Chapter 32 Chapter 32
YG's official announcement came at 7:00 AM. The language was concise, restrained, and devoid of emotion: "The company has confirmed that the two individuals did go out to buy food that evening. This was a trainee assignment."
There was no inappropriate behavior during the period. Please do not spread unverified false information. Meanwhile, Naver's trending search list also quietly adjusted. Keywords such as "#GD's love affair exposed" and "#Who is trainee Lia" disappeared.
Instead, a bunch of irrelevant entertainment news and advertising entries appeared. Like a silent magic trick of search engines, traces of "them" were gradually erased from public view.
This response didn't quell public opinion. "It's the same old slang again." "'Busy schedule,' 'I'm not aware,' 'Just a junior or senior,' the same old PR clichés." "I can recite YG's PR pitch by heart."
"Why not just not post it? It's the same as not saying anything." "Wow, this is the reaction. Did they buy off Naver?" The fans' reactions were even more intense: "No, it's not!"
"Take my dragon! I told you we're seniors and juniors, but you don't believe me. What do you want him to say?" "Take a look at his schedule. Where does he have time for a relationship? He barely has time for meals." "To be honest, it doesn't seem like they're really dating.
Someone like GD wouldn't make such a low-level mistake in a relationship." "Can Lia speak out... I believe everything you say." "You bastard YG, stop covering up and let my baby speak out!!" ...
Lia didn't hear these sounds. After the incident, the only computer with internet access in the dormitory living room was removed. It was like living in a one-dimensional glass cover. They could be clearly seen by the outside world.
Captured by the camera, judged by the audience, yet unable to touch what is really happening behind the glass. Others in the dormitory don't know what happened to Lia.
The brutal battle for survival was imminent, leaving no one to think about anything else. Even if she was quieter than usual, it wasn't surprising. No one could truly laugh except in front of the camera. The new episode of the show went on as planned.
Unlike the internal group battles in the previous episode, this time it was an external competition - the company arranged a joint filming showdown with JYP trainees, and the production team went to great lengths to package it as a "YG vs. JYP" special.
JYP released promotional materials long in advance to attract attention. They sent two groups of trainees and even brought their own dance instructors and vocal teachers to support the team.
On YG's side, perhaps due to the excessive focus on handling public opinion, preparations seemed somewhat rushed. Group rehearsals were compressed into just a week, leaving little time for further adaptations of the assigned tracks, forcing them to refine the work over and over again within the framework.
Without needing any further explanation, Lia automatically took a side seat. The production team tacitly skipped her solo scenes and interviews, devoting far more resources to JYP trainees than to this former "hotshot."
She didn't argue or object, but simply memorized the movements, remembered the rhythm, and repeatedly checked her positioning. Her training habits were always stable.
Even the smallest details would be polished over and over again, even if she knew there wouldn't be any shots of her in that episode. ... After the shoot, Lia found Baoheng backstage.
Perhaps worried about her condition, Baoheng stood by and watched the entire shoot. "Sister Baoheng, I want to quit," she whispered. The two of them stood in the cramped backstage hallway, surrounded by the staff members coming and going.
Bao Heng looked at her with a complicated expression. Her eyes were brighter than ever, and she didn't look overwhelmed, but rather like she had finally figured something out.
"Is it because of this revelation?" Bao Heng asked. Although he already had some guesses in his mind, he still pointed out the most obvious reason.
"No," Lia shook her head. "This incident was just an opportunity. 'Ah, my passion for this job isn't enough to sustain me in the future.' Thanks to this incident, that thought became crystal clear for the first time."
She chuckled. "After all, I wasn't as determined as the others from the beginning." "What about the future?" "I can still make music even if I don't debut, right? Or maybe I'll have other interests in the future."
Her face was still covered with stage makeup, the thick foundation like a mask covering her face, but her eyes were unusually clear.
"I understand how you feel." After a long moment, Bao Heng finally spoke, "But now isn't a good time. Discussions are already heating up, and withdrawing would only spark more speculation."
