Moon and My Story Lights Up the Night
Tring tring~
"Goodbye. Take care."
Jo Seo-hyeon gave a crisp farewell in her cheerful voice, wiped down the spot where the customer had eaten with a rag, sorted the trash for recycling, and returned to the counter. It was past the peak evening rush at the convenience store—8 to 11 p.m.—and with customers thinning out, she leisurely pulled out her phone at the counter. She checked for KakaoTalk messages from friends, then browsed her usual sites and cafes.
Jo Seo-hyeon loved music and enjoyed belting out songs at noraebang with friends. While surfing the web, she noticed it was past midnight and habitually logged into [Melbang] to see if any new singles had dropped. She connected to [Melbang], the music download site she visited religiously every night without fail, and scrolled through the latest tracks.
'Red-Cheeked Adolescence's We're Gonna Date and Edie Jung's Will a Long Night Come? are holding first and second. Already downloaded those... Anything new?'
That's when Jo Seo-hyeon's eyes caught a track at #48 on the new releases: Moon and My Story.
'Looks like a ballad from the title... Who's the artist? Oh. Haiyu. Was there news about a new Haiyu single recently? Did I miss it because I've been busy... Should I download it anyway.'
Tring tring~
"Welcome."
As a customer entered the store, Jo Seo-hyeon reflexively greeted them and, while they browsed the shelves, played the now-downloaded track. A sweet yet somehow lonely string melody blended with faint, steady drum rhythms, and Haiyu's lyrical voice began to flow.
Listening intently to the unfamiliar song, focusing on the lyrics, Jo Seo-hyeon felt her heart pounding harder with every passing moment. The words felt so much like her own story that her emotions synced up without her realizing it. The pain of her past mirroring the lyrics, the harsh reality she was enduring, the fear of her future—it all dragged her down, and she struggled to hold back the crumbling feelings.
Then, suddenly, a narration began.
It was soft, like a gentle embrace soothing her wounds.
Jo Seo-hyeon perked up her ears, listening closely, her emotions swelling until she felt tears about to burst forth.
Reaching the narration's climax, a deep male voice cried out in excited English, powerful and forceful. Haiyu's soft, sweet voice responded in kind, their narration harmonizing in English and Korean.
"You can do everything, you can be everything."
"You can do anything you want, you can become anyone you wish to be."
"We cheer you on, we love you forever."
"We always root for you, we love you eternally."
Never give up!!
No matter the hardship, never give up!!
In that instant, Jo Seo-hyeon could no longer hold back. She collapsed onto the counter, shoulders shaking as she burst into sobs.
The customer, who had finished shopping, stood at the counter with a bewildered look. "Hey, miss. Why are you suddenly crying?"
"Sob sob... Sorry, sir... The song is just... Waaah... Mom... Waaah~"
Jo Seo-hyeon's sobs grew louder, turning into full-blown wails.
Flustered by the sudden scene, the customer gawked with wide eyes, one hand holding a hangover remedy drink [Endure It], the other clutching a cup ramen, frozen in place at the counter.
Meanwhile, Kim Myeong-seok stepped out of a luxury foreign car in the parking lot of a Cheongdam-dong Xi apartment complex. He handed over the keys, bowing deeply at the waist. "Thank you, boss. Call me anytime."
Heading out of the complex, waiting for the next designated driving call, he walked toward Gangnam Station, muttering to himself. "First customer's tip was generous... Looks like I'll head home with some decent cash today."
His phone buzzed. Kim Myeong-seok answered swiftly. "Hello?"
[Dad...]
"Oh, my beloved daughter. Calling this late? You should be asleep."
[Just got back from the study room.]
Sensing something off in her voice, Kim Myeong-seok pressed urgently. "Suyeong! What's wrong with your voice? Have you been crying? What happened? Something at the study room?"
[No... Just wanted to hear your voice.]
"What is it? Tell Dad. Someone bullying you at school?"
[Nothing like that. You're working so hard without sleep to earn money, so I called to cheer you on. Dad... I love you.]
