Idol Hides His Military Service

[What, are Lee Sion and Lee Gahyeon fighting?]

It was the title of a post that had gone up on the community before Episode 2 aired.

Idol Ground 100 Episode 2 had been the subject of huge buzz even ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) before it aired.

Naturally so, because the “preview video” was none other than a near-collision moment between two contestants.

— Gahyeon unni, can we talk for a moment?

Thanks to the production team using only the clipped scene of Lee Sion with a murderous expression approaching Lee Gahyeon and speaking to her as the preview, viewers’ curiosity had reached its peak.

[Looks like this is exactly the moment where that happened.]

[Ah, please let it have just been an evil edit···.]

[It will be fine. At the very least, we have to trust Sion!]

In fact, ever since that preview aired, negative comments about Lee Sion had already begun leaking little by little on SNS where Idol Ground 100 fans gathered, so Sionism could not help being on edge.

— Isn’t something about that Lee Sion kid kind of sketchy?

— Why is she talking like that to Gahyeon when Gahyeon is older than her, seriously.

— She has no skills, no trainee history. She just came out to use some cheap narrative and sell her face, but every time I see regular viewers calling it touching or whatever, I feel sick.

It was still a minority opinion for now, but Jiyeon could sense that negative posts about Lee Sion were being spread in an organized way, and it ruined her mood.

‘Obviously this is an attack coming from another contestant’s fandom.’

Anyone who had ever been deep into idol stanning knew how filthy and shady vicious fanatic fans could be.

Especially in survival programs like this, plenty of toxic fans would not hesitate to attack other trainees with baseless rumors to lift up their own pick.

However, up to now, idol survival programs only ever had around ten people from a specific agency, so it had been easy to guess which fandom the attack came from.

But this time there were a full 100 contestants, so Jiyeon had no way to pinpoint the source, which made it all the more frustrating. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

And though it was only a small stream now, if today’s episode really portrayed Sion with an evil edit making her look like she had a personality issue,

‘See? I told you this would happen?’

The so-called “hedjechung” would appear, claiming they had known Sion was bad all along, and her image could plummet rapidly.

So now Jiyeon was staring at the monitor with her hands clasped, having stopped chatting entirely, praying desperately.

— Gahyeon unni, can we talk for a moment?

At last, the exact scene from the preview began to play on the monitor.

Hwiri-rik.

Then, with the sound of tape rewinding, the screen began to flash back.

— Two days ago.

Suddenly the program began showing Lee Sion from two days prior.

Late at night when all the other trainees were asleep, a single camera quietly followed Lee Sion as she slipped out of the dorm and headed somewhere.

And the place Sion arrived at was none other than the practice room of F class.

— Wow···.

The screen showed Sion letting out an exclamation as she stopped before entering the practice room and saw something.

The program then showed viewers exactly what Sion was looking at.

‘Kim Nayeon?’

On the screen was Kim Nayeon, alone in the practice room singing and dancing to Idol Ground 100’s theme song “Spotlight.”

Though it was hard to remember specific trainees when there were 100 contestants, Jiyeon remembered the name Kim Nayeon clearly.

Because during the entrance stage in Episode 1, she had cracked a note, frozen up, and received harsh evaluations from the judges — making her especially memorable.

But now,

[What the? Why is she so good?]

[Seriously. During practice earlier she didn’t stand out at all, but alone she’s nearly at A-class level?]

[Isn’t she the one who froze during the entrance stage and got an F grade?]

The Nayeon on screen now was showing skills far too strong for an F class trainee, making not only Jiyeon but everyone in the chat exclaim in surprise.

Hwiri-rik.

And again, with the sound of tape rewinding, the program changed scenes, this time to F class trainees taking a break during practice.

— Yunkyung-ah, what do you think will happen to our F class if we keep going like this?

— Well, after getting slammed by the judges at mid-check, they’ll probably just put us back in F class as is?

