Chapter 103
Chapter 103
Suits.
One of the legendary 'Big Three' idol outfits, a truly fail-proof garment that rightfully claimed its spot.
Among the tearful pleas fans made to the styling team with their obscure, singular philosophy, there was even one that went, 'If this is how it's going to be, just throw them in some suits.'
But HAZERD's suits didn't feel at all like that 'just thrown together' remark suggested.
Details that properly highlighted the members' individuality were immediately eye-catching—like the missing necktie on Han Neuti or the vest worn in place of a jacket on Jeong Sowol... truly excellent styling!
Most of all, as a group already rumored to average over 180cm in height, the slightly tailored fit suited their long, lean frames perfectly.
"Hyaa......."
An exclamation of admiration escaped involuntarily.
The inerasable freshness of a rookie contrasted with the mature feel of the suits, giving off a peculiar charm.
Hyelin's gaze, which had been dazedly scanning the members one by one, was naturally fixed on Seo Cha-gyeom as if drawn by a magnet.
'Cha-gyeom, you really......!'
It was just that his usual skills and face had overshadowed it. Seo Cha-gyeom was already famous among fans for his perfectly angular shoulder line.
And now... that asset was being displayed without reservation.
Unlike the other members who had each loosened a button or a tie to express their own individuality, he alone was impeccably dressed from head to toe without a single strand out of place.
'The styling team nailed his character analysis.'
Hyelin sent infinite gratitude to the style team.
In the meantime, the members passed through the aisle next to the stage, bowing their heads repeatedly and endlessly toward the audience.
This aisle was actually extremely narrow, so most idols usually just nod with their eyes or quickly pass through while looking straight ahead when going by.
But these guys, for whatever reason, were so overjoyed that they kept bowing and couldn't move forward.
Maybe it was because they were still rookies and didn't know better, or perhaps meeting fans was just that delightful and precious to them.......
Hopefully the latter, but even if it were the former, it didn't matter.
One thing was certain.
'Sniff, so cute. You precious little rookies.'
But I think you can stop bowing now and hurry up on stage already!
Watching the members' heads pop up and disappear repeatedly like a whack-a-mole game, Hyelin swallowed a pleased smile.
Soon, the members climbed onto the stage and awkwardly found their positions to form up. Then, once again, they bowed deeply toward the audience.
After that, Kim Yuri, who made eye contact with the members, nodded and opened his mouth.......
"One, two—."
"Since it's the members' first time, I'll explain the camera positions fir....... Ah, yes, do your greeting first. Haha."
The camera director's voice and Kim Yuri's cue timing overlapped exquisitely.
At the sight of Kim Yuri's eyes going round as he glanced back and forth between the director and the members, even the director chuckled as if finding him adorable.
The other members, even Seo Cha-gyeom, seemed slightly flustered, but they quickly straightened up again at the signal from Kim Yuri, who had pulled himself together.
"One, two, three!"
"Hello, we are HAZERD!"
The six members' crisp greeting resounded throughout the studio.
The members' mouths opened as if they wanted to chat more with the fans, but soon, upon seeing the staff's cue to proceed, they started forming up again with regretful expressions.
Kim Sanho, standing at the very front of the stage, blinked awkwardly, then looked at the fans again and nodded.
'He looks so gentle. Completely like a deer.......'
But before that, you guys, at this rate you're really going to wreck your necks and backs!
Just as Hyelin swallowed a cry of worry internally, the long-awaited intro to 'HOOKED' finally flowed out through the speakers.
The intro of this electro swing genre song was adorned with a mysterious synth sound.
A melody that took brass samples sounding like they came from an old vinyl record, finely chopped and rearranged into a variation.
Dreamy yet somehow precarious, the tension-laced tune wrapped around the stage for a moment.
Then soon, the beat became extremely minimal.
Only the low contrabass line crawled along the floor steadily like a heartbeat, dum, dum.
Velvet curtain call, a dangerous game
And over that, Kim Sanho's clear, pristine voice was laid like a whisper.
Kim Sanho's delicate, wind-like voice created the illusion that he was singing right into one's ear, instantly drawing everyone into the performance.
'Wow, my ears are being purified... I thought it was ASMR.'
As expected, they didn't call him the 'intro fairy' for nothing. His deer-like face even seemed to match the 'fairy' title well.......
'But he still needs to practice his expressions!'
Perhaps because his tension hadn't eased yet, it was slightly regrettable that his expression remained stiff. Since his face was so naturally calm and gentle, the rigidity might have shown even more.
Still, it was okay. This was just the beginning, after all.
Honestly, thanks to Kim Sanho's excellent physique and face, even Hyelin, a natural-born talent junkie, found the fact that she'd get to watch him grow genuinely pleasing.
Then the spotlight moved to Seo Cha-gyeom.
one step, open your eyes
you'll see a world completely changed
'Hwaaaah....'
A sticky yet groovy rhythm was added to the minimal beat.
The bass line moved more flexibly than before, and the choppy hi-hat sounds added a sophisticated feel.
Over that, Seo Cha-gyeom's smooth vocals, skillfully playing with the rhythm, breathed genuine vitality into the song.
If Kim Sanho had opened the prologue, Seo Cha-gyeom now led the stage with a more relaxed gesture, as if to say, 'Now let's get to the main point.'