Flustered by the unusual late-night call from his daughter, his phone buzzed again. A text from her:
Unable to make sense of the sudden situation, Kim Myeong-seok baffledly clicked the linked song in her message. He listened as he hurried toward the bustling Gangnam Station.
His hurried steps slowed. Moments later, he stopped in the street, looked around, then shuffled to a shadowy spot by an apartment wall out of sight and slumped down.
Then he began sobbing uncontrollably.
Moon and My Story, uploaded at midnight without fanfare or promotion while most slept, began spreading quietly through SNS and KakaoTalk among night workers.
It climbed steadily, surging fiercely from 3 a.m. and settling at #10 on new releases by 5 a.m.
Broadcast stations' radio departments went into alert mode.
Park So-yeon, infamous among celebrities for her forgetfulness, jumped up as an ad break hit during her radio show. She stormed out of the booth, protesting loudly to the PD in charge of KBC 2FM's Park So-yeon's Refreshing Morning. "PD! What are you doing? Don't you see the requests? Four out of ten are for Haiyu's new song—why aren't you playing it?"
"Well... We don't have it ready yet."
"A radio station without a song ready? What nonsense is that? Even without a CD, just download the MP3 and play it. Want me to do it myself?"
"It's not that... Sigh. Haiyu's new track hasn't passed broadcast review yet. That's why we can't play it."
"What? The lyrics are clean—no swears, no politics. Why not? Is Haiyu blacklisted at KBC or something?"
"Don't say ridiculous things... Of course not. We submitted Moon and My Story for review just two days ago. It hasn't cleared yet. Blacklist? Don't spread that around—my head's on the line."
"Then how's it on music sites? People downloaded it, heard it, and now requesting on radio."
"Our station's still reviewing, but SBC already passed it... So it's up on sites."
"I see. Then rush the review... Oh, time."
"Review team won't be in for another four hours. KBC takes a week usually. Few more days."
"Can't be helped then. After this ad, I'll do the announcement like you said."
"No need to go that far, right?"
"Listeners will think I'm ignoring them otherwise. And this'll drag on for days... I can't do that. I'll announce it."
Park So-yeon whirled back into the booth like a gust, sat, and prepped her announcement. Outside, the PD paced anxiously, muttering worriedly. "Damn... Hope I don't end up writing a report."
Similar scenes unfolded across KBC and MBS radio shows.
Conversely, SBC Love FM and Power FM played Moon and My Story between segments, introducing it with varied flair.
As this continued, KBC and MBS listeners trickled to SBC radio.
One song rocked morning radio ratings across stations.
Kim Si-hoo, a deputy in YK's PR department for three years, arrived at the office at 7 a.m.—earlier than usual. His boss had ordered a press release for Haiyu's Moon and My Story by 9 a.m.
He set his bag by his desk, booted his computer, sat, and grumbled irritably. "Company has routines and rules—why go rogue alone? Thinks she's hot stuff now? Disgusting."
Already disliking Haiyu personally, Kim skimmed basic materials on Moon and My Story and started drafting. "Concept... A song to comfort and encourage struggling modern folks... Tch. Grand words. Thinks she's a soul-healing poet now? That shrill high-note screecher acting up after some fame. Haiyu's gotten big."
Checking charts online, he gaped. "What? Already #1 new, #3 overall? No promo—how? What's so special..."
He hastily downloaded Moon and My Story and hit play. After five straight listens, sniffling, he typed through tears. "What song makes you cry like this. Haiyu sings like a pro... Ugh, runny nose driving me nuts."
Blowing his nose, he hammered the keys.
Suhyeon had stayed up late tweaking Dispatch, arriving at YK later than usual. Heading to the practice room, Singer Team 2 Manager Jo was waiting like a wife reuniting with her long-lost husband after three years, dashing over and clinging to his arm.
"Aigoo, Suhyeon. Save me, please..."
"Manager Jo, you were like this yesterday... The song's doing great, isn't it? Why the drama?"
"I'm losing it. Chart performance exploded beyond expectations, so I booked tomorrow's SBC music show on short notice..."
"That's great. But?"
"Haiyu refuses to perform. I'm going crazy..."
"What? Why?"