WVKWnovel Chapter 358: Idol Community
Chapter 358: Idol Community
Chapter 358: Idol Community
The idol community’s best board was buzzing with posts about NewBlack.
NewBlack’s small theater tour kicks off today
Watching the Y-app broadcast, I doubted my eyes – NewBlack’s tour giveaway
Today, Newbie Rihyuk looks like he hit legendary beauty.jpg
Thanks to the live broadcast on the Y-app, fans were uploading GIFs and captioned screenshots in real-time, capturing the funny moments on-site and the members’ photos as they left the venue.
Seeing NewBlack’s faces really makes you want to be a fan
Our Rihyuk has the beauty of a Slytherinᅲᅲᅲ Gorgeous
When I look in the mirror, I see Voldemort
LOL, what’s with the crowd? It’s like a foreign artist’s concert
Is that black mass in the front yard all people??
Aren’t small theaters usually for a few hundred people?? LOL
NewBlack’s small theater (1000 seats)
Maybe they went big because it’s in the Gyeonggi region? Other areas aren’t that large outside the metropolitan cities, right?
The concert content was substantial and pretty good
As admiration for the unusual scale flowed.
It was the event’s prizes that had other idol fans bursting into laughter.
A refrigerator LOL, even a washing machine – what kind of appliances are these?
The bicycle is seriously a highlight every time I see it LOL, is this a newspaper subscription?
I thought it was sponsored because it’s NewBlack, but it turns out it’s Lemon’s own expense LOL
And they’re not even the cheap models
Fans: Prizes?! Are these goods?? (murmuring)
NewBlack: Refrigerator
Jealous of the grad student fan in the memeᅲᅲᅲ
I’m curious about the reactions of parents and families LOL
Mom: Oh dear, what’s the use of following idols around all day? Does it leave you with money? Time? Daughter: Refrigerator Mom: Daughter: Refrigerator
Fandom that pays off LOL, why is it so funny?
Meanwhile, as everyone marveled, some were filled with curiosity.
But if they give away such prizes at every national tour, won’t they go broke?? Kyuho was brave to okay this
There were no goods for sale... How much money has NewBlack made?
If the small theater tour is free and they don’t sell goods, what’s the profit? Is it just fan service?
Questions arose about the financially unbalanced project, and some began to speculate.
It’s a move to solidify their mass appeal as idols. Collaborating with ‘My Hometown Now’ was clearly intentional. They’re exploring local specialties through regional news and MyTube content – that’s the end goal
That’s itᄋᄋ I live in Yongin, and when I heard my coworkers talking about NewBlack, it felt real
When the prize talk hits the muggle community, it says it all
It’s not a loss, it’s an investment LOL. Touring the nation like this, they’ll gather buzz and recognition, and by the end, muggles will equate modern idols with NewBlack
Everyone’s laughing now, but this is serious... Eventually, even girl groups won’t be able to compete with NewBlack’s popularity
Some of it was true, some of it wasn’t.
It was true that NewBlack and Lemon Entertainment chose to collaborate with ‘My Hometown Now’ to boost their mass appeal.
But the small theater tour and event prizes were impromptu fan services decided by the members, not planned.
Director Jo said we could use an unlimited budget for prizes. We can splurge on expensive stuff.
Really? Then what should we do?
As NewBlack members lounged around in their dorm.
[Refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners...]
After a truck blaring second-hand appliances ads passed by the apartment.
...That’s it!
That would be perfect!
That was the real reason behind the selection of appliances as prizes.
But online, serious speculations continued without knowing the truth.
Comments like ‘Kyuho is a scary guy’ or ‘The genius theory of Kyuho’ were all that surfaced.
...Fortunately, no one knew the truth.
After the first performance.
From the weekend to Monday, we toured diligently around Seoul and the Gyeonggi region.
What should we eat in Uijeongbu?
We must have the army stew!
The happiest part was the food tour.
Let’s take a moment to sincerely thank Soufflé-nim for recommending the best eatery in Uijeongbu.
“I love you, Life at Ninety!”
As I watched the bubbling army stew, I felt waves of happiness wash over me.
Happiness in life wasn’t somewhere far away.
After a spicy sip of the stew’s broth, followed by a swift bite of rice topped with sausage and ham, I sighed contentedly.
