NewBlack’s Pyeongchang Olympics ad started spreading everywhere—online and off—in a flash.

“Did you see it? The Pyeongchang dance?”

“Pyeongchang?”

“NewBlack posted a dance to promote the Olympics. It’s hilarious.”

“Really?”

That devilish BGM—“Pyeongchaaang~ Pyeongchaaang~”—was chiming from office workers’ phones.

It was kind of stupid, but the dance was addictive.

“Ugh... I keep replaying this.”

“Right? I thought it was just me~”

“But if they promote it like this, won’t, you know, the government hate it? Feels like they’ll get sued.”

“If it promotes well, that’s all that matters. I hear they’re huge worldwide right now.”

After lunch, office workers crowded into cafés in twos and threes, pulling up the Pyeongchang dance to watch.

“Pyeongchaaang~ Pyeongchaaang~”

At middle and high schools, boys and girls alike were fooling around in the halls going “Pyeongchaaang~.”

Like a zombie virus taking hold, the Pyeongchang dance spread in seconds.

A clip of Wooju, in a floral suit and sunglasses, doing a bizarre dance to the “Pyeongchaaang~” BGM.

lololololololololol

Starting today I’m doing 1 Pyeongchang dance a day

It’s not dance, it’s death... the Wooju spaceship gifting Pyeongchang Olympics an image of death

No way the state told their official ambassador to do this lol NewBlack is legendary

Weirdly infuriating

That groove, those lines—every part is stupid in the best way and I can’t stop watching

Please drop this as the next track

Is this what they call raising national prestige or whatever

yup national prestige (nope)

Ending on the clean “February 9” slate was god-tier

Insiders must be torn between clapping and flipping the bird

And Sun Wooju’s phone, eternally off

Ministry of Culture: you up..?

For the finale, Wooju traced a 2 and a 9 with his fingers, slid his sunglasses down, and winked.

The visuals were perfect.

But only the visuals.

What even is this.

The mysterious Pyeongchang Olympics promo clip was making people laugh as it fanned out everywhere.

[They say this is Wooju’s Pyeongchang dance that’s blowing up right now]

(The Devil’s Dance.metube)

lololololololol

Wooju’s killing me

NewBlack is actually insane lolol

Ugh... I’m kind of embarrassed T_T

If you’re embarrassed, you could just not watch. I think it’s funny

This is why variety is dying lol Their everyday life is funnier than TV

The talent is unreal

Looks silly, but that’s actually a hard dance. Piece by piece it’s all the latest moves... it’s just that those moves fell into the hands of a wicked gremlin and turned out like this...

So in short, a good dance became hazardous waste in Wooju’s hands

I’ll take that as the alchemist in reverse...

???: Gold turned into poop..!

???: It’s gold poop, Jiho

Meanwhile, NewBlack were all over general forums and humor boards too.

[???: You’re not suing over this..?]

(Wooju spaceship doing a uniquely infuriating dance.gif)

You can’t sue a national-idol, right? lol

It’s infuriating, huh? lol

lolololololololol

I’m dying, fuck

-(interview pic of Wooju saying he waited to become official ambassador.jpg) turns out it was crazy foreshadowing lol

Why is that guy doing that there again

Sun Wooju (25), working tirelessly to drive the nation into ruin

Make him Tokyo Olympics ambassador please

Maybe Pyeongchang earned an honorable death from this? It was doomed anyway, but thanks to NewBlack it died with honor

yup facts.. Organizing Committee, bow three times in NewBlack’s direction

I think two bows will do

That kicked off a chain of humor posts.

[???: So a festival has begun]

(World Theme Travel gif where the interviewee answers “It’s a funeral” when asked “Is it a festival?”.jpg)

(NewBlack’s Pyeongchang ad.gif)

It used to be called the Pyeongchang Olympics...

lololololol

Didn’t see this coming lol

Pyeongchang execution

So the “enemy within” they warned us about in training was this, huh

fuck lolololol

The Organizing Committee will not forget this

[Look there—our fireworks]

(NewBlack members cheering at fireworks in the “Fireworks” MV.gif)

???: Wow, hyung... but Pyeongchang is up there too..!

