Chapter 84: MIRO MAZE (2)
84. MIRO MAZE (2)
The long-awaited premiere of Miro Maze had finally arrived.
Given the considerable buzz leading up to the show, the internet was abuzz with anticipation as the first episode approached.
[Miro Maze Episode 1 Discussion (157)]
[Where can I watch Miro Maze Survival? (2)]
[Stop spamming and go to the discussion thread (14)]
[Here comes my dopamine fix (3)]
"Wow, it's already chaos out there."
BlueBird username: Windy.
A fan whose ultimate bias was Dan Ha-ru and second bias was Kang Hajin—though she was better known online by another name: Her Majesty the Cat.
"That's right, everyone. Let's all watch Ha-ru and Hajin. They're ridiculously good-looking, so just deal with it."
Windy was the one who had previously posted eyewitness accounts of Tae-hyun and Hajin helping her friend find her lost cat, effectively doubling the hype for Miro Maze.
Today, she had planned to watch this historic premiere with her friend (the cat's owner), who had since become a full-fledged chef. But her friend's baby (the cat) wasn't feeling well today and needed company, so Windy ended up watching alone.
But I'm not lonely.
With a discussion thread open on one screen and BlueBird's trending page on another, she was set for the most luxurious and enjoyable live-watching experience possible!
ㅡ So who do you think the teaser ending guy is? LMAO
└ K.H.J
└ It's totally Kang Hajin LOLOLOLOL
└ It's him, someone posted a screenshot on BlueBird
ㅡ But seriously, what did they even do to get "Escape the Maze" as the concept? HAHAHAHA
└ Right??? Why is no one questioning this???
ㅡ I'm curious about the team selection criteria too... Ugh, is it 9 PM yet?
ㅡ My clock has no chill, can we just pretend it's 9 already?
From snack recommendations to shamelessly promoting their own picks, the comments kept rolling in until—before anyone realized—it was finally 9 PM.
ㅡ It's happening, it's happening
ㅡ The truth behind the giant maze is finally being revealed
ㅡ If the ending fairies show up, be a good human and tag spoilers...
└ Got it, got it
ㅡ Wow, the new actress in the ad is insanely pretty, is this real life?
ㅡ The ads are insane... Who is this new actress?
ㅡ They must've spent a fortune on ads this time LOLOLOL
After the tedious commercials, the Miro Maze title sequence flashed on screen. Once the age restriction notice passed, what appeared was a dazzling yet eerily empty stage.
"Back when I first debuted..."
A deep, cavernous voice rumbled as the scene transitioned. Of course, the faces that followed were all familiar to those watching the premiere.
ㅡ OMG YUN JI-NU
ㅡ It's Ji-nu!
ㅡ Ji-nu's face looks even more tanned... Must've had an amazing vacation...
└ Apparently, she went to Africa for volunteer work and mistook body lotion for sunscreen. Legendary.
"I just... trusted my members back then."
Starting with an awkwardly smiling Yun Ji-nu, interviews from UPIA and Endway members rapidly flashed across the screen.
"There's this underground practice room... We called it 'The Swamp' because it was so humid—once you went in, you couldn't get out."
"Just being able to release another album felt incredible. Getting to share our music one more time."
"If we ever get juniors, I'll treat them so well. Like, so well."
The emotional growth stories of UPIA and Endway played out in a fast-paced montage, backed by their fan songs.
Just as the mood reached peak sentimentality, the producers dropped a question.
Miro Maze?>
Endway's center, Choi Yeon-woo, smirked at the camera with an almost villainous air.
'Okay, yeah, he's kinda hot too. That arrogant crown prince vibe.'
And thus, His Arrogant Highness decreed:
"Well, juniors."
"Whoever makes it to debut in the end..."
"Better be prepared."
"Surviving as a male idol in this maze... isn't easy."
Not easy, not easy, not easy...
The slow, echo-laden final words faded out, and the previously serious and emotional atmosphere flipped in an instant.
Bam, bam, baaaaam—
Accompanied by unnecessarily grand background music, the camera zoomed in on one trainee's utterly bewildered face.
ㅡ OMG IT'S SEO TAE-HYUN LMAOOOO
ㅡ TAE-HYUN'S FACE HAHAHAHAHAHA
ㅡ WHY DOES HE LOOK LIKE THAT????
ㅡ NO WAY HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Seo Tae-hyun, whose expression was already destined to become an "Aggro Purge Meme" among fans, spoke in complete disbelief.
"What... is this?"
The camera zoomed out to an aerial view, revealing the massive maze set that had been teased in the previews.
BOOM!
A dramatic sound effect paired with an unnecessarily pretty subtitle splashed across the screen.
<And so, we present...>
<The first trial to survive as a male idol in the maze!>
<Escape the maze!>
ㅡ WAIT, THE MAZE IS LITERALLY A MAZE?????
ㅡ THE PRODUCERS ARE INSANE HAHAHAHAHAHA
ㅡ MAZE... MAZE... MAZE... MY BRAIN IS MELTING
ㅡ WHY DID THEY BUILD IT SO BIG????
ㅡ WHO ASKED THEM TO ESCAPE WHEN THEY COULD'VE JUST DEBUTED INSIDE IT????
Amid the explosion of comments, the scene shifted again.
A sunny day, a shot of Miro Entertainment's new building, and a timestamp appearing as if typed out: <March 1, 20XX, 14:00 / Miro ENT>
ㅡ Here they come, here they come.
ㅡ The trainees are coming! Hide! HIDE!
