Inadvertently starting a trend

As the days following the "Korea's Rising Stars" episode passed, the impact of Ascend's performance became increasingly apparent. The group's EP sales began to climb steadily, a direct result of their television exposure.

In the Golden-Star Entertainment office, Byul-ho leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Byul-ho sat at his desk, reviewing the latest sales figures. A small smile played on his lips as he read the report.

"5,000 physical sales and 8,000 digital downloads," he murmured to himself. "It's a start."

Meanwhile, on Naver and other social media platforms, discussions about Ascend were gaining traction.

User @아이돌팬94 posted: "Did you see that group Ascend on KRS? It's so unusual to see a K-pop group in a talent competition! But I'm here for it!"

Another user, @음악평론가해룡, replied: "Unusual, yes, but their performance was impressive. I'm curious to see how they'll fare in the competition."

The topic of Ascend's young CEO also became a hot point of discussion.

@비즈니스인사이트 wrote: "That young CEO is smart. Using a talent show to promote his group? Brilliant marketing strategy."

@아이돌워쳐123 responded: "True, but it's risky too. If they don't do well, it could backfire. But I have to admit, I'm intrigued by both the group and their CEO."

As the online chatter continued to grow, more people sought out Ascend's music, contributing to the rising sales figures.

***

Meanwhile, Do-hyun was on the phone with his family back in the province. Their voices brimmed with pride and excitement.

"You were amazing, son!" his father exclaimed. "The whole neighborhood is talking about you!"

Do-hyun couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Dad. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

While some members basked in their families' pride, others faced a different reality. Hae-won and Sung-ho came from middle-class families with mixed reactions. Sung-ho's father was particularly upset.

"How could you embarrass us like this?" Sung-ho's father's voice boomed through the phone. In the background, his mother tried to calm the situation.

"Honey, please. He's following his dream," she pleaded.

Jae-sung's situation was even more complex. His father, a wealthy lawyer in another city, was mortified. Though Jae-sung had lost contact with them, the family still felt the sting of what they perceived as shame.

"Did you see what he's done?" Jae-sung's father muttered to his wife. "How am I supposed to face my colleagues now?"

Yoon-seok's family was similarly divided. His sister and mother supported him, but his father couldn't hide his disappointment.

"Our neighbors keep asking about you," Yoon-seok's father grumbled. "It's humiliating. I can't even go to the local store without hearing whispers."

***

Byul-ho faced his group, a proud smile on his face. "Great news, everyone. Our TV appearance has boosted our EP and music video DVD sales significantly."

The group cheered, but Byul-ho noticed that Yoon-seok and Sung-ho seemed less enthusiastic than the others. Their smiles didn't quite reach their eyes.

"Is everything alright?" Byul-ho asked, his brow furrowing with concern.

"We're fine," they replied in unison, unconvincingly.

Sung-ho sighed, "It's just... my father reprimanded me for appearing on TV."

Yoon-seok's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? Mine too."

Byul-ho's expression softened. "I understand it's difficult, but remember why we're doing this. Your talent deserves to be seen."

Do-hyun, listening to the exchange, shook his head in disbelief. "I don't get it. My family's so proud. Why wouldn't your parents be happy to see you on TV?"

Jae-sung, his voice tinged with a hint of bitterness, responded, "It's different in Seoul, Do-hyun. Your family's in the province."

Yoon-seok and Sung-ho exchanged glances, a mix of envy and amusement in their eyes.

"Must be nice," Yoon-seok said, trying to keep his tone light.

Sung-ho nodded, "Yeah, having a supportive family and all."

Do-hyun frowned, still struggling to understand. "I just don't get Seoul families sometimes. They're so caught up in pride and saving face."

The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of their different experiences hanging in the air.

Byul-ho cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "Listen, all of you. What matters most is that we believe in ourselves and our music. We're in this together, and we'll support each other, no matter what."

The members nodded, a sense of unity settling over them.

"Now," Byul-ho continued, his voice filled with determination, "let's focus on our next performance. We've got a lot of work to do if we want to keep this momentum going."

***

Meanwhile, the ripple effect of Ascend's bold move was being felt throughout the K-pop industry. Several small K-pop groups under different agencies and labels had watched Ascend's audition on "Korea's Rising Stars" with great interest.

In a cramped practice room, one such group huddled around their manager.

"Did you see that group Ascend on KRS?" one member asked excitedly.

Their manager nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I did. It's an interesting strategy."

"Do you think... we could do that too?" another member ventured hesitantly.

The manager considered for a moment. "You know, it's not a bad idea. The auditions are still open, and it could give us the exposure we need."

Across Seoul, similar conversations were taking place in other small entertainment companies. Managers and CEOs who had been struggling to gain traction for their groups suddenly saw a new opportunity.

In one company's conference room, a CEO addressed her team. "Ascend's appearance on the show has created quite a buzz. We should consider this for our group as well."

As news spread that "Korea's Rising Stars" was still in its audition stage, with the real competition set to begin in a few days, several management teams sprang into action. They began preparing their groups for potential auditions, seeing it as a chance to gain the kind of attention that traditional promotions hadn't achieved.

One manager, watching his group practice late into the night, muttered to himself, "If Ascend can do it, why can't we?"

The K-pop industry, always quick to adapt, was buzzing with this new trend.

As more groups prepared to audition, the competition for spots on "Korea's Rising Stars" was set to become even fiercer.

Back at Golden-Star Entertainment, Byul-ho was unaware of the movement he had inadvertently started.

***

Two days later, Byul-ho sat in his office, eyes fixed on the television. He was watching the latest episode of "Korea's Rising Stars" for research, but what he saw made his eyebrows rise in surprise.

A K-pop group take the stage for their audition.

"Well, this is unexpected," he murmured.

As the episode progressed, Byul-ho's surprise only grew. Not one, but eight K-pop groups had shown up to audition. The judges' reactions were a mix of amusement and exasperation.

"It seems Ascend has started a trend," one judge quipped. "We're being invaded by shameless K-pop groups on our little show!"

"Eight K-pop groups?" Byul-ho muttered, leaning forward in his chair.

Despite the judges' jokes, it was clear they were taking each audition seriously. By the end of the episode, only four of the eight groups had made it through to the competition stage.

Kim Seon-woo, who had been standing quietly nearby, spoke up. "It appears your move has inspired others, young master. You've inadvertently changed the landscape of the competition."

Byul-ho nodded thoughtfully, his mind racing. "I didn't expect this," he admitted.

Seon-woo then asked, "With four K-pop groups now in the competition, what do you plan to do, young master?"

Byul-ho's lips curved into a confident smile. "Although I didn't expect this, life is full of surprises, isn't it?" He paused, his eyes gleaming with determination. "We'll topple the competition, Seon-woo. In fact, this is good news. More K-pop groups mean more attention for the show, and by extension, more attention for Ascend."

Seon-woo's eyebrows raised slightly, surprised by his young master's line of thinking. He couldn't help but reflect on the changes he'd observed in Byul-ho since that day he caught a cold after a shower. The transformation was remarkable, and in Seon-woo's opinion, for the better.

"Your perspective is quite... refreshing, young master," Seon-woo said, a hint of admiration in his voice.

Byul-ho turned to face his butler, his expression serious but with a glint of excitement in his eyes. "This is an opportunity, Seon-woo. We need to make sure Ascend stands out even more now. Get me a meeting with the group and our creative team. We need to strategize."

As Seon-woo bowed and left to arrange the meeting, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. The young master he had watched grow up was now showing a level of business acumen and adaptability that was truly impressive.