In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

For several days, the Pyeongchang dance swept the globe.

[Yes. You’ve probably heard of the “Pyeongchang Dance” that’s trending lately. This video has been spreading rapidly online and becoming a hot topic.]

Shows like “What’s the Global Issue Now?” aired B-roll of people in different countries copying the Pyeongchang dance.

[National idols NewBlack are now charging ahead as official Pyeongchang Olympics ambassadors. In particular, the “Pyeongchang Dance” they uploaded to MeTube is enjoying explosive popularity.]

Turn on the evening news and there would always be at least one segment that mentioned “the Pyeongchang dance craze.”

Citizens interviewed on the street were positive.

-It’s great. Makes you think this is what promoting the nation really is. Isn’t this exactly that?

-It’s fun! Our whole class copies it!

-It’s a bit unique, but if it’s catching on globally, that’s good, right?

Critics and professors chimed in too.

-This is the function of new media on the rise. A single short clip unites people around the world...

Even the radio we heard while driving to work mentioned our Pyeongchang dance as a current-affairs topic.

“Hyungs, did you see this? A business daily says the promo value we created is in the tens of billions of won.”

“Yeah?”

“This one says hundreds of billions. They’re saying we pulled off Olympic promotion that most countries can’t even buy with piles of money.”

It felt like the first time in a while our name showed up not in entertainment but in sports or business sections.

Oh.

We even made international news once.

“Check this out. It’s a poll on a Japanese portal.”

We all went whoa at the Japanese portal poll Rihyuk showed us.

“I can’t read a thing. I can only make out ‘New-Black-ku.’”

“I can only do talking, not reading.”

“Where do I laugh?”

Our main vocal sighed and read the portal’s for/against poll.

“Do you evaluate NewBlack’s Pyeongchang dance promotion positively, or negatively?”

“...Why are they evaluating that?”

“No clue. But the poll’s up.”

Apparently 79.3% chose negative.

Rihyuk said,

“Looks like the Souffles are holding the line at twenty percent.”

“What a weird poll.”

“They say Japan’s roasting them over even doing a poll like this.”

Maybe because it became a global issue, we were hearing all kinds of stories.

A video of Kenyan university students doing the Pyeongchang dance together racked up views.

In the US, an influencer tried to copyright the Pyeongchang dance to cash in, got the Souffles’ hammer, then suddenly went live crying about retiring.

In the Middle East, there were reports of a gathering ban issued on people meeting up to do the Pyeongchang dance.

“We really went global, huh... us.”

The phrase butterfly effect came to mind.

A butterfly flutters here and a hurricane crashes in the US.

We did a light promo, and once other countries joined in, it became a worldwide campaign.

Thanks to that, we also got thanks from the Olympic Organizing Committee.

-Pyeongchang Organizing Committee: “Very grateful to NewBlack for the promotion... in awe of the national idol’s positive influence.”

We’d worried we might get flak... but thankfully word was the Committee was delighted.

They said the chair’s office couldn’t stop laughing.

Rihyuk said,

“It’s probably because there are a lot of rumors around the Olympics right now. People are worried.”

“Right. If this eased it even a little, that’s good.”

Let’s just hope nothing weird happens at the opening ceremony now.

We traded warm smiles and lurked the online reactions.

Most were good.

There was just one thing that nagged at me.

“...Looks like we underestimated the idol scene.”

I was seeing posts I really hadn’t imagined.

[Views by idol for the Pyeongchang dance]

Starting with us at number one over 100 million, it listed rankings all the way down.

Street Boys were second.

Teen Spirit were third, but the gap with survival group Wonder Child at fourth wasn’t that big.

Maybe because of that, the comments were a warzone.

-Sbo really do have a massive overseas fandom lol

-Wow from 2nd to 19th combined equals NewBlack’s views lololol insane

-Honestly fans deny it but isn’t Teen Spirit’s luck carrying them???

-fr their luck is carrying lol

-Remember in 2015 when Teen Spirit stans ran their mouths about “luck carry,” I’m dying lol that boomerang hit hard~~~

-What “luck carry” lol their first-week sales are 2nd this year

-Why isn’t Han Taehyun in there? Excluded because he’s solo not a group??

-They probably cut him to push Trickster into 5th lol the agenda is transparent huh?

-Shouldn’t you compare rate of increase? Wonder Child’s label pushed it hard on official socials and km

-These cooked numbers are wild lol match the time periods at least

-Agree. Are you seriously comparing day 2 to day 3 first-week numbers??

-(screencap of a Wonder Child fan account.jpg) there’s literal evidence of coordinated view-boosting

-What’s the point of idols being friendly when the fans are always grabbing hair and cussing each other out~

A meme I’d seen came to mind for the first time in a while:

You stride in excited with a pizza, but the room is on fire and people are collapsed everywhere.

Our maknae clutched his chest and raised a hand.

“Why is it so intense...?”

“Have an apple, Jiho.”

