Chapter 787: Question (8)

Sun Wooju’s MC work at the HBS music awards was, by all accounts, a success.

“Wow, look at the number of articles.”

Jiho stared at his phone, mouth hanging open.

“There are more articles about you handling the broadcast accident than about most stages. This is huge.”

“A broadcast accident is sensational. That’s why.”

It wasn’t that I’d done anything extraordinary so much as that the topic had more traction than “cute idol stage!”—“HBS’s handling of a broadcast accident” was simply more newsworthy.

“Really?”

Ri Hyuk snorted. “You keep saying it’s no big deal, but your mouth keeps twitching like you’re enjoying it.”

“Ahem.”

I cleared my throat and scrolled through my phone.

Comments under a MyTube clip titled “[How an idol handled a broadcast accident ㄷㄷㄷ]”:

“Truly pro-level sense and handlingㅋㅋㅋ”

“And his tone is so niceㅠㅠㅠ”

“Eunseong and Kevin matched the timing so well—no wonder Sun Wooju brought them alongㅋㅋㅋ”

“Kevin... you’ll never beat your sergeant now”

“Bow and live, Kevin”

“But Kevin would bow twice if you told him to”

“Wooju is just so consistently great. You can feel his passion for music”

“How was there even a live controversy when he can sing that short a cappella snippet like that”

“They roasted him before Idol Master but he was amazingㅋㅋㅋㅋ”

I smiled at the comments thanking Eunseong and me.

Yes. This was the response I wanted.

My juniors grinned and asked, “What did Eunseong say?”

“He’s all like, ‘He’s always consistent. If it weren’t for him, could anyone have matched like that? Be grateful, sergeant~!’”

“And?”

“He replied that there are four people who match him better than you, so no answer,” they said, and burst out laughing.

On the phones the members held, videos were playing.

“What are you all watching?”

“A compilation of our sound-accident responses.”

Junhyun showed a clip titled [NewBlack stage accident responses.zip]—the debut showcase a cappella performance, the rainy-festival stage in Icheon, and other nostalgic moments, with praise pouring in under the clips.

“Nice.”

“Well, I’m not usually someone who likes compliments, but I like this.”

“Compliments first, then....”

I laughed along with the jokers.

What started as the HBS accident response clip had led to a stream of our past accident-response footage.

“Good. Good.”

I smiled contentedly and checked the emails Seokhwan had sent.

The HBS incident’s outcome had brought more than recognition for our live skills.

IBC “This Is K-Pop” special MC offer

TBC “Challenge! Discover the Great Song” Season 3 special MC offer

HBS “Duet Battle” MC offer

Multiple broadcasters had sent MC offers—mostly music-variety programs.

“It seems to be a mix of things. You’ve got a public-friendly image, a deep knowledge of music, and great live-sense. That’s why music shows want you.”

Seokhwan said that was the reason.

“Actually, the main point is they think you’re good at hosting. Variety PDs recognize that.”

They were very welcome offers.

Even famous singers aren’t often tapped as MCs—the host is one of the elements that can determine a show’s success. Good hosting can’t be bought by fame alone.

“Oh.”

“This IBC one’s a new launch.”

“Duet Battle—I've always wanted to try that.”

While I mulled it over, the four-headed hydra of my younger members assembled around me.

The head responsible for brains asked pointedly, “So are you going to do it?”

“You should. Senior! Get me on that, train Wooju hyung, and then when we have our solo stages later, put him on as showcase MC.”

“Agreed.”

The heads for wealth and simplicity chimed in approvingly while the soft-hearted head asked, “What about you, hyung?”

“To be honest, the offers aren’t bad.”

None were long-term six-month projects; most were short specials or one-day gigs—doable.

Ri Hyuk skimmed and said, “But there’s a problem.”

“Right.”

“Duet Battle or well-edited formats are long-term MC proposals. The short MC offers tend to have weak formats.”

The others nodded. As Ri Hyuk said, long-term projects would be too consuming—we couldn’t risk our main activities and album work on a months-long hosting gig. The single-episode offers were often fluff.

“This one’s the most feasible schedule-wise... but the format really isn’t my taste.”

“The IBC show?”

“Yeah. That one.”

IBC’s new music program This Is K-Pop planned to bring foreign residents or tourists as studio audiences to showcase Korean artists. Shows inviting foreign panels or visiting white guests had been trending, but it wasn’t really my style.

“Well. I can do it later.”

These MC offers were a bonus stage rather than must-dos, so they weren’t life-or-death choices. Still, they were good chances to get my face out there as a variety personality.

“Being MC of a high-visibility music variety is a great way to stamp your name on the public’s mind.”

