Chapter 1032: I knew it (1)

At that moment.

Souffles were, as usual, engaged in an activity that had quietly become part of their family routine.

I'm used to it now.

Every Friday night, they turned on the NBS channel where Newniverse Project was airing.

I never thought I'd get used to this channel...

NBS was currently on channel forty-something.

Before Lemon Entertainment acquired it, it had been a tiny local broadcaster, so its channel number sat pretty far back.

One click up brought you to a cooking channel.

One click down brought you to a TBC channel replaying outdated dramas.

"Hey. Stop flipping channels every two seconds."

"Okayyy."

After getting scolded by their parents, the Souffles switched it back and looked at the portal site's search page.

Then they clicked their tongues.

This is insane. Seriously.

Newniverse Project: Whatever You Want, However You Want

Variety Show · Ages 15+

▷ Latest Rating: 15.8% (Episode 11)

▶ Highest Rating: 15.8% (Episode 11)

That tiny channel had broken fifteen percent ratings in less than two months.

Even among cable variety shows, it ranked near the very top.

There were hardly any network variety programs pulling numbers like that.

It really became a massive hit!!

The corners of the Souffles' mouths twitched upward.

They thought NewBlack had conquered only the music industry.

Lately, they seemed to be conquering television variety as well.

And it wasn't just ratings.

The other indicators were equally impressive.

[Gallup Korea] Favorite Program Among Koreans — July Overall #1

Buzz Ranking Ages 18–29 — #1

July Variety Personality Buzz Ranking — #1

The numbers had been steadily climbing during the driver's license special.

Then they exploded during the restaurant special.

Restaurant variety shows already came with built-in buzz.

Add Gu Jaeyoung, the producer who created the national variety phenomenon Living Together, and NewBlack, the nation's idol group.

The result?

An idol self-produced show surpassing fifteen percent nationwide ratings.

Their self-produced content hit 15% nationwide ratings lololololol

Being a fan is amazing

Message to me from a year ago: The entire country is going to watch our content... Also buy crypto while you're at it!!

This is honestly making me dizzy lol

Let's go for 20%

Today, Souffles' dopamine levels were exploding once again.

Generally speaking, public recognition was like the sour grapes from the fox and grapes fable for boy-group fans.

Who cares if the general public knows my favorite idol?! Album sales are what matter!!

Of course, nobody said that because fandoms genuinely mattered more than popularity.

They said it because popularity was difficult to obtain.

Wasn't popularity something that made everyone smile proudly once they finally had it?

Fans would passionately declare that public recognition didn't matter.

Then get excited the moment ordinary people mentioned their favorite idol.

As those countless examples showed, having a publicly beloved favorite was an enormous bonus when it came to being a fan.

"Oh, it's starting."

"Today's the opening day of the restaurant, right? Last time I saw pictures of them commuting on fishing boats."

"Yep."

The episode opened at dawn on the restaurant's first day of business.

[Good morning~ Pa pa pa pa pa~]

A wake-up song known by practically every Korean blared from Jiho's phone while NewBlack suffered collectively.

[Ughhhhh...]

[Can someone please turn that thing off...? Please...]

With his hair sticking up in every direction, Wooju grabbed the maknae's phone and silenced the alarm.

"This kid is seriously weird... Why are you using an Apple phone while setting another company's morning alarm?"

"He says he's used it since middle school."

While chatting like that, the members woke one another up.

After checking the weather first thing in the morning, NewBlack climbed into their vehicle and headed to work.

Wearing baseball caps and sporting eyes swollen like goldfish, they memorized their tasks for the day.

"Oh dear..."

"The kids really do look exhausted. That bald CEO is ruthless. At least let them sleep."

"He doesn't actually have any power, Dad."

The audience watched sympathetically for a moment.

Then footage showed NewBlack running into trouble because the road leading to Goblin Restaurant was completely clogged.

A drone shot revealed the traffic situation.

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Whoa..."

The road to Goblin Restaurant was packed from dawn.

After briefly discussing it, the NewBlack members ultimately rode bicycles to work, sending viewers into fits of laughter.

LOLLLLLLLLL

Extraordinary from the very start

Look how embarrassed the police escorts are lol

People in the cars: Hmm? NewBlack just passed by... wait WHAT???

They're adorable lol

Having finally made it to work, the members began actual business operations, and viewers watched with increasing interest.

