Chapter 628
Chapter 628
Theme park attractions.
Classically, one might think of simple rides where the enjoyment comes from the mechanical experience itself—anything from a carousel to a roller coaster.
However, looking a bit deeper, one would find attractions that weave a narrative into the experience.
Fairytales, magic schools, villains and heroes…
Famous movies, animations, and games were being brought into reality.
There was a growing trend of attractions that allowed users to step directly into the scenarios of popular content, offering a sense of immersion and the thrill of a firsthand experience.
This was thanks to investments in technology and capital, as well as the massive success of theme parks owned by major media conglomerates that raked in profits through merchandise… but still.
“I never imagined it would be like this…!”
“C-Calm down, Yeon-ju!”
Park Moon-dae’s first fansite master let out a cry.
Perched firmly on her head was a headband featuring an alien puppy, which wobbled as she moved. It was merchandise themed after the sci-fi hero movie that TeSTAR had provided the OST for and made a cameo in.
Indeed.
She was currently in the perfect place to buy and wear such a headband.
Waaaaah!! Aaaah!
She stood before the entrance of Dreamland, the land of dreams and illusions, where the screams from roller coasters echoed through the air.
All because of TeSTAR!
“But it looks so fun!”
Beside her was her friend Min-so, whose eyes were sparkling with excitement.
Min-so, who had found a job after finishing grad school, had finally used up all the precious monthly leave she’d saved over two months to scrape together a four-day vacation.
Normally, one would plan a trip that fit a three-night, four-day or, at most, a four-night, five-day schedule…
“I’m so glad we came to America!”
“…Yeah.”
But they had come all the way to Florida.
It was a mad decision—discarding a precious day of vacation on a plane ride just for a single attraction.
It was, quite literally, the epitome of "mad fan spirit."
‘…She might be even more intense than me.’
Min-so just didn't know the dark underbelly of the internet; in truth, she might be the more hardcore fan…
Actually, Yeon-ju had been thrilled when her friend became a fan of Moon-dae during Idol Inc., but she’d assumed Min-so would just be a casual fan for a while and then move on.
After all, she was a grad student and had never shown much interest in this kind of thing.
But seeing her friend support the same idol alongside her for seven years… it gave her a strangely poignant feeling.
To think they’d even travel together for the sake of their fandom!
Park Moon-dae’s first fansite master looked at her friend with newfound appreciation.
“…?”
“O-Oh, it’s nothing.”
It felt a bit awkward to admit she was feeling sentimental when they were standing right in front of their destination.
“It’s that way. Hollywood Street!”
“Aha!”
The two of them hurried forward with excitement.
Naturally, their destination was the TeSTAR attraction!
“Wow, the atmosphere…”
“It really is a land of dreams.”
They had intentionally spent Sunday sightseeing and resting, choosing to visit the theme park on a Monday. Consequently, it wasn't overflowing with people.
‘Thank goodness.’
However, the crowd in front of the new attraction, which had just opened, was much larger than expected.
“Oh my god.”
“It looks like the stadium on a concert day…”
Fortunately, they didn't have to wait aimlessly; they could reserve a time slot and return later. But…
“They say we can book a Fast Track?”
“…No.”
“…??”
The former grad student clenched her fists.
“Let’s enjoy the wait too!”
“S-Sure.”
With that, they stepped straight into the massive attraction zone.
Signs flickered as if short on power, streetlights were shattered, and holograms glitched.
The surrounding environment was designed to look like a ruined office district. Right in the center, a black tunnel—the kind used for secret roads in spy movies—gaped open.
“This is incredible.”
“Whoa…”
Their mouths hung open at the scale and quality as they slowly moved forward.
In truth, this wasn't an entirely new attraction.
An aging, classic attraction had been renovated and rebranded with a new theme.
But why TeSTAR?
—So it was an investment issue.
—Yes. They didn't want to waste their own successful movie or comic IPs, but they wanted a big promotion for the reopening.
—So they’re using us as a test?
—Exactly.
—Hmm~ …Then we shouldn't hold back, right?
The fansite master didn't know that the TeSTAR members had shared such a conversation and grinned as they snatched up the offer, but there had been plenty of speculation online.
Of course, the initial reaction was pure shock.
—Why? Why is TeSTAR appearing in a theme park…?
—Is the Limestone collab for real?
—Was it an ad for TeSTAR’s self-produced content? But there was no PPL tag.
But they soon grasped the situation.
This wasn't TeSTAR promoting Limestone.
Limestone had taken the K-pop idol TeSTAR’s universe… and used that IP as content to make it part of the theme park!
—They already did a collab with a Limestone movie once, so I guess they’ve really established themselves;
—Crazy. Does this mean if we go there, we can experience the story from TeSTAR’s self-produced content in person?
—Are they signing with the US label Limestone??
Whatever the case, the conclusion was the same.
—If it’s Limestone… they must have money to burn.
And Limestone didn't disappoint TeSTAR.
They went all out on the promotion.
[Infiltrate the abandoned corporate building.]
[Become an employee of KIS.]