— Smart middle schooler, aren’t you.

A camera captured Lee Sion and Im Yunkyung chatting in a corner of the practice room.

Contrary to everyone’s expectation that there would be a fierce confrontation between Sion and Gahyeon, the mood was oddly turning comedic, and everyone in the chat could feel it.

— Yunkyung-ah, do you know Liu Bei?

— Liu Bei?

— Ha··· seriously, middle schoolers these days are dire.

— What! What is it!

The subject of conversation between Lee Sion and Im Yunkyung was baffling.

Suddenly bringing up Liu Bei and launching into a whole monologue about the Three Kingdoms.

— Liu Bei~ Zhuge Liang~ Shu Han~

[When did those two even get close?]

[Why do they talk like they’re doing some kind of sketch ㅋㅋㅋ]

[The production team is giving Sion all the screen time lol]

Fortunately the production team wasn’t completely clueless — they flashed through the Five-Minute Three Kingdoms Lecture at high speed.

— So what’s the conclusion of this story?

— What is it?

— To keep your country from falling, you have to pick your leader well!

Du-dung tak!

With Sion’s final line, music that sounded like it belonged in an old documentary played, and the screen returned to the present.

A flashy caption appeared, and now the screen showed Lee Sion slowly approaching Kim Nayeon to speak to her.

— You do it. Be the F class leader.

— What? Me?

Approaching Nayeon, who was resting alone, Sion suggested the leader role like it was nothing.

Nayeon flusteredly waved her hands to refuse, but then—

— (Sion staring intensely at Nayeon)

[Honestly, if Sion stared at me like that, I wouldn’t be able to say no either···.]

[That gaze··· I feel like I saw it in a thriller drama.]

[Sion was more of a variety character than I expected ㅋㅋ]

In the end, Kim Nayeon surrendered to Sion’s gaze.

After that, the broadcast briefly showed Kim Nayeon’s past story.

Her explanation that she had developed stage fright after making a mistake during a trainee evaluation stage, preventing her from showing her true skill, was serious and compelling.

But then,

— Nayeon-ah, from now on, think of it as a bomb necklace being strapped to your neck.

— Huh?

— From where I’m standing, it seems like you don’t think this performance is truly your last chance.

— Ah··· no!

— It’s okay. I’ll make it feel like your real last chance!

[Oh my god ㅋㅋㅋ I’m dying.]

[How is this the same person who looked like she was about to duke it out with Lee Gahyeon in the preview?]

[Wow ㅋㅋ I never thought I’d live to see a female trainee say “bomb necklace.”]

Now Jiyeon was fully in enjoyment mode.

She felt stupid for having been so nervous about a possible evil edit for Sion.

‘These production team lunatics — is this an idol survival program or a variety survival program! But why is it so fun!’

The show stayed in variety mode for a long while after.

Im Yunkyung suddenly began calling Sion “Commander,” and—

— I have returned from my mission!

— Good. Excellent work, Lieutenant Im.

— Huh? Lieutenant is higher than Second Lieutenant, right, Commander?

— That’s right. A Second Lieutenant becomes a Lieutenant after one year.

It wasn’t even a sketch, but they were talking like they were in the army, and now the chat was nothing but ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.

***

[Modern idol program contestants]

(A gif of Im Yunkyung staring blankly while listening to Sion’s Three Kingdoms lecture)

↳ I saw that and nearly fucking died laughing.

↳ ㅋㅋ How does a female idol trainee make a “bomb necklace” joke?

↳ Didn’t you know? Her pre-interview said she’s silver tier with near-platinum-level mechanics.

↳ It’s not a concept?

↳ Even if it were, at that level I’d acknowledge it.

Lee Hyuksu was reading posts about Idol Ground 100 on his usual online community on his smartphone.

‘The reaction is insane.’

Idol Ground 100 had already been a highly buzzed program.

