“Hahaha! It’s fun, it’s fun.”
Director Jeong didn’t answer; he just walked away laughing. It was a bit unfair, but I let it go.
The individual teasers and jacket shooting were finished in the morning, and the MV shooting went smoothly afterward.
I wasn’t lying when I said we practiced the choreography at least twenty times. It was especially difficult because we did ten of those takes with water on the floor.
I wondered if there was a special meaning behind filling the floor with water. When I asked why, Director Jeong happily explained while raising his thumb.
“Low-budget filming makes it hard to add CG, so we put water to make it look prettier as you struggle for real!”
“Ah-ha!”
I kept my mouth shut about the lack of money and continued to shoot with the members and the director.
[Dance +1]
[Dance +2]
[Dance +2]
[Dance +1]
Why does the system work properly for once?
[“Real performance is the best!”
We give double experience points for the dance performed in a real performance because of the increased tension!]
It was nice of them to explain it kindly.
Since the time I failed a quest, I became more distrustful of the system window.
“I’ll take a rest and come back!”
“Okay!”
Jeong Dajun quickly left the set and squeezed himself into a corner, resting while wrapping his red, swollen ankles with a hot pack after continuously dancing in the cold water.
… This will make him look pitiful, right?
“Kang Ichae.”
“Yes!”
I gestured to Kang Ichae and pushed the camera toward Jeong Dajun.
“Dajun, are you cold?”
“Uh, no, I’m fine!”
Jeong Dajun pretended not to be cold and jumped up in surprise. Seong Jiwon handed over the blanket he had been covering himself with.
“Use this. There’s still some time before the next shoot.”
“It’s okay!”
Watching Jeong Dajun forcing a brave smile made me feel uncomfortable.
He barely ate or slept for almost a week, and now he was working extremely hard here.
We didn’t even push the contestants this hard in my competition program. Since Jeong Dajun was the youngest, he sometimes reminded me of Seo Hojin…
No, what was I saying?
Why would I be fond of Jeong Dajun?
While Kang Ichae interviewed Seong Jiwon with the camera, Jeong Dajun asked me a question.
“Are you really okay, Hoyun-hyung?”
“Why?”
“You were in the emergency room just a few hours ago. You’re not going to pass out again, are you?”
Ah, what was I going to say? I was fine now that the debuff was gone.
I unconsciously pat Jeong Dajun’s head.
“Worry about yourself, Jeong Dajun.”
“…What’s this? A drama?”
Jeong Dajun grumbled and came out of the corner. Kang Ichae had already moved away and was heading toward Kim Seonghyeon, who was monitoring the shoot with Director Jeong.
Jeong Dajun stared at him.
“It’s really touching to be able to shoot like this again.”
“Save that for when the camera is rolling.”
“I’m saying it because I’m in front of you. It’s embarrassing. How can I say this?”
No, rather, he could earn sympathy votes. I considered giving him advice but decided against it, as it could be dangerous for a rookie to rely too much on public sympathy.
Jeong Dajun let out a small sigh.
“I really wanted to give up every day, but after Hoyun-hyung returned, everything seemed to work out.”
“Is that so?”
We’ll see when the results come out. Of course, I already set up all the traps I could.
Hoarding was a guilty pleasure, and the risk of getting caught later was too high, so I set up the best traps I could. The rest was up to the public.
“I was once caught up in a malicious entertainment company.”
“Really?”
“I’m just grateful for our current agency…”
The current agency wasn’t that great either… As an actor, maybe, but as an idol, they didn’t even make it into any tier list.
As I kept my mouth shut and looked at him, Jeong Dajun shivered.
“What would’ve happened if I signed with that company? Ugh, it gives me goosebumps. If it weren’t for the person who stopped me back then…”
“The person who stopped you?”
“Yes. A few years ago, someone told me not to join such a place and to come to my senses. They were a broadcast station staff member… but strangely, I can’t remember their name or face well.”
…Huh?
Jeong Dajun suddenly clapped his hands with realization.
“Now that I think about it, Hoyun-hyung’s vibe is similar to that person’s. They’re really similar. Their way of speaking and the atmosphere around them…”
…Huh?
I felt a sense of unease. My head throbbed for a moment. Just as I was about to grab Jeong Dajun and ask him, Kim Seonghyeon called us.
“Let’s shoot again!”
“Yes, on my way!”
“…”
“I talked too much about useless things. Let’s do our best again, hyung!”
“Uh… Yeah.”
I rolled my eyes and replied. Jeong Dajun ran off energetically, and I had no choice but to follow him.
No way, no way… No, it can’t be. I shook my head and looked at the set.
Now was the time to focus.
A few days after the shoot ended, the teaser was urgently released.
It was a move conscious of the leaked comeback song incident.
***
“Ugh, I want to destroy my company…”
An office worker who had given up K-pop nearly two years ago because of various K-pop controversies arrived home, exhausted from work.
