Chapter 288
Chapter 288
TeSTAR’s music video opened with the blue sea, mirroring its thumbnail.
However, the perspective was different.
It wasn't from outside the water, but from within.
As if continuing from the teaser that rose from the deep sea, the camera showed the blue ocean near the surface.
‘Ah, so that’s why the teaser…?’
The realization had barely dawned on the viewers.
Soon, the field of vision broke through the shimmering surface, poking its face out into the open air.
[A-hyun!]
A voice called out a name. As the camera turned, someone could be seen running across the sandy beach where the waves were crashing.
It was Lee Se-jin, dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, wearing a beaming smile.
[Here!]
Soon, a drenched figure who had waded into the waist-deep water reached out a hand.
[……]
A pale hand reached out from behind the camera and grasped it.
[Take your STAR
On a day when stars pour down
Kick the waves and run
Run and Fly to the sky]
After the clear, high-pitched lyrics rang out alone, the accompaniment surged in like a dance.
A mix of hi-hats that sounded like clapping, cheerful drums, and accordion-like synth sounds created a refreshing atmosphere.
Then the cut changed, showing TeSTAR living their everyday summer lives.
Cha Yu-jin’s rhythmic vocals kicked in.
[Yeah, today seems right
Even if the sun flushes your face
The wind will cool it down
I want to go meet you today]
Park Moon-dae sitting in an office, Kim Rae-bin carrying a laptop and doing assignments, Cha Yu-jin serving food, Lee Se-jin working as amusement park staff…
The early story followed the members, shown in individual cuts, gathering to head to the sea.
It was a classic summer song concept.
‘It’s typical, but there’s a reason why it works.’
The Office Worker Twin Fansite Master, who had been waiting for the video with bated breath, felt a bit deflated by the cliché but also relieved.
It didn't look like they would be compared directly to VTIC.
[My heart surges like the tide
Memories pile up like sand
That’s enough for me
Dip it in the Ocean]
In the video, the members who had set off on their journey one by one finally "kidnapped" Park Moon-dae from his office.
Park Moon-dae, who had looked reluctant, flashed a faint smile as the yellow bus sped toward the sea.
[Take your STAR
On a day when stars pour down
An island in the sailing sky
We Fly so far]
Then, the boys who arrived at the beach burst out of the car and met Seon A-hyun, and the chorus hit again.
The point choreography featured them stepping into the water barefoot, wearing jeans and white T-shirts.
It was a cool, sleek dance utilizing aesthetically pleasing locking moves.
It was easy on the ears and a joy to watch.
‘It really is a summer song.’
Everyone watching nodded in agreement.
The members on screen had the familiar hair colors they’d sported during their debut.
Those choices, which evoked a strange sense of nostalgia, captured a summer feeling that was both exciting and bittersweet.
Furthermore, since their outfits were light and the setting was a beach, it seemed it would sufficiently satisfy the demand for something sexy…
‘Is this… healthy, refreshing sexiness?’
Thinking it looked like an ion drink commercial, the office worker nodded with satisfaction this time.
On screen, evening had arrived before they knew it, bringing a sunset with it.
Cuts of the members’ choreography alternated with scenes of them sitting by a campfire on the beach.
[Life is short and songs are long
In the mirror reflecting each other
I make a vow once more
That today is good because it’s today]
The moment the pleasant rap part concluded on an off-beat, the instrumental vanished.
Then, instead of the song, the recorded sounds of the scene echoed through the speakers.
[……]
The sound of sparks popping. The sound of the sea. The sound of fabric brushing.
TeSTAR, sitting around the campfire, exchanged glances and snickered. They soon glanced around to confirm no one else was there.
And then.
[Yee-haw!]
[Whoo!]
They dove into the sea.
“…??”
It was a plunge so proactive it felt almost abrupt.
Splash.
Laughter filled the screen along with the sound of splashing water.
‘What is this?’
Just as the office worker’s interest began to cool, thinking it was an artificial emotional scene—
The moment a laughing Seon A-hyun lay back as if doing the backstroke, something lavender-hued scattered water droplets from beneath the surface.
