Chapter 49: PR Video
After the concept evaluation stage aired, various communities were ablaze with talk about the Stardust race.…
The rate at which comments were being posted live was intense.…
[On air] The Touch Me performance was insane…
I could really feel how unreal the live-feel was when I saw the stage in person.…
They just ripped the stage apart ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ…
Watching Byo‑Seohan’s solo dance, I questioned whether that was really an eighteen‑year‑old—I couldn’t believe my eyes.…
└ For real, that’s not eighteen’s dance line.…
└ What was I doing when I was eighteen? I can’t even bear to remember.…
└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ as for dance this kid is literally a genius… How do I put it—he dances the same moves but makes them sound magnificent; it’s innate.…
└ Totally agree about the magnificence.…
└ Dance genius, vocal genius, all‑rounder… everyone please vote for the baby Hamjji ㅠㅠ…
└ Seohan Haim Sungbin please debut ㅠㅠ…
└ Vote for Seoi‑an too, we can’t lose our tofu pudding…
└ I wish all of Touch Mez debuted together.…
[On air] Are the kids’ skills really getting crazier with each episode?…
In the first episode, we were wondering where they got those chicks from, but at concept evaluation they came with fierce determination and clamped down on the stage.…
Even though Touch Me got a lot of praise, honestly the Betters were truly a shame.…
I almost fainted seeing the pair choreography of Ha Junseo and Kevin.…
It’s just that both teams hit totally different tastes—they were both amazing.…
└ Agreed, pure bliss.…
└ My eyes were blessed all episode—can we even watch such a stage for free?…
└ And that’s why I turned on data to watch it—I feel guilty ^^…
└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ…
My one pick is Ha Junseo ㅠㅠ I heard that he was hurt, yet he gritted his teeth and ran full‑out on stage—I didn’t notice any pain, he tried so hard.…
└ Duo of fierce top: Ha Junseo and Seoi‑an.…
└ Ah, I agree ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ…
└ Rewatching it, this stage was real fierce energy.…
Betters were impactful too, but what Touch Me left in memory was no doubt our tofu pudding’s… tofu pudding’s….
└ Why can’t you finish your sentence ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ…
Honestly, isn’t the soft‑inside‑strong‑outside more Seoi‑an rather than Byo‑Seohan…? He looks tofu‑like but has a firm core.…
└ Firm lol tofu pudding lol ㅅㅂ was that really the meaning?
└ Seoi‑an’s outfit, is it for real???? He was definitely aiming for that, right?
└ The moment I saw the fancam I lost my mind….
└ Seoi‑an fancam is skyrocketing right now ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I feel like his rank is going to shoot up?
Even in posts about Betters, Seoi‑an’s name was mentioned enough that the response was hot.…
People’s eyes tend to be similar. It seemed many had the same thought, as Seoi‑an’s fancam views were skyrocketing.…
The concept evaluation fancam views quickly surpassed Seoi‑an’s first‑round stage, second‑round stage, even the Signal Song fancam combined.…
With his rising popularity, the past KJ assault controversy that had been gradually forgotten resurfaced.…
[Can someone confirm if I’m remembering right?]
Was Seoi‑an that victim of the KJ assault?
And was the angel trainee who terminated his contract and left KJ along with him the one named Do Seohan?
Yes, that’s right, it blew up in the early part of the program.…
└ It was really noisy at the time—even if it fizzled out later, it was huge news.…
└ ????
└ Crazy, I didn’t know ㅠㅠ…
└ Wow, I can’t believe people didn’t know this lol the program got hyped and so many joined…
└ I knew this from the start—I had both of them as my fixed picks.…
Damn, there’s no storyline like this, it’s some redemption arc, this is crazy ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ…
└ You two must debut together no matter what.…
└ Seoi‑an is individual trainee; if he doesn’t debut this time, there really won’t be another chance—he’s so desperate, so please pick him just once…
└ We absolutely must see Do Hamjji debut with Soft Rabbit together ㅠㅠ everyone please vote.…
What’s amazing about Seoi‑an is that he’s not just gifted, he’s enduring with sheer grit. If you watch his first evaluation video, his vocals are okay but he didn’t seem like a natural dancing position… He must have practiced to death.