“Ah...”
Joy made my body shiver with delight.
When Junghyun, my younger siblings, and I dabbed our teary eyes with tissues, touched by the moment, my face unwittingly formed a pout.
“Isn’t this just like the stew we have in Seoul? I don’t see much difference,” I questioned.
“It’s completely different,” we all asserted firmly.
“The army stew from Uijeongbu has a depth you can’t find elsewhere.”
“What kind of logic is that?” I challenged.
“Just like how seeing Seokguram in photos is different from witnessing it in person,” they explained.
“Well done, our youngest,” I praised.
Jiho and I exchanged a high-five.
While Rihyuk pondered over the stew, Bijoo ladled some broth and asked, “Jiho, how’s your studying going?”
“I’m really aiming for the top grade this time,” Jiho replied confidently.
Even while eating, our youngest was diligently reviewing the Korean history summary Rihyuk had compiled.
With an exam scheduled for next Saturday, it seemed he was studying more earnestly than usual.
Junghyun whispered in surprise, “This is the first time I’ve seen Jiho study so hard.”
“Ah, well...”
Amidst our laughter, the youngest confessed, “Honestly, I had almost given up on studying this time, but last night, Woojoo hyung persuaded me with his words.”
“What did Woojoo hyung say?” we inquired.
“He said if I pass this, I can be promoted as an idol with a strong sense of history during historical drama shoots,” Jiho chuckled.
We all burst into laughter at such an impure motive, and I smiled sheepishly.
Well, at least the motivation worked wonders.
Jiho’s eyes sparkled as he thoroughly scanned the summary book, and I couldn’t help but feel proud.
“This is on the house,” the restaurant owner said, bringing over various dishes with a bright smile.
“Thank you!” we expressed our gratitude.
Perhaps because the sashimi restaurant where we had spicy fish stew had become an internet sensation, attracting more customers.
Every time we visited a recommended restaurant, the owners would come out with a ‘come on, baby’ vibe, reminiscent of the solicitations we often saw at seaside eateries.
“We enjoyed the meal!”
After taking commemorative photos and signing autographs, we even pocketed some scorched rice candy before leaving the restaurant. Then, we turned to our managers.
“Are you ready?” I asked.
Wonseok hyung and Minki hyung nodded seriously.
Nod.
We returned the gesture and then picked up our phones attached to selfie sticks.
“Let’s go! Time for cold noodles!”
Having savored Uijeongbu’s famous army stew, it was now time to indulge in Pyongyang cold noodles.
After that, we’d sample some chicken from Jeil Market.
And if time allowed, we’d visit the renowned tripe restaurant...
“But will we have enough time, hyung?” I pondered.
“Indeed,” they agreed.
“Rihyuk is calculating the time, and it seems we won’t be able to eat everything before the filming in my hometown,” I mused, looking at the red lines Rihyuk was drawing on the map screenshot on his phone.
“Hmm.”
“Hmmm...”
After a brief huddle with my siblings, we made a swift decision.
A chilling silence descended.
The grandmothers, self-proclaimed Go-Stop number one and three of this neighborhood, narrowed their eyes.
Junghyun asked with a warm smile.
“Did you enjoy it?”
Five minutes later, as a response.
“...We got kicked out.”
We were all amicably expelled.
“Get out!” they slammed the door.
From inside, we heard the warm exchange, ‘Ah, how could you be so thoughtless? Who would throw that card there!’, ‘You know too much for your own good!’
Reporter Jung Youngjun blinked and said.
“It seems like the genre has changed...”
“Indeed.”
It started with the warm atmosphere of my hometown.
Somehow, when playing Go-Stop, it turned into a noir, and now it felt like a family destruction story.
While the reporter grappled with an identity crisis, the broadcast resumed.
“Life!”
“Exactly! Life!”
We brightly responded to the greetings of passersby, enjoying the leisurely charm of the neighborhood while filming.
We made use of the local exercise equipment for footage.
Visited Songhwa Market.
And as the reporter rejoiced in returning to the original genre, we continued filming.
“Huh...?”
Ryuk’s eyes twitched as he passed through an alley.
“What’s wrong?”
“That grammar is bothering me. It’s incorrect.”
“Where?”
“Over there.”