This is fun.

There was a reason the restaurant episodes suddenly received far more attention than the driver's license special.

It was the quest-solving.

To operate the restaurant, NewBlack constantly received new challenges.

And every time they overcame one, viewers experienced genuine satisfaction.

This feels different from normal restaurant shows.

Instead of introducing Korean food to foreigners in a relaxing overseas setting, it felt much closer to real restaurant management.

On-screen, Ri Hyuk pressed buttons on a tablet with a serious expression.

[Ding dong!]

The moment an order was entered, it appeared on a monitor in the kitchen.

The audience burst into laughter watching Goblin Restaurant's fully digitized operating system.

Who digitizes a variety-show restaurant lol

Ri Hyuk seriously lol

That's the first time I've seen table call buttons in a restaurant variety show

Just hire part-timersㅠㅠㅠㅠ

But honestly, a part-timer would've felt out of place... the five of them work best together

Yeah, every new part-timer would've sparked endless arguments about who's more competent

And if they did bring someone, it'd probably just be the usual celebrity friends anyway. Boring lol

As usual, lighthearted discussions online gradually turned into serious debate.

Then business officially began.

One dish after another emerged from the kitchen, making viewers hungry.

[Bulgogi Steak]

Steam rose with every cut.

Juices dripped from the thick hamburger steak.

[Milanesa]

A beef cutlet topped with tomato sauce.

And then—

"Hanwoo?"

"Wow, they made it with Hanwoo beef."

Despite having eaten dinner not long ago, viewers found themselves getting hungry all over again.

Delivery apps immediately saw a surge in traffic.

[Most Searched Items — 08.10, 9:00 PM]

Hamburger Steak ▲

Hamburg Steak ▲

Milanesa ▲

Gyukatsu ▲

Tteokbokki ▼

Orders began pouring in.

Listening to the nonstop order notifications, hamburger steak restaurant owners across the country grinned.

"I've been waiting for this day. Hahahaha!"

"Let's go!"

Once again, NewBlack was stimulating the entire Korean food industry.

Meanwhile, viewers swallowed hard as they stared at the television.

"Wow... That looks incredible."

"When did they even do the lottery for that? I never hear about these things."

The menu itself wasn't unusual.

Hamburger steak and beef cutlets.

Common dishes found anywhere.

The problem was that visuals like the ones on television were rare even in actual restaurants.

Wow...

The people who got selected are so lucky.

Viewers watched the happy customers eating on television with envy.

Then they blinked as the next shot revealed Wooju cooking the hamburger steak.

Oh right... Wooju made it.

His skills were so professional that people forgot an idol was doing the cooking.

You are currently watching a fifth-year national idol group start a restaurant

They could honestly open a real restaurant???

It just looks like one of those famous restaurants featured on food programs

"Today's Goblin Alley in bustling Gurye County is packed again~ The line is enormous~~ (Owner!) Yes~!" appears with handsome-guy halo effect

I can hear it lolllllllll

Before the show aired, most people imagined five handsome idols stumbling through endless mistakes while trying to start a business.

What they were watching instead was remarkably competent restaurant management.

Of course, mistakes still happened.

But they were the kinds of mistakes anyone would make under that level of pressure.

More than anything, viewers were impressed by NewBlack's work ethic.

First there was Junghyun, who managed the dining area.

[Hmm...]

With his arms crossed, Junghyun scanned the room like a hawk.

A scanning sound effect played.

[Ah, we're out of kimchi—]

[I've already brought more.]

[!]

He would suddenly appear before customers even requested refills.

[Oh!]

When someone nearly dropped a water bottle—

He appeared from nowhere and snatched it up.

Specialty: Overwhelming Field of Vision, Reflexes

Wooju's voice played over the footage.

"Junghyun has an unbelievably wide field of vision. If most of us can see 180 degrees in front of us, Junghyun feels like he's seeing 270 degrees. He's honestly perfect for the dining area."

Junghyun's performance at the front of the restaurant dramatically increased customer satisfaction.

And then—

Someone sharp and pointy continued moving nonstop.

"Orders are backing up. Table Three's pasta needs to go out first."

Ri Hyuk moved constantly between the dining area and the kitchen.

He organized orders.

Monitored customers.

Carefully addressed any potential inconvenience before it happened.