“Thanks.”

I patted our maknae as he munched the apple with a fed-up face, then closed the comments too.

Rihyuk gave a wry smile.

“There’s an actor version too. View comparisons.”

“...”

I’d thought it would be fun to ask people around us to “shoot a clip~,” but I didn’t expect this level of reaction.

Comparing challenge video views on top of MVs...

“Wild...”

I took a moment to marvel at the ever-smiley, ever-spinning K-ent fandom world.

With my meager imagination, I couldn’t have predicted any of this.

The one relief: the folks we’d asked weren’t the type to care much about online noise. A lot of seniors had been burned by hate comments, so we all remind each other not to look.

Biju said,

“But Street Boys really are pulling a lot of views.”

“Yeah.”

They’d opened a noticeable gap with Teen Spirit.

Of course, you can’t declare who’s “winning” off MeTube views alone, but Street Boys’ numbers stood out.

It felt like they were sliding up, smooth and steady.

Teen Spirit were holding steady like last year, but Street Boys were going “I have entered” and swelling.

“Alright, that’s enough online for now. Concert practice.”

“Yay~!”

We’d finished the North and South America legs; next up was Australia–Southeast Asia starting with Sydney.

To hit the July Australia–SEA tour schedule, we dove into intense practice.

Unfortunately, the Pyeongchang dance that had dominated the world for days ended quickly.

For a very simple reason.

-IOC, Pyeongchang Organizing Committee launch “Dance With Pyeongchang” campaign

Because the official institutions stepped in.

One of the classic reasons memes and trends die is when broadcast TV or official outlets wade in.

Like kids playing and squealing, and suddenly the parents stride over, plop down, and go “Let’s play together.” It just feels uncomfortable and less fun for no clear reason.

Once that heat cools, it doesn’t really come back...

“Yikes.”

Official bodies posted “Let’s all dance the Pyeongchang dance!” videos splicing ambassador clips.

When politicians and business figures’ dances went up too, the public’s hype tanked.

“Still, it lasted quite a while.”

We nodded at Junhyun’s comment.

Maybe it could’ve lasted longer... but either way, we decided to take the win that we’d burned the word “Pyeongchang” into the world.

And—

It also led to a slightly unusual booking for me.

“...Huh?”

Not long after the Pyeongchang promo video went up,

A peculiar inquiry came through the company, and the kids and I widened our eyes.

A studio draped in flowers on every side.

A man at a table sipped tea topped with petals, then began sharpening a pencil with delicate hands.

Scritch, scritch.

He lifted the smoothly sharpened pencil, set a hand on his sketchbook, then glanced at the monitor.

“My word...”

NewBlack’s leader doing the Pyeongchang dance.

But the man with the refined gaze wasn’t looking at the moves.

He was staring at the outfit.

“I can’t believe it. Truly unbelievable.”

Bravo.

He clapped, lavishing praise on the floral suit worn by the handsome man in the clip.

“How good does your eye have to be to match it like that? That kind of feel for color isn’t something you’re just born with.”

Of course, the general public probably wouldn’t like that floral outfit.

But that’s because the public has no eye.

To him, that was a look only someone with truly superior artistic sense could create.

“Genius recognizes genius.”

Having discovered this beautiful young man through a video titled “Pyeongchang Dance,” his hands flew.

“More... more...”

A search told him the name was Wooju.

Nickname Sunny, from the family name Sun.

He searched Wooju plus “fashion” on MeTube and gasped.

“Yes! This is it!”

Walking through the airport in a teal puffer with red track pants.

Trying on a flamingo-pink fur coat in a mall and going “hm.”

Even kimchi-making in a loud-colored puffer vest with pink rubber gloves somehow looked fashionable.

Behold the plastic cap on his head in the kimchi fashion! What ordinary mind would conceive that?

His pupils trembled.

“Why... why is nobody paying attention to this guy’s fashion? Why? He’s a fashion icon of our era... why?”

He exhaled into the air.

Then his eyes shone at the peerless Asian beauty on the screen.

A leader teased by his members for his fashion.

“You must be lonely too.”

He empathized with that loneliness.

Those ahead of their time are always lonely.

His hand skittered as he focused on Wooju’s looks.

“...I didn’t expect this much inspiration.”

With Sun Wooju’s fits on the monitor, he began sketching dashing designs.

While he worked, thrilled at finding a new muse—

“Whew.”

He finished a sketch and called his secretary.

“Saif!”

“Yes.”

“Do you know a K-pop group called NewBlack?”

“Ah... my boyfriend’s a fan. They’re huge.”

He nodded and gave the order.

“I want this young man in my next project... send an email to Korea.”

“Understood.”

“And read my handwritten letter aloud.”

“Yes, Chief Designer.”

Watching his secretary hurry off, the man looked up at the ceiling and smiled.

“My heart’s pounding already.”

Jimmy Robbins, Chief Creative Director of the famed French luxury house Le Blanc, smiled in bliss.

