Chapter 349: Chapter 350

While the sky was embroidered with splendid fireworks.

“Happy New Year!”

“Happy New Year~!”

The singers exchanged New Year’s greetings with laughter as they descended from the stage.

Even Junghyun, who usually has little emotional fluctuation, had eyes brimming with excitement—it truly felt like a new year.

“We’re off to eat meat~!”

“Meat!”

The Scarlet members’ booming voices turned heads as they chanted for meat and punched the air.

They looked like joyous flamingos in their fluffy fur coats.

Daisy’s cheeks puffed up like rice cakes, and Jiho greeted her with a bright smile.

“You look like a flamingo off to eat meat, sis.”

“…Hey! Uh, thanks, Lee-hyuk.”

Lee-hyuk, the youngest, had playfully slapped her back in return.

Amidst our collective laughter, Ara, our leader, gave us high-fives and beamed.

“Great performance! May everyone receive lots of New Year’s blessings!”

“Sis, enjoy the New Year’s meat feast.”

As Ara giggled at my words, Yeon-bom raised her finger and shouted.

“Ace go!”

“Meat!”

We responded with raised hands, and then Rina, the main dancer, asked everyone in a gentle voice.

“Meat?”

“The best!”

“Marbling?”

“Love it!”

“Let’s go. To the barbecue place.”

The Scarlet members cheered at the last word and left.

We waved at them as they harmonized their ‘Marbling love it’ song.

Then, a sudden silence fell.

It was like the quiet you feel when you return to an empty classroom after forgetting something during a break.

“…”

Lee-hyuk shook his head with a groan.

“Isn’t it really chaotic?”

“Being with those sisters makes me feel a bit more behaved. Just look at them singing the meat song in harmony.”

“But don’t we play around like that too?”

At Junghyun’s words, we shook our heads.

“Nah. We’re not quite like that.”

“Ahem!”

“Honestly, compared to Scarlet, we are the epitome of…”

“Cough cough!”

“If you have something to say, just say it, guys.”

The managers coughed uncomfortably beside us.

As we narrowed our eyes at them, Minki, one of the managers, looked like he was about to say something important.

“You tell them, Won-seok.”

He passed the buck to his junior.

Won-seok scratched his cheek and stared into space.

“It’s not that we’re calmer, just… similar.”

“You heard that?”

“Minki, you’re really cowardly.”

While Minki shamelessly laughed, we had finally shaken off the aftermath of the meat fairies and started to loosen up.

As the pre-recorded performance of another group from Ilsan played.

Here at the outdoor special stage in Sangam, the MC was conducting a New Year’s event.

“Phew…”

I stretched to thaw my body, frozen from the cold.

Bijoo extended his legs like a crane and waved his hands through his breath.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah.”

Bijoo smiled.

“The breath is so visible, it’s distracting.”

“How much could it possibly… Ah.”

“My face gets covered for a moment, bro.”

I realized then that everyone’s lung capacity was no joke, not just Lee-hyuk’s.

It seemed to have improved tremendously since last year, probably because we didn’t want to fall behind during the vocal practices for the song competition.

“It probably won’t matter because of the stage lights, but I was thinking of using this during our dance routine, so I was experimenting a bit.”

Our main dancer hummed the lyrics with an excited expression.

“When I sing this part in ‘Nine,’ my breath comes out like a mist. If I change the direction of my hand gestures like this!”

Whoosh.

A sudden gust scattered the breath.

“No, no, no! That won’t do!”

I looked up at the sky with a crestfallen face, not sure who I was telling it wouldn’t work. Was I protesting to the Siberian high pressure?

After a few more attempts, I patted our disheartened kid on the shoulder.

“Give up.”

“I want to try a few more times.”

Junghyun spoke to the stubborn one practicing the hand gestures.

“If you’re worried about your breath, just don’t breathe.”

“Ah!”

“Just don’t breathe during your part.”

“Huh? That’s actually smart! When did you start making sense?”

The youngest chimed in with a surprised face, “What? We’re not breathing?”

…As I pondered where to start fixing this, I noticed Rihyuk muttering beside me.

“What are you doing?”