"Yeah, I know." Lia said calmly, "But I don't want to wait for others to make decisions for me anymore." Bao Heng was silent for a moment. "I'll talk to the company," she said finally. "Have you really thought it through?"
"...Yeah." Lia nodded, her tone firm. * The show's popularity was surprisingly high that night. Conventional publicity was far less effective than a scandal.
The relentless, three-day, three-night revelations prompted many viewers, previously uninterested in YG's new girl group, to tune in for the first time. —Who is Lia? —What about the trainee dating G-Dragon?
Many viewers tuned in to the episode with questions in mind. Unsurprisingly, her absence sparked heated discussion: "So who is Lia?"
"There aren't enough shots, right? It seems to be the one with long curly hair standing in the back. The production team didn't even mention her name." "Isn't she said to be a royal family? Hahaha, so 'royal'?" "She's quite compatible with GD. Is that something you can say?"
"No, shut up." "Is YG going to give up on her?" "Not really? Didn't the company clarify? She's a hot favorite to debut." "That's too harsh on girls. Male artists with bad records can still get by."
"I suddenly feel a little heartbroken... Holy crap." Public opinion always shifts unexpectedly. A popular contestant's footage was cut overnight, and from the outside, it was undoubtedly a one-sided suppression of the trainees by the company.
The spectators were there to watch the show, but when the whole episode was cut to just five minutes, it made people sympathize with it, not to mention the fans.
While it's disappointing to be involved in a scandal before their debut, their company has denied it, arguing that the alleged "evidence" is simply a photo of them walking side by side, showing no intimate activity. It's not unreasonable to call them seniors and juniors.
Because of a fabricated scandal, she was completely blacklisted, and Lia became the victim. After this incident, the remaining fans actually loved her even more. "No matter what, I believe the official statement and look forward to her debut!"
"She's definitely not that confused." "Anyway, being black and red is still being red, that's what makes a star." "Exactly, among the trainees who haven't debuted yet, which one has this kind of fame, hehe~"
So, contrary to everyone's expectations, even though she had almost no screen time in this episode, she still took first place in the voting by a landslide. ... Meanwhile, the situation online was quietly shifting. On MSN, Kush updated her status:
"Studio Night." The accompanying image is a photo of food—sashimi, grilled meat, and a few disposable paper cups. The background is the familiar YG recording studio, with a glimpse of an old poster taped to the wall in the corner.
A few minutes later, Teddy followed suit. He didn't write anything, just two images: One was a screenshot of a backend project file in the console, with the editing time clearly displayed as 1:23 AM on February 18, 2008.
The other photo shows him and Lia. Lia sits in a chair in front of the console, looking back slightly at the camera with a slightly bewildered expression. Beside her, Teddy is adjusting equipment with his back to the camera.
Tag: #HardWorkingGirl Soon, the photo was uploaded to the Bestiz forum. A long post titled "Suspicious Points in GD's Love Affairs: Did You Really See Through It?" was prominently posted on the front page.
Author ID: peace0818, the avatar is a smiling cat wearing sunglasses, registered less than a week ago, and this is the only post he has made.
But the post doesn't look like something a novice could write for the first time. The content is well-organized and detailed, making one suspect it's a new account opened by a veteran fan. The opening line is a classic "self-certification of fan status":
"As a long-time VIP who's been following this since 2007, I have to say: You guys are too easily influenced by rumors, aren't you? If GD were truly in a relationship, would he deny it so outright?" This was followed by a timeline analysis with pictures and text:
"Look at the pictures: On the evening of February 17, GD finished a commercial performance and returned to the company from the airport. It was almost midnight. - Picture ①
(Source: GDForever) The airport pick-up photo taken for the fan site, he was wearing that black jacket.
Teddy uploaded a screenshot of the recording studio project file operation record on his MSN status, and the time was shown as 1:23 am on February 18.
A photo of him and Lia at the same console also appeared in the same dynamic, indicating that there were at least three people working in the recording studio at that time: Teddy, Lia, and the photographer X. - Figure ②
③(Source: Teddy’s personal account).
Around the same time, Kush also updated his status, posting photos of sashimi, grilled meat, and four disposable cups. This suggests they were finishing up work and enjoying a meal together: Teddy, Kush, GD, and Lia.
