A chance for NewBlack to have their names called at the VMA awards ceremony!

The entire nation’s hips started bouncing.

"Mom! Give me strength!"

"I’m right next to you, you brat. Stop looking at the sky."

"Honey, I’m sorry! I’ll be the one they pick!"

"The daughter and the husband are both out of their minds......."

The mother who had been scolding the father and daughter stared at the TV with a sullen face.

‘What’s so special about having a name called up there.’

Lately, when she looked at what people were doing, there were many times she just could not understand it.

Of course it was natural to feel fondness toward handsome, talented kids, but was it really something to go this crazy over?

Not long ago, she had read that NewBlack had done a subway announcement, and an enormous crowd had gathered just for that.

Her gaze shifted to her daughter and husband.

‘These two must not have anything better to do.......’

She remembered clicking her tongue when she heard they had rushed out just to see NewBlack once, only to come back without even getting a glimpse.

"Dad, I’m sorry."

"It’s okay, Soyoung. If anyone’s going to be picked, it’ll be me, so I should be sorry."

Not wanting to hear her daughter and husband bicker, she raised the volume with the remote.

-Ddan-ddara-ran!

With a cute BGM, mini NewBlack danced and then drew a name.

[Blazing Anne from Sangdo dong (Park Mihee)]

The NewBlack members looked at the tablet and broke into bright smiles.

-Yes, Blazing Anne from Sangdo dong, thank you so much for cheering on us, NewBlack.

At the sound of Sangdo dong, a huge “Waaaaa!” rang out across the entire apartment complex.

Like a goal had just been scored at a soccer match.

‘Sangdo dong? That’s our neighborhood.’

The woman who had been lying on the sofa opened her eyes halfway.

‘If it’s Park Mihee here.......’

She froze.

"Uh?"

She sprang up from her seat.

That’s me!

That’s me!

"......No, wait."

But she was completely flustered.

She had only left a “Fighting~” comment because there was a section to post supportive messages online, and now they were calling her name!

‘Blackies!’

The face that had been watching indifferently just moments ago was now glowing with overwhelming joy.

Letting out a hearty laugh, she began clapping.

And the father and daughter who had been fangirling beside her went “Huh? Huh?!” and jumped up from their seats.

‘My wife got picked!’

‘Mom got picked...!’

Three seconds of shock.

Even though they themselves had not won, an immense pride swelled up knowing that someone from their family had.

"O, our family’s greatest output!"

"Mom! I’m proud of you!"

"Hahahahaha!"

Thanks to NewBlack, the Blazing Anne family tangled together and danced in giddy circles.

After the general public draw came the celebrity acquaintance draw.

Celebrities who were getting their hair done at salons paused their stylists for a moment.

"Wait! Wait!"

Holding their phones, celebrities and stylists alike focused their gazes, wondering if their name might be called.

"They’re drawing celebrities now?"

"Man, whoever gets picked is lucky. I left a comment too."

"Be quiet. I think they’re drawing."

All over the place, people in the entertainment industry were hoping to hear their names.

Trot singer Song Bohyung, on his way to an event, checked his phone in the car. Actor Seo Noeul, eating a boxed meal on set, stared at the TV.

From PDs and directors lining up at the food truck on a drama set to the broadcasting station offices.

Everyone had HBS turned on.

"Wow. But they’re good."

Comedians watching the TV let out impressed exclamations.

"Timing is everything in comedy, and they’re really good."

"They’ve got talent."

"I’d love to stand on stage with a face like that. I’d look funny just standing still next to them."

"If someone did the squid dance next to them, that’d be perfect."

People in the comedy industry smiled as they watched NewBlack on screen.

The five members drawing names in a way that was somehow cute and funny.

‘They’re good!’

It was a concept that required real sense to pull off.

Drawing and announcing people they were thankful for during an awards acceptance speech? It sounded clever and nice in theory, but it was difficult to execute.

If they overdid it, it could feel like they were taking the ceremony too lightly.

If they missed the comedic beat, the reaction could turn cold with “What are they doing? That’s not funny at all.”

Especially at a foreign awards show with a different language and culture, even confident people tended to shrink back.

