In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

Chuseok holiday.

‘Ah, there’s nothing fun on?’

Amazing news flew in to people who had visited their parents’ home or were killing time at home scrolling on their smartphones.

Keywords like NewBlack, TNT, TeenSpirit appeared in the real-time search rankings.

‘Is there some sort of Idollympics?’

With that thought, people clicked on NewBlack, and articles popped up one after another.

“Huh...?”

Readers reacted similarly. For anyone who knows even a little about idols, the idea was surreal.

‘Why are those three together...?’

Three groups that might clash over the ending at year-end music festivals or compete for the grand prize lineup at awards shows were gathered in one place. Yet here they were, grocery shopping in a supermarket. The question “Why...?” sprang to mind.

‘Is it a variety show...?’

But no crazy variety show could possibly book all three at once. Not even the biggest hits like Jusehan or MIP could—no program had the resources to secure them as a trio. And no agency would let those groups appear on a show where they weren’t top-billed.

Yet...

In the sighting photos, there was a camera visible.

‘It’s a variety show.’

Still, it was a mystery which show could manage such an impossible booking. Without knowing that NewBlack had invited their friends, it was an unsolvable puzzle.

“Did you see this? They say NewBlack, TNT, and TeenSpirit are filming a variety show together right now.”

“...Huh? Why?”

“I have no idea.”

Offline, too, people who read the articles widened their eyes in disbelief at the lineup. Online, the news spread like a viral wave.

Most astonished were idol fans.

Meanwhile, reports emerged that although the show’s name wasn’t mentioned, people had seen the TBC logo on the cameras. Idol fans thought fast.

‘It’s Jusehan!’

News had circulated that NewBlack would appear on Jusehan again soon.

Just as interest peaked, TBC began responding to reporters as if on cue.

Official confirmation that TNT and TeenSpirit would appear as guests on the new NewBlack collab special of Jusehan. The PD’s promotional skill left everyone slack-jawed.

‘He’s good at business.’

By confirming the facts at the perfect moment, he stoked huge anticipation for a special that hadn’t even aired yet. Even fans who would've griped about using them for promo without screen time were impressed.

‘I have to watch this.’

No one knew how much airtime they’d actually get, but just seeing those three together was unimaginable. And what the content would be was anyone’s guess.

Meanwhile, as the backstory of how this unexpected lineup came together emerged, idol fans began posting.

[What? World peace...?]

((Image: NewBlack looking solemn with the caption “Because it’s NewBlack”))

Yes, we’ll try to achieve peace once...

As those memes circulated, comments praising NewBlack’s insane network appeared.

Speculation ran wild about who else might appear, and on- and offline alike, excitement swelled for the upcoming “Jusehan X NewBlack Special.” It was masterful promotion.

During a break, the Jusehan cast checked the articles and gave thumbs-up.

“Wow, Wooju is really good at this.”

“Great idea. The promotion really worked.”

Happy that they wouldn’t have to worry about ratings for the special, I waved my hand and smiled.

“I didn’t expect it to go like this. I just thought it’d be fun if we ran errands...”

From the No. 1 real-time search ranking for Jusehan, our names, TNT, and TeenSpirit kept rising, and articles kept pouring in—probably boosted by the Chuseok holiday.

From a distance I saw PD Koo Jaeyoung and the head writer give thumbs-up and smiles as if saying “We were thinking the same thing.”

“...”

It felt like they thought I’d planned this all along. But I hadn’t. I just wanted to reward my friends for coming on Chuseok and give them some airtime. I figured word-of-mouth would do the rest.

“You’re amazing, Wooju.”

“You thought of this ahead of time? I didn’t know you calculated all this... but well done.”

About to protest, I instead nodded at Ri Hyuk’s praise. Fine—let’s say I planned it.

“Praise me, lackeys.”

“Wooooah!”

While we joked, Biju checked his watch.

“But why haven’t they returned yet? It feels like forever.”

“Right.”

“Maybe Junghyun’s still at the sampling counter?”

“I don’t think so.”

They’d taken nine people, but it seemed unlikely they’d all linger at the sampler.

At that moment,

“Let’s get back to recording!”

After the break, recording resumed. As the two veteran actors rose, massaging their backs, new guests arrived.

“Hello~ It’s me~”

Comedian Seo Jihyung, Oh Hyungseok’s favorite junior, came in. We chatted cheerfully and served her food.

