Chapter 110
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 110
[Alright, let me summarize.
Ah, shit.
I’m so hyped.
No, wait, let me calm down and summarize this again.]
The Noeuls greedily devoured the apocalypse lore that Daepasung was spoon-feeding them.
While the frenzy was partly due to Kang Yi-chae’s trendy yet unique beats and melodies, everyone was mostly preoccupied with dissecting the music video.
[Okay, so Seo Ho-yun is a Government Army soldier.
Got it~
But he kills the old man in the hospital room at the beginning.
Got it~
The old man seems like someone high up, so Seo Ho-yun gets arrested on suspicion of rebellion.
Got it, got it~
Shit, that’s all I know. Someone else finish this.
└ Ah, I’m seriously losing my mind.]
[Kang Yi-chae is the INHERITOR, right... He was a Rebel, then Government Army, then the Inheritor?? I did think it was too easy for a Rebel to join Seo Ho-yun’s side (Government Army) during Second Chance...
└ I thought he was a spy, I never imagined he was the Inheritor ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ!!]
[He’s the Inheritor, but he put Seo Ho-yun on the throne at the end? That’s insane. Plus, Kang Yi-chae with that faded red hair in the sports car is lethal. This Thug-chae (Thug + Yi-chae) bastard.]
[The last one, the RAVAGER, was the Joker. They said Jeong Da-jun was the Joker during Second Chance too... So Jeong Da-jun was the Ravager all along??]
[Ah, they kept Jeong Da-jun so hidden during Second Chance and Ocean Trend ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Dammit ㅠㅠㅠㅠ To think they’d make the maknae the Ravager. Daepasung, you crazy bastards.]
While the fans were buzzing over the flood of clues that were difficult to interpret, one video on Nutube gained explosive popularity among the Noeuls.
It was a video from a channel specializing in K-POP MV interpretations, famous for its robotic narration, which neatly organized the clues from The Dawn’s Kill the Lights music video.
[The Dawn’s single album, Kill the Lights, is the conclusion of the Apocalypse Trilogy produced by Daepasung.]
Starting with a brief album description, the Nutube video began summarizing from the Second Chance MV to explain the preceding worldview, as Kill the Lights was the final chapter of the series.
[It is a well-known fact that in Second Chance, members Seo Ho-yun and Kang Yi-chae are pitted against Seong Ji-won, Kim Seong-hyeon, and Jeong Da-jun. The fact that Seo Ho-yun devised a plan based on the characteristics of all the members to capture the Rebels set the hearts of MV otakus ablaze.]
[But wait!!]
The video rewinds rapidly, showing a scene from the Kill the Lights music video.
[In this album, Seo Ho-yun chooses rebellion by killing a high-ranking official of the Government Army. Furthermore, he doesn't flee but sits idly, as if waiting for someone. Eventually, Seo Ho-yun is captured and confined in a secret room, awaiting Capital Punishment.]
That much was known to all Noeuls. So was the fact that Kang Yi-chae, thought to be a Rebel, was actually a high-ranking official in the Government Army. And that he had intentionally helped Seo Ho-yun. However, the twist occurs after that.
[Why is Seong Ji-won walking freely somewhere despite being captured by Seo Ho-yun? Why is Kim Seong-hyeon causing explosions in an abandoned building?
This is where my theory begins.
Perhaps... Seo Ho-yun persuaded them.
Furthermore, Seo Ho-yun didn't choose rebellion because of some incident after Second Chance.
The evidence is as follows.
(Seo Ho-yun’s subconscious text in Ocean Train - ‘Everything goes my way in the end’)
(We can definitely kill this light / Flip everything and change the game)
As seen in the lyrics, Seo Ho-yun was planning to change the entire game from the very beginning.]
Following that, there is a close-up of Seo Ho-yun emerging with Kang Yi-chae’s help after a sports car rams into the transport vehicle.
[Seong Ji-won and Kim Seong-hyeon, having been persuaded by him, make their preparations. Seong Ji-won runs off to find someone, and Kim Seong-hyeon sets explosives as if preparing to overthrow the imperial court.
And when everything blows up, Seo Ho-yun and Kang Yi-chae leisurely walk through the ruined corridors of the palace.
The rebellion is a success.