But NewBlack was handling all of it brilliantly.

‘They’re overflowing with comedic talent. Overflowing.’

Just as comedy professionals were smiling like that—

"Shh! They’re announcing it!"

"Oh, oh!"

"We’re not close, but I’m hoping!"

Junhyun’s finger tapped the tablet screen, and the mini figures drawing the names selected one.

This time, a face appeared along with the name.

A handsome face filled the tablet screen.

[Lee Gyeonwoo, who sent a long message of support!]

Groans echoed from here and there.

"Damn......."

"Hey! Let’s live independently! Forget the hyungs!"

"Forget them! Forget all of them! Since when were we neighbors anyway?"

A six member boy group threw a sofa cushion to the floor, then picked it up again.

"Oh, please."

"So now that they’re successful, they’re abandoning the Mint Chocolate Squad, is that it? Let’s see how well they do without us."

"But they’d probably do just fine without us......."

Even a nine member group gathered in a practice ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ room stomped around ominously.

While cries filled with disappointment and regret rang out everywhere—

-Lee Gyeonwoo sunbae, thank you sincerely for sending your support.

The Hallyu star watching the juniors’ message on TV let out a laugh.

‘Me? I got picked!’

The actor placed a hand on his flushed cheek and wriggled happily with a smile.

After finishing a reasonable number of draws.

We wrapped up our acceptance speech quickly and stepped down into the audience. Then I looked at my wristwatch and asked,

"Do you think we’re safe on time?"

"It ended perfectly."

At Ri Hyuk’s words, I smiled in relief.

Just like in Korea, unless it was a Grand Prize level award, there was not much time to speak, so I had been secretly nervous.

The on site reaction seemed good.

No slip ups.

Only then did I let out a refreshed breath and shout.

"Aaaah!"

"It’s overrrr!"

Holding the astronaut shaped trophy with a flag high in the air, I jumped up and down with the younger members.

It would be a lie to say it would have been fine not to win.

It feels good to win an award.

How happy had we been as elementary schoolers just receiving a Good Student sticker? It was the same even as adults.

"I! I want to touch the trophy!"

"Here! Touch it!"

Laughing as I watched the youngest hug the smooth trophy happily, we followed the staff’s guidance.

We were scheduled to have a short backstage interview with MTV.

How did it feel?

Did you expect to win? If there was anything you could not say during your speech, what would it be?

Only after escaping the interviewer’s barrage of questions did we finally feel free.

And there were things we had to do first.

"Grandma!"

We video called our family to tell them about the win.

We also video called our close friends to show off the trophy.

Taehyun, who had answered with a sullen face, soon burst into laughter, and Sbo, who had been wriggling fiercely, melted like worm shaped jelly.

And even the flushed faced boys smiled brightly.

-Hyungs, are we the first ones you called?

"Yeah."

-Ah. What the heck.

"You’re number one."

Somehow, we were surrounded by guys who got sulky easily.

From experience, in situations like this, it was best to call first and brag for even thirty seconds with “Hey! Hey!”

For a friend, nothing was more joyful than receiving a message or call right after someone stepped off stage or finished an award. It proved that you were that important to them.

"It’s time to move!"

"Yes!"

Following our managers’ lead, we re entered the venue.

After the Viewer’s Choice award, which was decided by fan voting, there was nothing particularly meaningful for us.

Just watching the stages and clapping for other singers giving speeches.

Sleepiness crept in.

Ri Hyuk and Biju periodically stepped on Junhyun’s foot as he nodded off, and the youngest and I pinched each other to stay awake.

Jiho rubbed his half open eyes and said,

"Is it because it’s English? Why do I get sleepy whenever I hear English?"

"Right."

"Ugh, it’s like I ate black bean noodles. So sleepy."

Maybe it was like watching a subtitled movie, which somehow made you sleepier.

Aside from briefly waking up when an award category we had been nominated in was announced—

"Didn’t get it."

"I didn’t think we would anyway."

Coin had done well enough to enter the Billboard Hot 100, but none of the other nominees had failed to enter the Hot 100.

In terms of performance alone, Coin was near the lower end.