“New-bul-back? Haha, is it called that because NewBlack made it? Awesome naming sense!”

“Tasty, right?”

“Wow, it’s amazing.”

One by one, guests of the Jusehan cast came in—variety stars, actors—people who could be main guests on a TV show. Among them were faces I recognized.

“Okbun teacher! We’re here!”

Seo Noeul from Our Family Is Aliens and Ara from Scarlet, who play the alien family, approached me as I cooked.

“You told people to come for tonkatsu, but you didn’t even contact our maknae?”

“I was going to, but you called first...”

“Huh, after all the kindness we showed you, we feel slighted.”

“It’s a misunderstanding.”

Ara, who had secretly given me sausage side dishes before, looked at me with a betrayed expression. I laughed and changed the subject.

“Ara, your group doesn’t know you came alone for tonkatsu and bul-back, right?”

Startled, Ara waved at the camera.

“Sorry, guys!”

“Hahaha!”

“I’ll eat your share too!”

If Scarlet’s meat-loving members saw that, they’d tremble with rage.

And the guests themselves began to change. Unlike TNT, TeenSpirit, and Lee Gyeonwoo, the other guests seemed to come prepared.

“They said we had to buy ingredients.”

“Oh... you even bought rice?”

Some brought a sack of rice and other ingredients; others had stopped by the mart earlier for pork. Soon, there were enough ingredients stacked to feed ten people.

But those supplies vanished quickly.

“Can I have one more bowl?”

“Sure!”

Biju and I cooked furiously, with Ri Hyuk and Jiho helping—total chaos. Ri Hyuk came over.

“Mister.”

“Yes?”

“Is this right? I just massage the meat like this? How much pressure should I use?”

Laughing at his panicked confusion, I guided him through each step.

“...I’m afraid I’ll mess it up.”

“It’s okay if you do. If it fails we can give it to the kids later.”

I reassured him to let go of perfectionism. The maknae beside him watched closely and imitated him earnestly. Meanwhile, the busy Jusehan team and we prepared food rapidly.

“Why...”

How...

“Why aren’t the guests leaving?”

At first people only sat around the counter-style table, but now they filled every table. Even when they had another bowl, they stayed. It was like a bustling popular restaurant.

“Oh, hello!”

“Hello!”

They sat like diners in a company cafeteria, cracking snacks and chatting. Song Jinwoo and I exchanged blank looks.

“...What is this?”

“It really turned into a restaurant variety show.”

We had planned to call people one by one for a taste test, but now it was just a restaurant show—with celebrities instead of ordinary diners. Looking closer, the production team wasn’t herding them away; they were telling them to stay.

“What are they planning?”

“Feels like they’ll do some kind of game...”

Biju whispered,

“I think they want to do a real-world test. Simulate the congestion of a highway rest-stop food court.”

“Oh...”

It seemed the producers changed the plan mid-stream—preparing for the chaos of running a food court during a holiday highway jam. After seeing TNT and TeenSpirit earlier, they switched formats.

“Wahaha!”

“Shall we do a cheers with our cola? Haha!”

“Can I have another tonkatsu?”

Are they really not leaving? Some guests did depart for their schedules, but most stayed, reveling in the chance to be on Jusehan.

“...”

The Jusehan cast and we shared a poignant group hug. As we sobbed, veteran actor Woo Jaeyong summoned PD Koo Jaeyoung with a gentle rebuke.

“Jaeyoung, if you edit this into something touching, I’ll smack you...”

Everyone laughed at the warm admonition. As we tossed ourselves back into work, our friends arrived.

“Hi~!”

“You’re here?”

Street Boys approached, nodding and greeting—leader Hanjo, Gamnamu LB, and maknae Giwon. We fist-bumped and chanted “mint squad,” while Ye Heechan asked,

“Weren’t there nine of you?”

“There are nine, but only three said they’d come. The rest said it was a hassle.”

“You really are best friends.”

Turns out when we asked if they’d join a cooking show, the members all said “nah, too much trouble.”

“For security we couldn’t announce it’s Jusehan. You only find out if you say you’re coming.”

“That’s why kind people get rewarded—fairy godmothers give golden axes.”

As LB laughed, Ri Hyuk bit his tongue. Hanjo smiled, pointed at the camera, and said,

“Hey guys. We’re on Jusehan.”

“Hahahaha!”

“You’ll regret it by the time you watch this.”

