Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols-Chapter 215: A New Mindset

After winning first place on a music show, my surroundings changed significantly.
First, Spark got an assistant manager. No longer would our manager have to handle everything alone, nor would we be left stranded at sites by ourselves.
Actually, I had planned to postpone hiring an assistant until Kang Kiyeon felt more stable. I didn’t want to subject him to a drastic change in environment, especially in his sensitive state. But he accepted without hesitation, and the recruitment proceeded without a hitch.
Spark’s dedicated team also established a stable structure. A massive shared process was built for me, so I wouldn’t feel anxious about not knowing how things were progressing.
I introduced them to a service I had used before—back then, the company providing it was still a startup, so everyone was skeptical—but now they were satisfied with it. They even optimized it for us. Automation was truly the best.
I also received my payment. After a year and a half of hard work, money finally landed in my hands. Just like the manager said, it included the planning fees and personal expenses I had prepaid. I immediately transferred half of the payment to the account I had set aside for my sister.
That was all the external changes. Internally, there were changes too.
The KPI I thought I wouldn’t achieve until next year was completed.
The system began calculating rewards again. Not that I expect much—probably more of those damn memory data things like last time. Useless and just a distraction.
So I decided to just wait for the calculation to finish. If I got memory data again, I planned to just stash it away.
If there was another KPI, I hoped it was something achievable in a shorter timeframe. At least consider how it feels to run without knowing how many goals you even have. I’m impatient too, you know.
Anyway, Spark’s recognition among rookie groups of the same age had skyrocketed.
It was all thanks to that music show pre-recording that went viral.
≫ I thought the Music World #1 criteria were completely random, but after seeing SPK’s stage, I get it. You guys deserve to win first place
└ Park Joowoo is truly the next generation of K-pop vocalists… His vocal tone is unmatched
└ It’s even scarier that he’s still in high school
└ Honestly, they should give Park Joowoo a solo album;;; It’s inhumane to let that talent go to waste
≫ Kim Iwol, stop acting sexy in your office worker outfit
It makes me feel pathetic every time I go to work tlqkf
└ Seriously, going to work makes me feel pathetic, guys. Weren’t we all happy in our Spark Corporation? Why throw us back into reality?
≫ Other idols always get embroiled in skill controversies during encores, but Spark can have half their members not singing and nobody complains. It’s hilarious
Actually, it’s not funny, it’s just sad. Don’t cry, guys
└ Well, the two who sang well weren’t even the main vocals…
≫ I can’t believe they only debuted this year
I feel like I’ve seen them so much online, why are they still rookies…?
I heard they got 1st place and was like, ‘Oh, they got 1st? Cool~’ But then I heard they got it 7 months after debut and I was like ‘Huh????’
└ It’s because there were so many posts mentioning Sparkㅋㅋㅋㅋ Lots of memes and GIFs too
└ For idolds, it really seems like going viral through memes or reaction gifs is the key
└ ‘Polite Maniac’
└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
≫ But they really cried their hearts out
Were Spark trainees for that long?
└ Not just the long training period, they’ve been through so much
└ Our kids have weathered many storms…
└ Fans were crying tooㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ It was the day Kiyeon came back, so everyone was already super emotional
Perhaps because of this, even after promotions ended, we received several offers from MeTube channels and cable variety shows, perfect for sharing behind-the-scenes stories.
And in every program they appeared on, Spark showcased their unique quirks.
『I heard Spark received their first payment. What did you all do with the money?』
『We all opened savings accounts.』
『Savings accounts?』
『Yes, Iwol hyung told us about a good special rate savings plan. We all opened friendship savings accounts!』
『Friendship savings accounts? That’s a first…!』
『The interest rate is really high. We each deposited what we could afford, but we set the same maturity date. We decided to have a group dinner when we get the interest!』
Jeong Seongbin and Lee Cheonghyeon appeared on a ballad-themed talk show and gave tips on comparing top products from major banks.
