The KM Entertainnt cafeteria was paradise.
“Whoa. It really feels like we’re at a buffet.”
“When they designed the building, they actually took buffet layouts into account. I love buffets that much.”
Representative Heo Kangmin guided us through the spread. Beyond the fresh fruit and vegetable corner, the aroma of chicken and fried dishes wafted invitingly. Past that were pork, beef, and poultry stations.
Junhyun swallowed hard and asked,
“I-Is it always this much?”
“Usually it’s about half this size. But today, since NewBlack is here, we prepared extra.”
He smiled proudly.
“You won’t find any other agency that cares as much about their staff als as we do.”
“Oooo.”
“How does it compare to TJ’s cafeteria?”
Hearing KM Entertainnt proclaid the best, the Plankton CEO leaned back and laughed heartily. Then Heo pointed out the unlimited refill drinks station.
“But here, the only beverages we have are zero-calorie.”
“Ooo, zero calories~”
“Funny thing is, people join here skinny, but after a few months they get... rounder.”
“Zero-calorie and bodies changed?”
“A bit less... round.”
The staff behind Heo showed off their plump cheeks with warm smiles. He called us over.
“And here’s our main corner: the open-fla steak.”
“Ahhhhh!”
We yelled in delight. A chef in a hairnet seared beef steaks; the sight sent my vision hazy.
Heo’s sweet voice rang out,
“Normally employees get one piece each, but since we have guests...”
gulp
“Help yourselves to as many refills as you like.”
“Thank you!”
“Eat well, and let’s do great things together afterward, okay?”
We laughed at his jest, then grabbed two plates apiece and loaded them with steak before settling at a table. Since it was slightly before regular lunch hour, the cafeteria held only us and Heo’s party.
“So... how have you been?”
“Great!”
“It’s been ages since I last saw you. Since the A-Ten showcase, I think.”
“That was already two months ago.”
We exchanged greetings and eased into conversation. He was younger than Chairman Park Taejun and had a youthful spirit for his age, so he was easy to talk to.
“Is the food good?”
“Yes, it’s amazing.”
Smiling contentedly with my siblings over steak, I said,
“I might ask for your contact info later.”
“Just visit our offices often. I’ll give each of you access passes.”
We giggled as Heo spread his arms wide.
“How great—to eat together, bump into each other in the cafeteria, beco friends, talk music, and work together!”
“Huh, so you’re gunning for Wooju?”
Our maknae teased, and Heo conceded with a nod. Then he looked at , his eyes glistening.
“Wooju.”
“Ye—yes?”
He took my hand.
“Let’s work on so songs together. I’ve got plenty of budget. I’ll give you billions.”
“I... don’t deserve that...”
“Just once—really, just once—let’s beat TJ’s market cap. It’s my dream to outdo TJ.”
He exposed his ambition so earnestly that we burst into laughter. He joked to our filming crew, “Of course this is for show.” Then he added,
“I just envy you all. Not only Wooju—I want you all.”
“Rank us in order of greed—who’s first?”
“Ah, how could I rank...”
At that mont his gaze locked squarely on and everyone laughed again. He was a unique character—like the second-place kid in a school comic jealous of the first-place student.
“But, Representative...”
“Hmm?”
“The people filming back there...?”
Several caran were capturing our al scene from behind Heo’s party. He smiled.
“Since we have external guests, we’ll make so content, like ‘eting NewBlack on NewBlack TV.’”
“Great thumbnail idea.”
“Or call it ‘Is this real life? NewBlack TV is legendary.’ That’ll double the views.”
He jotted down notes and waved at the caras—clearly they’d been called not for our show but to film us. They were always scurrying around to uncover our secret sauce.
While we dined and shot content, we held a guest Q&A.
“What do you think is NewBlack’s charm point?”
“NewBlack’s charm...”
He pondered, then replied,
“Infinite power.”
“Infinite power?”
“Usually you invest ten and expect ten back at best. But with NewBlack, invest ten thousand and get near-infinite returns.”
“So we’re a fuel-efficient idol group?”
“There’s no other artist like you. That’s why you’re enviable.”
He admired that we wrote our songs, crafted concepts, and oversaw our albums—rare in this industry.
“Alright, finished eating? Let’s tour the office. I’ll show you around.”
