Chapter 838: Is This the Land of the New Black? (14)

There is a famous ballet performance called Giselle.

Normally, when people think of ballet, they only know The Nutcracker or Swan Lake. The reason I know this one is—

"I really love this one!"

—because it’s Biju’s favorite performance.

He loved it so much that on his days off he would watch live recordings of Giselle on OTT platforms.

I once joined him while he hugged a cushion and watched with his mouth slightly open.

Just how much of a masterpiece is it for him to love it this much?

"Is it because the dancing is pretty?"

"Yes. The emotional acting is so rich that I’m amazed every time I watch it. The dancing is beautiful, but the story is just so, so romantic...."

The story Biju praised so highly was simple.

Young women betrayed in love die and become vengeful spirits called Wilis.

If they see a young man passing by their grave—

"Anyone seduced by a Wili has to dance until they die."

"......."

"Isn’t that... such a sad and romantic death? How can something be this tragic and sorrowful?"

That’s right.

Biju’s favorite ballet featured ghosts who made people dance until they died.

"Huff, huff......."

"Oh dear."

From a distance, I could see the main dancers crouched on the floor, gasping for breath.

What a dazzling lineup.

Baek Seungje and Han Taehyeon, TNT’s main dancers.

Sujeon of Daylight.

Taehyeon was currently one of the most popular solo performers thanks to his performance skills. Baek Seungje had countless legendary fancams under his belt. And Sujeon sunbaenim was, without question, one of the top dance authorities of second-generation girl groups.

In other words, if a broadcasting station grabbed any random singer and asked, "Would you like to join that dance lineup?" most would wave their hands in refusal.

"Ah. I’m jealous, hyung. Seriously jealous. The Olympic closing ceremony."

"Yeonhu was a main dancer, right?"

"Yes."

"The main dance lineup is Han Taehyeon, Baek Seungje, and Sujeon sunbaenim.... We have to dance with them."

"Damn...."

Even Teen Spirit’s Yeonhu, who prided himself on ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) knowing dance, waved his hands and said, "That lineup is insane."

It wasn’t just about objective skill gaps.

The real issue was experience.

Surviving nearly ten years in the idol industry meant having that much stage experience.

After just one year post-debut, your skill grows more than several trainee years combined. So people who had lasted nearly a decade in this field inevitably had terrifying stage presence. They were masters at grabbing the audience’s gaze.

"I was a bit worried, honestly."

Ri Hyuk said.

"No matter how good Biju hyung is, I thought it might be hard for him to adapt over there...."

"He adapted way too well."

"The seniors already look exhausted."

Where the main dancers were gasping for breath, Biju was practically flying.

"......."

"......."

Sparkling.

And having fun.

"He’s really... a unique one."

"They say the quietest person is the weirdest."

"I don’t think that’s right. You’re the weirdest."

"Give me back my Bitcoin."

When I blew him a kiss as a sign of affection, Ri Hyuk swatted it away like a fly.

Then we watched our second member spinning happily among the main dancers.

"He’s excited to meet good dancers."

"It’s time he let it out."

Like a sports car speeding down the Autobahn without a limit.

When he practiced choreography with us, he restrained himself to match the group line, cruising at about 30 kilometers per hour. Now the restrictions were gone.

"But was Biju always that good at dancing...?"

As I tilted my head watching him show techniques I had never seen before—

"Of course. When we’re eating, practicing vocals, or composing, Biju hyung is alone in the practice room dancing."

"How do we even follow that...."

"The fact that you think about following that is impressive. I wouldn’t even dare."

"That’s because you— never mind."

"What is it? What. What. Honestly, I’m hurt. I’ve been hearing that I dance well these days, and now this...."

While listening to the grumbling, I watched Biju.

I found it fascinating how naturally he blended among those veteran dancers.

Then I remembered why.

"I love dancing so much. There are things I suppress in daily life. Emotions I hold back. But when I dance, it feels like those emotions flow out through my hands."

Biju truly loves dance.

Just like I think about composing all day while eating or sleeping, he thinks about dance and watches dance videos all day.

Maybe that’s how he broke through the experience gap.

Everyone works hard. But that obsession, that madness about dance... sometimes it’s a little scary.

"I don’t know."

"Hm?"

