LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 319
Chapter 319. Youth Sniper Project (4)
What is the Kairos Youth Sniper Project?
“To put it simply, it’s a project targeting teenagers.”
Hajin adjusted his black horn-rimmed glasses, which he had recently taken to wearing, by pushing them up with the back of his finger.
Once again, the location was Eunchan’s hospital room. (Eunchan grumbled about why his hyungs kept coming here instead of staying at the dorm, but they lightly ignored him.)
Hajin had somehow managed to bring a beam projector and had set up a sleek PowerPoint presentation. Yugeon mumbled quietly as he watched.
“Where does he keep getting this stuff?”
“Just let him be. He looks excited.”
Taehyun shrugged as he speared a piece of the apple Yugeon had sliced with a fork.
As the sound of the apple crunching filled the room, Hajin flipped to the next slide and posed a question.
“If we divide our fans into age groups from teenagers to those in their sixties, which age group do you think has the most purchasing power?”
“Answer! People in their 30s?”
“Correct, Dan Haru. Most of the Utopia hyungs or those who were teenagers before them have grown into adult consumers with significant purchasing power. In fact, some media outlets have reported statistics showing that most cultural consumers in South Korea are women in their 20s and 30s.”
Though I may have only managed to get into a cyber university this time around, I was originally a performing arts student majoring in mass media and performance culture in South Korea.
Hajin bit his lip, holding back the urge to mention such meta facts to the yet-to-be-awakened members, and continued speaking smoothly.
“Okay, here’s the second question.”
“…Is this a lecture, Professor?”
“If we divide our fans into age groups from teenagers to those in their sixties, which age group do you think consumes idol culture the most actively?”
Ignoring Yugeon’s interruption, Hajin posed the second question. Eunchan, who had been munching on the apple Taehyun had forked for him, blinked and answered.
“…Teenagers?”
“Correct. Student Joo Eunchan gets 10 bonus points.”
“What about me!?”
“Student Dan Haru also gets 10 points.”
“Is there a grade for this?”
“…Just play along.”
Yugeon’s grumbling, unable to immerse himself in Professor Kang Hajin’s lecture on “Understanding the Age Groups of Idol Consumers,” finally quieted under Taehyun’s glare.
As Hajin pressed the pointer button, the PPT slide transitioned with a morphing effect, displaying articles and statistical graphs summarizing the consumption patterns of teenagers in idol culture.
“Teenagers’ consumption of idols is remarkable. The idea that they lack the financial freedom of adults is outdated. In today’s world, where luxury haul content on iTube is all the rage, teenagers have become a pretty powerful target audience.”
“To be honest, even without these statistics, we see quite a few teenage fans at our fan meets. That alone isn’t cheap.”
“Well… I do have a lot to say about the industry encouraging and fostering reckless luxury consumption among teenagers, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about today, so let’s skip that.”
“What exactly is this guy’s job…?”
“Isn’t it obvious? He’s an idol.”
Ignoring Yugeon and Taehyun’s now routine back-and-forth, Hajin tilted his head slightly.
“The 20s and 30s age group certainly has high purchasing power and is well-versed in community and SNS activities, making their influence online significant. However, when it comes to setting trends and generating viral content, it’s hard to keep up with the teenage fans.”
Earning money means working, and working means having relatively less time and leisure.
In modern society, office workers are a weary bunch, battered by the harsh realities of life, who seek to recharge their drained energy through their fandoms. (This is from personal experience.)
In contrast, teenagers have an abundance of energy that they can pour entirely into the dopamine rush of fandom, making their power fundamentally incomparable.
Both consumer groups are essential pillars of the idol industry, but what Kairos needed right now wasn’t just purchasing power—it was the buzz generated by the teenage demographic.
A solidifying blow as a rising star: “Kairos is the latest trend.”
“Of course, if we only manage to generate fleeting buzz among teenagers, this project will be a failure. Ultimately, it’s our results that prove our worth, and those results mostly come from the money and effort of our fans.”
Hajin’s gaze sharpened.
In their second year as an idol group, this year was crucial for Kairos.
It was often said that the first golden age, when a rising group ascends to the top, happens in the third year. Right now, they were in the phase of laying the groundwork for that third year.
“So, to explain the ultimate goal of this Youth Sniper Project more precisely, it’s to create a boom among teenagers so that they can settle in as stable consumers of our group. It’s about securing the future 20s and 30s consumers in advance.”
“……”
“I’m not particularly fond of the word ‘consumer’ either, but… without fans who love them, idols are just slightly better-looking people who put on makeup and sing. In that sense, attracting teenage fans is important.”
With Hajin’s cynical explanation, most of the members, who had been listening with somewhat complex expressions, nodded in understanding.
However, Hajin noticed Doha still sitting with his arms crossed, looking unconvinced. Hajin shrugged and added a word.
“Of course, whether they’re teenagers or sixty-year-olds, what ultimately keeps them loyal to our group will depend on the music we make. I’m not planning to forget our essence as singers, so you can relax.”