Wang Jiho’s voice auto-plays at 500%

Bravo, NewBlack... now go be Tokyo Olympics ambassadors

lolololol

If nothing else, the word “Pyeongchang” got one hell of a promo

And in this joking mood of “NewBlack just erased the Olympics...!”...

As always happens when memes and joke posts go up, a few people who can’t read the room started reacting seriously to NewBlack’s Pyeongchang promo too.

Is it just me? Honestly, the Olympics’ image matters, and I don’t know if it’s right to promote it in a silly way. It’s the first time in 30 years—does this kind of promo help at all..?

Seeing those comments pop up, the folks who’d been cackling went stone-faced for a second.

Like, do you actually think they’re trying to tank it...?

It was basically half-loving teasing of NewBlack for posting a shitpost-style ad.

And honestly, the promo effect was massive.

Any time the Olympics came up it was “Oh right... it’s happening. Hope it goes well,” and then this promo hit. They weren’t even commissioned—national idols who voluntarily shot a diligent promo spot.

People were playfully layering satire and humor onto the video, and the few serious replies were just... awkward.

No like lol do you really think it’s ruining the image

We can tell they’re trying anything to promote it

Ehhh~~~ there goes the mood again

For those who can’t read the room, please remember... if other people look like they’re having fun, just type “fr lol”

Facts. That alone gets you to average

fr lol

If your inner Seo Rihyuk starts awakening, wake up your Kim Junhyun and put it back to sleep

That last comment got screencapped and turned into a reaction image.

fr a banger quote... if your inner Seo Rihyuk awakens, rouse Kim Junhyun and lull it

Study like Rihyuk, live like Kim Junhyun

But why has the “argue and you’re Seo Rihyuk” meme been a thing? T_T If I were Rihyuk I’d feel bad

It’s teasing with love.. we’re just clowning Rihyuk for fun.. T_T Maybe it’s not great if you think about his feelings...

Ah...

To the commenter above, please accept this quote image

Meanwhile—

Just when Koreans thought they’d laughed enough for the day and were about to return to daily life—

“Huh?”

New MeTube uploads popped up and everyone perked up.

“Hyung, Minjun texted. He says all the elementary school kids are copying your dance.”

“The future of this nation is bright.”

Rihyuk countered.

“Bright my ass. It’s pitch dark.”

“That’s why our team name is NewBlack.”

I brushed it off with nonsense and checked the online reaction.

Overall, the response to our Pyeongchang promo videos was huge. It felt... hot.

Even the Organizing Committee and the Ministry of Culture were posting joking comments like “Student... take that down,” but were actually reacting positively. Word was, they were beating the drums because young people were paying attention.

Most of all, our foreign Souffles were paying attention.

English comments were buzzing.

Oh, so the Olympics are in Korea

If NewBlack is promoting, I can’t sit still. Time to evangelize

My body is in Louisiana, but my heart now belongs to Pyeongchang

The Great Leader NewBlack has decreed we promote!!

Hold up.

That last one feels... northern.

“W-well, good is good.”

“True.”

As we talked, foreign Souffles were also going, “What is this dance?”

Jiho said,

“Looks like a lot of people feel embarrassed.”

“You can’t even read English comments.”

“It just... feels like that vibe, you know?”

...Not wrong.

Watching Souffles go “Uhh I’m embarrassed! T_T,” I gathered my minions.

“Alright, minions.”

“Yes!”

“If Souffles feel secondhand embarrassment at me, what should we do?”

“Hmm...”

Biju raised his hand.

“If they feel embarrassed at hyung, maybe they’re not true Souffles? A true Souffle should embrace even hyung’s worst moments.”

A perfect answer.

I almost shouted “Ten points to Gryffindor,” then shook my head.

“If you were a subject in my realm you’d be promoted on the spot, but sadly, that’s not it.”