“Just a sec—I want that chef’s contact info first.”
After securing the chef’s number with deft efficiency, we followed Heo on a tour from the first to sixth floors. Unlike TJ’s building, KM’s had been featured in the dia a few tis but still felt pristine as a new construction. When Ri Hyuk returned from the restroom, his bright-eyed expression confird the bathrooms were just as spotless.
“And this is our A&R team.”
“Wow.”
We entered the A&R office with anticipation—only to find a slightly musty atmosphere under dim, yellowish lighting. Ri Hyuk raised a hand to his nose as he surveyed the room.
tap tap
Producers, eyes bloodshot, peered closely at their monitors and chuckled. Noticing our arrival, they sprang to their feet in a flurry.
“You’ve heard NewBlack TV is here today, right? Let’s greet them.”
“Hello! We’re NewBlack!”
They mumbled greetings and then all their heads turned slowly—toward .
“...?”
Their eyes narrowed, as if thinking, “Oh, it really is you...?” Junhyun slid in front of protectively as the A&R team leader grinned.
“I’ve really... wanted to et you, Wooju.”
“Oh, yes. Hello.”
“I’ve heard so much about you...”
The A&R staff sward us like zombies.
“I’ve wanted to see your face.”
“There you are...”
“I’m so happy. Hehehe.”
They made heartfelt greetings, though their tired eyes betrayed long nights. Heo waved them back to work.
“They've been crazy busy preparing music for On the Stage—working nights without a second to spare.”
“Oh, you must be swamped.”
Just then, Biju poked and nodded toward soone’s desk plastered with Post-it notes. I almost laughed at their ssages:
[Representative’s Note: Like NewBlack]
[Representative: What music would Wooju make?]
[Song creation is more about discovery than composition — Sun Wooju]
It was like reading a biography quotation wall. Watching the KM Entertainnt A&R team, I couldn’t help but smile.
Our KM Entertainnt visit wrapped up quickly.
“Oh my!”
“Hello!”
Staff we passed looked amazed or asked for photos, but otherwise it was uneventful—after all, the visit was secondary. The main event would co soon: our ntoring for On the Stage.
Post-shoot, we t the HBS production team in KM’s conference room for a briefing.
“It won’t be long—just an hour or two of filming, and you’re done.”
“Okay.”
“If NewBlack appears too much on screen...”
“Our viewers might disapprove.”
Since we were guest ntors, too much airti might irk the trainees’ fanbase. The head writer shook his head.
“No—it’s just that too much of you could shift the show’s tone.”
“Tone?”
“I co from the sa hotown...”
He dropped the rest, but we got the point: if our segnt dragged on, the show would feel more like weekend variety than survival. I laughed.
“But this is my first ti as a survival-show ntor, so I’m a bit nervous.”
“No need to be. Just be yourselves—et the trainees casually and offer stage advice.”
“How far can our advice go?”
At Ri Hyuk’s question, they replied,
“Do whatever you’re comfortable with. Your appearances are purely event monts.”
“So we can do as we like.”
“Exactly.”
They didn’t plan to expand our screen ti—they just wanted the surprise cao. Hearing only the first part, my siblings looked delighted. Then the producers outlined a few scene requests for editing. Having done so many variety shows, we were comfortable staging whatever they wanted. Of course, we declined a few.
“We’re not good at generating tension. Even elentary students aren’t scared of us.”
“That’s right. We’d top the list of ‘most approachable idols.’”
“We can’t glare or get angry either.”
We politely refused those ideas. They’d hoped for the usual survival-show ntor scolding—“Is this your best? Wake up!”—but a three-year rookie lecturing trainees would look ridiculous. I reassured the disappointed producers,
“I saw the trainers handle that kind of tension on their own. We’ll stick to what we do best.”
Just then, Heo Kangmin, who’d been observing and taking notes, clapped and shifted the topic.
“I think production is all set. Want to see the trainees?”
“Yes!”
“Here’s so uncut footage.”
We watched practice videos of five tracks the trainees had rehearsed for a week—omitting the llow “Winter Sleep” from the special album and focusing on the five performance-centric titles. Trainees wearing na tags sweated through their routines.
“Wow...”
