177 - Upki Girl

< Turning Point > <Upki Girl’s Youngest Member, Jinliya, Steps Down from 'Replay Girl' Due to Toe Injury> Member Jinliya of Upki Girl is temporarily stepping aside from group activities due to a toe injury. Her agency, Humming Sound, announced, "Jinliya suffered a hairline fracture in her pinky toe while playing around, resulting in a four-week recovery period. After thorough discussions with the 'Replay Girl' production team, it was decided she would unfortunately withdraw from the show." Meanwhile, last week's episode of 'Replay Girl,' featuring a sports competition, achieved ratings of 10.6% for part one and 11.5% for part two, securing the top spot in the late-night entertainment segment. Below is Jinliya's handwritten letter posted on the official fan café. Hello, everyone, it’s Upki Girl’s youngest, Liya. I'm so sorry to reach out to you with this kind of news. I injured my pinky toe. It hurt so bad, I felt like dying, but more than the pain, I'm heartbroken for causing trouble for the older members, the company, Director Myuno, and the 'Replay Girl' production team. I've sincerely reflected and regretted my actions. The company suggested we just say I got injured during choreography practice, but Aliya's pride couldn't allow that. So, let me honestly explain. I was horsing around, hanging onto Director Myuno's back like a monkey while feeding him socks, when he accidentally slipped on some water on the floor, causing both of us to fall. While I only ended up with a hairline fracture in my pinky toe, Director Myuno broke his wrist and needs surgery. I prepared so much for the 'Replay Girl' main dancer mission, hoping to prove 'Aliya is a true dancer' to the Obubas (fan club name), but I can't sleep because I hate myself so much now. I want to take this opportunity to apologize again to my older sisters, Myuno, the company team, Obuba, and the 'Replay Girl' production team. I vow never to let this kind of thing happen again and promise not to bother Director Myuno ever again. <Comments> ― Imuha: I like her honesty lololol ― Robaro: Feeding a manager socks???? ― Borani: Oh, Kor! Liya’s spelling has improved a lot ㄴskfro5604: Heard she's been studying Korean hard lately ― Byungseosaeng: Injured from horseplay and stepping down, like an episode of Get Me Out of Here. ― Junhyuk: I'm somewhat confused... ― Lv999: Since it was her fooling around, who can she blame ㅠ Take the time to rest up and recover, Liya ― Shy: At this rate, Manager Myuno’s life expectancy will shorten ― AuyaIy: Extreme Job ‘Upki Girl Manager Edition’ . . . On the second day of hospitalization. The company wanted to mark it as an injury during dance practice, but Aliya insisted on being truthful with the fans, not wanting to lie. The fan café reactions weren’t bad overall. Many comments wished her a speedy recovery or expressed concern, with others praising, “This is why they’re Upki Girl,” and “Upki Girl being Upki Girl.” It was similar to reactions to their previous eccentric antics. Even though they could have lied about the choreography injury, their group credibility increased due to Liya's honesty. However, an unprecedented trend began in the comments on entertainment news articles. Unlike before, negative comments noticeably increased, some even being picked as best comments. <Naver News Most Liked Comments> ― BananaJuice: I’m a fan from another group who attended the Replay Girl sports event, and I always felt Upki Girl members treated their manager poorly. It seemed inevitable something like this would happen. Rather than friendship, it felt like disrespect. ― TrollUser: Fooling around?? Lost pride??? Are you kidding me lol Running a program isn’t kids' play. So inconsiderate yet amazingly confident lololol ― Nyoonnyup: Someone I know working in broadcasting says UPPERCE has a heavy celebrity syndrome. Rumor has it they got into Replay Girl through connections because one member is from a wealthy family… I also heard the new PD replacement was because of Upki Girl. ― Mersedes: Isn't being “honest” here more about being disrespectful to fans and staff? ― Libera: All this encouragement is getting to their heads. Be careful. I've seen many crash and burn for forgetting their place when they're doing well. <Nate News Best Comments> ― eun9****: Even cuteness has its limit. At first, it was cute and fresh, but now it seems like they're doing it on purpose as a concept. It’s becoming slightly off-putting. ― yunj****: Who are these people? Articles keep coming up, but I’ve never heard their songs. Their name’s been on search rankings forever. Am I out of the loop, or are there powerful backers behind them? ― yes9****: Look at their gall, shoving socks into a manager's mouth, all at 18. If the youngest is like this, I can only imagine the older ones. Read the article twice thinking it was a mistake lolol Hmm... This is quite serious. This isn't