Kill the Lights—they have killed the artificial light of the Government Army and brought forth the light of a new dawn.]
Seo Ho-yun was shown walking across a red carpet.
[However, despite the success of the rebellion, Seo Ho-yun appears indifferent. It’s as if the rebellion was merely a means to an end.
Here, he moves forward, slowly brushing past paintings of playing cards representing each member.
And finally, our regressor, Seong Ji-won, finally finds someone.
The Dawn’s maknae, the Joker, Jeong Da-jun.]
A captured frame of Seong Ji-won exhaling a shaky breath and raising a gun appeared on the screen.
[Wait a moment, why is Seong Ji-won pointing a gun at Jeong Da-jun? No, beep—beep—, Seong Ji-won absolutely adores Jeong Da-jun, though??
Perhaps... we have taken this post-apocalyptic setting too much for granted.
Why is The Dawn’s worldview post-apocalyptic in the first place?
Who ruined this world before?
The cause of all this... is none other than...]
A painting of the Joker, splashed with paint, is shown above Seo Ho-yun’s head.
[The RAVAGER, the destroyer of this world, Jeong Da-jun.]
Jeong Da-jun is reflected in Seong Ji-won’s trembling eyes, and the moment Jeong Da-jun’s lips part, a gunshot rings out.
[...All the members, including Seong Ji-won, succeeded in their rebellion and captured Jeong Da-jun, the factor behind the world's ruin. A final shot was fired, but since we aren't shown Jeong Da-jun collapsing, we don't know if he actually died.]
Having summarized all the clues, the MV interpretation Nutuber let out a deep sigh.
[There are rumors that this isn't an Apocalypse Trilogy but a pentalogy, so we’ll have to wait and see if this is the end or if there will be a sequel.
Whether Seong Ji-won actually killed Jeong Da-jun, why Kang Yi-chae helped Seo Ho-yun, and what on earth the successful rebel Seo Ho-yun is thinking...
Well, anyway, the conclusion?]
The Nutuber let out a forced, artificial chuckle.
[Daepasung really outdid themselves this time.]
The video ended with a request to like and subscribe.
The post containing the video link received an enormous number of retweets on Twitter, spreading rapidly among fans.
[Ah, shit..................................]
[I can’t even speak, just curses. I’ve been muttering to myself like a subway madman since yesterday.]
[..Daepasung, honey.
Honey, you know I love you, right?
└ Note: They were cursing them out until the day before yesterday.]
They even went as far as praising Daepasung.
[Guys, Daepasung is actually genius.
The reason they bring refreshing, bright songs in the summer and dark, spicy concepts in the winter.
They say The Dawn is the dawn that separates night and morning...
└ SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT AHHHH SHIT!!!!!!!!
└ I just screamed in the middle of the night.]
[Yeah, exactly. Daepasung takes care of public appeal in the summer while sneaking in apocalypse hints (Morning)... and as winter approaches (Night), they just go, "Yeah, I'll kill you with this," and grab the otakus by the hair.
└ Yeah, I'll gladly die.]
While the reception among fans was overwhelmingly positive, the strong concept naturally drew some negative opinions as well.
[So what does any of this even mean? It’s so cringey I couldn’t finish it lol]
[Wow, seeing them talk like they’re some kind of critics is so pathetic.]
The checks and balances were endless. There were many comments that made the Noeuls, who were happily typing away, want to use their keyboards to bash the commenters' heads instead.
[LOL, the jealousy is real just because they came out with a god-tier song and concept~~~ You jealous, bastards?~~~]
[Sorry guys~~ I’m already stanning a god-tier idol and living a god-saeng~~
└ That’s definitely not a god-saeng.
└ Dammit, you caught me. But just listen lol]
The Noeuls were generally trying to let things slide and keep the atmosphere positive. Just as the fans were starting to get genuinely pissed off by people nitpicking and being exhausting, behind-the-scenes photos from the Kill the Lights shoot were posted on The Dawn’s official account.
And a lot of them, too.
[?????]
[Ah, they were wearing the costumes on top, but just black shorts on the bottom. Plus, they’re wearing three-striped slippers.
└ So freaking cute. Ah, so cute. Ah, so cute.]
