Chapter 1094: I am New Black, Class of ’18 (18)

The SNL audience burst into laughter.

"So cute."

"They're actually like this?"

"This isn't the image I had of them."

Everyone reacted with surprise.

It was only natural. Up until now, NewBlack had never really had one defining image.

They're those insanely famous guys!

To most Americans, they were simply a hugely popular group that attracted swarms of fans wherever they went.

Their visibility had skyrocketed recently thanks to the Supernova Dodgeball episode and Overcooked, but this goofy, comedic side of NewBlack was still unfamiliar to American viewers.

Even stranger...

"It actually suits them."

"It really does."

Watching NewBlack dressed as Teletubby-style bunny mascots on television, no one felt the slightest sense of awkwardness.

What is this?

They look like actual comedians.

When famous actors or singers put on ridiculous costumes, there was usually an unmistakable stiffness to it.

Not here.

It felt as though comedians had simply put on their regular clothes.

To Americans who had no idea NewBlack had built a successful career as variety entertainers back in Korea, it was genuinely fascinating.

"They fit this so well."

"So it wasn't just me? They really pull this off."

As the amused audience continued laughing, the sketch's title appeared.

The Curse of Uncle Bunnies

Five Tele-Bunnies(?) stood with their arms crossed.

Rumble—!

Thunder roared as a creepy remix of Uncle Bunny began to play.

Ptui!

A New York street.

An obnoxious SNL crew member swaggered down the sidewalk, spitting on the pavement.

"What're you looking at?!"

He picked fights with random pedestrians, who hurried away with disgusted expressions.

Then something caught his foot.

"Huh?"

A homeless old man was sitting there begging.

The protagonist frowned.

"What's with this old guy?"

"Just one coin, young man. Give me one coin, and this bunny shall bring you good fortune."

The shabby bunny doll in the old man's hands stared back at him.

Right on cue...

One of its button eyes popped off.

The ominous background music swelled.

The protagonist grimaced.

"Tch. Bad luck."

"Please... just one coin..."

"Let go!"

The homeless man grabbed his ankle and refused to let go.

As they struggled, the bunny doll flew into the street—

—and was immediately crushed beneath a passing taxi.

The old man's face turned pale.

"T-This is terrible. The Bunny Spirit will be furious...!"

"What kind of nonsense are you talking about?!"

"You... you shall be cursed! A dreadful curse shall befall you!"

Ignoring the old man's booming warning, the protagonist glanced at the flattened bunny doll and snorted.

"A curse? Yeah, right."

The next morning...

Beside a clock flashing [07:00], the protagonist snored peacefully.

Then...

A song drifted into the room.

It was a rewritten version of Uncle Bunny.

♪ "Good grown-ups should wake up~" ♪

♬ "With Uncle Bunny, getting up is easy!" ♬

The protagonist pulled a pillow over his head.

"I never even set an alarm..."

But the singing only grew louder.

♪ "Good grown-ups should wake up~!" ♪

♬ "With Uncle Bunny, getting up is easy~!!" ♬

A warm breath blew across his ear.

"Bunny!"

An absurd whisper worthy of a cheesy sci-fi sound effect.

"GAAAH!"

He tumbled out of bed with a scream.

Standing against the morning backlight...

Were five Tele-Bunnies.

"Hahahahaha!"

"Hahahaha!"

The studio audience erupted.

"Woooooo!"

Whistles and applause echoed through the studio.

Biju Bunny and Ri Hyuk Bunny looked embarrassed.

The other three stood confidently with their arms crossed, shameless as ever.

"Who the hell are you?!"

The bunnies clasped their hands together and sang in perfect harmony.

♬ "With Uncle Bunnies, you can become a wonderful grown-up~" ♬

"What the hell are you talking about?! And who are you people?!"

♬ "It's time to brush your teeth~ Chiki Chaka, Chiki Chaka~" ♬

"...Are you even listening to me?!"

The furious protagonist threw a punch.

But—

Whoosh!

Whoosh-whoosh!

The five bunnies effortlessly dodged with flashy footwork, sending the audience into another fit of laughter.

Enraged, he charged again.

This time...

