Please Do Your Debauchery After You Die - Chapter 40
Episode 40: The Power of Story
In the future, the first Ugaidol audition stage created a catchphrase: “Park Nana’s songs have emotion.”
I had watched this stage video several times, even though it wasn’t live.
This was because the trend at the time was to conduct the content “Pangea TV Virtual Streamer Song Ideal Type World Cup” when Lucy transferred.
Under the unspoken pressure from the crowd of Buttpicking Viewers, Lucy had no choice but to carry out the content.
Thus began the Song Ideal Type World Cup.
That was when I first got to see Park Nana’s stage video.
Numerous TMI comments flooded the chat room at the time.
– Wow! Park Nana’s songs have emotion.
– The host is about to cry soon… Huh? Are you holding back tears? Tne, T!
– (Cheering sticks), (Cheering sticks), (Cheering sticks)!
– This person recovered from vocal cord nodules 15 times; they are a phoenix.
– Lol, crazy TMI viewers are mindlessly increasing the count of vocal cord nodules.
At the time, I was feeling upset from the ‘shitty’ chat atmosphere from the viewers, so I couldn’t feel any particular emotion watching the stage.
I watched the video a few more times after that but couldn’t understand why those ancient Buttpicking Viewers bragged about experiencing it live.
Instead, I kept thinking, “Hmm, is this really it?”
If one looks coldly from a few steps away, anyone would feel like I did.
The song was also from a subculture and was far from mainstream. The good tone and vocals were attractive, but they weren’t at the level of receiving such mindless praise.
“Now I understand. I finally grasp their feelings that I couldn’t comprehend then.”
In the end, the core was the “story.”
When I watched the video without any background knowledge at all, I couldn’t empathize whatsoever.
However, right now, understanding the entire narrative and looking at the stage is different.
Even if I wasn’t the most passionate fan, I became someone who could raise my hand and cheer for her.
The lyrics of the song made it even more exquisite.
[I’ll convey my heart filled with love in a cuter way
If it’s okay, could you at least remember my name?
Can you not? (Hey!)]
Clearly, it had a bright and cheerful melody, yet the voice that came through was sorrowful.
The viewers’ responses were similar.
The chat room was flooded with emoticons shedding tears, saying the song was sad.
Even the avatar of Sayoh, who was shaking her head to the exciting melody at the beginning of the stage, stopped moving.
[With a smile filled with love, I’ll convey to you
If it’s okay, could you call me ‘Chae-ae’?
Can you not?
Could I hope just a bit with genuine expectation? (Hey!)]
– Hey!
– Hey! Is this right?
– (Cheering sticks), (Cheering sticks), (Cheering sticks)!
It was an amazing sight.
Most viewers who didn’t even know the subculture song were participating.
Normally, except for the Buttpicking Viewers, most would show mechanical reactions or dismiss it, saying, “10-subculture songs are a bit much.”
Yet, so many people awkwardly tried to follow along and respond.
[Not being able to keep up with trends and fashion
I grumble, get annoyed, and even cry
Do I have no talent for such a timid me?
Do people not want an idol like me?]
That part touched everyone’s hearts.
The lyrics of the song overlapped perfectly with the audition situation.
The song title “I Declare Myself an Idol” that appeared during the idol audition was already unusual.
All these elements combined made the viewers more immersed.
“Will I ever be able to write such a story?”
I fell into a daze.
The little girl avatar with pink dumpling hair.
It’s just a basic model that hasn’t gone through much customization, yet I couldn’t understand why it sparkled so much.
Meanwhile, the song was racing towards its conclusion.
[With a smile filled with love, I’ll convey to you
If it’s okay, could you call me ‘Chae-ae’?
Can you not?
Could I hope just a bit with genuine expectation? (Hey!)]
The cheer continued to resonate until the end.
Afterwards, an exciting melody lingered like an echo.
An unknown despair and numbness.
The pink dumpling head avatar bowed its head.
“Thank you.”
***
“I’ll Pass. There were many stages yesterday and today, but I experienced ‘appreciation’ for the first time instead of judging. I just comfortably closed my eyes and listened.”
“Oh! Thank you, thank you.”
“However, I have a suggestion: changing the vocal style to be more idol-like might improve your vocals. I could help with that part, right?”
Jerry’s playful side was rare to see.
The next turn was Great Moon.
“I really thought it was difficult. I even listened to Park Nana’s cover songs on my MP3 in high school; her character is so solid, you know? But entering a new idol group would overlap with parts from your previous song crew…”
“Oh, yes.”