『Producer: Mr. Joowoo, how did you end up participating in this stage?』
『Joowoo: Oh, hyung told me to go, and then handed me the music…!』
『Producer: Wait, is that the whole explanation?』
『Jeho: Yes. Joowoo’s a quick learner.』
『Joowoo: (looking like he’s hearing this for the first time)』
Choi Jeho dragged the vocalist Park Joowoo to a dance competition show with zero explanation and performed a duet.
When I asked why Park Joowoo of all people, his answer was absurd.
‘Didn’t you say Kang Kiyeon should rest? Then I had to take Park Joowoo.’
That was it. Well, Park Joowoo was an amazing dancer. And Lee Cheonghyeon was extremely busy.
Still, was that really the best option? Couldn’t he have at least discussed it with me?  Seriously…
I let it slide because the results were good, but it wouldn’t happen again next time.
Up until this point, it all felt like mainstream content.
The problem came during my live broadcast with Kang Kiyeon.
『The comments are asking who you’re rooting for as the ‘KCA’ romantic interest.』
『I’m Team Blanche.』
『I also like Blanche, but… isn’t he unlikely to win?』
『Still, he’s the kindest. He cares about Princess Soda the most.』
『Blanche does have a good story.』
Anyone who had read the story of how Princess Soda found him abandoned in the Cherry Kingdom because he was born a defective cherry and appointed him as her knight would support Blanche.
The princess deserved better than a fiancé whose heart wavered despite having a fiancée or those villains who wanted to marry the princess to take over the Soda Kingdom.
There might be fans of the fiancé and villain characters, so I didn’t say that out loud, but Kang Kiyeon and I gave a long speech about how good a person Blanche was.
As a result…
≫ Idols more invested in fantasy romance than anyone else
They talked about romance fantasy for 30 minutes just based on one commentㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Apparently Iwol gave Kiyeon the book as a gift, and they read it together, and now both of their blood seems to have turned cream soda colored
└ The funniest part is when Iwol randomly asks, ‘Are long-haired characters unpopular?’
└ The fact that Kang Kiyeon calmly explaining it is also very funny. The references keep coming
└ Hey, round 2 incoming
└ Round 2 topic:  Is a long-haired character cutting their hair a dramatic flourish or a betrayal of character?
└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋIs this an idol live stream or a nerd forum gathering?
└ At this rate, the two of them will probably have a debate on the long-haired male category on Jandiwiki.
└ Last edited: 3 minutes ago
└ Oh please
…We became the romance fantasy fanatics of this generation. I never thought I’d fall this deep, but the comics these days were so fun. They were incredibly addictive. Hopefully, the next KPI was something that could help me restore my wrecked image.
“Whew…”
My legs were getting weak from thinking too much. I shouldn’t have let my mind wander during leg presses. I lost track of how many sets I’d done because my thoughts went off on a tangent.
‘Should I finish this set and call it a day? Or just stop here?’
Leaving it at an awkward number felt unsatisfying.
As I was pondering, a familiar flash appeared. It was the system.
+
[SYSTEM] New instructions from ‘Superior’ have arrived.
▶ Assistant Manager Kim, run an errand for me. You know the employee benefits mall, right? Go buy something that looks useful from there.
+
Why not tell me what the errand is before giving the order?
Besides, the employee benefits mall only sells camping gear sets that I’ll never use in my life. What am I supposed to buy there?
As soon as I complained internally, the system provided a new explanation.
+
[SYSTEM] ‘New Task’ has been assigned.
▷ Participate in ‘Idol Sports Day’
▷ Reward: Employee benefits mall items (varies by item)
[SYSTEM] ‘Subordinate’ is being notified of the ‘Employee Benefits Mall Item List.’
