good either, but it wasn’t completely unexpected. Of course he expected there to be a simple controversy over whether KK was deserving of the grand prize, but he didn’t know that an incident like this would occur.

The comments on the controversial post cleverly pieced together KK’s expressions from broadcasts and interviews to make them look malicious.

Of course, there were many comments defending KK, saying that there was no agency stupid enough to throw away gifts where everyone could see them.

However, it was clear that the situation was heading in a bad direction.

‘They’re probably the people who are most disappointed that KK got the grand prize…’

Do Wook thought.

If you searched the screen names of the people who posted negative comments and looked at their previous activity, you could easily tell what kind of group they could be classified in. Most of them were other idols’ fans.

‘I understand they feel hurt, but…’

Honestly, you could just consider this a fight between fans and move on.

However, you shouldn’t make a situation that will agitate the fans on both sides. One of the biggest reasons KK was able to get this much popularity was the fans.

Because they solidified a friendly image by approaching fans with diverse content and constantly made a point to show that KK cherished their fans, the KK fans cheered for them more than any other singer’s fans.

Even though they were part of a small mid-size agency, KK had the highest album sales with the full support of the fans.

They couldn’t have an incident that broke the trust between KK and their fans. Do Wook thought that this incident must be addressed fully.

***

The next day, after talking with Do Wook and Jung Yoon Ki, Manager Oh Baek Ho yelled at Gu Chul Min.

“You should have taken care of this properly!”

“I’m sorry.”

With his head hung low, Gu Chul Min simply kept repeating that he was sorry.

When Reporter Choi Sung Joon published his interview article with Do Wook in a malicious way, there honestly wasn’t much Gu Chul Min could have done and he was still learning how to be a manager. It was an understandable mistake, so Manager Oh Baek Ho didn’t get too mad.

However, it was clearly Gu Chul Min’s fault this time.

There were not a lot of fan gifts that were sent to the waiting room. Besides the packed lunches, most of them were miscellaneous items such as letters and hand warmers that could be used in the waiting room.

As such, Gu Chul Min hadn’t thought much of it and had instead asked the Fan Marketing Team intern to move it to the van.

When the Fan Marketing intern, who had been in the waiting room, had said he had to stop by the office, Gu Chul Min had distractedly pointed to the items and had asked him to take them.

“Ah, I’m a little overwhelmed, could you tell me again later? I have too much on my plate right now.”

“Yes, yes, of course.”

Gu Chul Min had replied, then had left the waiting room to watch the KK members while they rehearsed.

When it had been time for him to go to the office, the intern had been packing his things. He had then suddenly remembered Gu Chul Min’s request, but Gu Chul Min hadn’t been around so he had headed to the office without grabbing the items.

It was difficult to figure out how the letters and gifts ended up on the street from the empty waiting room within that time.

You couldn’t really blame the intern. It was definitely Gu Chul Min’s responsibility.

“If it disappeared later on, you should have looked into it!!”

“I’m sorry. I have no excuse.”

Manager Oh Baek Ho’s voice made the conference room shake.

Gu Chul Min apologized again with his head hung low. He knew that the gifts were missing from the waiting room, but simply thought that the intern had taken them. He didn’t even think to check because he was so busy.

Honestly, if it were a different agency, this would have just been a slap on the wrist. However, Do Wook as well as the agency valued the fans very much.

They weren’t simply, as the public called them, ‘fanboys’ or fangirls’. They were firmly thought of as ‘patrons’.

“How are you going to fix this?”

“Well…”

Thud―!

Manager Oh Baek Ho frowned at Gu Chul Min, who was fumbling out of anxiety, and hit the desk.

“Are you a child? Speak clearly when you talk!”

“Ah….Well, the waiting room security camera was checked…”

Manager Oh Baek Ho raised one of his eyebrows. Gu Chul Min was the one who messed up, but he still acted quicker than expected.

“Some girls came in and took it.”

“What?”

Gu Chul Min took out his cell phone and sent Manager Oh Baek a video.

It was security camera footage the concert venue security had sent.

In the video you could see people wearing a hat and mask come into the waiting room and leave with the items.

