"In order not to lose sight of the promise that was made to offer a partnership between our three companies to entertain the general public," Kim Shi-Dae continued, "we made two decisions. First of all, the group that will be chosen to participate in the Asterion games will be followed during and a show will be dedicated to them. This has been approved by our government and the North Korean government which also wants to be able to show this competition to its people."

    He nodded to the North Korean dignitary who gave a slight nod in turn, as the idols fidgeted in their chairs. 

    Admittedly, they had initially thought that it would be interesting to observe soldiers on a mission at the DMZ but at no time had they imagined that they themselves could be the participants of this television game show that they had had in head. 

    This suddenly revolted them, and they blamed themselves for having thought at one time that it could be entertaining.

    "It won't be a live broadcast, but as soon as we'll be in possession of the videos, we will produce an interactive montage in episodes with the best technicians from our three companies together. 

    We intend to offer quality content and then the public will be able to follow in an interesting and captivating way the progress of the boys in their mission, from their departure for North Korea to their return to South Korea, going through their journey through the DMZ and the hardships they will have to go through there. The show will be broadcasted at the national television because of the importance of these games for our country."

    A shiver of excitement suddenly ran through the country, which forgot the dangers incurred by the boys and its desire to protect them, just waiting to see them shine in this new kind of reality show. 

    This thrill redoubled in intensity when, finally, the CEO of Cube Entertainment, Hong Seung-sung, took the floor to reveal the second choice made by the three companies.

    "This broadcast sharing in North Korea and inside the DMZ has a material cost and to finance it, at the end of this event, when the group returns from the DMZ, the three groups will have to compete in a second competition. 

    If the group sent to South Korea loses the game of survival, this competition will determine the group that will face North Korea again next year, then the Asterion Accords provide that in the event of our country's defeat, seven young people to be sent back to the DMZ. 

    On the other hand, if the group sent to North Korea emerges victorious, it will only be the entertainment promised to our fans. The artists will not benefit from the income and this will constitute an economic sanction which will ultimately allow them, we hope, to be completely pardoned by public opinion."

    Jin experienced more intensely than ever the feeling of being a plaything in the hands of his society. He no longer felt like an artist at that time: he only felt like an object of entertainment, an object that his company and his country could dispose of at will, without worrying about what he himself wished.

    Moreover, the CEOs talked about the military survival test as an innocuous entertaining event, as if crossing the DMZ, a hostile zone, and crossing paths with North Koreans who were aggressive towards them was going to be a cakewalk. 

    Did they know what a dangerous area it was to cross, without even talking about playing a competition in there? Would people really watch this dangerous game, which could cost them their lives, without saying anything? Did the CEOs really just announce this with impunity in front of the President and the entire country?

    He then realized that nothing could save them: the chosen group would have to face their destiny with their heads held high because claims and despair would lead them to nothing but even greater degradation. 

    The twenty-one boys kept a respectful silence after those words from the CEO of Cube Entertainment but deep down, those words was suffering these words were difficult to accept.

    "While waiting for the votes to be cast, I will give the floor to the three young men who led their group before you today: Seo Eunkwang from my company, Kim Seokjin from Big Hit, and Son Hyun-woo from Starship. Then, the journalists will be able to ask questions to all our artists."

    Jin jumped, panicked. This was unexpected: what was he supposed to say to Korea? He looked at Shownu and Eunkwang in a panic as he stood up at the same time as them. Eunkwang showed a face that wanted to be serene and grabbed each of them by one hand to lead them with him to the desk and tell them to follow him in his posture and his speech.

    Jin squeezed Eunkwang's hand with all his strength, as if it was the only thing that would keep him from falling. He was reassured to hear his friend speak for the three of them while waiting to know what to say himself.

    "Please accept my most respectful greetings. I'm Seo Eunkwang, the leader of BtoB. First of all, we would like, Hyun-woo, Seokjin, and I, to offer our personal and sincere apologies to South Korea."

    He bowed at his own words, and the other two, still clutching his hands, bowed with him. Then Eunkwang continued gravely:

    "We know that we made mistakes: our superiors trusted us and entrusted us with the great responsibility of guarding our border, and we did not prove ourselves worthy of it."

     Sergeant Park had called the three of them and their company the day before, to remind them that even if the sanction was going to be applied and that the North Koreans had recognized some responsibility for the tensions, for the maintenance of peace they could not reveal the details of the case at that time. 

    So, all they had to do was admit a behavioral problem and mishandling of the situation, hoping for forgiveness from their country.

   "However, we were just rookies and we learned the hard way that we need to learn to manage our emotions more maturely in critical situations. We have lived close to fear and death and this will serve as a lesson for the rest of our lives. Now, we are more ready than ever to defend our country and its values ​​of peace, fully embracing the military values ​​taught to us by this event which will probably remain the most significant of our lives."

    He had tried to move the country while remaining very vague about what had happened and he hoped that was enough but he had no way of knowing at the time. 

    In fact, this explanation caused a real sensation in the country and moved its inhabitants: they were ready to forgive these young people for their mistakes. 