Junhyun joked, “Why not make your own music show? Launch a music variety on NBS.”

“NewBlack Cup: The World’s Greatest Music Tournament.”

We all laughed, and Biju tilted his head then widened his eyes.

“Huh?”

“Why, Biju?”

“But it might actually be possible.”

“...?”

We blinked as Biju explained.

“We’re major shareholders now.”

“!”

“!!”

We’d known that in our heads, but had not made the connection like that.

“Twenty percent shares, major shareholders!”

We looked at each other, amazed at how something we once joked about could now be plausible.

“We’re powerful, huh.”

“No wonder my dad had boundless confidence.”

“I can feel power in my blood. I love it....”

Jiho and Biju raised their hands like sunflowers, smiling happily, and we smiled too.

“But.”

Ri Hyuk pointed at my phone. “What about that other music-variety thing? The year-end shows next year.”

“Oh.”

Separate from the music-variety offers, three proposals had come in—probably because word had spread about my MC work boosting ratings.

Like parents pre-registering a child for kindergarten, the three broadcasters were already booking MCs for next year’s year-end shows.

2018 HBS Year-End Music Awards MC offer

2018 PBS Music Festival MC offer

2018 TBC Year-End Music Festival MC offer (revised)

It’s impossible to do all of them because the industry has its protocols, so we’d have to choose one. There was no rush to accept; we decided to hold and consider.

Ri Hyuk hovered a finger over the [delete] button and asked, “We should delete one, right?”

“Yeah.”

At least leave one out. When the NewMedia team uploaded that ridiculous clip, we’d decided we didn’t need all three. Ri Hyuk gleefully deleted HBS’s email and looked relieved.

“Good job, major shareholder number three.”

“Embarrassing—call me by my name.”

“Good job, Pira... ack!”

Year-end always seems to fly by.

[Official] 2017 PBS Music Festival: NewBlack, Serenity, and other top lineups announced

PBS Music Festival finale, as always, NewBlack

[Year-End Review] PBS festival—a compact, tasteful program for grown-ups

The public broadcaster’s year-end stage on the 29th finished successfully.

PBS’s popular Challenge! Discover the Great Song delivered hot ballad performances and nostalgic stages. Mostly big-name artists with small-scale sets, but the response was good.

Then, the big date: December 31.

[2017 TBC Year-End Music Festival]

We arrived at TBC’s Sangam building for the year’s final stage.

“Hello! Senior!”

“Hello!”

Newcomer artists kept crowding into the waiting room.

Maybe because my HBS lines had gone over well, there was a subtle sense of warmth in the way some of them looked at me.

“Thank you so much, senior. Our song just entered the top 100 for the first time.”

“Congrats. That means the song is good.”

“No—it’s because of you. We brought a gift to show our thanks.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to....”

They pressed a gift on me, slightly embarrassed, and I waved away the pressure. Gravity’s leader cupped his hand and whispered, “It’s floral-pattern pajamas from Dongdaemun.”

“!”

What a thoughtful kid.

I took the box and said, “Thank you. I’ll accept it gratefully.”

My jokers nearby closed their eyes as if they had a lot to say but were holding back.

When the juniors left, I opened the box.

“Yes! This is it.”

One reason you can’t give up the title of national idol is that people all across the country know your gift taste.

Holding the floral pajamas up and humming “Man with Flowers,” Ri Hyuk muttered, “Static electricity’s gonna rise.”

“Do you think saying that will actually make static occur?”

I waved my hand and joked, “Electricity, rise up!” and shook my shoulders. The younger members made disgusted faces.

Bolstered by the juniors’ thanks and small presents, we went onstage.

“Music makes us the one in 2017 TBC Year-End Music Festival!”

“The show is triple-cast live from TBC Sangam, Ilsan studio, and an outdoor special stage on Gangbyeonbuk-ro!”

On the live broadcast, Street Boys—trembling at being the representative act on the riverside—made me smile.

It looked like they split artists across three sites to diffuse fandoms between us, Street Boys, and Teen Spirit. The arrangement was chaotic, but festive—maybe because of the date.

“You all worked hard this year!”

“Happy New Year 2018!”

Scarlet, wearing hanbok with a jokduri, waved to viewers and we waved back.

Soon it would be 2018.

Winter would bring the Winter Olympics, summer the World Cup—there was something about a new year that felt like a ribboned gift sliding toward you. Put last year’s regrets into the box and open a new one.

“We’re about five minutes away from the new year. Performers, please come to the stage.”

It was 11:55.

Anchor Baek Sangjung called all performers up onto the stage. Serenity’s Seolha flashed a dimpled smile at the camera.