“I was thinking about who would be legally at fault if something went wrong. Is it the person who talked nonsense or the one who believed it?”

“That’s a tough question.”

It was a difficult question, but one thing was certain. I smiled at the sight of my bickering siblings.

“…The group’s been running well since the New Year.”

“Don’t cut corners. You’re the boss here.”

“Minions should keep their mouths shut.”

“…”

“Ah, managing a group is really tough.”

One thing was for sure, even as the New Year of 2016 arrived, there was no change in our kids.

But seriously, the breath was really coming out strong.

While Rihyuk joined in the conversation about breathing or not, I exhaled towards the night sky.

“Hoo-”

A pale mist burst out strongly.

I tried changing my hand movements as Bijoo had done, being mindful of the wind’s direction.

“It works.”

Bijoo might have been a better dancer, but it seemed I was better at modifying the moves.

As I practiced a few times.

-Yes, the stage we’ve all been waiting for!

-Wow!

Amid the standby signal, the MC’s voice excited the stage.

-It’s last year now, isn’t it? The quintet boy group that captivated the public with hit songs throughout 2015. You all know who they are, right?

-Yes!

-The splendid stage that will open the New Year of 2016! Let’s welcome them now!

2015 was now last year.

I prepared to climb onto the stage with a half-realized smile for the still somewhat unreal New Year.

-New Black!

We ascended the stage.

The cheers that had been blocked by the stage setup like plywood and trusses rushed over us like a wave.

“Wow!”

The audience cheered, and the jib camera moved quickly.

When the camera lights broadcasting the Sangam-dong outdoor stage changed from yellow to red.

We gathered to form the shape of a windflower.

“Wow!”

Soon, the prelude to Windflower filled the air.

It was the first stage of 2016.

The Soufflés watching the scene burst into cheers.

“They’re out!”

The cold that had been making our bodies shiver was instantly gone.

The members on stage twitched their lips slightly at the sight of the passionately waving light sticks.

“Wow!”

With the soft prelude, Windflower began.

As other idol fans hummed along, the Soufflés shouted their support with clear choreography that was visible down to the fingertips.

Every time my gaze was stolen by the graceful dance lines, an addictive melody would fly into my ears.

“Wow…”

During this, not only the Soufflés but also fans of other idols were experiencing a peculiar phenomenon.

“My eyes keep being drawn there.”

Among the groups known for their stage presence, one member stood out today more than usual.

It was Woojoo, the leader.

Following the Windflower, the lead vocalist of Nine, who was performing the intense choreography, kept catching my eye.

“It feels like I’m being enchanted. For real.”

It was hard to pinpoint the exact difference.

Could it be related to the soft white breath that gently flowed from his prominent nose and lips?

It was as if the surrounding environment was swaying along with the dance.

Even when the other members took a solo dance break and moved to the side, my gaze briefly followed them.

“What’s this?”

Every movement caught my eye, from crouching on one knee at the edge of the stage to sweeping back their hair.

While the Soufflés cheered and enjoyed, and other idol fans hesitated with a “What’s this?”

The members of New Black showcased a dance break.

When the Soufflés watching on TV suddenly rose at the abrupt aerial shot, exclaiming “Oh shi…,” a loud cheer erupted.

“Wow!”

The phenomenon of breath mixed with the lights, looking like colored smoke, continued.

And so, when Nine’s performance ended.

“Wow!”

“Everyone! Happy New Year!”

The youngest member of New Black greeted the new year with a bright smile.

While the other members cooled off and shook their sweat, they waved to the audience.

Woojoo playfully smiled with a V-sign near his eye.

“Was it just my imagination?”

Maybe it was due to his handsome features that I felt this way.

The intro of ‘Thousand Dreams,’ still popular on the Billboard charts, began to play.

The leader grabbed the microphone and smiled.

“May all your thousands of dreams come true this new year.”

“Wow!”

“Shall we sing it?”

The Soufflés sang along, mumbling the English lyrics in their mouths.

After the final stage ended and the broadcast switched to Ilsan.

“Happy New Year.”

The rapper with a heavy presence casually blew a hand kiss before grabbing the main dancer heading in another direction and descending.