    But they also desperately wanted to see them compete in this dangerous game, and while one part of Korea began to strongly demand the cancellation of the Accords, the majority remained silent. Silently guilty. Guilty of the cruel desire to see this uncensored violence, exceptionally accepted by their democracy. They didn't want to miss this unique opportunity.

    "We humbly apologize for our mistakes which have brought dishonor to our country and promise to prove ourselves worthy of the trust it will place in us in the future," Eunkwang concluded, bowing once again and giving a slight pressure of the hand to the other two, to invite them to imitate him.

    That's what Jin did but he remained bowed longer than the others. He absolutely had to obtain his country's forgiveness to protect his group and save the fragile bond that continued to unite them. 

    Shownu and Eukwang looked at him sadly. They remembered how Jin had scruples about kneeling to the North Korean soldiers even though his life was in danger. In front of the South Korean people however and for the benefit of his dongsaengs, Jin was willing to humble himself.

     "Please forgive us," he said with all his heart.

    "Come on, Jin," Eukwang whispered, gently tugging him by the hand.

    Jin straightened up but instead of following him, he first turned towards BTS and again bowed deeply to his stunned dongsaengs:

    "Please, forgive me."

    With his head bowed, BTS' mathyung painfully held back the tears that threatened to flow. He was ashamed of having humiliated his country. But even more, he was ashamed of having humiliated his group, his younger bandmates. He had not shown himself worthy of his role as eldest, quite the contrary.

     "Stop this, Jin," Shownu murmured to him, forcing him to stand up straight. "They don't deserve your compassion and you don't deserve to be humiliated like this."

    Jin sniffled, convinced otherwise, but didn't answer back because he didn't have the strength to do it without completely breaking down in front of the entire country.

    Still standing, he let his gaze rest on those of his mute dongsaengs following his apologies. 

    Those of Jimin and Hoseok were marked by embarrassment and their gaze was shifty. 

    Those of Taehyung and Yoongi showed feigned indifference. 

    Jungkook's was sad but fleeing and Jin remembered with pain that the day before, after the presidential announcement, his amazement, then his fear had put him on the side of the anger of the rest of the group and he had not addressed the word since. 

    And finally, Namjoon's face displayed a cold and firm resolve, as if he had just made an important decision. Had he made the decision to close his friendship with her forever?

    Shownu pulled Jin aside and stood with him next to Eunkwang and BtoB, refusing to let him return to his dongsaengs, even though he caught the glare of Kim Shi-dae and Bang Si-hyuk, their CEOs, in the process.

    "Are you okay?" Shownu asked ignoring them.

    "Yeah," Jin lied.

    "It was a mistake to do that in front of the cameras," Lee Min-Hyuk whispered who was right next to them and caught their attention.

    "Hyung, why are you saying that?" Shownu asked, frustrated that his BtoB elder destroys his efforts to bring comfort to Jin.

    "Seokjin, you made a mistake by showing all of Korea that your group was not united. People are less supportive of groups that show even a semblance of dissent. You should go back with your members. If BTS makes another mistake, they can say goodbye to public voting. That's my opinion."

    "No, the people love BTS," Shownu shot back, to keep Jin from falling even deeper into despair.

    "I didn't say otherwise," Min-hyuk replied, "but if they show up as disunited, the audience will want to see them united again and what better way to do that than a survival game where they have to show solidarity to win?"

    "I hadn't thought of that..." Jin muttered, paler than ever.

    "And, I'm sorry to be right, but here's the extra mistake," Min-hyuk added, pointing to Namjoon who had just stood up uninvited.

    Jin watched his leader in horror as he walked to the lectern and, to the great displeasure of the CEOs and his manager and under the distraught eyes of the President who had not foreseen this, speak to his country:

    "Hello everyone, I'm Namjoon, the group leader of BTS. Since the floor was not granted to me, I allowed myself to take it to address all of you who are watching us because there are things that need to be said."

     "What an introduction! Who would have thought that the serious leader Namjoon was so bold? I can understand now that BTS is hiding unexpected resources," Min-hyuk said admiringly to Jin who smiled weakly and focused back on Namjoon who continued.

    "Certainly, we all agree that Seokjin, Eunkwang and Hyun-woo are guilty of a confrontation with North Korea, they didn't denied it themselves. However, were they the ones who declared war on Korea or hadn't our country been a long time ago? I don't want them to be used as a pretext to justify the sanctions that are being imposed on our country through us."

    "Well said little Joon! I'm with him for once," Shownu whispered, nudging to Jin who nodded proudly. His leader's oratorical skills were incredible to him, and his advocacy might spur Koreans to overwhelmingly oppose the continuation of these agreements.

    "Our country asks us despite everything to be the key to the realization of the peace agreements. We accept it. Not because we feel guilty for starting a war but because like all Korean citizens, we have the great duty to ensure the protection of our country, no matter how."

    "You're right Namjoon, but now you have to-" Bang Si-Hyuk began to stop him from going any further.

