In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe - Chapter 128:

Translator: MarcTempest

Editor: Rxel

Chapter 128

As soon as they sat down, the staff came over and put microphones on them.

Woojoo sat on the one-seater sofa on the far left, followed by Bijoo, Junghyun, and Rihyuk.

Jiho sat on the one-seater sofa facing Woojoo.

“Jiho, don’t cross your legs.”

“Okay.”

Before the assistant director could say anything, Woojoo took the initiative.

 

The youngest uncrossed his legs.

He didn’t usually cross his legs, but when Woojoo saw him rolling his feet, he realized he was nervous.

The other members were the same.

Bijoo kept checking his makeup on his phone, and Rihyuk was, well, Rihyuk.

If Woojoo had to give him a title from Greek and Roman mythology, it would probably be the God of Nervousness and Fragile Mentality.

Junghyun was the only one who looked calm, glancing at the fancy snacks on the table.

“Junghyun.”

“Yes, Hyung.”

“Those are sponsored. Sponsored.”

“But if they’re sponsored, shouldn’t we eat them? This sofa is also sponsored, but we’re sitting on it.”

“Why do you only get smart when you talk to me?”

The staff who was putting on the microphone smiled and bit his lip to hold back his laughter.

He seemed to enjoy their pathetic conversation.

Woojoo asked him about the snacks, hoping to lighten the mood, but he quickly said no.

Junghyun and Woojoo looked at each other and shrugged.

Meanwhile, Woojoo took care of his younger brothers.

“Ah, I’m nervous.”

“You don’t look nervous at all.”

“Your legs are shaking.”

“…”

Bijoo chuckled and Rihyuk’s ears turned red. Woojoo made jokes to ease the tension and comforted his brothers.

“It’s our first reality show, so I know it’s meaningful, but don’t be nervous and just act like you normally do. Let’s do what we do at home, ah, I mean at the dorm. Since when have you guys been so timid?”

“I’m timid, Hyung.”

“Yeah, Bijoo is timid. But I’m talking about the rest of you. Since when have you been so nervous?”

They were used to being on camera these days, but they seemed a bit tense because it was their first reality show recording.

For a brief moment, they looked like they did when they were trainees.

It was understandable.

It was every idol’s dream to debut and do a reality show like this.

As Woojoo joked around and relaxed them, their faces quickly returned to normal.

“Puhaha, can I eat this?”

…Woojoo made them too relaxed.

After the chaotic set was ready, the PD who had rolled up the script came over.

“We’ll record in a few cuts. You probably heard this already, but your reality show concept is similar to a beauty show.”

HBS MTV Reality ‘It’s the New Black.’

As they heard in the pre-meeting, their reality show was a bit different from other idols.

Usually, idol reality shows showed their travel or daily life, but in their case, they had studio recordings as well.

The main writer said this.

“You guys have a different personality and vibe from other boys your age, so I thought it would be fun to do it that way. You guys just chat and have fun with each other.”

Maybe it was because the PD had worked on a beauty program before, so he decided to go with a similar format.

They filmed VCRs for the reality show, and then commented on them in the studio.

The PD continued his explanation.

“Of course, we’ll also have some events in the studio besides the comments. You’ll find out about that later.”

He smiled mysteriously as he turned to the camera, and Woojoo felt uneasy.

Woojoo heard that he was going to implement the proposals they submitted before.

He asked the PD as he walked away, “You guys didn’t submit anything weird, right?”

“What do you mean, weird? I just said I wanted to do something like a debate.”

“I only said I wanted to exercise together.”

“Hyung, did you say you wanted to do something physical?”

“It’s fun if we do it together.”

Junghyun’s casual remark made Woojoo and the other brothers sigh and frown.

“Junghyun, please do that by yourself.”

“Yeah, you do it. Junghyun.”

“Hyung, we agreed to only do breathing exercises together, except for practice.”

“…Huh, what? The shot already went in?”

When did they start filming?

Woojoo saw a blinking light on the camera number three on the side.

The camera director who was looking through the viewfinder was smiling.

Did they film everything they were talking about from the beginning?

No way.

The PD who had the script under his arm also smiled and gave them a sign.

“Okay, let’s start. High, cue!”

