Chapter 419
Chapter 419
The title of TeSTAR’s healing variety show was as follows:
—〈Healing Master TeSTAR〉
Shortened to Healing TeSTAR.
It was a name that clearly showed the production team's ambition to give the cast a proper rest.
Naturally, as soon as the project was announced and mentioned as a follow-up in the production team's previous work, TeSTAR fans went wild.
However, everyone was also well aware of this production team’s colorful track record.
It was truly a history of betrayal!
So, once the initial excitement passed, cold-headed speculations about the production team’s "big picture" began to pour in.
Fans wailed, begging the production team to please give up on the betrayals, and the production team responded with a pre-release video.
[TeSTAR and PD Jung challenge 'healing'… Betrayal (X) Sincerity (O). A project where TeSTAR does everything they want to do | 〈Healing Master TeSTAR〉 Pre-release Video]
The pre-release began with the production team hearing the news about TeSTAR’s camping trip and having a conversation.
[TeSTAR’s unsubstantiated healing camp that is heating up the internet…]
[(Photo), (Verification)]
[It even spreads to voices of condemnation regarding TeSTAR’s past 'hell-flavored' variety shows that lacked any healing!]
Footage of TeSTAR screaming or looking devastated by the production team’s wicked schemes flashed by like a kaleidoscope.
And then, these words were spoken:
[Writer Lee: Honestly, PD-nim, you went too far.]
[PD: Wow, we all did it together, but you guys are making me out to be the only devil here.]
[LOL]
The production team, who were busy shifting the blame onto each other, looked back at every variety show they had done with TeSTAR and finally admitted it.
[PD: It was a little(?) excessive.]
[Self-objectification begins]
And after reflecting, they attempted to call TeSTAR.
That’s right. Even the great Park Moon-dae didn't realize it at the time, but the production team had designed everything from this point on as footage for the broadcast.
[PD: Hello, TeSTAR~ Oh my, you’ve been doing well, right? (Fake)]
The PD coaxed TeSTAR with a voice as sweet as honey.
And then came the scene where TeSTAR—especially Park Moon-dae, who had already been fooled plenty of times—barely said okay amidst suspicion and wariness.
[Park Moon-dae: Sounds good.]
[!]
[Hooked…! Ah, wait, that’s not it this time.]
[A choice you won’t regret…☆]
[The Production Team’s Karma]
[They must pay it back properly this time.]
The smartphone, with the call ended, disappeared dynamically as grand BGM began to play.
[Highest production cost investment ever!]
[TeSTAR really does everything they want!]
TeSTAR’s cheers as they enjoyed their healing were mixed into the background.
[Wow!]
[Daebak!]
[〈Indonesia, UK, Mexico, and even Chile〉]
Beautiful shots of each country’s capital and scenic views passed across the screen, followed by footage of TeSTAR running out of the airport in excitement.
[Everything is TeSTAR’s choice!]
[Will variety masters TeSTAR successfully craft their healing as well?]
[Healing Master TeSTAR, see you on Tuesday, August 23rd~]
It ended with TeSTAR waving and smiling alongside Mung-ge.
The atmosphere was so heavily built up that if they betrayed the boys now, the production team would likely be cursed out seriously, variety show or not.
So, the fans believed them.
They were completely reassured.
And with the second pre-release showing TeSTAR’s hotel party night during the tour, the hype grew even more.
It was in this very state that the first episode was released.
After a heartwarming mini-game to divide the teams, shots of an excited TeSTAR on a plane, and even cool concert footage… what appeared was:
[Active Volcano Climbing]
“…….”
“…….”
W-what is this?
The fansite master, who had even rented a room cafe with her grad student friend to watch the premiere, felt her pupils tremble.
The grad student spat out the ade she was drinking.
However, the image of TeSTAR climbing like mountain goats did not change.
[Seon A-hyun: The air… is really good…!]
[Park Moon-dae: (Can’t even answer)]
Why are our boys training instead of healing……?
Just as a shot of the two Sejins walking silently was captured, it transitioned into a flashback scene of their conversation.
[Lee Se-jin: Oh~ how about a natural pool with a waterfall? And a water park looks good too! There’s a safari as well!]
[Bae Se-jin: It’s good for playing… but you can go to those places even if it’s not Indonesia. I was thinking… a temple or a history museum might be more unique.]
[Lee Se-jin: Oh~ Okay.]
The two had started setting up their healing plan quite excitedly.
“But why are they climbing?!”
“Wait.”
Because they soon hit a snag.