Their rough rapper faces clowning around made everyone laugh, saying they felt like real friends. Song Jinwoo said,

“Wow... with Street Boys here, it’s like an Idollympics.”

“Idollympics?”

“Lots of idol guests came.”

“Oh...”

Street Boys reacted casually, as if unfazed by who else might be there. As one of the top five idols right now, they looked at ease. I imagined the Idollympics PD would be furious seeing TNT, TeenSpirit, and Street Boys together.

Feeding them bul-back with a warm smile, someone’s voice rang out.

“Hellooo~!”

Irritatingly in character, someone entered. Ye Hyeoyeon snorted and pointed, telling the cast to look.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen Wooju dislike someone.”

“No, I don’t dislike him...”

“You’ve never ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) been annoyed like that before?”

Bounding in with playful greetings was my loathsome junior from the military, Kevin Eun.

“Sergeant here~”

“Don’t...”

“Now I should call you senior. How have you been? Kevin’s here~!”

Ugh. I really hate him.

“Feels like you’re scowling.”

“No, I’m fine. I’m happy to see Eun.”

Kevin extended his hand; I offered Biju’s instead. As Eun sat, Biju whispered enviously,

“You have so many friends here.”

“Why?”

“I... invited Apple Team and Dance Team, but they were all busy.”

“Oh.”

“They didn’t believe it was a food show—they thought we were practicing.”

“Ah...”

I patted pitying Biju and said,

“But I didn’t invite him.”

“That’s right!”

Then I pointed to Song Jinwoo.

“Senior Jinwoo invited him. He wasn’t coming initially, but then you said you’d make delicious tonkatsu.”

“Is that so? Then just have the tonkatsu?”

“No way—he has to eat bul-back too.”

Eun, propping his chin and sparkling-eyed, asked as I approached the bul-back,

“Can I get a fried egg too?”

“No.”

“When I eat stir-fried pork I like eggs, so please make one soft-boiled. And do you have ssamjang?”

“Sigh...”

My shaky exhale sent everyone near me into laughter. Eun placed his glass down with a flourish.

“Have some water. Water...”

“Hmm, this place is really unfriendly—feels like they rely on their reputation.”

Why do viewers like watching someone like this on variety shows?

“Honestly, teaching songs in the army wasn’t it.”

“I didn’t want to learn either. But you said I had heavenly talent...”

“When did I say that?”

“When you bought us snacks as a private and told me to try holding a note?”

Because the conversation was turning against me, I quickly made the fried egg. Meanwhile Eun politely greeted Street Boys.

“Hello, seniors.”

“Oh—hello.”

“I want you to know—it’s not like I do this for everyone. I just get really emotional when I see him.”

“I understand. We were teased a lot too.”

It turned out none of my acquaintances there were on my side.

“Wooju is so popular.”

“No, I’m fine...”

Because they were close, my friends seemed to target me when teasing someone. Thankfully, when the New-bul-back arrived, Street Boys and Eun ate hastily and quieted down.

Surveying the restaurant, every table was packed—a bustling, festive Chuseok mood.

“I’ll express my condolences in advance, hyung.”

The maknae gave me a warm smile.

“When we all reunite later, it’ll be quite a sight.”

“...”

As we talked, Hanjo, still eating bul-back and tonkatsu, looked puzzled.

“By the way, where’s Junghyun? I thought he was eating among the guests, but he’s not.”

“Oh, he went to get ingredients with the others.”

“Ingredients?”

I pointed to the notice posted at a distance.

“At last, they’re back.”

By the entrance, the expedition party who’d gone for ingredients was returning.

“Huh...?”

Guests eating were wide-eyed as TNT and TeenSpirit entered together. As people got up to greet the returnees, Street Boys and Eun stared dully. LB rubbed his eyes and blinked.

“What the...?”

While the guests were shocked, we were startled to see TeenSpirit following Junghyun in behind him. Quietly drawing a toothpick from her mouth, Yeonhu popped out a Chupa Chups.

“I’m back~!”

Behind her came Taehyun, Hanbin, and Jihoon. We had just about asked what time it was, but blinked.

“Uh...?”

Greasy-lipsticked mouths, cheeks somehow plumper, rounder eyes avoiding our gaze—

‘They seem different...?’

Seeing the ingredient expedition return with faces puffed up in just a few hours, the Jusehan cast and we burst out laughing.