[And explore the secrets.]
From WeTube promotions to TV commercials.
In the case of the former, they even produced versions in various languages besides English for a global push.
Their actions almost seemed… enthusiastic.
‘They’re probably being even nicer because the Glastonbury video blew up.’
Since the momentum was already there, they must have been thrilled. They were busy linking everything together for promotion.
Thanks to that, the hype was real in the English-speaking world as well.
—These absolute madmen.
—They’re in a Dreamland attraction? Are these guys roleplayers living in a game?
—So… the alien band is real?
—It’s an extension of the VR concert. As their fan, I’m not surprised at all.
└ You’re a madman too.
Of course, there were some anxious reactions back in Korea.
—Fck, so we have to go all the way to America to enjoy this? The neglect of domestic fans is insane.*
But I made it!
‘Hahaha!’
Suppressing the urge to laugh like a maniac, the fansite master spoke calmly despite the adrenaline coursing through her.
“I couldn't not come.”
“Exactly. They said it’s only for the summer season!”
That was the thing.
No matter how much influence they had, Limestone couldn't just hand over a permanent attraction to a K-pop idol group based on personal connections alone.
Since their goal was likely to generate buzz among K-pop fans, they probably wanted a short, high-impact run.
‘Still, it’s amazing.’
The fansite master’s heart raced at the incredible planning.
Moreover, judging by the crowds and the buzz, the seasonal concept seemed to have worked perfectly, and the eerie, urban legend-like atmosphere was a great fit for summer.
“Whoa…”
The sweltering summer heat cooled down in the shade.
The two entered the tunnel, designed like a massive, dark, weathered concrete building. They swallowed hard as they took in the flickering holograms and bloodstains around them.
That was when it happened.
“Look at that!”
“Huh?”
Turning their heads, they saw a stall selling items that looked like they’d been plucked straight from a spy’s secret file room.
It was the employee ID cards!
“Huuuuuh…”
Their feet moved automatically. The crowd was so thick that a separate line had formed just for that stall.
‘It makes sense.’
If people were here for the opening, half of them were probably here for TeSTAR.
Of course, reality was governed by capitalism.
“It’s expensive!”
TeSTAR’s conscientious pricing only applied when they weren't collaborating with other companies.
But they couldn't not buy them. In the end, the two of them got their hands on the employee ID merch, choosing different lanyard colors—yellow and black.
The photo on the glossy ID card was, naturally, Park Moon-dae.
“Hmm… since I’m already here, I’m going to buy A-hyun’s too!”
“Good, good.”
Watching her friend open her wallet wide to shake off the sorrows of her grad school days, the fansite master used her smartphone to translate the English instructions.
“Oh, it says if you link this to the theme park app, you can interact with things here. I think we can use it inside the attraction.”
“Whoa!! That’s insane.”
Marveling at the detail, the two scanned the QR code on the back and applied it to the Dreamland app.
Let’s see… the option to change Moon-dae’s photo to her own… yeah, absolutely unnecessary.
However, at the very bottom, there was a strange field labeled ‘Album Code.’
‘A code…?’
The fansite master remembered.
The video of Seon A-hyun from the album update that had ended abruptly, and the string of letters that had appeared afterward.
[Claim Code:
39T2-SH85-2QFH-60EA]
‘Could it be?’
“Yeon-ju?”
“Wait a second!”
As she entered the code she’d seen in the album into the theme park app…
Ding!
“Gasp!”
“Heh!”
The employee ID card flickered with light, and English text appeared, announcing that a new function had been activated.
“The photo changed!”
Park Moon-dae’s neat, professional appearance in the photo vanished.
In its place was a version of him with slightly long hair slicked back with pomade, a hologram tattoo on his neck, and glasses.
The AI version.
“Ah…”
Then a popup appeared.
[New interaction unlocked.]
—Available for use within the attraction.
“Does this… change something inside the attraction?”
“Whoa, I guess so…”
Dazed, she looked up and saw people around her hurriedly entering codes into their apps as well.
It seemed this was the true hidden code and additional content tucked away in the album.
The fansite master took a deep breath.
‘…This is fun.’
She was so excited about what might happen that her heart was pounding!
After taking an excited look around, she decided to hurry toward the attraction.
That was when it happened.
In the dim light of the tunnel, three tall men walking ahead caught her eye.
‘Huh?’
They were dressed like college students on a trip…
‘Koreans?’
Their styling somehow gave off that vibe!
It wasn't common to see three men of the same nationality here, so her interest was piqued for a moment. Just then, their voices reached her ears, muffled by the ambient noise.
Even from a distance, it was English.
“Ah…”
Maybe they were just K-pop fans.
She decided not to turn around conspicuously and continued forward with the ID card around her neck.
But for some reason… she couldn't shake the feeling.
‘What is it?’
No. Now wasn't the time for this. She had to enjoy this attraction to the fullest to get her money’s worth.
“Let’s go!”
“Yeah!”
She and her friend eagerly moved toward the queue.
Leaving the three men—Park Moon-dae and two other TeSTAR members—behind.