As if she had anticipated that the otaku concept would work while simultaneously drawing fire, Lee Ji-hyeon had told Seo Ho-yun to take an insane amount of behind-the-scenes photos. All of this was preparation for this very moment.
[Ah, did they film when it was hot? ㅋㅋㅋ Ah ㅋㅋㅋ They’re all bundled up but holding mini fans, they’re so, so, so cute. My softies ㅜㅜㅜ]
[I’m a bit flustered because their faces are always in peak season.
As expected, idols are all about the face.]
Quickly trading their anger for the content they greedily devoured from The Dawn’s official account, the Noeuls left Twitter feeling satisfied.
[When the Noeuls are feeling down...
The Dawn uses their special skill: 'Posting behind-the-scenes photos.']
And so, amidst a festive atmosphere, music show promotions began.
* * *
“Ah.”
As I was walking toward the waiting room, I saw Ju Woo-seong, whom I hadn't seen in quite a while. He looked at me and gave an awkward smile first. Behind him, I could see the other members of Black Call.
He had been incredibly prickly and sensitive last time, but he seemed to have found some peace of mind now. I guess he’d soaked up some California sun and become human again.
“Are you less sulky now?”
“...I wasn't sulky.”
“Oh! It’s The Dawn!”
Just then, the other Black Call members greeted The Dawn members with even more enthusiasm than Ju Woo-seong. In particular, Black Call’s sub-dancer tapped Kim Seong-hyeon on the shoulder and spoke to him warmly.
“I thought we might see you this time. The timing worked out perfectly.”
“Hello, hyung-nim.”
“Seong-hyeon~!”
Kim Seong-hyeon already liked Ju Woo-seong a lot, but seeing him chatting familiarly with another Black Call member made me wonder what was going on. I observed the situation with a slightly dubious expression. Then, a system window popped up.
Ding!
[They went on a dance variety show together. It seems they became close then.]
So that’s why he’s calling him 'hyung-nim' and all that... If he had treated me like that instead, I could have squeezed way more benefits out of it.
Kim Seong-hyeon grumbled about picking the wrong line and turned his head, only to lock eyes with Ju Woo-seong.
“…….”
“...Don’t look at me like that, it’s scary.”
It wasn't really Ju Woo-seong’s fault, but... seeing his face again made me a bit annoyed. Because it was obvious we wouldn't be able to take first place this time.
“Sigh....”
Kang Yi-chae, who composed the song, Lee Ji-hyeon, who planned it... we all came out with our teeth bared.
It’s not that Black Call or Im Hyeon-su didn't work hard, but I thought we could at least aim for two wins by raiding an empty house and winning on a decent cable channel... but because of these Black Call guys, winning first place on a music show was out the window.
Ju Woo-seong laughed sheepishly.
“Let’s just call it even. I feel a liiittle bad... but The Dawn will have plenty of chances in the future.”
“...What’s this?”
“What?”
“No, it’s just that you’re acting especially pretentious today....”
“…….”
Ju Woo-seong knitted his brows, let out a long sigh, ran a hand through his hair, and looked at me.
For some reason, it seemed he had decided to go with the 'admirable senior' concept today.
“Right, I saw your Get Over cover. You did well.”
So what? I barely held back the urge to respond like that because of Kim Seong-hyeon, who had been getting along famously with the Black Call sub-dancer but whipped his head toward us the moment he heard that. Instead, I gave a somewhat junior-like response.
“...Was it okay?”
“Yeah. It made me curious. How you improved so much in such a short time.”
“If you’re curious, give us the number one trophy.”
“Haha, if I gave it to you, could you even handle it?”
I crossed my arms and clicked my tongue, but Ju Woo-seong laughed pleasantly. He seemed a bit nervous yet relieved at the same time, so for a moment, I didn't feel like picking a fight.
“Watch our stage later.”
“...Yes.”
Hmm.
Ju Woo-seong’s sensitivity had improved, but he was strange today...
I stared at the guy as he walked past and spoke quietly to the system window.
“Give me Ju Woo-seong’s info.”
[At your service.]
[Ju Woo-seong
Our cute and kind pushover.
Please treat him well....
Singing: A+
Dancing: EX-
Variety: A0
Acting: C
???: ???
Charm: S+]
“……?!”