like the An-Ti Femininity controversy during Hongi VS Laragot. Though there were many negative comments then, there were just as many oppositions and overwhelmingly supportive comments for Hongi, preventing the negative comments from becoming best comments. But now, the number of likes and agreements on criticisms is significant. Unlike with Hongi, where there was coordinate-like malicious targeting from male-phobic and female-dominated cafes, this is indicative of the general public perceiving Upki Girl negatively. Fans who were affectionate towards Upki Girl didn’t turn away drastically; it’s rather those who already had poor impressions coming forward with confidence. Before neutral viewers are swayed, a feedback must be made swiftly. However, looking at the number of recommendations on comments, it seems some influence has already been made. Of course, as popularity rises, so do antis and people who dislike them for no reason. But the issue is that parts of the current negative perceptions of Upki Girl are not entirely unfounded. Terms like "celebrity syndrome" and "character issues" are like time bombs, ready to explode at any moment. This is largely due to the polarizing attitudes of Seowon and Liya, even among fans. Try as you might to conceal inherent personality traits, they eventually surface, inevitably flowing out like spilled secrets. While Eunbit, Yona, and Hongi aren't the type to have their character questioned wherever they go, Seowon and Liya often come off as cold and snappy in their words and actions. In a society that often misinterprets confidence as arrogance, it was unsurprising that those two couldn't continue hiding their true selves forever. To an outsider, the way they treated their dedicated escort, like me, appeared unmistakably like 'celebrity syndrome.' While anticipating how things might turn out, I must acknowledge the heavy responsibility on me for not efficiently managing their autonomy. An urgent strategy meeting was convened in the hospital room. Attendees included CEO Yeom, Director Kim Sangin, and Jangwoo, with Yona representing Upki Girl. Uncharacteristically, Aliya didn't attend, despite typically citing investor interests, and instead left quietly. She seemed to be in shock over the critical backlash formed around the confidently penned apology letter, previously assumed to be embraced by the fans. "The main issues in the negative keywords associated with the girls are 'celebrity syndrome,' 'rude,' and 'character'," Yeom initiated the conversation. Referring to big data sourced by the PR team on a tablet, he continued, "Apparently, Liya's use of a dedicated chair during the Replay Girl sports event was frowned upon by other fans. There were eyewitness accounts shared on forums... And it seems the way the girls casually treated Yunho hyung is being perceived as celebrity syndrome." Director Kim Sangin chimed in with a heavy expression. "There needs to be a boundary between Chief Yunho and the members. The habits from private settings have seeped into public, making it look like the singers are disrespecting the manager, ultimately leading to claims of celebrity syndrome. It was mentioned in the comments, but honestly, it's beyond a close relationship level. And though I've restrained my comments due to being a contract worker until now..." Sensing he was cautious about my reaction, I eased the atmosphere. "Please, speak freely, Director. This might be a chance to address everything." "Um... I was against Director Yunho living with the members from the start. If questioned, it could easily spiral into a scandal. In fact, the members do see Director Yunho as more than just a manager." I could feel a momentary tension and unease from Yeom, Jangwoo, and Yona. This was a topic everyone was aware of but was almost taboo, like a family scandal no one dared speak of directly until Director Kim broke the silence. "Of course, I understand what Director Yunho means to the members. Those familiar with the situation would understand, but fans and the public wouldn't. Yet the members are very transparent about their feelings, regardless of the presence of fans or broadcasting staff. Frankly, I'm amazed it hasn't already become a topic of controversy." Strangely enough, even though we were aware of this, hearing it aloud made my body heat with embarrassment. The same likely went for Yeom and Jangwoo. It was like a company scandal that everyone was trying to hush up had finally broken out, making our faces flush with warmth. Cold sweat trickled down. While it's understandable that the kids were clueless, I too had been unthinkingly complacent. As Upki Girl's popularity surged, so would public and media attention, and the fact that a male manager resides with them is a potentially explosive scandal that we had been too nonchalant about. My greatest concern was that Director Kim Sangin wasn't a quiet type. While