While we were prepping the Sydney concert—

“Huh?” 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

We blinked at what our TF lead told us.

“Where?”

“Le Blanc.”

“Isn’t Le Blanc a luxury brand?”

“Yup. That Le Blanc.”

“...”

I felt a little dazed.

Le Blanc.

I pictured the platinum-colored sign that said “Le Blanc” from shopping with Ms. Kim Deoksun at the department store.

Name-value so big it’s in any top-ten list /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ of luxury brands.

“...?”

At the sudden entrance of a luxury label, we all blinked.

Jiho asked,

“But why are we talking about them?”

“Their chief designer reached out. Official title is Chief Creative Director... think of them as the person who leads the fashion show at a fashion house.”

“Chief designer?”

“Guy named Jimmy Robbins.”

“Oh?”

The kids and I went oh.

“I’ve heard that name.”

“Then he’s super famous.”

If it’s not a celebrity or athlete but the name rings a bell, odds are they’re massive in their field.

A quick search said he really is a famous fashion designer.

I asked,

“But why did he reach out?”

“To cut to the chase, he wants you on the runway.”

“...Me?”

“They’re holding their brand show at Paris Fashion Week at the end of September. He wants you to model.”

“...?”

While I stood there baffled, the kids erupted.

“Woooow!”

“So we get to go watch a fashion show? Sick.”

“Hyung! Congrats!”

They shook me and hummed “Raise a leader well and you don’t need ten maknaes.”

Our main vocal, who can’t live without criticizing, raised a hand.

“Hold on. I have a question.”

“Yeah.”

“Of all people, you’re putting this guy in a fashion show? Have you seen how he dresses...?”

As Rihyuk poked at my monstrous fashion sense, the maknae said,

“It’s fine. Wooju hyung only dresses weird on his own. When he’s styled properly, he’s a straight-up fairy.”

“True. The dress fit was great last time. The problem was the person.”

“The contents are a little iffy, but the shell is top-tier.”

I couldn’t tell if they were shielding me or clubbing me with a shield.

I peeled Biju off—he was muttering about new stan content—and asked again,

“I’m curious too. Are they launching new products in Asia?”

Since we’re the most influential in Asia, foreign companies often court us when they aim to expand here.

I figured it was that again.

“Mm...”

Seokhwan hyung smiled awkwardly, then said with a smile,

“Better you hear it directly.”

“...Directly?”

“Designer Jimmy Robbins sent an emissary.”

Seokhwan stepped out and returned with a neat-looking Frenchman of Middle Eastern descent.

A translator came with him.

He bowed politely; every time he spoke French, the interpreter relayed it.

“It’s an honor to meet Asia’s top boy band.”

“Thank you.”

“First, we’d like to view a video letter from our Chief Designer.”

A video letter?

As the rolling TV hummed to life, a sharply dressed American designer appeared.

“Wow, he’s wearing florals too.”

“If you only saw the outfit, you’d think it was Wooju.”

Ignoring the kids’ whispers, we watched the video letter with Korean subtitles.

-Hello! Nice to meet you! Mr. Wooju, I’m Jimmy Robbins, Chief Creative Director of Le Blanc.

He introduced himself, cleared his throat, and said,

-To the point: I’m sending this video to invite you onto my runway. You probably don’t understand why I reached out, do you?

Nope.

-Recently I saw your fashion in a video called the Pyeongchang dance. I felt a shiver down my whole body the instant I saw it.

“...!”

-The color! The structure!! Not a single thing was lacking! Sheer innovation! It was like when smartphones first appeared—I felt that same thrill again.

The designer stroked his arms like he still had goosebumps.

Maybe it was the anemone-shaped brooch on his lapel, but I found myself liking him.

Mr. Jimmy Robbins revealed his sketches.

-Do you see? These are what I drew, inspired by your outfit!

“Gasp...”

“Hyungs... should we stop the video somehow? Wooju hyung’s eyes are gone.”

“This is bad.”

After praising my fashion nonstop, the designer declared,

-No more words. September. Come to Paris. I’ll prepare the finest flower path for you.

“I love it! I love it so much!”

“Don’t...!”

It felt like I’d found my soulmate in fashion.

The moment that great designer showed his sketches, I felt a deep, resonant “I must wear that.”

Seeing me overflow with joy, Jimmy Robbins’s secretary nodded and said,

“Then we’ll convey that as a yes.”

“Ahh!”

“And one more thing.”

He clapped twice; with a rattle, a rack rolled in laden with clothes.

Sparkle, sparkle.

Sequins and florals everywhere—at the sight of those dazzling outfits, my jaw fell open.

“This is...”

“A gift from the Chief Designer. He’d love for you to wear them often.”

Tears sprang out before I knew it.

“Designer...!”

“No—! No, hyung!”

And thus...

Paris F/W Fashion Week 2017.

Runway attendance confirmed—!!