——Image 4 (Source: Kush's personal account). Zooming in on the candid photos, GD is holding a box of sashimi from A's restaurant, which matches the food photos Kush posted. ——Image 5
(Source: Original breaking news post).
Based on this information, it seems that Teddy, Kush, and Lia were working overtime in the studio that night, and GD joined them after returning from the airport. Afterward, the four of them had a late-night dinner together. Because they wanted to eat sashimi, GD and Lia went out as "errand boys," which is why they were secretly photographed.
If YG really has something to hide, they would usually use "unconfirmed" to delay the matter, but this time they directly denied it, which shows that the matter itself is not complicated. The conclusion is written in a decisive manner:
"There are pictures and timelines, a logically complete loop. Not only did they work overtime until the early hours, but they were also falsely accused of being in a relationship?" "That revelation can only prove—1. GD works hard, returning to write music after completing his schedule; 2.
Lia is amazing, even before her debut, she's already working in a recording studio. 3. They both respect the elderly and care for the young, not letting their seniors go out to buy late-night snacks. "That's all." Within two hours of posting, the post had already climbed to the top of the forum's trending list, and the comments section was rapidly refreshed.
"The analysis is so strong... Are all the fellow spectators so dedicated?" "For a moment, I felt like I was cheated." "GD's behavior is pure misfortune. He even gets smeared for working overtime..." "He's been so popular lately. Has some company targeted him?"
"Whether it's true or not, Lia really shouldn't be treated like this." "She was originally a hot favorite and got to this point based on her own strength." "Is the production team deliberately giving her the cold shoulder?"
"If this is true, then it's really unfair. She was supposed to debut in a popular position with smooth sailing, but she's been scolded for so long." "In the final analysis, someone followed her halfway through the filming and made up the story..."
"Actually, I also don't think GD would take the trainees out for a private date..." "The analysis makes sense, but this post is full of personal comments, praising every single one." "It's hilarious, seriously, even eating and taking things."
... YG Entertainment noticed the change in the situation the day after the post was published. The PR department's morning meeting was held half an hour earlier than usual.
The staff responsible for monitoring public opinion on this incident distributed pre-printed materials to everyone's desk. The documents were neatly pinned with paper clips, and the cover read: "Recent Forum Hot Posts Tracking & Forwarding Trend Statistics."
"This post was posted around 3:00 PM yesterday." He flipped to the first page and pointed at the chart. "It's a newly registered account. It was widely shared on fan forums, MSN, and in the comment sections of portal news portals in a short period of time. It's been cited over 120 times, and its popularity continues to grow."
"What's different from the previous two days is—" He flipped to the second page, "This is the first time the volume of positive discussion has surpassed the volume of negative keywords: 3:40 in the morning."
"Judging from the current trend, most comments are no longer speculative, but are turning towards sympathy, support, and public opinion correction." The atmosphere in the meeting room was tense. Their efforts were not as effective as a "fan post" posted by a private individual.
But this is the nature of public opinion. The more official something is, the more suspicious it becomes. Conversely, the voices of those who are "inside" are more likely to be trusted. Someone murmured, "She's really quite lucky."
The director didn't comment, simply tapping the line graph on the report with a pen. "Has the technical team identified the smurf IP?" "Not yet, but preliminary analysis suggests it's a user on the Seoul intranet."
"Forget it, no need to check. It's a good thing for us anyway." He put away the report. "It's well organized. Send a copy to the production team for future reference."
"Also..." He paused, his eyes sweeping across the conference table, "Let's prepare to start Plan B. The trainees have asked to withdraw from the competition, so we can start making arrangements in advance." "Will the fifth episode not be filmed?" someone asked.
"Shoot, but arrange for her to leave after this episode. Let her record a statement of withdrawal. With the debut election approaching, her departure at this point can also boost the popularity of the second half of the show." Everyone nodded. Everyone was already accustomed to this logic -
The joys, sorrows, anger, and every move of public figures will eventually be archived, quantified, and exploited.
----------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