These guys are so picky.
Even as he thought this, Hajin found himself enjoying this time of persuading the members and bringing them over to his side.
It was a far cry from the time when he had to carry the rope alone, nodding along without really understanding or opposing everything without reason.
Siwoo, who had been listening intently, stroked Haru’s fluffy hair as if petting a cat, then spoke up.
“So, the bottom line is that we’re targeting teenagers who might have weaker purchasing power with this busking project to secure new fans, while also increasing viral buzz about our group?”
“Exactly. As expected, college students are different.”
“I’m okay with it since I’ve always wanted to try a nationwide busking tour, but it’s surprising that the company agreed. The only real return they’ll get compared to the cost is word of mouth.”
“Oh, I was just about to explain that.”
“……?”
*Beep.*
With a pointer sound, the slide changed.
The text
“We’re planning to spend almost nothing from Miro on this project.”
“…How is that possible?”
Hajin extended his long, straight finger and pointed at someone in particular in response to Siwoo’s puzzled question.
It was Eunchan, who was sitting on the hospital bed, happily munching on a banana.
“Most of it will be funded by his hyung.”
“…My hyung?”
“Yeah. Your hyung.”
“…Why my hyung?”
“Oh, nothing special. I just extorted a bit from him again.”
“…What?”
What is this guy even talking about now?
Hajin looked relaxed and let out a refreshing laugh, completely unconcerned by Eunchan’s expression, which had shifted from bafflement to sheer disbelief.
If Thirteen were here, he’d probably be rolling his eyes and saying, *There goes that thug again.*
* * *
I visited Joo Eunseok after Joo Eunchan’s accident and Seo Taehyun’s controversy had settled somewhat, and our comeback plans were confirmed.
-“You’re here? You’ve lost some weight since I last saw you.”
-“As you know, I’ve been under a lot of stress. Meanwhile, you’ve become Director Joo.”
-“The path for a CEO’s son is pretty much the same everywhere. Coffee?”
-“No, I can’t handle caffeine.”
-“Ah, right. I think I heard that.”
Having a younger brother involved in such an accident must have taken a toll on him, but Joo Eunseok welcomed my visit with a calm and composed demeanor.
It was a headache right from the start to politely decline his insistence on having his secretary bring me a takeaway iced chocolate instead of coffee. Our real conversation began after I’d told him about five times that the orange juice in his mini-fridge was more than enough.
-“I read the proposal you sent.”
-“…What did you think?”
-“Hajin, are you sure you don’t want a job? We offer full benefits and good bonuses.”
-“Is this really the time for a baseless headhunting offer to an idol with a new single dropping tomorrow?”
-“Would you consider starting salary negotiations at 50 million won? Of course, that’s considering you’d be a new hire at age 20.”
-“…It’s a pretty tempting offer, especially if it had been made last winter, but I’ll have to respectfully decline.”
-“Tch. What a shame.”
50 million won salary? 50 million???
A take-home pay of 3,567,653 won per month? And that’s without bonuses?
Considering my previous salary in the last timeline, it was a ridiculously tempting offer, but I firmly stood my ground.
Unlike our last meeting, when I was grappling with job insecurity, this time I had something to back me up.
-“I’m earning quite a bit now, too.”
Since our first settlement last
year, the monthly royalties that had been coming in were substantial, to say the least. Thanks to the hit of
…Since I’d never handled such large sums before, I’d just been putting it all into savings, but still, I had enough guts to refuse a 50 million won salary.
-“If the group ever fails or I mess up and have to leave, could I come back and ask for that offer?”
-“Come on, if that happens, your market value would change. Besides, if someone from the same group as my brother fails or messes up, that’s a problem for me too.”
-“Exactly. I’m just expressing in my way that such a thing won’t happen.”
I could still vividly remember the satisfied smile on Joo Eunseok’s face as he chuckled at my witty response.
After some more lighthearted banter, Joo Eunseok smiled charmingly, his features softer and slightly more refined than his younger brother’s.
-“I liked the idea. ‘A corporate social welfare project for cultural wastelands.’…”
Joo Eunseok, with the Youth Sniper Project proposal I had sent him pulled up on his tablet, tapped the screen with his finger as he spoke. I confidently proceeded with the investment pitch I had prepared.
-“You’re already running something similar with Studio A, right? Under the guise of a cultural welfare project for corporate image. We’re just adding our name to the mix. But the promotional effect would be far greater than before.”
-…….
-“You’ve already announced that you have a successful boy group as a younger brother, so why not see how much your brother’s name is worth?”
-“Guys, we’re here. Time to wake up.”
Kwon Wook hyung’s friendly voice pulled me out of my memory, unsure if it was a dream or a recollection.
The once-dark sky outside the car windows was now brightly lit with the warm rays of morning sunlight. As we stepped out of the vehicle, our destination came into view across what might have been a reservoir or a lake.
“Well, well.”
The weather was just perfect for the appearance of a handsome student teacher.
A sense of excitement for today’s surprise busking began to well up inside me.