He passed straight through them.

Their bodies were transparent.

♬ "It's time to brush your teeth~ Chiki Chaka, Chiki Chaka~" ♬

"Fine! Fine! I get it!"

Inside the bathroom...

The protagonist glared at the singing bunnies reflected in the mirror.

"You can't touch me any more than I can touch you. What are you going to do if I refuse to brush?"

The faucet exploded.

FWOOOOSH!

Water blasted straight into his face.

The audience roared.

"AAAAAH! I surrender! I surrender!!"

♬ "It's time to brush your teeth~ Chiki Chaka, Chiki Chaka~" ♬

"You lunatics! Fine! I'll do it!"

The smiling bunnies continued singing with innocent faces.

After brushing his teeth—and even shaving—the protagonist immediately tracked down the homeless man.

"Hey! Old man! What exactly is this curse?!"

Then...

From somewhere nearby...

The Uncle Bunny theme began playing again.

"Bunny!"

"AAAAAAAH! SHIT!"

♪ "Good grown-ups don't use naughty words~" ♪

"Son of a... N-No. Wait. Am I the only one who can see them?!"

As the protagonist teetered on the edge of insanity, the homeless man gave him sympathetic advice.

"This is terrible. You've fallen victim to the curse..."

"W-What curse...?"

The bunnies glared.

"...S-Sir?!"

"The curse of spending the rest of your life as a good grown-up."

"...Then... is there any way to break it... sir?"

"Once a curse has taken hold, it cannot be lifted. The only option is to live as a good person."

The protagonist screamed in despair.

Meanwhile, the bunnies danced around him, clapping happily.

♪ "With Uncle Bunnies, you can become a wonderful grown-up~" ♪

"Go away! Leave me alone!"

The bunnies giggled.

From that day onward...

They interfered with every aspect of his life.

"Bunny!"

Whenever he was about to do something wrong...

The bunnies appeared.

♪ "Good grown-ups help those in need~" ♪

He found himself volunteering at a soup kitchen.

♪ "Good grown-ups know how to confess sincerely~" ♪

Instead of using a cheesy pickup line, he honestly confessed his feelings to the woman he loved.

They got married.

Time accelerated.

The bunnies sang at his wedding while he kissed the bride.

They applauded every act of kindness he showed his neighbors.

They stood beside him clapping as he gave campaign speeches while running for office.

The years flew by.

Finally...

As the protagonist reached the end of his life...

"It was a good life."

"At last..."

He smiled.

"I'm free."

"I'm finally free."

Made up to look elderly, he peacefully closed his eyes in bed while the people gathered around him wept.

"Johnny!"

"Grandpa!"

The scene cut to a television news broadcast.

An elderly portrait of the protagonist appeared on screen.

"This morning, former President of the United States Johnny Whale passed away. The White House has expressed its deepest condolences, while hundreds of thousands have gathered to honor..."

The SNL audience burst into laughter.

The scene changed once more.

The protagonist awoke in Heaven, restored to his youthful body.

"Finally..."

"I'm free from those rabbits!"

He pumped his fist triumphantly.

Standing at the staircase leading into Heaven, he shouted.

"I'm finally rid of those damn rabbits!"

The moment the words left his mouth...

♪ "Good grown-ups don't use naughty words~" ♪

His entire body stiffened.

Slowly...

Creak...

He turned his head.

The smiling bunnies came happily skipping toward him.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The protagonist fled in absolute terror while the bunnies chased after him, singing.

The sketch came to an end.

The audience erupted into thunderous applause.

It had been a musical sketch built entirely around the song.

There were also scenes of the bunnies scolding the protagonist whenever he made racist remarks or behaved rudely toward women.

"Good grown-ups don't do that!"

It was remarkably timely.

"That's true. It shouldn't just be kids. Adults need to behave better too."

"Come to think of it, adults should probably be setting the example."

The audience laughed in agreement.

That was fun.

For such a lighthearted musical sketch, it had been surprisingly entertaining.

Still chuckling, the SNL viewers prepared to focus on the next sketch.

Then...

Something strange happened.

"Rupert! Look over here! It's your baby!"

"My God!"

