Chapter 345

Chapter 345

TeSTAR’s teaser for the album was revealed in mid-May. It was around the same time that the movie they had made a cameo appearance in, Cosmic Gunner, had become such a global hit that it had reached 8 million people in Korea alone and was finally starting to disappear from the theaters.

- Don’t tell me they’re just trying to capitalize on their recent success thanks to the movie with this early album release?

- Please don’t hurry anything TSuns. The massive capital that goes into your music is what makes it so popular

- Why do I get the sense that they’re not working very optimally even though they got their own label?

There was some discontent murmuring in response to the articles and the rumors about a comeback had only started circulating three days before the teaser dropped. Park Moondae’s first fansite master was trying desperately not to bite her nails.

Their director seems like an idiot who’s obsessed with America! Don’t tell me he tainted TeSTAR, too! The director had been fixating on Miry-nay until now, allowing TeSTAR to avoid his clutches for the time being. She feared that he’d finally sunk his claws into the group with his hot air.

Of course only a small portion of the public was worried or concerned. Most people who heard about the comeback were still feeling giddy from the success of Cosmic Gunner. That was actually a bit of a cause for worry as well.

- No way! No way! TeSTAR is coming back! My god T_T that came out of nowhere

- They’re going to rank in the SongBoard charts again. I’m excited already

People’s expectations are sky-high right now… Moondae had never let her down, but the success never hinged on him alone.

Even if Moondae and the others do great, it will be no use if the agency does something stupid again…! She had read a quote from someone from the agency at the end of an article, which had said that this album would please a wide variety of global fandoms. She didn’t like the sound of that, even.

- Sets the heart racing! (link)

She had left this comment as she shared TeSTAR’s comeback article, even so, but that was just for the benefit of anyone who came across her post while searching TeSTAR.

People will see my reactions… I’ve got to be as cautious as possible… She suddenly missed seeing Moondae, who had put an apple bun sticker she had made on her cheek at a fansign event. She would get to see that again at least, in the event of a comeback. They would have a fansign.

Okay. I will just believe in them and wait. Timing wise, it wasn’t so strange for them to be doing a comeback now. From the perspective of a genuine fan, she decided to leave it at that.

Three days passed.

- It’s up! Guys, it’s up!

She clicked on the teaser, equal parts nervous and excited. It began with a shot of dark smoke curling upward into the air.

The background was a dark, cozy, and modern banquet hall. The dark shadows gave it a slightly ominous feel, but it also had a graceful look about it. Elegant figures wearing masks danced in the hall. Silhouettes overlapped and mixed. A few seconds passed showing a scene that resembled some artistic movie from the twentieth century.

Suddenly, the sound changed. There was the rumbling of thunder.

“…!”

Lights flashed, and the scene changed, now showing the dark, pale scenery outside the hall. Rain fell from the nighttime sky above the castle gate, and light leaked from the hall windows.

A pair of bare feet came to a stop at the gate, puddles of water surrounding them. Their steps sent water splashing. Their skin was coated in red, and the color was dripping off into the water, tainting it.

“…!”

There was something sinister about the camera work and the editing. The camera slowly shifted upward, revealing a face hidden in the shadowy depths of a red hood. They wore a mask that was nearly entirely blank.

There was an ominous noise in the background, and as soon as the viewers were able to take in the chilling sight, the screen went black again. A riff pierced the complete darkness. A graceful, slow, and low violin played, setting a menacing and forbidding tone. The sound of laughter in the hall faded

The title of the album appeared on the screen.

[OVER the Masquerade]

[TeSTAR]

“Wow…”

It was clear exactly what kind of mood the group was trying to set—one that was graceful, baleful, dark, but also luxurious.

- Hoooooly crap!

- Seriously?

Despite the guessing and worry from some people on the internet, the video obviously had plenty of money invested in it. Incredible reviews from those who were experiencing jingoistic pleasure began to pour in, as the internet chattered excitedly.

- I am so proud of this song already

- Even the sound is so luxurious LOL

The problems came a little while later. The complicated, aesthetic, and intense mood had made some people uneasy. They felt that they had seen this before.

- Um… This feels like all the K-pop idols that are popular in the US, like VTIC, rolled into one

- I guess they really loved that taste of American success, huh? This is more flagrant copying than benchmarking

- Do these guys have no identity at all? They just use whatever they think is popular at the time…

The dark, vivid, and opulent symbolism had reminded people of VTIC, who had a very strong hold on fans in the US, as well as a few idols that were more popular overseas than they were in Korea. It was common enough for an idol group to change their concept, but some people were finding it hard to laugh off the timing of this switch, which felt premeditated. In other words, it didn’t feel original.

