Chapter 126
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 126
The leader’s fierce, determined gaze pierced through the screen. Simultaneously, to the sound of interlocking gears, the lights flickered and then plunged into darkness once more.
[Co-co-co-co-collaboration!]
[Agh, I’m too nervous to watch!]
“Aaaaah!”
The desire to watch and the fear of watching coexisted at once. However, as the next stage began, eyes widened in surprise.
A low-key intro beat blended with a sinister atmosphere, thumping like a heartbeat as dark red lights flickered on.
At the edge of the stage, Lia Purple’s main vocal, wearing a long red cloak that trailed down to her ankles, looked around with an anxious expression before running toward a coffin. She stopped in front of it, and upon seeing it empty, she recoiled in shock, only for her arm to be grabbed by Lia Purple’s main dancer.
“W-what is this?”
The moment the main vocal turned her head in surprise, the main dancer bared sharp fangs, wrapped an arm around her waist, and bit into her neck.
[Kyaaaaaaak—!]
A recorded scream echoed, and the main vocal’s body went limp. The main dancer, who had been burying her face in the other’s neck, slowly raised her head as the camera zoomed in.
She wiped the blood from her red lips with the back of her hand and let a slight smirk play on her lips.
[One bites again—!]
With that, a refreshing high note soared, and the title appeared at the bottom of the screen.
[Let’s Spend This Night Remix Ver.
Arrangement: Kang Yi-chae]
Arrangement by Kang Yi-chae?
“Whoa, the song sounds so different!”
The original female solo track, ‘Let’s Spend This Night,’ was a song that lived up to its title. Despite its metaphorical lyrics, it had become a hit for its girl-crush vibe, driven by its explicit and powerful choreography. Even Noeul, who had been a high school senior back then, had listened to it frequently without fully grasping its meaning.
The basic skeletal melody seemed the same, but everything else was different.
[Wow, they just threw horror right at us shivering emoji]
[This is insane]
[This is ‘Let’s Spend This Night,’ right???]
No one expected Lia Purple, who usually pushed a ‘pure power’ image, to pull off such a thorough transformation.
Noeul stared at the screen, mouth agape, as the camera transitioned. The Dawn appeared, having shed their black rider jackets for white capes that slightly covered their thighs.
As Seo Ho-yun, standing at the center, brushed his thumb across his lips, the highlight of ‘Let’s Spend This Night’ rang out behind him.
[Give me a Kiss—!]
It had begun!
[Wait, hold on]
[AAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
The collaboration everyone had been worried about finally revealed itself.
[THE VAMPIRE CONCEPT IS HERE, HOLY SH*T!!!!]
And it was that concept—the steady seller that every idol had to try at least once!!
It was sexy, but in a completely different direction. Not only Lia Purple fans but the Noeuls were also losing their minds.
[I must have lived a good life to get a gift like this]
[Oh Santa, tell me, thank you very much girl]
The two groups stood at opposite ends of the stage. The moment Lia Purple’s main vocal began humming to the sound of a music box, Seo Ho-yun walked slowly toward the camera.
[Tonight, I’m going to show you
The secret I’ve been hiding]
“Seo Ho-yun!!”
If the Kismet stage had started by capturing the atmosphere with Seong Ji-won’s pure voice and innocent, yearning face, the collaboration stage cranked up the immersion with Seo Ho-yun’s pale skin, cold expression, and his signature husky, mid-to-low-range voice.
With every step he took forward, the other members stepped aside and bowed in turn.
[Ooh Hoo
Hoo Ohh]
On the opposite side, Lia Purple’s maknae walked at the same pace as Seo Ho-yun, her eyes fixed on the camera.
It was like a mirror image.
[Whoa, what are they doing lol]
[Whoa lol, that’s so smart. They choreographed it like a mirror.
└ The sheer will to absolutely not touch each other lolololol]
Even if the horror concept and sinister sound neutralized the sexy vibe a bit, the sultry choreography of the original song was unavoidable.
When Kim Seong-hyeon had been sitting in front of the practice room mirror, agonizing over this, Lia Purple’s main dancer had (while following quarantine protocols) cautiously made a suggestion.