The television continued playing the comedy sketch.

Laughter echoed from the audience.

And yet...

A cheerful voice began echoing inside the viewers' ears.

♬ "With Uncle Bunnies, you can become a wonderful grown-up~" ♬

"..."

♬ "Bunny bunny Uncle Bunny~" ♬

"..."

"..."

People scratched the backs of their heads.

"Is it just me?"

"No. Me too. I can't... concentrate."

Uncle Bunny kept looping endlessly in their heads.

The same complaints began flooding the internet.

Damn it, the song won't stop.

I'm going insane. It won't leave my head.

I feel like I've been brainwashed by the MK Ultra Project. If NewBlack had existed in the Soviet Union during the Cold War, they'd have won the propaganda war.

Rise, Comrade Bunny!

Thank goodness they're from South Korea and not North Korea...

Hey, has anyone actually tried swearing out loud??? Seriously, try it.

Curious after reading the comment, Americans quietly muttered to themselves.

"Damn it."

The instant they did—

A bright children's song rang through their ears.

♬ "Good grown-ups don't use naughty words~" ♬

Damn it!

Adults held hostage by the children's song screamed in agony.

Laughter filled the studio.

As Rupert Dean threw himself into another comedic performance, the SNL staff finally relaxed.

"Whew."

"It went well."

The live broadcast was already approaching its final stretch.

The frantic rush to swap stage sets and finish costume changes during commercial breaks was finally over.

They still couldn't let their guard down completely, but they could at least breathe again.

"The audience has been great tonight."

"I think the ratings are going to be solid. NewBlack's here, after all."

Whenever NewBlack appeared on a talk show or an awards ceremony, ratings always climbed.

Naturally, expectations were high.

Members of the makeup department and other staff who had already finished their work gathered in a corner of the studio.

"You know... the song's still stuck in my head."

"Same."

"I heard from the production team that Sunny rearranged it himself. They handed him the lyrics, and he just sat down and knocked out the arrangement."

"Seriously? That explains it."

The SNL staff looked toward the stage where the musical performance was being prepared.

Wooju was already seated at the piano, waiting.

Normally...

They would have been admiring his handsome face.

Why do I keep seeing bunny ears...?

This is bad.

For some reason, they couldn't stop picturing Uncle Bunny's floppy ears on the handsome idol.

Even the other members seated nearby for the chorus kept looking like rabbits.

Stop!

Make it stop!

Trying desperately to ignore the endlessly looping Uncle Bunny song...

Another sketch ended.

Host Rupert Dean gestured toward the stage.

"Once again... NewBlack!"

The stage darkened.

Then warm orange lights slowly rose.

Bathed in a radiance like the sun itself, the handsome pianist began to play.

"WAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Following the enormous buzz generated by Supernova Dodgeball and Overcooked...

It was Like The Sun.

As the genius artist gazed softly into the camera and began to sing, the audience's eyes sparkled.

Meanwhile...

Several SNL staff members glanced toward a woman standing nearby.

Rebecca Cassidy, wasn't it?

She worked for the same parent company that owned the television network.

One of the film industry's most respected marketing executives.

Someone whispered,

"I ran into her once while working in the film business. I've never seen her smile like that."

Then again...

She had every reason to.

Every time Wooju performed Like The Sun, excitement surrounding Sound of the Sun exploded.

North American box office projections continued climbing.

From the studio's perspective, it was an absolute jackpot.

Even the staff couldn't help wondering.

What kind of movie is this?

A musical film with a theme song this good...

If the reviews were positive once it hit theaters, they genuinely wanted to watch it.

"This song is incredible."

"Yeah. He's amazing."

As the staff nodded along to the music, social media exploded.

Fine. Fine. I'll watch the movie. 😂

I said I'll watch it...

Purchase it! Your brilliantly shining ticket awaits!

So when is it coming out??? At least tell us when I'm supposed to buy the ticket!

November. One more month.

Behold! Your movie—

This song is so good.

The performance ended to deafening cheers.

The final sketch aired.

Then Rupert Dean, NewBlack, and the entire SNL cast gathered onstage to deliver their closing farewell.

The live broadcast came to an end.