The leader and the youngest also blew hand kisses and sang “Inhale wealth, exhale health” as they went down.

Lastly, Rihyuk, who lingered awkwardly, blew a hand kiss like a prayer and hurriedly ran away.

“That was great…”

The Soufflés revealed their satisfaction at witnessing precious moments not seen on TV.

After the TBC year-end music festival ended, the fans’ fingers fidgeted as they headed home.

“I saw it live, today’s stage was insaneㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ”

“Almost died of happiness starting the new year”

“I made eye contact with Jiho, and his eyes were so sparkly I thought I’d go crazyㅠㅠ”

“Today Woojoo was really insane, from his outfit to everything… I’m going crazy”

“Yesterday was perfect, but today I can say it was even more perfect”

“The breath seemed to dance along, really, ah, my hands are freezing”

Translation: “Ah. Damn. My hands are frozen.”

When other idol fans at the venue started posting similar reviews.

“What did everyone seeㅠㅠㅠ”

“(Show me what you saw meme.jpg)”

“LOL, everyone’s talking about which part was crazy, but we have nothing to say”

“Every time, there was an aerial shot”

“It’s been a while since I got mad at our family’s TV, it was hilariousㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ”

“You have to see the fancam to understand”

When reactions like these suggested that one must see the photos or fancams taken at the venue.

And as the previews and fancams uploaded by the fansites made it to the top posts of the idol community.

“[Yesterday’s legendary TBC year-end stage by rookie Woojoo]”

The photo showed Woojoo of New Black, with his chin lifted and hand on his cheek, surrounded by breath that spread like an aura under the blue lights.

The best response was to the fancams.

“The direction of the breath and the wind was a stroke of genius… How fitting that his name is Woojoo”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Wind: “Did well, didn’t I?”

Every time I see NewBlack, it feels like the members are a perfect match. They are the real deal, no more, no less, they are NewBlack.

Kyuho’s treasures

As soon as the fancam started, I felt like I had been to paradise and back. Even the King of Hell told me to watch it till the end before coming to write this comment.

Among all the male idol fancams I’ve seen, this one is truly legendary.

I wish Woojoo could see this, LOL.

Just like the last comment suggested, a member of NewBlack was watching the fancam with a satisfied smile.

“Wow…”

It was the main dancer, tapping his fingers and beaming with joy.

“Wow.”

While everyone else was commenting on how well the wind was blowing, he noticed the subtle changes in hand movements.

It wasn’t a calculated dance but a natural variation that came spontaneously.

Bijoo, who understood the choreography perfectly and had it ingrained in his body, couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

“I knew he was good, but when did Woojoo hyung improve even more?”

With a burning competitive spirit, the main dancer resolved to increase his practice time even more than before.

“But for now…”

He nodded his head.

“Save.”

Bijoo was happily capturing comments praising the members along with Woojoo’s fancam.

Finally, the new year of 2016 arrived.

The first couples of the year, according to the zodiac, were making headlines with famous actors and singers’ dating news decorating the entertainment pages.

The thrilling energy of the year’s end still lingered.

The year-end music festival report card from the three major networks, PBS, TBC, “HBS, are you watching?”

Following PBS, TBC also sees a rise in viewership compared to the year before last.

HBS, which caused controversy with its overreach and abuse of power, ultimately finished with the ‘lowest viewership.’

Thanks to the higher-than-usual ratings from yesterday’s TBC year-end music festival, there were many articles gently poking fun at HBS.

I can’t help but wonder if they’re fuming over it.

And it seemed like PBS and TBC, who were comparing their ratings with HBS, had made their judgments.

As did the other cable networks and advertisers watching the situation.

‘If NewBlack appears, they can attract the general public.’

…So, it seems they’ve decided it’s profitable.

If other top groups were like gourmet steaks for the fans, then we were considered the profitable menu items like pork cutlets or spicy pork bowls that draw in customers.

After the year-end performances, our position had solidified.

Reflecting this position, several major corporations that had been dragging their feet came forward with advertising proposals.

Right at the start of the new year, our manager brought us good news.

“You guys have been confirmed for the duty-free shop advertisement. We’ll start shooting soon.”

“Wow!”

