Losing Control
The Sharp Knife of a Short LifeOctober 2017
Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea
The editor-in-chief of Dispatch, Kevin Park, looked nervously at his two visitors sitting in the magazine’s main conference room. Policemen he can handle, or at least he thought he could. He knew that the days of the government using the police and other agencies to coerce the press were over in South Korean society. With the peaceful revolution that had taken place a year ago to force out a corrupt president and usher in a new era of openness, the editor was pretty sure that he could handle the 2 detectives across from him. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder what story, or soon-to-be-published story or gossip, could warrant a visit from the police.
He was, however, even more nervous when he focused on the third visitor. Lee Soo-man may look like a kindly grandfather, but he was the S-M in SM Entertainment. He could shut Dispatch and any other press operation down by not allowing access to his stars. And for him to make the journey to Dispatch’s office meant that something was up…or that something was very very wrong.
“We need you to run this story,” Lt. Kim stated calmly, handing over a folder with some pictures inside and even a ready-made story outline. “We can’t tell you why right now, but rest assured that you have permission from the subject to run it.”
Kevin Park raised an eyebrow and looked at the police detective before opening the folder and looking at its contents. His mind was racing as he looked at the photos and the story again.
“But…but this is an outright lie. And you want us to run it!?” Kevin directed his question at Lee Soo-Man. “This…this will kill his comeback with Super Junior!”
“Why do you say this didn’t happen?” Lt. Kim asked calmly. They thought they had concocted a good, believable story to put out in the public…to start baiting the stalker.
“Because Kang Youngwoon and I are in the same...same support group…and we attended a meeting together at the very same time you stated this happened. And I drove him home that night…he didn’t drive.” Kevin said. “Why are you doing this?! You’re going to ruin him.”
Finally, Lee Soo-Man spoke up. “What I’m about to tell you is extremely sensitive. I can’t, no one can, force you to keep it a secret. But I beg you, please cooperate with the police here, with me. Kangin’s life, the lives of all the boys, may well depend on your decision. If you don’t believe us, then talk to Kangin himself.”
The editor looked skeptically as Soo-Man handed him the mobile. He listened intently, and still couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. “Are you sure about this, Youngwoon-ssi? Okay, but you need to change the date you’re using. There were others in our group who know that I drove you home.”
And when Lee Soo-Man finished his story, Kevin could see truth in the eyes of the 2 police detectives. The guys in Super Junior were not just subjects that made his career easy, they had become his friends over the years. The tale he just heard was unbelievable, but he also knew that it was also quite plausible. No other group in Kpop, or indeed in pop music in general, had ever been quite as audacious, as bold, as brazen, and as successful on the global stage, as the 15 who made up Super Junior. And yet, with that success and fame came the dark side, the haters, the anti-fans.
“Do they all know? My G-D, Kyuhyun….” Kevin’s mind was racing.
“No, only Youngwoon, Siwon, and Sungmin know,” Lt. Kim replied. “They were the ones who came up with this plan. Obviously we’ve put extra police protection on all of them, and Siwon has also put an added layer of private security protection on the group and their families as well. We know it’s very risky, but we feel this is the only way.”
Apgujeong, Seoul, South Korea
“Why don’t I take that part of the dance?” Hyukjae asked, trying not to sound too eager. They had been working on the choreography for Black Suit, the first single off their comeback CD, for the better part of the morning. Now that Kangin and Sungmin had bowed out, they had to rework the dance in order to make it fit 7 people.
“Yeah…I think Hyukjae is right,” Shindong said. “His style matches more with what we had wanted Sungmin to do anyway.”
Donghae had been sitting quietly, trying not to get angry, but that was exactly what was happening. He had seen the side glances, the quick eye contact, between Hyukjae and Shindong for most of the morning. At first he didn’t think anything of it, but the more the meeting dragged on, and the more it became evident that they were purposely taking on the more rigorous parts of the choreography, or giving it any member not named Donghae, the more he got angry. Did Siwon tell them? No…he could see the confusion on Siwon’s face. And Siwon was distracted by something else, something Donghae would have to ask him about later.
“ENOUGH.” Donghae shouted, startling everyone in the room. “This meeting is done for today. I want a Namsan meeting. We meet at my house tomorrow morning, 9 AM.”
Donghae had invoked the group’s seldom-used code for an emergency meeting with only the group members. They had agreed, from the very beginning, to use this method to work out problems between members. It was absolute, no one could miss the meeting. If any of them invoked the meeting, then everyone had to attend.
“Everyone?” Leeteuk asked.
“Yes, everyone” Donghae replied. “We need to talk.”
Itaewon, Seoul, South Korea
Donghae stared at the 10 faces sitting around his living room. Kibum, as usual, had sent an email earlier telling Donghae he wouldn’t be attending. The rest of Super Junior; however, did honor the group’s agreement. They were now waiting for Kangin, Heechul, and Hangeng, who had all texted him saying they were caught up in traffic, before starting the meeting. Donghae realized that they hadn’t been together like this for a very long time, probably since before Leeteuk’s enlistment. Yes, they had all seen each other and lived in and out of each other’s lives for the past 15 years, but to be altogether like this had been very rare indeed over the past decade. Donghae hadn’t really considered what he was going to say to his brothers when he made the decision to call this meeting yesterday, but by the time dawn broke over Seoul, he had worked it out in his mind. It wasn’t fair for Siwon to carry this burden all by himself, and it wasn’t fair to the others to not know. It will affect them just as much.
The doorbell rang and Siwon went to open it up for Kangin. But even as Kangin gave Donghae a hug, the quick look that Kangin and Siwon gave each other didn’t go unnoticed, especially by Shindong. ‘There are many secrets here today.’
And even before Kangin had finished greeting the others, the doorbell rang again and Heechul barreled in, with Hangeng racing right behind him. Heechul grabbed Kangin by the neck collar and gave him a hard punch to the face, causing Kangin to stagger back and fall into Yesung’s arms.
“Heechul hyung! What the hell?!” Sungmin shouted.
“You just couldn’t stay off it, could you!?!” Heechul screamed at Kangin. No one could remember the last time they saw Heechul this angry. And the elder Super Junior member would have taken a second swing at Kangin if not for both Hangeng and Siwon holding him back. “Is this why you backed out on us?!”
“What are you talking about?!” Leeteuk interjected, trying to understand how the situation had gotten out of control so fast.
“That bastard broke his promise to us!” Heechul shouted. “He promised he’d get help. He promised to stay sober. And three nights ago he was arrested by the police for drunk driving. It’s all over the gossip rags this morning!”
Everyone looked at Kangin, stunned and waiting for an explanation. Everyone that is, except Siwon and Sungmin. And that didn’t go unnoticed by Shindong either.
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