"Biju, how's the Milanesa? The hamburger steak is ready."

"Just a moment~"

Biju professionally opened the oven and removed the Milanesa.

Just as he was adding his special sauce, the maknae hurried over.

"Biju hyung, there's a customer with a shrimp allergy!"

"Hold on. I'll make a new one."

He immediately grabbed a clean frying pan and started over with an adjusted recipe.

"Biju's definitely cooked a lot before. He knows so much. He must really love cooking."

"Suhyun. Bring home a son-in-law like that someday. Got it?"

"No."

Meanwhile, Jiho proudly finished plating dishes.

"I set everything up beforehand. We just need the main dishes."

"Got it."

"Hyung? Feels like you're forgetting something."

"Ah. Right. Praise me~"

The maknae grinned happily as his older members patted his head.

And while everyone was contributing—

One person was carrying the heaviest workload of all.

"Junghyun, could you bring these to the customers waiting over there and apologize for the delay?"

Wooju glanced at the dining area and solved potential complaints before they happened.

Then he continued managing the kitchen.

"Biju, how much longer for this order?"

"Ri Hyuk, it might be good to set up desserts in advance. And Jiho... huh? He's actually doing well. What's gotten into him?"

As the grandson of a baekban restaurant owner and now a CEO, Wooju guided the restaurant's operations.

I remember thinking this during that celebrity manager special years ago, but he's seriously good at working

He was managing Starlight View back then!

Wooju would've succeeded no matter what he did

They're all incredibly competent lol. It's honestly amazing beginners can do this

As someone who runs a real restaurant, I'd hire all of them immediately... except Wooju

└ Why not Wooju?

└ Because he'd steal my restaurant.

└ He isn't the type to work under someone else lol

└ LOLLLLLLLLL

Viewers felt much the same way.

"This is... strangely comforting."

"They're so stable."

Rather than watching energetic youngsters stumble through entrepreneurship, it felt like watching a Silicon Valley success story.

And that was exactly what made it enjoyable.

Though not for the people involved.

"Milanesa for our young customer~ Hello there, little friend~"

Wooju appeared with Rabbit Uncle as part of a children's event.

The customers immediately began whispering.

"They said you can get that event if you order a kids' meal...?!"

"Everyone get ready to hit the call button."

Orders for children's meals exploded instantly.

The NewBlack members closed their eyes.

LOLLLLLLLLL

The owner is too competent for his own good lol

Just when things were becoming manageable, Wooju increased the difficulty

Look at them clenching their teeth lol

The biggest problem was that the Rabbit Uncle event forced Wooju out of the kitchen.

So he immediately came up with a solution to divert attention from the children's menu.

[Milanesa Made with Pyeongchang Hanwoo]

The sign practically glowed with divine light.

Sparkle.

Sparkle.

Customers entering during the second seating immediately noticed it.

"Pyeongchang Hanwoo...?"

"Look at that. They made a pork cutlet with premium beef."

"Is it like a stone bream fish cutlet? I'm curious."

The orders continued flooding in.

Watching NewBlack suffer through the chaos, viewers burst into laughter.

Adorable idiots.

They're really idiots.

Another episode of Newniverse Project ended after delivering its usual dose of laughter.

Viewers waiting for next week's episode unpacked the late-night snacks that had just arrived.

"Should we change channels now?"

"Yeah."

Lately, many households had settled into a fixed routine.

Watch Newniverse Project first.

Then switch over to TBC for Mission Singer.

Unlike Newniverse Project, however, Mission Singer wasn't drawing particularly large audiences these days.

"Where are you going? You're not watching?"

"I'm gonna lie down. You guys watch. Isn't Ri Hyuk not singing until next week anyway?"

While some people disappeared after Newniverse Project ended, those who stayed stared at both the television and their phones.

"Never before has there been a competition like this! Trust only your voice, trust only yourself! Mission~"

"Singer~!!"

They barely paid attention to the now-familiar slogan while checking reactions to Newniverse Project online.

Then—

[...?!]

What?

The panelists suddenly erupted.

Everyone looked up.

"Hello. I am Orpheus, the God of Song."

A giant ballad singer wearing a half-mask greeted the audience.

Everyone jumped to their feet.

"Cha Woohyun is on!"

"Who?"

"Cha Woohyun...!"

"!!"

People came running from every room.