└ Watching again, Byo‑Seohan is just an angel and you can feel how much the two treasure each other after what they went through at KJ— it made me want to cry ㅠㅠ…
└ I really hope they succeed.…
└ Please ㅠ…
What fans go wild for in survival auditions is the “story.”
In that sense, the two had deeply moving stories that could captivate the public, and inevitably they became a sensation.
Fans’ rage toward KJ Entertainment soon turned into strong solidarity.
“We will debut our kids no matter what.”
While Seoi‑an’s fans were streaming tears in front of their monitors, behind‑the‑scenes footage of the last aired episode was posted on TBN’s official YouTube.
It was an interview video with Seoi‑an’s face plastered on the thumbnail.…
Guys, that’s not even the issue now—Seoi‑an’s interview is up, go go.…
Seoi‑an’s fans flocked to YouTube as if hypnotized and clicked the video.…
In his snow‑white jacket and a hint of white T‑shirt beneath—it was precisely his stage costume—Seoi‑an shyly smiled.…
It was a behind‑the‑scenes interview of Touch Me, overtly released by the production team who had gained considerable publicity from the concept evaluation stage.
Q. The stage outfit—did you aim for that?
At the producer’s question, Seoi‑an blinked his eyes.
No more needed—comments began to pour in fast again.
Obviously they aimed for it ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
For sure they aimed for it.
Ah, is that even a question?
Yes, they did aim for it.
However.
“Seohan suggested it, actually…”
That part no one had expected.
Seoi‑an’s bombshell comment succeeded at creating countless hooks.
??????????
Do Seohan?
Our pure little baby Hamjji?
What?
That can’t be true, teacher.
The follow‑up was even more shocking.
“In this concept, one person absolutely has to take it off…”
Behind Seoi‑an’s interview, a short edited clip of the original meeting was inserted.
Five boys sat around a table for concept discussion.
In the middle sat Do Seohan, looking utterly serious as he gazed at his teammates and spoke. It was a short and direct line:
“Let’s cut to the chase. Does anyone here have abs?”
“…Me.”
“Next person?”
Ah hahaha is that how you picked it? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I never would’ve dreamed of that.
No, kiddo, where did you learn that already?
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ That’s the danger of survival shows, you guys.
ㅋㅋㅋ Ah, I know all of Do Seohan’s moves by now.
Fans were upon themselves laughing at the unexpected mastermind behind it.
Because the gesture calling for volunteers in that solemn voice was quite funny even when replayed multiple times.
However, in the adorable maknae’s behavior there was something not to be overlooked.
In any case, Do Seohan’s strategy had landed exactly as intended.
He had succeeded in imprinting the Touch Me performance in the audience’s minds, including his solo dance.
In that sense, one thing was certain.
One fan said:
Do Seohan is a crazy strategist.
Could this kid be living life for the second round?
At the same time.
While fans relentlessly spun the behind‑the‑scenes teasers, the Touch Me team was running around their schedules breathlessly.
One of the benefits they gained by taking first place in concept evaluation.
They had just finished pre‑recording for a music show appearance.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Thank you, thank you!”
Even though it was the second time, they couldn’t avoid nervousness.
Though it was a pre‑recording, fans were present at the site, so all the members had tension‑flushed faces. They were so out of it mentally during the schedule that they were half spacey.
Still, they thought they could relax since it was over—but it wasn’t the end.
Another benefit: the personal PR video shoot.
They moved straight to the studio to film individual PR videos.
It was the very studio where they had filmed their PR videos before.
As soon as Seo Haim entered the familiar studio, he glanced around curiously.
“Heh?”
That sense of déjà vu hit him.
“Isn't this the place? The one where Do Seohan looked like a drenched mouse?”
“Oh!”
“…It is.”
A lot of people remembered that place because of the Do Seohan water spray incident.
Cha Seongbin couldn’t erase the shock from the concept photoshoot. The huge Hamjji who suddenly went in front of the camera during the sexy concept and attempted a self water dump.
“Is that how he normally is?”
