Chapter 627
Chapter 627
A new track release!
The version of the title track that TeSTAR performed at the Glastonbury Festival was released. Moreover, it was released as an update to their existing album app.
That alone was enough to cause a small stir, and TeSTAR’s fans welcomed this delightful bit of content with excitement.
TeSTAR’s unrivaled performance at the massive festival had already set their popularity ablaze. With Ryu Cheong-woo’s letter posted afterward, the fandom was feeling deeply reassured.
This audio content, which felt like a pleasant bonus, easily found its way into people's hearts.
There was only one disappointment. For some reason, TeSTAR didn't release the track on music streaming sites, only through the album app update.
Various opinions were voiced, but since a plausible logic could be found even with the limited information available, most people just accepted it.
Great joy mixed with a hint of regret.
Everyone thought it would end as a fun, one-off piece of content, but...
[D-7 until the next Hidden Code]
Suddenly, a teaser for new content appeared on the album app.
It was so unexpected that it felt almost random.
‘Wasn't this track released in a hurry because the festival performance blew up?’
But there was more?
There hadn't been a single announcement or hint until now, yet album updates were being teased one after another as if they had been planned all along!
To think they used a remix of such a hot performance as just a pre-release.
The fandom swelled with all sorts of speculation and anticipation.
However, voices of concern emerged at the same time.
They were worried it would become a "tempest in a teapot."
There were quite a few people, both domestically and internationally, who were interested in and waiting for the audio from this performance.
But it was unlikely that all of them would spend over 20,000 won to buy a new album just to hear the track.
Naturally, the overwhelming majority would try to listen to unofficial audio uploaded to WeTube for free, and fans couldn't help but lament the leakage of revenue and chart records.
The poor accessibility was already a shame, but to release additional content while maintaining that restriction...
Voices of disappointment arose, fearing this would further encourage the leakage.
The fans' desire for more aggressive and public activities began to creep out.
Part of it was the anxiety of losing the momentum they had gained from the performance after the back-and-forth struggle with VTIC.
‘If they appeal to the public now, whether here or abroad, it’ll definitely work!’
People started popping up everywhere, claiming that if they could set TeSTAR’s schedule instead of the company, this is the direction they would take.
Everyone immersed themselves in the situation and offered their own solutions.
Even non-fans began to sneak in, trying to show off their "insight" as "veteran K-POP listeners."
[If it were me, I would’ve released the choreography video for this TeSTAR remix first.]
[TeSTAR’s company really shows all the pros and cons of a startup.]
Eventually, even fans who didn't usually care about "how much profit is made" began to take notice.
After all, everyone was talking about "which method is most efficient."
This created a very strange effect...
The teaser for the content release carried a much heavier sense of tension than usual.
Because they were worried about missing the opportunity and becoming a tempest in a teapot, the fans became even more anxious and deeply invested.
Coincidentally, the major variety shows associated with this promotion cycle were also coming to an end.
From the MT variety show with VTIC and TeSTAR to TeSTAR’s Strange Office.
All of them were either near their final episodes or had just ended. It felt like the official promotion period would end here if there wasn't any more content.
The "spare firewood" seemed to have run out, and it was unclear if this new teaser was real fuel for the fire or just a small spark for fan service.
It’s not over yet!
Fans spread the news publicly on SNS and communities to somehow promote and share the word.
But at the same time, they doubted themselves, wondering if they were making a fuss over nothing.
At a time when the fans' expectations and tension were at their peak.
If the teased content turned out to be nothing special, the idols and the company would have been biting their nails over how much the situation had escalated.
It wouldn't have been strange if they had gone into an emergency meeting to find a solution, but...
"How's the reaction?"
"Ah~ they love it."
TeSTAR was nonchalant.
Keun Se-jin skillfully swiped through the screen of his smartphone and grinned at Park Moon-dae, who was sitting next to him.
"Moon-dae, Moon-dae."
"What."
"Adding the countdown feature was a truly excellent choice."
Because it seemed that anything with a decreasing number created a sense of tension.
"They have high expectations."
In fact, they wanted to encourage this attention and tension.
And so, the count went down.
[D-6]
- I think a repackage announcement is coming.
- If it’s a performance video, a WeTube release would be better...
- Could it be Glastonbury behind-the-scenes? Or maybe a pre-release for the Season’s Greetings?
[D-5]
- Ah, what if it’s nothing special after all this?
- It might just be still cuts from the performance ㅠ
- Please, drop your expectations. Why is everyone getting so ahead of themselves?
[D-4]
- Why are they building up the atmosphere like this? It must be a burden for the kids.
- But there’s still no word. Isn't that exactly why they’re doing this, to build anticipation?
- Are there no insider spoilers?
[D-3]
- There are so many popular posts on the communities.
- The interest from Muggles is better than I thought.
- I hope it’s something big. Ah, please.
[D-2]
- Does anyone know anything else?
- Why is the official account so silent?
- Now I’m just excited. No, I’m anxious. I’m lying.
[D-1]
- I’m so nervous.
And finally...
[D-0]
Midnight on the day.
“...”
A new popup appeared in the app.
[A new Hidden Code has arrived.]
[Would you like to download it?]
At that question, everyone who had been waiting slammed the "Yes" button simultaneously.
[Downloading Hidden Code!]
It was just a download, yet it manifested as physical symptoms.
Gulp.
The sound of swallowing, hands and feet trembling with tension and anxiety.
The expectations and tension built up over a week rushed in at this single moment, squeezing people's hearts for a few seconds.
And the moment the download was complete.
[Have you ever seen this before?]
Two images appeared.
“...?”
Fans blinked as they looked at the screen.