"I don’t think you’re in a position to say that to Biju hyung."

"What are you talking about."

I poked Ri Hyuk in the side and ended break.

As I stretched, TNT’s main vocalist Shin Juyeong, lead vocalist Jang Hanbyeol, and Ri Hyuk beside me sighed.

"Sigh."

Shin Juyeong ran a hand through his reddish hair. The mischievous handsome man looked worn out now.

"But seriously, Wooju."

"Hm?"

"Why... did you join the main vocal team......."

"I was main vocal with hyung even in the debut lineup."

"That was before you turned into a dance demon. Why did you join the main vocal team......."

He said gloomily.

"You’re raising the choreography difficulty...."

"I admit it."

Rian suddenly cut in, making Shin Juyeong scream.

"No, you’re the same!"

With Rian and me, both lead dancer types in our teams, joining the main vocal group, the main vocalists were crying out.

That’s right.

The atmosphere in the main vocal team was very warm.

Main vocal team practice.

Rian asked Ri Hyuk, who was checking the camera set on a tripod,

"Did you film it?"

"Yes."

"Let’s watch."

Rian and Cha Hyeonjeong, Daylight’s main and lead vocalists, leaned in.

On screen, the vocal team was matching choreography paths.

"This is intense."

Rian scratched her lip.

She knew what third-generation idols were like from music shows.

"Kids these days don’t know joints are consumables?"

"They’ll really break something at this rate."

True to the next generation’s reputation, TNT and NewBlack were flying across the stage.

Rian’s gaze shifted to Wooju on the screen.

"And what is he doing here......."

Someone who should have been in the main dancer group was here showing his strengths.

Eye-catching.

She felt her gaze repeatedly drawn there and made a subtle expression.

Not just cute.

When they first met, he had been adorable.

A popular singer beloved by younger fans. A junior group called the next national idols after them.

She had come half-feeling like she was meeting nephews.

They were cute.

"They’re so pale. We got tan farming."

"They’re squishy. Doesn’t their company’s Nayoon feel like that? Like rice cake."

"I want Jiho as my younger brother."

The little ones looking at them with admiration were so cute it made her smile like a mother.

Until practice began.

"......."

"......."

She knew NewBlack was good.

But she hadn’t thought they’d be overwhelming.

Matching breath wasn’t easy.

Especially choreography.

"Hey."

Rian slung an arm around Jang Hanbyeol’s shoulder.

"What is this? Are all kids these days like this?"

"No. They’re insane...."

Even Ri Hyuk, who had scolded Wooju for joining the dancer team, was stunned seeing his flawless performance.

They didn’t get the national title for nothing.

She had quietly envied the juniors who became national idols without farming.

But at this level... they deserved it.

"You guys really sharpened your blades. You practiced viciously."

"No."

Wooju waved his hands modestly.

"We just got cast first, so we had more practice time than seniors."

You sleep two hours a day.

We have spare time now....

Rain fell in TNT and Daylight members’ hearts.

As practice continued, Rian began to understand NewBlack.

I get what kind of group they are.

After years in this industry, she could estimate a group by watching.

Daylight, for example, consisted of members who were solid but not flashy.

No star player, but unbeatable in teamwork.

There were always better singers and dancers.

But in synchronized performance, no one surpassed them.

That’s how they became the best.

TNT, on the other hand...

Those kids are scary.

Chairman Park Taejun personally crafted TJ Entertainment’s eight-member boy group.

"Only send out all-rounder aces."

Every member was a team ace.

Shin Juyeong beside her was a successful OST and album-selling solo vocalist.

When TNT debuted, senior singers had said, "Kids these days are insane."

A perfect full unit.

Weakness? Slightly weaker stage cohesion.

They’re too good to need cohesion.

Their individual play was so overwhelming it looked like synergy.

And finally, NewBlack.

They had both strengths.

Stars gathered around a center.

Gentle personalities, strong skills.

Like a gathering of bright-eyed lunatics.

But somehow, she kept seeing it differently.

No matter how I look at them, it’s like a city kid among mountain village kids....

As if talented kids happened to gather in one mountain village, and then an ambitious city kid transferred in.

"Ri Hyuk."

"Yes?"

"Don’t move like that there. Come in slightly faster. It’ll look better."