“Then what’s the answer?”

I answered Junhyun, who was curious.

“You increase the number of people who’ll be embarrassed.”

“Oh.”

“If only I dance Pyeongchang, it’s a lewd little dance, but if everyone dances, it becomes a ‘trend.’”

Junhyun stroked his chin, impressed.

Then he thanked me for getting on the right path, though I have no idea what he meant.

After telling the kids that, I called a close friend to demonstrate immediately.

“Seu—ha.”

-New—ha~

Hanjo’s delighted voice came through on speaker.

-What brings our Chief Ju today? You’ve been out of touch.

“Sorry. Been slammed.”

-That hurts my feelings. Never even call. Is our mint choco club friendship only worth this much?

“Yes. It’s always only been worth this much.”

He laughed on the other end.

I could hear, “Who is it?” “Is it Wooju hyung?” in the background, then Hanjo again.

-Been well?

“Been good.”

Two 1993ers, same age, traded small talk and got to the point.

“Hey, I’ve got a favor.”

-What is it?

“You saw my Pyeongchang dance, right?”

-It killed me. We all said, wow, Ju Sunwoo finally lost his mind.

“Do it too.”

Hanjo’s voice went flat.

-No.

“Okay.”

-Huh? No clingy wheedling for once?

“I can just ask others. I’ll ask Teen Spirit to do a Pyeongchang Dance Challenge.”

I snapped my fingers; Jiho ad-libbed,

“Ah~ if Teen Spirit does it, that’d be hilarious~ views would pop. Our next-door neighbors will feast~”

It was lowbrow bait only kindergarteners fall for.

But Sbo aren’t just anybody.

They’re our equals.

-I’ll do it!

“Hmm?”

-I said I’ll do it!

“A wise choice. With a wise leader like this, Sbo’s future is bright. Bright.”

We wrapped the main ask and were about to hang up.

It got quiet, like Hanjo had stepped into a room, as he yelled to his kids, “Hey! Get the Pyeongchang dance choreo down!”

-Oh, and one more thing. Heard something from TJ Entertainment.

“What?”

-They’re scrambling to drop an English track too, since you’re prepping one. Heard they’re doing a song camp with some composer—Steve Garrett or whatever...

Hanjo’s voice turned serious.

-They might do media play off that. Heads-up.

“Thanks~”

I thanked him and hung up.

We already knew about TJ Entertainment anyway.

Industry folks had all heard we were working on an English song, and we also knew TJ suddenly had stars in their eyes about breaking into the US.

They’d probably try to latch on and spin, but I wasn’t worried.

“Hehehehe...”

Because right now, inside the secret base where composers’ screams were echoing, “METRO” was being completed.

Media play or whatever—in the end it’s a fight of songs.

The singer with the better song wins.

And with METRO being polished into a great track, I had nothing to worry about.

If anything...

“Trickster worries me a little.”

Rihyuk said,

“At this point they probably don’t want to do an English song.”

“Unfortunate, but not our company.”

We moved straight to the next name in my contacts.

I’d called Sbo; next was the neighbors.

A trendy Instagram-core ringtone played, and Huiyeon’s blasé voice drifted in.

-Ye~ hello~ 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

“Yo~”

-Yes, hyungnim~

“What are you doing?”

-Lying down out of boredom. Wondering how to spend this fucking afternoon so people clap and say I used it well.

“You reading lately? Your sentences got nicer.”

-Yeah. I’m reading One Piece~

We chatted about life and got to the point.

“Do the Pyeongchang Dance Challenge.”

-I hate ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) it so much.

“Sbo said yes.”

-...Those hyungs said yes?

“Yeah. Sbo are our friends.”

-.......

The OK came instantly.

He muttered something about cake; no idea what that meant.

Grumbling “Ugh... learning the choreo is a pain,” Huiyeon suddenly remembered something.

-Oh, hyung.

“Mm?”

-I heard the TJ CEO lost it. Suddenly declared a US push and everyone’s like what is he doing.

