Chapter 1184: Are they tears? No, they are sweat. (4)

The moment they saw the opening of the music video, Souffles descended into madness.

"This is insane. Insane. Seriously insane…."

「Yes! This is it!」

「Waaaaaaaaah! This is seriously insane!」

Screams erupted in languages from all over the world.

「???- ??」

Powerful choreography appeared from the very intro.

They fanned themselves with their hands as though overheated from eating spicy food while executing dazzling footwork.

"Wow……."

At the same time, the background changed.

From a beach in daylight to a beach at night.

Biju, who was known as a master of song openings, appeared in a flowing red shirt as he wandered through a beachside night market.

If all you want is something sweet

Just pick up anything

Like all the fruit lying around here

Biju picked up a vivid red apple from one of the stalls and bit into it with a crisp crunch, juice running down.

He casually tossed the bitten apple behind him, shrugged, and asked.

But

Is that really what you want?

The song paused for a beat, and its atmosphere began to shift.

As expected.

There is a reason Wooju so often gives him the opening part.

With his soft vocal tone, he instantly made listeners prick up their ears while capturing their eyes with his performance.

His ability to embody a concept was also exceptional, so one glance at Biju's opening made the song's concept immediately clear.

It's an intense concept.

The theme was a passionate summer-night festival.

A dazzling night market, brilliant lights along the beach, and the scorching heat of a summer night filled the main scenes.

It carried the atmosphere of wandering through a crowd and stumbling upon a passionate romance.

But it was not a sexy concept.

What should I call this?

It felt closer to dancing until your body gave out at a summer-night festival and staying up until dawn.

The kind of song that seemed capable of blowing away all your stress in a single burst.

Before long, Jiho's part played as he walked down the street.

A sugar rush is only

Fun for a moment

It could never be enough

To blow away the heat of this night

Sweet treats were spread across the stalls, but Jiho paid them no attention. If anything, he looked sick of them.

It seemed possible to understand what the "sweet things" in the lyrics represented.

Things that were easy to obtain.

Familiar pleasures.

Then it flowed into Wooju's part.

You know it too

That feeling of something missing

An unstoppable

Special sensation

As the choreography grew increasingly intense, the main vocalist cut in with a soaring hum.

Damn…….

The refreshing sensation was like carbonation bursting open, cooling their ears.

It felt as though their ears were being treated to a cold glass of beer on a sweltering tropical night.

Ri Hyuk sang while performing a move that looked as though he were dipping something held in his hand into sauce.

Let yourself get soaked

Just a little

It'll blow away

The heat of this night—

Junghyun slid smoothly into frame and murmured, "Hot Sauce," before the chorus melody immediately dropped.

They only had a moment to admire the sexy low voice vibrating against their eardrums.

Huh?

Unusually, had no lyrics in its chorus.

The structure was relatively different from NewBlack's usual songs, but Souffles somehow felt they understood the composer's intent.

So that's why. The melody itself is insane.

It made immediate sense why the song was titled .

Foreign listeners who would become fans of the song might not fully understand, but Koreans grasped the feeling at once.

-When you're stressed, you relieve it with something spicy!

Studying, job hunting, work, love, and more.

Whenever they suffered through an unbearably stressful day, they often found themselves seeking out spicy food without even realizing it.

Just as spicy chicken feet or tteokbokki could wipe away stress in one shot, the melody was fiery and intense.

This is seriously insane.

The choreography was equally insane.

It was so elaborate that the formations and movements changed more than a dozen times within only a brief span.

Since they did not have to sing during the chorus, NewBlack poured all that energy entirely into the dance.

It resembled , yet the texture was slightly different.

Both were addictive and intense, but if the NewBlack of had been like turbulent adolescents, the present NewBlack looked like seasoned veterans.

They were clearly pouring in the same amount of effort, yet the delicate control of intensity came through even over the screen.

Passionate choreography unfolded under meticulous camera work detailed enough to capture every bead of sweat.

"Wow……."

Souffles looked as though they might lose their minds from happiness.

Even those who had once stepped away from the fandom were catching fire again, so how much worse must it have been for the people who had never left?

This is legendary. Seriously.

Its sound was characterized by the addition of Latin pop, yet in another sense, it was also the most quintessentially K-pop song everyone had imagined.

Intense dance music that had recently become difficult to find in global popular music.

Carefully constructed performance.

This is what I've been waiting for.

Then Junghyun delivered a Spanish rap, Souffles began screaming, and the number-one real-time trend across social media platforms around the world changed simultaneously.

-The New Black is back

It was the return fans had waited for with desperate longing.

NewBlack's new song had been released.

The music video for , which had begun setting new MyTube records immediately upon release, was drawing extraordinary attention in South America as well.

-Your spicy food isn't even spicy!

NewBlack's provocation had certainly played a role, but fundamentally, it was news capable of drawing the interest of South American listeners.

-A famous American pop star visits with a new song made for South American fans!

Established pop stars also valued the South American market enormously.

But most of them only visited for concert tours. It was rare for someone to bring a new song with them like this.

"Why are they releasing a Latin pop concept?"

