Chapter 240: The "Bragging About My Bias" Contest
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 240: The "Bragging About My Bias" Contest
There was no way our I-wol would let his skin tan. He was a boy who valued sunscreen more than life itself.
Still, it was strange. Even standing between Lee Cheong-hyeon and Park Ju-woo, who both had fairly fair skin, Kim I-wol alone seemed to radiate a white glow.
After three minutes of searching, Baek Hae-won discovered the reason why Kim I-wol had finally set foot in the human realm.
≫ Word is I-wol changed his foundation.
He used to use an even brighter shade, but apparently, it stood out too much unless it was a solo shoot, so he decided to tone it down for group filming.
Sounds like he’s been mixing shades since In-My-Office.
└ Toning down to shade 17?
└ Then what shade was he using before?;;;; 13 or 15?
└ It’s not just the shade; his skin tone itself has a lot of blue undertones, so he usually has to buy his stuff through international shipping.
Testimonies poured in from those who had shared "holy grail" beauty tips with I-wol.
"They say it’s because he changed his makeup."
"No wonder."
Baek Hae-in nodded in understanding.
How bizarre. How did this guy, who doesn't even put toner on his own face, notice a change in I-wol?
Hae-won was curious, but not enough to actually ask. Finding her "baby" in the corner of the screen was a much more urgent use of her time than talking to her own flesh and blood.
After that... the spoilers she had seen on her timeline began to unfold as visual data before her eyes.
She had thought everyone was just making things up when they said Kim I-wol flashed a "cool guy" smile, but there he was, high-fiving Choi Je-ho after a successful basket, dealing massive AoE damage to Baek Hae-won’s heart.
It was also true that Park Ju-woo, the symbol of serenity, had shot his bow with a look of utter discomfort. Baek Hae-won, who couldn't handle the excitement when a handsome man showed such a "gap" in character, almost fainted while watching the TV.
"Are those guys playing Rice Barley in the back Spark too?"
Baek Hae-in asked, squinting at the corner of the screen.
Two massive men in black tracksuits were curing the boredom of the long wait with a game of Rice Barley.
...A version of Rice Barley that looked a bit too violent.
"That looks less like Rice Barley and more like they're hitting a punching machine," Baek Hae-in added, watching Choi Je-ho put some serious rotation into his punches.
"It’s just because our Je-ho hasn't done stuff like that much. He’ll adjust eventually."
"The guy taking the hits looks like he’s training his core for real, though?"
The camera caught Kim I-wol steadily bending his arms and hands to block Choi Je-ho’s punches aimed at his midsection.
≫ Who are those guys in the corner playing Rice Barley with 'Serious Punches'?
It feels like there’s a lot of emotion behind those fists.
└ Our boys aren't fighting, they're playing.
≫ The Rice Barley Guy could be a pro boxer.
He’s got a talent for hooks.
└ Kim I-wol, who’s blocking those with his palms, is just as scary.
└ Shouldn't I-wol go on a talent show and break pine boards?
└ Ranked #1 group where the younger members could never dream of a mutiny.
└ LOL
└ The older members are too strong for a mutiny.
≫ It’s so wholesome how they play.
Except for when they go to the fan section, all they do during the wait is play Rice Barley or give each other piggybacks.
Usually, when three members gather like Kku-yo Kku-yo, they’re supposed to explode, but there’s a bug so even with six, they don't.
└ "There’s a bug so even with six, they don't explode" << What is this? LMAO
└ They really stick together like glue. Looking at I-wol or Cheong-hyeon, it’s not like they lack social skills, though. hahahahaha
└ I used to think it was just a PR line when they said they have the most fun hanging out together, but now it feels real. They’re over there playing Rice Barley like their lives depend on it.
Baek Hae-won spoke as she scrolled through the flood of social media posts.
"I guess I-wol hasn't done stuff like that much either. My poor baby must not have had many friends. So cute."
"I told you, I was in the same class as him!"
"Since when were you 'friends' with I-wol? You were just an acquaintance who occupied the same classroom for a year."