A little later a security guard noticed them in the hallway and asked how they got in, but you could see them show him staff badges. TBN had hired a lot of female staff to help with the performances, so they looked just like staff at a quick glance. It was also possible that they really were staff.

The security guard, who tilted his head a little, waved them away as if saying at least to get out of the waiting room. The girls, holding the stack of gifts, bowed and slowly disappeared towards the end of the hallway.

“What is this…?”

Manager Oh Baek Ho furrowed his brows.

***

“I think we should make a post online.”

Assistant Manager Do Ra Hee, Manager Oh Baek Ho, and the KK members were gathered in the conference room. The KK members felt they couldn’t just let this slide.

Even now, there were comments being posted in real time that they wanted to know the KK members’ true feelings. Of course, there were many posts saying they believed the members, but KK’s side didn’t want there to be any misunderstandings whatsoever. They absolutely wanted to clear up the misunderstanding.

On happy days, the fans had shared their joy.

Assistant Manager Do Ra Hee said in response to Do Wook,

“There’s no way for us to find out who this is, and it’s hard for us to release the image to figure out who it is. The situation might get bigger…”

Manager Oh Baek Ho nodded his head in agreement with Assistant Manager Do Ra Hee. The situation could get blown out of proportion if they posted something online immediately.

It only showed them taking the things, not damaging the gifts. It was difficult to check the security camera footage under the streetlight seen in the picture.

“Depending on how you post it, the response may be rather bad…It is also true that it was poorly managed from our side…”

“Still, we can’t just take this sitting down! It’s so unfair,”

Ahn Hyung Seo yelled.

“It’ll get better once some time passes, man.”

Calming Ahn Hyung Seo down, Jung Yoon Ki said as he scratched his temple. Assistant Manager Do Ra Hee also made an uncomfortable expression. It would be normal for the company to step in.

“At least it’s clear that our employee didn’t dispose of it carelessly.”

“That’s true.”

Assistant Manager Do Ra Hee nodded her head to what Do Wook said.

“Then, rather than the neglect, maybe the situation would be better if we posted something focusing on the theft?”

“Theft?”

There was a lot of negative connotation with the word “theft” itself. If they focused on that, attention would obviously be focused on who did it.

But at the same time, it was very likely that an online fight would cause more chaos. That is, as long as the culprit was not clearly identified.

“I think we should spin it as if after checking the security footage, it’s clear that we were robbed and that we already know the identity of the people who stole it.”

Assistant Manager Do Ra Hee nodded her head. She understood what Do Wook was trying to say.

Honestly, it wasn’t that difficult to grasp the situation.

If they requested the police to investigate, it would end there. On the other hand, if you let a copy of the video find its way to the fans, it’d take some time but they’d network and the culprit would be caught.

However, as time passes, people will lose interest and KK’s image will be left damaged.

Also, the young culprits would stop at this theft. Assistant Manager Do Ra Hee ultimately decided that it would not be good for KK’s image if the agency stepped in. Of course they’d have no choice but to go down that route if there was no way to overturn the situation.

“We should say that we plan to sue, and if they post an apology we’ll go easy.”

“Yes.”

Of course the internet would see them as thieves even if they made an apology post, but they deserved at least that much punishment.

“And as for our sincere apology post…I think it’d be good if we posted something like that.”

Assistant Manager Do Ra Hee asked back.

“An apology post? The members didn’t do anything wrong, so why…?”

“It’s still a gift we received. It doesn’t have to be an apology necessarily, but I want to convey that we feel bad.”

The other members, including Jung Yoon Ki, nodded their heads to what Do Wook said.

The discussion was already had among the members.

Assistant Manager Do Ra Hee, who had once been someone’s fan, was deeply impressed. It made her think that she would be happy if she were Do Wook’s or KK’s fan. She felt like she could cheer more passionately than back then.

At the same time, she realized once more why KK’s fans supported KK.

***

Less than a day after the agency published a notice and KK members posted a heartfelt message expressing their apologies, Fan Marketing received an email.

The subject of the email was ‘I’m Sorry’.

It was undoubtedly from one of the women who caused the incident. It said she was reflecting on her actions and to please not sue her.

Assistant Manager Do Ra Hee, who tracked down the email address, frowned.

“What is this…”

Next chapter: Do Ra Hee steps up and resolves the PR mess.

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