“Setting aside your popularity in Korea, you guys have quite a reputation in China and Japan too. If I had to compare, it’s bigger in Japan…”

It was surprising to hear we had recognition in countries where we hadn’t been very active, aside from showcases or TV appearances.

“Generally, if K-pop is popular in Korea, it tends to be popular overseas as well.”

“But why are we more popular in Japan? Do we suit Japanese tastes more?”

“That’s not it. It’s because China doesn’t have access to MeTube.”

“Ah.”

A simple yet understandable reason.

As we all nodded, the youngest member, along with the rest of us, placed our hands on our cheeks, delighted.

“Duty-free shop ads are great.”

We had done trendy telecom ads, but we hadn’t done duty-free shop ads yet.

Ads that only top stars shoot for, targeting foreign tourists.

We were pleased that the advertiser who approached us had chosen NewBlack as the idol group to recruit after TNT in the 2010s.

“I’ll review other ads and let you know.”

“Okay.”

“From this year on, your schedule will be more relaxed. The busiest period is over.”

“Yay!”

The crazy schedule we had managed during our peak was over, and now we could finally catch our breath.

Coming back to the dorm at 3 AM only to leave again at 5 AM.

The relief that the killer schedule was finally over seemed to spread throughout my body.

“Phew. We survived.”

We high-fived each other, sharing in the joy.

“You guys really worked hard.”

As we responded to Seokhwan hyung’s words.

“By the way, about your special album. We were planning to do the comeback showcase live next Monday, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Our schedule has changed a bit. We received a better offer.”

“…?”

“K-Net wants to broadcast our comeback show.”

We blinked in surprise at the unexpected news.

K-Net.

A subsidiary of a major corporation, it’s the cable station with the most idol-related content.

There was a time when our company didn’t get along with them, but now, our relationship has improved in many ways.

We’ve appeared in joint concerts in Japan and on their idol variety shows.

Even so…

“I never expected our comeback showcase to be on K-Net.”

“Me neither.”

We were slightly taken aback since we weren’t that close to warrant a live broadcast of our showcase.

Producer Ha Seung-Joo, who had been listening to our conversation, adjusted his glasses.

“That place has a nose for money; they must be desperate to have you.”

“They said they’d go all out for the music show stage after the showcase.”

“That makes sense.”

He smiled as he put on his gloves.

“Everyone’s interested in your album.”

“Really? Ah, that’s a lot of pressure.”

“Totally. It’s a huge burden.”

It was just a special album released temporarily for the winter, not a regular or mini album.

New Black, comeback with a special album on the 11th… Showcase on ‘K-Net’

New Black, the chart-topping returnee since January, “What songs are in the special album?”

Comeback D-7, New Black’s special album teaser ‘explodes’ with views

The public’s interest was immense.

Just like with the soufflé bread, we wanted to humbly enjoy a cake with our fans, saying ‘Our Special~’.

But as the end-of-year season passed, our fanbase grew, and even the general public showed interest.

“…Ah. My heart’s racing.”

Rihyuk placed his hand over his chest as he looked at his phone.

The teaser, showing us walking along the winter beach with waves crashing, already had an incredible number of views.

On MiTube, English comments were overwhelming the Korean ones.

“Relax, Rihyuk.”

“Whew. Whew.”

“Now that it’s come to this, let’s enjoy it.”

“Okay.”

Though we felt the pressure from the immense attention, we decided to start enjoying the feeling.

As Rihyuk nodded,

I turned to the younger members who were putting on work gloves with the producer.

“Are you ready?”

“All set.”

“Let’s go. Time for album promotion.”

We stepped out of the building with the younger members to hold the album promotion event.

“Waaaaah!”

The cheers of the fans and the public who had been waiting greeted us.

As the waiting press snapped photos, the youngest member with work gloves waved.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“Yes!”

“Just a little longer, please!”

We headed towards the sweet potato roasting and bread baking machines, receiving looks of anticipation from the crowd.

Deciding to simply enjoy ourselves, the mood was pleasant.

Today’s event was for promoting the special album.

“Come on, even the producer, fighting!”

“Fighting!”

In the cold winter,

It was a winter food event, warming the hearts of people, created together by the producer and the singers.