Chapter 41: Survival Entertainment Show - Unit (9)

“Whoa. What is that?”

“Oh my gosh! That almost gave me a heart attack. Ah, that’s so scary!”

Around forty zombies swarmed in, conquering the broadcasting station’s hallway. Gasps of surprise and sharp intakes of breath echoed as we passed by. The VJ looked on with interest, and celebrities we happened to bump into were startled and stepped aside.

“It’s kind of like a horror parade. Like something you’d see in a haunted house.”

It was definitely a march that stood out in many ways.

"Team D, over here. Oh, this way..." A staff member opened the curtain backstage for us and stepped aside. We received unique attention as we entered.

“Wow... Who came up with this concept? It looks like it's going to be really fun this time,” Director Kim Shin-Sik commented with a hearty laugh backstage. Beside him, Producer Lee Won-Jae chimed in, "It’s not often that the director finds something this entertaining. You should take that as a high compliment!"

"Thank you!"

While we were talking with the director, the dancers took their positions on the stage.

“Now, the next stage!” The voice of announcer Jeong Gyu-Chan filled the air. He leaned back to look behind the stage and then exclaimed, “Wow, it’s total chaos back here! The next stage is Team D's, and just from what’s prepared, I can sense a legendary stage is about to start! Let's see what kind of stage they have prepared! Team D's performance, begin!”

The introduction video for Team D played, showcasing our initial awkward meeting two weeks ago, our journey of growing closer while living together, and clips of us dedicatedly practicing. The broadcast would likely feature more detailed scenes, offering a deeper insight into our preparation process.

"Team D, please move to the back of the set.”

A staff member with a flashlight in hand guided us to our entry point on the stage. As the music started, we could hear the dancers’ footsteps above us.

“We got this.”

“Let’s do well.”

“Whew, let’s do this.”

In the darkness beneath the stage, we bumped fists, bolstering each other's spirits. This performance wasn't just challenging; it required our absolute concentration. With so many people involved, a slight lapse in focus could lead to accidents.

As the intro concluded, we moved in sync toward the stage. After being stunned by the sight of zombies on stage, the audience burst into cheers at our entrance. We quickly took our positions, while the dancers executed their movements with precision. The choreography was tight and intricate, leaving no room for error.

Before we even started our part, there was a hard-hitting dance break, signaling the start of a performance that would be remembered long after the survival show concluded.

***

It was like a horror show that, despite being scary and making one shout, “What is this? This is scary!” They just couldn’t stop watching. The dancers weren’t just backing up the singers; each one of them twisted and trembled their bodies as if convulsing, embodying zombies.

“Wow, I love this kind of thing.”

It was fortunate for our team that a zombie-themed American show was popular at the time.

Some people trembled in fear, while others watched the aggressive zombies with excitement.

Then...

Bang! Bang!

Gunshots echoed on the stage.

“Eek!”

“Ah! Ugh!”

Screams erupted from here and there, even though no real zombies appeared. Some people in the audience prepared to cover their eyes, looking uneasy. Whether they found it disgusting or scary, this stage certainly captivated them more than any other.

As the gunshots ceased, siren sounds followed. After that, amidst the red and green lights, a spotlight shone down, revealing Team D. Their eyes were filled with wariness amidst the zombies.

“Kyaaah! It’s On-Sae!”

“Ji-Hyuk!”

“Hyun-Woo, in the center! That’s Hyun-Woo, right?”

“Hyun-Woo’s the center! I told you he would be the center. Look!”

“Crazy, their outfits today are amazing.”

Team D was dressed in what appeared to be special forces gear, and the members were on the level of Avengers. Outshining the other highly skilled members, Suh Hyun-Woo was undoubtedly the center.

Seeing him, fans of Chronos excitedly hugged each other and made a fuss. The stage was filled with numerous zombies, stage smoke, and lights simulating lasers, along with their oppas[1] holding guns—it was a perfect world for fans. In this unique stage, Suh Hyun-Woo was the protagonist of an apocalyptic world, dominating the stage.

“Hyun-Woo, you are so cool!”

No matter how grotesque or frightening the zombies appeared, Team D's fans found only elegance in the performance of their favorite members. Gracefully, the members moved to their designated spots on the dimly lit, fog-enshrouded stage. Now, the subdued zombies started their slow, menacing approach.

After cheering for a while, the fans now watched with bated breath. Then, the dance break exploded right from the opening, captivating the audience with its intense, almost otherworldly edge.

After that, the stage went dark again, and a lyrical melody flowed out, silencing the stage.

“When the clouds cover the moon.”

Among the slowly moving zombies, the only one in the spotlight was Suh Hyun-Woo. Holding the mic close and feigning an angry expression, he showed an edgy side that even the Chronos fans had never seen before.

“Wow-!” An exclamation of admiration burst out from the audience. It wasn’t just because Suh Hyun-Woo had performed his first part flawlessly, but the situation on stage was incredibly immersive. About forty dancers ran toward Suh Hyun-Woo in slow motion, while the other members moved in perfect sync. It was as if they had scripted the entire scenario just for this moment, filled with horror elements. It was nearly impossible for anyone to divert their gaze from the captivating performance.