“Yeah?”

-Yes. Thought you should know.

I thanked Huiyeon and hung up.

Then I rang our original minion too. Unlike the others who balked, Taehyun agreed in one go.

-If it’s your ask, of course.

“As expected.”

-You stack this kind of trust so you can ask for a song later, right?

“As expected, you’re rotten.”

We cackled together. As we laughed, the guy who’d been recommending foods for gastritis went “Ah,” then said,

-You heard what’s going around?

“Yeah.”

-Don’t mind it. Looks like nothing.

A veteran idol’s way of passing intel with no explicit subject—pure Taehyun.

After making the rounds with idol friends—

“Funnily enough, we just did unintended intel gathering.”

“Feels like NIS headquarters.”

We shared a warm laugh.

It felt like informants posted everywhere were whispering “Important intel” to HQ.

Smiling at the flood of info from friends, I went right back to outreach.

“Yes, Senior Lee Gyeonwoo. Ah... Taehyun, Street Boys, and Teen Spirit said they’re in.”

“Senior Seo Noeul says he’ll do it too. Ms. Yang Okbun...”

“Ms. Yang Okbun also said she would, but her joints aren’t great? I’ll send some good foods.”

After that chain-reaction outreach was done—

“Muahaha!”

We traded happy smiles as the results started rolling in.

It began with Hallyu star Lee Gyeonwoo.

A shy, quirky dance ending with a traced 2 and 9 and a bright “Pyeongchang!”

From there, challenge videos started dropping one after another.

[Dance with Pyeongchang! (Street Boys’)]

[♥ To our beloved Souls!! Teenies tried the Pyeongchang Challenge!]

[Pyeongchang Dance Challenge]

Han Taehyun, Street Boys, Teen Spirit—domestic top-tier idols started posting.

Spurred on, other girl groups and boy groups shot clips too.

Covers from the nation’s top idols. And famous actors shyly uploading their dances.

Powered by NewBlack TV and the reach of the country’s biggest stars, the Pyeongchang dance started trending.

[Trying the Pyeongchang dance everyone’s doing lately]

Dance MeTubers and influencers posted shorts to social platforms and it spread.

In the US, NewBlack’s close friend Hailey Blue uploaded her Pyeongchang dance.

“Oh.”

“Hailey posted!”

“Getting yelled at while I taught her the choreo paid off.”

While NewBlack beamed—

Starting with Hailey Blue’s clip, the Pyeongchang dance zipped across America.

“Whoa?”

“Huh?”

“Mm?”

US celebrities who saw Hailey’s video started piling in one by one.

Big names known for dancing—including Logan Smith—joined the challenge with a “Oh? Looks fun.”

A nationality-agnostic, unique dance.

That devilish hook that goes “Pyeongchang~.”

And the influence of NewBlack, the wildly popular idol group with fans everywhere.

The three pieces meshed and sparked synergy.

Oh?

From New Delhi, India, to Ottawa, Canada—

That weird melody grabbed ears all over the world.

“This is fun. What is this?”

“Pyeongchang...?”

“So it’s an Olympic dance. Must be official.”

The original Pyeongchang dance video’s views skyrocketed past 100 million. Regular Americans started posting it on social too...

-Today’s fun clip. It’s called the “Pyeongchang Dance.” Let’s watch Mandy Spice’s cover.

-What on earth is this word echoing in the video—Pyeongchang?

-They say it’s the host city of next year’s Winter Olympics in Korea.

Even the news said the name.

It was a brief craze, but the mysterious word “Pyeongchang” was being learned worldwide.

Of course...

This was not the intention of the people involved.

“Hyung, the Organizing Committee called?”

“Don’t answer!”

“What do we do? This got insanely big...”

“I—we don’t know anything. Play dumb.”

The NewBlack members wriggled.

Like ostriches burying their heads in the sand, the five of us wrapped ourselves in blankets and covered our own eyes.

“Why is this blowing up like this...!”

Still—

We were a five-member team that kept underestimating our own influence.