BIFF Buzz and Shanghai Fan Storm
Suhyeon made a dazzling entrance at BIFF, drawing attention from crowds, and thanks to the consideration of Seong Kang-ho and Kim Hae-su—his co-stars on the drama—he got to mingle with filmmakers, directors, writers, and actors they introduced. He familiarized himself with their faces, shared meals, and built rapport.
After successfully navigating the two-day festival schedule, Suhyeon returned to Seoul and dove straight back into filming Moonlight Escort at the Yangsu-ri set.
Three days after the festival, around lunchtime, Suhyeon hopped into a van bound for Incheon Airport for on-location shooting in Shanghai for Special Investigation Unit.
"Phew. I wish I could go with you..."
"Come on, hyung. I'm not a kid—stop worrying."
"Still, sending you overseas alone without a manager... it makes me uneasy."
"I'm not going alone anyway. The drama crew's with me—what's there to worry about? We'll wrap up by lunchtime tomorrow and fly back. It's just a half-day trip; no need to fret."
"Those guys are so stingy. They could've just bought an extra ticket for your manager..."
"KBC is a public broadcaster funded by taxpayer money, so they're probably pinching pennies on production costs. And hyung, you're misunderstanding something... In the drama, I'm just a supporting villain actor. Even leads on three-day shoots bring only a stylist. How could I drag you along? It's not like you'll need to drive me around in China..."
"Even so..."
"Quit worrying and just pick me up when I get back."
"Of course."
Moments later, Suhyeon arrived at Incheon Airport, slung a light travel bag over his shoulder, and headed to the spot the drama team had designated.
Meanwhile, in an office at that very hour, three men sat around a round table in a meeting.
The man who seemed the boss—a cold-faced figure in his mid-40s wearing gold-rimmed glasses—spoke in a heavy tone.
"We need to make the final call here together. Seong-ho, play it."
"Yes, sir. Got it, Team Leader."
The burly, skinhead man in his late 30s, addressed by name, pulled out his phone and hit play. Haiyu's Moon and My Story began filling the office.
When the song ended, the team leader spoke again.
"Next, the live performance footage."
"Yes, sir."
Soon, the live recording from the PyeongChang Winter Olympics commemorative concert poured out.
After it finished, the team leader sighed and continued.
"Phew. You got the next one?"
The man called Seong-ho replied.
"Yes. I asked the rookie planning team to snag it. One sec."
A moment later, Laputa—Muran's unreleased debut track—started playing.
When it wrapped, the team leader bit his lip, face stiff, silent for a long beat before letting out a deep sigh.
"Haa... Damn it. This is driving me insane."
No one responded to his lament; silence hung over the room.
Finally, the team leader broke it.
"Couldn't get the BBG track?"
"No, sir. Only the members have it right now..."
"Can't be helped. Min-seok."
The quiet, gaunt man in his mid-30s with prominent cheekbones answered.
"Yes, hyung—no, Team Leader."
"No one's else around—just speak freely. Min-seok, you and Seong-ho have been in music forever, so you might have biases... Tell us your take. This is the final decision meeting—be honest, no holding back."
"What do I know about music? I'm just a programmer."
"That's why I'm asking. I want the average listener's gut reaction. No more pride—we're past that. We need a plan."
"Well... okay. To me, the music just sounds really good. Fresh and novel. And lastly..."
"Last?"
"Weirdly, it pulls you in—no distractions. You focus completely."
"Yeah?"
"Yes. Other songs have parts that grate or break your immersion now and then... These flow like water. Super clean."
"Got it. Seong-ho, you?"
"Phew. You've analyzed it plenty, Team Leader, but as someone with over 20 years in the game, I broke it down too. First off, the instrumentation and arrangement differ wildly from norms. In Moon and My Story, piano's barely there—just light pitch and chord support, like the composer's clueless about it. Drums skip cymbals almost entirely."
"Right. Drums are basic toms, just keeping beat."
"Yeah. Heavy on strings, like that's all he knows—no keyboards. You know strings like violin tug at emotions, that desperate pull that hooks you deeper each listen. Even in the live, they added the Korean two-string fiddle for fresh arrangement."
"They did."
"So the whole track flows smooth—no pops or bangs to jolt you. Way off standard composition."
"When I first heard it, I thought some classical major made it... but the vibe was totally different."
"Exactly. It's soaked in Eastern sentiment. Classical feels Western, alien... This has rhythms and tones like ancient folk tunes you've known forever. No resistance."
"And Laputa?"
"Phew. Gut feeling, Team Leader... Feels like the composer's evolved a step. Uses new instruments absent before, but fits idol energy—peppy drums and piano mesh perfectly. Builds on the string-heavy prior style, adopts trendy structures without losing that Eastern essence."
"Conclusion?"
"All killer tracks from a composer with real learning curve."
"Seong-ho, last meeting—be straight."
"Sigh. He's a genius. Mid-20s dropping this level? No other word."
"Same as me. I've composed plenty... He's a genius. And unique—no teacher vibes, no influences. Plenty of idols dabble in composing, but this guy's different. Feels like a late-career master with a solidified world. Honestly... that's scarier."
"What's the plan?"
"Treat a genius like a genius."
"Meaning?"
"No choice—go straight at it. Meet, lay cards on table. Botch tricks with a genius, and we're worse off."
The team leader suddenly shouted, something clicking.
"Ah! Right—that bastard pup, what's his status?"
"Processed resignation already."
"Rotten punk. Haa... Without him, we wouldn't be this cornered."
"Water under the bridge, Team Leader. When do we meet?"
"Sooner the better now it's decided. Back tomorrow?"
Min-seok replied.
"Yes, sir. Lunch flight home."
"Ask for tomorrow evening. Need to lock positions fast."
"Got it."
Meanwhile, as the flight from Incheon neared Shanghai Pudong Airport after two hours, Seong Kang-ho turned to Suhyeon beside him.
"Suhyeon, first time in China?"
"Yes, hyung. First in this life."
"Idols travel abroad a lot, I hear."
"Japan and Southeast Asia a few times, but China’s new."
"Huh. Any spots you wanna hit?"
"Yungzhong Mountain in Hubei Province."
"Yungzhong? First I've heard... Tourist spot?"
"Not really... Big Romance of the Three Kingdoms fan, and descendants of Zhuge Liang lived there. Wanna check it out."
"Cool. Miss it this time, chance'll come soon."
Suhyeon thought inwardly.
Time's eroded most traces, but secret spots like Ancestral Master Cave might've survived. Gotta swing by ASAP...
The plane touched down at Pudong. Suhyeon disembarked with the drama crew and other actors.
As the group finished immigration and headed to the lobby, airport police blocked them.
A young PD fluent in Chinese talked to the cops, then reported back.
"Fans swarmed the lobby suddenly—too risky for accidents. Wait till they control it."
Seong Kang-ho asked.
"Whose fans? Not mine. Hae-su's?"
"No. Fist's—Suhyeon's fans piled up huge. That shaving scene aired recently; his popularity spiked these days."
Seong Kang-ho clapped Suhyeon's shoulder.
"You'll be China-bound often now. Time then for Zhuge Liang."
Soon, with control in place, the group emerged into the lobby.
Police lined up ahead; behind, Chinese fans held pickets and sketchbooks.
WELCOME! FIST!
FIST, I LOVE YOU
WELCOME, SUHYEON
I LOVE SUBIN
Suhyeon spotted the welcoming messages for him, flashed a charming smile, and waved lightly. Screams erupted, shaking the airport.
Suhyeon and the group barely escaped to the waiting cars outside.