She suggested they match the choreography as if they were reflecting each other in a mirror.
“Th-then, wouldn't we be able to make it look pretty even if we’re far apart?”
“I’m in.”
The behind-the-scenes story of this stage was that Seo Ho-yun, highly satisfied with the brilliant idea, had given an immediate answer.
[Don’t think about running away anymore]
Meanwhile, the rest of the members formed a formation as if wandering through a maze, keeping their distance. There was absolutely no physical contact between them.
[The formation is beautiful]
[I know, right? T_T But wait, they divided the two groups into immortals and mortals.........
└ What?!?!?!
└└ Look closely]
It was exactly as the fan said.
Among the members of the two groups, they were divided into those who were vampires and those who were not.
[Please hold me tight
I want you to hold me close]
The choreography was structured so that whenever a vampire approached, the humans would scatter in all directions. At a glance, it looked like random movement, but it was a meticulously planned routine where every path was set after checking how it would look on screen.
[Is it because of the platinum blonde hair? Jeong Da-jun fits this incredibly well..]
[He’s usually such a puppy, but his vibe is so different when he dances.. If I over-immerse myself, it feels like he’s holding my hand and telling me to run away from the world together..
└ Ah, I know what you mean.
Though the puppy would probably actually whisper to go play hooky instead.
└ lolololol I can’t]
The stage felt full, and because slightly different choreographies were showcased in the right places, it felt even more spectacular.
Furthermore, thanks to the vampire concept, the original meaning of the lyrics could easily be overlaid with a different interpretation.
[Babe Give me a Kiss, Kiss!
Let me Bite, Bite! (Ah-)]
Looking at the lyrics and the stage composition, it seemed like they were craving a partner to love out of loneliness, but deep down, an intense desire for tonight’s prey was taking root.
To borrow the fans' reaction: the immortals portrayed a primal instinct that transcended affection for mortals, while the mortals were depicted as falling helplessly for the immortals, consumed by a desire to become the same kind of being.
[Babe Please come to me
I want to quench this thirst with you]
And it seemed they had simply swapped out the lyrics that were too risky to use.
Seong Ji-won and Lia Purple’s main vocal hit their harmonies perfectly.
In the original song, this was the part where the chorus would hit, accompanied by sultry choreography with back-dancers.
However, on this stage, Kim Seong-hyeon took center stage alone, while the rest of the members danced in a triangular formation following the mirror concept.
Seeing the camera approach, Kim Seong-hyeon swept his hair back and lightly bit his lip.
[Every night, I’m lonely
I want you to hold me]
And then it began.
[I’M DEAD]
The climax of the sexy concept…
[Seong-hyeon-aaaaah, don’t roll your hips like thaaaaat]
They had slightly modified the partner choreography into a solo routine, and for the parts that could have been awkward, they incorporated popping to create a sophisticated yet restrained sexiness.
[Wow, Kim Seong-hyeon... is he for real?]
[Is it because his limbs are so long?
He’s heavy yet light,
Clean yet flashy.
This makes no sense. How is this possible?]
[Ah, hurry up and get more experience so you can do sexy concepts all the time!!!!!!]
And it wasn't just because she was a Noeul; Kim Seong-hyeon, who was genuinely famous for his dancing, seemed to elevate the quality of the stage even further by anchoring the center.
[Please hold me tight (Ah-)]
As Kim Seong-hyeon’s solo part ended, Lia Purple moved to the side, leaving only The Dawn in the center of the stage.
Seo Ho-yun strode in.
[When your hands wrap around my waist]
Matching the partner choreography next to Kim Seong-hyeon, he tilted his head slightly and beckoned with a finger.
[This heart that falls helplessly]
“Seo Ho-yun, ack!!!”
[Holy sh*t]
[Hey, Seo Ho-yun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
This guy, who was usually kind to fans but always responded with ‘What? Why? So what?’ to his members! Because he was an idol, he was doing this sexy concept!
At that moment, Noeul wailed in gratitude to Daepasung for casting Seo Ho-yun.
