Chapter 829: Is This the Land of the New Black? (5)

Pyeongchang welcomed the warmest weather of the year.

From the morning on, the area around the Olympic stadium was so crowded with tourists there wasn’t a single place to step.

"Wow."

Koreans visiting Pyeongchang stood there with their mouths hanging open.

"I guess the Olympics really are a festival for the whole world. Look at all the foreigners. Half of them are foreigners."

"There are so many people."

"Hey, hey! You’re getting swept away!"

It was so chaotic that if you looked away for even a second, you’d get carried off by the crowd.

Complete frenzy.

But there was just as much to see.

"Wow. They’re dancing over there."

There was even a dance crew doing b-boying in the middle of winter.

Young people in hanbok performing choreographed routines, all kinds of unusual sights filled the space.

Aren’t they cold?

As we passed those passionately performing their own shows, another group appeared—protesters.

Human rights demonstrations, environmental protests, and among them something particularly eye-catching.

"Newridan Street is in danger! Help us!"

"We oppose Lemon Entertainment relocating its headquarters! Oppose! Oppose!"

"You’re killing small business owners—what kind of Olympics is this! NewBlack, take responsibility! Take responsibility!"

Koreans walked past with blank expressions.

What are they even saying.

It seemed they didn’t have a permit; police soon began removing the banners.

Even as they were led away by officers, they shouted curses.

"Let’s see how well NewBlack does after ignoring us!"

"Ugh."

"They’re unbelievable."

"I saw that online. It’s not even a full relocation. They’re making a NewBlack museum because of all the fuss."

"Oh really? Then why are they acting like that?"

As they shook their heads and talked, the topic shifted.

"But why protest here?"

"Isn’t it because Wooju’s performing at the opening ceremony?"

"Oh."

Someone sniffing in the cold wind asked,

"But is he really appearing?"

"Probably...? They said he filmed something in Pyeongchang yesterday. There were sightings at a hotel here last night."

"He worked hard, then."

A fond smile spread for the nation’s idol.

Because of a hotel employee’s social media post the night before, Wooju’s opening ceremony appearance had practically been confirmed.

He’d tried his best to hide it, but—

You really think that could stay hidden, Wooju?

When the entire nation can recognize even the silhouettes and head shapes of a five-member group, nothing works.

As talk about NewBlack briefly floated through the air—

Tourists freely roamed the Pyeongchang Olympic Plaza.

They took commemorative photos in front of jangseung and sotdae poles, while foreigners peered in fascination at scrolls inside cypress-wood hanok buildings.

Spaces offering experiences of traditional culture and IT technology were packed with people killing time before the ceremony.

And among them, the most crowded place was—

"Oh my...."

"What is that? Why is the line so long?"

"Hey, go ask. You’re the best at English."

Someone pushed forward by friends approached the line.

Then came right back.

"What? Why didn’t you ask?"

"They’re all foreigners. I couldn’t ask."

Fair enough.

"I just looked. It’s some kind of VR experience. A VR experience with NewBlack."

"Ah."

"So that’s why the line...."

Other places had a half-and-half mix of Koreans and foreigners.

But here, about seventy percent of the line was foreigners.

"They said NewBlack is popular overseas, but this is no joke."

"Seriously."

Among VR booths featuring bobsleigh and alpine skiing, the NewBlack experience had by far the longest line.

Koreans passed by thinking, We see NewBlack all the time anyway, but foreign fans clearly felt differently.

"Should we line up too?"

Eventually they joined the line and watched from a distance.

Colorful-haired foreigners sat in flume ride seats wearing VR headsets.

"Wow!"

"Holy...!"

They flinched, jumped up, reacted dramatically.

Western reactions really are something.

The friends exchanged looks that said, They’re overreacting, and laughed.

After about forty minutes of waiting, volunteers fitted them with VR eye guards.

"There may be some light and flashes. Are you sensitive to that?"

"It’s fine."

"If you feel dizzy, raise your hand right away. Here we go. Lalalala NewBlack Adventure~"

"Is it really scary?"

"We’re starting~ Lalalala~"

With the volunteer’s half-hearted voice, the VR device was placed over their heads.

The scenery before their eyes shifted.

"Wow."

They’d expected just a screen in front of them.

Instead, true virtual reality greeted them.

The technology’s gotten incredible.

Now they understood why foreigners gasped and looked around immediately.

Whooooosh—

Chirp, chirp—

Birdsong echoed as waterfalls cascaded among dense jungle.

Sheer cliffs.

It felt like a jungle kingdom.

Green text floated before them.

[This video is supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.]

Government-backed technology.