"They want to introduce themselves to us."

"Why?"

People found it difficult to understand.

Couldn't they just promote in the United States?

Were pop stars capable of drawing hundreds of thousands of people on South American tours popular because they had actively promoted in South America?

No.

Once they became famous in the United States, the center of pop, they naturally became global stars elsewhere too.

That was why South American listeners blinked in confusion.

"It's not like we're a hugely profitable market, right? Compared to America, aren't we just a grain of sand on the beach?"

"Not even a grain of sand. More like a molecule."

"Usually, becoming successful and going to America is the final route, isn't it? I've never heard of anyone doing the opposite."

Even singers from Latin America generally tried to remain active in the United States once they successfully entered the market there.

Yet a K-pop star who had succeeded in America had brought a new song for the South American market.

In Korean terms, it was like a hot new pop star suddenly visiting Korea and saying, "I really love K-pop," before releasing a new song in the K-pop genre. South Americans' confusion was only natural.

What are they even planning to accomplish by succeeding here…?

Compared to America, we probably won't make them much money.

Latin music might hold the second-largest share of the global music market after pop, but it still could not compare to America.

So the conclusion South Americans reached was simple.

"They must genuinely be interested in Latin pop."

"Watching them eat, they really seemed to love Brazilian food. Did you see them say they wanted to live here?"

"What? Do these guys like us…?"

People tried to hide how pleased they were behind prim expressions.

-NewBlack likes us!

To ordinary people, that was the only explanation that made sense.

Of course, not everyone thought that way.

Since NewBlack's new song had become a hot topic among South American music critics, quite a few people analyzed the situation coolly.

[It's a delusion to think NewBlack entered the market because they like us!]

Brazilian MyTuber Jos.EDM, who worked as a music expert, scratched his dreadlocks as he spoke.

[You only think that because you don't know NewBlack very well. Fundamentally, these guys aren't pop stars. They're "K-pop stars." Their way of thinking is completely different from the American pop stars you know.]

Wearing headphones, the MyTuber explained so fervently that saliva flew from his mouth.

[American singers? Once they succeed in their own country, they instantly become global stars. Look at Moonlight. While NewBlack worked themselves to the bone for years, Moonlight became a top-class boy band through a single NetPlus audition.]

The viewers nodded in understanding.

[Now, let's think about NewBlack within that structure. NewBlack isn't a group that can spend the entire year investing its time in America. They have a country they need to return to. You all know NewBlack are superstars in their home country too, right?]

[So from NewBlack's perspective, the only option is diversified investment. Unless they plan to live in America all year, their current level of American promotion will never generate the kind of force they want. Most of you don't realize this, but what supports NewBlack isn't their American fandom. It's their fandom spread evenly across the entire world.]

[I'll say it again. The conclusion is simple. Diversification.]

[I don't know who came up with this strategy, but they must be extremely smart. First become famous pop stars, then use that fame to target countries all over the world and absorb listeners from each country into a new fandom.]

At that moment, a subscriber left a question in the comments.

-How effective do you think NewBlack's strategy will be?

The MyTuber burst into laughter and asked in return.

[How effective do I think it'll be? Look at what's happening right now.]

On the screen he was watching were the music video's already enormous view counts across South America and the rapidly rising streaming numbers in various countries.

[We all know the answer. If they had been unknown singers, would we have cared about their spicy-food provocation? Really?]

He had a point.

The content of the provocation had never been what mattered in the first place. What mattered was that famous stars with tens of millions of followers had made it.

While some experts offered their analyses, however, there were also plenty of people who viewed the news of NewBlack's new song negatively despite everyone else's curiosity.

-There are a lot of Hispanics in America, so I guess they plan to squeeze popularity out of a Latin pop concept, but it won't be easy

-Do they think Latin pop is that simple?

-Latin pop has been active on the world stage since World War II. If they underestimated us, I'm genuinely disappointed

-I want them to understand that a few words of Spanish won't be enough to win us over

It was not because they genuinely hated NewBlack.

It was the kind of reaction anyone might have.

Do they think everyone will cheer just because they're famous?

Aren't they taking us too lightly? It's not like we'll love anything just because they release a Latin pop song.

It was similar to how Koreans would look unimpressed if a Hollywood star smirked and said, "Oh, right~ You people go crazy if I say I like kimchi, don't you?"

NewBlack had not actually done that, but while some people crossed their arms after interpreting it that way—

[The New Black - 'Hot Sauce' Official MV]

The official track was released, and both online and offline spaces fell silent in an instant.

They had to listen first, after all.

And then….

"Huh?"

「???- ??」

Even the most demanding listeners began to wear the benevolent smiles seen on statues of the Virgin Mary.

Hmm.

This tastes familiar.

It was like finding the intense flavor of gnocchi in tteokbokki made by NewBlack.

The song created by the composing genius and his slaves contained elements that could be called the very essence of Latin pop.

It did not feel as though they had made it by saying, Let's just throw in some trumpets. It felt like something created by people who genuinely understood the genre.

Wait, is that an homage in the music video…?

The music video also contained many elements that could be interpreted as gestures of respect.

