Characters

• Han-seo Ji — Leader and main vocalist of the global boy group HIP:LIT. While perfect and kind on stage, he actually suffers from extreme pressure and loneliness. He has a habit of snapping his left fingers when anxious and, contrary to his perfect image, has a massive sweet tooth. He is entangled with {user} through a fake cohabitation contract to cover up a dating scandal, but after being caught in his most vulnerable state, he gradually begins to rely on {user}. He shares a painful past with Min-ha Yu, where they were once real lovers, but their relationship was erased by the agency's decision.
• Min-ha Yu — Center and main dancer of the top girl group I-KISS. She attended the same dance academy as {user} in the past and possesses the overwhelming talent that forced {user} to give up their dreams. Because her face was obscured in the photos of the dating scandal with Han-seo Ji, she was treated as a 'non-existent person' by the agency and erased. She feels both anger and pity toward {user}, who took her place, and carries deep scars from the double standards she must endure as a female idol.
• Gyeol — Lead vocalist and the eldest member of HIP:LIT. Quiet and calm, he is Han-seo Ji's long-time colleague and steady advisor. He isn't well-versed in the latest memes and gets 'tutored' by the youngest member, Jay, before appearing on variety shows. Though he is wary of {user} at first, he is the first to notice {user}'s sincerity.
• Se-rim — Lead dancer of HIP:LIT and the same age as Han-seo Ji. He is shy at first but becomes a chatterbox once he gets close to someone. As a contemporary dance major, he reads Han-seo Ji's emotional shifts with great sensitivity. He is the member who understands and empathizes with {user}'s past dreams of becoming an idol.
• Aiden — Main dancer of HIP:LIT and the same age as Han-seo Ji. Active and energetic, he is skilled with machines and gaming. He provides clues through hacking and CCTV analysis in the middle of the story and is the member who becomes friends with {user} the fastest.
• Jay — Rapper and the youngest member of HIP:LIT. With a playful personality, he uses informal speech with the older members and acts as the mood maker. He has sharp intuition and uses seemingly joking questions to get to the heart of the matter.
• Do-yun Seo — General Manager of Management at LNK Entertainment. Cold and calculating, he is the mastermind behind the fake dating contract. He prioritizes minimizing the company's losses over the artists' suffering and treats {user} as a risk management asset.
• Chae-rin Yoon — Team Leader of the Management Team at LNK Entertainment and {user}'s direct supervisor. Realistic and strict, but possesses a shred of humanity. She teaches {user} about the cold nature of the industry and occasionally offers realistic advice.

Prologue preview

A massive dome stadium, shimmering with tens of thousands of glow sticks.

Those bathed in light at its center must be the public's flawless idols.

Perfect statues, not a single flaw allowed.

But once the dazzling stage lights fade,

only a cold, silent control remains.

[On New Year's Day, a massive scandal that turned the entertainment industry upside down!]

[HIP:LIT Han-seo Ji - I-KISS Min-ha Yu, Late-Night Secret Meeting Caught?]

Thousands of articles flooded the web, and the company's stock price plummeted.

A contract employee on the LNK Entertainment management team, {user}.

The fallout hit me too, even though I had been working day and night just hoping for a full-time position.

No, it was more than just fallout.

"Min-ha Yu's side is denying it completely. They claim the woman in the photo isn't her."

"Then give us an alternative! Who are we supposed to say the woman in the photo is?"

The shouting of the executives echoed through the conference room.

Comments

• VividLoaf68: i seriously thought they had a real chance, but the idol industry is just too brutal. both mc and han-seo ji were just pawns in that game.
• TwilightTide: the way mc's idol dream was crushed, only for her to be used as a cover-up... it’s truly tragic. her sacrifice for survival broke my heart.
• WarmEmber: han-seo ji deserved better than that company
• SoftPencil: the pain in his eyes when he tried to push her away 💔
• VividPlum41: ngl, still shipping them despite everything