     But Namjoon took the bold step further and cut him off and his CEO looked helplessly at President Park who asked him silently to intervene quickly. But they were on live.

    "However, I would like to finish by explaining to you what these Asterion Accords really mean because you absolutely have to understand that. 

    First of all, why this name? Like me, have some of you asked yourself the question? A little research was enough for me to understand that it wasn't the name of a city where the agreements would have been signed as it is usually the case, or the name of the person who would have signed them. 

    Because Asterion is neither a city nor a Korean name. It is the second unknown name of a mythological creature from Mediterranean Europe called the Minotaur. So what is the relationship with the Agreements signed between our two countries?"

    Around him, President Park and her team of advisers stirred. They had to cut off the live broadcast because the continuation of Namjoon's performance might cause his Party's popularity to drop sharply. 

    Seeing this commotion, Namjoon hurriedly continued: he had to reveal as much as possible before he was interrupted. He had to inform his country about the manipulation of its leaders and about the real power of their enemy.

    "To understand it, we must recall the story of the Minotaur. The legend, told by the Greek mythographer Apollodorus but also by the Latin poet Virgil and many others, tells how a Cretan tyrant, King Minos, imposed his domination on his neighbor, the Greek city of Athens. For that purpose, he used the threat of the monstrous creature given to him by a god, the Minotaur, which fed and reveled in human flesh. 

    Every nine years – nine years, do you remember this number in the Asterion Accords? – seven young men and seven young girls among the elite of Athenian society were chosen as sacrifices and led into the Cretan labyrinth where the Minotaur was locked up. If Athens had refused, King Minos would have simply sent his army and his monster to destroy Athens."

    Aware that everyone was listening to him in amazement, Namjoon took out of his pocket a folded piece of paper that had escaped the vigilance of his manager and announced:

    "These are the words of Apollodorus in his book named The Library of  Apollodorus: 'The power of Minos grew steadily. And soon, it was the turn of the Athenians to submit to the authority of this insatiable and angry king. Minos, who kept a great grudge against this people, for a misfortune that had occurred in their city, demanded that seven young girls and young men be delivered to him every nine years. These young people were led inside the labyrinth to serve as a meal for the Minotaur.'

    Do you understand what this means? The tyrant who imposes his domination on us is none other than the North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. He asked for a sacrifice of young and famous South Koreans, that they be offered as food to the North Korean monsters, to better control our country by playing with our fear of loosing our children. Without this sacrifice of the nation's children, he will crush us.

    This year, we are the sacrifices chosen for the draw but if we lose the Asterion games and each year seven young men or women must be sacrificed, who guarantees you that one day it will not fall on your own children? To accept this kind of agreement, the threat had to be much bigger than Mrs. Park implied, right?" he asked, turning to the fuming president.

     "Now, I will explain to you how I understood the metaphor that constitutes the elements of the legend: for me, the DMZ represents the Labyrinth and the Devouring Minotaur represents the dangers of the DMZ that await those who enter it and may not return alive. And if we don't agree with the Accords, maybe his monster sent to destroy us will be his nuclear arm or another horror. Be aware of this. 

    Thank you for listening to me."

    Namjoon bowed respectfully before returning to his place among the other members of his group, aware that the consequences of his speaking would soon be felt. But he had managed to say what he wanted to say without the live being cut off, and that satisfied him.

    He had done this work of research and reflection the day before, when, like all his members, he had had trouble getting to sleep because of the anxiety that was consuming his mind. But as a leader, he had no right to let himself down. If he was to be sent to the DMZ, he had at least been able to say what he had to say about the politics and morals of his country.

    A dead silence reigned for a few minutes, then the line of idols suddenly exploded into applause that no one could hold back. Social media was flooded with the hashtags #NamjoonPresident and #GetOutPresidentPark.

    The latter was bubbling but could not do anything in front of the camera. Namjoon had not only just challenged her: he had also publicly attacked the North Korean dictator with whom she had long tried to establish a cordial dialogue to avoid the worst scenario for her country. 

    She understood that she had to start the draw as soon as possible before the public vote had time to change following Namjoon's speech.

    And she couldn't let the press conference take place now, or else the questions from the reporters could completely lead the people to revolt against the holding of the Asterion Games.

     Hence, she resumed speaking hastily in front of her presidential desk:

    "We thank Mr. Kim Namjoon for his speech which shows the importance of these agreements to protect our country. Without waiting more, it is now time to proceed with the discovery of the public votes and the drawing of Mr. Kim Chin-Hae, representing Mr. Kim Jong-Un.

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Author's notes: does the story seem too hard to understand or is it okay? 

I studied Latin for nine years so I am familiar with these legends of the Mediterranean and I wanted to adapt this interesting legend to my fanfiction because this legend tells of a political strategy of domination of one nation over another and I find that it is ultimately a policy that has stood the test of time. 

It seems to me that Hunger Games is also a a blatant rewrite of the Minotaur mythos because a lot of the elements of the legend are there and and you'll find some of them in my story too, you'll see.