Cha Seongbin had been so surprised he’d asked Jin Sehyun that.
Cha Seongbin turned back to Seohan, holding back a laugh.
“Seohan‑ssi, what are you going to do for your personal PR? Sexy theme?”
“No way. Luckily they said they’ll give us the topic.”
If it had been free theme again, it could’ve been a real problem.
Seo Haim giggled and clutched his stomach.
“But how are they giving the topic?”
Just then, a staff member hurried over from afar.
To explain the details about the PR video shoot.
PR is PR, but because entertainment content is their baseline, this time they imposed certain constraints.
“Everyone, please gather around for the explanation!”
“Yes!”
“Yep!”
The youngest staffer carrying a big container dumped and shuffled some paper slips inside.
“We’re going to randomly draw a prompt from this box now. You must express that prompt as your strength in your PR video!”
“Wow, time limit?”
“Exactly five minutes! You know we cut sharply as soon as time’s up, right?”
They knew the rules from previous PR shoots.
Seo I‑an, briefly organizing the explanation in his mind, timidly raised his hand.
“I have one question…”
“Yes!”
“If I draw a prompt that I’m bad at, is that okay?”
“Yes, that’s also part of the luck!”
“Wow!”
This was going to be fun.
Seo Haim chattered and his eyes sparkled. He was the most enthusiastic, and he was first to draw.
Seo Haim bobbed his head and began speaking cheekily.
“I actually don’t have anything I’m not good at.”
“So you’re confident no matter what comes up?”
“Of course!”
Seo Haim answered full of swagger and then snatched one slip from the container.
Then he boldly unfolded the slip toward the camera, whose red light was on.
But then.
“Huh?”
The hyper‑energetic Haim froze momentarily.
[Guitar]
“Uh… um…”
“Hyung, can you play guitar well?”
“…I’m playing it for the first time?”
At Seohan’s question Haim scratched his head.
“I play violin well. Can I play guitar like it’s a violin?”
“…How about playing with a violin style on the guitar instead?”
“That’s not bad. It’s classical.”
“A mix of East and West?”
“It’s both Western though.”
Everyone else was shooting rude remarks as if it wasn’t their business.
Pffft…
Seo I‑an was holding back laughter from way back there.
‘I just hope they don’t draw something I absolutely can’t do.’
While he thought that complacent thought, the container arrived in front of him.
Seo I‑an casually plunged his hand into it and pulled out the first slip that came up.
“…….”
[Pungsoo (Korean flute)]
That one was even more legendary.
“Puhahaha!”
“Hyung, did you learn the pungsoo?”
“…There’s no way I learned it.”
“You know recorder, right? It’s similar.”
“What’s similar, Seohan.”
How am I supposed to appeal with this, and how?
While Seoi‑an’s head spun, Cha Seongbin and Do Seohan burst into giggles and fell backward.
Seo Haim smiled brightly, wearing the face of someone who’d regained confidence.
“Honestly, guitar is better.”
“At least guitar makes noise when you play it. That thing doesn’t even make sound.”
“Ah ahahaha! Is this all about appealing musically?”
No.
Cha Seongbin drew the prompt [aegyo (cute charm)] with ease and flashed a sly smile.
“Wow, Seongbin’s cute even when he’s just being still. That’s going to be a very effective appeal.”
He was plainly ignored.
“…Next person?”
Seohan raised one hand and walked forward calmly.
The earlier prompts were all intense, but Seohan remained extremely composed.
That’s just how people are. They act too relaxed until it happens to them personally.
Seohan stared at the camera and began to speak.
“A‑ah, hyungs’ prompts are just too funny. I think I’ll be okay no matter what comes out….”
But the moment he checked the prompt on the slip he pulled instantly.
[Cooking]
“…….”
Ah.
Seohan’s face, which had been laughing uncontrollably, froze coldly.
“Wow, that’s… okay.”
“It’s okay?”
What on earth could possibly be okay about it?
Amid the hyungs who tactlessly added words, Seohan’s insides burned quickly.
‘I can’t cook.’
Right, fair enough.
“…In just five minutes?”
Ah.
Classic broadcasting people.