"Great work!"

"We've successfully kicked off the new season."

Backstage, staff members exchanged high-fives.

Meanwhile, celebrities and industry figures waiting at a nearby after-party venue for Rupert Dean and NewBlack raised their glasses as they watched the television.

"WOOOOOO!"

"It's over? They should be here soon!"

The party buzzed with lively conversation.

Except for one man.

"..."

A serious expression rested on the face of a middle-aged white man.

He stared intently at someone dressed as Bunny Man on his phone screen.

An actor approached him with an ingratiating smile.

"What are you watching, John?"

"Hmm."

The celebrated director of Nostalgia, famous for his remarkable filmography...

John Edwards stroked his chin.

"I think I've found a good lead."

"...?"

The question never reached his ears.

His attention remained fixed on the screen.

Trainee. Attempts to subdue his instructor.

A special forces instructor beckoned rookie idol Sun Wooju forward—

Only to be effortlessly subdued with dazzling martial arts.

I am Bunny Man.

The SNL sketch.

Bunny Man casually taking down a pickpocket.

Nearby, people were still talking about that scene.

"Wasn't that part ridiculously sexy?"

"I know, right?"

John Edwards' eyes gleamed.

"Guys!"

"Hyung!"

"You all did great. Seriously, every one of you."

"You too, hyung."

They all hugged one another, bouncing excitedly.

Ri Hyuk rubbed the back of his neck.

"Wow... live television really drains you. We didn't even do that much, but I feel completely exhausted."

"Ri Hyuk worked the hardest."

"Seriously, Ri Hyuk. Great job!"

Everyone gave a thumbs-up to their main vocalist, who had delivered an outstanding performance despite the difficult audio conditions.

While they shook hands with their agents and representatives from the film studio...

"Hey~!"

Rupert Dean walked into the dressing room, drenched in sweat.

They bumped shoulders.

"Great job."

"We'll see each other at the party?"

"Of course."

"See you there."

With a playful wink, Rupert headed back out.

The members changed clothes.

Jiho let out a long sigh.

"I wanna go back to the hotel."

"We don't really have a choice."

At my words, Biju nodded.

"I think we have to go. It'd feel... kind of awkward if we skipped it."

"Agreed."

The SNL schedule wasn't actually over.

This was America—the land of parties.

After the broadcast came the after-party.

The executive producer, the night's host, the musical guests, celebrities, producers, and industry figures all gathered to unwind together.

For Koreans, who normally went straight home after filming, it was a genuine culture shock.

Honestly...

None of us really wanted to go.

And there probably wouldn't be any serious consequences if we skipped it.

But...

Has the executive producer arrived?

Hoho. Behold—the mighty industry heavyweight has arrived.

By the way, NewBlack already went home.

...

With so many influential people attending...

Saying, "NewBlack's tired, so we're heading back!" somehow didn't feel appropriate.

Skipping an awards show after-party was common.

This felt different.

It almost seemed like Americans would think,

Those guys really aren't very sociable.

So...

After changing clothes, we headed to the party.

"Hello~"

"WAAAAAH!"

Despite our exhaustion, we smiled brightly, shook countless hands, and kept our cheeks from cramping.

Guys!

Hyung!

People kept stopping us to talk.

Before long, I had become separated from the others.

Just as my mind was beginning to blur beneath the nonstop barrage of English...

"Annyeong haseyo."

Hearing my native language so unexpectedly, I turned.

A familiar face smiled back at me.

"John!"

"It's been a while."

It was the film director I'd toured Korea with while promoting Nostalgia.

Compared to back then, he'd put on a little weight, giving him a warmer, friendlier appearance.

I grabbed his hand.

"What brings you here? Did Rupert invite you?"

"Yeah. Rupert invited me to the party. I figured I'd take the opportunity to meet a few producers while I was here."

"It's so good to see you!"

We chatted for a moment, catching up on how we'd both been doing.

Then...

Director John Edwards gestured for me to come closer.

"Actually... could we talk in private for a minute?"

"What is it?"

"It's about a film..."

His eyes shone with excitement.

"Tell me... have you ever been interested in making a superhero movie?"