That's Not Wrong
MBS broadcasting headquarters in Sangam. Seo Eun-seong stepped into the large meeting room of the variety department.
"Hello. I'm Seo Eun-seong."
He gave a shy greeting, clearly nervous since it was his first time at a variety show meeting.
"Actor Seo Eun-seong?"
"Whoa... he's even better in person..."
The main PD and writers seated in the room were speechless. Most celebrities looked better on camera, but Seo Eun-seong was the opposite—the camera couldn't capture his full real-life appeal.
"The screen doesn't do his looks justice. How is his proportion even possible?"
"He's... really... so handsome..."
Whispers of awe leaked from the writers.
"Haha... thank you..."
Seo Eun-seong scratched his cheek, embarrassed.
Anyway, today's meeting was a pre-concept discussion for Seo Eun-seong and Seo Ha-rin's joint appearance on I Live Alone.
Seo Ha-rin sat beside him, with Oh Ji-yeon and Kim Tae-ho backing them up solidly from behind.
"Ahem. Nice to meet you, Eun-seong-ssi. Ha-rin-ssi."
The main PD cleared his throat to regain control of the atmosphere.
"We're honored to capture your real daily lives on our show. Our goal is to reveal the true everyday side hidden behind the charismatic image Eun-seong-ssi showed in the movie and music video."
The PD pulled out his ambitious planning document.
"What do viewers usually think of siblings? Real siblings who bicker nonstop, fighting over the remote and growling at each other, right?"
"Ah... real siblings?"
"Exactly! Even top-star siblings fight over the remote at home and squabble without holding back. We'll show it all raw! What do you think? It'll be fun, right?"
The PD ranted with full conviction.
Remote battles? With Ha-rin? I don't remember ever doing that.
Seo Eun-seong tilted his head inwardly.
"Um... PD-nim. We don't fight at home."
"Come on! No need to sugarcoat it for TV. We all know the real sibling vibe."
The main writer chimed in with a laugh. The writers assumed the Seo siblings were just pretending to be nice on camera.
That was when it happened.
"Atchoo!"
The AC wind must have been a bit strong—Seo Ha-rin let out a small sneeze.
"Huh? Ha-rin-ah? Cold?"
Seo Eun-seong reflexively stood up. He took off his oversized jacket and gently draped it over her lap.
"You'll catch a cold in the AC wind. You've got a pre-recording for music shows the day after tomorrow."
He naturally grabbed a water bottle from the table, twisted it open, and handed it to her.
"Drink up. Can't have your throat getting dry."
"Yeah. Thanks, oppa."
Seo Ha-rin covered herself with his jacket and sipped the water as if it were the most routine thing.
It was everyday normalcy for the siblings, as natural as breathing.
But...
"...!"
The writers watching froze in unison.
What was that sweetness just now?
Draping a jacket and opening a water bottle? From a real brother?
This isn't real siblings. It's unicorn siblings from legends!
The writers' pupils shook like there was an earthquake. The female writers were especially shocked. Their "real sibling diss battle" concept shattered to pieces.
A cold, lonely killer from the movie turning into the world's gentlest, most attentive brother in front of his sister? This twist was the cheat code to explode the ratings.
"PD-nim? Writers? Did I do something wrong?"
Seo Eun-seong asked, puzzled.
The main writer urgently smacked the PD's shoulder.
"PD-nim! Total concept overhaul! No diss battle—go with the actor oppa's double life raising his top-idol sister like a baby bird! We have to do this!"
"You think? This sounds way more fun."
The production team was buzzing with excitement, eyes sparkling.
"Hehe. So the concept's getting a major revamp? Eun-seong-ah, just act like you always do at home. No need to fake anything. Got it?"
Oh Ji-yeon smirked knowingly, arms crossed in leisure.
And so, Seo Eun-seong and Seo Ha-rin's observational variety concept was set to "Real Siblings As They Are."
A few days later, in the living room of Seo Ha-rin and Seo Eun-seong's home. Dozens of unmanned cameras were installed throughout the house. In the center of the living room sofa sat the massive "Karlsson" mascot doll from I Live Alone.
Next door, a tent for the production team's monitoring was set up.
6 a.m. Ring ring! Ring ring!
As soon as the alarm blared, Seo Eun-seong's eyes snapped open. The early-rising habit from his Nepal stay lingered even back in Korea.
"Yawn~"
He got out of bed, wearing only training pants and no shirt—casual and comfy.
In the living room, he loosened his neck to shake off sleep, then hung from the pull-up bar installed on his doorframe.
"One. Two. Three..."
His morning pull-up routine began. With each contraction and release of his back muscles, his broad shoulders and perfectly chiseled six-pack were captured flawlessly by the camera lenses.
"Hoo... hoo..."
Sweat beaded on his forehead, trickling down his sharp jawline into his chest groove.
It was the raw, primal physique of Bodyguard 1 from Glorious Outing on full display.
Meanwhile...
"Gasp?"
"Zoom in! Quick, tighter shot!"
The writers monitoring from the tent next door clamped their mouths shut. The main PD and camera director were frantically adjusting the observation cams.
"What kind of morning routine is this? It's like a movie scene."
"Insane... today the camera memory cards won't last..."
The team was already captivated by their subject, Seo Eun-seong.
After finishing his home workout and shower, he opened the fridge to prep breakfast.
"Alright. Let's get started."