- The top-tier idol is no more

- LOL at least they’ll still get their share of the American K-pop pie, I think. The quality is at the level you would expect from a huge corporation.

- I really don’t know if this was necessary at all… It feels like such a downgrade

“Hmm…”

While the concept felt slightly contrived, the fans of other groups were feeling threatened and rushing to criticism with excessive energy.

The overall public response seems all right, though. Many people had found various instances of classic symbolism in the short teaser.

- I think this is a reference to Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death.” The plague starts going around, and the privileged set up this luxurious hideout for themselves, only to fall prey to… I’ll stop here to avoid spoilers :)

└ Wow, I’m curious how they’ll apply that story to the music video

└ Amazing, it’ll feel so deep and dangerous

- The above comment makes it sound super difficult, but it’s just a horror story about people who try to keep the plague out and save only themselves, only to also die in the end…

She was also feeling a little bit bothered, however.

This concept isn’t at all similar to the cameo. It felt excessively heavy-handed. This was not the usual for TeSTAR, either. But in any case, despite her concerns, the quality of the teaser was still incredible. She decided that there would be no problems as long as they could withstand the trolling that would likely accompany the release.

Let’s set another career-high record!

As it happened, however, her concerns had already been considered by the group in question. They had thought long and hard about what the core of their group identity was—what made them unique.

“I think it all circles back to one thing.”

After Seon Ahyeon’s analysis, Park Moondae had concluded, “Fun.”

Fun was the key factor, as well as the immersion that accompanied this fun.

“That’s probably why the first keyword that Ahyeon came up with was immersion.”

They had never made ambiguous symbols and allusions to their core values. Those were just secondary products that people could talk about. Their core value was visual and auditory fun. This was the most traditional and basic value of the stage, as well as music. They sought to provide enjoyment that people could enjoy without any discomfort or an unpleasant, lingering aftertaste.

That has never changed about TeSTAR. This would stay true with their upcoming album as well.

“Let’s do this.”

Another week after the reveal of the teaser, the music video was uploaded.

Oh… my… god! The fansite master’s hands were shaking, but she clicked on the video immediately.

The music video began by showing the same gate from the teaser, which had been partly torn off its hinges. It was a continuation of the teaser, but there was a clear difference here.

There’s no light… The faint light that had come from the banquet hall was missing. The rain had stopped, too. It was late at night outdoors, and everything seemed to be frozen in time.

There was a chilling rumbling sound, but moments later, the camera seemed to be sucked in through the gate, immediately passing down an unlit corridor. The viewers found themselves in the gloomy banquet hall.

On the floor there were several broken masks and splashes of red paint. The hall was in ruins. The same inhuman figure in the red robe from the teaser was visible in the center of this disorderly scene. It made it obvious that this person, whoever they were, was the cause of all this destruction.

Hmm… Is he supposed to represent the plague? Was it one of the members that was giving off such a sinister vibe? The camera did not zoom in any more than this. Instead, the scene shifted back to the gate.

Someone was standing with their back to the camera, facing the mangled gate. They inhaled briefly. In place of silence, the sounds of the forest at night and the chirping of insects could be heard. The man was tall and wore a navy colored jacket.

The music suddenly returned, the sounds of drums and trombones combining grandly, playing quickly. The man slowly looked up at the sky. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.

It was starting to rain. Perhaps it was thanks to the music, but contrary to the gloominess of the teaser, there was something satisfying and almost emotional about the scene.

Huh?

The figure turned around and took off his mask. The camera zoomed in on his face. It was Park Moondae.

“…!”

His neck, shoulders, and ears, which were in shadow, were adorned in techwear style accessories that resembled equipment straight out of science fiction. He was shown like this for only a moment, however.

In the very next scene, Moondae threw back the navy hood that had been pulled over his face. White hair, with the faintest hint of blue, was sent fluttering by the movement.

Something glitched in the air behind his head and suddenly, blue light rose up behind his shoulders and rippled around him like a mane.

“…?!”

Moondae grinned.

“Ha!”

With that short shout, the dismal scene suddenly transformed into a stage filled with sci-fi-like neon lights.

It’s my voice that calls your name

It’s my feet that are running and jumping in

Appearing at the lead

Ready to begin!

The very first lines of the song were a melodic rap, clean high tones piercing through the accompaniment. As the singing reached its highest note, Moondae jumped up and slammed his feet into the ground. The camera drew back as his jacket fluttered behind him.

