Free Web Novel“Make a game... again?”
I reread the long message sent by the heads of the game company Pyheo Gongdan.
It seemed they’d been deeply impressed by ‘Doll Hunter’ starring Bae Sejin this time.
“I half-expected as much.”
I thought back to how well-received our last album’s game was, and drafted my reply as sincerely as possible.
An ambitious follow-up to our successful first game venture.
“Sorry. We really don’t have the time.”
Right. Obviously we can’t.
The reason was the same as before.
“One run is fine, but if we do it again, people will start accusing us of stunt-pulling.”
First, let’s define the new content we tried in the last album:
– Include a game within an album.
Once is an event; twice becomes business. A pattern emerges.
And with it comes controversy.
“Buying an album just for the game means it’s not a music album but a game, right? lol”
Immediately they’d accuse us of a loophole trick. We’d create a dedicated consumer base buying the album solely for the interactive game.
“Because we made it so well last time, now it backfires.”
TeSTAR already has plenty of enemies—from our former agency T1 to the newly surfaced Wonderhole jerks—countless reasons for them to nitpick.
I considered explaining that carefully, but I doubted they’d understand.
“They probably didn’t even realize their existing users wouldn’t like it either.”
From Pyheo Gongdan’s perspective, they’d think, “We make a fun game with great reviews, and it doubles as promotional hype for their next title—what’s not to love?”
“I heard it even got a lot of overseas attention.”
But gamers in this country who know who TeSTAR is? One repeat and they’ll call it overkill or grow hostile. It looks like riding on an idol’s fame.
“If they want to try again, they need a more meticulous plan.”
They mustn’t push an openly ambitious sequel.
I calibrated my refusal tone so they’d feel I might cooperate when circumstances allow.
“This should do it.”
Everything remained under control.
I nodded.
But some variables are beyond individual control.
Like a phenomenon-level hit.
Indeed, Doll Hunter shattered platform records.
The trigger was Doll Hunter’s overseas performance:
– Insane: #1 global share on NetPlus
– Real-time viewership of Doll Hunter went off the charts
Doll Hunter’s gripping pull kept almost no one from quitting before the end, making headlines.
Word of mouth and rising chart placements attracted even more viewers, pushing its rank ever higher...
– #1 in watch-time... wow
That week it clinched global #1, triggering a media frenzy. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
“This is wild.”
The elated production studio and NetPlus flooded the press as if their lives depended on it.
It was surprising that the drama itself earned praise without much backlash.
“Crazy lol”
As the latest comments said, it was epic.
Foreign outlets and media reported on it, and the lead actors drew intense interest—especially ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) the actor who played the psychopathic killer who gave the protagonist their first awakening and first death.
“Oh, divine.”
Overseas YouTubers’ reaction compilations to Bae Sejin’s psychopath twist even ranked among the most popular videos on domestic YouTube.
– “I never expected this but loved it (ALL CAPS)”
– “He made this show ten times more thrilling”
– “Viewers screaming like the protagonist”
It was truly a dramatic comeback for the once child actor.
At the dorm, whenever Cha Yoo jin gleefully bombarded him with enthusiastic feedback, Bae Sejin—who’d been avoiding online monitoring—was occasionally spotted sneaking a peek too.
“Hyung! This person says they fell in love with you!”
“...With a psychopath?”
He looked slightly uneasy, but not upset.
“Of course.”
Success always tastes good, even if it comes from four consecutive psychopath roles.
Now I even heard him proudly sharing it with a hint of expectation.
“So, we’ve got a promo spot on a YouTube show with the cast. If timing works, I might plug our next album—but I’m not sure how effective it’ll be...”
“It definitely will be...!”
Well, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s good if he enjoys his own activities.
The problem lay with others on the internet, not him.
As Bae Sejin’s character—medical student Jeong Isol—grew in fame, murmurs began stirring online.
[Bae Sejin, why keep staying an idol?]
TBH TeSTAR treated him like a low-tier member. If it were me, I’d refuse renewal out of spite, but the members must’ve clung to him hardcore.
It was the classical “Bae Sejin shouldn’t stay an idol” argument.
Because actor Bae Sejin’s overwhelming performance made people question TeSTAR’s need for idol-Bae Sejin.
“They just want him doing another project.”
Of course, he’d built a solid fanbase on stage with steady growth, so the conflict ran deep.
– “What the hell is this guy again?”
└ “The OP didn’t even insult him, but suddenly everyone’s swearing...”
└ “Are TeSTAR super-fans triggered? lol”
└ “Using the word ‘mouth’ while calling someone out for swearing—aren’t they embarrassed?”
– “Honestly, Bae Sejin’s parts were few and not memorable on stage”
└ “When he got a failing grade at Ajusa, he still had stage presence—what nonsense”
└ “Right? TeSTAR fans are scary, seizing the chance to bash him”
└ “Why suddenly talk about TeSTAR fans? It’s obviously troll bait”
– “He seems attached to the group but it doesn’t feel organic. He’s got so much talent elsewhere... hmm”
└ “OMG I felt that too... looks like gaslighting?ㅠ”
└ “Why do people toss around ‘gaslighting’? Get a grip”
It was chaos.
