A feeling of being blindsided gripped from the start.
No.
I an, questions about our group na and fandom na were natural, and we’d prepared for them...
“They’re really asking.”
“Right...”
I never expected they would actually ask.
I thought they’d treat us like just another foreign singer featured on a track with Hailey.
I assud they’d ask about how we ca up with Blue Moon, what behind-the-scenes anecdotes there were during production, what elents appear in the music video, stuff like that.
I never imagined they’d show interest in the group called NewBlack itself.
“What does NewBlack an?”
I exchanged glances and smiles with my brothers. It was different from what I expected, but it was good.
“The na NewBlack was the na we used back when we were training to debut. Sohow it just stuck even after we debuted.”
We absolutely couldn’t say our na ca from the slogan “Chicken Is the New Black” on our sweatshirts.
“And... about the fandom na, Soufflé...”
“You hesitate when you answer.”
“Well, it ca from my slip-up. I was supposed to say NewBlack, but I accidentally said Soufflé instead...”
The audience chuckled softly, and Ellen Dale pointed behind us.
“Luckily, we have a clip to watch.”
“A clip too?”
On the screen that read “Allen Dale,” the footage began.
From PBS’s music program MusicOn. Two years ago, I was wearing a touched expression as I shared my thoughts after Sothing ranked first.
“Soufflés, we’ll also work hard from now on to repay the love we’re receiving.”
As the yellow English subtitles emphasized “Soufflé,” the audience burst into laughter.
Then ca the line “And our tablet...!” which drew another round of laughs.
On screen, Taehyun was cracking up laughing—and he looked especially annoying today.
“So that’s how the fandom was born... and today it’s grown this big. An incredible snowball rolled.”
“Yes. That’s how it happened.”
I never thought appearing on an Arican network broadcast would an revealing such an embarrassing past right away.
My brothers reacted the sa way.
“Ugh, so tacky.”
“Ughhhh!”
Maybe because it was pre-debut, it looked strangely outdated compared to now.
Ellen Dale joked about our reactions to the broadcast clip, and Hailey, who’d been trembling two years ago, asked,
“Sunny, when was that?”
“Two years ago.”
“Two years ago?”
“...Why?”
Hailey looked impressed.
“You’ve grown so fast.”
At the pop star’s blunt remark, everyone laughed.
With that, the talk-show recording moved into its midsection, starting with direct questions about us.
Studio control room.
Monitors showed NewBlack mbers, Ellen Dale, and Hailey Blue from various angles.
A person watching quietly leaned into the mic.
“Cara three, tilt up a bit.”
The on-floor caraman adjusted imdiately. Vivian Stone, the showrunner, nodded at Wooju’s fra-worthy appearance.
“They all look great on cara.”
Truly fitting Korea’s top celebrities, they handled the caras expertly.
Even though it was their first Arican talk show, their eye contact and posture looked so natural.
A staff mber with an ID badge took a sip of coffee and said,
“They must be nervous, but they don’t seem nervous at all.”
“They’re the biggest celebrities in their country.”
“Didn’t they say tens of thousands gathered for their barbecue party? Traffic was paralyzed during Korea’s Thanksgiving season.”
That infamous “Hell-Pyeong” distortion had spread oddly.
“Well, with that kind of crowd, they wouldn’t be nervous in front of a few hundred studio audience mbers.”
“Thousands of fans outside—what’s there to be [N O V E L I G H T] nervous about? Even if they slip up, they can just mobilize their fans to bury it.”
“...Don’t joke like that. It’s actually scary.”
Those fans had been staking out the broadcast center since the morning.
They greeted staff with bright smiles and cookies, but their eyes were intense.
“Please take care of NewBlack!”
“...Of course.”
It felt like they were saying, “If you ss with our kids, we’ll kill you.”
And while there had been only dozens of fans this morning, now there were thousands.
If NewBlack yelled “Charge!” right now, one of New York’s famous talk shows might vanish.
“With this, you can expect an online reaction too. Look at these tweet numbers. They’re overwhelming.”
“Amazing. I never expected it to be this big...”
“It ans their fan base is that solid.”
From The Ellen Dale Show’s perspective, making any content that resonates with younger viewers was a win.
Ranking sixth among late-night talk shows, their pride was leading trends.
“It’s literally NewBlack being the new black.”
At soone’s quip, laughter echoed in the control room.
On screen, Ellen Dale was firing off questions to NewBlack.
– “Are Arican celebrities popular in Korea? For example, do people in Korea know Ellen Dale?”
– “Um... I don’t think so.”
– “Not a single person?”
– “There might be, but...”
At the lukewarm response, Ellen looked sad and the audience laughed. Jiho smiled confidently.
– “But now they will know.”
– “...Normally we’d tease you for overconfidence, but today it sounds so sincere it’s scary.”
As he spoke, prepared footage rolled: NewBlack selling barbecue at rest areas, clogged Korean highways during Thanksgiving, and even reports on how well the bread they sold perford on network news.
