In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

The KM Entertainment cafeteria was paradise.

“Whoa. It really feels like we’re at a buffet.”

“When they designed the building, they actually took buffet layouts into account. I love buffets that much.”

Representative Heo Kangmin guided us through the spread. Beyond the fresh fruit and vegetable corner, the aroma of chicken and fried dishes wafted invitingly. Past that were pork, beef, and poultry stations.

Junhyun swallowed hard and asked,

“I-Is it always this much?”

“Usually it’s about half this size. But today, since NewBlack is here, we prepared extra.”

He smiled proudly.

“You won’t find any other agency that cares as much about their staff meals as we do.”

“Oooo.”

“How does it compare to TJ’s cafeteria?”

Hearing KM Entertainment proclaimed the best, the Plankton CEO leaned back and laughed heartily. Then Heo pointed out the unlimited refill drinks station.

“But here, the only beverages we have are zero-calorie.”

“Ooo, zero calories~”

“Funny thing is, people join here skinny, but after a few months they get... rounder.”

“Zero-calorie and bodies changed?”

“A bit less... round.”

The staff behind Heo showed off their plump cheeks with warm smiles. He called us over.

“And here’s our main corner: the open-flame steak.”

“Ahhhhh!”

We yelled in delight. A chef in a hairnet seared beef steaks; the sight sent my vision hazy.

Heo’s sweet voice rang out,

“Normally employees get one piece each, but since we have guests...”

gulp

“Help yourselves to as many refills as you like.”

“Thank you!”

“Eat well, and let’s do great things together afterward, okay?”

We laughed at his jest, then grabbed two plates apiece and loaded them with steak before settling at a table. Since it was slightly before regular lunch hour, the cafeteria held only us and Heo’s party.

“So... how have you been?”

“Great!”

“It’s been ages since I last saw you. Since the A-Ten showcase, I think.”

“That was already two months ago.”

We exchanged greetings and eased into conversation. He was younger than Chairman Park Taejun and had a youthful spirit for his age, so he was easy to talk to.

“Is the food good?”

“Yes, it’s amazing.”

Smiling contentedly with my siblings over steak, I said,

“I might ask for your contact info later.”

“Just visit our offices often. I’ll give each of you access passes.”

We giggled as Heo spread his arms wide.

“How great—to eat together, bump into each other in the cafeteria, become friends, talk music, and work together!”

“Huh, so you’re gunning for Wooju?”

Our maknae teased, and Heo conceded with a nod. Then he looked at me, his eyes glistening.

“Wooju.”

“Ye—yes?”

He took my hand.

“Let’s work on some songs together. I’ve got plenty of budget. I’ll give you billions.”

“I... don’t deserve that...”

“Just once—really, just once—let’s beat TJ’s market cap. It’s my dream to outdo TJ.”

He exposed his ambition so earnestly that we burst into laughter. He joked to our filming crew, “Of course this is for show.” Then he added,

“I just envy you all. Not only Wooju—I want you all.”

“Rank us in order of greed—who’s first?”

“Ah, how could I rank...”

At that moment his gaze locked squarely on me and everyone laughed again. He was a unique character—like the second-place kid in a school comic jealous of the first-place student.

“But, Representative...”

“Hmm?”

“The people filming back there...?”

Several cameramen were capturing our meal scene from behind Heo’s party. He smiled.

“Since we have external guests, we’ll make some content, like ‘Meeting NewBlack on NewBlack TV.’”

“Great thumbnail idea.”

“Or call it ‘Is this real life? NewBlack TV is legendary.’ That’ll double the views.”

He jotted down notes and waved at the cameras—clearly they’d been called not for our show but to film us. They were always scurrying around to uncover our secret sauce.

While we dined and shot content, we held a guest Q&A.

“What do you think is NewBlack’s charm point?”

“NewBlack’s charm...”

He pondered, then replied,

“Infinite power.”

“Infinite power?”

“Usually you invest ten and expect ten back at best. But with NewBlack, invest ten thousand and get near-infinite returns.”

“So we’re a fuel-efficient idol group?”

“There’s no other artist like you. That’s why you’re enviable.”

He admired that we wrote our songs, crafted concepts, and oversaw our albums—rare in this industry.

“Alright, finished eating? Let’s tour the office. I’ll show you around.”