─ Porcelain-like Fair Skin: Awarded to ‘Kim Iwol’ for participating in ‘Idol Sports Day’ at least 3 times (excluding ‘Relay Race’)
─ Captivating Charm: Awarded to ‘Choi Jeho’ for participating in ‘Idol Sports Day’ at least once (excluding ‘Relay Race’)
─ Unwavering Cheering Vocal Cords: Awarded to ‘Jeong Seongbin’ for participating in ‘Idol Sports Day’ at least once (excluding ‘Relay Race’)
─ Transparent Eyes that Convey Sincerity: Awarded to ‘Park Joowoo’ for participating in ‘Idol Sports Day’ at least once (excluding ‘Relay Race’)
─ Luminous Inner Glow: Awarded to ‘Lee Cheonghyeon’ for participating in ‘Idol Sports Day’ at least once (excluding ‘Relay Race’)
─ Mature Charm Appeal: Awarded to ‘Kang Kiyeon’ for participating in ‘Idol Sports Day’ at least once (excluding ‘Relay Race’)
─ Camera Massage: Awarded to ‘Spark’ for participating in all events of ‘Idol Sports Day’
+
What the hell is all this?
Why does Lee Cheonghyeon get a ‘Luminous Inner Glow’, and I get ‘Porcelain-like Fair Skin’? And I have to participate three times? Are you making fun of my dark circles?
I wasn’t sure about the ‘Mature Charm Appeal’, but since they all looked mature anyway, I figured Kang Kiyeon could take a break.
But the ‘Camera Massage’ listed below caught my attention. The description for ‘Camera Massage’ went like this:
+
[SYSTEM] ‘Subordinate’ is being notified of ‘Camera Massage’.
▷ Reduces the distortion that occurs between real-life appearance and on-screen appearance. (Permanent effect, no expiration date)
+
Sh*t, I have to get this. Don’t you know the reason why Lee Cheonghyeon, with his stunning face, hasn’t dominated the male idol visuals ranking is because cameras can’t capture his features properly?!
Moreover, there was also the ‘Unwavering Cheering Vocal Cords.’  The naming seemed to be tailored to sports programs, but I definitely wanted to apply this to Jeong Seongbin. You never know when his vocal cords might act up again like before.
It seemed no one was getting a vacation this holiday season. Not that I expected one anyway.
I put away the machine and approached Choi Jeho at the bench press. I placed my hands under the bar he was lifting, just in case, and spoke to him.
“Wrap it up. We’re heading in.”
“Why?”
“We have a meeting.”
“What is it now…”
Choi Jeho grumbled as he racked the barbell and got up.
“Don’t be disappointed. You’ll be exercising plenty from now on.”
Bring it on, sports day. Prepare to witness the captivating spectacle of five northern dukes and their one loyal butler.
***
“My luck is just the worst…”
Producer Yang sighed.
The ‘Idol Sports Day’, a program dreaded by all directors.
Despite being constantly criticized by its target audience, the higher-ups refused to cancel the program. So, every holiday season, they reluctantly produced this limited-run variety show.
This time, Producer Yang was the sacrificial lamb for ISD. The sole reason? His idol competition program, ‘IDC’ performed better than expected.
As a result, Producer Yang, specializing in celebrity variety shows, was thrown into this mess.
They say competent people just get more work dumped on them, but this was too much. With everyone else prepping for year-end concerts and events, how was he supposed to recruit idols and get them ready in time?
The days when broadcasters used music shows as leverage were long gone. After getting metaphorically beaten to a pulp by every fandom under the sun, forced casting had disappeared. But so had the scale of the show.
Provocative competition was a no-go; they had to show only the wholesome, peaceful, and friendly images of youthful idols.
‘And yet those same people scream for more stimulating content on every other show, doing XXX and XXX to boost ratings…’
Producer Yang cursed inwardly. He didn’t care if it was a Chuseok special or whatever — he just wanted to throw it all away and go home to fry some jeon.
“How many teams have we cast so far?”
“About thirty. …It’s not enough, is it?”
“Of course not. We usually have at least fifty teams every year. How many teams agreed to pre-show training footage?”
“Not many… Everyone has busy schedules, so they’re hesitant.”
Things looked bleak. It was worse than the emergency meeting they had before the IDC finale.
Back then, at least when he was racking his brains like this, the youngest writer would come and…
“PD-nim, Sunbae-nim! Spark is going on a training camp to prepare for ‘ISD!”
…tell him that Spark had agreed to participate.
Yes, just like now!