Baek Hae-won snapped back coldly. By definition, "friends" were people who had entered a formal contract to spend 24 hours a day together for seven years. Only the commonalities shared between the only same-age members of a team could be called true friendship.
Adan-un was incredibly long. It was a relief that Spark participated in every event and ranked fairly high; otherwise, Baek Hae-won might have turned off the TV.
Still, she was enjoying herself. Her joy was beyond words, especially when Kim I-wol appeared for the ping-pong match.
His forearms and thighs were clearly visible beneath the lightweight black athletic gear that looked like it would flutter even without a breeze.
"Kim I-wol! Who told you to wear shorts in front of all these people!"
The floral-patterned pillow from her grandmother’s house was ruthlessly crushed in Baek Hae-won’s grip.
Why were ping-pong shorts so short? Why were they so short that they had to put Baek Hae-won through such a trial!
Her hand reached for her phone. Her fingers poured her agitated heart onto the screen.
≫ I can't curse because my younger cousins are here, but I’m seriously going crazy. I feel like I’ve wasted my entire life. You mean I’m only seeing Kim I-wol in a ping-pong uniform now? How could the world do this to me?
└ Spark, please come back to Adan-un next year... I can go to the weekday recordings then...
└ Take me with you... It’s really not easy being a high school student stanning Spark in Korea.
≫ Every time they catch Kim I-wol’s thighs on camera, I want to let out a massive cheer, but my mother's son is right next to me, so I’m just shutting my mouth and beating the hell out of this pillow.
└ Is your mother's son watching Adan-un too? LMAO
└ This is ridiculous. Why is he even watching Adan-un when he doesn't even have an idol to stan?
└ Should you try to recruit him into the fandom?
└ No, I can't show this kind of vagrant-like behavior to the kids.
└ You are strictly on Spark's side, aren't you...
≫ I guess they didn't put makeup on our I-wol’s arms and legs.
What’s the point of toning down his face when his limbs look like plaster statues?
└ Looking at the basketball uniforms, they would've had to do his whole body... lol. Maybe they ran out of time?
└ For real, the basketball uniform was all about his chest, and the ping-pong uniform is all about his thighs. You can't exactly dip the kid in foundation, so the conclusion is: it was awesome, so it's okay.
└ You can't really tell because the tracksuits are long-sleeved and long-pants, but the moment they take the outer layer off, you have to cover your mouth to stop the gasps. T_T
≫ Holidays are the best.
Sports are the best.
I’m not going to exercise, but anyway, it’s the best.
└ I wish Spark would exercise every single day.
└ I wish Spark would exercise every single day x2
└ Spark, exercise every single day (Mandatory)
└ It looks like they already do exercise every day.
└ Spark, exercise every single day >>in front of us<< (Mandatory)
Jeong Seong-bin, who also wore shorts for the vaulting event, had to endure Baek Hae-won’s fiery confession of love as well.
If there were a limit to how much love a human could give in a day, Baek Hae-won would have hit her quota within thirty minutes of Adan-un starting.
As Spark began picking up medals one by one in their suspicious-looking fashion, the online communities began to take notice.
≫ Summary of today’s Adan-un:
Spark entered every event.
Spark confirmed for the finals in every event.
Spark is sweeping all the medals. << NEW!
└ Showing that rookie grit for real.
└ Haven't seen this much venom since Hellas, lol.
└ I think Hellas and these guys are the only ones who entered every single event.
≫ You have to admit Kim Peps is serious about their activities.
Who else but Kim Peps would show up to a show like Adan-un wearing full protective gear...
└ For real, the Adan-un producers should bow down to Spark.
└ They’re working hard, sure, but bowing down? lol
└ The producers for Awangsil and this Adan-un are the same. Without Kim I-wol’s fighting spirit, neither would have gone this viral.
└ Didn't the same station film Awangsil and Shining Star? Is Spark appearing?
└ Yeah, the recording schedule was posted.
└ They’re going to be the "Sons of NBC" soon.
≫ When guys with good frames also have good athletic nerves, there’s just no competition.
The level of excitement is on a different scale.
└ They didn't go to that training camp for nothing. They were always "serious"...
└ Look at their muscles. Not a single one of them has soft arms.