Episode 1 had shocked the MPlay station staff by hitting a whole 2% viewership.

‘Wow!!! Episode 2 just broke 4%. Peak moment hit 6%!!!’

Episode 2 had doubled Episode 1, sending the production team into a frenzy.

‘This is all thanks to our Sion!’

Reading these reactions, Lee Hyuksu’s shoulders puffed up in pride.

As self-proclaimed Fan No.1 and a registered member of Sionism, he believed at least 80% of the show’s popularity belonged to Sion.

After all, Idol Ground 100 was dominating all the top posts of men’s and women’s communities alike, and—

[Generic gif: Sion staring at Kim Nayeon]

[Generic gif: Sion staging a coup against Lee Gahyeon]

[Generic gif: Sion getting belly-punched by Kim Nayeon]

[Generic gif: Sion and Im Yunkyung doing a sketch]

...about 90% of those posts were about Sion, showing she was the center of the entire program.

[Wow ㅋㅋㅋ these production maniacs aired this unedited]

(a gif of F class members ganging up and beating on Sion)

↳ Honestly she deserved that one, right?

↳ Absolute truth. Does she drink Monster instead of water? How did she survive on two hours of sleep?

↳ Still, thanks to Sion, the F class kids practiced insanely hard. That part was touching.

Particularly, the growth arc of Sion and F class was receiving high praise from viewers.

The F class trainees, who had looked like a wreck at first, visibly came together as time passed, making people say it felt like a true idol program.

‘Senior Miyoung begged me to edit that out, but no way!’

On the final day of editing, PD Kim Miyoung had pleaded with Lee Hyuksu to remove the group beatdown scene.

But Lee Hyuksu stuck to his convictions and kept it in, and as a result, the ten seconds of Sion’s group beatdown hit the peak viewership of Episode 2.

Though some fans of other contestants complained that the show was edited too Sion- and F-class-heavy,

‘But thanks to Sion, the show itself is blowing up, so it’s actually a good thing.’

Because Sion’s gifs were spreading across communities and SNS, even people who had never watched Idol Ground 100 were starting to check it out.

As a result, old pre-interview videos were being rediscovered and “re-evaluated,” sending some contestants skyrocketing.

And despite the focus, other classes also got plenty of screen time, letting viewers fall for other contestants too — like A class’s Ryu Ayeon, Seo Ryujin, or B class’s Yoo Jihae, a trainee with prior debut experience.

Of course, some contestants’ reputations tanked as well.

— Ah, something about B class Park Soyeon is seriously sketchy.

— Yeah, I kept feeling like her little crew was trying to gaslight for B class on purpose.

— And I felt that way about Lee Gahyeon. Why was she even the leader with that skill level?

And also,

— Sion is overdoing the concept.

— Honestly, didn’t the production team force her to act like that just to generate buzz?

Though drowned out by the overwhelming Sion fanbase, there were indeed viewers who disliked how Sion-centered the episode was.

‘Concept? They won’t be able to say that after episodes 3 and 4.’

Lee Hyuksu just laughed.

If they saw the cuts he was editing for Episodes 3 and 4, no one would dare call Sion a “concept.”

“Hey! Why are you treating that camera like it’s your baby?”

While he was engrossed reading reactions, someone called out to him.

He turned in the direction of the voice and saw a busy-looking camera director.

“The PR team asked me to take some B-cut photos for promotional use.”

“Sigh, why is the PR team asking the directing team to do that? We’re already busy because today is a performance day.”

Hyuksu flinched a little.

Because the truth was, he had voluntarily taken the shooting assignment so he could photograph Sion before the performance and upload them to Sionism.

‘But··· the thirty thousand members of Sionism are waiting for my pictures.’

Looking at the production team rushing around for the stage, Hyuksu apologized to them in his heart, then lifted his camera again and began photographing the stage preparations.

At last, the moment had come — the beginning of Idol Ground 100’s Group Battle Mission.