They greeted the viewers as written on the cue card.

“Hello, everyone, this is the first reality show of New Black after our debut.”

“It’s the New Black!”

“…Welcome to the show.”

“Woohoo!”

They clapped and cheered like seals. They memorized the cue card content as soon as they got it, so they naturally gestured with their hands.

“Alright, then let’s introduce ourselves to the viewers first.”

“Demo! Show us a demo.”

“Uh, please be careful with your pronunciation. Yes, I’ll go first. Hello, I’m Woojoo, the charismatic leader and lead vocal of New Black! Nice to meet you!”

“Woohoo.”

The younger members who were clapping for Woojoo quickly changed the topic.

“It looked like your cheeks were trembling when you said charismatic.”

“That’s an illusion. I don’t get nervous.”

“Your hand is clenched like a chicken foot, Hyung.”

“I like clenching my hand.”

“Oh, then do you like omurice?”

“I don’t like it.”

“That’s too bad. I like it.”

There was a lot of nonsense going on, but this part was actually suggested by the PD and the writers.

They said it was okay to go off-topic as long as they had fun chatting.

Woojoo was a bit flustered at first.

Was this really okay?

But when he glanced at them, the writers gave him an okay sign.

They finished introducing themselves and started watching the VCR.

“Today’s prepared video is… They tried everything to eat kimchi dumplings, the so-called Rihyuk & Bijoo’s kimchi dumpling making!”

“The trend is idol who completed military service, Leader Woojoo’s reserve training!”

“They smashed the rest area. The cute, handsome, and popular maknae Jiho and rapper Junghyun’s rest area food tour is ready!”

“Your introduction was very biased, wasn’t it?”

“Agreed.”

“…Then let’s watch it!”

They laughed at the natural-born maknae who casually turned the conversation. Woojoo unconsciously reached out to pat his head, but he was too far away.

While the VCR was being prepared, Woojoo made a gesture with his hand, and Jiho stuck out his head and pretended to be patted.

Rihyuk slapped his hand away, and Jiho acted like he fell behind the sofa, making the production staff laugh for a moment.

“Oh, here it comes. Here it comes.”

The first order was the members’ personal VCRs.

They each made a video introducing themselves, and the first one was their youngest.

He looked at the camera with sleepy eyes and got up from the bed with a puffy face.

Jiho: Hello. This is our dorm. Um, I heard this is a video for self-introduction… Yes, I’m Jiho. Haaah~

The Hyungs clapped like seals and liked his mouth-gaping expression in the studio.

Jiho said in agony, “Please, please blur me out.”

“It’s okay. You look good in your natural state.”

Then, the video showed Jiho pointing the camera at Woojoo, who was sleeping next to him on the second floor bed.

Jiho: This is Woojoo Hyung. He’s really pretty even when he sleeps, right? But he has a very bad personality.

Woojoo: (Sleep-talking) Grandma, I have a lot of money.

Jiho: (Covering his mouth and laughing) Pffft.

Woojoo said to the production staff, “Please edit out the yawn just now.”

“Didn’t you say you liked his natural state?”

“Well, the situation changes depending on the time.”

Junghyun pretended to know.

“Oh, I’ve seen this proverb. It’s called ‘favoring the outsider over the insider’.”

“That…”

Rihyuk tried to explain something, but he just brushed his hair back.

Well, they would edit this out anyway.

The writer made a note in his notebook, which meant he got the editing point.

It was a bit of a word to say on an idol reality show.

Meanwhile, the youngest in the video approached their second youngest, who was washing rice in the kitchen.

Jiho: My daily routine is like this. I wake up in the morning and help him make breakfast.

“We didn’t know that.”

“You guys were all asleep.”

“Jiho, I didn’t know either,” Bijoo said, and the youngest threw him a hand heart.

“Hey, why are you like that?”

The reaction on the spot was not good.

After a fierce diss for a while, the VCR viewing continued.

Bijoo: What is this? Reality?

Jiho: Yes, please say hello.

Bijoo: Hello. I’m Bijoo, Jiho’s brother.

Jiho: Can you tell me about the kimchi fried rice you’re making?