As we turned our heads, we saw a sign that read “Manhwat Book Rental Shop.”
“Let’s just pass by. Right, Rihyuk?”
“...Still, I want to let them know.”
“Rihyuk, you can’t stand this kind of thing, can you?”
We answered the reporter’s question.
“Yes, he gets really anxious if he sees something wrong while walking.”
“This is a photo saved on my phone. ‘Why not?’ This is the magical meme that exorcises him.”
Soon after, Rihyuk said, “Just a moment,” and ran towards the rental shop.
Ting-a-ling.
And 20 seconds later.
The door burst open, and something crimson appeared.
“Aaagh...!”
Rihyuk’s face turned beet red as he started running towards us like mad.
“What happened?”
“The National Institute of the Korean Language says ‘Manhwat’ is standard language! Ah, it’s so embarrassing!”
“Hahaha!”
“Don’t laugh!”
While the production crew wore satisfied smiles, we burst into laughter at the sight of a tomato-red Rihyuk running towards us.
“This genre seems a bit strange...”
Only the reporter continued to tilt his head in confusion.
6 PM.
After a simple rehearsal, we were resting in the waiting room, getting our makeup done.
“Oh.”
We, along with our manager and staff, gathered in front of the waiting room TV.
“It’s starting. It’s starting.”
With a lively signal song, the opening scene with cows and fish dolls playing passed, and the logo appeared.
Now, my hometown is...
With a rustic font, the episode information appeared.
“Episode 5987...?”
“Was that even a possible episode number?”
True to its reputation as a beloved long-running program, the accumulated number of episodes was staggering.
As we were marveling at this, the broadcast began.
About 30 minutes after the broadcast started.
The male and female announcers sitting in the live studio looked at the camera and said,
“The new year has brought us joyous news, hasn’t it? We’ve heard that very special guests have visited our hometown.”
“Let’s find out who these guests are. Reporter Min Hyo-jin?”
The camera turned to the reporter seated to the left of the hosts.
“Yes, the hotter-than-roasted sweet potatoes in winter, the idol group New Black has come to ‘Now, My Hometown!’”
“We’re really looking forward to it. How was the recording?”
“Yes, it was really nice and amazing.”
“We’re curious too. It’s not every day that an idol singer visits our hometown.”
“You can look forward to it.”
“When our reporter Min Hyo-jin says something like this, there’s always a reason.”
After the announcers and the reporter exchanged witty banter,
“With a shout of ‘Shall we meet them!’ the broadcast began.”
“Wow...”
Even we were unsure how to compress this, but the professionals were different.
The editing was brilliantly done.
They trimmed the parts that might be too much for the elderly audience, leaving only the essential scenes.
“Pffft!”
The stylists and company employees clapped and laughed whenever a ridiculous scene came on.
“Here it comes!”
“Look, it’s on!”
Jung-hyun stood in front of the cows.
Accompanied by the peaceful classic BGM of oboe and flute sounds.
“Moo-oo-oo-oo”
Jung-hyun smiled contentedly at the sound of ‘moo-oo-oo-oo,’ enhanced with special effects beyond the original.
We clapped and giggled.
Our staff lay on the floor, laughing until they cried, a sight that filled us with satisfaction.
“Good job, guys.”
“You too, brother, for enduring such a strange task.”
As we praised ourselves, the footage from that day’s recording flowed smoothly.
When it ended with the caption ‘If you’re curious about the behind-the-scenes, come to MiTube,’
“Oh, yes...”
I watched intently as the segment with NewBlack concluded.
The screen then cut to the announcers, their faces a picture of contemplation, pondering what commentary to add next.
A thumbnail flashed on the studio’s background screen, showing Junghyun solemnly emitting a cow’s moo.
After much deliberation, the male announcer broke the silence.
“Wow... that mooing really has a resonant ring to it, doesn’t it?”
A soft gasp escaped me.
The female announcer slightly bowed her head, emitting a chuckle, and the male announcer’s cheeks began to twitch in amusement.
The stylists, empathizing with the scene, commented with knowing looks, “That’s just too much to handle.”
As we marveled at the announcers’ professional recovery of the moment, I checked the internet.
“Oh...”
The response was overwhelming, seemingly far more people had tuned in than I had anticipated.