"Okay."

Watching Ri Hyuk respond obediently, Rian smiled.

Maybe it’s just my imagination.

What mattered was that three of K-pop’s strongest performance groups were gathered in one place.

I see what the organizing committee wants.

Like an All-Star game gathering the best athletes.

Second generation, third generation, and the so-called 2.5 generation.

The beginning and end of modern K-pop.

Then we should show them.

Among talented juniors, the girl group members’ competitive spirit flared.

The soft smiles vanished, replaced with the grins from their early debut days.

Wooju joined.

Rian and Wooju, considered top all-rounders of girl and boy groups, smiled gently while their eyes shone like maniacs.

The choreography grew more intense and refined.

Stop it! You lunatics!

And of course, the main vocalists poured everything into vocals and screamed inwardly.

I’m nervous.

"Senior... you’re really amazing."

"You’re amazing too."

Rian and I gave each other thumbs up in mutual respect.

We were smiling outwardly but tense inside.

Even if it’s a collaborative stage emphasizing teamwork, everyone still wants to do just a little better.

When that thought began creeping up—

Our eyes met.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Ha ha!"

For some reason, we laughed in a similar way.

As I stretched my sore body, a pleasant smile lingered.

Practicing with another group was refreshing.

I learned a lot just by watching.

Especially from Rian, who had nearly ten more years of leader experience.

"So?"

After group practice, it was time for full-stage rehearsal.

As performance checker, everyone looked at me.

"Hm......."

I was 고민ing how to carefully give feedback to senior singers when—

"Alright."

Rian stepped beside me.

"Say whatever you want, Wooju. I’ll translate for you."

"Translate?"

I tilted my head, then spoke.

"First of all... it seems like everyone practiced a lot."

Rian crossed her arms and solemnly translated.

"Translation) You crawled in here with that pathetic practice amount."

Laughter erupted.

"That’s not what I meant at all!"

"Translation) He meant it."

I finally understood her method and laughed.

"I think we need to sync choreography more...."

"Translation) You thought you’d go on stage with this quality? Practice more."

"The vocals also have some unstable harmonies...."

Her playful interpretations made it easy to speak freely.

I felt like I was learning about leadership.

Idol groups are like lifelong group projects. It’s important not to hurt feelings.

Small arguments can grow.

When Daylight members bickered—

"I told you it’s not my fault the formation keeps getting tangled."

"So frustrating."

Rian would rush over and hold up her phone.

"You want to fight? I’ll give you one minute. Fight now."

"Time it, unnie."

They’d fight for one minute and hug for three.

Watching that, I learned how to mediate exhausted singers.

"Senior. You’re really amazing."

"Amazing, my foot."

Rian tied her hair again.

"It’s just our job. Idol leaders don’t seem like much, but the company makes us do this."

"You always leave an exit."

"Conflict is natural. What matters is giving people a way out. If there’s no exit, people go to the end. Not because they’re bad, but because the situation forces it."

After learning about long-term group management—

She asked brightly,

"Now let me learn something. How do you guys fight so little?"

"They don’t fight."

"......."

She looked oddly jealous.

"That’s the best."

"People say if you don’t fight, it’s dangerous... but I don’t know. They just have good personalities."

"Who says that nonsense? Not fighting is best."

Then she asked cautiously,

"You’re not bottling things up though, right? That’s dangerous."

"No."

I smiled.

"It’s hard to explain... but they say the best way to shake off gloom is to get busy."

"True."

"I don’t think emotions have time to accumulate. The kids are really unusual. There’s something happening every day. In a good way."

As I looked around, we saw Ri Hyuk staring intensely out the window, murmuring numbers.

"What’s he doing?"

"He’s probably reporting illegal parking. If someone parked outside a zone...."

"Truly unusual."

Just as I was explaining that daily chaos leaves no time for bottled emotions—

Bang!

The door burst open.

Gu Seonwoong entered, dazed.

"What the hell?!"

"What happened?"

TNT members asked.

"I got a message saying a spot opened up, so I went to repark... and there was already a ticket on my windshield. Someone must have reported it."

"......."

Ri Hyuk hurriedly shoved his phone away like a startled sparrow.

Rian burst into laughter.

"You understand what he meant now, right?"

"One hundred percent."