At the sa ti,
middle-aged viewers watching burst into laughter.
“They’re a riot.”
They looked fine—handso like princes or princesses—but they were always up to sothing absurd.
Of course, that was exactly NewBlack’s charm.
Over the past year as local news informants they’d captivated viewers with every imaginable outrageous stunt.
“Hello, everyone! Next week is Korea’s largest magic festival: the Busan International Magic Festival!”
They’d juggled on a unicycle to announce that festival.
“Greetings!”
“Did you know the Geumsan Ginseng Festival is next week?”
They appeared wearing ginseng masks and said, “Please look forward to it!”
Sotis they read viewer letters and then energetically sang trot request songs.
To viewers it was truly amazing.
“They’re hugely popular.”
Turn on the TV and you saw their faces in comrcials or variety shows.
Stick up their photos for a survey and nine out of ten people recognized their nas.
It was surprising—and gratifying—that such a group kept appearing.
“So this is their new song?”
“Yes, Grandma. It’s a new track.”
“They perform new songs in places like this? They’re singers, why aren’t they on a music show?”
“This ti that’s how it is.”
“Really?”
The viewers smiled.
They didn’t know why they sang in these settings, but it gave them sothing to chat about with their grandchildren.
anwhile the cheerful song flowed into their ears.
Gabi Gabi Dotgabi
Odogabi
Junhyun and the others shook their arms and legs and danced like goblins—truly like goblins dancing around a mountain fire.
“The song’s good.”
They’d heard many NewBlack songs, but few they’d call favorites.
Only the remakes of old songs by the Myunggok Ensemble or winter-thed tracks like “Hibernation” they liked.
“Sae-rom.”
“Yes?”
“Can you put that song on my phone sohow?”
“I can. But can’t you just watch it on Tube...?”
“Grandma doesn’t know that stuff.”
The traditional-music style lody had an addictive pull—they kept listening.
It sounded like sothing today’s youth would love, yet there was sothing that kept drawing their ears in.
“Everyone!”
At the end, a Hwimori rhythm dance broke out.
Watching NewBlack swirl like a pungmul troupe gave them a strange thrill.
“They dance well, too.”
Up until now NewBlack had been giggling cutely like grandchildren—but seeing them flutter their robes and “fly” seriously was breathtaking.
So that’s what makes a singer a singer, they thought.
While viewers marveled, the chorus kept playing.
Gabi Gabi Dotgabi
Odogabi
Pretending to pant, Junhyun nodded at the cara and laughed—and the stage ended.
“Waaaaa!”
The guests gave an over-the-top standing ovation, and the staff scattered gold foil by hand, which made everyone laugh.
NewBlack—serious one mont, then bursting into laughter—gestured for them to stop.
“Alright, everyone! How was that stage a mont ago? The song you just heard is our new single Goblin!”
“Gabi Gabi Dotgabi~”
The maknae humd the chorus, and the eldest brother watched them fondly and laughed.
“Please rember it—our song.”
“Gabi Gabi Dotgabi~”
They then clasped their hands politely and bowed.
“Thank you for being with us, NewBlack, for the past year. To repay your support, we will continue to entertain you as variety entertainers!”
The mbers beside him froze. Bijoo covered her mouth and whispered to the eldest brother, still beaming.
Wooju, eyes wide, smiled and corrected:
“We’ll be entertainers! And singers, too!”
“Yes, this has been NewBlack.”
Ri Hyuk clapped quickly, and everyone joined in.
Then, waving “Bye~,” the NewBlack mbers began exiting the studio.
“That was NewBlack’s fantastic stage.”
The screen cut back to the MC desk for the closing lines.
Behind it, the five were chattering as they left. Ri Hyuk mouthed “Are you idiots?” while the leader went “Eeeeng,” tapping his own head.
Hearing that, the female anchor pressed her lips together, her cheek twitching.
“The weather seed to warm up a bit today—how has the cold not let up?”
“Yes, as temperatures rose this afternoon...”
They advised viewers on managing the day-night temperature swing—
On phones nationwide, gray album art popped up.
The traditional-rhythm chorus “Gabi Gabi Dotgabi” echoed.
“It’s good.”
Goblin climbed the charts among listeners over fifty.
It was the mont NewBlack’s plan to publicize their song successfully took its first step.
< My Hotown Now > beca an online sensation.
Debuting their coback stage on a lifestyle info program felt novel.
But unfortunately the buzz didn’t stay just on the performance.
[NewBlack’s past year on My Hotown Now]
(GIF of NewBlack’s rapper reading the Communist Manifesto to cows)
(GIF of Junhyun in a sweet potato mask among ginseng-masked mbers)
(GIF of Ri Hyuk dressed as the Snow Queen promoting the ice festival)
(GIF of the leader crafting pottery like an artisan for the pottery festival)
-lololololol
-This explains why NewBlack is grandparents’ top pick
-Is My Hotown Now always this fun? lol
-They said Serenity is taking over? That’ll be pressure
-The panel’s reactions are even funnier lol
-(Reporters staring into the distance desperately.gif)
Starting from laughing posts, they clicked the link Hong manager sent.