He immediately explained the recipe, and the youngest showed his clumsy attempt to help him make breakfast.

Jiho: Eek!

Crash!

Jiho: Eeek!

Bang!

Bijoo: …

Jiho: Hyung.

Bijoo: (Trying to stay calm)

Jiho: You seem to be in a bad condition today.

Bijoo: Jiho.

Jiho: Yes.

Bijoo: Go and get some more sleep…

They clapped and laughed together as they watched from the studio.

“Bijoo doesn’t usually say anything bad, but our Jiho is really amazing.”

“He almost achieved a feat.”

“That’s what happens when you do something that people don’t do.”

“No way.”

Jiho said to Bijoo, “Hyung, please say something. Did I help?”

“Uh… yes.”

“Tell me objectively, Hyung. In percentage.”

“About 3 percent…?”

“Wow, 3 percent. That’s like the correct rate for a difficult problem.”

They ignored the youngest who was glaring at them and continued the conversation.

While the VCR that captured the daily lives of each member was playing, they added comments as best as they could.

Woojoothought these videos that came out first would be useful for creating the initial characters.

And then, the long-awaited VCR viewing time.

“Puhahaha!”

They rolled off the sofa and tumbled on the set as the scene of the kimchi pot exploding came on.

It was a totally unexpected scene.

The staff who saw the video for the first time also laughed along.

“Yeah. Laugh, laugh.”

“We did our best, Rihyuk.”

Only the two of them swallowed their tears as they looked at the studio ceiling.

No wonder.

When Woojoo came back to the dorm, he wondered why the smell of kimchi kept coming from somewhere. It was that.

By the way, their Mrs. Kim Deoksoon’s voice was broadcasted.

Woojoo had to call her and let her know when the recording was over.

In the end, the VCR ended with the two of them giving up on kimchi dumplings and cleaning up.

The next thing that followed was Woojoo’s reserve army video.

“Hyung.”

Bijoo asked Woojoo with his eyebrows fluttering. It was the first time Woojoo saw him look so sorry.

“Wasn’t that mascot popular?”

“No…”

“Huh, that’s weird. I saw on the blog that people who went to the army liked that mascot.”

“That’s a fishing article, Hyung.”

“Hyung, why are you so gullible? It’s not the time to take care of us, but yourself.”

As the youngest one said some nonsense, Woojoo threw a punch in the air at him, and Jiho pretended to block it with a shield.

Then he counterattacked Woojoo with a punch in the air.

“Reflection.”

The others laughed and clapped like seals at Woojoo’s short answer, while the youngest one trembled with anger.

“Do it again. I want to see that rainbow reflection.”

“No way.”

Woojoo teased him mercilessly, and Jiho made a face for the camera.

He wasn’t really mad.

He knew he looked ugly when he got angry.

After the video of Woojoo’s military enlistment and discharge, the story of Junghyun and Jiho finally came out.

It was the footage we took while visiting the village in Yeoncheon County after filming Animal Friends.

It was only a two-day shoot, but they felt attached to the place, and they smiled involuntarily at the sight of the grandpas and grandmas on the screen.

They were all doing well.

Im Soonhyun: That Woojoo…? Oh, he’s such a sweetie. I felt so good after he gave me a massage. Rihyuk also helped me clean the house, so my Dusik is behaving well these days… (beep) He’s happy. Come again!

They smiled warmly at their greetings.

The production team had deliberately edited the video to highlight those moments.

They seemed to be riding on the popularity of Around the World With Dice.

After the village tour, they saw Junghyun and Jiho having fun at the rest area.

They bought snacks from the convenience store, tteokbokki and odeng from the stall, and twisted potatoes.

They ate with gusto.

Just when they thought the video was over, they saw Rihyuk and Bijoo failing at making kimchi dumplings.

Rihyuk opened his eyes wide.

“What? You didn’t turn off the camera?”

“Uh, I did. Jiho turned it off.”

“Wasn’t it you, Hyung?”

“Not me. You were holding the camera.”

“We’re in trouble.”

Rihyuk looked at Woojoo nervously.

What was wrong?

The camera they casually threw away showed them eating deliciously on the screen.

Everyone: Ah, we miss Woojoo Hyung.