└ Exactly, lol. It would be weirder if guys like that were bad at sports.
Beyond the sports, Spark also became a hot topic for other reasons: their unique beauty, their strange antics, and their overwhelming fan service.
≫ There’s a lost "Little Match Boy" wandering around Adan-un. Who is he? He’s handsome, but it feels like he might set the place on fire with those matches if things go south.
└ Passing Sparkler here! That’s Spark’s Gi-yeon!
└ A lost... Little Match Boy... LMAO
└ Our Gi-yeon’s face looks like the boss of an underground match-selling syndicate, but his heart is pure boy.
≫ I was waiting for my own boys to come out when I made eye contact with some guys gathered in front of a Princess Mirror. Oppas, you’re very handsome.
└ I looked to see how handsome they could be, and I was genuinely startled because they were actually that handsome.
└ But why that mirror, of all things...?
└ I wonder if their faces even fit in that mirror.
≫ Kim I-wol’s "Useful Info" is killing me.
I saw his hand was all blotchy and wondered what it was, but it turns out he was exchanging makeup info with fans;;;;
What are you even doing at a gymnasium, seriously? hahahahaha
└ I was confused at first too, but he said he was studying to look pretty for the fans... Is this what an idol is?
└ If you keep acting like this, you’ll have no choice but to be a genius idol.
≫ Our fan section was right next to the Sparklers, and Spark came over so often.
You could really see how much they care for their fans. Putting aside the material stuff (though they did provide a ton of material stuff too).
I’ve heard "Did you eat?" or "You must be tired from coming all this way" a lot, but...
"It’s frustrating because you can't hear us talking clearly, right? If this were self-produced content, we would've worn personal mics."
"It’s hard sitting for so long, isn't it? Shall we all stretch together?"
"It was a bit hot down in the arena, is it hot here? I came up to check in case you were hot. Is it okay?"
I’ve never seen idols like this. You can feel they want to take care of even the smallest details.
And they kept giving out food. The Sparkler next to us shared some madeleines with us... They said the place they got them from was famous, and they were actually delicious. I’d like to take this moment to say thank you.
└ I saw a post saying they gave out wet wipes, napkins, and even alcohol swabs, and I thought... these guys are obsessed...
└ Adan-un recordings are basically content that exploits fans, so it was touching how well they identified exactly where fans would be tired. T_T Whenever it got a bit uncomfortable, they’d come running with their hands full of stuff, asking, "Everyone, what do you need?!?!"
≫ Spark is kind of like...
The vibe of a grandfather who went to the market because he was worried his granddaughters would starve.
But because the grandfather literally swept the entire market, the granddaughters are now in a hellish battle of wits. hahahaha
└ If you eat, you’re too full; if you don't, he asks if it tastes bad. Both are a problem.
Thanks to their knack for creating memes in every variety show or self-produced content, Spark generated significant buzz with every activity.
Combined with consecutive appearances on major network programs, Spark’s public recognition skyrocketed. This likely played a huge role in Spark being able to take first place even under the disadvantageous conditions of their "last broadcast."
Their talent had been proven on the survival program, and their kindness and diligence were evidenced by the overwhelming number of cover songs and personal content they had accumulated compared to their peers. Their commitment to self-management was obvious just by looking at their "commute" photos.
However, even talented and diligent idols often fail if they don't catch the right momentum. Spark threw themselves into every variety show, acting like complete lunatics and fearlessly ruining their images.
As a result, to muggles like Baek Hae-in, Spark was remembered as...
"Oh? It’s the 3-tier Ice Cream Guy. Was his name Je-ho?"
"I know him. That’s Mr. Cute Pretty Visually."
"But how did Kim I-wol end up as the Fortune-telling Octopus?"
...Since they weren't hated, she supposed she should be happy.
In the end, Adan-un concluded with Spark’s total domination. No matter how hard the editors tried to be fair, there was a limit to how much they could cut out the group that participated in every event and swept the medals.
Baek Hae-won tirelessly saved screenshots of the proud "athletic idols" being posted on her timeline. Now, it was time to go watch the Spark self-produced content that had been uploaded right on schedule.