To fireworks-thed choreography, the trainees waved their hands in unison like sparks. A trainee poised as main vocalist bead and hit the line “Look over there~,” building vocal layers that felt as though they made the Leaning Tower of Pisa wobble.
“Hmm...”
Ri Hyuk composed his expression, watching the sparks-routine; a tense air ran through the producers.
“Is that why you wanted us to scold them?”
“No... this is...”
Impressed by the surprising quality, I widened my eyes. When the fireworks video ended, Heo said,
“That team’s a bit off in teamwork.”
“Oh...”
“But the other teams are fine. Ha ha!”
Relieved, we watched the other videos. Indeed, they were competent, but a few details felt lacking. I exchanged glances with my siblings—solid overall, but a sha if they went ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) on stage like this.
“Hold up.”
We excused ourselves and huddled to strategize what advice to offer. We’d planned a simple ntoring—like placing one grape atop a finished cake—but here there was much to refine.
“Let’s start with the fireworks team.”
For thirty minutes we discussed earnestly how to guide them. Our maknae said,
“Let’s stick strictly to ntoring this ti.”
“Ti’s tight, so let’s give the best practical help. We may not know training techniques, but we are the original artists.”
“Right.”
Having decided, I asked Heo, who watched us take notes,
“Representative, could we extend our ntoring ti?”
Heo imdiately granted a warm approval.
Now, nothing remained but to et the trainees and share our advice.
At the On the Stage set in Namyangju, pandemonium broke out.
“Wheee!” “Wheee!”
Singer-songwriter Jang Sowon, watching trainees run around, cocked her head.
“Why are they like this? Is soone coming today?”
“They say NewBlack is coming.”
Ballad singer Yoon Chanhyuk replied, and Sowon exclaid,
“Oh, that’s today? Really?”
The trainees were so excited they even shouted curses in their excitent, causing Chanhyuk to click his tongue.
“They’re so young and energetic. After practicing all day, they still have this much energy?”
“Tsk, you old fart. They’re thrilled because they get to see celebrities.”
The two vocal ntors on HBS’s On the Stage chatted.
“It was wild last week, too. Today will be the sa.”
When senior artists from KM Entertainnt visited, the trainees had gone crazy then, too. Now, as soon as they heard NewBlack would ntor them, everyone’s spirits soared.
“Do they even know why NewBlack’s coming?”
“I think so?”
Sowon nodded, though she found it mysterious that the trainees were this overjoyed at guest ntoring.
‘They should feel like Grim Reapers on their GPS—harsh.’
‘Do they just love being pushed?’
To industry folks, NewBlack’s image was rock-steady. Sowon had even heard from Twinkle’s Ran that Biju was supposed to be the sweetest, cutest mber—clearly untrue once you t him. They joked Biju boiled trainees like spicy chicken stew with that gentle face. Sowon smiled.
‘I’m glad I worked with them when they were trainees.’
Once polite and eager, they’d revealed an intense work ethic upon debut and success.
“But, hyung, do you know NewBlack well?”
“We’re under the sa agency—though we hardly ever et.”
Chanhyuk heard NewBlack updates whenever he stopped by A&R or production: lants from producers, joyous laughter from finance or the CEO’s office.
‘Let’s keep our distance.’
anwhile, the trainees bounced with excitent at the announcent:
‘NewBlack...!’
To have the hottest boy group in person was thrilling. In this quiet studio with no phones or TVs, an exhilarating atmosphere unfolded.
“Attention announcent: Please proceed to the auditorium...”
The trainees sprinted off shouting, followed by vocal and dance trainers, all brimming with anticipation.
When everyone gathered...
“Huh...?”
“What is this?”
NewBlack wasn’t there. Instead, five boxes stood in a row—like those used to unmask karaoke impostors on TV—each decorated with a cute animal icon: chicken, tiger, snake, etc.
The trainees and trainers blinked in confusion, then helium-pitched laughs sounded:
“Ha ha ha!”
“Guess who I am~?”
On the boxes’ LED screens, a slogan appeared, mirroring On the Stage’s tagline:
[☆Please Choose Your ntor★]
As the trainees stared, distorted voices chid:
“Hello, we’re NewBlack~~”
“Everyone! So glad to see you! Shooooop! Ahhhh~ kya!”
“Who am I~? kyahaha!”
It was, without a doubt, a ntor introduction like no other.
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