Something split in two…
“…!!”
-???
-A tail?
-What the heck?
As real-time comments surged, the office worker looked at the screen again.
Another curve of a different color briefly appeared above the surface before vanishing…
Mermaids?
“Ah.”
In the darkening sea, scales shimmered, reflecting the light of the sunset.
The members waded deeper into the ocean. Arms splashed water at one another, and tails flicked above the surface, sending spray flying.
[Haha!]
Because of the film-like color grading and camera work—reminiscent of an independent film rather than a Hollywood children’s movie—the scene somehow felt like a human documentary.
And the moment they suddenly submerged into the depths.
[Wooooong~]
The screen briefly transformed into something fantastical.
Glowing tails and hair of various colors—which had changed the moment they entered the water—flashed across the screen in a series of rapid cuts. Schools of small fish and seaweed drifted by in the transparent depths.
It was a maritime ecstasy.
Splash!
Then, back out of the water.
Against the backdrop of the dark beach as they returned to reality, the soaking-wet members laughed and pointed at the sky.
Whiz!
Fireworks exploded.
Yellow sparks burst into the indigo sky where the sunset had faded.
And the members cheered from the water.
That was the exact timing when the song returned.
[A mood sparkling like the stars
Promise to go with me
Make you fly
To the island at the end of the horizon
Today will sparkle]
The members, now draped in decorations more befitting of stage outfits, filled the beach with a brilliant group dance for the final chorus.
The fabric of their robes and their bracelet ornaments reflected the strings of mini-bulb lights scattered across the shore.
It was a spectacular ending.
[……]
The music video concluded with Seon A-hyun putting a group photo into a suitcase after summer had ended and leaving the beach with a smile.
However, the office worker remained seated.
“…….”
She tried to predict various scenarios first—comparing performance trends with VTIC, fan reactions to the stage, and so on—but her instincts won out.
With a slightly dazed feeling, she replayed the video.
‘I feel like… there were a lot of foreshadowing clues.’
It was a reflexive action.
Meanwhile, her social media timeline was being updated at a terrifying speed.
*
TeSTAR’s music video rebounded with a reactionary gain, benefiting from the fact that the teaser response had been poor.
[The lineage of refreshing boy groups has reappeared. Yes, I’m talking about TeSTAR.]
[TeSTAR’s mermaid concept is insane.]
[The idol whose MV views are currently exploding in real-time.]
[The Light TeSTAR vs. Dark VTIC dynamic is officially established lol.]
It was a concept completely different from expectations, yet people who watched the music video cheered at the pleasant surprise of encountering a twist upon a twist.
People felt that ‘the quality doesn't fall behind VTIC,’ and they found the contrasting concepts of the two groups interesting rather than seeing them as direct competitors.
It was the effect of positioning.
-Ah, K-pop is so much fun this summer lol.
-The best time to be a multi-fan.
-Wow, how did both groups pull off such great songs? I’m overflowing with K-pop pride.
-Can’t we look back on this as a core memory ten years from now? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
And fans were immediately busy digesting the crumbs from the music video.
-Abs… I can’t believe this is reality.
-No, seriously, summer is the best. Truly the best summer of my life.
-The silhouette when they dive into the sea, wow.
-Those shoulders, whoa (GIF file).
-I guess they all worked out. They’re overflowing with confidence lol.
-Yes, I am overwhelmingly grateful. Complaints? Just die.
While the visual beauty, exposure, and aesthetic elements were consumed voraciously, the story also played a part.
Because it felt as though they had only shown one core cut of a massive setting, there were many significant details upon closer inspection.
-Ahhhhh, so that’s why the teaser was like that! It was from a mermaid’s perspective ㅠㅠㅠ
└Heol.
└That’s right. It seems the mermaid really did come up from the deep sea. I guess A-hyun was the only one who hadn't lived on land and was coming out for the first time.
└Crazy. That’s why Keun Se came to pick him up ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Ugh, you perverts for this setting!
Furthermore, the concept photos TeSTAR released the day after the music video hinted at the behind-the-scenes story, driving fans into an even greater frenzy.