“Cara, get the audience’s expressions.”
As scenes showing NewBlack’s celebrity status in Korea aired, the audience’s shocked reactions were captured vividly.
Ellen clicked his tongue.
– “You’re like gods in Korea. Did you see that? People are stampeding to eat barbecue made by NewBlack!”
At being called national superstars, NewBlack smiled sheepishly, and Hailey watched the footage with newfound respect.
“Well deserved.”
“We were exactly like that at first.”
Thanks to the thousands of fans on site, NewBlack received talk ti—but the reason they got more than planned was the local fervor.
Even foreigners saw that NewBlack’s status in Korea wasn’t to be underestimated.
“It’s a sha we have little ti. So many talking points...”
The writers looked regretful.
“There’s so much stuff here.”
From the heroic story of how Wooju joined NewBlack by saving an elderly man, to his father being a world-renowned jazz pianist—each mber had a story.
One was the rich son of a major Korean food company’s CEO, another was a complete mystery.
“There’s a lot of humor too.”
Stories of buttons popping off and tables moving like cockroaches—our temporary Korean interpreters had complained there was too much material to translate.
“I really wanted to air the hero-saving-an-elderly-man story. It’s huge.”
Vivian shook her head.
“Save that for later. It’ll co in handy again soday. And...”
She spoke firmly.
“Issues need buildup and timing. That’s sothing the public needs to be introduced to at the right mont. Now is ti to introduce who NewBlack is, not to reveal the behind-the-scenes yet.”
If they revealed everything now, the public wouldn’t rember it.
As a producer, she focused on introducing a foreign act and highlighting their appeal.
“It’s going just as planned.”
The audience’s eyes, initially puzzled, now sparkled with curiosity.
Vivian smiled.
“We’ve succeeded halfway.”
Their goal was to invest in promising up-and-cors and build connections for the future.
With the broadcast going smoothly, the remaining half depended on NewBlack.
“Prepare the instrunts.”
“Yes!”
Everyone sincerely hoped today’s investnt would yield a jackpot later.
The audience laughed.
“Hahaha!”
During the music-video behind-the-scenes talk, they watched Blue Moon’s MV and stopped at key monts to discuss.
Hailey Blue said,
“You know what? All of that is CG.”
“All of it?”
“Everything but the people is CG.”
“Wow...”
As the news that the entire Halloween background was CGI surprised the audience,
Ellen, eyeing the vampire, zombie, and other characters in turn, snapped his fingers.
“OK. Now I get it. Sunny, you’re the vampire. Ri Hyuk is the zombie, Jiho the werewolf, and Junhyun, you’re Frankenstein.”
As he matched characters, his gaze fell on the mysterious figure in smoky makeup holding a violin.
“B, what’s your role here? Dorian Gray? I can’t figure it out.”
The audience reacted similarly.
“What is that?”
They understood every other character, but B alone remained puzzling.
“Oh.”
B, smiling broadly, said kindly,
“A violinist!”
At the unexpected answer, the audience burst into laughter.
Ellen blinked.
“So you’re saying... there are a zombie, vampire, werewolf, Frankenstein... and a violinist?”
“Yes.”
“My goodness, I didn’t know being a violinist could be that terrifying.”
The audience laughed heartily.
As NewBlack mbers tilted their heads, wondering, “Is that funny?” Junhyun raised his hand.
“Actually, I’m not Frankenstein either.”
“You’re not?”
“No. I’m the human without nails in my head.”
“When you were cute Frankenstein, and now suddenly that’s brutal.”
At Junhyun’s line, Ellen asked the other mbers if they too had bizarre roles, then
the MV talk segnt, rich with laughter, soon ended.
Glancing at the cue cards, he asked,
“The most amazing thing is that this song was created on the spot. On the broadcast set.”
“That’s right. I wrote it the first ti I t them. I think it was when they introduced to Korean fans.”
At Hailey’s words, brief footage played: Hailey in hanbok receiving cheers, and NewBlack in formal attire dancing absurdly.
As the mbers saluted and nearly covered their eyes,
“I’ve said this on other shows, but this kid’s a genius.”
At Hailey’s praise, Wooju waved dismissively,
“She’s exaggerating. I’m no genius.”
“I’m telling the truth.”
“He’s lying right now!”
As the other mbers said “Wooo!” and laughed, Ellen asked,
“I heard, Sunny, that you can co up with a song on the spot.”
“It’s possible.”
“Then would you show us right now?”
“Here?”
The host turned toward the audience to provoke reaction.
“Waaaah!”
As planted soufflés stomped their feet, the audience clapped to encourage the hesitant leader.
Defeated, Wooju took the guitar offered by a staffer.
“But if I show too much, you’ll get tired of it...”
“It’s fine, Sunny. It’s all new to us.”
At that, the handso host asked,
“What the should you use?”