[Bae Se-jin: …Right, I think a place like the terraced rice fields would be worth seeing once. If we go after the museum, we can give historical explanations too!]
[Lee Se-jin: …Uh, hyung, but this is supposed to be a healing variety show~ wouldn't that be a bit too educational?]
[Bae Se-jin: Variety shows can have educational meaning too!]
[Lee Se-jin: True. But it’s better if it’s funny and fun first, and then has additional meaning!]
[Bae Se-jin: It will be fun.]
[Lee Se-jin: Ayy~ let’s ask the staff over there. Everyone will probably choose the water park.]
Their goals were too different.
[Lee Se-jin: …….]
[Bae Se-jin: …….]
Footage of two ferocious red pandas confronting each other was layered translucently behind the faces of the two namesakes.
[A Breathless Confrontation]
An interview even popped up.
[Lee Se-jin: You know what?]
[Lee Se-jin: Our… MBTIs are also opposites.]
Boom!
A lightning effect was added.
Lee Se-jin’s desperate character-appeal interview, conducted with the determination not to be caught on camera in an awkward silence, became excellent material.
[Two people who only share a name]
[These two… have nothing in common!]
It showed an edited sequence of the two choosing completely opposite menus even for their in-flight meals…
Then came shots of them having different ways of carrying suitcases, different ways of playing with members, and even different ways of covering themselves with blankets.
[The surprising part here]
[※ They say they work well together]
That was the beginning of all the tragedy.
The two, who had been looking at each other hilariously with exaggerated captions and effects as if they couldn't understand each other, reached a dramatic compromise.
[Lee Se-jin: Hyung, then should we just…… do something that actually helps with our activities? Self-development?]
[Bae Se-jin: ……! That… sounds good.]
[(Explosion) So they decided to work (Death)]
With grand BGM, the course was introduced in intense cursive script.
[Stamina is the base of a performance!]
[A 3-day climbing course for TeSTAR’s physical training]
Hellfire blazed.
People were horrified that the first course was a total disaster, yet they roared with laughter. And the production team didn't miss this bait.
They directed it well so that while the two very different people bickered, they seemed to be on quite good, informal terms.
[Ryu Cheong-woo: How about a fine for whoever comes out late in the morning?]
[Bae Se-jin: (Agrees)]
[Lee Se-jin: (Agrees)]
When it came to things like a fine policy for being late, both of them nodded in perfect sync.
Yet, in daily life, shots of them glancing at each other as if they truly couldn't understand the other were caught here and there as reactions.
[Lee Se-jin: Mundae-Mundae, want some ice water? Ah, but it’s not free~ you have to do three types of aegyo for the camera.]
[Bae Se-jin: (Face says 'Why is he like that, just give it to him already')]
[They really don't understand each other]
[ENTJ 〈-〉 ISFP]
It couldn't have been funnier.
“Pwahahaha!!”
‘Oh my god.’
The grad student burst out laughing, spilling her ade, while the fansite master laughed but was also impressed.
‘It worked out well!’
In fact, the rumor that the two Sejins weren't very close… was a steady piece of bait used by trolls underground.
The prevailing opinion was that one ignored the other or that they didn't even speak once the cameras were off, but perhaps because the editing was so fantastic, they looked quite close.
‘It’s not healing for TeSTAR! But surprisingly, it’s healing for the fans.’
The fansite master felt a refreshing sensation, like chugging a can of cider.
‘Now I won't have to see nonsense about Moon-dae instigating Lee Se-jin to ostracize Bae Se-jin!’
And separately, the climbing itself was quite enjoyable to watch as a viewer.
The beautiful and mysterious scenery of the active volcano and the sight of TeSTAR working hard to climb the mountain while communicating with locals passed by at a brisk pace.
Furthermore, the annoying yet funny appearance of the PD, who was baiting them like crazy, and the final finishing touch appeared.
It was the writer’s words.
[Last day of the course]
[I spoke to the 〈Sejin-ies〉 briefly.]
[Writer Park: But couldn't you have just gone to the rice fields one day and the water park the next?]
[Lee Se-jin: !!!!]
[Bae Se-jin: !!!!]
It was the perfect healing-style solution.
After a silence filled with shock.
Behind the two Sejins, the members’ nagging, cute resentment, and the immense suffering they endured during the climb were briefly rewound…
[Lee Se-jin: Our cool and talented Writer Park-nim, please keep this a secret.]
[Bae Se-jin: (Violent nodding)]
At that desperate plea, Writer Park clapped and laughed so hard she fell over.