The transition of members—from Suh Hyun-Woo to Woo Ji-Hyuk, then to Cha Woo-Jeong, followed by Yoo On-Sae and Shin Ha-Yoon coming forward in the chorus—was seamless. As the dance experts of Team D, Yoo On-Sae and Shin Ha-Yoon skillfully upheld a stable live performance while executing intense dances throughout the chorus.

However, not everyone was satisfied with this performance.

“Hey, is he not going to appear on the stage?”

“It's better if he doesn’t show up. The popular kids are taking all the screen time. It's really unfair if he appears like this.”

In the audience, sitting a bit further away from the cheering fans, some people were grumbling and only looking at the pamphlet.

“There’s only one team left now. This show is really harsh on our kids.”

“Exactly. Even if their agency doesn’t have much power, the producer should distribute the screen time properly once he decides to make them perform. Ah, this is frustrating.”

The ones grumbling were the fans of Air Senior. Apart from Team C led by Kang Joo-Han, Air Senior’s representation was lacking in every group.

“The kids are not less popular because of their skills. It's just that the stages are performance-oriented. Look at Team C, our kid did well. Why do they have no part in other teams? It’s so frustrating.” Air Senior’s fans let out a deep sigh. Excluding Team D, which was currently performing, there was only one team left.

“Look carefully. It's dark, but our kid might be on the stage somewhere.”

“I’m watching.”

In fact, they weren’t sure if any of the Air Senior members were at this stage. The lighting was dimmed to create an eerie atmosphere, making it hard to recognize the faces of those who did not have lines.

The fans of Air Senior seemed to have given up their search. “We’ve passed the part where he would usually appear...”

It was more of a situation where they had no choice but to give up. Air Senior was a group specialized in vocals. If some of their members could dance well, they would have had more parts. Sadly, they couldn’t. Anyway, all the vocal parts of the first verse had been taken by other popular members. It was too dark to see well, and it was unlikely that a group that usually only sang would incorporate a rap...

“Huh...? Oh? Wook?”

“What?”

“Why is our Wook there?”

They had been longing to see Kim Jin-Wook, and now he had appeared. However, his fans were stunned for a while, unable to respond properly.

“...Ah! Jin-Wook!”

His fans seemed as if they were about to burst into tears at any moment. Their favorite idol was rapping—not singing or dancing but chanting a charismatic rap filled with such a deep, forceful tone!

For the fans of Air Senior, this was almost like the entrance of the main character. Kim Jin-Wook led the members of Team D, stood at the forefront, and walked toward the stage. His rap was delivered like a chant and carried such a strong presence that not only Air Senior's fans but also other audiences were exclaiming in admiration. He did quite well, no... exceptionally well!

"Did Jin-Wook used to rap?"

"I don't know, probably not. Wasn't everything he released before joining Air Senior a ballad?"

"Dang. He must be a genius. I think I'm about to cry." The fans wondered how Team D's members recognized Kim Jin-Wook's talent better than the agency that had been taking care of him for at least a year. This wasn’t just a rap that sounded like a narration. It was a real rap!

"Ugh!"

As Kim Jin-Wook's part came to an end, Air Senior's fans were almost in tears. While it was a bit disappointing to see someone who sang well rap, he displayed good enough skill to make up for the disappointment.

It was especially satisfying to see other members of Team D give strength to Kim Jin-Wook's part. Since Air Senior was a group with not much popularity, other members of Team D could have given Kim Jin-Wook fewer parts and increased their own without anyone complaining. However, they willingly assigned the pivotal part to Kim Jin-Wook and gave him a big role in the leading choreography.

After Kim Jin-Wook's part, the second dance break by Yoo On-Sae and Street Center's duo followed. In the first part, they presented a dance portraying an attack by a zombie horde, and in the dance break, they demonstrated a peculiar dance as if they had transformed into zombies.

From a lying down position, the three of them managed to stand up using the strength of their legs and waist alone, showcasing a stunt. Their arms and legs were twisted and bent strangely, visualizing zombies.

Already accustomed to the zombie horde, the audience cheered loudly at the intense dance of the three. Meanwhile, the fans of Chronos started to murmur, following the fans of Air Senior.

"Why isn't our Hyun-Woo in the dance break?"

Suh Hyun-Woo had been in charge of choreography in Chronos along with Lee Jin-Sung, but he did not appear in this dance part.

"No way, why isn't Hyun-Woo included? Are they crazy?"

"Are they jealous of the popular members?"

It was understandable that they thought like this. After all, some idols, especially popular ones, were sensitive about the distribution of parts when working in a new group. For his fans, regardless of how many vocal parts Suh Hyun-Woo had, it was unacceptable for a dance expert like him not to appear in a dance break.

'I'm waving the light stick out of courtesy, but... it was too disappointing

.’

That was how the fans of Chronos were inwardly and outwardly expressing their disappointment when the long dance part concluded. When the strong beat that filled the venue disappeared, the stage went dark for a moment, and then bright light flowed in with blue lighting.

In the eerie smoke and still eerie atmosphere, two people came forward. They were Suh Hyun-Woo and Kim Jin-Wook.

1. In Korean culture, the term "oppa" (??) is commonly used by females to address or refer to an older male, especially one who is close to them, such as an older brother, friend, or boyfriend. It is a term of endearment and respect and is used to show affection and familiarity. ?