“Um, how about ?”
“Ellen, you as the the?”
Wooju shrugged thoughtfully.
“Sure.”
He turned his gaze to the audience.
“I used to improvise compositions in Korea and everyone was amazed. It might be a bit unusual... please take it as fun. I don’t actually work like this.”
“Understood.”
“All right, let’s start.”
“Great! NewBlack’s improv composition!”
Amid applause, Wooju’s fingers plucked the guitar, his eyes focused in concentration.
Ellen asked,
“Do you need preparation ti?”
“No.”
To everyone’s astonishnt, Allen Dale’s own voice—just as he said “Do you need preparation ti?”—erged from the guitar strings with the sa pitch and tone.
Like an autotuned vocal sample.
“What is he doing?”
As the audience watched in curiosity at this unconventional move—sampling the host’s voice—the lody began to flow.
It swelled gently, then grew stronger, as if experinting, shifting through diverse variations in a short span.
Like waves flowing back and forth...
“Okay, that’s enough.”
Wooju played a final line. The lody felt familiar from Ellen’s voice but was clearly a distinct musical the.
The audience’s eyes widened.
“What did he do?”
The sound ca like ocean waves receding to reveal a pearl on damp sand.
At Wooju’s signal, the piece built into a complete, upbeat guitar riff. The mbers and Hailey Blue began nodding to the rhythm.
“Waaaaah—!”
The soufflés’ cheers added spice, and the audience clapped joyfully along.
Then, at the leader’s silent cue, mbers tapped their fingers as they smoothly joined in.
Oooh—
Ellen Dale—
Ellen Dale—
The host burst into laughter, and NewBlack mbers grinned as they sang “Ellen Dale~” to the rhythm.
The only lyric was “Ellen Dale.”
Like a playful refrain, they humd “Ellen Dale” in the song.
Even Hailey Blue, who usually looked so reserved, joined in with delight.
“Oh, then I too...”
As the host prepared to sing along, Hailey Blue raised a calm hand.
“Later.”
The host, as if told to scram, asked,
“My song, and you’re ditching ?”
“Quiet! We have to focus.”
“...Do you realize you’re really awful?”
While the audience laughed, the chant “Ellen Dale~” echoed like a cult incantation.
Everyone’s eyes went wide.
“Not bad...?”
It was the sweetest stream of nonsense they’d ever heard.
The impromptu song had an organic pop-acoustic sound that impressed every corner of the room.
Local soufflés clapped in admiration.
“Damn, this Ellen Dale Show.”
This show outdid even those who’d planned how to elevate NewBlack.
They must have prearranged this bit, and Ellen pre-agreed to provide the sampled vocals.
It felt completely natural.
As the fans applauded, the so-called “Ellen Dale Song” concluded in harmony with Hailey Blue and the five of them.
“Waaaaah—!”
Amid cheers from the audience, Wooju, flushed with excitent, set down his guitar and grinned.
“This song is for you, Ellen. I own the rights.”
“Thank you. I’ll have to decline.”
“How ruthless... after all the work you put in.”
“...You literally made it in thirty seconds. What work?”
At the stunned host’s reaction, the audience laughed joyfully.
anwhile, NewBlack mbers gathered around Wooju and waved at the cara.
“We’ll be waiting for your call~!”
“If you want to collaborate, get in touch!”
At that, Hailey Blue narrowed her eyes.
“Guys, we don’t wave at the cara like that.”
“Oh. Really...?”
Watching them lower their hands cautiously, Hailey addressed the cara.
“You all buzz off. I’m keeping these guys for myself.”
The audience laughed.
Thus, in the high sparked by the Ellen Dale Song, the guests’ talk ti flew by.
And the final segnt of the show arrived.
“Now, here’s Blue Moon, staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100! Give them a round of applause!”
Beneath azure spotlights, NewBlack’s mbers perford precise choreography to R&B music.
Their attire was typical boy-band style, but...
Perhaps because of the earlier performance, the Ellen Dale Show audience felt a strange thrill.
“Waaaaah—”
The main vocal grabbed the standing mic and hit high notes with clarity.
“...Owaaaaah—”
Spinning with the mic stand as they danced in sync, it was exhilarating to watch.
They weren’t professional dancers, yet no one had seen a boy band dance this well.
“Whoa—!”
Drum beats and earth-shaking cheers rged, transforming NewBlack’s Blue Moon stage into a dreamy spectacle that felt like witnessing sothing extraordinary.
“Waaaaah—!”
Before long, the studio audience themselves gave a standing ovation to superstar NewBlack’s performance.
And.
The soufflés, gauging the atmosphere, modulated their cheers.
“Waaaaah—!”
In response, the audience cheered along, watching the stage.
The soufflés smiled proudly.
“That’s right.”
“You all are witnessing a superstar. You muggles.”
“Cheer louder.”
After days of cheering hoarse on the streets, local fans now knew just the right interjections.
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