Chapter 362

Chapter 362

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[TeSTAR’s new variety show is here]

(Trailer video)

It’s a collaboration between a famous director who is always known to make extremely fun shows and TeSTAR LOL

And they’re going to the countryside!

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It was eleven at night on a weekday, which was an hour of the day that found many people watching TV. Kim Raebin’s fan had rushed to the internet after seeing the trailer in question on TV.

Naturally, everyone was talking about it on the relevant internet communities.

- You just know this combination is going to be fun

- Grandsons? I know this is going to be cute already T_T

- It seems like this one is really about relaxation and nothing else. They sure deserve it

- I think only fans will watch this

└ ?? What are you talking about? There are lots of people who enjoy this sort of thing LOL

└ It’s just too boring haha

The internet’s reactions were pretty good, since the production team was known for never missing, and countryside kitchen content was always popular. Kim Raebin’s fan knew, however, that the lack of trolls meant that it really wasn’t getting a lot of attention at the moment.

This means it’s mostly fans who are commenting. The shows TeSTAR had done involving hotteok and being stranded on an uninhabited island had been so spectacular that they’d turned the internet upside down. But at the moment, the response was pretty ordinary.

She sighed. Her brother had been watching the trailer with her, though he pretended otherwise. He poked her in the back.

“What’s the problem? They’re going to be on a variety show. Isn’t that a good thing?” he asked.

“Just shut up if you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

This was a bad sign.

The group is falling into a rut! She didn’t feel the urge to swear or get angry. She simply thought to herself, Is it about that time?

The idea left her feeling rather put out. Once she’d started making money as a freelancer, she’d started to make compromises at her job in order to better fit her personality. What she was feeling now was something similar to what she’d felt then.

Now that they’ve been around for long enough and even won some daesangs, they want to be more comfortable. Yeah. She had recognized this desire in them from the moment they’d taken a few days off, saying they were all ill. The current title track was out of this world in terms of the performance side of things, after all.

At least they haven’t completely given up. In the past, she would’ve demanded that her dear rabbit be extracted from such an old and jaded idol group, but she no longer felt that way.

They’re only human. They can’t do anything about feeling burnt out. It didn’t matter as long as they didn’t show it on camera. Their performances were still amazing, and they kept a good grip on themselves.

And even if they fight, they seem to make up very quickly. It seemed as if Park Moondae and Lee Sejin had a falling out at a recent Japanese concert. It hadn’t taken long before it seemed completely unnoticeable. However, their professionalism was still unmatched.

Her mind drifted to her private account’s feed, where she’d seen some speculation going back and forth. She quickly stopped herself from thinking about it.

Her brother asked irritably, “Hey, so are you not going to watch it?”

“I’m going to watch!” she shouted.

All in all, though it was a bit disappointing, she could always hope that a natural disaster might bring a twist, at least. That was what had happened during the island show.

Even so, nothing all that spectacular can happen in the countryside. At best, Ahyeon will start a fire in the kitchen… Even so, the director had such an infamous reputation that she decided to reserve judgment for now.

Then the first episode aired, and she found herself a little taken aback.

“Hmm…”

It’s surprisingly fun…

It all began with the production team gathering the group up and assuring them that the show was focused on relaxing this time. TeSTAR refused to believe them, of course.

[Ryu Chungwoo: Hmm… I’m a little scared.]

[Lee Sejin: Oh, come on. Where are you taking us? The countryside in… Alaska?]

[Writer: No. We’re not! Believe us!]

Because of how long it took to persuade them, the meeting was fast forwarded, and tearful captions appeared on screen.

[TeSTAR only believed the production team after they promised the group could sue them if they were lying…]

“Pfft!”

Kim Raebin’s fan nearly laughed out loud.

- LMAO

- I would have done the same in their shoes

- They deserve it LOL

A funny scene involving the production team looking back on their past actions and regretting them was shown next.

[Youngest writer: Moondae was so suspicious and worried till the end…]

[Director: Well, it’s all our fault. There is nobody else to blame.]

Then TeSTAR’s first day of filming arrived. It was a powerful contrast to the prior subdued and satirical scene.

[TeSTAR: Yeah!]

It was a sunny day, and the mood in the bus was amazing.

[We were able to convince them!]

[They are as excited as they’ve ever been…]

TeSTAR was singing, enjoying the scenery, playing games, and so on.

[They’re so immersed]

[Bae Sejin: Don’t undo your seatbelt! That’s dangerous!]

[Lee Sejin: That’s right. Stay in your seats while you have fun!]

[Cha Eugene: Yeah!]

[Now this is what you call wholesome entertainment]

[Excited vibes!]

TeSTAR was completely immersed in their little picnic, after being assured that they were going to be allowed to relax this time.

[Lee Sejin: The rest area! Let’s eat some potatoes in the rest area!]

[Park Moondae: I’ve got cash.]

[Cheering]

In other words, they looked more excited than the fans had ever seen them.