She cleaned up her fandom-related social media accounts but left her personal account active since she had friends she had been interacting with for years. Lying in bed, she was browsing her timeline, watching cute cat videos and re-tweets when suddenly, her timeline was filled with ‘???’
“What’s this?”
The person who filled her timeline was a friend who lightly liked Joo Woosung and left only a personal account like hers. Thinking it was nothing serious, she was about to move on when she noticed a re-tweeted video.
It was the music video of The Dawn, an idol group she casually criticized for having a terrible name.
They were doing a lot of noise marketing before…
Of course, they were also famous for being heroes who caught a thief and helped an elderly woman. But they first caught her attention after watching Joo Woosung’s appearance on a variety show. They consistently made minor appearances in online communities with incidents like the comeback song leak.
Well, he’s handsome enough.
When a friend cried over the individual teasers of the members being released not long ago, she didn’t pay much attention. After all, there were too many idols overflowing in South Korea.
It was as if a third of the Korean people were idols.
A few years ago, she was devastated by the controversy surrounding the character of the idol she was a fan of, and after that, her perception of K-pop was no longer favorable. Of course, she still listened to some songs…
[Tears are streaming down my face; this is the taste of hot K-pop… Yes, The Dawn is the new future.]
[We announce The Dawn’s streaming guide for mass streaming.]
[It’s been so long since I’ve seen a music video with this kind of story, I’m getting emotional ㅠㅠ If it’s an apocalyptic SF movie + uniforms + techwear + Cheongbeom’s song, you just have to listen, right? You just shove it in your mouth, right?]
[Guys, I’m desperate. What’s the name of the brown-haired guy?????? He’s so innocent???? My heart just skipped a beat.]
[I’m into black hair ;;;;; Who’s the black-haired one??? I’m a longtime K-pop fan, and I’m desperate right now.]
[Love…. starts with “What the f*ck is this?”]
But the timeline was full of rave reviews, which piqued her interest. These people were all K-pop veterans, so they wouldn’t be interested in just any idol.
“Cheongbeom” was the nickname of composer Blue Tiger.[1]
Oh… I love all of Cheongbeom’s songs.
She clicked on the YouTube link. Five minutes should be fine. She was the type to skip through and only watch a bit of the beginning before turning it off anyway.
She opened the comments to check the members’ names and memorized them as they were written with timestamps. It was easy since there were only five.
Let’s watch it once.
A buzzing noise filled the air as if playing an old video.
Three silhouettes appeared on a black background.
– Buzz…
Seong Jiwon, sporting brown hair and dressed in a dark military uniform and techwear, pointed a gun at two men lying on the ground. These two appeared to be Kim Seonghyeon and Jeong Dajun.
Seong Jiwon licked his lips.
– I’m sorry.
Just as it seemed the gun would point at Kim Seonghyeon, he withdrew his hand and aimed it at his own head. The moment Kim Seonghyeon’s eyes widened.
– Bang!
The screen went black.
“What?”
Did he commit suicide?
She unknowingly clenched her teeth and couldn’t take her eyes off the video.
After a few seconds, the black screen slowly brightened.
– Thump, thump.
Along with the sound of drums, Blue Tiger’s signature beat echoed.
Goosebumps rose all over.
As expected of Cheongbeom-unnie…!
The song was much better than those with corporate capital poured into them.
At the same time, under a blindingly white light, Seong Jiwon slowly opened his eyes, stared at the screen, and began to sing.
“Give me, Give me, Give me Second Chance,
Inside my head, this ringing sensation, say it again, I’m back.”
“Are you kidding me, regression?”
As a K-pop and webnovel enthusiast, she immediately recognized the setting. Seong Jiwon committed suicide in the first scene to reset his life.
Seong Jiwon staggered to his feet and stared at an old bathroom mirror.
“I clench my fists tightly,
I can’t miss this chance.”
The song is good, isn’t it?
No… It’s delicious?
As she seriously evaluated the song, a scene of the group dancing in unison in a dark place was inserted.
The camera seemed to close on a character named Kang Ichae, but with a gesture of turning the camera with his hand, the screen switched.
“Oh, pick a card, the future becomes clearer.”
It was Seo Hoyun. He sat in a chair, casually tapping his foot, and skillfully shuffled the cards. He then chose five cards from the ones laid out.
As he flipped each card, a spade, queen, ace, and joker appeared. Even when the joker came out, Seo Hoyun remained calm.
“Don’t worry about the low chances, there’s no need.”
In his uniform, Seo Hoyun checked the last card alone and smirked. He tucked the card into his chest, walked to the side, and sang languidly while locking eyes with the camera.
“It’s okay, I’ll lead you.”
“What is this… What is this…”
His hair, navy colored but actually closer to black, and a scar on his face perfectly matched her taste.
“What is this…… No, not yet.”
Did I just experience an unexpected fandom crash?
No, not yet. At least not yet.
Despite her confusion, the music video continued relentlessly.