managing Plan L and Jihee, he freely shared their personal lives with me, even about relationship issues. From past experiences working with him, he wasn't spreading rumors out of malice but simply loved sharing stories and was rather loose-lipped. Despite his excellent skills, he lacked discretion and security consciousness. Why hadn’t I considered the possibility that he might leak Upki Girl’s personal matters elsewhere? It seemed like pure luck that nothing had spilled because of his chatty nature, but the fact information could escape elsewhere was a huge risk in itself. "What? You think we're seeing Director Yunho as more than a manager?" Yona interjected, frowning deeply. "What do you mean by that? Are you suggesting we see Director Yunho as a man? Not at all," she asserted, clearly offended. Her forthright attitude took Director Kim by surprise. "Eh? No? I mean, you all like Director Yunho, right? Well, maybe not all, but at least Seowon..." His voice trailed off and his gaze wavered. It was obvious that Seowon was involved, but looking at the other four, he seemed unsure. From my perspective, I couldn’t understand why Yona was being so assertive. It was clear she was wary of Director Kim. Yona’s defense continued, "Seowon unnie doesn’t view Director Yunho as a man either." "Really?" "Yes. I was also curious, so I asked. Unnie never shares her true feelings, but from what I gather, she sees him more like... a father." Yona’s defense was remarkable—framing it as Seowon seeking and demanding from me the care she never received from the ‘disruptive’ man who could hardly stay in one place. Of course, Yeom and Jangwoo were likely aware it was a blatant lie. Still, Yona’s impeccable expression and conviction were so convincing that even I found myself thinking, “Oh? Really?” “Anyway, I guarantee there’s nothing romantic going on,” Yona continued her Oscar-worthy performance after a brief pause. “Seowon unnie is actually dating someone.” Yeom asked, “Who?” And without a moment's hesitation, Yona replied, “Jen oppa.” Jen was one of the MCs for Replay Girl and a member of MTT. He’d previously starred as the secondary male lead in a drama where Seowon contributed to the OST and had frequently praised Seowon’s vocal talents. He even expressed a desire to perform a duet with her among the Replay Girl participants, signaling his admiration. “No one else knows about it. During the sports event recording, I caught Jen oppa slipping Seowon unnie a note with his contact information. Unnie isn’t usually the type to accept such things, but she did. And just last week, Jen oppa formally asked her to date, and she agreed.” Wait, what’s happening? Is this a smokescreen or the truth? It was all undeniably acting, but Yona’s performance was so natural and consistent that I found myself getting drawn in. "Oh, so it was Jen…" Jangwoo added credence to Yona’s story, saying, “I noticed Seowon using KakaoTalk in the dance room yesterday. They mentioned something about couple bracelets, so I wondered who she was chatting with…” “Hey, if you notice something like that, you should mention it right away,” Yeom scolded. “I planned to tell you and Chief Yunho when we finished work, but I forgot because of the broken arm thing.” “They probably wanted to show off their couple bracelets on social media,” Yona suggested. Is Seowon really dating Jen? This conversation seemed like something out of a Yona fan club meetup. With Jangwoo’s testimony bolstering her tale, Yeom and Director Kim Sangin seemed convinced. Director Kim's interest shifted. “Jen’s name value is decent, but if they’re really dating, it’s best to coordinate with KU in advance, to prepare a response plan in case of a scandal. Nowadays, people usually acknowledge relationships once there are photos, but it’s still best for Seowon to break it off first.” I followed up, proposing that it might be wise to consider relocating from the dorms. As their fame grows, paparazzi and saesang fans will become an issue—it’s better to eliminate any potential misunderstandings. If the management of the members is necessary, perhaps a female manager could be hired, or a PR team member could be stationed in the dorms. If all else fails, residing in the annex where housekeepers reside could be an option, and we’ll discuss this with the girls. Just then, a notification window appeared. ―――――― ★ Warning: Completely moving out of the dorm is an unwise decision. It will significantly impact the members' mental health and self-management. ―――――― The annex, yes, the annex! Next was the issue of Liya’s alleged diva behavior. This was already being addressed. Liya herself was the most remorseful and regretful over causing harm to the team. “I had already advised her against using a dedicated chair during the sports event. She's stopped using it since then. Liya is getting a lot of heat from online comments and is quite