Extreme remarks were almost evenly split between pros and cons.
“They’re doing it on purpose.”
Once a heated debate draws trolls, smoother opinions follow.
And that was the problem.
“I just want to see Bae Sejin on dramas or movies moreㅠㅠ He’s seasoned, so he’ll go solo soon, right?”
Many casually speculated that he’d prioritize acting and gradually step back from TeSTAR.
– “If they renewed his contract, the members should at least respect that and not be selfish”
– “Idol group lifespans are limited. If it were me, I’d prioritize acting without saying it aloud”
Perfect—they were using idol-Bae Sejin to tarnish TeSTAR’s brand.
Watching the forums, I nodded.
All indicators pointed to one thing.
“Time for a comeback.”
This backlash came because TeSTAR’s momentum dipped against the massive impact of Doll Hunter.
We needed TeSTAR’s comeback soon, with strong results to head-turn and shift the narrative.
“Luckily, Bae Sejin wants to promote the next album—he can go all out.”
Moreover, it was a good way for him to manage his schedule as an actor.
Given Doll Hunter’s storyline, Bae Sejin is likely to appear in Season 2. Filming will start in a few months, so we should fit team activities in beforehand.
“We were planning another comeback before year’s end... it fits our annual plan set when we founded the company.”
If Bae Sejin truly wanted to emphasize acting over idol activities, subtly pulling back now wouldn’t be a bad tactic.
“Like, attend only key events and skip some to focus on acting.”
Honestly, after renewing his contract, it wouldn’t be morally dubious for him to ease off.
I even asked him directly.
“...Do we have to cancel?”
He replied reluctantly, “Why cancel something I can attend?” Hmm.
“I understand your ambition to juggle both idol and acting activities.”
“Uh, well, not to that extent...”
“Woooo!”
He was brimming with confidence now—what a remarkable growth since his debut.
I nodded as he dashed off to his room, cheered on by his younger brothers.
On top of that, although he’d joked about joining this project, his success opened a new promotional route for TeSTAR.
Like the instant rice and canned ham PPL in Doll Hunter.
Did you know NetPlus rarely takes PPL money? They handle it as reciprocal corporate promotion.
“lol After watching Doll Hunter, I wanted hot rice and ham so I went to the store—and there they were on the packaging lol” (photo) ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
In the past few days, canned ham packaging featuring Doll Hunter’s branding has appeared in supermarkets.
The instant rice and ham companies were promoting the program they’d PPL’d in on their own.
What’s interesting is that this company is a major rival neck-and-neck with T1 Frozen Foods.
“TeSTAR used to be T1’s slave, but now they’re advertising for their rival lol so funny”
└ “Is this what they call the revenge of the gentleman?”
Indeed. Unwittingly, we’d stuck it to T1 and forged ties with their rival.
“Hey, Mundae Mundae, check this out. These people want our group to help sell their chicken feet next.”
“Sure.”
The rival’s social media strategy was no amateur move. They’d really follow through if we agreed.
Anyway, this meant TeSTAR was gradually breaking free from T1’s “We won’t use TeSTAR” sphere of influence.
We were shaking off the connections skewed by T1 and attracting approaches from other companies.
“Smooth sailing.”
Explaining this to Bae Sejin—who’d worried his acting might hinder the group—brightened his face.
“Maybe he’s overdoing it a bit... but well-earned success allows some leeway.”
Truthfully, it’s more problematic when someone does well yet doesn’t realize it.
Take... the next comeback album. He co-produced over half the tracks.
“I... did I compose this song?!”
“......”
“The metadata even shows only 21 hours of work. You finished it in 21 hours without switching programs?”
“...I guess so.”
“No way!”
Kim Rae bin.
Steer Kim Rae bin...
“Return his memory quickly.”
After the private listening session of “my own track,” I decided to restore his recollection ASAP and move forward with his stage rehab.
He had no objections and was just waiting for the right moment—no reason to hesitate.
“I can’t wait to see how my newfound enlightenment helped me overcome my shortcomings and get on stage!”
Steer Kim Rae bin had concluded he lacked performer skills. Yet he somehow believed that, armed with TeSTAR’s collective memories, he’d unlocked immense stage stats through extraordinary destiny.
His reasoning was warped, but I’d patiently correct it.
What mattered now was his stage rehab.
“Keep it light right after he regains his memory.”
I set a few principles:
– Not overly formal; something modest.
– An audience present, but low risk of stirring controversy if something went wrong.
– Viewers would be friendly and forgiving.
– More freedom in format than usual stages.
That yielded an obvious answer.
“And I’ve already got a candidate.”
I’d recently contacted Pyheo Gongdan, so this would feel natural.
I checked their KakaoTalk profile picture once more—wedding photos.
[Congratulations. I hear you’re getting married.]
I sent the text with a smile.
[Need a congratulatory song?]
TeSTAR’s wedding-song service.
On the house.
