Blues Roots and the 'Dae-yo' Charm
Lee Yu-na, who appeared on someone else's YouTube channel, was a former girl idol. Not hugely successful, not a total flop—just the kind who scraped by decently until their group's shelf life expired, and the members went their separate ways. They'd occasionally meet up, take trips together, film YouTube content... that level of idol, where such news barely made headlines, or maybe one or two articles at most. While the other members pursued acting, office jobs, homemaking, or training gigs, Yu-na decided to go solo as a singer-songwriter. It felt a bit odd—the main vocalist had landed a corporate job, after all—but what could she do? She didn't want to leave the industry after just a few years as an idol and start over as a total newbie. Her goal was to survive in entertainment and make bank.
These kids these days are way too young... Of course, having a goal didn't guarantee success. It was an era where you either kept up or got left behind. She felt that creeping sense of crisis as she scanned the meeting room. The awkward vibe had given way to lively chatter. They'd all claimed to be total strangers just moments ago, yet these four were already acting like decades-long pals. That's adaptation for you, she thought. Something she personally struggled with. The only kindred spirit was that lone kid in the back, staring at her phone—a high school girl, by the look of her. For some reason, Yu-na felt a strange affinity. You get shy around strangers too, huh?
"Hello~ I'm PD Kim Gaeun! We met before, right? Great to see familiar faces again!"
The bubbly PD swept in with her greeting, glanced around, then faltered at the sudden hush her entrance brought. She pressed on awkwardly.
"Anyway, you've all probably already..."
"Introduced ourselves!"
"We're already buddies~"
"Oh, not with those folks over there."
"Really? Oh, right."
"Uh... how about we all do proper introductions then!!"
Yu-na shrank back a bit, half-hearing phantom echoes of Why didn't you greet them? Greetings had been the hardest part of her idol days. Easy with friends, but making those connections? Brutal.
"Hello! I'm~"
The four who'd already bonded burst into giggles, greeting each other playfully. The mood sank when it was her turn.
"Hello. I'm singer-songwriter Ha Yu-na. I used to be a sub-vocalist in Hailos. Please take care of me."
She rattled it off quickly to hide her nerves, like dumping a gift on a stranger and bolting. The others clapped, a tad overwhelmed.
"Greetings. I'm Ha Suyeon from Group Sound. Please take care of me."
Next up: the girl Yu-na had warmed to. She stood with a frosty face and emotionless expression, her tone rigid as a concrete glove smashing into someone. The room froze solid.
"Uh, uh, uh! Y-you're Suyeon, right? From that show! The 'daeyo' thing!"
"What's daeyo?"
The ice broke with that shout. Someone kindly pulled up the clip to explain. Behind Suyeon's impassive face—ears turning beet red—the other four watched, then showered her with "So cute!"s.
This kid's a natural for shows like this, Yu-na thought. Cool exterior, but shy underneath. Perfect for a lighthearted variety program with a dash of comedy.
But that impression shattered as filming progressed.
"Whoa~ I don't know this song!"
"PD-nim, can we rewind it? We'll nail it, promise."
Filming kicked off with the concept: busking to earn that day's meal money. While the cast hustled every which way, Suyeon barely uttered a word. She just hovered in the background, flashing stiff, forced smiles.
What's her deal? Yu-na wondered. In the meeting, her speech had been stiff but she'd chatted plenty, even shared fun stories. Camera jitters? Nah, didn't feel right.
"Cut! Short break!"
During the lull, Yu-na approached Gaeun.
"PD-nim..."
"Yes~ Yu-na-ssi? What's up?"
No real reason to stick her neck out. Ha ha ho ho, sure—but entertainment was cutthroat. Once established, roles shifted, so not pure competition, but in a small setup like this? Push out who you can. Still, Suyeon looked... pitiable. Talented, seemingly, yet silent. There had to be a reason. And probably...
"Suyeon's been totally quiet the whole time."
"Huh? Oh, um... yeah, she has!"
"Maybe the concept's a bit off?"
"Hm..."
As Gaeun pondered, Yu-na flashed back. The girl who'd been stone-faced earlier was now smiling genuinely. It reminded her of her idol days—stuck in a mismatched concept, bombing on air, miserable inside.
"Sorry!"
After several cuts, the PD's first words to her were an apology. Gaeun looked genuinely remorseful.
"What's there to apologize for?"
"I suggested that weird concept..."
The PD crumpled. Normally, you'd say No, it was fine, but Myeongjeon couldn't muster it. The concept was weird and grueling.
He'd poured everything into that damn "cheerful vibe"—beaming nonstop, exaggerating gestures. But layering in timely ad-libs or stories? Impossible for him. Pros might pull it off; he couldn't.
"Someone said you hadn't said a word... I'm so sorry...!"
"No big deal. Happens."
Gaeun wanted to sink into the floor watching "Ha Suyeon." She'd brought her herself, thinking she'd shine on air—then ruined it with a bad concept.
"Forget the 'cheerful' thing—your natural self would be better!"
"Like how...?"
"Just be you, Suyeon-ssi! Like in Invasion from Seoul 2024... show off your music knowledge!"
She elaborated, then left her to mull it over.
My true self? Music knowledge? It only confused Myeongjeon more. Suyeon's natural self—like she'd never considered it, hit with "That's not you." The inevitable comeback: Then what is me?
Do what feels right? He twisted a lock of hair, stumped. No other way to read it. He let go of the strain, deciding to follow his gut.
"Filming resumes~!"
Post-talk, Suyeon's face relaxed. No more rigid grins—just calm neutrality, like chilling expressionless at home.
"Alright! Let's spin again! Who’s up...?"
"Me."
Gaeun eyed her briefly, then refocused. The roulette whirled... and landed on blues.
"Blues...?"
"Anyone heard blues?"
"Nah, me neither."
Ignoring Suyeon's prickly vibe, Gaeun pushed on. Blues—probably just filler from staff.
"No one knows it?"
"Nope. Not even the songs."
"Isn't that old geezer stuff? Like 60s, 70s?"
The cast murmured among themselves. Gaeun pondered editing it out. Fun was king on air. Six clueless folks—how to make it entertaining? Blues wouldn't hit again; just respin for variety.
She opened her mouth—until Suyeon spoke from the back.
"Blues isn't old man music..."
"...Pardon?"
"It's the root, the foundation. Didn't start in the 60s or 70s—around 1900. It's the bedrock of rock. Total misconception."
She stepped forward, heated, grabbing an acoustic guitar from the corner. Her fingers danced, unleashing a familiar, upbeat tune that lit everyone up.
"You've all heard this one, and... pretty much all pop music ties back to blues... neyo!"
Mid-rant, she bit her tongue or something, tacking on that abrupt "neyo!" The cute slip cracked everyone up, warming the set instantly.
"Pffft-haha!"
"Whoa... she's adorable...!"
"No way, that was real?"
The cast swarmed: "Why the sudden cute talk?" Suyeon: "...Felt my usual speech was too stiff, so... neyo."
Gaeun watched, envisioning a far better character than "bubbly high schooler": Suyeon's raw self, uniquely hers.