- LOL

- They’re completely letting themselves go haha

- Look at them. They’re so excited because they actually get to enjoy themselves this time! T_T

- I’ve never seen a variety show where the guests are so intent on having fun

TeSTAR continued with this energy after they arrived at the accommodations, bustling about as soon as the production team gave them their instructions.

[Cha Eugene: It’s warm!]

[Kim Raebin: Don’t lie down right after you eat!]

The way they went into a traditionally heated and linoleum-floored room and lay down, as well as how entertained they were by the sight of the toy-like coins, was energetic and fun to watch.

[Lee Sejin: Oh, you want to come with me, is that it? Come on, then.]

This excited mood really reached its peak when a puppy appeared.

[Munggye / Three months old]

[Park Moondae: (Anxious)]

[Wondering if the puppy is his little brother ↑]

The sight of the puppy had a powerful impact on the audience. Every social media post was gushing about it.

- OH MY GOD

- Moon Puppy has a little brother! T_T

- My eyes are so blessed right now

- Two little puppies! Two little puppies in the countryside! Two of them!

“Holy…” Kim Raebin’s fan said, gaping.

The puppy is the same color as Park Moondae’s hair… Every account that posted enhanced photos was going to flood her timeline with screen captures.

[Hey TeSTAR (front paw)]

The way the seven fully grown adults were making such a fuss over a tiny puppy was also hilarious.

[Cha Eugene: I want more sweet potato!]

[Park Moondae: What are you saying? If you eat anymore, you are going to gain weight.]

[But the hands are honest]

- LMAO

- Why is Eugene also being treated like a puppy? LOL

- Everyone has such distinct charms…

The puppy grew fat as it ate all kinds of handmade snacks. Cha Eugene benefited from this arrangement as well. Kim Raebin’s fan continued to watch, mesmerized.

The production team had worked editing magic, making each of the changes and little story arcs involving the members seem cute and high impact. Kim Raebin, for instance, was not too popular at first with the residents.

He looks just like the type that older people don’t like. This much was true. He had a sharp, bad boy look and piercings. But as time went by, his popularity rose sharply.

[Kim Raebin: Here you go!]

[Kim Raebin: I know what you need!]

[Kim Raebin: Let me do that for you!]

[(Fireworks) The diligent grandson (fireworks)]

The polite, innocent demeanor and plain clothing fit him perfectly. In fact, he seemed like he had been living this way all his life. In the end, the residents even gave him extra snacks, and this was displayed on the show.

[Resident: I think he’s a truly diligent person! And he eats so well, too!]

[Resident: Why don’t you have one of these?]

[Kim Raebin: Thank you! I’d love some! Please let me know at any time if you need help with anything.]

He’s both nerdy and a delinquent at the same time. That’s like the dream combination. She nodded to herself, noting that the combination of the countryside and Kim Raebin was sure to generate memes.

With every character being so rich and well-defined, even simple conversations were made extremely fun. They politely helped out the elderly residents, showed off cute tricks, rode along the rice patties on their bicycles to transport food, and so on.

[Park Moondae: Do you have motors on your legs or something?]

[Ryu Chungwoo: Hahaha!]

Overall, things couldn’t get better in the eyes of the fans.

This is surprisingly good, even if there is seemingly no specific purpose to the show… Because the group had been around a few years, they knew how to talk in front of a camera and keep the show going by themselves. It seemed to be the perfect sort of show that could be enjoyed even by ordinary viewers without any stress.

[Seon Ahyeon: The weather is so nice, isn’t it?]

[Park Moondae: Yeah.]

Because electronic devices seldom appeared on the screen, and the setting was in the countryside, the show sparked nostalgia. It wasn’t as unique as the other variety shows they’d done, but TeSTAR was now popular enough to create their own genre, so to speak. She had a feeling that the viewer ratings would be decent.

I don’t think the viewer ratings will turn out terrible… I probably won’t need to console myself by saying the buzz is enough…

They were sure to include moments of humor—for instance, Ahyeon nearly started a fire as he attempted to barbecue meat in the yard, and Bae Sejin dropped a book into a rice paddy and silently screamed.

[Cha Eugene: Fire! Fire! It’s a fire!]

[Bae Sejin: We have meat on the grill. Don’t throw sand! Just put it out! Put it out!]

[Lee Sejin: Oh my god!]

There was a sudden loud beeping.

[※Please hold. We are experiencing some technical difficulties.※]

[It took seven grown men an hour to put out the fire.]

There was some humor in watching the idols who were not used to this kind of life.

It has a pretty good flow in its own right. It even ended with a touching scene.

[Lee Sejin: Smells nice.]

[Park Moondae: Yeah.]

TeSTAR lay down on the pavilion after their delivery job was complete, all smiling. They were relaxed, taking a break from the busy, almost cruel schedules that usually filled their days. Since they’d paused their promotions because they had fallen ill not all that long ago, there was something about the scene that made even her feel something.