“Just a sec—I want that chef’s contact info first.”

After securing the chef’s number with deft efficiency, we followed Heo on a tour from the first to sixth floors. Unlike TJ’s building, KM’s had been featured in the media a few times but still felt pristine as a new construction. When Ri Hyuk returned from the restroom, his bright-eyed expression confirmed the bathrooms were just as spotless.

“And this is our A&R team.”

“Wow.”

We entered the A&R office with anticipation—only to find a slightly musty atmosphere under dim, yellowish lighting. Ri Hyuk raised a hand to his nose as he surveyed the room.

tap tap

Producers, eyes bloodshot, peered closely at their monitors and chuckled. Noticing our arrival, they sprang to their feet in a flurry.

“You’ve heard NewBlack TV is here today, right? Let’s greet them.”

“Hello! We’re NewBlack!”

They mumbled greetings and then all their heads turned slowly—toward me.

“...?”

Their eyes narrowed, as if thinking, “Oh, it really is you...?” Junhyun slid in front of me protectively as the A&R team leader grinned.

“I’ve really... wanted to meet you, Wooju.”

“Oh, yes. Hello.”

“I’ve heard so much about you...”

The A&R staff swarmed us like zombies.

“I’ve wanted to see your face.”

“There you are...”

“I’m so happy. Hehehe.”

They made heartfelt greetings, though their tired eyes betrayed long nights. Heo waved them back to work.

“They've been crazy busy preparing music for On the Stage—working nights without a second to spare.”

“Oh, you must be swamped.”

Just then, Biju poked me and nodded toward someone’s desk plastered with Post-it notes. I almost laughed at their messages:

[Representative’s Note: Like NewBlack]

[Representative: What music would Wooju make?]

[Song creation is more about discovery than composition — Sun Wooju]

It was like reading a biography quotation wall. Watching the KM Entertainment A&R team, I couldn’t help but smile.

Our KM Entertainment visit wrapped up quickly.

“Oh my!”

“Hello!”

Staff we passed looked amazed or asked for photos, but otherwise it was uneventful—after all, the visit was secondary. The main event would come soon: our mentoring for On the Stage.

Post-shoot, we met the HBS production team in KM’s conference room for a briefing.

“It won’t be long—just an hour or two of filming, and you’re done.”

“Okay.”

“If NewBlack appears too much on screen...”

“Our viewers might disapprove.”

Since we were guest mentors, too much airtime might irk the trainees’ fanbase. The head writer shook his head.

“No—it’s just that too much of you could shift the show’s tone.”

“Tone?”

“I come from the same hometown...”

He dropped the rest, but we got the point: if our segment dragged on, the show would feel more like weekend variety than survival. I laughed.

“But this is my first time as a survival-show mentor, so I’m a bit nervous.”

“No need to be. Just be yourselves—meet the trainees casually and offer stage advice.”

“How far can our advice go?”

At Ri Hyuk’s question, they replied,

“Do whatever you’re comfortable with. Your appearances are purely event moments.”

“So we can do as we like.”

“Exactly.”

They didn’t plan to expand our screen time—they just wanted the surprise cameo. Hearing only the first part, my siblings looked delighted. Then the producers outlined a few scene requests for editing. Having done so many variety shows, we were comfortable staging whatever they wanted. Of course, we declined a few.

“We’re not good at generating tension. Even elementary students aren’t scared of us.”

“That’s right. We’d top the list of ‘most approachable idols.’”

“We can’t glare or get angry either.”

We politely refused those ideas. They’d hoped for the usual survival-show mentor scolding—“Is this your best? Wake up!”—but a three-year rookie lecturing trainees would look ridiculous. I reassured the disappointed producers,

“I saw the trainers handle that kind of tension on their own. We’ll stick to what we do best.”

Just then, Heo Kangmin, who’d been observing and taking notes, clapped and shifted the topic.

“I think production is all set. Want to see the trainees?”

“Yes!”

“Here’s some uncut footage.”

We watched practice videos of five tracks the trainees had rehearsed for a week—omitting the mellow “Winter Sleep” from the special album and focusing on the five performance-centric titles. Trainees wearing name tags sweated through their routines.

“Wow...”