That reminded them of the game console company logo on the VR device—one NewBlack had advertised.

And then—

Fwoooosh!

"Waaah!"

They screamed joyfully as they sped down jungle rapids.

Soon a cave entrance appeared.

A golden gate leading to something like El Dorado.

At the same time, a floating lump of bread popped into view.

[Hi!]

A Souffle-shaped blob waved.

[My name is Souffle!]

"Hi."

[Nice to meet you! Shall we begin our adventure?]

Its cheerful voice shifted lower in warning.

[But the kingdoms we’re about to visit are very dangerous. So... buckle up tight. Okay?]

The boat slowly passed through the gate.

White light enveloped them.

Rumble.

The background shifted.

"Wow...!"

A near-future arcade atmosphere.

So cool.

As they smiled, feeling like they were seeing the twenty-second century—

Crackle.

The lights began going out one by one.

[Oh no! We have to run!]

Souffle looked over their shoulders in alarm.

They turned too.

And—

Gasp!

Jiho, glowing red in the darkness, charged at them.

The 3D-modeled Jiho’s eyes gleamed with madness.

[Souffle!]

[Let’s playyyyy—]

"We’re not Souffle!"

The bread lump shyly replied,

[Actually... he’s chasing me. Hehe.]

"It’s because of you!"

"Aaaah!"

"Hey! Go! Go!"

They thought they’d shaken him, but Jiho came charging again on a kickboard.

After a hair-raising chase, they barely escaped King Jiho’s grasp and moved to another kingdom.

But—

"Aaaah!"

[Would you like to dance with me...?]

A Biju character in aristocratic attire extended his hand with a refined smile.

While waltzing with someone in a dress, he said,

[My partner says they can’t dance anymore. I prefer having a partner...]

The moment Biju loosened his grip, the partner in the dress collapsed, revealed as a skeleton.

If you get caught, you’re dead.

Seriously dead.

Biju’s always sincere.

The character was slightly different from reality in 3D, but his voice made it terrifyingly real.

From there, visitors endured breathless chases through each kingdom.

[How dare you destroy nature.]

[As the fairy of farming, I cannot forgive you.]

In the farming kingdom, they were chased by a giant Junhyun.

[Did you... disturb the... arrangement of the books?]

[Aaaagh!]

They suffered in the library kingdom, hunted by Ri Hyuk for dropping a single book.

Finally, the Composition Kingdom.

Filled with musical notes and sheet music.

"Oooh."

It felt peaceful.

The kingdom they’d expected to be most dangerous.

Then—

A whisper in their headset.

[Hello.]

"Aaaah!"

They turned.

Beside them sat a smiling composition goblin.

[I’ve been here from the beginning.]

"Go away!"

Only after throwing a bomb were they able to defeat it.

After all the breathless chasing, the finale showed live-action footage of NewBlack cheering for Pyeongchang.

"Haah."

With volunteers’ help, they removed the VR devices, breathing hard.

Returning to reality felt disorienting.

They grabbed offered hands and stepped out of the flume ride, legs wobbling as they adjusted.

"How was it?"

Asked by foreigners behind them, the Koreans gave a thumbs-up.

They smiled inwardly.

These guys... impressive they haven’t left the fandom.

Leaving the line, they shook their heads.

"How was it?"

"So intense. But fun."

"It was fun. I guess their fans love this kind of thing. Their taste is... unique."

They walked away—

Then noticed.

"Hey. Aren’t those the same people who were in line earlier?"

"Probably."

Foreign Souffle fans lined up again for another round.

Blushing cheeks.

"Sunny!"

"Jiho!"

The Koreans laughed.

Unique taste indeed.

And quietly rejoined the line themselves.

Honestly... it was way too fun.

After spending the day enjoying the Olympic Plaza—

As dusk fell, the temperature began dropping.

"Ugh. Cold."

"It got cold fast."

Bundled in long padded coats and gloves, Koreans lined up for entry.

The red letters of the stadium shone brightly.

[PyeongChang 2018]

Tickets were checked. People found their seats.

"Oh."

They examined the blankets and cheering kits placed at each seat and quickly laid down cushions.

Shake shake shake.

Hot packs were shaken everywhere.

Blankets draped over knees.

People warmed their hands and looked around.

Feels like a baseball stadium.

A wide circular stage.

LED lights and giant screens in the stands.

"Don’t lean on the railing!"

Staff with ID cards hurried about.

People with radios spoke urgently.

The tension before the ceremony was palpable.

Announcements echoed repeatedly.

[Three medical stations are operating. Smoking is permitted only in designated areas outside the stadium. The successful hosting of the Pyeongchang Olympics begins with strict safety rules.]