Whoosh. A round T-shirt hugging his bulging pecs. Over it, a cute pink lace apron.
The destructive imbalance of a feral cold hunk and a pink apron.
"Kyaa! Look at that apron!"
"So freaking cute!"
The writers in the tent clutched their hearts again.
"Let's make some stew."
Chop chop chop. Bubble bubble. Knife sounds on the cutting board and doenjang jjigae simmering woke up the morning.
"Ham in egg roll is always right."
He rolled the egg expertly, pulled out side dishes, and set a neat Korean breakfast table.
"Still sleeping, huh?"
His gaze shifted to the living room beyond the kitchen. He quietly opened Seo Ha-rin's door, tucked her blanket around her curled-up sleeping form, brushed her hair aside, and whispered tenderly.
"Ha-rin-ah. Time to get up. Food's ready. You've got dance practice today."
"Ugh... oppa... five more minutes..."
"No. Stew's getting cold. Come on out."
He looked like a sweet lover or an endlessly warm dad.
"If an oppa like that woke me, I could get up at 4 a.m...."
"Same... Ha-rin-ssi is so lucky..."
The writers were dying of envy for Seo Ha-rin amid the sweetness.
That was when—
Beep beep!
The front door lock chimed loudly as it opened.
"What? Who's here?"
Before Seo Eun-seong could turn, four uninvited guests poured into the living room. Bare-faced, real no-makeup looks, training pants and hoodies—total comfort mode.
Choi Eun-jin. Lee Ah-hyun. Kim Chae-yeon. Gomin-ji.
It was Siren's members. Entering like it was their own home, completely natural.
"Bear Doll! We're here! Breakfast time!"
"Eun-seong oppa... we're hungry~"
"Seo Eun-seong! Egg roll today? With ham, right?"
"Eun-seong orabuni... smells like food... hehe..."
The four foodies snatched the Karlsson doll from the living room and charged the table.
"What the—? You guys serious? Is this a free cafeteria? What about your dorm auntie? Barging into someone else's house first thing?"
Seo Eun-seong furrowed his brow, nagging away. He hadn't expected them to crash during variety filming.
"Pfft~ Auntie food's nothing compared to our Bear Doll's. It's a hundred times better!"
"Right. Eun-seong oppa's cooking is the best."
Original foodie Choi Eun-jin and Lee Ah-hyun were shameless as ever.
"Seo Eun-seong. You're filming I Live Alone, right? Act normal. Yeah?"
"Ung ung!"
And now the new foodies, Kim Chae-yeon and Gomin-ji, joined in.
"Haa. Fine. Like I can win an argument against four of you."
Despite his grumbling, his hands were already pulling four more rice bowls from the cabinet.
He sliced extra egg roll onto plates with practiced ease.
"Everyone wash hands? Sit quick. Stew's cooling."
"Thanks for the food!"
"Oppa... our members are here too...?"
With tousle-haired Seo Ha-rin joining from her room, the two-person table turned into a six-person family feast.
"Eat slowly... Even if it's real variety, observation cams are here too, you know? You guys?"
Seo Eun-seong barely ate, too busy tending to Ha-rin and the foodies—wiping spilled stew broth for Ha-rin, tearing egg roll into Gomin-ji's bowl.
"More rice or sides needed?"
"Me!"
Everyone, Ha-rin included, shot up hands.
"Knew it. Made extra egg roll. Heh."
The cold-blooded movie bodyguard had transformed into a busy "maman" doting on five idol girls.
Meanwhile...
"....."
The production team, holding their breath in the tent, exchanged glances with conviction.
This... was guaranteed to smash ratings. A legendary episode for variety history.
Finally, the airdate of I Live Alone arrived. Korea was already in an uproar before it even aired, thanks to a 1-minute teaser clip released days earlier.
The teaser featured Seo Eun-seong's morning pull-ups, apron-tying, and tender wake-up of Ha-rin. It conquered every community in seconds.
Expectations for the I Live Alone premiere hit an all-time high.
And then, around 10 p.m. in Seo Eun-seong's living room.
"What is this, a neighborhood theater? Why's everyone crowding my house?"
Seo Eun-seong grumbled, surveying the room. Delivery food was piled mountain-high on the coffee table.
"It's Eun-seong oppa's variety debut—shouldn't we watch together?"
Lee Ah-hyun smiled brightly while opening a cola. The living room was full: Ha-rin and all four foodies.
"Hey, Eun-seong-ah. Got any beer?"
"Tae-ho hyung, just eat what's here."
Siren's manager Kim Tae-ho was there too. And even Seo Eun-seong's dedicated manager, Oh Ji-yeon.
"Manager-nim, why'd you come? Watch comfy at home."
"It's our agency's first actor's debut variety. Wouldn't feel right without his manager."
"That's not wrong."
"Mind if I crash tonight?"
Oh Ji-yeon lounged on the sofa in slacks, swirling her wine glass.
"Eun-seong-ah."
She suddenly called him.
"Yes?"
"When you wake up tomorrow morning... your value will have doubled. Brace yourself."
Seo Eun-seong swallowed dryly at her confident tone.
Value doubling? From one variety show?
Just then, the TV screen lit up.
"Oppa! It's starting!"
"Bear Doll's on! Quiet! Quiet!"
The living room fell silent in an instant. The MBS logo faded, and I Live Alone's signature upbeat signal music rang out.
Soon, Seo Eun-seong sitting next to the Karlsson doll filled the screen.