That was also why we were placing our hopes on METRO. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Soon, Cold Brown and Hailey Blue split the Grand Prize, and Big Morgan closed the show with dancers in bikinis, bringing the VMA to an end.

"Krrrraaa!"

We waved until the end to the cheering Souffle and said goodbye before heading to the waiting room.

But it was not over yet.

We met singers we had not greeted earlier, bumped fists or hugged to build connections.

"Are you coming to the after party tonight?"

"No."

We drew clear lines with men and women subtly flirting.

Took photos.

More photos. Photos. Photos.

"Ughhh......."

After an entire hour of networking, we were completely exhausted.

Still, it was not without results.

"Hailey, Mandy Spice, Cold Brown, DJ Magic......."

Looking at the list of videos on my phone, I smiled with satisfaction.

They were the people who had immediately done the METRO challenge at our request.

Videos of them dancing the METRO chorus choreography with us, a promotional method we had devised after watching MyTube trends.

-People don’t seem to watch videos if they’re longer than ten minutes these days.

-If you came for a snack and someone handed you the main dish, that’s a bit much. I don’t click if it’s over five minutes either.

Seeing how views dropped sharply once videos exceeded ten minutes, we adopted a short form promotion strategy.

Once we uploaded these videos.

And after returning to Korea to film more with other celebrities.

The promotional effect would explode even more.

"Hoo......."

I stopped thinking about work for a moment and took a deep breath.

Night had fallen.

Looking out at the dark outside through the hallway window of the venue, I smiled with the members.

"You worked hard."

"It’s over now."

"Yeah."

We exchanged short smiles, put our arms around each other’s shoulders, and laughed.

The awards stage we had prepared for nearly two months had finally ended.

We did not yet know what kind of butterfly effect it would bring, but it was certain that many good things would unfold.

The on site reaction had shown that.

But it was not truly over yet.

"It’s not over until it’s over, minions."

"That’s right!"

"Let’s do our best until the very end."

Our plan to debut as attention seekers in America was not finished.

"Until the very last last moment, we give it our all."

"That’s right!"

Even if we had to fight elementary schoolers, we would give it our all.

That was who we were.

"Then......."

I nodded solemnly to the minions.

Immediately, they began rummaging and putting on new astronaut helmets, while Seokhwan hyung’s sigh mixed with laughter drifted in.

"Let’s go."

Cheers poured down on us as we stepped out in different astronaut outfits from earlier.

Today as well, we bounced and stomped with all our strength.

At the same time.

As the finale of the most popular American drama showed the northern wall collapsing and zombies pouring out, shaking U.S. communities and social media.

VMA news also covered the web.

-2017 VMA winners and performances

-Cold Brown sweeps awards, NewBlack steals the show

-Billboard picks the best and worst stages of the 2017 VMA!

As expected of the hottest awards show in terms of buzz, news about winners and performances drew attention.

And among them, the one that drew the most attention was the rookie boy band NewBlack.

‘Wow.’

Americans logging into social media widened their eyes.

‘What happened?’

People everywhere saying, “NewBlack’s stage was insane,” and “Who’s the black haired guy in the middle?”

Curious, one American searched and blinked.

"Huh?"

He burst out laughing at a photo of NewBlack on the red carpet wearing space suits and giving thumbs up.

Clicking the interview videos brought even bigger laughter.

Wooju doing a zero gravity jump and Biju performing a zero gravity dance made him laugh nonstop.

‘Who are these guys. I like them.’

He laughed watching a zero gravity dance video with a silly “Pyeongchang~” BGM and at meme edits already circulating.

In an interview, Wooju said with a serious face,

-We didn’t think we could get attention with the stage, so we decided to get attention with our outfits instead!

Such bold, shameless words.

Hearing that naturally made people curious about the stage.

When he went onto MyTube, the video flowed into his recommended feed through the algorithm without even searching.

[The New Black - Coin / METRO]

With mild anticipation, the netizen clicked.

Soon, his eyes widened.

‘What.’

They were so good.

When singing Coin, they smiled brightly like the most beautiful boys from a heavenly realm.