Six other people appeared around him. Kim Raebin strode to the center of the formation, his low rap contrasting the high tones of the first lines.

Yeah, give me that baton.

Symbol of the rule, the Bell of Justice

It’s gonna ring today, it’s gonna ring louder

It’s exp-p-p-panding

as we head out!

Moondae joined him for the final line. The rap was speedy, and the high notes added to this sense of speed.

The members threw back their hoods, their jackets flaring around them as the chorus began.

That’s my savior!

Abandon the tension, enjoy the moment

The night of victory!

The fansite master gasped. It was a thrilling beat that was gorgeous to listen to. As she stared, slack-jawed and trying to take in the sudden shift in mood, the seven were already gesturing at the camera and jumping through the gate.

Wherever they went, yellow and blue lights flared, the candles lighting themselves. The sharp, cheery, and elaborate accompaniment of stringed instruments supported their singing. The camera zoomed forward toward the barefoot figure in the red robe again.

A buzzing sound emitted from her speakers. The members each took their place in seven separate, colorful halls. Then they began an intense battle scene, each shown in separate scenes. They appeared to be heroes fighting some sort of villain.

“Wow.”

It did not look like a clumsy attempt at mimicking an action movie, since the short cuts briefly showed only the most impactful points of the performance—the collisions. This arrangement only made the dynamic feel of the performance even more apparent.

What kind of concept is this? What am I looking at here? The excited fansite master balled her hands into fists, but she couldn’t arrive at an accurate conclusion. But that was okay. There was one thing she knew for certain. The way that the group was going wild, wearing techwear gear that also resembled traditional military uniforms in some ways, was both amazing and satisfying to look at. It was fun.

Jump onto the dance wagon

Pull the bowstring, throw your dice

Don’t ever stop the parade,

the melody!

Lightning struck a dark hall. Rain poured down, falling around them as they performed an elaborate dance. It was an incredible scene, as burning blue light created afterimages left behind by their dancing.

The choreography during the bridge was powerful, making it seem as though they had combined their bodies to form some sort of giant siege gun.

That’s my savior!

A hand shot forward, grabbing the figure in the red hood by their head in the blink of an eye. The wild performance and music suddenly stopped. The fabric around the hooded figure’s head suddenly went slack, and the robe fell to the floor. There was nothing inside it, since the figure had simply been a representation of disease and terror. All that remained was a mask in Cha Eugene’s hand.

White noise came from the speakers, and the color and camerawork suddenly took on a terrifying quality. Eugene simply tilted his head to the side, however, as he held the mask. It was as though he didn’t understand what was going on. It took the tension right out of the scene.

“…?”

Bae Sejin, who had been standing behind him, walked forward nonchalantly and snatched the mask. He broke it without hesitation and threw it out the window.

[“…!”]

He turned to the other members, as if to say, I guess that does it?

The members glanced at each other uncomfortably, clumsily clapped as hard as they could. It was rather random, and it contrasted with their intense performance from earlier, adding an element of odd comedy.

“What the hell?”

The fansite master grinned as well. The video was coming to an end, showing the members encouraging one another and trudging out of the hall.

Ring the bell, ring my bell

I wanna be your savior

The empty hall no longer looked as sinister. The final lines appeared in large letters on the screen, and the visuals and the sound concluded neatly. It was the perfect ending, the sort that left viewers wanting more.

“Ha!”

Before the fansite master could even start processing what she had just seen, the video continued.

“Huh?”

It was a clearing visibly through the gate. The clouds had parted, and moonlight was shining through them. Seven statues had been placed in a circle and were now visible in that moonlight. She recognized the statues.

“Wait, these are…”

She had seen the same big, round bodies in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace. They were haetae—mythical creatures that were something like unicorn lions.

“…?!”

In Korea, they were traditionally portrayed as guardians who punished evil. A realization struck her like lightning.

“Oh… so that’s why!”

The members were supposed to be haetae defeating the plague!

There was even a short clip following the end of the song. The members—all haetae—opened the doors of a temple, and ran toward the city located at the bottom of a mountain. The lights were glittering in the city, as if it had never been eradicated by the plague in the first place.

“Whoa…”

Her mouth fell open. This felt like an amalgamation of every key element of every album that the group had produced so far.

No wonder they are known for their amazing concept performances… But more importantly! It’s just fun to watch, and even more fun if you know what you’re watching! What was more, the members in their techwear costumes were incredibly handsome and talented at singing—especially Moondae!

By the time that she had finally managed to calm down and log on to social media, posts were already flooding the internet. The members had not missed a beat and were already monitoring the public’s reactions online.