shaken and reflective, so things should improve.” Director Kim Sangin nodded. “Still, she should probably post an explanatory statement on the fan café. It’s known among the broadcasting staff that she’s related to the owner of the Oscar Hotel, so a decision needs to be made about how to handle that. Personally, I think it's best to stay silent. The public won’t know as long as it’s not made public. No one knows one of the foreign members of XLX is the heiress to a famous Thai franchise, right?” I just learned that now. As long as Director Kim remains discreet, we should be fine. For the current controversy concerning Aliya’s exclusive chair and certain members' rude behavior towards me in public, leader Yona will draft a handwritten statement of explanation and apology to post on the fan café. After resolving the immediate crisis, I had a separate conversation with Yona. Tomorrow is the recording for Replay Girl, but I’ll be in surgery in the morning, so I can’t attend. Yona will take over the main dancer role in Liya’s place. “Make sure to keep everyone’s spirits up, okay?” “Yes... Don’t worry about us, just take care of yourself, Chief.” “But is Seowon really dating Jen?” “Yes.” “Seriously?” “Yes. Seowon unnie wanted it to be a secret, but I had no choice but to tell after Director Kim brought it up.” “Well, having a dating rumor with Jen is a million times better than one with an old manager like me.” “Yeah, that's why I told you the truth.” Feeling a bit betrayed, I was hoping she’d say something like, ‘But Chief, you’re better than Jen.’ “Alright, head on in. You should try to comfort Liya when you can. The poor girl might burst into tears just seeing you.” “Yes, don’t worry about it.” “I read her two thousand bedtime stories yesterday.” “Hehe, I’m off then.” “Where are you going?” “To the Replay Girl recording studio. Going to watch Seowon unnie and Hong unnie record their songs.” *** Yona climbed into the passenger seat of the van driven by Jangwoo. A car carrying CEO Yeom and Kim Sangin passed by as it headed in the opposite direction. “Thanks for your hard work, Jangwoo.” “Sure, take care.” “Goodbye!” "Hey, take care, Yona! Good luck with the recording tomorrow!" "Yes!" As the taillights of the car vanished from sight, Yona chuckled softly, turning to Jangwoo. "Oppa, you really pulled off the acting." "You couldn't tell?" "I nearly believed my own words, wondering if Seowon unnie and Jen oppa were actually dating." "There's no way Seowon would do that, but from the looks of it, I suspected you were acting. Director Kim Sangin is such a nice person, but…” Yona finished his sentence. "He really talks too much." "Hehe..." Luckily, Jangwoo is quick on the uptake. It could never be Kim Sangin that we'd trust with sensitive matters. Someone who spilled details about Jehee's inappropriate connections with Jin Kyuseong and the massive intrigue behind Jin Kyuseong's marriage—how could we trust his mouth? It was only a matter of time before we’d hear, "Upki Girl members are in some sort of thing with their manager," circulating because of him. Yona felt the necessity to fabricate a lie to prevent that potential rumor. The challenge was crafting an alibi for Seowon, who openly expressed her affection for Yunho, but thanks to Jangwoo, they managed to smoothly cover it up. Yona promptly sent a message to the drama-loving witch: YonaLeader [Unnie, you've been dating Jen sunbae since last week.] YunhoMine [????????? Me???????] YonaLeader [It'd be better if you actually did date him.] YunhoMine [Are you crazy? Why would I?] YunhoMine [Did you use me as an excuse?] YonaLeader [I'll explain in detail at the dorm. Just go along with it for now.] After all the schedules were complete, the four members gathered at their dorm. The team's atmosphere was completely down due to Yunho and Liya’s injuries and the negative public opinion brewing against Upki Girl. Everyone understood that this was a crucial time for Upki Girl’s future, and perhaps Yona felt the weight of this responsibility the most as the leader. Yona relayed what was discussed at the hospital meeting, conveying her intentions clearly and firmly. "You all saw the comments, so you know how serious this is. From now on, none of you should ever treat the chief as a man. If you can’t keep this, it’s over for Upki Girl, Humming Sound, and the chief here. Eunbit, you shouldn’t call him oppa anymore, and no more casual talk.” “Okay…” “Seowon unnie.” “What.” “You’re the biggest issue here. Unless you plan to leave the team, make sure you adhere to this. Or perhaps, leave and then date the chief if that’s your choice.” "Fine. I won’t.” “And outside, you absolutely cannot treat the chief casually. You know the character controversy is mainly because of you and Liya, right?” “Uh…” “And once the chief is discharged, he needs to move out of the dorm. Everyone understand that?” < Turning Point > End