To fireworks-themed choreography, the trainees waved their hands in unison like sparks. A trainee poised as main vocalist beamed and hit the line “Look over there~,” building vocal layers that felt as though they made the Leaning Tower of Pisa wobble.

“Hmm...”

Ri Hyuk composed his expression, watching the sparks-routine; a tense air ran through the producers.

“Is that why you wanted us to scold them?”

“No... this is...”

Impressed by the surprising quality, I widened my eyes. When the fireworks video ended, Heo said,

“That team’s a bit off in teamwork.”

“Oh...”

“But the other teams are fine. Ha ha!”

Relieved, we watched the other videos. Indeed, they were competent, but a few details felt lacking. I exchanged glances with my siblings—solid overall, but a shame if they went ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) on stage like this.

“Hold up.”

We excused ourselves and huddled to strategize what advice to offer. We’d planned a simple mentoring—like placing one grape atop a finished cake—but here there was much to refine.

“Let’s start with the fireworks team.”

For thirty minutes we discussed earnestly how to guide them. Our maknae said,

“Let’s stick strictly to mentoring this time.”

“Time’s tight, so let’s give the best practical help. We may not know training techniques, but we are the original artists.”

“Right.”

Having decided, I asked Heo, who watched us take notes,

“Representative, could we extend our mentoring time?”

Heo immediately granted a warm approval.

Now, nothing remained but to meet the trainees and share our advice.

At the On the Stage set in Namyangju, pandemonium broke out.

“Wheee!” “Wheee!”

Singer-songwriter Jang Sowon, watching trainees run around, cocked her head.

“Why are they like this? Is someone coming today?”

“They say NewBlack is coming.”

Ballad singer Yoon Chanhyuk replied, and Sowon exclaimed,

“Oh, that’s today? Really?”

The trainees were so excited they even shouted curses in their excitement, causing Chanhyuk to click his tongue. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

“They’re so young and energetic. After practicing all day, they still have this much energy?”

“Tsk, you old fart. They’re thrilled because they get to see celebrities.”

The two vocal mentors on HBS’s On the Stage chatted.

“It was wild last week, too. Today will be the same.”

When senior artists from KM Entertainment visited, the trainees had gone crazy then, too. Now, as soon as they heard NewBlack would mentor them, everyone’s spirits soared.

“Do they even know why NewBlack’s coming?”

“I think so?”

Sowon nodded, though she found it mysterious that the trainees were this overjoyed at guest mentoring.

‘They should feel like Grim Reapers on their GPS—harsh.’

‘Do they just love being pushed?’

To industry folks, NewBlack’s image was rock-steady. Sowon had even heard from Twinkle’s Ran that Biju was supposed to be the sweetest, cutest member—clearly untrue once you met him. They joked Biju boiled trainees like spicy chicken stew with that gentle face. Sowon smiled.

‘I’m glad I worked with them when they were trainees.’

Once polite and eager, they’d revealed an intense work ethic upon debut and success.

“But, hyung, do you know NewBlack well?”

“We’re under the same agency—though we hardly ever meet.”

Chanhyuk heard NewBlack updates whenever he stopped by A&R or production: laments from producers, joyous laughter from finance or the CEO’s office.

‘Let’s keep our distance.’

Meanwhile, the trainees bounced with excitement at the announcement:

‘NewBlack...!’

To have the hottest boy group in person was thrilling. In this quiet studio with no phones or TVs, an exhilarating atmosphere unfolded.

“Attention announcement: Please proceed to the auditorium...”

The trainees sprinted off shouting, followed by vocal and dance trainers, all brimming with anticipation.

When everyone gathered...

“Huh...?”

“What is this?”

NewBlack wasn’t there. Instead, five boxes stood in a row—like those used to unmask karaoke impostors on TV—each decorated with a cute animal icon: chicken, tiger, snake, etc.

The trainees and trainers blinked in confusion, then helium-pitched laughs sounded:

“Ha ha ha!”

“Guess who I am~?”

On the boxes’ LED screens, a slogan appeared, mirroring On the Stage’s tagline:

[☆Please Choose Your Mentor★]

As the trainees stared, distorted voices chimed:

“Hello, we’re NewBlack~~”

“Everyone! So glad to see you! Shooooop! Ahhhh~ kya!”

“Who am I~? kyahaha!”

It was, without a doubt, a mentor introduction like no other.