Microphone tests.

Music.

As the opening ceremony drew nearer, the audience grew restless.

Hope everything’s ready.

They’d read so many concerns about preparation.

Snacks from concession stands didn’t go down easily.

They fiddled with hot packs while waiting.

[Good evening, everyone! I’m today’s pre-ceremony MC and entertainer Yoo Changhyun! Great to see you!]

Yoo Changhyun appeared with an interpreter.

He warmed up the crowd with witty remarks.

[Let’s test your cheering sticks! All together! Heave-ho!]

He taught them how to use the cheering kits.

As excitement rose, warmth seemed to spread even in minus three degrees.

[Soon, the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony will begin...]

Seats filled.

Royalty and dignitaries took their VIP spots.

8:00 p.m.

A giant bell rose onto the stage.

The countdown began.

[Ten! Nine!]

After the Korean countdown ended—

The Olympics began.

Cheers thundered through the cold air.

"Waaaaaah!"

Three hundred million viewers worldwide watched as it opened.

Fireworks burst overhead.

"Wow!"

"It’s a dragon!"

"Is that... a human head on a bird?"

White tiger.

Dragon.

The early performances shook the stadium.

Then the athletes’ parade began.

[Greece!]

As Greece entered, "Hand in Hand" played.

A lively K-pop medley followed.

As the parade moved into the latter half—

Serenity’s "Party Girl."

Scarlet’s "Not Fine."

Current K-pop hits filled the air.

"Dokkaebi!"

When Canada entered, Dokkaebi played.

The music made them seem strangely powerful.

After all delegations entered—

Speeches and the declaration of opening followed.

More fireworks.

Stage structures shifted.

"Oh. Something else is coming."

A woman in hanbok sang Arirang.

On television: [Korea, and the World].

Projected ink brushed across the stage floor like painting on hanji.

The Taebaek Mountains.

A map of the nation.

Masked dance and traditional choreography followed.

Lyrical.

Energetic.

Then the lights dimmed.

Foreigners murmured.

Ah.

Koreans nodded.

Japanese occupation.

Dancers dropped their cloths and collapsed.

Lights narrowed.

The singer faded into darkness.

Music fell silent.

Then—

Flash!

Students in school uniforms and jeogori appeared.

Holding flags of peace.

Spreading outward.

Music grew lively.

No voices—

But it felt like cries of independence.

IOC officials frowned.

Japanese dignitaries looked displeased.

"Wow...."

Modern Korean history unfolded.

The theme—

The citizens.

Stories of ordinary people overlooked in textbooks.

From the 1950s to today.

Popular music accompanied it.

History is shared memory.

Koreans watched as if traveling through time.

Songs from each era.

Dynamic.

Then the atmosphere shifted.

From turbulence to global expansion.

From I to we.

Then—

What’s that?

As 1990s music played—

A large glass panel rose.

Holograms appeared.

Cheers exploded.

The biggest star of the 1990s reappeared.

[Allow me to formally greet you once again, my fellow citizens.]

Twenty years later.

[I, Seon Myeongju, have returned.]

The highlight had begun.

"Fuu...."

My breath trembled.

Nausea.

An urge to run.

And excitement.

I rubbed my eyes.

"I’m so nervous I could die."

Biju rested his hand on my shoulder.

"You can do it."

"I know I can. I know that... but—"

I’m shaking.

Deep breath.

"Let’s do well."

Ri Hyuk nodded.

"You will. Don’t worry."

"You’re worrying about me?"

His ears reddened.

Junhyun grinned.

"Let’s eat meat after."

"Definitely."

"The CEO already made a reservation."

I laughed.

Jiho fluttered beside me like a flower.

Trying to ease my tension.

I patted his head.

The nausea faded.

"Get ready to go up!"

"Yes!"

I approached the instrumentalists and dancers.

They were thousands of times more nervous.

"Let’s cheer once before going up."

"Yes...."

"Trust the practice you’ve put in. We can do this."

They awkwardly smiled.

"In-ear on."

The stage drew closer.

[Seon Myeongju has returned.]

Father’s voice.

Thunderous cheers.

I stretched my fingers.

Maybe—

The first and last time I would stand on stage with him.

"So I’ll go and do well."

I waved lightly.

The lift descended.

"Waaaaaaah!"

Cold wind and cheers poured through the open ceiling.

"Go! Wooju first!"

"Watch your head!"

I sat at the grand piano.

Closed my eyes.

Heartbeat.

Crowd.

I swallowed.

Placed my fingers on the cold keys.

-We’re going up. Three, two, one.

The lift rose.

The night sky opened.

The stadium welcomed me.