Then when performing METRO, they suddenly transformed, whipping their ties and staring into the camera with devouring eyes.

Against a futuristic VCR backdrop, beads of sweat scattered like special effects.

The image of NewBlack performing in disheveled shirts from the intense dance lingered like an afterimage.

‘The song’s good.’

He dragged the play bar back to the start of METRO and listened again before scrolling to the comments.

Sure enough.

As if representing her own thoughts, the top liked comment read:

-Did they seriously think this stage wouldn’t get attention?

In the replies, someone explained that this was something Korean idols often showed called Ki man.

It apparently meant modesty.

‘So Korean singers are all like that!’

After leaving a comment among the overwhelmingly positive reactions, she searched for METRO on her music app.

And she was not the only one.

As if it were a VMA effect, songs by artists who had appeared at the VMA were showing sharp vertical rises.

And at the top among them was NewBlack’s METRO!

Music video views and streaming numbers were skyrocketing exponentially.

As the sound of “metro metro” echoed in ears.

"This is good too?"

Though the Korean lyrics felt unfamiliar, Coin, praised as the pinnacle of easy listening, was also drawing American attention.

Not as explosive as METRO, but impressive.

There were songs like that. Songs you did not care much about before seeing the stage, but after watching, your interest surged. Songs that replayed the stage in your mind.

It was the moment Coin, which had ranked number one on the annual Korean charts, showed its power on foreign soil.

‘This is good.’

‘If only the lyrics were in English.’

‘K pop... isn’t bad. Maybe I had a prejudice?’

As METRO shot upward like a rocket, Coin began hopping alongside it.

And there were others paying attention to Coin.

In a dark apartment.

Johnny Pierce, a full time stock investor tapping away at his keyboard, stared at his monitor.

‘Hmm.’

No particular change.

‘Did it open up today?’

It seemed to be an unlucky day.

As usual, he went on MyTube to kill time watching videos when a new recommended video appeared.

NewBlack, that band girls screamed about.

He clicked his tongue as usual, about to ignore it, when a word caught his eye.

‘Hm? Coin?’

The title was Coin.

Unconsciously, Johnny clicked the song.

“Coin, coin, keep going.”

The lyrics flowed into his ears.

As if telling him that!

-Don’t worry. It’ll rise.

He did not know why, but it was strangely pleasant.

His heart warmed.

The arcade sound echoing somewhere reminded him of a restaurant with an arcade he used to visit with his parents as a child.

Coin Coin

Keep Going

Coin. Coin. Keep going. Coin.

A smile spread across Johnny’s lips.

‘I’ll add it to my playlist.’

Coin by NewBlack was added to Johnny’s playlist filled with rock music.

As he pressed repeat and listened again, he looked back at his monitor.

"Whoa?!"

It went up.

The stock he was watching had risen.

Not only that.

‘The coin went up!’

The price of the bitcoin he was monitoring had risen.

Gulp.

Johnny Pierce swallowed and played Coin again. The graph began creeping upward.

‘More! It’s going up more!’

A magical experience.

In his ears, NewBlack’s main vocalist’s voice echoed.

‘This is science.’

Soon, Johnny shared his experience in an investor community, recommending NewBlack’s Coin.

Others might see it as a foolish superstition... but investors were among the most sensitive to superstition.

If you hang socks on the window, you earn more money!

Don’t eat beans on a rainy day!

Stocks I buy always drop!

-Listening to NewBlack’s Coin makes my investments go well? Going to listen

-Rise, my coin!!!

-Truly a singer who foresaw the age of bitcoin

-Not sure about rising, but the song itself has a calming effect. Great for repetitive work

-So we meditate to this, right?

In 2017, as coin investment was becoming an issue in mainland America.

NewBlack’s Coin was slowly gaining cult like popularity among investors.

Meanwhile.

‘......We should not tell them about this.’

Assistant Manager Hong Seoyeong of the NewBlack TF team, monitoring American internet reactions, made that decision.

If the members found out, they would probably grab the back of their necks.

‘Especially Ri Hyuk.......’

With a satisfied smile, she closed the window.

Sometimes, not knowing was better.