As if mimicking the "I am not a robot" verification where you select the correct images, a similar format of image choices appeared.
One was a group photo of TeSTAR well-dressed in suits.
Smiling as if they were taking photos for a company introduction in an office, it was the familiar representative concept of this album.
And the other was... employee IDs.
In a dark laboratory, seven employee IDs were scattered haphazardly on a desk.
Two contrasting images.
And below the English sentence, text in a plain, default font appeared as if translated.
[Have you seen this before?]
After a moment of hesitation, some fans clicked.
Click.
The former—the group photo of TeSTAR in suits.
Naturally, wouldn't the one with the idols themselves against a bright background be much more attractive to click?
Then, the page turned lightly, showing new text.
[Thank you for your response!]
And everything disappeared.
“...?”
In the end, those people had to click the app again to bring back the choices, but other fans chose the opposite answer from the start.
"If it's TeSTAR, it has to be this one."
For instance, someone like Park Moon-dae’s first fansite master.
She swallowed hard while looking at her PC monitor.
From the phantom thief game in Idol Inc. to the tour promotions and the VR concert, TeSTAR had recently been enjoying giving fans the experience of making choices using various options.
If so.
‘This is probably like that hotel? Or the circus or something similar.’
She was sure they were aiming for an impact with a twist. Besides...
The fansite master fixed her gaze on the second image.
The ownerless employee IDs of TeSTAR.
‘I really have seen this before.’
Of course, the first image was the familiar TeSTAR from this promotion cycle. However, it was an unreleased B-cut that she hadn't seen before.
But the second one was an image that had actually been exposed to fans.
It came to her instantly.
‘It’s the ending of the variety show!’
It was the ending scene of the final episode of TeSTAR’s Strange Office, which had just aired.
Ultimately, the one that fit the question "Have you seen this before?" was...
"The second image."
The fansite master took a deep breath and pressed the second image.
Click.
The image faded away and was replaced by a white image with text.
[Are you sure?]
‘Yes!’
The fansite master pressed the image with the text again.
[Really?]
This time, she clicked again without even looking for long.
Then, the image box finally disappeared, and a loading icon appeared.
“...!”
Soon, new text appeared on the screen.
[? I’m not an AI]
Along with the indication that the verification was complete, the page turned in the true sense.
Then, a new video option appeared in the app and began to play automatically.
A place like a dark tunnel.
But a person who seemed to be walking ahead turned around. It was...
[......]
Seon A-hyun!
However, the person on the screen was not the Seon A-hyun in a suit from the variety show.
He was the dancer from the intro solo track.
Still in the guise of the dancer who had danced while embracing a black torso, Seon A-hyun gestured toward the camera's view.
[This way.]
The screen moved forward.
And the place they stood was a steel door where broken black torsos were piled up like a mountain.
With her keen eyes, the fansite master finally recognized it.
This was... the basement door of the company she had seen in the variety show!
[You said you’ve seen this before.]
Seon A-hyun carefully took a small plastic object from his chest.
An employee ID.
[Are you sure?]
The camera approached, and she nodded.
[Really?]
It moved even closer.
Seon A-hyun, with his delicate features, smiled.
[Thank you.]
Seon A-hyun pushed the steel door.
Rumble.
The door opened with a heavy sound. The camera moved forward into the invisible darkness first.
Gulp.
In the silence, Seon A-hyun’s voice could be heard from behind.
Thanks to her earphones, the sound echoed with a sense of space.
[For coming to save us.]
At that moment, lights flickered on in the surroundings.
Broken concrete, half-exposed ceiling materials, and shattered windows inside an old company building.
When she turned her head, she saw Seon A-hyun standing there.
Whooooosh—!
With a sound as if something was about to jump out, lights flickered in the windows, and handprints flashed and disappeared.
Seon A-hyun nodded with his beautiful face.
And with a screen flickering effect...
[ ]
The video turned off.
“...??”
Wait.
‘Did I pick the wrong choice?’
The fansite master looked up in confusion. No, she didn't expect it to end so ambiguously...
[D-7 until the next Hidden Code]
"Again?!"
At this point, it was getting ridiculous.
‘It’s too short and gives no information!’
There should be something, right?
At that moment, she saw a new phrase generated at the bottom of the app.
[Redemption Code: 39T2-SH85-2QFH-60EA]
"What is this now?"
Where was she supposed to enter this?
‘If I go back to the previous choices and click TeSTAR, can I enter it there?’
This was certainly fun to guess and left her wanting more. But at the same time, it was almost frustrating. Just as she was moving her hand, feeling both excited and worried about the barrier to entry...
A message arrived on the smartphone on her desk.
It was a KakaoTalk message from a friend who had been a fan of TeSTAR with her since they were graduate students.
“...??”
But... this friend found out about TeSTAR information faster than me...?
‘She wouldn't even know about anonymous sites.’
She liked her friend, but this was hard to believe. Still, with a puzzled feeling, she clicked the link for now.
Then, the official account of some theme park appeared.
[Welcome to Dreamland]
"What?"
Dreamland.
It was the amusement park franchise of Limestone, a long-standing IP giant that had created all sorts of famous movies and animations.
It was a famous global chain, so she had always wanted to go at least once... but what was she supposed to do with this?
‘Ah, was it not about TeSTAR?’
Maybe she had been mistaken because the timing overlapped. She relaxed a bit and decided to skim the SNS screen before turning it off.
Then, she saw the post that had been uploaded most recently and even pinned to the top of the SNS...
[New Attraction Opening]
[Follow the previous employees and explore the building inside the bizarre urban legend!]
The advertisement still cut shown there... was TeSTAR running down a hallway.
“...?!”
A ride at this famous theme park.
In the attraction... was TeSTAR!