Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols-Chapter 229: Review Time (2)

The only sound coming from the TV was the click of circular magnets being placed on photos of the contestants. The metallic clicks sounded quite menacing.
I glanced at the members, and they were all watching with bated breath. This was the power of editing.
『Should I start by cutting off his limbs…?』
Wait, I didn’t just think that, I actually said it out loud?
So embarrassing. I felt like a mafia manhwa fanatic going through an intense puberty phase.
Unable to lift my head, I buried my face in new social media posts.
≫ He’s so good at figuring out the relationships
And so bloodthirsty
└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ He looks like he’s ready to kill everyone
└ I wish they had done this on a larger scale with a full setㅠㅠㅠ
└ Seriously, Act on production team, are you watching? Season 3 needs Hollywood-level scale.
≫ What’s Seong Silhan’s deal?
Even knowing Jo Yonghan is the target, he still looks sus. Imagine how the others must feelㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ Jo Yonghan put a question mark next to Seong Silhan’s name instead of writing ‘bystander’ like he did for the others, so it seems Seong Silhan has a different role
≫ He could’ve left Ahn Joyong and Yoo Yeonseong out of it
But he lumps the bystanders in with the perpetrators, saying they’re guilty too. I love seeing this man’s morality
└ That’s right, the bystanders are also at fault
└ Especially when those bystanders are your superiors? << Unforgivable
└ I can’t believe I’m watching a variety show and hearing the phrase ‘abuse of power’
≫ When other people say ‘cut off their limbs’: Ah~ must be metaphorical!
When Kim Iwol says ‘cut off their limbs’: Ah… he’s actually going to do it
└ Iwol… he really seems like he’d do it
└ I love Iwol, but he really seems like he’d do it
└ Iwol will tear you apart
≫ Kim Iwol, please do a noir film
Just once, play a psychopath character
└ Smoking a hookah, with a pet black panther by his side, gesturing with his chin to command suited men like his limbs
└ What exactly are you guys trying to turn Iwol intoㅋㅋㅋ
I wonder how my image is holding up with the public and the Sparklers. Feels like I’ve crossed a line I can’t come back from.
Among the numerous comments, I saw a post I couldn’t ignore.
≫ Iwol, let’s retake the CSAT
It’ll be tough, but you should try. Your brain is too precious to waste
└ I’m glad our boy isn’t being taken away, but I’m not sure if I should be glad these days…
└ What if he decides to focus on his studies…?
└ Our boy focusing on his studies… sigh… and if those studies are at S University… sigh…
└ I can’t ask him to do it alongside his idol activities because he also works at UA… Kim Iwol, please work less
Is it ever really easy to mourn someone else’s failures and genuinely hope they’ll succeed next time? Yet the fans do it effortlessly—for me, for Spark now, and for the past Spark.
Perhaps because others felt more wronged on my behalf than I did, seeing the mention of my degree didn’t make me as despairing as when I first realized my graduation had been erased.
***
‘Act On’ was nearing its climax. The Spark members were munching on energy bars they’d found somewhere.
“This is seriously nerve-wracking.”
“Maybe your hands would stop sweating if you’d put the energy bar down for a second, Cheonghyeon.”
“Don’t talk to me, I’m concentrating.”
Says the guy who just muttered to himself. I gave Lee Cheonghyeon a brief side-eye before turning back to the TV. Manager Yoo Yeonseong was dragged into the silent room, and Mr. Han Gawoon and I sat facing each other at the center table on the set.
『So, you’re going to forfeit, Mr. Seong Silhan?』
Park Joowoo gasped and covered his mouth after hearing my line. Thanks to the editing, the tension between Jo Yonghan and Seong Silhan looked cinematic, but was it really that shocking?
And then—it must’ve been something the producers planned to reveal later—the hidden backstory between Jo Yonghan and Seong Silhan was unveiled.
The two, close friends and colleagues who joined the company together, supporting each other as they adapted to the workplace. A youthful photo taken together after achieving a milestone. Anonymous, malicious messages found in Seong Silhan’s room, and the resignation letter in mine. The truth behind the workplace harassment unfolded.
≫ Mr. Jo Yonghan was such a good person
And I didn’t even know… I thought he was a vengeful office worker back from hell…
└ Same here…
≫ Reinstate Jo Yonghan immediately and promote him alongside Seong Silhan
Make it happen!!!!!!!
└ I doubt Jo Yonghan wants to go back after all thatㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ I’d be done with that company tooㅋㅋㅋ
Choi Jeho, who had been quietly watching, suddenly cursed.
“They’re all f***ing scumbags.”
“Language.”