*
[Hyung, even if you’re excited, keep it down. You know?]
Look who’s talking.
I looked skeptically at the guy who had thoroughly covered his face with a bucket hat and a black fashion mask.
‘Isn't that all Kim Rae-bin’s?’
Did you even get permission?
The guy shrugged, turned his head, and started walking excitedly again.
Ahead of us was a sign written in elegant cursive, looking like the motto of an office from a modern urban legend.
“Wow!”
[Dark Creature Office]
That’s right.
This was Dreamland, a theme park in Florida, and specifically the attraction zone using TeSTAR’s universe.
And we were carrying a GoPro.
We were here for a sort of exploration—partly for content, and partly… to see it for ourselves.
For this part, we specifically chose the members who were fluent in English and could blend in without standing out.
As a result, this guy was my filming companion this time.
[The entrance is this way. Follow me!]
[Alright.]
I stood in line with Cha Yu-jin. A local American. This guy had probably been to Dreamland about seven times.
[Thank you very much. I hope you have… a peaceful day.]
And over there, Seon A-hyun had already bought caramel popcorn and was hurrying over to stand beside us, holding out the bucket.
It was shaped like a music box. They really committed to the concept.
[Popcorn… you guys like popcorn.]
[You don't like it.]
[No, I don't mind!]
Seon A-hyun, wearing a hat that completely shaded his face, was definitely smiling brightly under the brim.
‘He’s excited too.’
It had been a while since I’d visited a theme park with such purpose, so I wasn't in a bad mood either.
I’ll just think of it as an opportunity.
[Let’s have a good ride.]
[Yeah!]
[Hyung, thanks. This popcorn is delicious. Though the price was very Dreamland-esque.]
As the line shortened and we entered the queue line inside the building, the world we had created began to unfold in reality.
Our story.
*
Inside the attraction building.
[Please stand this way, KIS employee.]
Whoa.
Park Moon-dae’s fansite master blinked as she saw that even the theme park staff were dressed as AIs to maintain the immersion.
The surroundings were designed as a sealed laboratory, a dark basement with smoke and lights leaking from various spots.
[I am not an AI.]
The phrase was chilling.
But both the fansite master and the former grad student were too busy excitedly looking around.
It looked similar to the scenery they’d seen in the self-produced content, and they wanted to compare. Especially the messages left by the members!
‘Is that a hint? It looks like a hint!’
They didn't mind the slow-moving line at all as they moved forward.
“I actually like that we get to see it for longer.”
“Yeah.”
And then…
[Selection process beginning.]
Soon, they were redistributed into groups based on the ride’s capacity. Consequently, she ended up walking to the next door with a group of strangers.
Three men.
‘Are they the ones I saw earlier?’
The three men who looked Korean and had been standing behind them.
They were large-framed, and as they gave a slight nod of greeting before looking away, she could only see their silhouettes in the flickering lights of the dark corridor.
She gave a brief nod in return and was about to turn her attention back to her friend.
So, the five of them were riding together.
‘A team is between four and five people, so it can't be helped.’
She would have preferred a group of women, but oh well…
“……??”
Wa-Wait a second.
In the brief moment a light passed brightly over them, the fansite master almost choked on her own spit.
‘Cough.’
She could tell just by their frames.
The large, wild one on the left. The tall, straight-limbed one on the right.
And… the man in the middle, who looked lean but had surprisingly good shoulder and thigh structure.
‘It-It’s Moon-dae.’
It was Park Moon-dae.
There was no way she wouldn't know!
Whether he wore a mask or sunglasses from a movie to look like he was enjoying the park, she could recognize her idol just by his jawline and the shape of his ears…!
Why on earth was he here…? Was this one of those big events you only see on the internet happening to her? What was this, a dream? Was she still dreaming before going to Dreamland…?
“Gasp.”
“Are you okay?!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Realizing she had stopped in her tracks, she quickly started walking again.
She kept her eyes fixed on her friend, who had turned back to look at her while filming the surroundings.
But her mind was screaming.
This was real!
‘I’m so happy! So happy!’
Was she being rewarded for liking and supporting him for so long? She couldn't believe it. It was incredibly thrilling, but…
But the thing was.
‘Wait… what if Moon-dae recognizes me?’
A chill ran down her spine.
Come to think of it… she was someone who had been filming Moon-dae since before his debut, and after his debut, she’d been in the front row of every fan signing and stage with her camera.
‘At that level, wouldn't he at least think I look familiar even if we met in passing…?’
If so, there was a definite possibility that Moon-dae or the other members would recognize her!
But think about it.
The members came to a theme park to have fun, and they run into a fansite master?
“…….”
I-I’m not a sasaeng, guys…!
She didn't want to end up on a blacklist; no, she didn't want to be misunderstood!
Turning pale, the fansite master finally…
Thump.
“Yeon-ju, what are you doing…?”
“I’m cold.”
‘Don't get caught.’
She boldly pulled a whole shark plushie over her head.
A time of agonizing misery and bliss was just beginning.