Holding a microphone, Korea's number one ballad singer made his declaration.

"I came to defeat King of Singers Sun Wooju."

"...!"

The internet exploded instantly.

As the lineup of other new contestants—Baek Siyeon, Yeon, The Moon, and more—was revealed, excitement spread everywhere.

Yet among all those thrilled viewers, one group was particularly delighted.

Hehehe! That's right! Everyone watch carefully!

I refuse to be the only one who got tricked.

The audience members who had missed witnessing the eventual Cha Woohyun versus Ri Hyuk showdown on recording day were grinning maliciously.

After hardship comes happiness.

It was an old saying everyone knew.

"Think about how hard we worked, guys. Customers kept pouring in, cooking times were tight, and we spent the entire time worrying about making mistakes."

"That's true."

"And after all that suffering, what did we receive as our reward?"

The younger members answered.

"Ri Hyuk."

Exactly.

They had struggled through filming Newniverse Project.

Yet the person dominating headlines today was their main vocalist.

Mission Singer: Four Heavenly Kings Gather to Defeat King of Singers Sun Wooju

From Cha Woohyun to Baek Siyeon... Netizens Ask, "Is This the King of Singers Sun Wooju Assassination Squad?"

Mission Singer's Orpheus Already Making His Presence Felt

Newniverse Project had been completely overshadowed.

Mission Singer monopolized the conversation.

"I didn't do it on purpose! I didn't want this attention either!"

"Sniff... This is all Ri Hyuk hyung's fault..."

"Technically, if you're blaming someone, blame this person. Him."

Ri Hyuk smacked me lightly.

I looked confused.

"Huh~? Why are you bringing up this cute and innocent Wooju?"

"Because of you! You're the reason all those senior singers are paying attention to me...!"

Ignoring Ri Hyuk's complaint, I looked away innocently.

Anyway.

Part One of yesterday's Mission Singer had received a scorching response.

No matter where you looked online, there were posts about Ri Hyuk.

Holy crap, the seniors came to assassinate Ri Hyuk lolllllllll

Veteran players welcoming a sweet rookie lol

But Cha Woohyun looked ridiculously excited yesterday lol

He seriously looked like a veteran gamer thrilled that a newcomer joined the game

(Orpheus shoulder dance GIF)

Imagine clearing all content and getting bored, then suddenly seeing a newbie with the exact same build as yours lol

Level 97 Newbie: Wow, you're amazing!! Anyone want to PvP?

Level 997 Veterans: licks lips

"Dear newbie, this game starts after max level."

Jiho laughed hysterically while reading the comments.

Apparently they were exactly the sort of jokes gamers enjoyed.

Meanwhile, I carefully examined the other reactions.

Not bad at all.

Most people were looking forward to seeing Ri Hyuk face the four veteran singers.

There were occasionally comments belittling him, but that wasn't a problem.

He could prove himself later through skill.

While I was monitoring reactions online, Ri Hyuk spoke.

"Still, Newniverse Project got great ratings too."

"That's true."

The whole "You ruined the hype!" thing was just a joke.

Newniverse Project was performing exceptionally well.

[16.5%]

A 0.7 percent increase from the previous 15.8%.

It definitely felt as though fifteen percent had been a major hurdle.

Growth had slowed somewhat.

Most of the potential viewers had already come aboard.

"Twenty percent is probably impossible."

"Yeah."

"Ah... What a shame~~"

We were talking about how we probably wouldn't be going to Antarctica after all when a social media account caught my eye.

Republic of Korea Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries @korea_mof

3.5% left...

The government account had posted a photoshopped image combining us with the Sejong Research Station.

A chill ran down my spine.

"..."

"..."

It felt like a ghost standing behind me whispering, 3.5%... hehehe...

I pretended not to see it and returned to daily life.

The others headed off to practice.

Biju and I, as usual, went around collecting first-place trophies for WAVE.

Then Seokhwan hyung delivered the news I'd been waiting for.

"Wooju."

"Yeah?"

"The movie cast's OST recording schedule has been finalized. Also, Director Kim Bora asked me to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"You know how filming for Sound of Sun wrapped up recently?"

"Yeah."

"She said she's bringing over the first edited cut."

"!"

It was the news I had been desperately waiting for.

The first update regarding the production of Sound of Sun, the biographical film about Sun Myungju that had begun filming back in January of this year.