[Seo Ho-yun is so annoying, he won’t even marry me, ah!!!]
Furthermore, for someone who had only recently escaped being a klutz, Seo Ho-yun didn't look out of place at all in his dance lines, even standing right next to Kim Seong-hyeon.
Why?
[What? Why is he so good?!?!]
The reason he actually looked good was that Kim Seong-hyeon, whose dance rank had reached S-, was occasionally adjusting his movements to match Seo Ho-yun’s slightly off-beat timing.
It was a truly magnificent display of the leader’s ability to hide a "body-clumsy" member, but the fans, swept up in the heat of the moment, praised Seo Ho-yun without knowing a thing.
[We've waited long enough
Now take my hand, Yes Please
You feel good right now, don't you?]
In addition, Seo Ho-yun’s effort to raise the quality through facial acting instead of his lacking dance skills played a part.
When the camera caught him looking down with a slight smirk, the reaction exploded once more.
[Is this even allowed past the censors?
└ lolololol damn, so 'pure sexy' was a thing after all.....]
[I want to be toxically involved with him]
Kim Seong-hyeon nagged Seo Ho-yun about his dancing, and Seo Ho-yun snarked at Kim Seong-hyeon about his acting…
The two, who had been bickering because their strengths and weaknesses were so stark, had eventually agreed to cover for each other’s flaws, and it was a success.
The lights on Lia Purple’s side of the stage went out, and with a click, red lights illuminated Kang Yi-chae and Seong Ji-won. Kang Yi-chae, wearing a meaningful and crooked smile, began the newly inserted rap.
[I don't wanna show you tonight,
I wanna let you go, but I hold you tight
Even as my whims boil over, I want you intensely]
Kang Yi-chae lightly licked his lower lip, his eyes crinkling playfully.
[My love, I will give you a bite
So when our eyes meet, walk to me]
Then, as if playing a prank, he danced while holding hands with Seong Ji-won.
[Let’s dance!]
At that moment, with a sharp finger snap, the lights on the other stage turned on.
[Babe Give me a Kiss, Kiss!
Let me Bite, Bite]
The Dawn’s stage ended, and now it was time for Lia Purple’s solo performance.
Perhaps because they were a group that usually showcased intense ‘pure power’ dancing, they perfectly executed the intricate choreography broken down into fast beats.
[Every night, I’m lonely
Ah- Yes, Please hold me tight]
By this point, regardless of fandom, the high school senior Noeul was screaming while clutching the TV. Especially when Lia Purple performed a wave as a couple dance within the group, the reaction was so massive it felt like her ears would ring even through the screen.
[Waaaaah, what are they]
[Wow, Lia Purple really sharpened their knives for this... wow....
└ Their musical spectrum is so wide.. I had no idea..]
As if planned, humans and vampires formed couples to dance, and as the song reached its final notes, Lia Purple’s vampires bit the humans.
Simultaneously, a full shot of the stage was captured. The Lia Purple members, who had been expressing the transformation from human to vampire with violent contortions, suddenly stopped in a line and began walking slowly toward the center of the stage to the decelerating beat.
At the same time, on the other side of the stage, The Dawn members, who had once again formed a mirror formation, walked slowly while adding harmonies.
[We've waited long enough
Now take my hand, Yes Please
You feel good right now, don't you?]
“Wow… they’re so smart.”
The lyrics had clearly only been slightly altered, but the way they matched the concept so perfectly was uncanny. Noeul hugged the cushion she had been rolling around on and focused on the song as it neared its end.
The Dawn members, reaching the center slowly, and the Lia Purple members approaching from the opposite side, sat down slowly in the middle of the stage according to their paths.
[……♪♬]
At that moment, the sound of a music box rang out chillingly, and everyone’s heads turned to the left.
Except for Seo Ho-yun.
“What?”
[Kyaaaaaaak—!]
Just like the opening, a scream was heard. As if that were the signal, everyone bowed their heads and let their bodies go limp… but only Seo Ho-yun remained standing.
[Tonight, you will find out]
Seo Ho-yun brushed his hand over his face, then moved away from the other members to approach the camera.