“Wow, that puppy is getting the royalty treatment, huh?” her brother said.

“Shut it,” she said, trying to focus on the TV again.

[???: Oh my god!]

“…?!”

Suddenly, red captions were splashed over the lovely scene under the pavilion. Cheering and screaming from multiple people caused the screen to shake thanks to the edit.

[???: Yes! That should do it!]

[???: That is hilarious!]

There was momentarily a black screen, which brightened again moments later. The production team gathered in the yard, clapping.

“…?”

“Huh?”

The captions returned.

[Are you wondering why the production team looks so happy?]

Y-yeah…

[Find out next week.]

“Hey!”

An ad began.

“Hey, what was that just now?” the brother asked.

“I don’t know!”

She had never been so angry with an ad in her life.

Get lost! Thankfully, the ad ended soon, and a trailer played as normal.

[Moondae wants to boil some meat.]

[Love the idea!]

TeSTAR seemed to be continuing to relax. The background track, however, was a wistful, regretful song from a famous drama.

[Things were good… back then…]

The screen turned sepia, as if it were a flashback.

“…!”

The intent could not have been clearer. Some shenanigans were about to ensue.

***

The first episode aired, and I was taken aback by the reception it received.

Why does everyone like this so much? I had known that audiences would like it well enough, but I hadn’t expected that it would be so generally well received.

I expected people to complain about how boring it was in parts, at least. The magic of editing had done its job. The first episode had strung together shifting moods very well, preventing any part from growing stale.

While this was a good thing, there was a side effect that came with this.

- What has the production team done? LOL

- It’s funny, but it’s also sad. Please, I hope they didn’t do anything too cruel. TeSTAR seemed so happy… T_T

- I fear next week

- I’m losing it. Something shocking is coming LOL

- Why didn’t they keep things as is? T_T Now they have trouble on their hands

The first episode had turned out so good that some people were actually against the twist that had been foreshadowed. The production team seemed to think this reaction constituted something of an emergency.

Are they regretting going behind our backs? Probably not. This was probably because the pace had been quick, and they had put a lot of effort into the editing because it was the first episode. Relaxing content got old quickly.

Still, I realized that the production team might have shifted back toward peaceful relaxation in the end, even if I hadn’t done anything. It was now confirmed that there was a demand for such content.

Well… If the result is the same, the more unpredictable the process is, the better. The production team should probably be thankful. I shrugged.

Bae Sejin, who had been checking the reactions online as well, said, “Our filming… Today is the last day, right?”

Oh, he’s asking about that.

“Yeah. It’s time to get out of here. Once people find out where we are, they could actually come visit, and potentially disturb the residents.”

“Right…” He nodded gravely. “Even so… This wasn’t so bad.”

“Yeah.”

Toward the end, we had made a lot of food and hosted a banquet. The pained expressions on the production team’s faces over all the spending we were doing had been fun to watch.

The production team will handle the financial matters before we leave, of course. I felt satisfied now that things were over, since we had given the camera a lot to work with. I nodded.

“There is one thing that hasn’t become clear yet,” Bae Sejin muttered, frowning.

“Huh?”

“Who was it that took the coins from us? This all happened because they were stolen.”

Oh, that. I let that remain unresolved on purpose.

After checking that the cameras were off as their memory cards were being replaced, I said quietly, “It’s obvious, isn’t it? It’s probably someone from inside the group.”

“…!”

He looked shocked. “Y-you mean… it was one of us?”

“Yes,” I muttered quietly. “Otherwise it would be no fun. It has to be one of us to make for better content and a meaningful twist. I’m sure of it.”

He listened blankly, but quickly seemed to accept my explanation. Then he asked tensely, “Wait… Are you telling me this because you think it’s me? Because whoever does it needs to act, right?”

Uh, sorry. No.

“No. I don’t think it’s you.”

“Why not?”

Why do you sound indignant?

“You’re too flustered.”

“…?!”

If he had been responsible, he would have reacted in a more calm, reasonable manner. He was being as serious as usual, but in his own rather oddball way, which meant he wasn’t the culprit.

“I actually suspect someone,” I said.

“Who?”

I turned around and stared through the doorway at one of the members.

So it’s him, after all, is it? I was looking at Big Sejin. He still seemed to be in a good mood and was acting very cheerful. He was a good actor, and he could think quickly on his feet, in addition to being sociable. I was of the opinion that he was the perfect person to be a spy. This had been the main reason that I hadn’t taken him along to copy the coins.

If he had told the production team, my plan would have been foiled.

Bae Sejin gaped, realizing where I was looking. “L-Lee Se—”

“It’s just a suspicion. Let’s not tell anybody.”

“Ahem. Hem. Right. Okay.”

I decided to say nothing more. He loved getting screen time, so I would leave it alone until the final twist was revealed on the show.

As it turned out, my prediction was not entirely accurate.