[Yesterday’s laugh challenge: NewBlack on My Hotown Now]
1st: Myung’s low-key bizarre video playing beside NewBlack’s interview
2nd: Goblins sprinkling coins like a gambling stunt
3rd: Leader “Eeeeng” and younger mbers scolding him
-lol I admit that
-I cracked up at the gambling goblins yesterday
-See the coin-sprinkling in the video—it’s hilarious
-Incredible they endured it
-They have a tolerance from being with NewBlack for a year
-[Bizarre humor resistance 100%]
-Usually a big laugh is a broadcast accident, but nobody’s complaining lol
-The spaceship bit had crying laughing
-The third GIF “Eeeeng” is too cute lol
At that point they turned off their phones.
Because from there the posts ntioned my mistake yesterday.
They looked at the giggling younger mbers with an affectionate annoyance—no one was scared.
“Junhyun.”
“Yes?”
“When did my authority vanish like this?”
“Shouldn’t you ask if you ever had any?”
“Co here. Who told you to be smart?”
I called him a rascal, and Junhyun said “Sorry yo” and sprinted off.
Ri Hyuk, browsing on a tablet, humd and said,
“But going for a cool image failed, huh.”
“Exactly.”
“It’s all your fault. If we hadn’t said ‘entertainer,’ we’d be known as singers.”
“No... I was saying we shouldn’t call ourselves entertainers, and then it just ca out.”
I scoffed at Ri Hyuk’s laugh.
“After showering everyone in gold foil, can we really complain?”
“...We just bowed to social pressure.”
“Really?”
The maknae piped up.
“You seed to like it the most.”
“Hey!”
“Ahhh! You always pick on .”
While the maknae, the group’s baby, protested, they checked Tube.
Yesterday’s appearance was already circulating in various edits.
One upside was that interest in both the performance and variety segnt combined, moving them toward their goal of being variety-idol singers.
“I can’t shake the variety image...”
Their manager older brothers asked,
“You still haven’t given up on that?”
“I want to be cool singers...”
“We think you’re already cool.”
The managers smiled cheesily as if to say “Touched?” but the mbers shook their heads firmly.
“That won’t work.”
“We want people’s recognition.”
Seeing the managers slump, they all burst into laughter.
Soon the younger mbers went for hair and makeup, and the managers briefed them further.
“Team leader Yoon says we shouldn’t do the gold-sprinkling stunt again.”
“Is sothing up?”
“Apparently so viewers filed complaints with the Broadcast Ethics Commission after yesterday’s show. They said crude capitalism... that scattering gold on a widely watched program offends public morals.”
“Really?”
“We ant to embody goblins, but so felt offended. Well, it’s not big news, but...”
It seed unlikely to escalate, yet they decided to drop it.
Between variety fun and potential controversy, avoiding the latter was wiser.
“I’ll tell the mbers. Anything else?”
“For schedules up to Lunar New Year break...”
They were briefed on precautions through the holiday and next week’s music awards.
They’d each return ho for the holiday, and the schedule was packed until just before.
But not so packed they’d have to pull all-nighters—they’d been sleeping a solid six hours lately.
They were incredibly happy.
“And after the holiday we’ll bring in new road managers.”
“Ooh!”
“We’ve chosen three. They’re training now; they’ll join right after.”
“We’ll have more ti to rest.”
Their manager team had been small—group schedules didn’t need many, and actor-team managers filled in.
Actors usually have no schedules between shoots, so managers rest then.
But as their activities grew, they planned to add three full-ti staff.
Even a five-mber teen-spirit group has about ten managers.
“Mingi, are you getting promoted?”
“No.”
Mingi grinned.
“I’ll just be head of the field team. Wonseok will be deputy leader.”
“I’m free from being the youngest manager.”
They congratulated Wonseok, then told the mbers,
“We’ll have new managers!”
“Amazing!”
“Should we hold a welco party?”
The managers quickly intervened.
“We’ll do it once it’s official.”
“Why?”
“We need to ensure they have the stamina for your schedule...”
“Oh.”
They nodded—if they couldn’t keep up, they might drop out.
It was a crazy schedule, after all.
Managers get promoted quickly because there aren’t many senior staff—two-year vets are common, but after three years the numbers drop.
Looking at their managers anew, they said,
“Thanks, guys. Shall I buy at tonight?”
“Yes.”
Gratitude repaid with at.
They happily headed to the makeup chairs.
One hour remained until shooting.
After My Hotown Now, today’s variety shoot was a surprise appearance on TBC’s national show .