Hyelin unknowingly held her breath, then realized it was the moment to shout the fan chant and snapped out of it urgently.
HOOKED
caught in this dazzling trap
Han Neuti took on the highly addictive chorus that unfolded with a unique sense of rhythm, somewhere between rap and song.
Compared to his <MAKE100%> days, his rap had become surprisingly skilled, but that aside.......
Han Neuti was truly all about dance.
The main choreography: one hand in his pocket, the other drawing Xs in rhythm while stepping the Charleston.
Even though he seemed to dance casually, the groove felt within it and the aura emanating from his very bones were absolutely no joke.
'That's... that's not something you can achieve through practice....... That's the realm of pure, innate talent.......'
On either side of Han Neuti, Kim Yuri and Seo Cha-gyeom matched their timing perfectly, making the by-now sprightly beat stand out even more.
These three were already being called 'Gukbapjeu' in various communities.
It was a combination name given by people who weren't even fans, meaning 'no matter the song or stage, with those three, you feel secure and the stage feels full.'
'So reliable, so reliable.'
I had already thought that the refreshing song from Kim Yuri's teaser concept and the hip-hop song from Baek Gyeonwoo's teaser concept, both shown at yesterday's showcase, were far too good to just be buried as b-sides.......
This song was exactly the same.
'It's such a waste that only fans get to hear this!!!'
Not just out of promotional spirit, but out of genuine love for humanity, I reached the point where I wanted to hack the entire nation's playlists and force-add it.......
In the meantime, the first stage ended and the members headed to the monitoring area.
Even while focusing on the monitor, they kept glancing at the fans, giving light hand waves, winking—those small, precious gestures were just so, so cute.
A moment later, it was decided to do one more recording, and the members went back on stage.
Then a staff member shouted at the fans.
"Everyone! Please shout the fan chants louder this time!!"
"Yes!!!"
Hyelin, who had missed a few fan chants because she had been mesmerized by the performance, felt guilty and answered even louder.
Perhaps thinking the fans were exhausted because of the late hour, Seo Cha-gyeom, standing on stage, asked them.
"You must be really tired?"
At his worried voice, the fans answered in unison as if they'd rehearsed it.
"No!!!!"
"Not at all!!!"
As if he had expected them to say they were tired, Seo Cha-gyeom widened his eyes in surprise, then lifted the corners of his lips and said.
"......Um, well, still, I think you should eat something after this."
Then Han Neuti beside him chimed in lightly.
"R-right. Meat... or something... you need to eat to get energy......."
On top of that, Jeong Sowol added out of nowhere.
"Especially, I think you might want some dakgangjeong?"
At that oddly awkward flow, as if they'd rehearsed it, every fan had a similar thought at that moment.
'No way.'
And indeed, that 'no way' became reality.
* * *
[HAZERD Pre-recording Review]
(Photo)
Hot pack, chocolate, photocard set...
You thought that was it?
(Photo)
Coffee truck sent by Dayday Coffee also came
You thought that was it?
(Photo)
A dakgangjeong truck came too, fuck
Where does a rookie get the money to take care of us like this
Ah, I'm so overwhelmed by love I'm crying nonstop
Comments
―Whoa... My idol just handed out one hot pack... I mean, I don't go to pre-recordings for the reverse gifts, but... lol
―Good choice on the 100% domestic chicken thigh brand, I approve
―Reverse gifts aside, I keep thinking about how they kept checking for chances to talk to fans whenever they could ㅠㅠㅠ
―The company does all this kind of stuff
└It's even more amazing since the company is absolutely worthless
―Ah... Is it hard to get into their pre-recordings? I wanna go too, for the dakgangjeong...
* * *
It felt like the debut showcase was just a couple of days ago, but before I knew it, it was already the last day of the first week of promotions.
Even this killer music show schedule, starting at dawn and keeping us tied to the broadcasting station all day, had started to feel familiar by now.
'Though calling it killer seems a bit much when half of it is just waiting.......'
Anyway, today was the filming day for 'Music Record', which takes place on Sundays.
The pre-recording was already finished, and now only the live broadcast stage and a short interview with the MC awaited us a few hours later.
Music Record allocated one waiting room per team, so the members could pass the time much more comfortably in their own ways than in previous music shows.
Some sprawled in a corner to catch up on sleep, some were glued to the game console they'd brought, some took the chance to check community reactions.
A waiting room truly our own, with no staff or behind-the-scenes cameras around.
......Normally, the person who would be the loudest was quiet, so an awkward silence even hung in the air here now.
As for what that person, who should have been noisy, was doing.
"Haaah......."
Kim Yuri, collapsed face-down on the waiting room sofa almost as if buried in it.
He was letting out an unusually deep sigh, one after another, today.
"Ah, that's blowing all my luck away."
Unable to take it any longer, Baek Gyeonwoo scolded him without even looking up from his game.
But even Baek Gyeonwoo's nagging didn't stop Kim Yuri's sighs; rather, they grew deeper and longer.
"Ah....... I really can't stand the sight of him......."
I knew exactly why.
"Just the thought of seeing Yoon Haejun's face already pisses me off......."
Because the MC of Music Record was Yoon Haejun.