After the caption showed 3 seconds, they started eating as if nothing happened.

Bijoo: It’s good.

Rihyuk: Of course, food is better than the leader. Hey, Wang Jihyo, stop making that slurping noise.

Jihyo: But Woojoo Hyung must be eating well, right? (Slurping in Rihyuk’s ear)

Junghyun: (Blocking the two who were throwing cat punches at each other) Well, he must be. But can we eat this pig’s feet?

Woojoo narrowed his eyes right away. The camera caught the reaction of his siblings who were flustered.

That was how the VCR viewing ended.

“Cut! Let’s take a break and go!”

Woojoo had a sincere conversation with his siblings for a while.

***

After finishing the shooting at the HBS building, they went out for the afternoon shooting with the production team.

In the moving car.

“Woojoo Hyung, how do you feel now?”

“I’m fine.”

“He’s sulking, that one. He’s sulking. Give him some red ginseng quickly.”

They handed Woojoo some red ginseng, and he sucked it.

He was just narrowing his eyes for the camera, but inside he was enjoying the reaction.

As soon as he ate the red ginseng and pretended to relax, they started a serious discussion among themselves about how effective it was.

Woojoo smiled quietly.

They went down to the street with the reality production team and started shooting from Hongik University Station.

“We’re here at the street of youth, Hongdae!”

“Let me correct that. The street of youth is Jonggak.”

“Junghyun, take him away.”

They got rid of the righteous one and continued shooting.

When the broadcast camera and the five pretty idols came together, people flocked in no time.

Of course, it wasn’t that crowded since it was a weekday lunchtime.

“Wow! I know them.”

“Right? New Black?”

Woojoo heard the whispers in his ears.

When he heard the younger ones call New Black ‘them’…

Woojoo was happy. Yeah. Keep calling them that.

The people who passed by stopped for a moment and wondered what it was, then went on their way. Some of them stared at their faces with curiosity.

There were also some who were making a fuss among themselves.

The broadcast camera had a strange power.

When they were among ourselves, everyone would go “Huh?” and then “Wow!” with surprised eyes, but when there was a broadcast camera, people would gather with relaxed faces.

“Two, three.”

“Hello, we are New Black!”

The content they did for the first episode of their reality show was promotion.

A kind of broadcast promotion.

The effect was not big, but it was good for filling up the time, and it had the advantage of being able to do word-of-mouth marketing through SNS and such.

They walked around Hongdae and greeted the passers-by while handing out promotional materials.

The reaction was pretty good.

People who didn’t know them would look at the broadcast camera and go “Hmm” and those who knew them would show opposite reactions.

They would either feel very close to them, or they would go “Eek” and cover their faces in front of the camera while taking the promotional materials.

After three hours.

They finished filming in Sinchon and Hongdae, and they heard a rumbling sound from their stomachs.

“Hyung.” Junghyun whispered loudly, “I’m hungry.”

“Uh, okay.”

Woojoo thought they should eat something quickly, seeing him stomping his feet like an angry bear.

Just when Woojoo was about to look for a place to eat.

“Ah.”

He remembered a suitable place.

A grilled intestine restaurant in Hongdae.

They were going to prepare for a fan meeting soon and go on a diet, so he thought he should feed them something delicious before that.

When Woojoo said he would buy them a meal because they worked so hard, the production staff smiled happily.

“But there aren’t many customers here.”

“Maybe it’s because of that cow, what, disease that’s going around.”

Woojoo heard it was a very popular place, but there were no customers.

Maybe it was because the break time had just ended.

Then, the waiter saw the camera and widened his eyes.

“Are you celebrities?”

“Uh, yes. We are…”

“One moment.”

He disappeared into the kitchen and came back soon.

“Well, the boss said he would grill it himself because you are filming a show. He said he would give it to you for free.”

“Oh, really?”

The director started to set up the camera at the word free.

And the younger ones asked Woojoo, “Hyung, is this…”

“Right.”

Woojoo smiled and said that, when the door of the store opened with a bang and a man with a fierce expression ran in.

“Hahaha!”

He greeted them with a hearty laugh.

“Wow, I heard you were filming a show… Huh?”

The smiling face of Seo Jihyung froze when he saw them.