In front of TBC’s Sangam-dong building.
Despite the cold breath in the air, the cast of “Going to perform New Year’s Greetings” were hard at work on the holiday special.
“Did everyone do their New Year’s bows properly?”
At PD Koo Jae-young’s gaphone, the cast grumbled.
“Don’t ntion it, PD! This was tough. I set it to the land’s end village of Haenam and it keyed into the wrong place?”
“You jerk, Hyeyeon and I went all the way to Arica to perform our bows. I’m the one who should be receiving bows at my age.”
Veteran actor Woo Jae-yong’s remark made the staff laugh.
“Going to perform New Year’s Greetings” was a special where they visited retired stars or elder actors, asked after their well-being, or visited ordinary hos to exchange New Year’s ssages.
They even visited graves of independence activists overseas.
They competed to collect the most gold coins awarded for completing missions.
“Now, it’s ti for the mid-ga tally.”
PD Koo nad the four teams of seven and announced their gold counts.
The leading Woo Jae-yong–Ye Hee-yeon team grinned triumphantly, while last-place Song Jin-woo smiled sadly.
PD Koo raised his gaphone.
“Although missions remain, at this score gap a coback seems very difficult, right?”
“Ah, what? Are we doing another steal ga?”
“Yes.”
“Ahhh! Please don’t ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) make us do that!”
“Don’t worry. It’s not about stealing from each other.”
As the cast tilted their heads, a staff mber wearing a goblin mask began dancing.
Yeo Hee-chan asked,
“Do we dance?”
“No. You have to bet against goblins.”
“Goblins?”
“Yes! Goblins have appeared to take your gift money. Win against them and you earn extra gold; lose and they take so of your coins.”
The cast’s eyes lit up.
“Can we team up?”
“Yes! You can all join forces to fight the goblins. Your starting gold stays the sa.”
“Ooh!”
Their faces brightened.
These gold coins served as currency for the missions, with producers guiding them to spend coins at nice eateries along the way.
“The more the better, right?”
As the masked staff danced, Yeo Hee-chan humd “Gabi Gabi Dotgabi~.”
“Speaking of which, NewBlack has a new song.”
“I miss them. Hope they’re doing well.”
“I texted congrats on the hit, and they said they’re fine.”
As the chat wandered, the PD introduced the ga.
“There are several ga events. We’ll explain them later.”
With a laugh he continued:
“First, let’s welco the goblins who will join us today.”
“...?”
Barely had he finished when sothing popped out from the staff.
Goblins in white jeoksam danced forward.
“Huh?”
“Oh?”
The cast gasped.
Though masked, they recognized the distinctive 23rd-century hanbok costus.
“Ah! What is this?”
Codian Oh Hyung-seok burst out laughing, entertainer Na Mi-ri exclaid, and Yang Ok-bun smiled slyly.
PD Koo lifted his gaphone.
“Today’s goblins: please welco NewBlack!”
They peeled off their masks to reveal pale faces and prominent noses.
NewBlack smiled and waved, and the cast bounced and waved back.
“Blackies!”
“Helloooo!”
“Why are you here?”
“We’re here to promote our song!”
The cast laughed at NewBlack’s honest reply, then looked around.
There should be five of them, but only Bijoo, Ri Hyuk, Junhyun, and Jiho were visible.
“Where’s Wooju?”
“Guys! Where’s Wooju?”
As they wondered, sothing struck the cast’s minds.
The puffer-jacketed staff dancing nearby—they realized that handso silhouette belonged to him.
“Hehehe. That’s right.”
When he removed his mask, red-haired Wooju appeared.
At that mont,
Wooju yanked down his pants in front of the laughing cast.
“...Hey!”
The sudden stunt made everyone scream and cover their eyes.
Wooju cocked his head.
“I need to change outfits.”
“Hey!”
“Why would you think sothing else...?”
“Um...”
He revealed a hanbok-style suit under his sweatpants.
When he shrugged off his jacket, a hanbok top appeared.
“This kid’s gonna drive crazy, really...”
As veteran actor Yang Ok-bun massaged her temples laughing,
the five gathered and began their goblin performance in front of TBC’s red-square Sangam building.
“Insane! NewBlack...!”
“NewBlack...?”
Passersby raised their phones to watch.
Staff mbers let out admiring screams—the area in front of the Sangam building heated up.
“Wonderful...”
The cast watched with satisfied smiles and applauded.
But their smiles didn’t last.
“Wait a minute.”
Oh Hyung-seok blinked.
“So we have to play gas with them?”
“Uh...?”
“That’s right. You said to bet against the goblins.”
“...!”
Expressions of “What the hell?” appeared on their faces.
These national idols had showcased every bizarre talent on NewBlack TV.
Now they were the opponents the cast had to beat.
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