-In this concept photo, it looks like the boys have jobs on land, but only A-hyun is a traveler. As expected, Haori Potato’s theory seems correct (eats popcorn).
-A mermaid working as a librarian on land? Doesn't that suit Bae Se-jin perfectly? Stop editing him as a hamster and look at his glasses (screenshot).
-Cheong-woo, did you choose the police officer yourself? It was a truly excellent choice. Thank you…
-Crazy, crazy. This is definitely the mermaid concept photo. Look at the jewelry on their hands; if you look at it this way, it’s the shape of webbing ㅠㅠㅠ (Concept photo with red lines added).
Since there were no disappointing parts, the majority of fans were in a state of total satisfaction. They also understood why TeSTAR absolutely couldn't postpone their schedule.
-This definitely had to be done in midsummer.
Because it’s a summer mermaid concept!
Of course, for those who weren't fans, there were quite a few who showed a sense of rejection toward the mermaid concept itself, which was the starting point of these elements.
It was a sensibility that could easily become childish or niche if handled even slightly wrong.
And no matter how perfectly the content was produced, the standard for that ‘slightest bit’ differed for everyone, so a certain amount of mixed reviews was inevitable.
Especially in a situation where they released at the same time as their biggest competitor, like TeSTAR.
Comparing it to VTIC’s sophisticated horror, some people appeared every hour to intentionally stir up trouble, claiming TeSTAR’s mermaids felt raw or unrefined.
-Ah, they really went too far.
-Not buying male mermaids.
-They must have felt so much second-hand embarrassment while filming. Isn't this just creating dark history? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-The moment the mermaids appeared, my excitement died.
-The reaction is great both overseas and domestically, but you guys are the only ones acting like losers here. Sigh.
Several times a day, arguments broke out over whether the ‘mermaid concept’ was good or bad.
But in reality, it didn't have much to do with their performance.
After all, the general public was more likely to encounter the song or a performance once rather than the music video.
And TeSTAR’s song this time was a refreshing easy-listening track that anyone could enjoy, armed with a cheerful choreography that made people want to follow along without it being too much.
‘Niche if you dig deep, public-friendly if you enjoy it lightly.’
It was a structure completed by a thorough calculation to maximize the advantages of both sides.
And as if there were no errors in this calculation, TeSTAR’s results kept climbing.
-Wow, 500,000 copies sold in just half a day ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Congrats on the personal record!
-Entered 24hits at #72… It’s almost the same as VTIC. Could they have caught up to the domestic fandom? Whoa!
-TeSTAR has better digital longevity, right? They’ll probably surge up and overtake them soon.
└Shut up, be quiet.
└TICA is having a fit lol.
└Yeah, I’m a Loviewer. Don’t use our boys for your trolling.
Mixed with confusion and excitement, internet sites and social media were no different from a gladiator arena.
By Thursday, the day of the first music broadcast, TeSTAR was already chasing VTIC on the digital charts, trailing only a few spots behind.
-Things might actually flip once the music shows start.
-Couldn't they also get compared and hit rock bottom? ㅠ Either way, it’s gonna be so fun.
-VTIC’s first-week sales were 2 million copies; it would be so unfair if such an insurmountable wall got overturned ㅠ The power struggle between the two will be insane, right? lol
-Don’t mind these vulgar people; I hope both groups succeed. Go Korean idols!
The good news for both was that since their genres didn't overlap, it was rare for the public to choose one over the other based on comparative advantage.
The two didn't openly steal each other’s pie; on the surface, both acted like winners with composure, while beneath the surface, they fiercely built up their results while keeping an eye on each other.
Of course, VTIC’s first-week results were unbelievably good from the start, but with TeSTAR’s momentum being so strong and the ‘image advantage’ given to a challenger, the dynamic began to solidify.
-TeSTAR is appearing on the T-Net music show right away, right?
-Their promotions overlap starting this week.
-Guys, get your popcorn ready.
-I like both groups ♡ I’m definitely watching the live broadcast!
And finally, the first live music program where both would appear together began.