Under the lights that were slowly turning blue, he wiped his eyes with a weary face and sang the same lyrics as the first line.
[The secret I’ve been hiding]
Thump.
And the stage lights went out.
“Wh-what was that?”
[Omgomgomgomg]
[Wasn't that just... eerie???]
The high school senior Noeul also couldn't figure out why it ended like that. While scratching her head and browsing all sorts of communities, interpretations soon began to pop up on Twitter.
[Opening a thread for my delusions go]
And the interpretation was as follows:
[First & Last Music Box = Something the immortals react to... The music box rang at the very beginning too. You could interpret that as the scent of blood.. They turn their heads because they smell blood, but only Seo Ho-yun doesn't turn his.]
“Aaaaah!! Is that it?!”
Noeul scrolled down quickly, her heart pounding.
[>Tonight, you will find out the secret I’ve been hiding<
Seo Ho-yun pretended to be a vampire at first, but he’s actually a human until the end, so he can’t smell the blood.]
[Seo Ho-yun frowned at the beginning when he saw Lia Purple becoming vampires, but he soon turned his head.
You could assume Seo Ho-yun is a hunter and planned to hunt all the members from the start.]
[But??? Why?? Was Seo Ho-yun annoyed?
Let’s look back at the part where Kim Seong-hyeon was dancing in the center.
>Every night, I’m lonely, I want you to hold me< As you can tell from these lyrics, Kim Seong-hyeon is already not human and is looking for prey.]
[But Seo Ho-yun joined in with the partner choreography there = He expressed a desire to become an immortal himself.]
[The wavering Seo Ho-yun falls into self-loathing, but in the end, he finishes the hunt.
Whatever the result may be.]
“Wow, seriously… they really came prepared.”
In the end, perhaps because this collaboration stage was so shocking, neither the Noeuls nor the Lia Purple fans could focus on any of the subsequent performances.
General Direction: Seo Ho-yun. Planning: Lee Ji-hyeon.
By comparing sultry lyrics to vampires, they filled the narrative to the brim while maintaining the sexy concept, and strictly prohibited skinship between the different groups.
And finally, they made it possible for fans to get ‘high on theories.’
So that they would be too busy interpreting the lore to even bring up the topic of a scandal.
[Hmm?? Then why didn't the maknae realize he was a normal person even though she walked with Ho-yun at first?
└ I think she knew and was helping him. Because she had a human she wanted to turn into a vampire.. but it seems she was betrayed at the end.]
[I think Sumin knew but didn't care if she died with Silly..
└ Aaaack
└ Aaaaah, just a fanboy/girl screaming
└└ Anyway, it’s just a god-tier stage. I want to see it again T_T]
Idol fans, trained by various fictional universes, were churning out interpretations like crazy.
As a result of Lee Ji-hyeon leaving a trail of breadcrumbs without a definitive ending for them to devour, and adding horror to the sexy concept, the reaction was explosive.
Meanwhile, on private accounts, everyone was extremely satisfied with the fact that there was absolutely no touching in the choreography.
[I keep rewatching it, and they really don't touch even once lol (Video) The mirror choreo is seriously smart]
Even if the members weren't actually dating, they had been burned too many times by the rumors and malicious comments that naturally arose whenever male and female idols were together.
[Except for the maze choreo in the middle, they never got closer than 1 meter, following quarantine rules.
└ lolololol everyone looks so pleased, it’s hilarious.
└└ Seriously satisfied.]
Fortunately, the scandal talk failed to gain any momentum. However, even without physical contact, the concept and choreography itself were beautiful, so the fandom wore satisfied smiles as they watched the hot reactions.
[Ah, Daepasung is doing a great job lately~~~]
[You’re getting that impression a lot, aren't you? (Laughs)]
[What about Lia Purple’s agency?
└ They’re kind of hopeless.
They can’t even compare to Pasung.
└└ Ah lolololol is it that bad?
Good luck, Lia Purple..]
Cheering for Lia Purple’s eventual departure from their agency, the Noeuls contentedly let go of their tension regarding the collaboration.
It was something that would have made Lee Ji-hyeon from the planning team very proud.