Despite the reprimand, Choi Jeho continued munching on his energy bar.
Jo Yonghan and Seong Silhan made peace under the public eye. The shocked expressions of the production team at the target’s blatant rule-breaking were also captured on screen.
“Is that allowed? It’s a broadcast.”
Kang Kiyeon asked incredulously.
“They’re airing it, so it must be allowed.”
“Huh…”
Kang Kiyeon let out a sigh or—a maybe groan.
≫ I told you Jo Yonghan is crazy
He’s asking Seong Silhan to leave the company with himㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ After quitting himself, he probably realized how great it felt
└ How could he not share this joy with his friend?
└ But this is great. Who even wins nowㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ The people in the silent room look way too into thisㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Back when we were filming, I’d been too focused on Han Gawoon to notice, but looking now, the people in the silent room really were wide-eyed with excitement. It was understandable—they were about to witness a full-on rookie rebellion that could blow a hole in the company’s entry-level hiring line.
Just as Jo Yonghan and Seong Silhan reached their dramatic compromise…
『The resigned employee, Mr. Jo Yonghan, has been discovered. The company’s security is maintained.』
The narration was accompanied by shots of a shocked Seong Silhan, the contestants sent to the silent room, and the murmuring writers.
Then, my face appeared in a close-up… the stark contrast with the previous shots made my expression seem incredibly serene. I didn’t remember feeling that relaxed, though.
At the same time, a dreadful notification popped up.
+
[SYSTEM] The ‘Subordinate’s’ ‘Captivating Starlight Smile’ is activated. Influence occurs.
+
It had even evolved since ‘ISD’.  Wasn’t it just Starlight Smile before?
Back then, it only caused minor influence, but now, with the added adjective, it had become just ‘influence’.
≫ What?
What the hell?????
└ I was laughing at the mass resignation ending, and then my jaw dropped
└ I literally dropped my popcorn. What is this…?
≫ Wow
I’m so shocked… I feel blindsided
└ It was all part of Kim Iwol’s plan… Look at his expression
└ Am I the only one who paused the video here?
└ Nope. If it were on MeTube, that scene would already have the ‘Most Replayed’ marker
└ Thank goodness I’m not the only one mesmerized
≫ So to summarize
Jo Yonghan knew from the beginning that the target of the harassment wasn’t him, but Seong Silhan
He resigned after taking the fall for Seong Silhan,
And then he secretly returned to get rid of the useless superiors and got himself fired again, all for Seong SIlhan’s happiness?
└ There’s a twist at the end
└ He deceived Seong SIlhan until the very end, but it was all for Seong Silhan’s sake. The storyline is crazy
『Congratulations on winning!』
『The ordinary employee, Mr. Seong Silhan, maintains the company’s security.』
Confetti rained down. Lee Cheonghyeon, his mouth agape, kept touching his lips.
“Wow, hyung… I have to admit, that was amazing.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“I thought you went to film a variety show, but you came back with a whole drama.”
“You flatter me.”
The online posts were now mostly summaries of ‘Act on’ Season 2.
≫ [Personal Impression/Subjective Warning] Act on Season 2 Review
.
.
.
I want to highlight the USB Jo Yonghan gave to Seong Silhan at the end.
The USB contained their shared memories, and the phrase ‘Mr. Seong SIlhan maintains the company’s security’ appeared when Jo Yonghan, now an outsider, handed the company-owned USB to Seong Silhan, who remained at the company. It was a brilliant touch
The ending, where the ordinary employee who persevered through harassment ultimately triumphs, is also impactful. It felt more like a short play than a variety show
A lengthy blog post review had garnered numerous likes. Clearly, it had struck a chord with a lot of people.
“Okay, it’s really late, so everyone…”
Just as I was about to tell them to go to bed, the system appeared.
+
[SYSTEM] New instructions from ‘Superior’ have arrived.
▶ I’ve been hearing a lot about you today, Assistant Manager Kim. You didn’t cause any trouble, did you? I trust you, okay?
[SYSTEM] ‘Subordinate’ is notified of the progress of KPI ‘Capture the Hearts of Potential Customers.’
▷ 467/10,000
+
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Almost 500. That many new fans chose Kim Iwol as their bias already?
I remembered checking after ISD and it was only around thirty. Even that was higher than I’d expected, considering it was an event for existing fans of specific groups.
But to gain this many fans from a single variety show appearance? And it hadn’t even been clipped into shorts or spread properly yet?
‘I just hope this number… doesn’t decrease…’
What kind of spectacle would I have to put on to prevent these new fans from leaving before I reached 10,000? It seemed I’d be pulling another sleepless night.