“2018 is the Year of the Golden Dog!”

“Let’s meet the dog-year stars!”

Wonder Child’s Ki Dohun read the cue card.

“Let’s welcome stars born in 1994!”

“For variety idols, we can’t miss one of our own—Kevin!”

Eunseong went up as the representative of the 1994 cohort and offered New Year’s wishes.

“And Han Taehyun, who recently achieved a triple crown on music shows as a soloist!”

“Hello.”

Taehyun came out to give his New Year greeting and left lightly.

Seeing Eunseong and Taehyun both slotted as 1994 made me feel the passing time for TNT’s debut years.

With many different debut years mixed onstage, I felt slightly disoriented even though I was close to them all. Seniors who felt like elders and people just shedding their rookie tags were the same age.

“Now let’s meet those turning adult next year.”

Members of Wonder Child and others spoke about what they wanted to do when they became adults. Our maknae, only a year younger than the 1999-borns, grinned and said, “So fresh.”

With time to spare, it was our turn.

“This year, you can’t talk about Korean pop without these people. Please welcome NewBlack!”

We walked forward as Seolha handed us the mic.

“Any reflections on the year and ambitions for 2018?”

“Yes—ow, static!”

The static hit. Ri Hyuk looked at me with a triumphant grin while other artists giggled. I ignored them and continued.

“As year-end brings static, everyone be careful of static for the rest of the year.”

Two minutes of warning about static sent everyone into laughter. I blushed remembering the rookie-era static moment, then continued.

“This year felt like magic. NewBlack received so much love at home and abroad...”

American awards, Scarlet’s song written by producer Kim Deokchun, our world tour, the encore at Sangam, my father’s show—images flickered past.

“If I have regrets, it’s that we couldn’t get closer to the public. Next year we’ll be friendlier and stickier—like a Parisian spatula—coming to you.”

The word “Parisian spatula” apparently struck a chord—Baek Sangjung loved it.

We wrapped the line and Junhyun took the mic.

“Like a Venus flytrap and a sticky spatula.”

“That’s right. Everyone—Happy New Year!”

He shouted heartily, handed off the mic, and stepped back.

Thirty seconds left.

With the MCs’ lines, the screen switched to Bosingak in Jongno, packed with a hundred thousand people, full of year-end atmosphere. The Pyeongchang mascots Bandabi and Soohorang danced and rang the bell at Bosingak.

It was almost midnight on January 1, 2018.

[Bang! Fireworks explode, gold leaf raining down.]

“Now! 2018, the Year of the Dog, has arrived! Happy New Year to our viewers!”

People called out “Happy New Year!” and I hugged my juniors.

“I love you, my brothers.”

“I love you too.”

I hugged them and turned my head. A penguin-costumed performer waved a wing shyly. The maknae asked, “What’s up? Why the hesitation, Ri Hyuk?”

“Um. I love... you.”

“Wooah!”

“This is how you make them bow and beg for forgiveness!”

We linked shoulders and jumped.

On the nearby screen, 2017 flipped to 2018 and it still felt surreal.

As performers hurried off the stage, TBC staff rushed over.

“NewBlack! Get ready for the ending!”

“Yes!”

Like last year, we were set to open the first broadcast stage of the new year.

Midnight, New Year 2018.

“Happy New Year, Mom and Dad!”

“Happy New Year, our daughter!”

“Sir, Happy New Year!”

Families everywhere exchanged greetings and the TV feed cut across the nation.

From Bosingak to year-end shows and then to TBC, people’s eyes turned to our stage.

“NewBlack’s on now.”

Onscreen, the handsome five were dressed in hanbok. The Dokkaebi stage kicked off the classics party with cheerful New Year energy.

One of this year’s hit songs, Coin, played.

“Everyone! Be rich this New Year!”

Our maknae shouted an old ad-jingle line playfully. We tossed prop gold coins into the air chanting “Gold, appear—tada!”

Coin Coin

Keep Going

The bright, clear chorus of Coin painted a hopeful future for the New Year.

“Hmm?”

Maybe because of recent news, younger listeners felt a strange déjà vu in the lyrics.

The repeated “Coin, coin...” and the “Keep Going” refrain made people think of the booming 2017 bitcoin trend.

On the other hand, older listeners took it as a cheerful “wishing you wealth” song.

Perfect timing.

It sounded like a national wish {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} of “may all your wishes come true this year,” and people nodded.

“Perfect first song of the New Year.”

Coin, released in spring 2017, was climbing back up the charts at year-end—an unintentional resurgence. Social posts listing “songs you must hear at midnight” put NewBlack’s Coin at number one.