Seo Hoyun and Seong Jiwon wore navy uniforms, while Kim Seonghyeon and Kang Ichae wore techwear. Seeing the contrasting outfits, it seemed they had captured the concept of government forces and rebels.
“Come to me, come to me,
Don’t be afraid, come to me,
I have my second chance.”
Jeong Dajun, who was lying down with Kim Seonghyeon in the first scene, squinted his eyes under the dazzling white light. Then the military dance was cross-edited.
Techwear outfits with Cheongbeom-unnie’s song beats, isn’t that cheating?
As Jeong Dajun and Seong Jiwon grabbed each other’s arms, Kim Seonghyeon appeared beneath them and sang.
“Say it once more, it’s the beginning for us.”
At the same time, Kim Seonghyeon, the leader of the revolutionaries running with an assault rifle, was shown.
“I will come back every time,
Don’t be afraid of this strange feeling,
No need to worry,
I’ll lead you.”
Then, as Jeong Dajun bent his waist, Kang Ichae stepped on his back and spun in the air, making a grand entrance. It was a marvelous feat.
“Stand up with the target, I have confidence,
I won’t miss this cold sensation.”
In the scene of the cold sensation, Kang Ichae held a sniper rifle. Jeong Dajun was the target.
Weren’t they on the same team? Why is he targeting him?
Before she could solve the mystery, Kang Ichae winked playfully, making her forget what she was thinking.
So handsome…
“I can see your face even when I close my eyes,
I ain’t gonna miss this time.”
Kang Ichae moved back as if shooting a gun while Seong Jiwon and Seo Hoyun began singing again with the choreography.
“Say it once more, it’s the beginning for us,
I will come back every time.”
The music video was approaching its highlight with brilliant high notes and solid harmonies supporting the two.
In a place where it rained, Seong Jiwon approached the fallen Jeong Dajun. Kim Seonghyeon glared at Seong Jiwon as if resenting him. Seong Jiwon trembled in fear.
“Don’t be afraid of this strange feeling.”
“Uh, this…”
This is the same as the beginning.
At that moment, the high note soared, and Seong Jiwon pulled the trigger towards his head, just like in the first scene.
– Bang!
The gunshot rang out again. However, what fell was Seong Jiwon’s gun.
Far away, Kang Ichae, dressed in techwear, contacted someone through a walkie-talkie. Seong Jiwon tried to pick up the fallen gun, but someone kicked it away with their foot.
“No need to worry,
I’ll lead you.”
And gradually a close-up.
The emotionless face of Seo Hoyun, wearing the same uniform as Seong Jiwon, was revealed. Seong Jiwon’s eyes shook.
“Just this once, at least in this life, I must,
I will save you (save you).”
So he didn’t die at the beginning!
A chill ran down her spine.
The chaotic scene of everyone in The Dawn was captured, and the screen transitioned to the military dance. The water splashing on the floor in sync with the sharp and perfectly matched choreography was truly fantastic.
“Give me, Give me, Give me Second Chance”
As the last chorus echoed, the scene returned to Seo Hoyun’s card shot at the beginning.
The last card Seo Hoyun checked was revealed, overlapping with Seong Jiwon.
The King of Hearts.
“Give you, Give you, Give you Second Chance”
Seo Hoyun smirked. At the same time, drums echoed as if in tune with the heartbeat.
Slowly, the music video faded to black, and the title was revealed.
[The Dawn – “Second Chance
“]
“…”
She didn’t know where her resolve to watch only for a minute had gone.
She calmed her pounding heart and entered SNS with her trembling hands.
[The Dawn… What is this???]
[What did I just watch????]
[Please explain why Seo Hoyun didn’t kill Seong Jiwon damn it]
[Was Seong Jiwon betrayed?]
[Was I deceived?]
[Was I deceived by Seo Hoyun?? What’s with the handsome guy who looks so strong? No, I’m still fine, not deceived yet]
[No, I think I’m deceived…]
[First of all, please give me the translated version, dear followers (Begging)
└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Ah ㅠㅠㅠㅠ So, you’ve also fallen like this… (Translation link)]
Stans became the most obsessed when denying their fandom.
While he was looking for The Dawn’s promotional articles, related articles appeared below.
[Mango Chart reorganization begins… 24-hour accumulated score no longer 100% reflected, real-time chart counts for 70%]
Although the article was unrelated to him, Seo Hoyun, still in the practice room even though it was nearing dawn, had different thoughts.
[The Mango 100 combines 24-hour accumulated scores and real-time chart scores in a 3:7 ratio. During the late-night hours, the 24-hour accumulated score is 100% reflected….]
In a dark corner of the practice room, Seo Hoyun, who was lying down and reading that article, chuckled and put down his phone.
The music site had been reorganized.
Nothing has changed.
In other words, it meant the real game had just begun.
[1] “Cheongbeom” (靑虎). 청 (靑) means “blue,” and 범 (虎) means “tiger.” When combined, 청범 (靑虎) literally translates to “Blue Tiger.”
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