“However, my thoughts changed after watching the performance just now. Wow! This is what a narrative and story is. Perhaps Park Nana could break away from her previous character and draw a new picture. What do you think? Is that possible?”
With already two Passes confirmed, the last turn was Sayoh’s.
“……”
She found it hard to speak.
After all, she had shown a certain attitude before the stage.
But Sayoh is also a professional broadcaster and has been in the business for 10 years now.
She quickly organized her feelings and thoughts before opening her mouth.
“Honestly, I was planning to drop you no matter what.”
“……”
“I’m not just saying this; I mean it. Park Nana, we’ve known each other for a long time, haven’t we? Seriously.”
“Yes. That’s right. It’s been a while.”
Neither Sayoh nor Park Nana was just joking; both understood the implied meaning of having a long tenure as a 10-year streamer.
It was about image consumption.
The Streaming Community seeks stimulation and freshness above all else.
If you’ve been in such a place for 10 years, you’re no different from a piece of chewed-up gum.
Of course, there are big company streamers who have survived for 10 years and are still doing well, but that’s just a special minority case.
Even if the survival rate is high, it’s clear that their prime was long ago.
The consumption of image is indeed frightening.
“Yes, I really know that, so I tried even harder to drop you. But… Ah, really.”
Is it what they call a feeling of shared hardship?
Sayoh could relate, as she was in a similar situation.
A heart that, despite the long duration, didn’t want to end yet.
The earnestness and urgency contained within that heart.
“I don’t know. Without realizing it, I started crying midway through. Ah!”
– Our bro is in a midlife crisis, so he cries a lot these days.
– But I understand; it felt heavy in the middle.
– It was a really good stage, seriously.
“I thought while watching the performance. I thought it was the end, but perhaps there’s more to show. There’s still something left.”
“Yes. I… can still shine more.”
Sayoh silently nodded and pressed the Pass button.
This resulted in an All Pass.
Park Nana left with a thank-you note filled with joy.
“Shall we take a short break?”
“Yes. We still need to listen to the next person’s song, but the linger of emotion is still there.”
“Really, I also felt a lump in my throat midway through listening. It’s interesting to hear that you did too, Sayoh.”
Suddenly, a bathroom break was announced.
I composed my emotions and secretly accessed the FM Community on my phone.
– What’s Park Nana doing?
I feel like it’s my first time seeing her, despite her doing broadcasts for ten years.
– She used to run a very famous song crew a long time ago and also streamed on Pangea TV.
– The highest viewed video on her YouTube channel has 23 million views, lol.
– In recent years, she’s done isolated island broadcasts and hobby streams on LebitTV, so you might not know her well since she only does formal broadcasts 4-5 times a month.
– Why do you know so much? Are you a LebitTV listener?
– Even though she’s been broadcasting for 10 years, I feel like I’m seeing a new face today~ I’ll start following her from today.
– Ugaidol Audition Park Nana’s Stage Video
[Video] I Declare Myself an Idol – Park Nana
– Wow! You deserve points.
– d*mn, I’m adding this to my playlist from today.
– Park Nana’s performance has emotion!
– I need to put her in my final picks now, going with Choi Eun-bin, Miho, Seoa, Park Nana, Lucy.
– But do you guys know this?
A long time ago, Park Nana was in the same excitement club as Ensol, but they fought and broke up? But Baio is the reincarnation of Ensol.
– Whoa? No way; is that real? That’s another legendary story.
– How did they both end up auditioning together, like “enemies meet on a single wooden bridge”?
– Huh, lol, was there really someone who didn’t know? Baio’s voice was so obvious in her first broadcast that they figured out she was reincarnated right away.
– Wow, there are so many hidden stories, lol; this is so fun.
“Of course…”
It was a fact I already knew, but it felt bitter seeing the posts in the FM Community.
As Park Nana’s story came to light, naturally, the stories of those related to her would gain strength as well.
If possible, I had hoped that Lucy would quietly gain attention, but already the past connection between Park Nana and Baio was filling the popular posts.
This meant that Lucy, who was next in line, would inevitably be influenced.
“I can’t help it. Even if it’s not the first stage, I have a bigger opportunity prepared.”
However, that plan required a lot of “money.”
For now, I was handling transactions on credit, but I was starting to feel a sense of urgency.
“I have to get serious. I should start collecting payments. I need special management for the Buttpicking writer anyway.”
There’s no one in this world who dislikes money.
A happy train of thought spreads in my mind.