Then, along with stunning commercial-like shots of the water park and terraced rice fields, a large caption appeared.
[I kept the secret~]
[From today on, you just have to make sure the TeSTAR members can’t access WeTube. Fighting, 〈Sejin-ies〉! ^^]
It was an absurd statement.
“Hahaha!”
“Ah, this is insane!!”
The two friends also roared with laughter. Before they knew it, they had forgotten their bewilderment over it not being 'healing' and were thoroughly enjoying Healing Master TeSTAR.
‘This is fun!’
As expected, it was a combination you could trust.
[First healing(?) course finished]
And since Episodes 1 and 2 were released simultaneously, the structure allowed viewers to see the first course, the 〈Sejin-ies〉 trip, all the way to the end in one go.
Since it ended with them sleeping soundly and comfortably at the hotel, it finished well without being too sadistic.
[Mung-ge: I saw cool mountains. The hyungs took turns hugging Mung-ge.]
[Mung-ge: It was so warm and nice! The mountains are cool and good!]
It was even adorable how it ended in the form of a picture diary by Mung-ge, who was sleeping peacefully among the members.
The two who had rented the room cafe even sent a pleasant round of applause as if they had seen the ending credits. It was a bit unexpected, but it was truly fun and great!
“Ah~ that was fun!”
“Who’s next? Ah, Ryu Cheong-woo and Seon A-hyun.”
The fansite master guessed, and even the grad student knew.
‘This one will definitely be healing!’
There must have been a calculation to draw in more viewers by structuring Episodes 1 and 2 like a variety show.
People like the fansite master, who were veterans in the idol world, guessed as much, and many people on SNS said the same. The common reaction among all TeSTAR fans was that real healing would start from the next episode…
The following week.
[Ryu Cheong-woo: Still, this is something many people really enjoy as leisure in the summer.]
[Seon A-hyun: In case there’s someone who doesn't want to do it, we’ve prepared a countermeasure for that too.]
[These people… are fully prepared to enjoy healing.]
What the two members of the 〈Happy Trip〉 team, who had conducted their discussion so peacefully, presented was… a horror experience.
“…??”
For the record, the viewers' feelings were represented by Park Moon-dae on the screen.
[Park Moon-dae: (Denying reality)]
[Park Moon-dae: (Reading it again)]
[Park Moon-dae: (It’s reality)]
[Park Moon-dae: ……]
[Park Moon-dae: ……!!!!]
And the ordeal didn't end there.
[Seon A-hyun: If you’re really scared, you don't have to do it. There’s no need to force yourself…! (Mercy)]
[Ryu Cheong-woo: Right, it’ll be voluntary participation. (Kind)]
The ticket the two held out: the ‘Experience Exemption Ticket.’
The production team added this explanation:
[❀Coward Certification❀]
[↑ If used, you’re certified as a cowardly crybaby]
The caption, in an elegant font, moved with amazing skill as it stuck onto the handmade ticket.
And then, Park Moon-dae’s face with his teeth clenched.
The viewers roared with laughter, and as expected, Park Moon-dae called out his participation, leading to even more laughter.
And the next part was even funnier.
[Lee Se-jin: LOLOLOL!!]
[Cha Yu-jin: LOLOLOL!!]
[Two people who still haven't grasped the situation]
Because right after, their fate was shown in advance.
[??: Gwaaaaagh!!]
[??: Aaaaagh!!]
[??: I don’t taste good!(?)]
Someone screaming desperately.
That was the ending of Episode 3.
And the ending credits featured shots of famous horror spots in the UK.
Naturally, viewers flipped out at this complete shift toward 'killing' content, and the news spread quickly everywhere.
[The story of how Healing TeSTAR was expected to be a boring-but-sweet self-produced content but became a real variety show.jpg]
[They say after climbing, Healing TeSTAR is doing a horror experience ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Killing TeSTAR is going crazy]
This self-inflicted disaster began to draw massive attention from the general public across the internet.
“…….”
“…Should we prepare for the album?”
Faced with this sudden promotional opportunity, the TeSTAR members ended up monitoring this chaos during their tour.
However, the hype wasn't over yet.
Since the WeTube channel was operated professionally enough to schedule exclusive content, it provided subtitles in various languages upon release.
Therefore, fans in the countries where TeSTAR had planned their 'healing courses' were also watching with great anticipation……
Riding the reactions of horrified fans from those countries, TeSTAR’s killing travelogue suddenly began to appear on the trending video tabs of those nations via viral spread.
…And in that situation, the famous horror experience in the UK was properly aired.