The camera at the entrance shook urgently before switching to multiple CCTV-like angles, capturing the trainees as they entered. CG profiles briefly introduced each one.
'Gasp. It's Hajin.'
Windy held her breath as she spotted her second bias on screen.
'Thank god. At least he doesn't look completely different from real life.'
Having seen Hajin in person, Windy had been shook by his concept photos. Fortunately, his on-screen appearance wasn't too far off from reality.
ㅡ Did they seriously not know they were being filmed? LOL
└ Nah, it's all staged. You actually believe this?
└ They don't even have mics, so it's probably real.
└ These days, mics are hidden inside clothes, dummy.
ㅡ Wow, that visual's casual outfit is so him—knit sweater and coat? Overkill.
On screen, the trainees, having been instructed to go to the 5th floor, stepped out of the elevator—only to freeze in confusion.
With all exits seemingly blocked and a monitor suddenly ordering them to "Open the door and enter," their reactions were priceless.
True to its survival show roots, the production focused less on manufactured drama and more on highlighting each trainee's unique charm.
<The Types of Miro Trainees Facing Their First Broadcast Mission>
<Type 1: Sweating Newbies>
"Where... where do we...? ㅠㅠ"
"Uh... hello? Is anyone here?"
"Ugh... ㅠㅜㅜㅜ"
<Type 2: Charge Ahead Like a Bull>
"Hyung, maybe it's this?"
"Gasp, I think this is it! This is the one!"
"NO! (PANIC!!) That's just part of the set!! NOT THAT ONE!!!! COME BACK!!!!"
The trainees' reactions, enhanced with cute sound effects and CG, were a hit.
ㅡ They said to open the door, so why are they trying to open the monitor? LOL
ㅡ Seo Tae-hyun stopping the kids from dismantling the set walls is killing meㅜㅠ
ㅡ But seriously, where's the exit? There's no door.
ㅡ They're so cute. After watching UPIA and Endway, seeing these babies is like watching ducklings.
But the real explosion of reactions came with the next scene.
<Type 3.>
"They're starting without even mics...?"
"No script reading, no pre-meeting? Not even debranding? Just... like this?"
Are You?)>
Kang Hajin's expression—somewhere between disbelief and utter despair—as he stared at the monitor was made even funnier by Lee Doha standing next to him, reading the text with deadpan indifference.
ㅡ HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
ㅡ I CAN'T BREATHE HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
ㅡ Where's the guy who said it was all scripted?
ㅡ He looks so wronged and confused, I'm tearing upㅠ What did the producers do to him?
ㅡ Doha's reaction is hilarious too—just blinking at Hajin's rapid-fire words.
ㅡ The Doha-Hajin combo is gold LOL
"Huh, this oppa's kinda wild."
Though different from the vibe she got when she met him in person, this side of him had its own charm. His unexpected remarks and tone actually made him feel more relatable.
Watching the broadcast on TV while scrolling through clips of Ha-ru and Eun-chan trying to dismantle the set walls on her phone, Windy couldn't help but think:
"Okay, but where is the door?"
As if reading the viewers' minds, the camera cut to Hajin and Doha's gazes shifting toward something.
"...No way."
Other trainees realizing the elevator's existence was also shown in quick cuts, followed by them re-entering and trying to deduce their next destination.
Once again, the final shot focused on Doha and Hajin.
And then—finally—the line everyone had been waiting for:
"But... we don't know which floor to go to."
"Should we go back to the first floor?"
When Doha asked Hajin for his opinion, the screen lingered meaningfully on the monitor's command and Hajin's thoughtful expression.
"No. We go up."
"We have to reach the sun."
ㅡ OMG THAT'S DEFINITELY KANG HAJIN
ㅡ Why did Doha-Hajin suddenly turn into a noir film?
ㅡ PLEASE SOMEONE CAPTURE HAJIN SMILING JUST NOW
ㅡ Oppa, why are you suddenly giving heroic protagonist vibes? Are you trying to seduce me?
ㅡ So Hajin's the ending fairy for sure????
└ Nah, we don't know yet.
└ No, the teaser ending is just a separate image shoot.
└ ???: "No script reading, no pre-meeting????"
└ That was earlier, the teaser ending is definitely a separate shoot.
└ It could be real though? Just wait and see.
└ LOL y'all are just Hajin stans trying to push him. So annoying.
└ Your wording gives you away. Just report this troll.
└ How is this trolling? LOL Hajin stans are so pressed.
└ This is the same guy who pretended to be a Tae-hyun fan but stirred up drama between fandoms before. The wording is identical. Just go back to your usual hangout.
ㅡ Is the production team pushing Hajin hard? Look at his screen time.
└ With lines like that, I'd give him screen time too.
ㅡ Wow, the producers are geniuses. This feels like a real escape room. Never would've thought of the elevator.
'Ugh, the trolls are already out.'
Because Hajin had been a major topic even before the broadcast, antis and toxic fans of other trainees were already out in full force, trying to discredit him.
Every word or action of his that gained attention in teasers was dismissed as scripted or pre-planned—their latest tactic to drag him down.
'Honestly, I do think the teaser ending was a separate shoot...'
Windy didn't care if the ending fairy was Hajin or someone else. But she did want to shut these know-it-all trolls up.
'But who in their right mind would climb the maze walls during the broadcast?'
Half-doubting, she kept watching.
If no one actually escaped the maze today...
'My head hurts already, seriously.'
A small worry sprouted in her heart—that Hajin would end up being mocked by antis and toxic fans of other trainees for a while.