There were movements borrowed from choreography in Latin dance music videos that had swept the world in the early 2000s.

Junghyun's rap carried a strong fragrance of the recently popular Latin trap genre.

Simply put, it was perfectly tailored to people's tastes.

[Top 100 Songs]

#1. Hot Sauce - The New Black

soon began playing throughout South American cafeterias, streets, festivals, and more.

["Global Superstars" NewBlack Release New Song, "Hot Sauce" Gains Popularity]

Numerous newspapers carried the news in print.

Hundreds of reaction videos had already been uploaded to MyTube, making it a new song that truly lived up to its fiery title.

And.

The hot wind that had begun blowing through South America naturally moved north as well.

[NewBlack's new song "Hot Sauce" is taking first place on charts in countries around the world. The new song, which debuted at number one in twelve South American countries, continues to set new records with its music video…….]

It was the synergistic effect created by combining an unusual promotional strategy with an excellent song.

As news spread that NewBlack's new song was currently exploding in South America, Americans naturally took interest as well.

Interest was especially high among the Hispanic population, which made up more than ten percent of the United States.

Huh?

This is good.

This song's pretty nice.

It was pleasant to listen to even for Americans accustomed to the Latin pop wave that had dominated the highest reaches of Billboard since 2017.

Meanwhile, unlike South America, where even the people who had initially reacted sharply softened once the song was released, some people in the United States still responded sensitively to NewBlack's new song.

【Discussion Topic Created: What Do You Think of NewBlack's New Song?】

-Personally, I think it's strange. They're K-pop singers. Why are they touching music like Latin pop, where identity matters so much?

-Honestly, wouldn't Koreans also feel offended if Americans tried to do K-pop?

-Why are they trying to appropriate another country's culture?

-Latin pop when they aren't Hispanic?? That's like wearing dreadlocks when you aren't Black

-Latin pop belongs to Latinos

-Guys. Let's be honest. If any of you criticized other singers when they wore Egyptian crowns and mixed Japanese and Chinese clothing, speak up. Everyone was silent back then, so why are you making such a fuss over NewBlack?

Some criticized NewBlack, whose racial identity was not Hispanic, for mixing a strongly identity-based genre like Latin pop into their own music.

It was a line of thought rooted in the American emphasis on racial identity.

Even apart from direct criticism, debate arose over the question, "What kind of music is this, when K-pop singers have poured the colors of Latin pop over K-pop?"

"Ohoho……."

"Oho…."

Some Moonlight fans watching from a distance smiled triumphantly.

If we grow this issue properly, it could become a controversy.

Moonlight's fandom began carrying the scattered criticism across various social media platforms in an attempt to fan the flames.

They thought it could be quite effective if Hispanic singers or Latin pop artists added even a single comment.

-Go on! Burn brightly!

Moonlight fans cackled as they eagerly threw on more firewood.

But….

[Ah. Hot Sauce? I liked it.]

The reactions of established singers mentioning NewBlack's new song through Instagram Live broadcasts and social media comments were the complete opposite of what they had imagined.

A famous Latin pop singer scratched his head with a hand covered in rings.

[Honestly, I don't know what genre this song is. It's hard to call it Latin pop when it has synchronized group choreography and the basic K-pop structure with rap built into it. But the lyrics are in English, so pop is mixed in too.]

He reached a very simple conclusion.

[The genre of this song is NewBlack. That's all.]

And he was not the only one. Praise from singers poured in from all directions.

[You could tell they studied it seriously. I liked it.]

[NewBlack are the greatest artists. Once again, they've proven that they're the best.]

[Hot Sauce~]

Moonlight's fandom screamed in despair.

That can't be.

They're receiving nothing but praise? They must have paid everyone off or done something behind the scenes!

"Ha."

"?"

We turned our heads.

Among the TF team employees monitoring reactions from around the world, several had clicked their tongues.

"What's wrong?"

"No. Moonlight fans are being idi— No, they're making a scene again. Ah, they really make me talk harshly."

"Why? Is there a problem?"

"It looks like they were trying to use cultural appropriation for some media play. It's a sensitive topic in America."

We listened closely.

"But since all the established singers are saying they like it, they're spreading rumors that we paid them off or that they're only doing it to get on NewBlack's good side."

"Ah……."

"If this were Korea, I'd report them for spreading false information."

Behind the employee saying that, Deputy Manager Hong Seoyoung and the rest of us exchanged awkward glances.

Does this person not know?

The discussion has only circulated among the higher-ups so far.

My underlings and I awkwardly avoided the gaze of the employee who was speaking so passionately.

Why did all the Latin pop and Hispanic singers in America say they liked our song?

Because I had already laid all the groundwork in advance before touching a genre with such a strong cultural identity rather than something like electronic or dance music.

Those… are all singers we spoke with beforehand…….

That's why they're taking our side.

The employee continued passionately.

"Do you know what Moonlight fans are saying? They say all those singers are planning to release remixes soon!"

"!"

"Seriously. What do they take our precious NewBlack for?"

"Well……."

That was not a rumor.

It was true….